The envoys from the Daimao Kingdom felt extremely embarrassed. A few among them had mocked the Great Jin Dynasty for having a female general. However, today, at the training ground, the Emperor of Great Jin directly appointed the Female General as the commanding general for the military formation demonstration. The few high-ranking gentlemen felt a burning sensation on their faces.
They discreetly glanced at the Third Prince, who stood with a straight back and an unyielding demeanor, and their awkwardness eased slightly. It seemed that Third Prince could keep his composure.
It was already surprising enough to have a woman leading thousands of troops, but they hadn't expected that on this important occasion, the Great Jin Dynasty would allow women to attend. Those elegantly dressed women must be the nobility of the Great Jin Dynasty.
Vaguely, they overheard some women saying how beautiful Fushou Junzhu was. The envoys from the Daimao Kingdom curiously looked over and asked a Great Jin Dynasty attendant by their side, "I wonder, who is that young lady in the blue dress? Which family does she come from in your country?"
"That is the niece of our country's Yao Fuma. She is also Marquis Yao's granddaughter," the attendant replied with a smile.
Hearing the conversation between the envoys and the Great Jin Dynasty attendant, He Yuanting turned his head and looked in the direction of Yao Wenyin. He immediately recognized her as the granddaughter of the old Marquis Yao. She was also a close friend of Fushou Junzhu.
Thinking of the alluring Fushou Junzhu, He Yuanting couldn't help but scan the crowd, finally finding her figure next to the Crown Prince of Great Jin.
Swish!
The sound of an arrow piercing through the air echoed. He Yuanting focused his gaze and saw the Female General, Wei Mingyue, on horseback, holding a heavy bow, shooting an arrow that pierced through the target.
"Excellent!"
"Long Live His Majesty! General Wei is mighty!"
Wei Mingyue handed the bow to a guard with one hand. After the guard received it, he had to use both hands to take the bow down. His face and neck turned bright red, indicating that it was somewhat strenuous.
"As a woman possessing such strength, which man dares to..." one of the envoys from the Daimao Kingdom stared in disbelief at this scene. He realized that this was the Great Jin Dynasty, not the Daimao Kingdom, and quickly swallowed back his words, displaying a well-placed smile on his face.
"I have heard that among the envoys, there are also brave and skilled warriors. I wonder which valiant warrior would be willing to spar with me?" Wei Mingyue turned her horse around and cast her gaze upon the envoys.
The envoys from Jinpo and the Daimao Kingdom involuntarily shrank their heads back, wishing they could cover their faces with their sleeves, hoping that the Female General wouldn't notice them.
But Wei Mingyue didn't let them off easily. She eventually turned her gaze towards He Yuanting and said, "Your Highness, the Third Prince of the Daimao Kingdom, I heard that your country also brought a general along. I would be honored if this general would be kind enough to spar with me."
The Daimao military general responsible for escorting the prince and the civil officials stood speechless.
Among the many envoys from different countries, why did they have to be singled out?
Even if he were to win, it would be considered bullying a woman, which wouldn't sound good if it got out. If he were to lose, it would be even more embarrassing. He, a young and vigorous general, couldn't defeat a woman who had given birth to four children. If news of that spread back to his country, he would no longer have any face.
"My mother is so powerful!" Hua Liuli clapped her hands, feeling relieved, "These people from the Daimao Kingdom look down on women. Let them see the consequences of offending women."
The Crown Prince and she stood closely together, watching the training ground from behind the railing, "That general from the Daimao Kingdom is all talk and no substance. It's clear at a glance that he is no match for General Wei."
"Your Royal Highness has such good insight," Hua Liuli was thoroughly delighted by the Crown Prince's flattery. She grabbed his sleeve and said, "My mother is especially amazing. She once led three hundred elite soldiers and broke through the defense line of three thousand enemy troops, causing them to flee in the night, leaving their armor behind."
Even the Jinpo soldiers, who were skilled in battle, couldn't fare well under her mother's command, let alone the Daimao Kingdom, which didn't value their generals.
"My best insight is falling in love with you at the right time," The Crown Prince, who never missed an opportunity to shower her with sweet words, said, "That's why I also think highly of my own insight."
Unfortunately, his sweet words did not move Hua Liuli. She was excitedly watching the training ground, waiting for her mother to deliver a fatal blow to the Daimao military officer.
Seated on the dragon-patterned chair, Emperor Changlong was in a good mood with a hint of schadenfreude. The blow he had from Wei Mingyue had brought about a dramatic change in his aesthetic perception of women. Thus, he was pleased to see Wei Mingyue become a nightmare in the hearts of other men.
The more people who were unfortunate along with him, the better.
"You are an esteemed guest," Wei Mingyue looked at the Daimao general who approached in embroidered clothes. She took off her armor, and clasped one hand behind her back, "I yield three moves."
This was a true insult, silent and without any cursing.
All the envoys present knew that when the Daimao Kingdom arrived in the capital, they had offended Wei Mingyue with their groundless claims, and even caused a loss of life. Although it was later found that the incident had nothing to do with the Hua family, it still piqued the curiosity of many people.
In the days that followed, the Hua family had never intentionally made things difficult for the Daimao Kingdom's envoys. They thought that the matter had been put behind them, but they didn't expect to encounter it here.
If he were to be defeated by a woman in just three moves, the Daimao military officer would be left with no face.
"General Wei, it would be impolite for me, as a man, to be yielded to by a delicate woman like you," the Daimao military officer said, his voice trailing off as he saw Wei Mingyue's hand coming toward his face. He quickly raised his hand to block.
After a few moves, he found it increasingly difficult to counter her attacks. He no longer maintained the demeanor of a gentleman and became fully immersed in the contest.
Little did he know that Wei Mingyue had both hands clasped behind her back, evading his attacks without retaliating. It was only after she allowed him three moves that she smiled and said, "We agreed on three moves, and I will not break my word."
This was a blatant insult, an overwhelming insult.
The Daimao military officer's face turned crimson with anger. He only wanted to defeat Wei Mingyue and avenge the insult he had just received. But Wei Mingyue insisted on fighting with just one hand, seemingly as if he was only worthy of facing her with half her strength.
"General Wei, is this how you treat your opponents on the battlefield as well?!" the Daimao military officer exclaimed in anger, "I ask you to show respect for your opponent."
"In that case, let's continue," Wei Mingyue revealed the hand behind her back. Within five moves, the Daimao military officer felt everything spinning around him, and he found himself lying on the ground, completely dazed.
"You are gracious in defeat," Wei Mingyue looked at the fallen Daimao military officer with a mocking smile, then turned to the Daimao envoys, "Your country has had some reservations about this general. I wonder if, after today, you will have a different view?"
"Ah, ah, ah!" Yao Jiamin shouted excitedly, leaning against the railing, "General Wei is a heroic woman, unmatched in the world, invincible! A war goddess among mortals!"
Wei Mingyue heard Yao Jiamin's voice and smiled gently at her.
Yao Jiamin covered her pounding chest and grabbed Yao Wenyin's sleeve in excitement, "Why is General Wei so handsome? Why is she so good-looking? Why?!"
Royal Princess Shunan, sitting beside them, had an expressionless face as she sipped her tea and let out a cold snort.
Having witnessed the overwhelming defeat of the Daimao military officer by Wei Mingyue, the other country's military officers silently took a step back. They all made a living as military officers, and face was important to them.
The poor Daimao military officer lay on the hard ground, looking up at the azure sky, questioning his existence.
Who was he? Where was he? Was he really a military officer?
Thinking about the mocking gazes he would face upon returning to the Daimao Kingdom, he couldn't help but almost shed a few drops of tears of a man's pride.
Why were there such terrifying women in the world? What was even scarier was how this type of fierce woman could give birth to a delicate daughter.
He staggered as he got up from the ground, his smile looking even uglier than crying, "General Wei is truly extraordinary."
"You... were not bad either," Wei Mingyue comforted him, "Many people can't last three moves against me. It's already impressive that you could fight me for this long."
Yes, being able to fight for this long was all thanks to you fighting with just one hand and giving me three moves.
The sight of the Daimao military officer walking back was filled with helplessness, sadness, and the despair of shattered self-confidence. Perhaps from now on, the words "female general" would become a nightmare for the rest of his life, an inescapable torment.
As soon as he joined his group, he glared at the silent scholarly officials who dared not speak. If it weren't for their careless remarks that offended Wei Mingyue, how could Wei Mingyue have singled him out and ruthlessly tormented him?
After watching this one-sided overwhelming fight, the Crown Prince's hand trembled slightly. He asked Hua Liuli in a low voice, "Liuli, does General Wei usually resort to violence at home?"
"No, she doesn't. She treats me very well," Hua Liuli blushed, happily holding the Crown Prince's hand, "She's also kind to the people and rarely gets angry. She would never hurt her own family."
The Crown Prince felt relieved. Once he married Liuli, the son-in-law would also be considered family.
Seeing the severely shaken appearance of the Daimao military officer, Emperor Changlong felt so extremely satisfied that even the few court officials he disliked seemed pleasing to the eye.
"The competition is first... friendship is foremost. Envoys, please do not take this matter to heart," Emperor Changlong comforted gently, "Rest assured, these are just minor matters that will not reach the ears of the common people."
After speaking, he raised his left hand, signaling the scribe standing beside him to take a few notes.
He didn't want this matter to spread among the common people; it would only be recorded in the history books of Daimao.
The scribe, a young scholar who greatly admired General Wei, quickly recorded the notes as Emperor Changlong raised his hand.
General Wei said: You are an esteemed guest; I yield three moves.
The Daimao military officer angrily replied: "I am a great warrior. Why should I fear a delicate woman?"
In the encounter, the Daimao military officer was no match and became greatly enraged by the fact that General Wei was effortlessly fighting him with one hand. Helpless, General Wei had no choice but to go all out. Before reaching three moves, the Daimao military officer suffered a crushing defeat, covered his face, shed tears, and fled.
Whether the Daimao military officer cried or not wasn't important; what mattered was that he lost, and he lost miserably. The scribe felt that the recorded content was unbiased and satisfactory, so he stopped writing.
Just as the Daimao envoys thought that Wei Mingyue would continue to spar with others, she unexpectedly turned and left the field, allowing other commanders to take the stage.
The Daimao envoys felt that they had been deliberately targeted by Wei Mingyue.
The envoys from other countries secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing how badly the Daimao military officer lost, who would dare to challenge Wei Mingyue?
"Liuli," the Crown Prince looked at the military officer who was no match to General Wei and asked Hua Liuli in a low voice, "Is your martial arts taught by General Wei?"
"Somewhat. When I was young, I was frail, so the path I learned differed slightly from my mother's. Although I learned a bit from my father and mother, it is not as good as the skills they accumulated on the battlefield," Hua Liuli blushed and smiled coyly, then added, "But, like my mother, it would be no problem for me to defeat the Daimao military officer and knock him to the ground."
The Crown Prince: "..."
"What's wrong?" Hua Liuli smiled at the Crown Prince.
"It's nothing. I just think Liuli is really amazing. At a young age, you have learned the skills of two skilled generals," The Crown Prince quickly said, "I will feel much more at ease with you by my side."
"Your Royal Highness, you've forgotten again," Hua Liuli covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly, "I am frail and frequently fall ill. I topple over with a gust of wind."
The Crown Prince immediately changed his words, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
"Your Royal Highness is so kind," Hua Liuli smiled sweetly at the Crown Prince.
"Your Royal Highness, His Majesty is calling you over," Zhao Sancai approached and smiled kindly at Hua Liuli, then addressed the Crown Prince, "There will be an archery competition between the countries. His Majesty requests Your Royal Highness's presence by his side to observe."
"Then, Your Royal Highness, please go ahead. I'll go find Jiamin and the others to play," Hua Liuli left the Crown Prince behind and gracefully walked away.
Watching her cheerful figure, the Crown Prince couldn't help but feel doubtful. Perhaps Liuli had long wanted to leave him and go play with her girlfriends. Was he really the person Liuli loved the most?
As soon as he arrived with Zhao Sancai and sat down beside Emperor Changlong, the Crown Prince saw his father looking at him with a solemn expression, "Yuansu, did you see?"
"What?" The Crown Prince's heart tightened. Did he miss something important just now?
"In the future, treat Liuli better. Don't lose your temper with her. Most importantly, don't make her complain about you in front of her family," Emperor Changlong patted his shoulder with his hand, "Fortunately, your Crown Princess is gentle in nature, weak in strength. As long as she doesn't speak ill of you in front of her family, you'll be safe."
The Crown Prince: "..."
What did General Wei do to his father that made him so afraid?
"Please rest assured, Father Emperial. Erchen will treat Liuli well," In order to ease his father's mood, the Crown Prince decided to bury the secret of Liuli's martial arts skills, which were equally as proficient as General Wei's, deep in his heart.
"Hua Liuli, why did you come over?" Yao Jiamin saw Hua Liuli approaching and asked curiously, "Aren't you with the Crown Prince?"
"His Majesty called the Crown Prince for something, so I came to find you guys," Hua Liuli squeezed in beside Yao Jiamin and sat down, "There will be an archery competition later. I heard several envoys have brought female archers. You can go down and compete with them."
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a cheerful female voice say, "I heard that General Wei has a daughter, already fifteen years old. With General Wei as her mother and General Hua as her father, she must also be a heroic female warrior on the battlefield, right?"
Hua Liuli, who was dressed up and had delicate makeup: "Huh?"
Who said that a general's daughter must be a female hero?
Yao Jiamin turned her head to look at her with schadenfreude, "A female hero?"
Hua Liuli calmly took out an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve; Yuan Yi and Yurong quickly approached her from behind, bending down to support her.
"I apologize for embarrassing you," Hua Liuli covered her mouth and coughed a few times, then, assisted by the maidservant, slowly walked towards the female soldier who spoke, giving her a gentle smile, "Sister, were you referring to me?"
The female soldier didn't expect a slender, fragile-looking young girl with fair skin to come forward. Observing her slim waist and bright eyes, the female soldier even wondered if she would scare the young girl with her loud voice.
"Although I take pride in my parents, unfortunately, I am not skilled in martial arts," Hua Liuli weakly smiled and then, in an emotional tone, narrated a story of a pregnant female warrior who fought against enemies while struggling to raise a prematurely born daughter.
On a snowy night with howling winds, the female general, in search of life-saving herbs for her daughter, stumbled and rose again in the snow-covered mountains, refusing to give up even when her entire body was frozen. The weak daughter, on the verge of death, heard her parents' tearful cries and endured the excruciating pain to open her eyes.
She grew up with great difficulty, relying on various medicines, but became a sickly child unable to learn martial arts. People mocked her and said she tarnished her parents' reputation.
As Hua Liuli reached this point, she wiped the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief, and on her delicate face, there was determination, "No matter how others may judge, I know that both my father and mother love me."
The female soldier had already teared up halfway through the story, and by the time Hua Liuli finished, she was already sobbing uncontrollably, "What a touching family bond. I apologize for my shallowness."
"You are an extraordinary woman," the female general wiped away her tears with admiration, "You have overcome death; you are a hero."
Yao Jiamin: "..."
She admired Hua Liuli's ability to come up with so much nonsense with a serious face.
As she turned her head to look at the women around her who were crying softly, moved by Hua Liuli's story, a faint sadness rose within her.
"This child, Liuli, has truly gone through a lot," Royal Princess Shunan wiped her tears with a handkerchief, choked up, "Yao Jiamin, do you still have the Warm Jade I gave you last time?"
Yao Jiamin asked, "Why?"
"I heard that Warm Jade is good for one's health. Since Liuli is not in good health, give it to her," Royal Princess Shunan said.
Yao Jiamin: "..."
It's over, another one is gone, and this time it's her own mother.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Liuli: I feel like I'm getting closer to becoming the most famous delicate beauty in history.
Jiamin, the person involved: Don't ask, if you ask, it'll only be regret.
The envoys from the Daimao Kingdom felt extremely embarrassed. A few among them had mocked the Great Jin Dynasty for having a female general. However, today, at the training ground, the Emperor of Great Jin directly appointed the Female General as the commanding general for the military formation demonstration. The few high-ranking gentlemen felt a burning sensation on their faces.
They discreetly glanced at the Third Prince, who stood with a straight back and an unyielding demeanor, and their awkwardness eased slightly. It seemed that Third Prince could keep his composure.
It was already surprising enough to have a woman leading thousands of troops, but they hadn't expected that on this important occasion, the Great Jin Dynasty would allow women to attend. Those elegantly dressed women must be the nobility of the Great Jin Dynasty.
Vaguely, they overheard some women saying how beautiful Fushou Junzhu was. The envoys from the Daimao Kingdom curiously looked over and asked a Great Jin Dynasty attendant by their side, "I wonder, who is that young lady in the blue dress? Which family does she come from in your country?"
"That is the niece of our country's Yao Fuma. She is also Marquis Yao's granddaughter," the attendant replied with a smile.
Hearing the conversation between the envoys and the Great Jin Dynasty attendant, He Yuanting turned his head and looked in the direction of Yao Wenyin. He immediately recognized her as the granddaughter of the old Marquis Yao. She was also a close friend of Fushou Junzhu.
Thinking of the alluring Fushou Junzhu, He Yuanting couldn't help but scan the crowd, finally finding her figure next to the Crown Prince of Great Jin.
Swish!
The sound of an arrow piercing through the air echoed. He Yuanting focused his gaze and saw the Female General, Wei Mingyue, on horseback, holding a heavy bow, shooting an arrow that pierced through the target.
"Excellent!"
"Long Live His Majesty! General Wei is mighty!"
Wei Mingyue handed the bow to a guard with one hand. After the guard received it, he had to use both hands to take the bow down. His face and neck turned bright red, indicating that it was somewhat strenuous.
"As a woman possessing such strength, which man dares to..." one of the envoys from the Daimao Kingdom stared in disbelief at this scene. He realized that this was the Great Jin Dynasty, not the Daimao Kingdom, and quickly swallowed back his words, displaying a well-placed smile on his face.
"I have heard that among the envoys, there are also brave and skilled warriors. I wonder which valiant warrior would be willing to spar with me?" Wei Mingyue turned her horse around and cast her gaze upon the envoys.
The envoys from Jinpo and the Daimao Kingdom involuntarily shrank their heads back, wishing they could cover their faces with their sleeves, hoping that the Female General wouldn't notice them.
But Wei Mingyue didn't let them off easily. She eventually turned her gaze towards He Yuanting and said, "Your Highness, the Third Prince of the Daimao Kingdom, I heard that your country also brought a general along. I would be honored if this general would be kind enough to spar with me."
The Daimao military general responsible for escorting the prince and the civil officials stood speechless.
Among the many envoys from different countries, why did they have to be singled out?
Even if he were to win, it would be considered bullying a woman, which wouldn't sound good if it got out. If he were to lose, it would be even more embarrassing. He, a young and vigorous general, couldn't defeat a woman who had given birth to four children. If news of that spread back to his country, he would no longer have any face.
"My mother is so powerful!" Hua Liuli clapped her hands, feeling relieved, "These people from the Daimao Kingdom look down on women. Let them see the consequences of offending women."
The Crown Prince and she stood closely together, watching the training ground from behind the railing, "That general from the Daimao Kingdom is all talk and no substance. It's clear at a glance that he is no match for General Wei."
"Your Royal Highness has such good insight," Hua Liuli was thoroughly delighted by the Crown Prince's flattery. She grabbed his sleeve and said, "My mother is especially amazing. She once led three hundred elite soldiers and broke through the defense line of three thousand enemy troops, causing them to flee in the night, leaving their armor behind."
Even the Jinpo soldiers, who were skilled in battle, couldn't fare well under her mother's command, let alone the Daimao Kingdom, which didn't value their generals.
"My best insight is falling in love with you at the right time," The Crown Prince, who never missed an opportunity to shower her with sweet words, said, "That's why I also think highly of my own insight."
Unfortunately, his sweet words did not move Hua Liuli. She was excitedly watching the training ground, waiting for her mother to deliver a fatal blow to the Daimao military officer.
Seated on the dragon-patterned chair, Emperor Changlong was in a good mood with a hint of schadenfreude. The blow he had from Wei Mingyue had brought about a dramatic change in his aesthetic perception of women. Thus, he was pleased to see Wei Mingyue become a nightmare in the hearts of other men.
The more people who were unfortunate along with him, the better.
"You are an esteemed guest," Wei Mingyue looked at the Daimao general who approached in embroidered clothes. She took off her armor, and clasped one hand behind her back, "I yield three moves."
This was a true insult, silent and without any cursing.
All the envoys present knew that when the Daimao Kingdom arrived in the capital, they had offended Wei Mingyue with their groundless claims, and even caused a loss of life. Although it was later found that the incident had nothing to do with the Hua family, it still piqued the curiosity of many people.
In the days that followed, the Hua family had never intentionally made things difficult for the Daimao Kingdom's envoys. They thought that the matter had been put behind them, but they didn't expect to encounter it here.
If he were to be defeated by a woman in just three moves, the Daimao military officer would be left with no face.
"General Wei, it would be impolite for me, as a man, to be yielded to by a delicate woman like you," the Daimao military officer said, his voice trailing off as he saw Wei Mingyue's hand coming toward his face. He quickly raised his hand to block.
After a few moves, he found it increasingly difficult to counter her attacks. He no longer maintained the demeanor of a gentleman and became fully immersed in the contest.
Little did he know that Wei Mingyue had both hands clasped behind her back, evading his attacks without retaliating. It was only after she allowed him three moves that she smiled and said, "We agreed on three moves, and I will not break my word."
This was a blatant insult, an overwhelming insult.
The Daimao military officer's face turned crimson with anger. He only wanted to defeat Wei Mingyue and avenge the insult he had just received. But Wei Mingyue insisted on fighting with just one hand, seemingly as if he was only worthy of facing her with half her strength.
"General Wei, is this how you treat your opponents on the battlefield as well?!" the Daimao military officer exclaimed in anger, "I ask you to show respect for your opponent."
"In that case, let's continue," Wei Mingyue revealed the hand behind her back. Within five moves, the Daimao military officer felt everything spinning around him, and he found himself lying on the ground, completely dazed.
"You are gracious in defeat," Wei Mingyue looked at the fallen Daimao military officer with a mocking smile, then turned to the Daimao envoys, "Your country has had some reservations about this general. I wonder if, after today, you will have a different view?"
"Ah, ah, ah!" Yao Jiamin shouted excitedly, leaning against the railing, "General Wei is a heroic woman, unmatched in the world, invincible! A war goddess among mortals!"
Wei Mingyue heard Yao Jiamin's voice and smiled gently at her.
Yao Jiamin covered her pounding chest and grabbed Yao Wenyin's sleeve in excitement, "Why is General Wei so handsome? Why is she so good-looking? Why?!"
Royal Princess Shunan, sitting beside them, had an expressionless face as she sipped her tea and let out a cold snort.
Having witnessed the overwhelming defeat of the Daimao military officer by Wei Mingyue, the other country's military officers silently took a step back. They all made a living as military officers, and face was important to them.
The poor Daimao military officer lay on the hard ground, looking up at the azure sky, questioning his existence.
Who was he? Where was he? Was he really a military officer?
Thinking about the mocking gazes he would face upon returning to the Daimao Kingdom, he couldn't help but almost shed a few drops of tears of a man's pride.
Why were there such terrifying women in the world? What was even scarier was how this type of fierce woman could give birth to a delicate daughter.
He staggered as he got up from the ground, his smile looking even uglier than crying, "General Wei is truly extraordinary."
"You... were not bad either," Wei Mingyue comforted him, "Many people can't last three moves against me. It's already impressive that you could fight me for this long."
Yes, being able to fight for this long was all thanks to you fighting with just one hand and giving me three moves.
The sight of the Daimao military officer walking back was filled with helplessness, sadness, and the despair of shattered self-confidence. Perhaps from now on, the words "female general" would become a nightmare for the rest of his life, an inescapable torment.
As soon as he joined his group, he glared at the silent scholarly officials who dared not speak. If it weren't for their careless remarks that offended Wei Mingyue, how could Wei Mingyue have singled him out and ruthlessly tormented him?
After watching this one-sided overwhelming fight, the Crown Prince's hand trembled slightly. He asked Hua Liuli in a low voice, "Liuli, does General Wei usually resort to violence at home?"
"No, she doesn't. She treats me very well," Hua Liuli blushed, happily holding the Crown Prince's hand, "She's also kind to the people and rarely gets angry. She would never hurt her own family."
The Crown Prince felt relieved. Once he married Liuli, the son-in-law would also be considered family.
Seeing the severely shaken appearance of the Daimao military officer, Emperor Changlong felt so extremely satisfied that even the few court officials he disliked seemed pleasing to the eye.
"The competition is first... friendship is foremost. Envoys, please do not take this matter to heart," Emperor Changlong comforted gently, "Rest assured, these are just minor matters that will not reach the ears of the common people."
After speaking, he raised his left hand, signaling the scribe standing beside him to take a few notes.
He didn't want this matter to spread among the common people; it would only be recorded in the history books of Daimao.
The scribe, a young scholar who greatly admired General Wei, quickly recorded the notes as Emperor Changlong raised his hand.
General Wei said: You are an esteemed guest; I yield three moves.
The Daimao military officer angrily replied: "I am a great warrior. Why should I fear a delicate woman?"
In the encounter, the Daimao military officer was no match and became greatly enraged by the fact that General Wei was effortlessly fighting him with one hand. Helpless, General Wei had no choice but to go all out. Before reaching three moves, the Daimao military officer suffered a crushing defeat, covered his face, shed tears, and fled.
Whether the Daimao military officer cried or not wasn't important; what mattered was that he lost, and he lost miserably. The scribe felt that the recorded content was unbiased and satisfactory, so he stopped writing.
Just as the Daimao envoys thought that Wei Mingyue would continue to spar with others, she unexpectedly turned and left the field, allowing other commanders to take the stage.
The Daimao envoys felt that they had been deliberately targeted by Wei Mingyue.
The envoys from other countries secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing how badly the Daimao military officer lost, who would dare to challenge Wei Mingyue?
"Liuli," the Crown Prince looked at the military officer who was no match to General Wei and asked Hua Liuli in a low voice, "Is your martial arts taught by General Wei?"
"Somewhat. When I was young, I was frail, so the path I learned differed slightly from my mother's. Although I learned a bit from my father and mother, it is not as good as the skills they accumulated on the battlefield," Hua Liuli blushed and smiled coyly, then added, "But, like my mother, it would be no problem for me to defeat the Daimao military officer and knock him to the ground."
The Crown Prince: "..."
"What's wrong?" Hua Liuli smiled at the Crown Prince.
"It's nothing. I just think Liuli is really amazing. At a young age, you have learned the skills of two skilled generals," The Crown Prince quickly said, "I will feel much more at ease with you by my side."
"Your Royal Highness, you've forgotten again," Hua Liuli covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly, "I am frail and frequently fall ill. I topple over with a gust of wind."
The Crown Prince immediately changed his words, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
"Your Royal Highness is so kind," Hua Liuli smiled sweetly at the Crown Prince.
"Your Royal Highness, His Majesty is calling you over," Zhao Sancai approached and smiled kindly at Hua Liuli, then addressed the Crown Prince, "There will be an archery competition between the countries. His Majesty requests Your Royal Highness's presence by his side to observe."
"Then, Your Royal Highness, please go ahead. I'll go find Jiamin and the others to play," Hua Liuli left the Crown Prince behind and gracefully walked away.
Watching her cheerful figure, the Crown Prince couldn't help but feel doubtful. Perhaps Liuli had long wanted to leave him and go play with her girlfriends. Was he really the person Liuli loved the most?
As soon as he arrived with Zhao Sancai and sat down beside Emperor Changlong, the Crown Prince saw his father looking at him with a solemn expression, "Yuansu, did you see?"
"What?" The Crown Prince's heart tightened. Did he miss something important just now?
"In the future, treat Liuli better. Don't lose your temper with her. Most importantly, don't make her complain about you in front of her family," Emperor Changlong patted his shoulder with his hand, "Fortunately, your Crown Princess is gentle in nature, weak in strength. As long as she doesn't speak ill of you in front of her family, you'll be safe."
The Crown Prince: "..."
What did General Wei do to his father that made him so afraid?
"Please rest assured, Father Emperial. Erchen will treat Liuli well," In order to ease his father's mood, the Crown Prince decided to bury the secret of Liuli's martial arts skills, which were equally as proficient as General Wei's, deep in his heart.
"Hua Liuli, why did you come over?" Yao Jiamin saw Hua Liuli approaching and asked curiously, "Aren't you with the Crown Prince?"
"His Majesty called the Crown Prince for something, so I came to find you guys," Hua Liuli squeezed in beside Yao Jiamin and sat down, "There will be an archery competition later. I heard several envoys have brought female archers. You can go down and compete with them."
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a cheerful female voice say, "I heard that General Wei has a daughter, already fifteen years old. With General Wei as her mother and General Hua as her father, she must also be a heroic female warrior on the battlefield, right?"
Hua Liuli, who was dressed up and had delicate makeup: "Huh?"
Who said that a general's daughter must be a female hero?
Yao Jiamin turned her head to look at her with schadenfreude, "A female hero?"
Hua Liuli calmly took out an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve; Yuan Yi and Yurong quickly approached her from behind, bending down to support her.
"I apologize for embarrassing you," Hua Liuli covered her mouth and coughed a few times, then, assisted by the maidservant, slowly walked towards the female soldier who spoke, giving her a gentle smile, "Sister, were you referring to me?"
The female soldier didn't expect a slender, fragile-looking young girl with fair skin to come forward. Observing her slim waist and bright eyes, the female soldier even wondered if she would scare the young girl with her loud voice.
"Although I take pride in my parents, unfortunately, I am not skilled in martial arts," Hua Liuli weakly smiled and then, in an emotional tone, narrated a story of a pregnant female warrior who fought against enemies while struggling to raise a prematurely born daughter.
On a snowy night with howling winds, the female general, in search of life-saving herbs for her daughter, stumbled and rose again in the snow-covered mountains, refusing to give up even when her entire body was frozen. The weak daughter, on the verge of death, heard her parents' tearful cries and endured the excruciating pain to open her eyes.
She grew up with great difficulty, relying on various medicines, but became a sickly child unable to learn martial arts. People mocked her and said she tarnished her parents' reputation.
As Hua Liuli reached this point, she wiped the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief, and on her delicate face, there was determination, "No matter how others may judge, I know that both my father and mother love me."
The female soldier had already teared up halfway through the story, and by the time Hua Liuli finished, she was already sobbing uncontrollably, "What a touching family bond. I apologize for my shallowness."
"You are an extraordinary woman," the female general wiped away her tears with admiration, "You have overcome death; you are a hero."
Yao Jiamin: "..."
She admired Hua Liuli's ability to come up with so much nonsense with a serious face.
As she turned her head to look at the women around her who were crying softly, moved by Hua Liuli's story, a faint sadness rose within her.
"This child, Liuli, has truly gone through a lot," Royal Princess Shunan wiped her tears with a handkerchief, choked up, "Yao Jiamin, do you still have the Warm Jade I gave you last time?"
Yao Jiamin asked, "Why?"
"I heard that Warm Jade is good for one's health. Since Liuli is not in good health, give it to her," Royal Princess Shunan said.
Yao Jiamin: "..."
It's over, another one is gone, and this time it's her own mother.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Liuli: I feel like I'm getting closer to becoming the most famous delicate beauty in history.
Jiamin, the person involved: Don't ask, if you ask, it'll only be regret.
