The People's Party controlled the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Wuhan, Anqing, and Wuhu, these three important cities along the Yangtze River, were the economic pillars of the People's Party. Anqing had a long industrial history; China's first steamship was launched in Anqing. After the People's Party seized Anqing, they naturally established many industries in the Anqing area. By 1913, Anqing's population had reached 500,000. Among the many cities of the People's Party, it ranked fourth, only after Wuhan, Wuhu, and Xuzhou.

In these times without television or the internet, even a population of 500,000 was enough to support quite a few newspapers and magazines. Inside the editorial office of *Tongcheng Night Talk*, the chief editors were sitting around a middle-aged man in his forties. The middle-aged man had a bruise on the left side of his forehead, but what was more serious were the bloody scratches all over his face, left and right, looking shocking.

"This group of shrews!" The middle-aged man looked like he wanted to speak with lingering anger. However, it was obvious that the emotion in his tone was "still in shock." Just as he spoke, he seemed to aggravate other injuries, and the middle-aged man couldn't help but cry out "Ouch."

The surrounding elderly men also felt helpless in the face of such injuries. One of them said, "Brother Sun, let's not talk about those shrews for now. Why don't we hurry to the hospital for treatment?"

The man called Brother Sun seemed not to be in enough pain yet. He said with a face full of indignation, "I'm not going to the People's Party's hospital. Just invite the former Dr. Lu." Because of the many bloody scratches on his face, Brother Sun's face looked a bit hideous.

"...Brother Sun, Dr. Lu has already gone to work at the People's Party's hospital," the person next to him said awkwardly.

"Dr. Lu also defected to the People's Party?" Brother Sun was quite surprised. After thinking for a while, he said helplessly, "Then ask Dr. Lu to make a house call. We still have to hurry to find a printing factory to print today's newspaper."

These editors immediately split up to act. Brother Sun said to a person next to him, "Brother Zhu, those women committed violence in public, but now the government is controlled by the People's Party. I'm afraid filing a lawsuit won't work. But I can't swallow this anger. Do you still have contact with your former friends in the Jianghu, Brother Zhu?" Speaking of this, Brother Sun couldn't help but say "Ouch" again.

Brother Zhu said awkwardly, "Brother Sun, those people offended Mr. Chen Duxiu, the current Deputy Director of the CPPCC, and the People's Party doesn't like them either. I haven't seen them for a long time."

Having said this, Brother Zhu said with lingering fear, "Brother Sun, I was saved by your help this morning. If Brother Sun hadn't protected me, those shrews holding weapons..."

"Sigh!" Hearing this, Brother Sun sighed heavily. Because the movement was too big, it pulled on his pain, and Brother Sun cried out "Ouch" again.

The two sat opposite each other for not long, but heard a woman's shout from outside. Separated by the wall, it wasn't very clear, and they didn't know what was happening outside. But they saw the gatekeeper running in in a panic, "Two sirs, a large group of women came to the door, held up a banner, and demanded a public apology from us."

Before the gatekeeper finished speaking, they heard a woman's voice amplified by an electric loudspeaker coming directly from outside, "People of *Tongcheng Night Talk*, listen up. You roll out here now, let's talk face to face."

Hearing the movement outside, the faces of Brother Sun and Brother Zhu turned white immediately. In the morning, they argued with those typesetting female workers. After the two sides reached a deadlock, the female workers rushed up with brooms and wooden-handled dustpans to beat the editors of *Tongcheng Night Talk*. They tried to resist, but they couldn't beat the large number of female workers. When they squeezed out of the female workers like rats scurrying away, as the literal meaning suggests, they didn't know how many cheap shots they took. Now that a crowd of women blocked the door, Brother Zhu was stunned on the spot. But he heard Brother Sun cry "Ouch" again.

"People of *Tongcheng Night Talk*, didn't you hear? Open the door and come out to talk openly. Aren't you usually very daring to speak? Come out and say it to our faces now." The voice outside came in again.

Brother Sun and Brother Zhu looked at each other. With such a challenge outside, they should have gone out to speak. But firstly, they still had lingering fears, and secondly, they felt that confronting a group of women face to face was really a loss of status. Brother Sun finally said to the gatekeeper, "Keep the door shut tight."

The people of *Tongcheng Night Talk* could of course keep their doors shut tight and pretend not to see. But the traffic police maintaining traffic couldn't pretend not to see. A group of women walking on the street boiling with anger was already surprising. Fortunately, there were no idle people in Anqing City at present, but a group of women setting up a formation to block the gate of *Tongcheng Night Talk* and shouting challenges, this kind of thing never seen before in Anqing City naturally spread extremely fast. People from nearby units and residential areas came out to watch the excitement.

The traffic police belonged to the state unit, so they naturally had undergone studies on women's liberation early on. Naturally, they wouldn't try to stop it, but looking at the increasing number of people, the traffic police began to have a headache about the traffic congestion. After internal discussion, the traffic police struggled to maintain order while reporting to Mayor Ren Qiying, who was in charge of urban work.

"Women took to the streets?" Ren Qiying was really surprised. She was already very courageous when she was a teenager, but Ren Qiying didn't agree that ordinary women could possess the same daring fighting spirit as her. After all, this was not the same environment. What Ren Qiying faced was the choice between death and possible death. These women actually didn't need to have any reaction to *Tongcheng Night Talk*.

"Mayor Ren, the traffic police comrades are asking how to solve the problem of traffic obstruction," the secretary couldn't help but ask when seeing Ren Qiying remain silent.

"I remember the editorial office of *Tongcheng Night Talk* is in the old city district, right?" Ren Qiying asked.

"Yes. If it weren't in the old city district, the traffic police comrades wouldn't be so anxious," the secretary replied.

All new urban districts of the People's Party had a commonality, which was that urban planning was done with a lot of redundancy. That is to say, the main roads of big cities were planned with twelve lanes first, and elevated bridges and large areas of green space and open space were also reserved. Chen Ke had seen with his own eyes how terrible the traffic congestion in the 21st century was. And what results the lack of comprehensive urban planning would lead to. Anyway, the evaluation of Zhengzhou residents on urban planning was "Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, digging ditches every day. If not digging for a day, it's not called Zhengzhou."

Chen Ke himself had vigorously criticized this matter when eating and drinking with his brothers, and also discussed this matter when eating with engineers from the Urban Planning Bureau. The engineers were also full of bitterness, "The city expands so fast, it changes almost every day. The financial allocation is only enough for patching up. It won't do without digging ditches. And who can be so awesome to have a comprehensive and accurate prediction of the development in the next ten years or so at once. Even if there is such a capable person, how could they stay in this small place of Zhengzhou."

This conversation left a deep impression on Chen Ke. Even if it was impossible to predict the next few decades, leaving enough redundancy was always possible. Chen Ke had been a programmer at any rate, and he also had a deeply felt pain for functional requirements that changed almost every day. So in the beginning in Anqing, it focused on large-scale land enclosure and comprehensive new urban district construction. The new urban district considered wind direction, natural conditions, water supply systems, and finally placed industrial zones and residential zones.

According to the situation provided by the traffic police, about a hundred women went to protest this time. If this small number of people were in the new urban district, gathering in a pile wouldn't even be able to block the main road. But in the old city district, this blocked a street completely dead.

"I'll go there personally," Ren Qiying said.

"Do we need to notify the Municipal Committee to hold a meeting? Which comrades should go with you?" the secretary asked.

"No need to go with other comrades, I alone am enough. This time I'm not going to wave flags and shout for these female comrades. Instead, I'm going to persuade them not to hinder social normal work first," Ren Qiying replied.

"Will that have a bad influence? After all, work on women's liberation is currently being carried out," the secretary was a bit surprised.

"Women's liberation is a matter of course. We are persuading the female comrades to leave now, not because we oppose women's liberation," Ren Qiying replied. "I can still distinguish this responsibility clearly."

The Municipal Committee was currently still working in the Governor's Yamen in the old city district, very close to the location of the incident. Ren Qiying and her party heard the women's challenges from far away. Because *Tongcheng Night Talk* dared not open the door, the women simply started giving street speeches.

"The new government says everyone is equal before labor. Are we women worse than others in labor? Yes, we may not be as good as men in physical work like carrying packages, so we don't compete for these positions. But in schools, we women work as teachers. In printing houses, we women do text typesetting. In textile factories, we women work as textile workers. In various commercial departments, accounting is done entirely by women, working as salespersons. In hospitals, we women work as nurses and doctors. Everyone does not do bad work, not a bit worse than men. And these guys from *Tongcheng Night Talk* look down on women, thinking that women supporting themselves is treason and heresy. Women coming out to work and supporting themselves is absolutely not treason and heresy. Those people from *Tongcheng Night Talk* who dare not come out are the ones devoid of conscience and with obliterated conscience!"

A woman in her early twenties was holding an electric loudspeaker, shouting loudly to the surrounding masses. The emotions of the surrounding women had been mobilized. Hearing the criticism of *Tongcheng Night Talk*, many people were already shouting loudly, "Down with *Tongcheng Night Talk*, down with these counter-revolutionary elements!"

"People of *Tongcheng Night Talk*, come out and explain clearly!"

Ren Qiying didn't know this woman, but she was amused by this slogan. She turned her head and said to the secretary, "Who is the speaker? Check it out after the crowd disperses."

"Okay," the secretary replied.

Ren Qiying first found the traffic police comrades who were struggling to maintain traffic nearby. Seeing Mayor Ren Qiying coming, the traffic police breathed a sigh of relief, "Mayor Ren, you go up and persuade them. So many female comrades, we dare not say much either. Just now we persuaded them to leave, but these female comrades took out the 'Constitution' and told us that assembly is their right as citizens."

"Haha." Ren Qiying couldn't help laughing out loud. She actually completely didn't expect the move of using the constitution to argue for oneself, "Traffic police comrades have worked hard. Let me talk to the comrades gathering for the next things."

Because the core members of this gathering were all women, no men dared to squeeze together with the women; they were all on the periphery. Ren Qiying, wearing a dark blue uniform, entered among the women without encountering any resistance. Until she appeared in the core of the gathering crowd, the woman giving the speech recognized Ren Qiying. After shouting "Mayor Ren", the women looked at Ren Qiying in surprise. After a moment of silence, the speaking woman shouted excitedly holding the loudspeaker, "Women comrades, Mayor Ren has come to support us!"

The core women of the entire gathering suddenly erupted in a burst of cheers.

"Mayor Ren, you must help us drag out all the guys from *Tongcheng Night Talk*!"

"Make them explain clearly what those bullshit words they said in the newspaper mean!"

The woman delivering the speech stood on a stool. Amidst the chaotic shouts of the women, Ren Qiying took the electric loudspeaker and stood on the stool. "Fellow female comrades, hello everyone. And the comrades watching, hello everyone. I am Anqing Mayor Ren Qiying. I came this time to talk to everyone in the capacity of Anqing Mayor."

Seeing Ren Qiying speak simply, directly, responsibly, and straightforwardly, completely full of style, the women couldn't help but cheer enthusiastically, "Hello, Mayor Ren!"

Ren Qiying waved to the people below, resulting in even more enthusiastic cheers and applause from the women. Until the sound subsided slightly, Ren Qiying continued, "I have two things for coming this time. The first thing, as the Mayor of Anqing, my attitude towards women's liberation is absolute support. For you women daring to express your attitude and carry out a solemn struggle with those who oppose women's liberation, I admire you! I want to praise everyone; you have done a very meaningful thing in the women's liberation movement."

The cheers of the women in the core area of the opportunity rang out immediately, and not just the core area. Ren Qiying stood high and saw far; there were also looks of joy on the faces of the women watching around.

"Similarly, as the Mayor of Anqing, my second thing is to ask everyone to disperse for the time being. This is not because I am double-dealing, saying one thing and doing another, but because everyone has really blocked the road. It has affected traffic. I heard that when you came this time, holding the constitution in hand, demanding to realize your rights. This is very good. The constitution indeed stipulates our rights and obligations. Similarly, I think that as equal citizens in society, everyone also has the obligation to maintain the normal operation of society. The meaning you want to express has already been expressed now. People say there should be propriety in doing things. Everyone gathered here today, what do you want to express? Is it to express the attitude that women resolutely do not accept discrimination, or is it merely to express anger towards those people in *Tongcheng Night Talk*? But no matter which one, I think it should stop at a proper limit. Because this street does not belong to those people in *Tongcheng Night Talk*. So blocking normal passage for a long time is not the attitude and method that women as masters of society should have. What do you think?"

Hearing Ren Qiying criticizing them, some of the women were quite surprised, and some even felt very aggrieved.

"Mayor Ren, do you mean we can't continue to demonstrate here?"

"Mayor Ren, are you going to let this bunch of people from *Tongcheng Night Talk* continue to talk nonsense in their broken newspaper?"

Ren Qiying smiled and said, "Broad female comrades, you are citizens, of course, you must have the magnanimity of citizens. This group of people from *Tongcheng Night Talk* are also citizens, and they also have their own rights. When we talk about freedom of speech, we mean the right to speak. Even if it is nonsense, these people also have the power to speak nonsense. On this point, we women must have this broad-mindedness, must have this magnanimity, and must allow these people to talk nonsense, right? A group of men talking nonsense made everyone so angry; they are not worthy."

A burst of laughter came from the women. The woman who spoke just now said loudly, "Mayor Ren, the government only says it wants women's liberation, but now it hasn't refuted newspapers like *Tongcheng Night Talk* at all. If they continue to talk nonsense like this, it will seem like what they say is reasonable."

"The purpose of this street is for people to walk. Men can walk, and women can also walk. As the mayor, I treat everyone equally. No matter who obstructs this street, I will come to persuade them. Moreover, women's liberation is an action, not a slogan. Whether you have obtained equal rights, this is the core of women's liberation. Has everyone obtained the current employment opportunities? Have you obtained equal education opportunities? These things are what we want to strive for and solve at present. If *Tongcheng Night Talk* obstructs these opportunities, I can guarantee everyone that I can not only drag them out for criticism but also raze *Tongcheng Night Talk* to the ground. But now they are just powerless in the face of women's liberation, barking a few times like a beaten dog. If you treat a barking dog as the greatest enemy, I think this is lowering your own status. They are not worthy."

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd of women. Ren Qiying accurately pointed out the focus of the contradiction. These women indeed regarded *Tongcheng Night Talk* as the greatest enemy at present, but after Ren Qiying's metaphor, everyone suddenly discovered that *Tongcheng Night Talk* had no power. In front of women, in front of the women's liberation movement, those people in *Tongcheng Night Talk* were just beaten dogs.

The angry mood was calmed, and self-identity was satisfied as never before. The women's emotions were no longer so excited. Ren Qiying took the opportunity to jump off the stool and began to shake hands with the women around her one by one, praising their brave spirit of daring to struggle while persuading them to disband the gathering and not to obstruct traffic.

Many of these women saw the long-admired female Mayor Ren Qiying for the first time. Everyone shook hands with Ren Qiying enthusiastically and carefully looked at this woman who existed like a myth and legend in Anqing City. Many women dared to take to the streets this time because they knew of the existence of female Mayor Ren Qiying. This follower of Chairman Chen Ke, a steadfast female revolutionary fighter, appeared in front of everyone like this. She was so approachable, yet full of power.

Just as the gathered women were about to disperse, the gate of the *Tongcheng Night Talk* editorial office suddenly opened. Two angry middle-aged men stood at the door. One of them, a man with injuries on his face, shouted loudly, "Mayor Ren Qiying, please stay."

The gathered women originally didn't expect people from *Tongcheng Night Talk* to come out. Now seeing these people appear angrily, they were somewhat surprised.

Ren Qiying parted the crowd and walked in front of the two middle-aged men, "What advice do you two have?"

These two editors had already heard inside the room that female Mayor Ren Qiying had arrived, and her purpose was actually to maintain smooth traffic. Their hearts were mixed with joy and worry. But they didn't expect Ren Qiying to compare *Tongcheng Night Talk* to a beaten dog and tell women not to take *Tongcheng Night Talk* to heart. They could no longer endure it. Finally, driven by indignation and extreme humiliation, they forgot their fear and stepped forward.

The injured "Brother Sun" shouted loudly, "You violated the teachings of the sage, letting women show their faces in public and corrupting morals."

Ren Qiying turned back and waved to stop the noisy impulse of the gathered women behind her, then turned back and sneered, "Which sage is the sage you are talking about?"

"Brother Sun" was delighted in his heart. He said loudly, "Naturally, it is Sage Confucius."

"Are you sure you are talking about Mr. Kong Qiu from Shandong? Not referring to anyone else?" Ren Qiying said with a mischievous smile.

Hearing the name Kong Qiu, the beaten "Brother Sun" was both shocked and angry. He was naturally angry that Ren Qiying dared to call Confucius by his name directly. He was shocked that he had underestimated Ren Qiying. He originally thought that Ren Qiying should have learned the vernacular set of the People's Party and couldn't know Confucius' title.

However, Brother Sun had already spoken the words himself just now, so he naturally dared not take them back. He stiffened his neck and said, "Indeed, it is the Great Sage and First Teacher."

"That's good. Tell me, which sentence in the 'Analects' says that women cannot take to the streets and cannot work?" Ren Qiying said with a sneer. Ren Qiying had studied with her father since childhood. She not only memorized the "Analects" thoroughly but also had a quite profound understanding under the guidance of her father Ren Yugang. Really discussing the essence of the "Analects", Ren Qiying didn't think she had any reason to fear a pedantic scholar.

These words indeed cut to the point. Brother Sun was completely stumped by this question.