Qi Xuansu asked, “How exactly should I accept my fate? If you ruin me, you’ll ruin your own reputation as well—this is mutual destruction.”0

If a woman accused someone of sexual assault, that person would be deemed guilty without the need for evidence. This stemmed from the rigid moral doctrines of Confucianism, which placed extreme importance on a woman’s chastity. If a woman could publicly accuse someone, her own reputation would also be destroyed, making it a case of mutual destruction.0

However, in the Daoist era, the strict moral doctrines of Confucianism were abolished, and society gradually became more open about sexuality. A woman’s loss of chastity was no longer a life-or-death matter. However, centuries of ingrained prejudice still persisted. Even if the victim was not at fault, they would inevitably be subject to gossip.0

Yue Liuli was no celibate, but she was not a courtesan either.1

Though many things could happen behind closed doors, they did not count if...0