Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Women Can Join the Army

Recalling the time when Liu Ji first entered the Ding Family mansion, he still looked like someone who hadn’t seen much of the world, making a spectacle of himself even in the restroom.

This time, the luxury of the He Family was even greater, yet he had already learned to keep his gaze straight ahead.

With the chicken coop and native eggs he carried in his hands, he exuded a sophisticated sense of returning to simplicity, which caught the attention of Qi Xian.

Was this still the same Liu San who bathed with him when he was naked in the bathhouse?

At the vase door of the second courtyard, Qi Xian said, “Madam, my aunt is waiting for you in the back garden. You can go there with my cousin.”

Qin Yao nodded to show she understood, as men and women should be separate. She gave Liu Ji a look to make sure he didn’t say things he shouldn’t.

If it weren’t for the many maids and house servants around, Liu Ji would have rolled his eyes.

Times had changed—he was no longer that bumpkin from before.

Now, he was a disciple of great scholars, a future scholar—Liu Ji!

Qin Yao, unsure who to hand the New Year’s gifts to, saw He Zhanghua make a small gesture, and immediately a stewardess stepped forward to receive the couple’s gifts.

The stewardess was quietly surprised when she saw the two lively native chickens in the coop; it had been a long time since she received such down-to-earth gifts.

She raised her head and secretly glanced at the visiting couple. The man had an outstanding appearance, calm and composed, dressed simply without a hint of timidity.

The woman’s clothing was a bit more refined, but she only wore a pair of silver bracelets with no other adornments. She was even more composed, lacking the unease and provincialness typical of someone meeting the prefecture official’s family for the first time.

As she walked, her head held high and her stride confident, she appeared more commanding than the noblewomen of the city.

Their plain dress and unusual aura gave the couple a mysterious feel, suggesting they were not from the mountains.

They seemed like … an immortal couple in seclusion. He Zhanghua imagined this as he looked up at the woman beside him.

A stone used as road decoration stood on the right side ahead, and Qin Yao, seeing He Zhanghua focusing solely on her, was about to collide with it. Qin Yao quickly lifted her by the waist and placed her on the spacious road to the left.

The sudden lift startled the young girl, causing her to yelp, but once she recovered, she looked up at Qin Yao with eyes full of admiration.

“Madam, were you born with such divine power? How impressive!” He Zhanghua asked curiously.

Qin Yao nodded slightly. She further asked, “With such innate supernatural power, why don’t you go to the battlefield to earn military honors and become a female general?”

Qin Yao was taken aback, “A female general? Can women in Sheng Country go to war?”

He Zhanghua excitedly pointed to a flower hall ahead, “Today, we have another guest coming to pay respects to my mother. Guess who it is.”

Qin Yao shook her head, unwilling to guess, “I have no idea.”

He Zhanghua grinned slyly, as if sure Qin Yao would be surprised, and whispered, “It’s General Mu Ling, the personal guard of the Princess, who commands half of the Imperial Army in the Capital.”

For some reason, she instinctively felt that Qin Yao would understand these titles, unlike ordinary village women who needed explanations, and waited to see Qin Yao’s surprised expression.

Indeed, Qin Yao showed the surprise she was expecting, “Is this General Mu Ling a woman?”

He Zhanghua nodded fervently; she admired powerful women and vowed to join the military herself to rise to the court as a military officer.

This was the only path to power that the Princess and the Holy Empress had secured for noblewomen.

The imperial exams were closed to women, but the military camp was open.

However, it was limited to daughters of noble families, women of fifth-rank officials and above, or those with the status of a Feudal Lord to have the privilege of joining the military.

Prefect He is now a standard fifth-rank local official, fitting the criteria.

With He Zhanghua being the only daughter, it was natural to cultivate her well.

He Zhanghua said, with some anticipation, that today General Mu Ling would visit, as her mother had requested a favor from the Princess for her apprenticeship.

As they spoke, they arrived outside the flower hall. Qin Yao looked at the eager He Zhanghua in confusion and asked, “Why are you telling me this, Miss?”

The young girl, with a modest demeanor and confident tone, said to her, “I want to recruit you as my personal guard!”

She had thought so since the Dragon Boat Festival but by the time she got her parents’ consent, the powerful woman had already left.

To her surprise, she met her again today, and regardless, if she didn’t try to win her over now, she would regret it later.

“You’re just an ordinary woman; you could never meet the threshold of a fifth-rank official’s family in your lifetime, but if you follow me, once I complete my apprenticeship, I could take you to the battlefield. Then we can fight side by side and get rid of those old men blocking the way of the Princess!”

Qin Yao suddenly remembered that the boastful girl in front of her was only nine years old.

He Zhanghua confidently asked, “Do you agree? I can help you divorce your husband, what’s the use of being a child student’s wife…”

As the little girl grew more and more audacious, a voice came from inside the flower hall that seemed stern yet indulgent, “You rude little girl, hurry up and invite the guest in!”

He Zhanghua, who was about to offer Qin Yao a monthly salary of five taels, hurriedly covered her mouth—oops, mother overheard.

But she looked at Qin Yao with bright, expectant eyes, waiting for her answer.

Qin Yao suppressed a momentary surge of emotion, smiled lightly, and replied, “Sorry, Miss He, I can’t wait for you to complete your apprenticeship.”

This answer was clearly unexpected for the young girl, who was stunned for a moment.

Chunhua, Mrs. Qi’s personal maid, lifted the curtain and came out with a smile, addressing Qin Yao graciously, “Madam Liu, please come in and warm yourself by the fire. It’s cold outside, and we wouldn’t want you to catch a chill.”

With that, she discreetly pulled her dazed young lady into the house, hinting that if she continued to talk too much, the lady might be displeased.

As Qin Yao entered the house, a wave of warmth enveloped her, the light fragrance of flowers and fruit wafted to her nose, making her feel at ease.

Qin Yao walked forward, and in the flower hall sat two women—one was Mrs. Qi, dressed simply and elegantly, sitting in the main seat.

Qin Yao gave a slight bow, showcasing some dry humor, “Qin Yao wishes the lady an early happy New Year,” and casually uttered a few New Year blessings.

Mrs. Qi gave her a curious glance, unable to suppress a smile, while the maids and stewardesses behind her covered their mouths, laughing. They hadn’t seen anyone offer New Year’s greetings this early.

But after the laughter, seeing Qin Yao’s open and cheerful smile, they all cast friendly glances her way, finding her quite charming.

Chunhua brought over an embroidered stool, placing it on the right side guest seat, “Please have a seat, Madam.”

Directly opposite, on the left side guest seat, sat another woman, around twenty-eight or nine years old, exceptionally tall, about 1.7 meters, broad-shouldered and sturdy, wearing only a thin quilted jacket in the twelfth lunar month, with leather boots and a short sword tucked on the side.

On the table beside her lay a sheathed long sword. Her manner of sitting was broad and open. Clearly a woman, she carried a brave and mighty aura that deterred direct eye contact.

Qin Yao met her gaze and politely nodded in greeting.

Afterwards, she didn’t sit on the embroidered stool specifically brought by the maid but chose a broad and comfortable Taishi Chair like the woman opposite her.

The formidable woman opposite furrowed her thick brows; she felt a sense of territorial violation, but the other’s powerful aura made her heart pound, unwittingly provoking a desire to draw her sword and charge.

Of course, she restrained that impulse.

Yet the instinctual sense of opposition enough to alarm Mu Ling—the woman across was strong enough to make her tremble!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep