The Fourth Princess Consort smiled and said, “Of course, if the Great Qing can have a female cavalry unit, I would naturally stay in the Jingcheng to cheer them on.”
Yinzhen understood.
If he didn’t support this, his wife wouldn’t be running away to the Tianya Inn next time; she’d be going to Beimeng.
He silently returned to his Shufangzhai, sighed, and began to write about the pros and cons of female cavalry, as well as the various details of female honorary titles.
When the Fifth Prince Yinqi and the others returned to their Palaces, the situation was much the same.
Even Yin Xi, who hadn’t been sought out by Yin Hui, was being pulled by the ears by his Fuqin and Side Consort while they held their children, demanding he speak up for Yin Hui.
With so many imperial princes in the Palaces, a single Prince of the Third Rank wouldn’t be enough to go around later.
Even if Yin Xi didn’t do it for himself, shouldn’t he consider Consort Rong in the palace and the children?
In his helplessness, the Prince of the Third Rank Yin Xi had to write more stories about female generals of past dynasties in the Ji Bao.
Prince Chun Yinqi went around the Zongrenfu telling everyone about the race results of the royal princesses.
Prince Chun Yin Hui drew several maps through which light cavalry could pass, routes much shorter than those for heavy armor troops.
Prince Lian Yinsi was the cleverest.
He simply had his Fuqin invite the noble ladies of various families to race horses together and talk about the dowries of Beimeng noble ladies and the relationship between their status and martial prowess after marriage.
The Ninth Prince Yin Tang told everyone he met that he planned to teach his seven “golden flowers” martial arts.
Prince Yin’e directly spoke of his Fuqin’s past battle achievements, which could be considered a tribute to the whips he had endured in the past.
The Eleventh Prince Yinci and Twelfth Prince Yin Tao were more low-key; they were responsible for writing stories to be placed in the Ji Bao.
The Thirteenth Prince Yin Xiang was the most formidable.
He simply sent his own daughter into the academy to learn horse archery from the Anda every day.
The other brothers cursed Yin Xiang to high heaven in their hearts, but they could only bite the bullet and send the noble ladies of their own families into the academy as well.
Although these things were happening simultaneously, in order to create a subtle, gradual effect, Yin Hui was in charge of covert coordination, slowing down the pace so as not to attract attention.
Yin Yu and Yinshi were responsible for monitoring public opinion.
It wasn’t until half a year later that the high ministers finally caught on.
Good heavens, almost the entire Jingcheng had been swept up in a trend of noble ladies practicing martial arts without making a sound.
Some people even started preaching the benefits of women leading troops to war.
Even catchphrases like “Men and women working together, the work is never a bother” started coming out.
Upon inquiry, the ministers found that from Prince Yin Ti down to the seventeenth imperial prince Yinshi, who was about to discuss marriage, they all supported women going to war.
What was this?
Was the natural order of Yin and Yang about to be overturned?
Was life as they knew it over?
Previously, the Yushi who had supported the various imperial princes for the throne immediately began to impeach these princes for their rebellious acts of overturning the court’s order and heavenly ethics.
In the eyes of the ministers, Prince Yin Ti and the others seemed to be possessed.
They were unrepentant and frequently submitted memorials regarding the necessity and benefits of women joining the army.
They had to submit the memorials; the “rouge tigers,” large and small, were all watching them like hawks at home.
The Court Hall went from being incredulous to noisy, and in the end, Yin Hui stepped out to play the “good guy.”
He suggested, “Why don’t we try it out first? The relationship between my younger sister and my various sisters should be like the relationship between me and my brothers. This matter will be led by the Tenth Princess. We will select a group of noble ladies from Beimeng who are skilled in horse archery and test their abilities first.”
“If they win a battle, we only need to finalize their original ranks, and it won’t have any impact on the court. If they lose… although victory and defeat are common in war, the court cannot allow my brothers to act recklessly. We will simply disband this female cavalry.”
Yinzhi and the others were also dumbfounded and momentarily speechless.
They had originally thought it was Jiujiu messing around to win military merit for Fan Lianghan.
They figured that with Fan Lianghan behind Jiujiu, nothing would go wrong regardless, so they let the “rouge tigers” at home have their fun.
But it was actually Minbao who wanted to fight with her frail little physique.
Were they crazy, or had she lived long enough?
While everyone remained silent, Kangxi made the final decision, “Since you, my ministers, have no objections, then let it be settled. The Ministry of War and the Lifan Yuan shall jointly provide the regulations.”
***
By the time Minbao returned to the capital, excited and significantly tanned, the hurdle she thought would be the hardest—the one in the capital—had already been cleared.
Waiting for her was the Imperial Edict appointing her as the Commander of the Great Qing Female Light Cavalry.
Yin Hui smiled at her and said, “Your brother could only get you this far. If you win, when I ascend the throne, I will certainly protect you.”
Minbao hugged Yin Hui and cried her eyes out.
When those brothers who already didn’t trust Minbao’s abilities saw this, they worried even more about the trouble Beimeng and Tibet would cause by laughing at or even plotting against this ridiculous light cavalry.
But to their surprise, Minbao received the Imperial Edict in the second month of the fifty-first year and immediately ran back to Beimeng.
In May of this year, the Tibetan soldiers in Khotan, along with the Moxi cavalry supported by Tsewang Araptan, colluded with the Yi soldiers to clash with the Qinghai garrison and plundered the Qinghai Ning (Ningfan Guard).
Kangxi immediately issued a decree ordering the Sichuan Commander Yue Shenglong to surround and suppress the Yi soldiers and repel the Tibetan soldiers.
He also sent the Sichuan Governor Nian Gengyao to lead troops in support.
However, when Nian Gengyao reached the Sichuan-Shu station, he was met by the subtly expressive Yue Shenglong and his son Yue Zhongqi.
Why?
Because the Yi leader, Luodu, hadn’t even managed to hold out until Yue Shenglong’s arrival.
On only the second day after harassing the Ningfan Guard, he was captured by the female light cavalry who were nearby scouting for news on the Tibetan soldiers and Tsewang Araptan.
Minbao even seized nearly a thousand of the enemy’s best Tibetan ponies, more than half of which were breeding stock.
The remaining small portion of ordinary horses she ordered to be left for Yue Shenglong.
Nian Gengyao and Yue Shenglong looked at each other, exchanged awkward pleasantries, and dizzily retreated to Chengdu.
They then submitted a memorial to the capital, reporting the events in detail.
Naturally, Yue Shenglong didn’t dare not submit a memorial either.
When the memorial reached the capital, it happened to be two days before Yin Hui’s ascension, which silenced all the imperial princes, including Yinzhi.
It was understandable that the ministers didn’t know Minbao well, but these brothers of hers frequently saw this youngest sister when they went to the Shoukang Palace and Ruijing Pavilion to pay their respects.
In the past, Minbao had left them with the impression of a sweet, obedient, and lively little girl.
Now… the little girl had turned into a tigress??
The ministers couldn’t even remember what the Tenth Princess looked like anymore.
But this time, capturing Luodu without wasting a single soldier and even causing the Tibetan soldiers and Tsewang Araptan to suffer a loss… and they still didn’t know why.
According to the scouts’ reports, they still didn’t even know how they had lost.
Yin Hui was so happy that while reviewing memorials for his Father in the Qianqing Palace, his stomach hurt from laughing.
This could be considered the best gift his sister had given him for his ascension.
***
After Yin Hui ascended the throne, he truly wasn’t as at ease as Fang He thought, nor was he as busy pitting his brothers as Kangxi imagined.
After all… he had already pitted his brothers; they were still in the pit, working diligently for him.
Besides being busy managing the Imperial Harem for his wife and keeping in check those concubines who became restless after being promoted, he was also busy cleaning up after his elder sisters and younger brothers.
Three years after Jiujiu and Fan Lianghan married, they had a son.
He was exactly one year younger than the little imperial prince born to Muhua.
They simply dumped him in the palace for Yin Hui to raise together.
The couple spent eight months of the year away from Jingcheng.
Originally, Muhua took care of both boys, but after she became pregnant for the second time, her morning sickness was so severe she couldn’t manage the two increasingly mischievous boys.
They could only be sent to the Qianqing Palace.
Yin Hui was both father and mother.
Sometimes he even brought the two little ones to court, letting them play under the Yuxi Hall.
Only after their energy was spent could he find a moment to accompany his wife.
Needless to say, after the female light cavalry was established, Minbao simply stayed in Beimeng and didn’t come back.
In such busyness, Yin Hui entered his own era: the first year of the Zhenghe reign.
This was a joyous occasion worth celebrating, and the Jingcheng was peacefully delighted.
It was worth mentioning that Lobzang Gunbu, who had once pursued Jiujiu, had been captured twice by the female light cavalry during maneuvers.
The second time, the two of them fell into a cave down a slope together and were trapped for a night.
Soon, this new Darhan Prince submitted a memorial requesting to marry the Great Qing’s Tenth Princess, which made Yin Hui so angry he nearly issued a decree to curse him to death.
‘Was this Lobzang Gunbu trying to find a substitute? He just wouldn’t let go of the sisters of the Aisinjueluo family!’
But unexpectedly, less than a month later, Minbao wrote a letter saying she had acted on a whim and “taken liberties” with Lobzang Gunbu.
She felt it was quite nice, and after checking that her sister didn’t mind, she planned to take responsibility.
Yin Hui was so angry he paced around Muhua’s palace with his hands on his hips, cursing Lobzang Gunbu again.
He immediately prepared to call Minbao back to talk her out of it.
If she went to marry into the Mongols, given Lobzang Gunbu’s status, it would be difficult for Minbao to return to the capital.
However, from Yin Hui’s grumbling and anxiety, Muhua suddenly understood a truth: the so-called “love” that she vaguely understood but felt anxious and terrified by was not important.
As long as a person was a family member in this man’s heart, and as long as they didn’t completely hurt him, he would always give his all to protect them under his wings.
The Grand Emperor was, the Empress Dowager was, the Nine Princess and Tenth Princess, and even the newly minted Prince of the Third Rank and Prince of the Second Rank were.
She had thought for a long time.
She was still afraid that loving him to the end would leave her with nothing, so she didn’t dare open that door… but opening another window wasn’t bad either.
She rose with a smile, holding her large belly, and hugged his arm, swaying it gently to coax him.
“It doesn’t matter where Minbao wants to marry. What’s important is that she likes this man, and the Darhan Prince can also accept her desire to be a female general. As long as our Great Qing remains strong, the Darhan Prince won’t dare to bully Minbao for the rest of his life.”
Seeing that Yin Hui was still huffing with anger, Muhua kissed him on the lips and smiled by saying, “Or the Emperor could issue an Imperial Edict, ordering that the Darhan Prince is not allowed to take concubines for his entire life before he can marry the Princess, with a blood oath as proof. How about that?”
Lobzang Gunbu looked good, held great power in the Khalkha region, and supported Minbao’s hobbies.
If he could keep himself pure, Yin Hui felt he was somewhat worthy of Minbao.
However, for a moment, he couldn’t spare a thought for his sister and only looked deeply at Muhua.
“Empress… have you ever regretted marrying me? Not being able to have ‘one life, one heart, one couple’?”
Muhua stroked her belly and laughed, “It’s as if by not marrying you, your servant could have ‘one life, one heart, one couple.’ What your servant wants isn’t that.”
“Then what do you want?” Yin Hui held Muhua’s hand and placed his over hers on her belly, asking softly as if afraid of disturbing someone.
This time, Muhua didn’t avoid Yin Hui’s burning gaze.
She also spoke softly, “Your servant wants to always share the Emperor’s burdens. I want the Emperor, regardless of joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, to be willing to share with me as much as you share with the Imperial Mother, Jiujiu, Minbao, and little sixteen and seventeen.”
A flash of guilt crossed Yin Hui’s eyes.
He wanted to do that too, but he had no way to be like his Father and only favor one person…
“What your servant wants most is that no matter how many people are in the Emperor’s harem, you can trust that your servant will never harm your interests and that you can treat your servant as family who will never hurt you.”
Yin Hui’s chest suddenly burned.
He stood up, pulled Muhua gently into his arms, and spoke with a voice full of emotion, “I…”
Before he could finish, Muhua’s belly suddenly bulged, as if bearing witness between the two.
Yin Hui was even happier, “Good, good, good! There is someone willing to clean up after those rascals with me; it’s more than I could ask for!”
Muhua’s breath hitched.
Thinking of the unsettled Yin Yu and Yinshi, was it absolutely necessary to open this window?