Chapter 574: Qing Dynasty Time-Travel Spirit Spring System (25)

Madam Chang was terrified that her daughter would act on impulse and really run off to the border to join the army, so she hurriedly advised: "You child! Where have you ever heard of a young lady joining the army?"

Upon hearing this, Chang Peilan looked unconvinced: "Throughout history, it's not as if there haven't been examples of women joining the army. It's just relatively rare. Why is it rare? Because women are physically weaker and lack the capabilities of men. But I am not weak! My three older brothers combined can't even beat me!"

"……"

The three brothers, who had originally intended to join the ranks of those persuading her, immediately shut their mouths; it was better not to invite humiliation upon themselves.

Seeing her family looking as if they had more to say, Chang Peilan patted her chest: "Don't worry! I'm not going alone, I have Haiyin to keep me company!"

"……"

What to do now that they were even more worried?

Although it was true that Haiyin Gege of the Si Beile household had wiped out thirty wolves by her own strength—a level of martial prowess that would be considered top-tier even in the army—she was, after all, a young lady. Where have you ever heard of a young lady joining the army... Oh my goodness!

The Chang family, young and old, had no choice but to ask the old patriarch to step in.

Thus, the Imperial Physician Chang swallowed his pride and made a plea before the Emperor.

After listening, Kangxi: "……"

This girl from the Fourth's household is really... Is it not enough that she has the idea of joining the army herself? What is this? She wants to pull together a team and form a female troop?

A female troop?

Xie Yang, who had been summoned to the Imperial Study by an oral decree from Lao Kang, had her eyes light up instantly upon hearing the words "female troop."

"Imperial Grandfather, your idea is too enlightened and too advanced! A female troop should indeed be formed!"

Kangxi: "……" You really dare to say that!

Xie Yang certainly dared, and she continued incessantly: "Imperial Grandfather, please listen as your granddaughter explains in detail! Men join the army because they are physically robust and strong, while women have their own character traits: attention to detail, approachability, and strong endurance. By selecting women who understand medicine and are skilled in needlework, and training them to become female soldiers to engage in logistics work like medical care and mending—tasks like bandaging, decocting medicine, and sewing clothes—it's not that the male soldiers cannot do them, but that the female soldiers' capabilities are superior to the male soldiers'. Of course, if there are female soldiers with excellent physical fitness and military skills, they can also go to the battlefield just like the male soldiers."

Kangxi: "……"

It sounded like there was some logic to it.

Xie Yang struck while the iron was hot: "I don't know if Imperial Grandfather has heard the folk saying, 'Men and women working together, the work doesn't feel tiring.' With female soldiers in the military camp, it can effectively improve the combat effectiveness of the male soldiers. After all, everyone wants to show their best side to the opposite sex, right? With female soldiers, I believe the male soldiers' military appearance and discipline will be more rigorous, their training more energetic, and their killing of the enemy more valiant."

Kangxi: "……"

Coming from the mouth of a young lady who hasn't even reached her hair-pinning ceremony, aren't you ashamed?

Xie Yang didn't feel there was anything to be ashamed of.

"Imperial Grandfather has personally campaigned three times, so you naturally know that the soldiers guarding the border cannot return home for years, and when they reach the right age, they have no conditions to marry and have children. If there were female soldiers, wouldn't this problem be solved easily? As long as there is no war, we could arrange for the unmarried male and female soldiers to meet, hold collective weddings for those who fancy each other, and assign them separate quarters, so as not to delay the life-long affairs of many soldiers. Your granddaughter believes that with wives and children by their side, the soldiers will be able to go into battle and defend the country with more peace of mind!"

"And one more thing, throughout history, have there not been women who served as spies? But when ordinary people serve as spies, they inevitably reveal flaws due to nervousness and fear, leading to them being discovered by the enemy. But trained female soldiers acting as spies would not have these problems..."

Xie Yang listed the benefits of forming a female troop in detail.

Hearing the latter part, Kangxi knit his brows in contemplation.

The princes outside—the Crown Prince, the Junjunwang, Si Ye, Ba Ye, Jiu Ye, Shi Ye, Shisanye, Shisi Ye, and others—were all dumbfounded.

Si Ye: "……"

Where did this girl learn this whole set of rhetoric? Hasn't she been studying medicine at the Taiyi Shu for the past year? Could it be that she snuck off to the Jingjiao Camp to learn the ropes when he wasn't paying attention?

The Junjunwang looked at the headache-stricken Si Ye and couldn't help but be amused: "Lao Si, your daughter is a rare heroine in this world. You should be proud of her; why do you look so unhappy?"

The Crown Prince almost burst out laughing: It would be strange if Lao Si could be happy.

"Fourth Brother, it seems the eldest niece truly likes joining the army."

If she didn't like it, would she know the layout of the military camp like the back of her hand and speak so articulately? If she didn't like it, would she dare to directly ask for an oral decree from the Emperor to form a female troop?

If a female troop were really formed, she would definitely be the first to sign up.

And based on what he saw and experienced during those few days at the Mulan Paddock, the eldest niece would definitely not stay in the rear to be a military doctor or do cleaning and mending; she would absolutely go to the front lines to kill the enemy.

Recalling her dashing and heroic posture that day as she swept through the pack of wolves with a single sword, come to think of it, she really had the bearing of a female general.

"I really didn't expect that eldest niece Haiyin was such a martial arts fanatic!"

Shisi Ye stroked his chin and joined the discussion among his brothers.

Since he was a child, he had a dream of becoming a great general and had long yearned to train in the military camp, but unfortunately, his mother wouldn't allow it.

If the eldest niece insisted on joining the army, his mother should be willing to let him go to the military camp, right?

After all, the eldest niece is only eleven, still a young girl, and with him, her uncle, looking after her in the camp, wouldn't that put his mother at ease?

Thinking this, Shisi Ye stroked his chin and chuckled secretly.

Although Kangxi felt that the proposal to form a female troop put forward by his granddaughter had some merit, this was, after all, not a small matter that could be decided on a whim.

But facing his granddaughter's bright eyes and expectant gaze, he coughed lightly and gave a vague answer, meaning that since she thought so highly of a female troop, then she would be responsible for forming it. If she succeeded, he would allow her to take the female troop to the front lines; otherwise, the matter would be treated as if it were never mentioned.

Xie Yang: "……"

It wasn't impossible for her to take the lead in forming it; at worst, she could just copy the selection and training methods for female soldiers from later generations.

But what about the manpower? What about the Silver? Was there no support at all?

Lao Kang, you are not being kind!

Forming a female troop required not only manpower, but financial resources were also a significant expense.

Letting her act as a lone commander to do the work, what is this? Is the national treasury that poor? Does it still need a granddaughter to foot the bill?

Kangxi acted as if he didn't understand her accusing little gaze, waved his hand to dismiss her, and then called for Si Ye to come in.

Xie Yang: "……"

She held her breath until she exited the Imperial Study, only to be met head-on by the eyes of one, two, three, four, five... several uncles and brothers, some teasing, some admiring, and some complex.

When she met Jiu Ye's amused gaze, Xie Yang had a flash of inspiration: "Ninth Uncle, I wonder if you are interested in a pill that can help one lose weight without hunger, or a Skin Beautifying Pill that can make skin as crystal clear as jade?"

In the past, she was a person who, once fed, had no worries for the rest of the family... cough, that wasn't it; it was that the money in her pocket was enough for her own expenses, and the burden of supporting the family didn't fall on her—she had her father!

But now, Lao Kang had dumped the burden of the female troop on her, and since she didn't want to give up, she had no choice but to pay out of her own pocket.

But the gold and silver notes in her hand, while they seemed like a lot, were far from enough to support a female troop.

Isn't Jiu Ye the one who prides himself on being the best at making money in the royal family?

Xie Yang had a sudden idea and planned to find her Ninth Uncle to cooperate in making Silver.