Chapter 467: Seeking to Enact Monogamy in Antiquity

When they arrived, it was already daylight; soon they learned the whole story, and a woman, upon seeing them, knelt on the ground and cried, pleading that the man had taken another woman to live with and even wanted to drive her out!

Hearing this, Ying also felt somewhat dissatisfied, because he does not like other men beating women.

This woman is pitiful, not of his own tribe, but now everyone is from the Small Town, so he also must care for and protect her.

Seeing the woman battered with bruises and a swollen face, Ying's gaze turned to the indifferent‑looking man, "Why are you beating your woman?"

This man is also an outsider, with a sharp nose and monkey‑like face; he looks about fifty, with thief‑like eyebrows and mouse eyes, and at a glance he is not a good sort of person.

There is also a woman by his side; she must be that other woman.

Nan Qinghuan saw the woman's smug look and was about to slap her—no shame? —but she hurried up and helped the complaining woman to her feet, "Stop crying; we already know your situation. Your man brings a woman home for the night and also beats you, right?"

"Yes, he wasn't like this before. I came here with him to sell goods; the houses here were also built with our money. On what grounds does he discard me just because he doesn't want me?"

"You woman still dare to speak. You haven't borne any children; why would I want you? I can find a young one to bear me children; what fault is that of mine?"

"It's not that I can't bear children; it's just that last time you got drunk and beat me, causing the child to be lost. My health is poor now, but I still want to bear you children."

"Shut up. I don't want you anymore; get out."

The man was still quite smug, so brazen, that it made Nan Qinghuan's teeth itch!

"Enough. Just because she can't bear children, you want to drive her away. She's your woman, right?"

The man glanced at Nan Qinghuan, originally not wanting to pay her any heed, but seeing Ying's face he made a mischievous expression, "Yeah, she's my woman, but that was in the past. I don't like her now, so let her go. I say, Town Mayor, do you also have to intervene in this matter?"

That man is so brazen!

This made Nan Qinghuan unable to hold back, "Since you have come to the Small Town, you must abide by our rules."

"Rules? What rules?"

"Here we follow monogamy; if she is your woman, she is your wife. You cannot casually discard her, nor can you have two women."

"What, what kind of ridiculous rule is this? How come I've never heard of it?"

"I'm saying this now; this Small Town is our territory. My word is law. Starting tomorrow, we will establish new rules for everyone to know: a man may have only one woman, unless the woman dies, then the man may find another; if the man dies, the woman may find another. However, while a woman is still present, that other person is a third party and cannot be taken home."

"..."

The man was very angry, "Town Mayor, what kind of rule is this? When we were in the Tribe before, as long as I had ability, the females would willingly follow me, and that was fine."

"What you speak of is the past; now we are on the Small Town, all rules must be handled according to the Small Town. Qinghuan is right; without rules there is no order. Starting tonight, what's your name?"

Early that day, Nan Qinghuan and Ying dealt with several such cases, all involving men who despised their women for being old and unattractive, wanting to drive them out to find younger, prettier ones.

Since many outsiders come to the Small Town every day now, more people mean more trouble.

Those who beat women, those who fight, those who steal chickens and dogs—all these people must be governed by law.

So Nan Qinghuan spent a sleepless night discussing with Ying the need to draft a set of Small Town regulations that everyone who comes here must obey.

Ying originally had no objections, but getting everyone to accept only one woman, or only one man, is probably difficult.

A Bonfire was lit inside the house.

Ying furrowed his brows, sat there, and shook his head, "Qinghuan, I don't really agree with this law."

Hearing this, Li Xiang also nodded, "Qinghuan, although we understand the reasoning you speak, and back where we are it's like that, here it probably won't work."

Li Xiang sat there by the fire; although Spring had arrived, the weather was still damp and cold. Nan Qinghuan had invited him here to draft laws together. Other matters—fighting, establishing a yamen with officials to adjudicate residents' petty issues—are all possible, but monogamy is especially difficult.

Why? Because primitives differ from modern people; from childhood, their elders teach polygamy. Not just in primitive societies— even in feudal times, wealthy families had three or four wives. It was only after liberation that monogamy became standard. Now Nan Qinghuan wants to implement monogamy here, which is difficult.

No one will obey.

Nan Qinghuan, hearing that Ying and Li Xiang both opposed, said, "I know you think it's difficult, but you also see that the Small Town's population is growing. If we don't regulate it, the problem of women being abused will worsen, even leading to murders, which must be stopped. Senior brother, I know you think I'm too idealistic, but I believe this approach can be gradual. The tribespeople now come from all over; we don't know what cultures they've experienced, but once they arrive here they must follow the rules, not cause trouble or create disasters, otherwise it will harm the Small Town's development."

"Everything else I have no problem with. For example, handling marriage certificates and Household registration is fine. Drafting compensation laws for fights and retribution for murder is also fine. But Qinghuan, the monogamy rule must wait. The tribespeople's mindset hasn't changed yet; they lack awareness. Look, some people from a Tribe have several women. What would you have them do? Would you let their families fall apart, leaving many children without mothers or fathers? How can that work?"

"Li Xiang's meaning is also mine: monogamy is unsuitable for the Small Town, and Qinghuan's approach is not conducive to bearing children."

The Ying who had been silent suddenly spoke.

As soon as his words fell, Nan Qinghuan's gaze met his; actually, even when he hadn't spoken, she had already understood.

Yes, Ying disagrees!