Chapter 258: Everyone Has Their Own Agenda (Part 9)

“I don’t intend to drive a wedge between you and Ding Ding. In fact, on this point, I must praise him. From his perspective, he correctly chose the fastest and, at the time, most effective way to protect himself… which was to let you run around without knowing the truth.”

Panpan thought for a moment and understood what Cheng Yongxin meant.

That’s right, after seeing the miserable situation of the lower class of the Ming Dynasty, she did compromise with the Executive Committee: the system of the Senate was definitely not the best, but it was the best in this time and space.

To starve to death and then be eaten by others, or to be implicitly exploited by the capital system of the Senate, she would also choose the latter.

“So you think it’s wise for me to give up freedom of the press?”

Facing the faintly gritting Panpan, Cheng Yongxin raised a playful smile.

“On the contrary, I’m here to show you a way, the art of dancing on the edge of the Executive Committee’s tolerance.”

Panpan had to admit, she was moved.

“Are you so sure I’m willing to be used as a gun by you? You know, I now think you’re a scheming woman.”

“You’re wrong. I’m actually not very good at scheming. In fact, I’m more inclined to not even give scheming a chance to appear. Whether it’s saving Yang Jihong or letting the media play its real role, does it have anything to do with my personal interests? I have no relationship with Yang Xinwu, nor do I like ‘submissive black women’ like Yang Jihong. As for the media, I am neither a journalist nor have any intention of entering this industry.”

Panpan was, after all, a foreign student. A few words from her moved her heart.

She opened a bottle of soda, added it to a glass of rum, and took a sip.

“But what is your purpose in promoting freedom of the press and media power? From what I hear, you are obviously very rational and practical, so don’t expect me to believe that you are a martyr like Du Wen, willing to dedicate everything for her Women’s Federation.”

“First and most importantly, because I am a woman. You know very well what I am worried about.”

“I understand that.”

“In my opinion, public opinion supervision is the only way to balance this dangerous trend. And letting the media play its role is the key. Unfortunately,” Cheng Yongxin said with a hint of sarcasm, “consciously or unconsciously, they are willing to turn the media into a mouthpiece.”

Panpan nodded silently.

“As for Du Wen, unfortunately, besides being a woman by chance, I don’t want to have anything to do with her at all.”

“Oh?”

Panpan was finally interested. This was the first time she had seen Cheng Yongxin show obvious negative emotions.

“But your remarks are very similar to hers: basically advocating for the protection of women’s rights, the monogamy system, and insisting on women’s right to marriage, right? Du Wen even wants to explicitly prohibit any act of taking concubines.”

Cheng Yongxin snorted through her nose.

“That’s why you and she will both fail, Panpan.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Well, can you give me another can of kombucha? I’m afraid I have a long speech to make.”

Panpan got up as she was told and got her a can from the small refrigerator.

“Alright, do you need me to take notes?”

Cheng Yongxin took a few gulps of the drink and said with a smile:

“No need to be so hostile, Panpan. This is actually a very obvious fact, it’s just that you haven’t realized its importance.”

Panpan’s response was to raise an eyebrow.

“We are not in 2013, but in 1632.”

“I know that, of course.”

“No, you don’t know. You don’t understand what this era represents.”

Cheng Yongxin sighed.

“Why do you think modern times are called progressive? Where do you think women’s rights come from? Do you also believe that all men are created equal?”

Panpan frowned.

“Of course not.”

“But, have we returned to a few hundred years ago, and power has to regress a few hundred years with it?”

“So I said you and Du Wen will both fail—where do you think the basis of women’s rights and freedom of speech lies?”

“The basis? The basis is of course…”

Cheng Yongxin leaned back in her chair, her smile carrying a faint mockery.

“Found it? That’s right. Du Wen thinks that the old world had a Women’s Federation, so this time and space should have one too. The problem is, does the law of the old world have any binding force on the current Senate? We just formulated something called the Common Program a while ago!”

Facing the stunned Panpan, Cheng Yongxin stood up, leaned against the window, her gaze drifting into the distance.

“Du Wen doesn’t even realize where she is now. The situation we are facing is that in the time and space of 1632, once we leave the Senate, except for Salina, no woman has the ability to protect herself. Even Salina, her bullets will run out one day, she needs to rest, and it’s even more impossible for her not to eat at all. As long as there is patience and perseverance, any man can do whatever he wants to her. At that time, she will only have two choices: submit or commit suicide, as long as she dares to leave the Senate.”

The words were harsh, but Panpan had to admit that it was the truth.

“Since we can’t leave the Senate, we have to admit a premise! This organization is a group established mainly by young and middle-aged men. Limited by this structure, any law or association that clearly harms the interests of men cannot be established, because that violates the interests of the majority. When you get the legislative power, the correct way is to not let laws that are unfavorable to you appear in the first place, not to find loopholes after the law is promulgated.”

Panpan bit her lip hard.

“So, because most men want concubines, even if Du Wen’s Women’s Federation proposes it, it will be vetoed by the majority, right?”

“That’s right. I’m glad you finally accept the facts.”

Panpan said listlessly, “And then? Just accept the facts like this?”

“How is that possible? If it weren’t for Du Wen jumping around so much, causing many uninformed soy sauce transmigrators to have a subconscious aversion to women’s rights, I wouldn’t be so annoyed with her.”

Sighing, Panpan raised her hands:

“Alright, I’m begging you, don’t keep me in suspense. Since you came to me, you must have an idea, right?”

“An idea, of course I have one.”

Cheng Yongxin smiled and turned to sit down next to Panpan.

“We are a minority group. If we clash with the interests of the majority, we will definitely be beaten black and blue. So, what do you think we should do?”

Panpan swallowed.

“What should we do?”

Cheng Yongxin lowered her voice, which sounded like the whisper of a demon’s temptation:

“Then we must make our interests into a greater interest, the interest of the entire Senate, or at least the interest of a part of the transmigrators, and make ourselves the majority.”

“But, you yourself said that we are a minority group. How can our interests be the interests of the majority?”

Facing the surprised Panpan, Cheng Yongxin shook her head:

“You’re wrong. How do you think women’s rights developed in Europe and America? It’s because too many men died in World War I. If they insisted that women could only stay at home to cook and have children, who would do the work, and where would the soldiers come from to fight the war? So the concept of women’s rights appeared. The same goes for women’s right to vote. To put it simply, one day someone found that if this country had a thousand men and a thousand women, he could only get three hundred votes from the men, but five hundred votes from the women, then why not let women have the right to vote? There is no such thing as a male vote or a female vote. As long as the number is enough, you can be elected president.”

Cheng Yongxin took a sip of Kvass and continued:

“To put it bluntly, the reason why Liu San, besides a symbolic punishment, didn’t even get a scratch is that the benefits he brought to the Senate far exceeded the benefits that Wuyunhua and Du Wen could bring. Women’s rights are definitely not something that should be innate. To think that you should be treated preferentially because you are a girl is called princess syndrome, and it has nothing to do with women’s rights. The Senate is a very deformed organization, but on the premise that we can’t leave this group at all, only when enough transmigrators feel that defending women’s rights is defending their own rights, or that harming women’s interests is taking away their interests, can the concept of women’s rights become a consensus. Besides, with Du Wen jumping up and down, has she helped Wuyunhua at all? No, not at all. On the contrary, she has wiped out the goodwill of some transmigrators who sympathize with women, which only adds trouble to my plan.”

Now Panpan understood.

“So, it’s absolutely impossible now. The army has almost no women, and the parts related to science and technology are also women’s weak points. It’s even more unlikely that there will be a female executive committee member in the short term. It’s a battle that you know you will lose before you even fight. The only thing you can rely on is public opinion.”

“That’s right. Panpan, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but many transmigrators haven’t changed their mentality yet. They still think like the ruled, not like a ruler. These marginal transmigrators have always had a hidden worry, that is, being gradually marginalized and deprived of power…”

“So their worries are the same as ours, the female transmigrators, right?”

“Bingo! Now you know why I want to help Yang Xinwu. As long as you have your help in the media, this originally insignificant case will become a magnifying glass. Many people who were originally indifferent will see many things clearly through your reports, especially their own situation and crisis. Only then will they know what they should support and what they should oppose. When the time is right, the Weekly News and the Lingao Times will no longer be propaganda tools that can be easily killed and have their reports modified by a single order from a certain person or committee—you will be the uncrowned king of public opinion!”

Cheng Yongxin used a low, inflammatory tone to paint a brilliant scene that would make any journalist’s heart pound.

“That’s wonderful! I love you to death, Cheng Cheng baby!” Panpan almost wanted to hug her and kiss her.