RATMOFANF: Chapter 66

Glossary

· Shen Jingxiu: The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife.

· Li Ling: The Heir of Zhenguo Duke Manor, Commander of the Capital Patrol Office.

· Xu Wanning: Li Xian's wife, Jingxiu's sister-in-law.

· Kun Ge: Xu Wanning and Li Xian's son.

· Old Madam: The matriarch of the Li family.

· Li Xian: Li Ling's elder brother.

· Ninth Princess: A princess of the imperial family.

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Chapter 66: How Mighty is My Lord Li

The sky stretched for miles, clear and blue, with the winter sun hanging high.

Today was the day of the Great Qi military review. Great Qi was founded on military might, and this grand triennial review was a tradition upheld for three hundred years since the dynasty's founding.

Inspecting military strength and displaying national power was a major event watched by all, from the princes, nobles, and generals down to the common people.

On the vast, boundless land outside Chang'an, three hundred thousand elite heavy-armored soldiers stood in strict formation, covering the earth like an endless black tide, their metal glinting with a cold, murderous sheen under the morning sun.

A massive commander's banner bearing the character "Li", edged with a black tiger pattern, fluttered fiercely in the wind.

At the head of the troops stood a man wearing a golden helmet and silver armor, draped in a black cloak, holding a twelve-tipped silver lance. His posture was as straight as a sword. It was Li Ling.

This was Great Qi's most elite army—the Capital Patrol Office, the final defensive barrier for the imperial city and the sturdiest shield of the imperial power.

Li Ling was the commander of this force.

Accompanied by the clear sound of horns, a thousand drummers swung their drumsticks simultaneously. The thunderous drumbeats echoed through the silent sky.

After the heart-stirring drums faded, silence instantly returned between heaven and earth.

Li Ling dismounted, knelt on one knee, and saluted Emperor Ming on the city wall.

Emperor Ming, standing on the high platform of the city gate in his bright yellow dragon robe, declared the review begun.

Li Ling stood up, facing the beacon tower ahead. He took an iron bow and a fire-tipped arrow from his deputy, drew the bow, and nocked the arrow. His movements were smooth and fluid, clean and precise.

With a "whoosh," the fire arrow shot straight without the slightest deviation, heading directly for the towering beacon tower. Instantly, blazing flames erupted on the beacon tower.

"Great Qi is mighty! Great Qi is mighty! Great Qi is mighty!" Tens of thousands of soldiers, holding blades and halberds, shouted, their voices shaking the heavens.

After the prelude came the real drills with live steel: cavalry, infantry, crossbowmen, suicide squads...

Outside Chang'an, yellow sand instantly filled the sky. Under Li Ling's command, this most elite army was strict and orderly, obeying commands absolutely. These passionate men poured out their sweat and blood, fully displaying their strength and fervor before the Emperor and the people.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

On the main platform atop the hundred-meter-high city wall, ceremonial canopies were numerous. Seated there were the Emperor, Empress, imperial consorts, princes, and princesses. The princes, marquises, generals, and ministers were positioned to the left and right of the main platform according to their rank. Pressing densely along the north and south sides of the miles-long city wall were the commoners watching the review.

The Zhenguo Duke Manor's seating was right next to the main platform, offering the best view aside from the high platform itself. From her seat, Jingxiu could clearly see every heroic posture of Li Ling as he stood below the city wall commanding the vast army.

It wasn't just Jingxiu; today, the gaze of almost every young lady in Chang'an was fixed upon him.

He was the youngest commander in Great Qi's history to lead such a review—young, heroic, and brimming with ambition.

Including a certain one among the group of princesses under the ornate canopies on the imperial high platform, whose moist eyes were now intently fixed on the most dazzling figure on the field.

"Second Uncle is so mighty!" Kun Ge, sitting between Xu Wanning and Jingxiu, clapped his hands and cheered upon seeing Li Ling on the field.

Xu Wanning smiled and touched her son's head. "When you grow up, will you be as mighty as your Second Uncle?"

Kun Ge grinned, looked up at his mother, and nodded. "When I grow up, I want to be a general too, just like Second Uncle."

Xu Wanning patted her son's head contentedly. The Old Madam, seated in the foremost position, heard her great-grandson's words and looked at him lovingly. "When our Kun Ge grows up, he will be even more impressive than your Second Uncle."

Xu Wanning said to her son with a smile, "In another two years, Mother will hire a martial arts master to teach you skills, so you can become a general in the future."

Li Xian, sitting beside Xu Wanning, shot her a glare upon hearing this.

Xu Wanning noticed the sharp glance from beside her and turned to return a fierce look.

Li Xian said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Learn what martial arts? What's so good about waving swords and spears? My son will naturally become a Chief Councillor or a Prime Minister, a famous minister remembered in history."

Xu Wanning glanced at him sideways and snorted coldly. "Civil officials are useless, full of cunning schemes, not like real men at all."

Li Xian glared at her and scolded in a low voice, "Can't you speak more refinedly?"

Xu Wanning's phoenix eyes narrowed. "This is how I am. If you don't like it, get lost immediately. Go back and cozy up with that seductress."

Li Xian's face turned livid with anger. Fearing a public argument would lose face, he fumed and closed his mouth.

Seeing she had finally bested him, Xu Wanning shook her head slightly, a trace of smug satisfaction finally appearing on her face.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

It took Li Xian a good while to calm down. He looked at his wife and asked patiently, "How long are you going to keep this up with me?"

Xu Wanning sneered, "If you personally strangle that cheap woman in front of me, I might consider giving you a better face."

Li Xian said indignantly, "Completely unreasonable."

Xu Wanning shot him a piercing glare, snorted, and turned her head away.

Li Xian said helplessly, "You know perfectly well that Meiniang was bestowed by the Emperor. I..."

Before Li Xian could finish, Xu Wanning interrupted, "If you can't bear to part with her, just say so. Don't make excuses to me."

As the two were bickering, a female official came down from the high platform and walked slowly towards the Zhenguo Duke Manor's seating.

She carried a gift box, walked up to the Old Madam, performed a graceful bow, and said, "This humble maid has been sent by the Ninth Princess to deliver a gift to the Young Master's wife of your manor. I hope you will accommodate this."

The Old Madam asked with concern, "How has the Princess been lately?"

The female official replied, "The Princess has been well lately."

Hearing that her granddaughter was well, a relieved smile appeared on the Old Madam's face.

The female official continued, "The Princess said that she was unable to attend the wedding ceremony at your manor as she resides deep within the inner palace. Therefore, she ordered this humble maid to send a gift to the Madame to express her regards."

The Old Madam replied, "The Princess is very thoughtful. In that case, you may deliver it." As she spoke, the Old Madam signaled with her eyes to Nanny Xu beside her.

Nanny Xu understood and stepped forward to guide the female official towards Jingxiu.

Jingxiu was seated not far from the Old Madam and had naturally heard the conversation between the female official and the Old Madam.

Guided by Nanny Xu, the female official came before Jingxiu and repeated the words she had said to the Old Madam.

Being a palace female official, her etiquette was naturally thorough. Although she kept her head respectfully half-lowered before Jingxiu, her eyes occasionally took careful stock of Jingxiu.

After exchanging a few polite words, Jingxiu ordered someone to accept the gift. Without showing any emotion, she replied, "Thank the Ninth Princess."

After the female official left, Xu Wanning, sitting nearby, leaned over behind Kun Ge, covered her mouth, and whispered to Jingxiu, "Our imperial cousin has never been one for socializing. You've just married into the family and haven't even met her. Who would have thought she'd be so thoughtful towards you."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

As she spoke, she quietly tugged at Jingxiu's sleeve. "Open it and see what it is."

Jingxiu took the box under the table and opened it. It was a piece of calligraphy.

She unrolled it and looked. It read:

The moon still shines on mountain passes as of yore.

How many guardsmen of the Great Wall are no more!

If the flying general were still there in command,

No hostile steeds would have dared to invade our land.

It wasn't the authentic work of a famous master. The brushstrokes were delicate and soft, more like it was written by her own hand.

Xu Wanning craned her neck for a peek and asked, "What kind of poem is this?"

Jingxiu put away the calligraphy and said calmly, "It's about warfare."

Xu Wanning muttered to herself, puzzled, "Why would that delicate imperial cousin send you such a poem?"

Yes indeed! She wasn't a general, nor was she responsible for defending the country. This certainly wasn't sincerely meant for her.

Jingxiu lifted her eyes and looked towards the high platform. From there, another pair of deep, somber eyes was also looking in this direction.

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— My Younger Sister Insisted On A Marriage Exchange Wanting To Make Me The Wife Of A Marquis and The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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