Chapter 221: Strife of Beauty

…

When Liang Damei entered, she saw Xiao Puxianv holding a copy of "The Women's Rules," reading it with great interest, completely unfazed by what had just happened.

Clearly, Xiao Puxianv had counted on the fact that these Western Xia women trapped in the deep palace could stir up no great wave.

Think about it—it was only natural. If Xiao Puxianv hadn't been certain of their helplessness, how would she dare come here with only two maids to summon their Empress Yelu Nanxian to her bed, openly provoking these Western Xia women?

Liang Damei found this utterly repulsive.

She could snap Xiao Puxianv's snow-white neck with one hand.

As a Western Xia general who had fought the Song Dynasty for over a decade, she had every reason to avenge the destruction of Western Xia by killing its architect, Zhao Yu—such as killing his favorite concubine, Xiao Puxianv.

Yet on the other hand, she was also Han, and had no grounds to resent a Han emperor defeating a Tangut emperor and uniting the two nations.

More importantly, the war had ended. She had become a prisoner, a beauty presented to Zhao Yu, trapped within this deep palace—all now beyond her control. She knew well: she was no longer the fearless general who had struck terror into her enemies on the battlefield. All her past had turned to fleeting smoke; the land she had once sworn to defend had been cruelly severed from her by the flood of fate. Her inner sword remained sharp, yet it could not cut through this tangled web of destiny.

Liang Damei's gaze flickered—a mixture of resentment, helplessness, and deep contemplation. Her eyes swept across Xiao Puxianv's face, calm on the surface yet sharp beneath, her heart churning with conflicting emotions.

Her fists clenched unconsciously, again and again, yet she forced herself to calm down and think rationally about the situation. She understood: Xiao Puxianv dared act so boldly only because she stood behind Zhao Yu—who could let them live or die, even make them wish for death. And she? A captive of a defeated nation, a beauty presented to Zhao Yu—what could she possibly do?

'Apart from prolonging my life in this deep palace through ways I've never tried as a woman, do I truly have no other choice?'

Liang Damei looked at Xiao Puxianv—the former bride of Yelu Chun, now Zhao Yu's favorite concubine. Her own identity and circumstances had changed no less than this woman's. Yet Xiao Puxianv had chosen to accept fate, reading texts on feminine gentleness and virtue with an extraordinary calm, carving out for herself a new identity, a new way to survive.

'She is the one I ought to emulate.'

Liang Damei bowed to Xiao Puxianv: 'May I ask, my lady, will my sister and I truly be summoned tonight?'

Seeing Liang Damei speak so plainly, Xiao Puxianv wasted no words: 'Prepare well. Don't waste my efforts.'

Xiao Puxianv had made herself perfectly clear—what was there for Liang Damei not to understand?

Liang Damei asked no second question, simply replied, 'Yes,' and withdrew.

After Liang Damei stepped out, the group of Western Xia women waiting outside immediately surrounded her, some eagerly asking: 'General, what did she say?'

Liang Damei nodded.

The Western Xia women burst into cheers. Clearly, they hoped Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei would be summoned, gain new status, and then look after them.

Liang Xiaomei's heart pounded wildly, her cheeks flushing involuntarily.

Wang Shu immediately ordered: 'Quickly clean the courtyard! Send those skilled in makeup—help the two generals bathe, change clothes, and adorn themselves.'

Instantly, the Western Xia women sprang into action. Some swept the courtyard, some heated bathwater, others prepared 'battle robes' for Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei…

Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei had never imagined that one day, women who knew only how to lead troops into battle would have to win favor through beauty—and worse, they would have to learn how to exude allure in every gesture, how to weave coquettish tenderness into speech and laughter. For women famed for their grit and resolve, this was an unprecedented challenge.

The Western Xia women gave Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei no time to adjust—they hurried them into the bath and scrubbed every inch of their skin repeatedly with brushes, terrified their rough skin might displease Zhao Yu. Their naturally loose hair was meticulously coiffed…

The steaming mist blurred the reflections in the bronze mirror, as if blurring the boundaries within Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei's hearts—making them realize they were no longer female generals who slew men in battle, but two women about to be 'wed.'

A dispute arose over what clothes to wear.

Some argued Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei should wear Song Fu, preferably green Song wedding robes, to demonstrate absolute submission.

Others deemed this impractical. Zhao Yu would arrive tonight—how could they possibly make such garments in haste? And no one else's clothes would fit Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei. Better to wear their own—fitting at least.

But then, it would appear they cared nothing for the coming summons, lacked reverence—and might anger Zhao Yu, bringing disaster upon them all.

Voices clashed, tension thickened.

Soon, those assigned to adorn Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei also grew stumped.

The delicate Song ornaments looked absurdly tiny on the towering Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei, like children's trinkets on adults—disproportionate, lacking grace, tinged with absurd humor.

Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei's hair flowed like dark waterfalls—thick, glossy, and unyielding—refusing to be tamed by delicate hairpins and jade ornaments, stubbornly spilling from their intricate buns, declaring their refusal to submit.

At last, a Western Xia woman brought two sets of the largest palace robes available.

But even the largest palace robes were too small on Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei. Song attire favored simplicity and subtlety—narrow sleeves, cinched waists, emphasizing slender, graceful figures. Petite frames suited them perfectly. On the sisters, however, they looked like little girls' clothes on grown women—utterly devoid of beauty, instead highlighting their extraordinary height and muscular frames. The hems and sleeves strained against their powerful arms and long thighs, as if ready to tear with any casual movement.

The profound dissonance left all the Western Xia women staring at one another. They all thought the same: Is Zhao Yu truly going to visit Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei? Are you sure this isn't a joke?

Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei stood before the bronze mirror, brows furrowed. Their reflections still bore the martial vigor of generals, their faces marked by the hardness of war. Yet now, draped in this sudden, artificial femininity, they looked grotesquely mismatched. And their own bodies—dressed in these monkey-in-a-crown garments.

Liang Damei couldn't help but smile bitterly. These clothes felt less like battle armor for her fate, more like props in a farce. She looked at Liang Xiaomei—her eyes mirrored the same helplessness and confusion. Their reflections in the mirror echoed each other, utterly out of place.

'Must we really go like this to serve him?'

Liang Xiaomei's voice trembled—already lacking confidence, her tone carried uncertainty about the future and longing for the past.

Before Liang Damei could deny it, Wang Shu said: 'No. If we go like this, we won't please Your Majesty—we'll anger him. Then not only will the two generals' futures be uncertain, but we too may face punishment.'

Wang Shu's expression turned solemn, her tone leaving no room for argument: 'Our only option now is to gamble everything…'

…

Meanwhile, Yelu Nanxian was consulting Ye Li Lan, the eldest daughter of the Ye Li clan who had come to offer her allegiance.

Yelu Nanxian asked Ye Li Lan: 'Now that this has happened, how should I respond?'

Ye Li Lan replied: 'Your Highness, though you made one misstep, you must not panic. You are the Empress of Western Xia—your status ensures the Song Emperor will treat you differently. How could these crude warrior women of the Liang family compare?'

Yelu Nanxian agreed. She paid no mind to Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei—two women utterly useless as rivals.

Ye Li Lan declared: 'But Your Highness's earlier misjudgment has displeased the Song Emperor and Empress, which is why Xiao Guiyi came here to elevate the Liang sisters and seize your position as overseer of Western Xia women. Your only path now is to change strategy—emulate Xiao Guiyi. Win the Emperor's favor and the Empress's affection, and you will reclaim your post as overseer. Then the Liang sisters will be nothing but jumping monkeys—barely worth a glance.'

Ye Li Lan's logic was sound—but this was not the path Yelu Nanxian wished to take.

Yelu Nanxian sought a force loyal solely to her—something she could command, so she might not only secure her place in the Song court, but also gain influence in its imperial council, enabling her to aid her homeland, Liao.

Yet now, most Western Xia women had abandoned their dead nation, eagerly courting their enemies—the men who had killed their fathers, husbands, and sons—seeking to embrace new lives. Even royal and noble daughters, once high above all, now bowed their heads, content to become mere ornaments in Zhao Yu's harem. Their loyalty and dreams seemed to have vanished with the fall of Western Xia.

This was understandable. When Western Xia still had nearly a million troops, Zhao Song had crushed them. Now, only a few hundred women remained trapped in this palace. If they still clung to futile resistance, would they not be throwing themselves against a stone wall?

Crucially, most of these women were virgins. They had no husbands, no sons—even their fathers still lived. How much hatred could they truly harbor toward Zhao Yu?

Yelu Nanxian looked at Ye Li Lan, a complex glint in her eyes. She knew Ye Li Lan was in the same position—except she saw greater value in Yelu Nanxian's title as Western Xia Empress.

'She wants me to lead the surrender.'

Though Yelu Nanxian deeply resisted this path, clearly, refusing it would leave her utterly alone.

Then she would not only fail to influence Zhao Yu or the Song court—she might not even conceive his child. How could she ever hope to have her followers bear his children, raise them into her own political faction?

Now it was clear: to achieve her original goal, she must become a surrenderer like Xiao Puxianv—even more so. Only then might she win Zhao Yu's favor, attract followers like Ye Li Lan, and realize her political ambitions.

Though this choice was hard to make, Yelu Nanxian still had to face reality.

After making up her mind, Yelu Nanxian asked Yeli Lan: "What should my next step be?"

"Actively attend His Majesty's bedchamber, and be careful not to let the Liang family's twin pillars and the other Xia women seize the advantage. If Your Ladyship can win the favor of the Great Song Emperor, then even if a host of beauties contend for attention, none are worth fearing — the Song Empress included. But before Your Ladyship's foundation is secure, you still need to deal with the Song Empress, going through the motions of cordiality, feigning compliance, in order to avoid the disaster of her suspicion and suppression…"

Yelu Nanxian approved the strategy Yeli Lan had counseled, and she asked: "Then for tonight's attendance in the bedchamber, how should I dress — change into Song clothes? I've heard that Song people favor red for men and green for women, and that Song brides, to show the meaning of marrying upward, often marry in green. Should I wear a gown of emerald green to display submission and gentleness, and win the Great Song Emperor's affection?"

"Though Your Ladyship's plan is clever, it would inevitably lead people to misunderstand Your Ladyship as a frivolous person, or greatly feel that Your Ladyship is too eager for quick success. How about — Your Ladyship wears the robes of our Xia Empress?" Yeli Lan said.

Yelu Nanxian was puzzled: "Don't you know that the Great Song Emperor dislikes me wearing Xia robes?"

Yeli Lan revealed an unfathomably profound smile, and said with great certainty: "The Great Song Emperor merely dislikes Your Ladyship's longing for her homeland — he does not dislike Your Ladyship wearing Xia robes. If Your Ladyship trusts me, tonight wear our Xia Empress's robes to attend the bedchamber, and it will surely make the Great Song Emperor fall for Your Ladyship…"

……

At the same time, the other Western Xia women who longed to embrace a new life, rewrite their fate, and obtain wealth and honor were all making their own preparations, hoping to win Zhao Yu's favor.

Some dressed themselves with care, choosing the garments that best set off their beauty and bearing, attempting to draw Zhao Yu's gaze with an outstanding appearance; some carefully painted their brows and eyes, attempting to use the most exquisite makeup to display their charm and gentleness, hoping to stand out among the many beauties; some silently prayed, hoping the gods would grant them good fortune, letting them receive divine favor at this turning point of fate. Still others, at the last moment, hastily began studying Song etiquette and speech, trying to achieve perfection in every detail so as to defeat the other Western Xia women.

Throughout the entire Qunyu Palace, an atmosphere both tense and excited hung in the air, as though a silent war were about to begin…

……

(End of this chapter)