conscription
Upon learning that the Empress Dowager had been poisoned and fallen into a coma, Zhao Youyi mounted his horse and rushed to the inn to meet up with Chu Chanyin.
Before even reaching the inn, she saw a man in a thin blue robe standing in the spring breeze, his hair fluttering in the wind. Because of the lingering chill of spring, he wore a snow-white cloak. In the light drizzle, he held an umbrella in his bare hand. Seeing her return, he hurried forward a few steps.
Zhao Youyi dismounted and walked towards him.
"Cousin," Chu Chanyin shielded her from the wind and rain, "you rushed back so hastily because you learned of the Empress Dowager's poisoning?"
Zhao Youyi nodded, glancing at his pale face out of the corner of her eye. She subconsciously reached out to touch his hand holding the umbrella handle, and was startled by the chill in his bones. "Why is it so cold? Why are you out in the rain, cousin? What are Yin Jiu and the others doing? They didn't even get you a hot water bottle."
Chu Chan smiled and patted her hand reassuringly with his other hand, "It's not their fault. I just found it troublesome. I just received the news and thought my cousin would probably come back, so I took the liberty of coming out to wait."
He took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and carefully dried the rainwater from Zhao Youyi's hair. "Cousin, you got caught in the rain. Go take a shower. We can talk about it later."
Knowing that the Empress Dowager's poisoning was a done deal, Zhao Youyi knew there was no use in rushing, so she didn't make any excuses and went straight to her room. Chu Chanyin had already thoughtfully asked someone to bring a bath tub and hot water to her room.
After Zhao Youyi finished bathing, Chu Chanyin was waiting at the door with a bowl of ginger soup.
Zhao Youyi frowned instinctively when she smelled the pungent odor. She had disliked ginger since she was a child, and even more so ginger soup.
Seeing her like this, Chu Chanyin couldn't help but curl his lips. "It's rare to see my cousin with such a childlike expression. It's quite cute. But she still needs to drink the ginger soup. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Knowing she couldn't refuse, Zhao Youyi wrinkled her nose and drank it all in one gulp. After she finished, Chu Chanyin magically produced a small dish of candied fruit from behind his back, saying, "Eat something sweet to calm your nerves."
"Are you trying to coax a child?" Zhao Youyi picked up a small piece of dried fruit, the sweet taste filling her mouth.
Chu Chan smiled and went to get a handkerchief to dry her hair. Zhao Youyi followed him into the room and said somewhat embarrassedly when she saw his actions, "Cousin, you don't need to take such good care of me. I can do it myself."
Chu Chan ignored her and continued to dry her hair, saying, "Just consider me taking care of my sister. Hasn't Brother Nianling ever dried your hair before?"
Zhao Youyi recalled for a moment and said, "Yes, but he always pulled out several strands of my hair, so I stopped letting him wipe it."
Zhao Youli had been wielding knives and guns for years, but he couldn't control his strength well. Every time, Zhao Youyi would scream and chase after him with disheveled hair.
Chu Chan couldn't help but chuckle, "Then you can rest assured, I often wipe my nephew's hair, and I will definitely not let a single strand of your three thousand black hairs fall out."
Hearing him mention his nephew again, Zhao Youyi showed a rare hint of curiosity: "Does your cousin really like him?"
"What are you saying?" Chu Chanyin raised an eyebrow, looking at her with confusion.
"I was thinking, does my cousin really like children?" Wouldn't that mean she'd ruined Chu Chanyin's chances of finding a good match? Maybe he really longs for the happiness of having both a son and a daughter, and marrying her would be a waste of his time.
Chu Chanyin pondered for a moment and shook his head. "I've thought about it carefully. I don't like children. My feelings for Mu Qing are due to my elder brother's entrustment and my sense of responsibility."
His childhood experiences made it difficult for him to have a normal romantic relationship and marriage with a woman, let alone have children. He himself couldn't distinguish what kind of fatherly love was right, so how could he possibly conceive offspring? Moreover…
"Then I'm relieved." Hearing this, Zhao Youyi breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully she hadn't ruined someone's life.
Chu Chanyin couldn't help but glance sideways, a secret expectation rising in his heart. "Why do you say that, cousin?"
"I have nothing to repay my cousin with, and if I were to delay his marriage, I would be a sinner for all eternity," Zhao Youyi said, feigning ease.
“Cousin, there’s no need to worry. I’ve never been interested in marriage,” Chu Chanyin said, seeing that her hair was almost dry. He put down the handkerchief and sat down opposite her.
Just as Zhao Youyi was about to ask him what he meant by that, he heard him say, "I just received the news that Empress Dowager Song has been poisoned and is unconscious. The Song family requested to attend to her, but were turned away. It seems that the Emperor is already impatient."
Seeing that he changed the subject and talked about serious matters, Zhao Youyi had no choice but to suppress his doubts. "It seems that the emperor wants to show his skills. He has been on the throne for ten years, and the Song family has always controlled the government. A few years ago, the emperor was young and the empress dowager ruled from behind the curtain. Later, Prime Minister Song controlled the government in the name of the emperor's brother-in-law. He can only use wine and women to cover up his ambition."
"It seems that Brother Nianling's death was also part of his plan. The elite troops of the Zhao family army followed Brother Nianling back to the capital. After Brother Nianling's death, they were incorporated into the Imperial Guard. Min Guo is really stupid. He is happy to be a commander without troops." Chu Chanyin snorted and took out a map and spread it on the table.
He dipped his hand in tea and circled Shenjing and Yujing Prefecture next to it: "Yujing Prefecture is wealthy and close to Shenjing. If we want to attack Shenjing, we must first take Yujing Prefecture and cut off the emperor's retreat."
Zhao Youyi's gaze fell on the map. Shenjing was surrounded by Yujing Prefecture, Li Prefecture, and Qing Prefecture. To cut off the emperor's retreat and trap him like a turtle in a jar, the army would need to be divided into three routes. "Half of the Zhao family army has been incorporated. I think we should recruit more soldiers and... I want to train a women's army."
She had thought before that if she ever became the head of the Zhao family, she would definitely seek the well-being of women. Although her power was small, it would at least allow women to be more than just confined to the inner quarters of the house.
Hearing this, Chu Chanyin was not very surprised. After all, Zhao Youyi had been different since childhood. Even though she was physically weak, she did not give up practicing martial arts. Moreover, he did not think that women were inferior to men. He just had no opportunity to learn.
“I think my cousin’s idea is excellent. Most of the women in Wanzhou and Youzhou have fathers or brothers who have joined the army. They grow up in the borderlands, and their hatred must be stronger than that of ordinary women. Their character must be resolute. If they can join the army, they can definitely help my cousin’s great cause.” Chu Chanyin’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, and his hand unconsciously grasped hers.
"Yes, my dowry includes an ancestral manual that is more suitable for women to practice. I plan to send someone to post notices tomorrow. However, I think it's not enough for the women of both states to leave their homes. I also hope that the news can be spread to the nearby states. The more people, the better. I need to go and spread the word again so that everyone knows that women can also join the army!" At this moment, Zhao Youyi no longer cared about the strict separation between men and women. Seeing his reaction, the light in her eyes shone even brighter.
Life is short, only a few decades, and true friends are hard to find. As the saying goes, "High mountains and flowing water seek a kindred spirit," and she thought she had found one, more than a decade ago.
“I will also help my cousin spread the word in Virginia, but I also think that if my cousin can give the presentation, it will be much more effective. After all, just the sight of my cousin is enough to convince people.” Chu Chanyin belatedly realized his overstepping his bounds, withdrew his hand apologetically, and looked at her with a smile.
Before they knew it, the bright moon was already high in the sky outside the window. The two of them huddled together to discuss the future developments. They had finished a whole pot of tea. Of course, there were some differences of opinion, but they were generally in agreement. They felt that they could not wait any longer and that they had to change the dynasty of Jin before the emperor harmed more people.
Xiao Qing and Yin Jiu, who were carrying dishes, yawned outside the door. Xiao Qing muttered in a low voice, "Why is your prince arguing with my lady? The food is getting cold."
Yin Jiu glared at her, then reached out and touched the plate to check its temperature. "What do you mean my lord and your lady are arguing? They're just discussing something, they just have some disagreements. Go knock on the door, or the food will really get cold."
Xiao Qing seemed not to hear, remaining motionless. Did she think she was stupid? Knocking on the door at this moment would disturb the thoughts of the King of Chu and her young lady, wouldn't she be scolded severely? Although her young lady certainly wouldn't scold her, and the King of Chu seemed to be an extremely gentle person, she was still afraid!
Seeing her cowardly appearance, Yin Jiu rolled her eyes at her and said, "Look at Xiao Xuan and Qian Huan, they are both outstanding women. They certainly wouldn't be as timid and submissive as you."
Xiao Qing rolled her eyes and ignored him. Xiao Xuan and Qian Huan were both bodyguards trained by their families for their daughters. How could she, a half-baked trainee, compare to them?
"Why are you two standing here without moving?" Qianhuan was about to report the new information when she saw the two of them rolling their eyes at each other before she even reached the door.
Seeing that the people who came were family, Xiao Qing straightened her back even more and said to Qian Huan in a low voice, "Sister Qian Huan, the young lady and the prince are discussing important matters inside, and we dare not disturb them."
Qianhuan glanced at the two of them, then resolutely knocked on the door. This information couldn't be delayed; it was best to tell the girl as soon as possible.
Hearing the knock, Zhao Youyi stopped what she was doing, got up and opened the door. Seeing that it was Qian Huan, she asked, "What's wrong?"
Qianhuan bowed and said, "Master, news has come from the capital that the Empress Dowager has awakened."
Zhao Youyi was startled upon hearing the news and instinctively looked into the house. Chu Chanyin came over upon hearing the sound and saw Yin Jiu and the other two standing outside the door, holding food in their hands. He belatedly realized that it was getting late.
"The Empress Dowager has woken up?" Zhao Youyi asked cryptically.
"Yes, Your Majesty. After the Empress Dowager woke up, she was not in her right mind. The Emperor used this as an excuse to imprison her in Cining Palace and forbade anyone to visit her. He also..." Qian Huan hesitated, glanced at Zhao Youyi, and continued, "He also took all the eligible women from the Empress Dowager's clan into the harem, including those who were already engaged and those who were already married."
"Outrageous! Absolutely absurd!" Chu Chanyin frowned upon hearing this and reached out to pat Zhao Youyi's shoulder reassuringly.
"Is there no one in the court who opposes the Emperor's actions?" Zhao Youyi also frowned. Logically speaking, the Song family had controlled the government for many years, and it shouldn't be like the monkeys scattering when the Empress Dowager falls.
“Of course there are, but they have all been imprisoned on trumped-up charges!” Qianhuan said with great distress. “Prime Minister Song has been claiming illness for many years and has not attended court. Because the Gu family is allied with the Song family, they dare not say anything without Prime Minister Song’s permission. They can only protect themselves, after all, the Liu family is a cautionary tale.”
Zhao Youyi closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, "Qianhuan, send someone to find out where the Liu family is now. I have a letter to send to the Liu family's daughter."
"Does my cousin want to cooperate with Madam Liu?" Chu Chanyin asked upon hearing this.
Zhao Youyi nodded. “I had this idea when I heard that the Liu family had been demoted a few days ago, but at that time, because Prime Minister Song controlled the government, Jin still had a glimmer of hope. Now that things have changed, Jin’s fate is sealed. I believe that the Liu family’s daughter will not care about anything else and will definitely do her best to help.”
After saying that, Zhao Youyi went back to her room, took out a letter, and began to write with flowing strokes. Chu Chanyin, who was standing not far away, could not see what she was writing, but his eyes were full of admiration.
Before long, she finished writing the letter, carefully put it into an envelope, wrote "To be opened by the young lady of the Liu family" on it, and then handed it to Qianhuan, saying, "Be sure to hand it to Lady Liu personally."
Qianhuan nodded in agreement.
After dealing with these important matters, Zhao Youyi realized it was time for dinner. Seeing Xiao Qing's angry expression, she suppressed a laugh and waved to the two of them, "Let them in. It's been a long time for you to bring them in. From now on, just knock on the door."
After saying that, she glanced at Chu Chanyin and said, "Cousin, is it because you often don't eat on time that your subordinates are afraid to knock on the door?"
Chu Chanyin waved his hand innocently, "This has nothing to do with me, maybe it's you, cousin."
The two smiled at each other and went back inside to have their meal.
Xiao Qing smiled and said, "The food is almost cold. We can't say we've worked hard. It's you and the prince who have been discussing matters all afternoon. You're the ones who have really worked hard."
“Yes, yes,” Yin Jiu agreed as she served the dishes. Remembering what Zhao Youyi had just said, and considering the weight the princess held in the prince’s heart, she boldly complained, “Your Highness, he often doesn’t eat on time. You’ll have to keep an eye on him in the future!”
Chu Chan glanced at him and said something inappropriate.
Yin Jiu shrugged innocently.
Chu Chanyin felt inexplicably pleased when he saw that she did not refute the title of Princess Consort.
Zhao Youyi smiled at him and said nothing more.
As the snow melted in the capital, the Cining Palace was in a state of chaos. Empress Dowager Song was a beauty who was famous in the capital when she was young and still retained her charm. Or perhaps she was not that old, but her fate was unfortunate. In her youth, she was forced to give up her childhood sweetheart and enter the palace to become the Empress Dowager for the honor of her family. Later, she finally became the Empress Dowager, but her beloved lover had already married another and had children.
Lonely in the deep palace, she naturally needed to relieve her loneliness, but she hesitated because of her daughter. The emperor accidentally discovered her affair with another man and, using her daughter as leverage, forced the two into an inappropriate relationship.
Empress Dowager Song lay amidst the mess, her eyes red and glaring at the emperor before her. His face was cold and stern, as if all the sweet words they had spoken were just a joke.
"Mother, why do you look at me like that?" The emperor smiled cruelly, squatted down, and pinched her chin.
"You used to treat me like a dog, never imagining things would turn out this way, did you?" the emperor sneered. "The Liu family has been exiled, and your daughter, as a member of the Liu family, naturally cannot escape this fate."
"You wretched child! She is your sister!" Empress Dowager Song shouted sternly.
The emperor sneered, "Sister? I don't have any sister. Besides..." He changed the subject, his gaze lingering on the Empress Dowager, "Since Mother is so restless, it remains to be verified whether my sister's bloodline is pure."
"Shut up! Fu'an is indeed of the late emperor's bloodline! As for you, born to a concubine abandoned in the cold palace! Whether your bloodline is pure is debatable." Since Empress Dowager Song adopted him back then, she naturally investigated his background thoroughly.
The emperor snorted coldly, "So what if it is? So what if it isn't? In any case, it is I who sits on this throne now."
Empress Dowager Song leaned against the wall behind her and stood up, sneering, "You are incapable of distinguishing between loyalty and treachery, and you are a foolish and tyrannical ruler. The downfall of the country is only a matter of time. I will watch you and see you walk step by step toward destruction!"
The emperor kicked her to the ground again, looking down at her: "If it weren't for your Song family controlling the court, how could my ambitions not be realized? Now the court is finally mine, and I will become a wise and benevolent ruler!"
Empress Dowager Song suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. Looking at the fool she had carefully selected rambling incoherently, she couldn't help but throw her head back and laugh loudly, "Very well, I'll watch and see how you become a wise ruler."
Seeing that she was already somewhat delirious, the emperor turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.
When the eunuch Gao outside saw him come out, he quickly draped a cloak over him. "Oh my, Your Majesty, why are you here to bring bad luck? Warm up quickly, lest you catch a cold."
Eunuch Gao was the only eunuch who had ever cared for him when he was young in the cold palace. Later, when he gained power, even his relatives and friends benefited from his position. In the entire palace, there was only one person who dared to speak to him like that, and he was very pleased with him. After all, when people have gold, silver, and power, they begin to crave warmth and affection.
The emperor patted Gao Gonggong's hand reassuringly, and said in a rare good mood, "Grandpa is right, it's really bad luck."
After saying that, he strode out of Cining Palace, his smile growing wider and wider. Finally... after ten whole years, he finally imprisoned this woman in the deep palace. Finally, he no longer had to be subservient to others. Even the concubines in the harem were arranged by that woman. He couldn't even choose who to favor. He couldn't resist back then, so he could only go outside to seek pleasure and relieve his loneliness.
"Your Majesty, will you be choosing a concubine tonight?" Eunuch Gao asked tentatively, observing his expression. "A servant from Consort Wen's side came to say that she misses Your Majesty."
Upon hearing this, the emperor quickened his pace. "Prepare the carriage for the Jiaofeng Palace."
Consort Wen was a courtesan he met outside the palace. She was gentle, kind, and talented. When the Empress Dowager fell ill, he welcomed her into the palace in a grand manner. He originally wanted to depose the Empress and slap the Song family in the face, but Consort Wen persuaded him to stop, saying that the court was in turmoil and he could not bear to cause any more trouble because of her. Seeing how understanding she was, the Emperor's affection for her grew even stronger.
For months on end, the emperor was so engrossed in Consort Wen's affections that he even turned away the empress.
Zhao Youyi received the news the next day. Since it was only a matter concerning the inner palace, the message was delivered by carrier pigeon through her people in the capital.
"Consort Wen?" Zhao Youyi looked at the letter, puzzled. "Why is the Emperor suddenly so interested in this person?"
Chu Chan smiled slightly and said, "This woman is more than just a courtesan, but for the specifics, my cousin will have to ask someone else."
Seeing that he was being deliberately mysterious, Zhao Youyi patted his arm impatiently, "Cousin, you might as well speak frankly."
“Princess Yulang,” Chu Chanyin said calmly, “this person was planted by Princess Yulang, and as for her purpose… only Princess Yulang probably knows.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Youyi's expression became inscrutable. In the end, she decided to put the matter aside, as the most important thing at present was the conscription. She had written the conscription notice overnight and was preparing to send people to post it in various places in the two states.
When the soldiers learned that Zhao Youyi wanted to recruit soldiers, they naturally did not object. However, when their eyes fell on the women's army, they stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
Zhou Huaiyuan hurriedly tore down a notice and arrived at the inn. Upon seeing Zhao Youyi, he asked without even bothering to bow, "General, are you going to establish a women's army?"
“Yes, why not?” Zhao Youyi poured him a cup of tea and gestured for him to sit down and talk.
"This... there has never been such a precedent before!" Zhou Huaiyuan was so anxious that he scratched his head and didn't know what to say to persuade the general in front of him who was so decisive. He didn't expect that General Zhao was so arbitrary and domineering, and General Zhao was no less so.
“Now we have it.” Zhao Youyi said calmly, her gaze fixed on him.
“But it’s already difficult for you, a woman from a military family, to join the army. What about those unarmed women?” Zhou Huaiyuan said worriedly. “I’m afraid the brothers will object.”
"I don't plan to train the Women's Army and the Zhao Family Army together." After all, men and women are different, and Zhao Youyi didn't intend for the two armies to eat and live together, especially since they practice different martial arts.
This statement simply indicates that their disagreement is useless; her mind is made up.
Zhou Huaiyuan sighed in distress, "Alright, since the general has made up his mind, I will not say anything more."
After saying that, as if he had thought of something, he revealed a fawning smile, "General, I have a younger sister at home who has been practicing martial arts since childhood. She hopes to join the General's Women's Army."
Zhao Youyi nodded upon hearing this, "Of course you can. Bring her to me and I'll teach her properly. If she's capable, I'll make her my deputy general, just like you."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Huaiyuan immediately became excited. His younger sister had loved playing with swords and spears since she was a child, but she didn't care about needlework, music, calligraphy, painting, or anything else, which worried their mother a lot. Although he could support his sister for the rest of his life, he still hoped that she could have something to do. Now that the general had established a women's army and even said that he wanted his sister to be his deputy, that was perfect.
Zhao Youyi patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "You are familiar with this area, so you should spread the word. There are definitely more girls like your sister who can join the Women's Army."
Zhou Huaiyuan quickly agreed and took the notice, preparing to go home to tell his sister the good news.
Wanzhou and Youzhou were also bustling with activity because of the recruitment notice for the Women's Army. Many people scoffed, saying how could women go to the battlefield. Before they had gone far, they were stopped by the swords of Zhao Youyi's female bodyguards, who coldly demanded that they apologize.
The man, seeing the swords so close at hand, was terrified and fled in a panic, apologizing profusely.
Xiao Xuan looked at the crowd and said loudly, "My general is a lady of the Zhao family. She is a disciple of General Xie Bizheng, and her brother is General Zhao Youli, who has protected the country for many years. We are recruiting women soldiers this time, and we hope that everyone will participate enthusiastically!"
A woman squeezed through the crowd and looked at Xiao Xuan's spirited appearance, asking, "If I join the Women's Army, can I become like you?"
Xiao Xuan looked down at the girl in front of her and said firmly, "Yes, as long as you put in the effort, even an iron rod can be ground into a needle. As long as you are willing to work hard, you will definitely be able to go to the battlefield and kill the enemy."
The woman was moved by the scene she described. She had only known farming and weaving before and never knew that there were so many paths a woman could take. Now that she knew, she naturally did not want to continue living such a life. She did not want to follow the rules and marry an honest and dutiful man according to her parents' wishes and live a life of being a wife and mother.
“Okay! I’m signing up! My name is Yang Jinhua!” Yang Jinhua’s eyes shone as she watched Xiao Xuan carefully write her name on the paper. She was the first, but she definitely wouldn’t be the last!
More and more women in the crowd eagerly signed up. Some were from prominent families, while others were from modest backgrounds, but their longing for a better future was the same.
Zhao Youyi stood on the city wall watching this scene and couldn't help but laugh.
Chu Chanyin walked to her side and draped a cloak over her shoulders. “Cousin, this is a good thing. More and more women are stepping out of the inner quarters. Their future is limitless.”
Zhao Youyi turned around and smiled slightly at him: "I have to thank you, cousin."
"Thank me? What are you thanking me for? I didn't do anything." Chu Chan shook his head with a hidden smile.
“I did it,” Zhao Youyi said with a smile, tilting her head. “My cousin’s support is the greatest trust he can give me.”
"It also gave me confidence. I was afraid my cousin would think this was shocking," Zhao Youyi said with a slight smile.
Chu Chanyin's gaze fell on the crowd below the city wall. "Of course not. There are countless ways to live. Why be confined to one?"
“You are, I am, and they are even more so,” Chu Chanyin said.
“My cousin is quite different from others,” Zhao Youyi said, looking at him.
Chu Chanyin smiled slightly and stood beside her: "My cousin is also extraordinary."
“Cousin, I actually told my brother about this idea before, but he didn’t agree.” Zhao Youyi sighed. “He didn’t agree because women can’t do these things, but because he felt that women don’t need to do these things. I thought you felt the same way.”
Chu Chanyin shook his head. "I have no such prejudices. Whatever you want to do, I will do. If you want to appraise the Women's Army, I will support you. If you need money, I can give it to you in full."
Zhao Youyi stared at him blankly, somewhat lost in thought.
Chu Chanyin stretched out his hand and waved it in front of her. "What? Are you so moved you've gone mad?"
Zhao Youyi slapped his hand away and joked, "Yes, I am so touched. I have no way to repay this kindness. In the next life, I will definitely be your servant to repay your kindness."
Chu Chanyin subconsciously said, "Isn't it that if you have nothing to repay me with, you should offer yourself in return?"
Zhao Youyi smiled slightly: "What do you mean by that, cousin?"
"What I mean is..." Before Chu Chanyin could finish speaking, someone came up to the city wall and said that there was something important to report.
Zhao Youyi and Chu Chanyin turned around and saw that the person who came was Yin Liu. Zhao Youyi looked at Chu Chanyin and gestured with his eyes to indicate whether he needed to leave.
Chu Chanyin gently shook his head.
"Just say what you need to say. There's nothing you need to hide from the Princess." Chu Chanyin said.
Yin Liu hesitated for a moment and said, "It's nothing important, it's just that the young master has arrived."
"What? Mu Qing is here?" Chu Chanyin frowned.
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