Chương 96: Changying's Discussion With Mr. Joseph
Joseph looked a Changying with a hard stare for a long moment after she finished counting making her feel uneasy. She fidgeted under his scrutiny and opened her mouth to speak and break the silence, but he held up his hand to stop her.
"Tell me what you know of our family and our traditions from all of your research and what Wang has told you," he commanded.
"In modern day terms, I believe that your family are one of twelve families that network and aide each other in business and family matters. The head of each family has the rights similar to that of the Roman Pater Familias, which gives you ownership rights over the people related to you by blood and those that work for you and with you and you have certain rights to their property as well. I know each of your sons who has a family business including Wang, who is in the process of acquiring a business with the help of the family will pay a certain percentage of its profits back to you, or into the family coffers so to speak.
"You respect and help those you work with and employ, but they too must respect the ideals of the family and serve to better it. You hold to the laws of the ancient twelve tables and the rights of even the lowest classes to exist and be happy in their work and life. So I know that even as a slave for this family that I would be treated fairly and my wishes taken into account." She took a deep breath. I understand that you hold great power and wealth, and you are to be respected and obeyed, but I also know that you have a great love for your family because that shows in each of your children and how they treat others."
"Go on," Joseph said. She was an intelligent girl who had understood the research she had done and had obviously looked into how their modern day households ran.
"Originally I misunderstood and got caught up in the word slavery. I know now that rather than being coerced into such a lowly position you offer paid employment with good benefits for those willing to undertake that type of work for a set Changyingod. The only difference between a house slave and a housekeeper in an average family are the hours of work, which I understand the girls are duly compensated for," she considered what she had said so far.
"I am not sure I understand the rules or laws around kept women and consenting slaves or what the differences between them are. But I have only been working on the book for a short time, and I am sure it will become clear in time, especially as I get to know family life here on the farm," she said assuming she still had his blessing to submit to a trial so she could marry Wang.
"We just refer to them as Kept, men are also Kept from time to time though those that would take on that life are harder to find in modern times," he added she stopped. "It does not surprise me that this part would confuse you it is a difficult concept for most women. Women believe that sex and love should be intertwined and inseparable. It is not so. Love is about the heart, romance and strong emotions. Sex is merely a pleasurable act of lust and hormones, there is no emotion tied to it, the emotions are tied to the person without whom you cannot live," he explained further. "I know some desperately in love people who have never had sex and others who have sex but share a loveless marriage."
Changying frowned, she had never thought of it that way. "Society preaches monogamy. It is assumed you marry and have sex with that one person for the rest of your life," she vocalised her thoughts.
"I have always held great passion for Antonia. She is the one I dream of, the one who rules my heart and the one I long to make love to. There are certain times when she would rather I left her alone in that sense. I too prefer not to have sex from time to time, I have a bad back it is part of getting old, but still I would not refuse her one of life's joys just because I could not perform the dance myself. In either of these cases, there are the Kept, who are available whenever we wish or slaves who have said that if asked for consent they might be willing sexual partners." Joseph watched her carefully as he explained the difference and why they might be called upon.
"Emily will be unable to meet her husband's needs for the next six months. Do you think she would deny him a visit to the Kept?" He asked reasonably. "Once you are married you and Wang can discuss your preferences and limitations but know that I have right to supersede even that because you will be family and under my dominion."
"I understand," Changying said finally. "Kept women sign away their right to consent and are available to members of the family as needed. Slaves with consent can be asked but have the right of refusal," she summarised to get his approval of her understanding.
"Go on," he encouraged.
"Sex is not love, and the members of your family do not impose monogamy or judge others on that basis," she added not sure if she had adequately summarised the gist of what he had told her.
"That is well put. I will ask you to sign a three-month contract as a Kept. Although you will not be confined to the kept house, you will undergo an intensive training regime before joining the house slaves. This will mean you are available to me and any member of my family who desires you during that time. Wang is well aware that training with the Kept will be part of the contract," Joseph reassured her after she looked towards the doors he had gone through leaving her alone with him.
Her mind worked quickly. With most of his siblings in the city or not living in the big house that would mean she would be beholden to Joseph, Antonia and Carlo for the duration of that contract. She desperately wanted to talk to Wang and hear him say that he was aware of all his father was saying. She needed to hear him say that he wanted her to do this. Being a slave was no big deal to her when she considered being made a cook or a maid. Sexual submission to anyone but Wang just seemed wrong somehow, and she looked up at Joseph, who was studying her intently.
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