Zi You lightly smiled, beautiful and cold like a snow lotus. “Thank you, Third Wangzi, for your kind intentions. But Zi You has a horse already and doesn’t need other horses. Indeed, rouge is paired with beautiful women. Third Wangzi should give the horse to your female friend.”
She left without even taking a look at the big and mighty white horse. Moreover, she certainly did not see Third Wangzi’s feigned free and easy posture.
The last one to come was Shangguan LingRan. This dandy was worthy of being a dandy. He was the last one to come among the officials the Emperor sent.
After he came, he arrogantly raised his chin and pointed to the tea set being held by a manservant.
The meaning was: “Make tea for this Shizi. This Shizi did not bring a maidservant, so you have to serve this Shizi.’ Yes, he directly treated Zi You as his maidservant.
Zi You knew what kind of person he was now. She didn’t get angry and really went to make tea for him.
Her obedient expression was like a little daughter-inlaw. Shangguan Lingkan sprawled indolently on a chair. When Zi You brought the tea over, he took the opportunity to pinch Zi You’s small hand.
Zi You’s small foot suddenly kicked towards his knee. Shangguan LingRan flashed away. While he was unprepared, Zi You added a little seasoning to his tea. Then she leisurely ran away.
Shangguan Lingkan did not know something was added to the tea. He elegantly and gracefully took a sip, causing all the little guniangs to collapse.
Who was this gongzi? He was so handsome.
But in the next second, the little guniangs couldn’t help but lower their heads and laugh.
Because Shangguan Lingkan sprayed out all the tea without any care for his image. His face could only be described as suffering in pain. He then ran out…
Shangguan Lingkan was humiliated and angry! He lived till the age of sixteen and it had always been him playing with people. He had never been played, but he was fooled by a little yatou today.
What she did put in that unfortunate tea? He was very sure that he had never tasted anything so disgusting. Even the bitterest medicine tasted better than that.
Darned yatou! You dared to fool me. See how this Shizi will take care of you when he catches you.
Shangguan Lingkan ran to his room and gargled for a full hour. He still felt that there was a strange taste in his mouth.
The two people’s first official confrontation: Zi You won.
Afterwards, the female medical team’s training field turned lively. Taizi came today. Third Wangzi would come tomorrow. Plus, Shangguan LingRan was unreasonably causing disturbances. If he wasn’t pulling the two guards to gamble, he was pulling the imperial doctors to go drinking.
The female medical team was stirred into chaos. Finally, Old General Mu submitted a memorial and denounced the five men.
Zi You went to complain to the Empress Dowager. “Empress Dowager, when Chennu was teaching them in the General’s Manor, they had no distractions and learned very well. Now, with Shizi Ye and the four officials, as well as Taizi Ye and Third Wangzi all constantly dropping by, Chennu doesn’t know what to say. Chennu feels like every day is a mess and the guniangs aren’t able to focus on their studies. Can Empress Dowager help Chennu and talk to the Emperor? Let Chennu take them up the mountain for closed-door training.” “The mountain?” The Empress Dowager asked in shock. “Wouldn’t you and the little guniangs be in danger on the mountain?” Zi You shook her head. “Grandfather also took a part of his soldiers up the mountain for closed-door training. Grandfather said learning medicine is not enough. One needs actual combat experience. Someone will rush up to rescue the wounded on the front lines and transport them to the medical team in the back. But minor injuries should also be treated.”
The Empress Dowager nodded in understanding.
Zi You saw that she understood and continued, “Empress Dowager, this is Great Yan’s first female medical team that was formed with your help and support. You don’t want it to be given up halfway and make you ashamed on the battlefield in the future, right? Although the two imperial doctors and guards were sent by the Emperor to help Chennu, they obviously look down on Chennu and the guniangs. They have arrogant attitudes and don’t take things seriously. Otherwise, even if Shizi Ye asked them to gamble and go drinking, they wouldn’t dare. Can these people who can be bribed with a little kindness and favor by enemies on the front line be reliable?”
The Empress Dowager nodded. “They are indeed not reliable. They treat the female medical team Aijia supports as child’s play.” “That’s right.” Zi You saw that she lit a fire in the Empress Dowager, so she continued to fan the flames. “This is telling everyone that females are incompetent. They’re not only looking down on Chennu, but blaspheming Empress Dowager.”
The Empress Dowager was a bit unhappy. Fortunately, the yatou reminded her or she would have never thought this deeply. Could it be that the Emperor saw the Empress Dowager supported this yatou so he sent the two guards and two imperial doctors to cause chaos? Otherwise, why would they be so disruptive and muddleheaded? How could the people who caused trouble with Ling’er get things done?
The Empress Dowager was fooled by Shangguan Lingkan too. She thought he was the real dandy who did not know martial arts. So, she was not angry at Shangguan LingRan’s disruption. But she was very angry at the guards and imperial doctors who ate, drank, and were merry with Shangguan Lingkan.
In the end, the Emperor was summoned over. The Empress Dowager immediately became furious. “Is the Emperor dissatisfied that Aijia supports yatou’s female medical team and interfered in politics?”
The Emperor still had some reverence for his Muhou. He immediately saluted and expressed in panic, “That’s not it. Why does Muhou say that?”
The Empress Dowager turned angrier hearing his question. She thought, “The female medical team is so chaotic. How can you not know?’ The Empress Dowager shook her head and said in displeasure, “Emperor, Aijia does not want to interfere in politics. Aijia was just moved by this yatou’s filial piety and patriotism and wanted to fulfill her wish. You’re so upset about it? You sent someone to cause trouble? So that she can’t hang
on?”
The Emperor then found out that the Empress Dowager found out about the situation of the female medical them. Thus, he immediately pushed all the blame onto Shangguan LingRan. “Muhou, this matter should be blamed on Ling’er. He was the one who dragged the guards and imperial doctors to fool around. The guards and imperial doctors didn’t dare to refuse, so they could only follow along.”
The Empress Dowager heard her son’s words and immediately jumped up. “Are you blaming Aijia? One hand cannot clap by itself. If the people you sent were good, could they be corrupted by Ling’er? They couldn’t redeem Ling’er instead?”
“Huh! Redeem him?” The Emperor laughed in ridicule. “Mud cannot be pasted on the wall.”
“What did you say?” The Empress Dowager was extremely furious this time! Even her body trembled. “Those words can be said by anyone, but you are not qualified to do so. Are you unclear why Ling’er turned into who he is today?”
The Emperor also realized that he said too much. Shangguan LingRan was Muhou’s biological grandson. Of course Muhou did not want to hear him called “mud.”
He then smiled and compromised. He agreed to the Empress Dowager’s proposal of Old General Mu taking the female medical team into the mountain for closed-door training.
Actually, the Emperor already agreed with Old General Mu. He was just upset that his Muhou was interfering with him.
His Fuwang’s dynasty had passed. Fuwang respected Muhou very much and loved listening to her advice. That didn’t mean that he, the Emperor, did too.
Moreover, right now, he must win over Old General Mu. Because if he really provoked Old General Mu, then his imperial authority would really be in jeopardy.
Who would listen to an emperor without military power? Besides, Old General Mu was very loyal to him at the moment. The Emperor didn’t have a hint of worry about Old General Mu. Old General Mu wasn’t taking sides, sowing seeds of discord, or secretly making alliances with officials or wangzis.
Old General Mu didn’t even attend Taizi’s chrysanthemum feast. Even Zi You did not attend. The reason was very appropriate. “Mother was bitten by a poisonous snake and can’t get out of bed. As her daughter, how can I be in the mood to admire flowers?”
There was one Duke Yongnan who had a title, but no active job. He could only paint and was even less of a threat to the Emperor.
Like this, under Old General Mu obtaining the Emperor’s consent and the Empress Dowager’s interference, Zi You was finally permitted to go with her grandfather and the female medical team to conduct closed-door training on the mountain.
Now, everything was quiet. She could finally calm down and practice martial arts, medicine, and spiritual power.
But before leaving, Zi You had to make Wang Yiping a bit more honest, so that she wouldn’t bully her aunt [Nee Liu].
She also had to get together with her three good friends and bid them farewell.
She sent Xia Ruoqing, Ji Bingyu, and Liu Ruixue invitation cards to climb Yunwu Mountain.
Zi You also prepared a lot of food, planning on a picnic on the mountain. She was bringing the guniangs to practice, hunt, catch fish, and produce their own meals and clothing.
Other than visiting the temple, occasionally strolling in the market, or eating a meal at a restaurant, the three guniangs had never climbed a mountain.
Thus, they were very excited, but couldn’t tell their families the truth. They said, “I’m meeting up with Mu Xiaojie and playing at the General’s Manor.” They went to the General’s Manor with their maidservants.
Old General Mu was worried and sent four confidant guards for protection. Zi You prepared some special items and had Weishali quietly follow along too. She got on the horse carriage with the three guniangs and went towards Yunwu Mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, the road was narrow and the horse carriage couldn’t pass. Zi You handed the food to the guards and went up the mountain road.
Speaking of which, this Yunwu Mountain was the least steep and easiest mountain Zi You had climbed.
Zi You and ShiYun easily climbed up the mountain. But the three guniangs, along with their maidservants, sweated and panted profusely.
Zi You shook her head and said to them, “Your bodies aren’t fit enough. Exercise is beneficial for your bodies.”
