Chenxiang hurried over to help, and together they managed to steady themselves.
Rongyao’s eyes went wide as she stared at the bundle Chenxiang and Daoxiang were carrying. She walked over and tugged on Wu Wanning’s hand. “Y-you’re amazing.”
Wu Wanning smiled and scratched her head. “It’s nothing much. I’ve always been strong. I can ride horses and shoot arrows, and I even learned swordsmanship from my grandfather!”
“Wow! You’re so amazing! I want to learn horseback riding and archery too!” Rongyao turned to her mother expectantly. “Mother, I want to learn too!”
Wu Wanning said, “I heard the princess is very clever. You’ll definitely be able to learn all of those things!”
Rongyao wanted to learn even more. Her eyes shone as she stared at her mother.
Looking at her daughter’s eager expression, Cui Huaiyin truly couldn’t bear to refuse her.
She knew that none of the noble young ladies in the capital learned such things. They all studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. But she simply couldn’t bear to see her daughter disappointed.
Her daughter was not an ordinary noble girl of the capital. She was a princess, so naturally she ought to be different from the others. Besides, the princes would be learning martial arts as well. When the time came, she could plead with the Emperor and ask that her daughter study alongside them. It shouldn’t cause any trouble.
“All right. If Yao’er wants to learn, then learn she shall!”
“Mother is the best mother in the whole world!” Rongyao ran over, hugged her mother’s leg, and happily rubbed her cheek against it.
Before this, she hadn’t known anything about martial arts or horseback riding and archery. But a few days ago, she had read a book that said a gentleman should master the Six Arts: riding, archery, ritual, music, calligraphy, and mathematics.
She wanted to become a gentleman. She wanted to become an impressive person. Naturally, she had to learn all of them.
She was so clever now. In any case, whatever other people could learn, she wanted to learn too!
Having secured her mother’s promise, Rongyao excitedly pulled Wu Wanning along to see the room prepared for her.
Wu Wanning would be staying next door to her. Cui Huaiyin had already had Daoxiang and Chenxiang tidy it up two days ago.
Wu Wanning was delighted when she saw the room. She walked around it several times, turning this way and that.
Rongyao shared her desk with her and showed her the books she had prepared.
“Look! I have copies of all these books too. From now on, we can read them together!”
Wu Wanning looked embarrassed and shyly said, “But I don’t like reading, and I only recognize a few characters.”
Rongyao patted Wu Wanning on the shoulder and said solemnly, “You must study. You’re so capable—one day you’re going to become a general. If you can’t read, how will you understand military texts? How will you command troops and fight battles?”
Wu Wanning’s eyes widened. She stared at Rongyao in disbelief, as though she were looking at something she had never seen before.
Rongyao didn’t think she had said anything wrong. In her previous life, Wu Wanning had become a general. Surely she would become a mighty general in this life too.
As for why she had suddenly stopped being a general in her previous life, Rongyao didn’t quite understand. But she always felt that it couldn’t have been because Wu Wanning herself no longer wanted to. There must have been some other reason.
Yesterday, she had deliberately read a great many military texts, and the more she read, the more interesting she found them.
It turned out that becoming a soldier wasn’t simply a matter of having martial prowess. One had to be clever too—to understand strategy and tactics. If one planned and deployed troops well, a thousand soldiers could defeat ten thousand!
And ten thousand soldiers could defeat a hundred thousand!
Wu Wanning had suddenly stopped being a general and gone off to marry someone instead. Could it be because she hadn’t studied enough and wasn’t clever enough?
That would be easy to fix. Rongyao would make sure she learned more characters and read more military texts, preparing her thoroughly for the day she became a general!
“Princess, what… what did you say?”
“I said you should study! Read more military texts. If you want to become a great general someday, you can’t be illiterate.”
Wu Wanning still couldn’t believe it. She pointed at herself. “I… I can become a great general?”
“Of course you can! You’re so capable. You’re incredibly strong, and you can ride horses, shoot arrows, and wield a blade! Why couldn’t you become a great general? Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
Wu Wanning excitedly seized Rongyao’s hand. “The princess will help me become a great general!”
Wu Wanning was far too strong. Rongyao’s little hand began to hurt, and she tried to pull it free, but couldn’t.
“Ouch. Wanning, let go.”
Wu Wanning hurriedly released her hand. When she saw Rongyao’s reddened little hand, her face filled with guilt. She quickly took it in both hands and blew gently on it.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I was wrong. Please punish me.”
Rongyao smiled until her eyes curved into crescents and shook her hand. “It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Wu Wanning asked tentatively, “Then… can you still help me?”
“Of course! Study hard and read more military texts. You’ll definitely become the greatest general in the world!”
Wu Wanning wiped away her tears of excitement. “Yes! I’ll listen to you, Princess! I believe you! If you say I can become a great general, then I definitely will!”
Wu Wanning was so happy that she wanted to run outside and make a lap around the palace.
Her grandfather was a great general, and she wanted to become a general too. But when she told her father, he scolded her. He said that no woman could become a general and that girls ought to stay at home and study music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
She hadn’t believed him. She had mastered archery and learned to wield a red-tasseled spear, then demonstrated her skills for her grandfather.
Her grandfather had happily praised her, calling her a prodigy of martial arts.
But when she said that she wanted to become a great general, his expression changed. He looked at her regretfully and told her that she could never become one.
Even her uncles, who often praised her, said the same thing. They said it was a shame—a shame that she had been born a girl.
Everyone said it was impossible for her to become a great general. After that, she no longer dared tell anyone about her dream.
She was even more afraid to mention it in front of the princess or the Noble Consort.
Yet she hadn’t said a word, and the princess had still told her that she could become a great general!
She was so happy she wanted to jump for joy, to grab her red-tasseled spear and give it a whirl.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t brought the spear with her to the palace.
But that was all right. Even without her spear, she was still happy—so very happy…
As they continued rejoicing, the two children soon grew hungry.
Cui Huaiyin had prepared food long ago.
She had made inquiries beforehand and learned that the companion her daughter had chosen was also a hearty eater. So that day, she had specifically ordered several extra dishes.
At first, Wu Wanning was somewhat reserved. But after the Noble Consort piled her bowl high with food, she stopped feeling awkward. She picked up her chopsticks and began devouring the meal.
Cui Huaiyin was stunned by the way she ate.
This child was truly straightforward.
She was a good girl.
No wonder she was so sturdy. She was already so tall at only seven years old—she must have grown that way by eating so much.
Rongyao was stunned as well. She stared at the food in her bowl for a while before lowering her head and eating.
She had to work hard and eat well so she could grow taller too.
Watching the two little girls eat, Cui Huaiyin found herself growing hungry as well. She ended up eating half a bowl of rice more than usual.
Except for Rongyao, all the other princes and princesses also welcomed their study companions.
Princess Shengping’s companion stayed with her in the Empress’s Fengyi Palace.
The other young princes were all housed in the Southern Third Residence.
With so many children gathered together, there was naturally plenty to talk about and plenty of games to play.
Only Gu Shen’an, the tallest and oldest among them, seemed somewhat out of place.
No one noticed when Gu Shen’an slipped out of the Southern Third Residence and took a winding route to the entrance of another palace.
The plaque above the palace gate bore three large characters:
Palace of Eternal Joy.
