Chapter 24: Originally, It Was Training

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In her previous life, Li Lin was not only an outstanding graduate of the command major at a certain army academy, but had also served two years in an elite army unit, mastering a set of solid military skills.

In Li Lin's own words: "If I hadn't been wounded in the meniscus by a bullet during peacekeeping in Mali and been forced to retire, I would surely have become an excellent female general."

Li Lin had also told Zhang Chun and the other four women that in hand-to-hand combat, most men were no match for her; if given a dagger, she could kill three ordinary adult men in direct combat; if given a gun, ample ammunition, and freedom to choose the map, a hundred ordinary adult men wouldn't be enough for her to kill.

Such a Li Lin was clearly someone Zhang Chun couldn't afford to provoke.

Moreover, Yuan Qingcheng had clearly sided with Li Lin.

So, seeing that Li Lin and Yuan Qingcheng wanted to break her monopoly, Zhang Chun could only agree to let them all five go together to see Zheng Yaban and Wang Yisu.

"I'm going to be by Zhao Yu's side anyway—let you all keep the political resources here."

Thus, the next day, Zhang Chun and the other four women came together to seek out Zheng Yaban and Wang Yisu.

After the two sides met, Zhang Chun handed Zheng Yaban Zhao Yu's jade pendant, bowing her head and speaking humbly: "Great Prince instructed us five to come find you two Zheng Yaban."

The meticulous Zheng Yaban instantly recognized it as the very jade pendant that had hung on Zhao Yu's waist the day before.

And no one would dare lie about something that could be verified so easily.

Zheng Yaban carefully studied Zhang Chun, Li Lin, Ye Shi Yun, Ma Xiao Jiao, and Yuan Qingcheng; seeing that all five were exceptional in both appearance and figure, she couldn't help but suspect Zhao Yu had taken a fancy to them.

To say Zheng Yaban felt no annoyance at all about this would certainly be false.

Yet Zheng Yaban, being a native of this era and raised within the most feudal of imperial harems, could still accept that her man might be amorous and affectionate toward many.

Crucially, influenced by the social conditions, medical standards, wars, and disasters of the time, the average lifespan of people in this era was only about thirty years.

—The average lifespan of nobles was considerably higher, but even that was only around forty.

To ensure family prosperity and vigorous lineage, the ideal of "more children, more blessings" was deeply ingrained in the hearts of people in this era.

Moreover, family wealth and status often required numerous descendants to maintain and pass down.

Thus, men in this era were burdened with the great responsibility of continuing the family line and preserving ancestral blood.

Taking multiple wives and concubines was seen as an effective means to achieve this goal.

Additionally, marriage was often used as a tool for political and economic alliances; families strengthened their power and expanded their networks through marital ties, so a man possessing multiple wives and concubines could establish close connections with different clans, thereby creating more favorable conditions for family advancement.

In short, in the eyes of people in this era, a man ought to take many wives and concubines; women must not be jealous, but should actively encourage it—otherwise, they were not worthy women, despised by society and disliked by men.

In the imperial court, this was even more so.

Although Zhao Yu had said he would take only Zheng Yaban and Wang Yisu as his wives, they would not grow arrogant because of it.

Crucially, they knew full well that in this harem, where was there pure sincerity?

Perhaps Zhao Yu had once felt affection for them, but as a prince, his foremost duty was to continue the imperial bloodline and secure the stability of the Zhao Song dynasty; they were merely small women who had briefly caught Zhao Yu's favor—on what grounds did they believe they could make Zhao Yu favor them alone forever?

Moreover, Zhao Yu took them as his Wang Fei because he saw their virtue, wanting to avoid chaos, danger, and constant scheming in his household—women, in their struggle for favor and status, would stop at nothing, twisting their humanity, burying kindness, leaving only endless calculation and conflict.

They could not abandon the very qualities Zhao Yu loved in them.

Therefore, if Zhao Yu truly took a fancy to Zhang Chun and the other four, what they ought to do was not compete for his affection, but uphold the Song palace tradition of "welcoming virtuous women" and help Zhao Yu expand his lineage.

It is worth noting that they still had great confidence in Zhao Yu, believing he would not be like Zhao Xu, who favored concubines over his wife.

Most crucially, they were the Wang Fei Zhao Yu himself had chosen, not arranged marriages like those imposed by Meng Xiang; they had a foundation of genuine feeling with Zhao Yu.

Considering all this, when Zheng Yaban saw Zhang Chun and the other four arrive with Zhao Yu's jade pendant, she warmly welcomed them: "Sisters, please sit."

Zhang Chun hurriedly said: "We dare not. Before you two Zheng Yaban, how could we dare sit?"

Zheng Yaban scolded gently: "Ah~ Why call us Zheng Yaban? Call us sisters—we're family now, why be so formal?"

Wang Yisu first personally poured a pot of fine tea, then joined Zheng Yaban in inviting Zhang Chun and the other four to sit.

Li Lin and the other three women realized Zheng Yaban and Wang Yisu might have misunderstood them; they wanted to explain, but feared doing so might ruin things—after weighing pros and cons, they chose to silently accept the misunderstanding.

The women took their seats, host and guests arranged; Zheng Yaban said apologetically: "Previously unaware we were family, we treated you four the same as other palace attendants—please forgive us."

She then explained: "In the palace, the way we manage palace attendants is to give them plenty of work, temper their temperaments, stir their ambition, and gradually reduce their labor as their rank rises—this is how we teach them propriety; we ourselves went through the same."

Hearing Zheng Yaban's explanation, Zhang Chun and the other four suddenly understood why they had suffered so much—it turned out the feudal society's administrators had been training them.

Zheng Yaban then volunteered: "Starting today, you five no longer need to work with other palace attendants; first, take charge of cleaning the Tihe Hall. When we leave Cide Palace, we'll go together to Shen Wang Fu—how's that?"

The Tihe Hall was Empress Dowager's study; in recent years, Empress Dowager had rarely visited, and daily maintenance was merely dusting—it was considered the most leisurely place in Cide Palace.

Moreover, Zheng Yaban had specifically assigned all five of them to clean the Tihe Hall together, clearly showing favor.

Most importantly, Zhang Chun and the other four had said nothing—and Zheng Yaban had voluntarily offered to take them to Zhao Yu's side.

One could not help but admit: after Zheng Yaban's entire strategy unfolded, Li Lin and the other three found her increasingly agreeable.

Zhang Chun thought to herself: "No wonder she has no children, yet despite Zhao Ji's many favored concubines, her position remains unshakable, her favor never wanes, and her family's privileges are extraordinarily generous—this woman may well become my greatest threat."

Zhang Chun spoke on behalf of Li Lin and the other three: "Thank you, sister, for your care."

The moment Zhang Chun spoke, Zheng Yaban confirmed she had not misunderstood—Zhang Chun and the other four were indeed women Zhao Yu had taken an interest in, and they themselves wished to climb onto Zhao Yu's high branch.

With this judgment, Zheng Yaban became even warmer: "If you five have any difficulties, speak freely—we'll do everything we can to help."

Zhang Chun thought: "Here it comes—whether I can seize the initiative depends on this…"

…

(End of Chapter)