The generals made no attempt to hide their skepticism and mockery.
Traditionally, men have been responsible for external affairs while women have been responsible for internal affairs. Under this established rule, women are confined to the home and rarely achieve outstanding results in various fields. Even if they do, it is an extremely rare occurrence.
Qiao Lian'er was an exception among these generals.
Everyone knows that she can use formations to kill enemies, train elite troops, and is resourceful and capable. Even the emperor is convinced of her abilities, so how could others not be convinced?
Therefore, none of the generals objected to Qiao Lian'er taking command of the garrison in Tianhe Prefecture.
But when they heard that another woman was coming, they couldn't sit still. Since that was the case, why not promote one of them?
"Hmph, I thought the Princess Zhenguo was strict in discipline and fair in principle, but it turns out she's just a nepotist." Qiu Dezhong sneered and turned his face away.
"I'd like to ask Princess Zhenguo, how old is this young lady from Master Pei's family?" Liang Heda asked, frowning.
"In his early twenties."
The generals all laughed and shook their heads.
Qiu Deyi: "Letting a young woman whose abilities are still unknown lead us veterans is a slap in the face for the princess."
Huo Liao, who had been rather quiet and hadn't said much, also looked rather unwell.
Qiao Lian'er's eyes turned cold.
She said, "You say I'm nepotistic, and I don't object. After all, this is my fiefdom, and I have the final say. Of course, I'd rather favor my relatives. It's the same for you. Can you honestly say that none of the captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and battalion commanders you appointed aren't your relatives?"
Her words left the generals speechless.
"But there's a prerequisite: the person I appoint must be capable, have the courage, and not let me down."
"That's where the problem lies," Qiu Deyi said. "Can the Princess Zhenguo guarantee that the young lady of the Pei family has the ability and the responsibility?"
"Don't come here all pampered. If you can't stand the hardship and run back crying, you'll become a laughing stock."
"Princess, please be careful. Commanding and training 20,000 soldiers is no easy task," Huo Liao said solemnly.
Qiao Lian'er sighed inwardly. She didn't blame these generals. It was precisely because so few women had achieved success that the world held such prejudices. They were merely making inferences based on ordinary circumstances.
“How about this, I’ll make a bet with everyone. If Pei Qingrong can’t win over the people within six months, then I’ll send her back to the capital.”
"But before that, you must cooperate with her as much as possible and not deliberately make things difficult for her, otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."
"Half a year is too long, let's say three months. The ice is thawing and the vegetation is reviving, it's the perfect time for training. We'll see how Miss Pei performs," Liang Heda said.
Qiao Lian'er has said what she needed to say and done what she needed to do. Now, it's up to Pei Qingrong to show her skills.
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