Chapter 43 Daji (10) Done
Establishing a female guard was not an easy task, as it required the consent of Emperor Xin, which was by no means an easy task. Fortunately, this was not the feudal era as mentioned above. There were still many women in the Shang Dynasty who had territories. Although it was rare, it was not surprising.
"I just don't know if I can convince Emperor Xin." Lin Jiaojiao muttered to herself.
"The core: taking advantage of Emperor Xin's possessiveness and vanity.
Entry point: safety needs (the Zoo is about to open, and there are potential risks).
Auxiliary: Act like a spoiled child and show weakness.
Risk: Low (Emperor Xin has a high tolerance for you). Zero's voice was calm and analytical, offering a clear path forward.
Lin Jiaojiao understood that she needed to wait for a suitable opportunity.
The opportunity soon arrived. That evening, after Emperor Xin had finished his state affairs and was in a good mood, he came to the Zhaixing Pavilion.
He was leaning on a low couch covered with thick animal skins, while Lin Jiaojiao was kneeling beside him, pouring wine for him. Emperor Xin's eyes fell on Kui Ji, who was silently wiping the table, with a hint of interest and... a hint of unsatisfied desire to conquer in her eyes.
"My beloved," Emperor Xin said, his voice languid and playful, taking a sip of wine. "You said the other day you would 'train' this wild girl for me, so that she would submit and apologize to me... So, how is the training going? I'm still waiting to see how she submits."
Kui Ji paused slightly in her wiping movements, then returned to normal, except that her back seemed to be straighter.
Lin Jiaojiao's heart stirred. She put down the wine jug, leaned forward slightly, and approached Emperor Xin. Her voice was filled with just the right amount of coquettishness and grievance: "Your Majesty, you're still bringing this up. I...I was just about to tell you!"
"Oh?" Di Xin raised his eyebrows and looked at her with interest. "What's wrong? This girl... is disobedient?"
"It's not that she's disobedient." Lin Jiaojiao sighed softly, frowning slightly, revealing a look of "annoyance". "It's just... Your Majesty, you know that Kui Ji has a wild temper, different from ordinary women. I think that just letting her do some cleaning chores... I'm afraid it won't be able to wear away her wild nature. I have to... I have to find her something to do so that she can use her strength!"
Emperor Xin laughed heartily: "Why? My beloved concubine still wants her to learn embroidery? Her hands are so thin that she can't even hold a needle!"
"Of course not!" Lin Jiaojiao glanced at Emperor Xin in a reproachful manner. Then a glint of enlightenment flashed in her eyes, and her voice was filled with joy. "Your Majesty! Look, isn't the Beast Garden almost finished? I heard there are many ferocious beasts in it. When it opens, it will surely be bustling with activity and many guests..."
She paused, a hint of worry and timidity showing on her face, and her voice softened a little: "But... Your Majesty... I... I'm a little scared..."
"What are you afraid of?" Di Xin immediately sat up straight and held her hand. "I'm here! Who dares to hurt you?!"
"I'm not afraid of people..." Lin Jiaojiao shook her head gently, with a pitiful look in her eyes, "I'm afraid... afraid of those wild beasts. The garden is so big, what if... what if a wild beast runs out... or... or a frightened horse rushes out... what... what should I do?" As she spoke, she leaned slightly towards Emperor Xin, seeking protection.
Emperor Xin was aroused by her weak and dependent appearance and had a strong desire to protect her. He suddenly said: "Don't worry, my beloved concubine! I have dispatched the most elite soldiers to protect you. I will definitely keep you safe!"
"But..." Lin Jiaojiao raised her head, with a glimmer of water in her clear eyes, and a hint of "grievance" and "possessiveness" in her voice. "Those soldiers... are all men... follow me all day long,... I... I'm not used to it... I just want... I just want you, the king, to protect me alone..." She bit her lower lip lightly, with a shy look of "I am exclusive to the king".
Emperor Xin's heart was instantly struck. Lin Jiaojiao's confession of "possessiveness" touched his heart. He already had a strong possessiveness for Lin Jiaojiao, so how could he allow other men to be his close guard? He had previously dispatched the soldiers for safety reasons without giving it much thought. Now that Lin Jiaojiao had pointed it out to him, he suddenly felt that the presence of those soldiers was extremely annoying.
"My beloved concubine is right!" Emperor Xin said immediately, "My beloved concubine, how can I allow others to spy on me? Those soldiers... I will tell them to stay away! I will only keep watch outside the garden!"
"But... what about the garden?" Lin Jiaojiao asked at the right moment, a glint of wisdom in her eyes. "Your Majesty... I have an idea, but I wonder... should I tell you?"
"My beloved concubine, please feel free to speak!" Emperor Xin waved his hand.
"I think..." Lin Jiaojiao's voice was soft and tentative, "How about... I form my own guard? A... female guard?"
"Female guard?" Emperor Xin was stunned, obviously he had never heard of this term.
"That's right!" Lin Jiaojiao's eyes flashed with curiosity, as if she had discovered something interesting. "Your Majesty, look, Kui Ji and the others are all women. If they were to guard me, wouldn't that be less inconvenient? Besides... they're right here in Zhaixing Pavilion, right beside me, ready to protect me at any time! It's much more convenient than those soldiers in the outer courtyard!"
She pointed at Kui Ji and continued, "Kui Ji... is strong, skilled, and has a... well... tough personality. Let her be the leader, and then select some strong female slaves to have her train them. That way, my safety will be guaranteed, and you, Your Majesty, won't have to worry about those armored soldiers getting in the way. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xin stroked his chin and pondered. Women as guards? Indeed, it's possible. And...what my beloved concubine said makes sense. Having women guard the inner courtyard would indeed save a lot of trouble. And...that wild girl, Kui Ji, would she be the one to train the female guards? That's quite interesting...
He suddenly remembered something and looked at Lin Jiaojiao jokingly, "My beloved... didn't you say before that you would teach Kuiji a lesson and let her apologize to me? Why... are you asking her to be the female guard captain now? I... am still waiting to see her obey!"
Lin Jiaojiao was prepared in her heart. She immediately pouted her lips, showing a "jealous" little girl's attitude, and said angrily: "My king~~~Isn't it enough that you have a beauty like me? Why are you still thinking about Kui Ji? I'm not happy!" As she spoke, she made a gesture to turn around.
Emperor Xin was amused by her cute and innocent appearance and laughed heartily. The doubts in his heart instantly disappeared. He hugged Lin Jiaojiao into his arms and said, "Okay, okay! I won't worry about you! I have a beloved concubine and that's enough. In this world, no one can compare to my beloved concubine!"
He lowered his head to look at Lin Jiaojiao's coquettish face. The more he looked at her, the more he loved her. He said generously, "Okay! I'll follow my beloved concubine's instructions and form a female guard. Kui Ji... let her be the... what... female guard leader! Let her train the staff well for my beloved concubine and protect her well!"
"Really?!" Lin Jiaojiao's eyes instantly lit up with surprise, shining like stars. She snuggled in Emperor Xin's arms, her voice filled with joy, "Thank you, Your Majesty! You are the best!"
"But..." Emperor Xin thought for a moment, "Training... there must be a place, right? Although the Zhaixing Pavilion is large, I'm afraid that training will disturb my beloved concubine's peace."
Lin Jiaojiao's heart stirred. She immediately raised her head, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Your Majesty, I heard there's a spacious and quiet clearing in the woods outside the Beast Garden. Why not let them train there? That way... they won't disturb the rare animals in the garden, and they won't disturb the others in the palace."
Seeing Lin Jiaojiao's expectant eyes, how could Emperor Xin refuse? He waved his hand and said, "Approved! That piece of open space will be allocated for the training of my beloved concubine's female guards!"
"Great!" Lin Jiaojiao beamed, like a child who had found a favorite toy. She gently broke free from Emperor Xin's embrace, stood up, and bowed to him, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Don't worry, Your Majesty! I will definitely train Kui Ji well, and then... you will see for yourself how powerful our female guards are."
Emperor Xin was amused by her confident look and said repeatedly, "Good! Good! I'll wait and see what the female guards trained by my beloved concubine can do!"
Lin Jiaojiao felt relieved when she saw Emperor Xin's happy smile.
The first step was successful. Not only did she gain space for Kui Ji to display her abilities, but she also gained a chance for herself and the female slaves of Zhaixing Pavilion to gain some power.
She looked out the window at the clearing in the woods that would soon become a training ground, and a barely perceptible glimmer of determination flashed in her eyes.
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