The emperor announced the news of the recapture of the grasslands in court the very next day, and soon the entire court and the inner palace knew about it.
Inside the Shuhua Palace, Xiao Lanhua was overjoyed as she read the letter from her brother. The young girl had the ability to reclaim the grasslands, and her brother had also benefited from it. Most importantly, he no longer had to worry about fighting.
"Your Majesty is very happy," said the little eunuch beside her.
“Of course, our Empress no longer needs to worry about her brother’s safety,” Qingsong replied.
"You two are the most gossipy."
Her tone wasn't harsh; instead, it had a touch of girlish coquettishness. Xiao Lanhua called Qingsong over to help her with her hair and makeup. It had been a long time since she'd been in the Emperor's presence, so asking him for a favor shouldn't be a problem.
The beautiful woman, dressed in palace attire, wore no heavy makeup today; instead, her complexion was pale and sickly. She gently raised her eyes, gazing at the emperor with a pitiful look, before speaking softly...
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
The man reached out his hand, letting the woman take his arm to stand up. He placed his hand, clad in gold armor, on her arm, and then Xiao Lanhua spoke.
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."
"What's wrong? You haven't come to see me in a long time. Why are you so pale?"
In recent years, Xiao Lanhua has rarely taken the initiative to visit the emperor. Even when she is chosen by his concubine, she makes excuses to push him away. It's really annoying.
"You know perfectly well that Lan Hua has been unwell these past few years and has been unable to serve you properly. Is it because of this that His Majesty is abandoning Lan Hua?"
The beauty lowered her head, tears trembling slightly. When had any man ever seen Xiao Lanhua like this? Normally, she was like a proud peacock, not even putting the Empress in her eyes.
Such a beautiful woman treating him this way satisfied his vanity, so the emperor spoke.
"How could that be? Our relationship is deep. If there's anything you need, please speak freely, my beloved."
Xiao Lanhua sat down next to the man and began to speak.
"I had a dream yesterday. I dreamt that my brother was on the battlefield and someone... someone stole his merits, and then... and then..."
The rest of her words were replaced by the woman's sobs, and the emperor immediately understood what she meant.
"Do you really think that teenage girl can reclaim the grasslands?"
"Could it be that someone has bullied my brother?"
Although the women in the inner palace were not allowed to participate in politics, the recovery of the grasslands was a major event that the entire Great Yan Dynasty celebrated, and the emperor did not order it to be concealed.
It would have been better if it weren't for this matter. The mere mention of Xiao Lanyi triggered the emperor's alarm bells again, warning him against the potential for powerful relatives to seize control. He then put his arm around Xiao Lanhua's shoulder and said...
"Rest assured, my beloved, I will investigate thoroughly and clear Lan Yi's name."
As for how to investigate, or whether to investigate at all, that's the emperor's own business.
Watching the emperor rush off to the imperial study to review memorials, Xiao Lanhua looked up, and the delicate, tearful beauty vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Your Majesty, are you worried that our master is stingy?" Qingsong helped Xiao Lanhua into the sedan chair and asked softly from the side.
The beautiful woman didn't reply, but simply nodded.
If he hadn't made such a scene, the emperor might not have been able to appoint Huo Xiaolong to any high-ranking position, or even at all. The reason? He looked down on women.
Even His Majesty the Emperor believed that women, no matter how outstanding or excellent, should go home to cook and live a peaceful life in the men's quarters.
She had to let the emperor know that there was more than just Huo Xiaolong in the border town; there was also her brother.
Now that the grasslands have been conquered, the highest-ranking official in the border town is Xiao Lanyi. If you don't take care of it, then I'm sorry, but my brother has the ability to be the boss himself.
By now, even if the emperor is an idiot, he should have figured it out.
"Lu Kai, do you think it's inappropriate to appoint a woman to an official position?"
Eunuchs are castrated men; in their minds, there is no distinction between men and women, or rather, there is no difference between men and women. But the emperor's question wasn't about bestowing an official title, but rather, what kind of title.
“Your Majesty is wise. The women under your rule are all so capable. Whether or not she is granted a title, she should be grateful that you remember her.”
The ambiguous answer only amused the emperor. On the blank space for the official title on the imperial edict on the table, with the man's laughter, he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote three large characters with a flourish.
"How is it, Prince Zhenbei?"
"Oh, Your Majesty, you're making a woman a king of a different surname?"
"Such an extraordinary woman deserves him!"
Lu Kai kept praising her from the side.
"Our Emperor is truly magnanimous. Prince Zhenbei, with such a wise and virtuous emperor, let her be beautiful."
These actions were twofold: first, to win over Huo Xiaolong's supporters; and second, to place Huo Xiaolong in opposition to Xiao Lanyi. The plan was shrewd, but his mistake lay in his ignorance of the relationships between these individuals.
He didn't believe that a brothel could produce Huo Xiaolong, nor did he believe that Xiao Lanyi could be indifferent to power.
"Prince Zhenbei, I hope you will not disappoint me."
Unusually, none of the ministers objected to the Emperor's actions, regardless of whose side they were, including the old-fashioned head of the Censorate, Fan Tiezui.
Several censors who were on good terms with each other asked questions after court.
"Why did Imperial Censor Fan not come to audience today? His Majesty's actions are inappropriate; how can a woman be a prince of a different surname?"
Following behind him was his son, Imperial Censor Fan, who, with a graying beard, said...
"She's qualified to reclaim the grasslands. Why don't you go and reclaim the grasslands, and we'll support you as a king of a different surname?"
Who isn't a fool? What is the grassland? It's an external threat, an internal and external threat. Now that they've solved it for you, why are you still concerned about whether the person who solved it was male or female? You're just being nosy.
"Your Highness, doesn't 'Prince of Zhenbei' sound nice?" Qingsong said from the side, while looking at her mistress's happy little face.
"It sounds good, not bad."
Xiao Lanhua lowered her head, fiddling with her fingernails, her heart brimming with uncontrollable joy.
She wasn't happy that Huo Xiaolong was made the Prince of Zhenbei.
However, she seemed to see herself before she entered the palace.
What was her dream when she was young?
"Brother, I want to be the first female general in the Great Yan Dynasty to be ennobled and appointed prime minister based on her military achievements!"
Xiao Lanhua was a skilled martial artist who had followed her father and brothers to the battlefield since she was a child. At that time, she also wanted to do the same.
Huo Xiaolong's achievement was not just her own dream, but the path of breaking free from the cocoon for millions of women in the world.
And so, dawn will break.
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