Chapter 103: Dismissal, You Who Look Down on Women Yet Are Inferior to Them…

Chapter 103: Termination

*“You look down on women, yet you’re not even as capable as one…”*

Nan Jinping looked worried. "Could this cause problems?"

Bing Wengu chuckled. "What’s there to worry about? Just as I couldn’t do anything to Zhao Weihai, the prefect can’t do anything to me either. We were both appointed by imperial decree from the Emperor. To dismiss me, he’d have to petition the emperor first."

"But..."

"Don’t worry, love," Bing Wengu said. "Get some rest early."

The next day, Bing Wengu didn’t head straight to the prefectural city. Instead, he first visited the research facility to meet with Qing Jingzi, engaging in an in-depth talk before leaving.

Afterward, Bing Wengu went to the estate. Every time he visited, Manager Han would drop whatever she was doing—even if she was in the experimental fields—and come to greet him immediately. This time, however, he didn’t see her.

Bing Wengu asked, "Where is Manager Han?"

A bailiff bowed and replied, "Manager Han is over there. It seems she’s arguing with the assistant manager."

"What’s the matter?" Bing Wengu pressed.

"It seems to be about a Shuang’er."

The bailiff led the way, with Bing Wengu following behind.

"Manager Han, why are you making such a big deal out of this? You assigned the tasks—why does it matter who completes them, as long as no one is forced and both parties agree? As long as the work is done on time and meets the requirements, that should be enough," Assistant Manager Guo said with a scoff.

"That’s unacceptable. Since the Magistrate appointed me as the chief project manager and entrusted me with overseeing all affairs in the estate, I must ensure fair treatment," Manager Han argued firmly. "Wu Geer is part of our team, and the tasks assigned to him must be completed independently."

Assistant Manager Guo retorted, "I *want* to help him—what’s it to you?"

Wu Geer clung to Assistant Manager Guo and said coyly, "Manager Han, as long as the work you assigned gets done and the Magistrate is satisfied, why stick your nose in? I advise you not to overstep. Or else..."

"Or else what?" Bing Wengu stepped forward, arms crossed. "Or else, what will you do to the chief project manager I personally appointed?"

Bing Wengu’s sudden appearance startled everyone present, especially Wu Geer, who jumped back like he’d been burned.

"Magistrate Bing!" everyone bowed.

Bing Wengu gestured for them to rise. "Well? What was Wu Geer going to do to my chief project manager?"

Wu Geer went white. "N-nothing."

His legs trembled with fear. This was the man who, at their first meeting, had taken away his freeborn status, demoted him to a lowly rank, and then sent him to this hellhole to farm.

Wu Geer had tasted everything in life—except hardship.

After toiling in the fields for so long, he couldn’t take it anymore. If this continued, he’d go mad. That’s why he had seduced Assistant Manager Guo.

Assistant Manager Guo, smitten, couldn’t bear to see his beloved distressed and quickly interjected, "Magistrate, Wu Geer merely misspoke. Given that he’s a Shuang’er, please show leniency."

Bing Wengu found this amusing. He turned to his assistant manager and said, "I had no idea we had such a white knight here. When your wife bore your children and endured such hardship, did you ever say, ‘She’s just a woman—I should help her more with the farmwork and not be so strict’? When household chores overwhelmed her, did you ever say, ‘She raises the children, serves the elders, and manages the home—she’s just a woman, I should help more and not be so demanding’? When you quarreled, did you ever say, ‘She’s just a woman—I shouldn’t take it to heart’?"

Bing Wengu’s three questions left Assistant Manager Guo speechless. After a long pause, he stammered, "Magistrate, how is that the same?"

"Of course it’s not the same. The one at home is an old hag—worn out from bearing your children, managing the household, and losing all her beauty, someone you can’t bear to look at twice. This one, however, is a fresh, youthful Shuang’er—someone you could never have reached in your lifetime if I hadn’t exiled him here. Someone you’d only glimpse if you worked as a laborer in his household, and even then, he’d find you too filthy to spare a glance."

Bing Wengu’s merciless yet brutally honest mockery flushed Assistant Manager Guo’s face red with shame. "But Magistrate, those duties are what women and Shuang’er are supposed to do—serving in-laws, husbands, raising children, managing the household. If not for these tasks, why would any man marry? To bring home a queen to bow to?"

Bing Wengu felt nothing but sorrow for the injustice women faced. At the same time, he lost all desire to argue further with Deputy Manager Guo. Men with such ingrained prejudices were beyond persuasion.

"You're fired," Bing Wengu said coolly. "What I need here are diligent and hardworking farmers, not hopeless romantics. If you want to play the devoted lover, go home and do it for your wife. Truth be told, if you spared even half this passion for her, I might actually respect you as a man."

"Sir, you can’t just fire me without reason! I haven’t done anything wrong!" Deputy Manager Guo was beside himself at the sudden termination.

Being fired now would ruin his family, who relied entirely on his monthly wages. He couldn’t afford to lose his job.

"No wrongdoing? It seems you’ve never taken my words to heart. I’ve made it clear that Manager Han is the head of this estate, and her orders come from me. Break the rules, and you’ll pay—literally. Small mistakes cost silver, big ones cost your job," Bing Wengu stated.

Guo’s jaw dropped, but no sound came out. Bing Wengu had emphasized this repeatedly, yet Guo had always looked down on women at his core.

"Sir, even if I was wrong this time, don’t I at least deserve a second chance?"

"If someone murdered you and then told me, 'Give him a chance to correct himself,' should I just let him go?" Bing Wengu retorted sharply.

"That’s not the same!"

"Honestly? This estate’s rules might mean more than your life." Bing Wengu gestured to the yamen officer beside him. "Take him to settle his accounts. Pay him for the days he put in—not a copper more."

The yamen officer grabbed him on the spot. As Deputy Manager Guo struggled, he pleaded, "Sir, I admit my mistake! I’ll listen to Manager Han from now on! Please, I can’t lose this job—my sixty-year-old mother and three-year-old child depend on me—"

"Shut him up," Bing Wengu snapped, scowling.

"Yes, sir." The yamen officer, lacking anything else, stuffed his own crusty, half-year-unwashed sock into Guo’s mouth.

The moment the foul sock entered his mouth, a rancid stench blasted straight to his brain, making him gag violently. But with his mouth blocked, he had no choice but to swallow it back down.

The spectacle left the rest trembling into silence.

Only Wu Geer almost grinned—*anything* beat farming. "I’ve also made a mistake. Will I be expelled too?"

Bing Wengu replied, "Yes."

Wu Geer nearly laughed in relief.

Ignoring Wu Geer’s premature delight, Bing Wengu addressed the other men in the estate. "Drop the pathetic, ingrained disdain for women and Shuang Er. Here, what’s between your legs matters less than what’s between your ears."

"I won’t waste breath on sermons about how you were all born from women or how your mothers are women. Some of you don’t even respect your own mothers.

"I’ll say this plainly: Scorn women all you like—if you can outwork them.

"The reality is, a *single woman* outworks all you ‘strong’ men combined!

"And yet you dare to scorn her? If you’re inferior to a woman, what does that make you? Useless!"

The men hung their heads in shame under Bing Wengu’s scolding.

"Remember this: Since I’ve appointed Manager Han as the head of this project, her orders come from me. If you have complaints, bring them to me. Until I say otherwise, no one disobeys her. Anyone who does—grab your shit and *go*!"

After reprimanding the group, Bing Wengu spoke privately to Manager Han. "I won’t lecture you further. Just understand this: You’ve got to hold your ground. I’ve backed you today. If you still can’t stand firm in the future, don’t blame anyone else."

Manager Han lowered her head, eyes reddening. In all her life, no one had ever put her on equal footing with men—not as a child among brothers, nor as a wife to her husband. Men always came first—no questions asked.

Knowing the oppression women faced in this era, Bing Wengu added, "That’s how you *command* respect. In situations like today, you don’t need to waste time debating. Just impose fines or dismiss them outright."

Han’s head jerked up in shock, then quickly replied, "Yes, sir."

"I hope you truly understand," Lord Bing said with pointed significance.

After handling the affairs at the estate, Lord Bing took Wu Geer away. Wu Geer was grinning ear to ear, thinking Lord Bing was taking him somewhere nice.

Instead, Lord Bing sent Wu Geer to dig wells—which was even more backbreaking than farming.

Ji County was in the grip of drought, and with no better measures available, they'd rounded up laborers to dig wells. Under the scorching sun, they dug well after well. Whether water was found or not, no one stopped—it was more grueling than farming, and Wu Geer was about ready to lose his mind.

"My lord! Lord Bing!" Wu Geer knelt and grabbed Lord Bing's leg. "My lord, the scheme to seduce you wasn’t mine—it was all Assistant Magistrate Zhao’s doing. With my looks and figure, I could’ve been some family's proper son-in-law. Why would I want to be a concubine? It was all Assistant Magistrate Zhao’s instigation. If you must blame someone, blame him!"

"To be honest, I was furious at first—after all, you caused my husband to misunderstand me. But later, I realized you were just caught in a difficult position."

Lord Bing put on a show of sympathy. "I know it’s all Assistant Magistrate Zhao’s fault, and I just want to get some payback. If he pays me a thousand taels of silver, I’ll send you home free."

At the mention of being released, Wu Geer’s eyes immediately brightened.

"But Assistant Magistrate Zhao refused and even said many harsh things. Things like 'a concubine's whelp doesn't deserve it'—ugh, I wouldn't soil my lips repeating them." Lord Bing sighed. "My husband is Shuang Er, so I understand your struggles and lack of choices. For his sake, I’ll give you a day off. Go home and discuss the ransom with your family."

"A thousand taels may sound like a lot, but I know it’s chicken feed for Assistant Magistrate Zhao. After all these years in office, such an amount is nothing to him. It all depends on whether he’s willing."

"Begging might soften his heart—maybe if you plead with him, he’ll agree. Besides, I think he should be the one paying, since he was the one who made you do this. Why should you suffer the consequences while he refuses to spare even a bit of silver?"

This made perfect sense to Wu Geer. Why should he bear all the blame while others reaped the benefits?

Wu Geer requested leave from Lord Bing and went home to demand the money.

Lord Bing came home whistling cheerfully.

Nan Jinping asked, "Why are you in such a good mood?"

Lord Bing recounted the events.

Nan Jinping shot him a knowing glance. "That’s a huge sum. I doubt Assistant Magistrate Zhao would be willing to pay."

Lord Bing replied, "I never actually expected to get the money."

Nan Jinping gave a knowing look. "I thought as much. You probably just wanted to turn them against each other."

Lord Bing chuckled. "As always, my husband understands me best."

"Wen Gu, do you suspect Assistant Magistrate Zhao was the mastermind behind that case of the maiden sacrificed for rain?"

Lord Bing nodded. "He’s the only one who stood to gain. Whether it succeeded or not, if it reached the Emperor, the blame would fall on me. He wanted to drag me into his dirty schemes."