Changning had only recently heard that the Fourteenth Prince and the Japanese pirates were locked in a fierce battle, which prompted her to reflect on the situation.
If we're talking about Japanese athletes who have had a comfortable life, almost every Chinese person would consider that an example.
That's when she was moved to write down the story of "Bright Sword," as if writing it had given her that burning passion. If she had the chance, she really wanted to witness the fall of this country with her own eyes.
"Is this the story you wrote about fighting against the Japanese pirates?" Yinzhen asked.
Changning turned around and saw him, a little embarrassed: "Yes, I think this is a struggle between two countries, but victory will definitely be on our side."
Yinzhen breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, the court was somewhat conflicted about whether or not to continue fighting the Japanese pirates.
Fourteen has been on the expedition for a year, and the Japanese pirates on the coast have been mostly defeated. Now, once they land on their island, they are ready to annihilate them in one fell swoop.
However, this small country did not have it as easy as they thought.
In addition, war places high demands on military supplies and funds. Although the Qing Dynasty has relaxed its control over commerce and tax revenue has increased, maintaining such a large army is still a considerable burden.
Therefore, some pro-peace officials have submitted memorials proposing to turn the Japanese pirates into a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, requiring them to pay tribute and taxes annually, and allowing the Qing army to be stationed there, thus eliminating the need for further hardship and financial strain on the people.
However, there were also some pro-war factions who believed that the Japanese pirates were ambitious and greedy, like a wolf that would never give up plundering the Qing Dynasty's territory and resources. They argued that the victories should be used to annihilate them in one fell swoop and turn them into a province of the Qing Dynasty.
Changning's idea was also very clear: they definitely wanted to fight!
The pro-war faction is the real story.
Since the matter involved the war with the Japanese pirates, Yinzhen's thoughts drifted away, and he stopped arguing with Changning about how she had led his daughter astray.
Seeing that he was thinking, Changning didn't disturb him. She quietly wrote "Bright Sword" on the side. By the time Yinzhen's thoughts returned, Changning had already stopped writing.
"Oh right, I had someone make you a dress a couple of days ago, and that cup you wanted, what's it called? I've got it all. Have Su Peisheng bring it in."
As soon as Yinzhen finished speaking, Changning waited with great interest, while her three daughters outside also peeked in.
Yartan had initially worried that his father might scold his mother, just as he had scolded him, but instead he saw the two of them being all lovey-dovey, even trying on clothes.
"Wow! So beautiful!" Yartan looked at the round and lustrous pearls adorning the peach-pink cheongsam and thought it looked especially beautiful. "It looks so good on Mother!"
Unahi and Huturi were also egging him on, which made Changning a little embarrassed.
"Why is it pink again? I'm not delicate anymore."
Yinzhen disagreed with her and coaxed, "Where are you not delicate? You are just like Hutuli's older sister now. Make one for Hutuli too, so you and your daughter can wear the same one."
Hutuli nodded vigorously: "Yes, Mother, you look especially good in this, really, you're so fair-skinned."
"These pearls are so beautiful." Yartan was particularly fond of the pearls on the dress and kept picking at them with her little hands. Changning quickly stopped her, "Don't put them in your mouth! They'll get stuck in your throat and you won't be able to get them out."
Yartan had no choice but to let go, staring longingly at his radiant mother before him.
Yinzhen was very satisfied and had Su Peisheng bring in about a hundred porcelain pieces from a kiln that had been fired. His three daughters stared in astonishment.
"Take a look, is this what you like?" Yinzhen asked with a smile.
Changning was also surprised. She didn't expect that Yinzhen would prepare so much for her after she had only mentioned it once.
Moreover, these porcelain pieces are very exquisite, including teapots with white lily of the valley on a green background, cups with blue hydrangeas on a green background, purple wisteria cascades, light pink cherry blossoms, and plates with a cluster of red strawberries.
It's as if all the flowers have been incorporated into these porcelain pieces.
Hutuli stared in disbelief. She had never seen such exquisite porcelain before. Her favorite was the jar with the Hundred Flowers Spring design, which was covered with many unnamed large and small flowers of various colors, yet they were perfectly harmonious, forming a spring that filled the entire jar.
Unashi also couldn't put down these flower-shaped cups.
"So many! They're cooked so well!" Changning was also extremely pleased, picking them up one by one to examine them. "They're so beautiful."
Seeing the delighted expressions on the faces of his beloved and his daughters, Yinzhen felt incredibly happy.
"Wow, Mother, are we Cup Princesses?" Yartan's sweet, childlike voice rang out, accompanied by her sparkling eyes.
Changning smiled and said, "Yes, your father drew them by hand. Aren't they beautiful? You are all cup princesses. Which one do you like? Take it back and use it."
Hutuli was overjoyed: "They're so beautiful, Mother! I love this jar, and that one, the lily of the valley pot."
"Take it, take it," Changning said generously. "It's beautiful even as a decorative piece."
So Yinzhen watched with a smile as the mother and her three daughters chattered away, discussing where to put the cups, how to arrange them, and how to use them: this cup is for drinking water, that cup is for tea, that cup is for milk, this jar is for decoration, that plate looks good with lychees, and so on.
Later on, Yartan even established a set of rules for using the cup, such as that the jade hairpin flower teacup could only be used in the morning, and it had to be eaten with rose pastries, and so on.
The key point is that all four of them actually agreed to such a strange rule, and it seems like they intend to follow it carefully.
Yinzhen found it somewhat amusing to see them discussing the rules for using cups so seriously.
However, he was also secretly pleased and very satisfied.
When evening came, the daughters reluctantly left, each choosing their favorite cups and teacups. As they left, they looked back again and again, their reluctant gazes making Yinzhen want to laugh: "Alright, hurry back and rest. If you like them, Father will have someone fire another kiln for you tomorrow."
"Yay! Long live Father!"
"Ama is the best! Can you make a little pig cup, Ama? I like pink pigs!"
"I want a butterfly, a blue butterfly!"
"Father, I want a lion one, like the Simba from The Lion King that Mother made last time!"
Changning found it amusing that her daughters were treating Yinzhen like a wishing bottle: "Now, you've become Aladdin's lamp."
Yinzhen was enjoying himself. After watching his daughters leave, he turned around and asked, "What's the story behind this?"
"Aladdin's lamp can grant any wish; it's omnipotent."
"Haha, I don't need anything all-powerful, just something that can fulfill your and the children's wishes."
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