From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The male protagonist, Xu, held Yan Ruyu's hand tightly. His palm was warm and dry, giving her immense strength.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." His deep voice was like a reassuring pill, instantly calming Yan Ruyu's panic.

"Heh, afraid? That word doesn't exist in my dictionary!" Yan Ruyu sneered, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it. Who's afraid of who!

She flung Xu's hand away and strode confidently toward the debate stage.

"Tap, tap, tap..." The sound of high heels striking the ground was crisp and powerful, each step seemingly treading on the hearts of everyone present, carrying an undeniable air of dominance.

Below the stage, hundreds of eyes were fixed on her, some with doubt, some with curiosity, and some with disdain...

Various gazes converged, like an invisible net enveloping her.

Confucius stroked his beard, a smug smile playing on his lips, as if victory was assured.

Young Master Bai arrogantly made a "failure" gesture at her.

Ignoring the overt and covert hostility, Yan Ruyu stood firmly on the debate stage, took a deep breath, glanced at the crowd below, and smiled confidently.

The debate officially began.

Young Master Bai was the first to attack. He jumped out like a fighting rooster, pointed at Yan Ruyu's nose, and shouted, "What are you doing at the academy instead of staying at home embroidering? You have no shame!"

“Young Master Bai, you are mistaken,” Yan Ruyu retorted calmly, her voice clear and strong. “Why can’t women study? Are women inherently inferior? The sage said, ‘In education, there should be no discrimination.’ Are women not among the ‘categories’?” Her words were eloquent and powerful, leaving Young Master Bai speechless.

Below the stage, some students who had previously held prejudices against Yan Ruyu could no longer help but look at her with new respect.

They never imagined that a woman could possess such eloquence and courage.

Young Master Bai's face flushed red, and he said angrily, "That's just sophistry!"

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, a sly glint in her eyes. "Soliciting arguments? Then tell me, Young Master Bai, where have I been sophistry?"

Young Master Bai opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time.

He was not good at debating to begin with, and now that Yan Ruyu was pressing him relentlessly, he panicked even more.

Pressing her advantage, Yan Ruyu continued, "Young Master Bai, you keep saying that women can't study, but do you know..." She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd below, "...that there is a bird in this world called the phoenix?"

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with an air of dominance over the world.

“The phoenix, the male is called Feng, the female is called Huang, the two go hand in hand, neither can be missing. Does this mean that even these auspicious beasts of heaven and earth should be divided into high and low, noble and base?” She cleverly used the example of the phoenix to introduce the debate, and immediately the whole room fell silent.

"Women study not to compete with men, but to improve themselves and understand principles and righteousness. Just like the phoenix, only when the male and female fly together can they soar through the heavens and bring blessings to the world." Yan Ruyu's voice was clear and melodious, flowing like a gentle stream into everyone's hearts. Gradually, some students who were originally wavering began to be moved by her words.

She continued, “Young Master Bai, you just said I was ‘shameless.’ Please tell me, what ‘shameless’ thing have I done? Just because I am a woman and I stand on this debate stage, does that make me ‘shameless’? Does this academy, this place of sages, not even allow a woman a place to stand?” Her voice grew louder and louder, and the last sentence was almost shouted, making everyone’s eardrums buzz.

Confucius's confident smile gradually disappeared, replaced by deep wrinkles.

He never expected that this seemingly delicate woman would have such sharp words and a powerful aura.

Mr. Lu's eyes gleamed with excitement; he seemed to see a rising star challenging the shackles of old ideas.

From below the stage, Xu, the male protagonist, looked at Yan Ruyu, who was shining brightly on stage, his eyes filled with love and pride.

His eyes burned like fire, as if they wanted to melt Yan Ruyu.

Yan Ruyu felt his gaze and her heart filled with strength. She returned his gaze with a firm look, as if to say, "Don't worry, I will definitely win!"

As Miss Ye watched Yan Ruyu speaking eloquently on stage, she seemed to see her own future reflected in him: a woman who could stand in the center of the stage and make her voice heard, just like a man.

"Confucius, you are a highly respected elder of the academy. Tell me, is a woman's education 'shameless' or 'enlightened'?" Yan Ruyu turned her gaze to Confucius, her tone carrying a hint of provocation.

Confucius's face turned ashen, his lips trembled slightly, and after a long while he managed to squeeze out a few words: "I...I..." He had lived most of his life and was highly respected in the academy. When had he ever been subjected to such interrogation?

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, not pressing further, but softening her tone: "Confucius, your view that 'a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent' is not entirely without merit. In certain specific circumstances, this saying does have its significance. After all, managing the household, raising children, and being a good wife and mother are also important responsibilities for women."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

To everyone's surprise, Yan Ruyu would actually agree with Confucius's views!

Confucius was stunned, Bai Gongzi was dumbfounded, and even Xu Nanzhu raised an eyebrow in surprise.

This move was truly impressive.

Yan Ruyu's expression was sincere, her eyes were clear, and there was not a trace of hypocrisy or affectation.

“But,” she added, “this does not mean that women should be confined to the home and completely give up the opportunity to learn and improve themselves.”

Dean Su stroked his beard. This girl is no ordinary person!

"Times are changing, society is progressing, and we cannot cling to outdated ideas." Yan Ruyu's voice became firm and powerful again. "Women should also have the right to pursue knowledge and realize their self-worth! Can't women contribute to the country and society?"

Her words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

More and more students began to ponder the meaning behind her words, and some students who had originally opposed women's education began to waver.

Seeing this, the conservative academics panicked.

Young Master Bai's face flushed red, and he jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "This is fallacy! It's simply bewitching!" He pointed at Yan Ruyu, his finger trembling, as if he was about to rush up and tear her apart at any moment.

Yan Ruyu remained calm and retorted, "Where is my logic so absurd? Please enlighten me, Young Master Bai."

Young Master Bai was speechless, stammering for a long time without being able to give a coherent answer.

Just then, another old scholar standing next to Confucius stepped forward. He opened a thick ancient book, pointed to a passage, and said, "According to the academy's rules, both sides in a debate must cite classical texts and are not allowed to express their personal opinions at will!"

The students in the audience who supported Yan Ruyu immediately erupted in protest, expressing their dissatisfaction.

Just as the two sides were deadlocked, Dean Su suddenly stood up. His expression was serious, and his voice was loud: "Given the great importance of this debate, I have decided..." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, "to add a special segment!"

Yan Ruyu and the male lead, Xu, exchanged a glance, both looking puzzled. A special segment? What was it?

The students around them began to whisper among themselves, speculating about the contents of this special segment.

Dean Su cleared his throat and slowly said, "This step is..."