Chapter 72: Wei Linglan

The newly arrived group of knights wore matching hunting attire, looking remarkably spirited. The long blades at their waists were clearly the work of master craftsmen, not ordinary weapons. Even more astonishing, each knight carried a bow that took a year and a half to two years to craft—superior to any standard-issue longbow found in the army! The horses they rode were equally magnificent, each worth a fortune.

Even so, their wealth and luxury alone would not have caused such shock. What truly left Zhao Hengyi and his companions wide-eyed and slack-jawed was the fact that every one of these knights was a young, beautiful woman.

In the Great Yan Empire, the notion of male supremacy was deeply ingrained. Though the shortage of men meant many women had to work outside the home to help support their families, Zhao Hengyi and his rustic companions had never before seen noblewomen who wielded swords and spears. These female knights were not ornamental by any means; each was tall and agile, and their dust-covered clothes showed they had ridden hard and far—they were no mere showpieces.

“Move away from the entrance to the cave. We are going to rest here,” said the foremost young woman in hunting garb, not unkindly, but with a touch of impatience beneath her fatigue. “The air inside the cave is unpleasant. We cannot sleep there.”

Zhao Hengyi and his group exchanged glances, and Xing Xiaorong, their guide, quickly stood and urged everyone to make room. Clearly, these female knights were either of great wealth or noble birth, and Xing Xiaorong surely knew their identities.

Traveling so close to Jiangling, a city teeming with high officials and powerful families, Zhao Hengyi had no wish to cause trouble. He too motioned for his guards to move inside the cave.

“Xiaotao, don’t make a fuss. We arrived late; staying in the cave will suffice,” came a low, magnetic voice from outside. “It’s only one night—let’s just make do.”

The speaker was obviously the leader of the female knights. As she entered, it seemed even the cave grew brighter. Though her features were not particularly seductive, her air of decisiveness made her strikingly heroic. Her fair face showed traces of weariness, yet her composure was tinged with a lazy, unspoken elegance.

In her, Zhao Hengyi sensed a familiar presence—one he had only encountered in his past life, among exceptionally disciplined, powerful women.

Xing Xiaorong whispered a name in Zhao Hengyi’s ear, and he quickly beckoned his six younger sisters to his side, wary that their innocence might inadvertently cause offense and bring unnecessary trouble.

The leader was the famed Lady of Xiangcheng from Jiangling, the youngest daughter of Duke Lu—a woman of the highest rank. The commercial enterprise Zhao Hengyi needed to approach in Jiangling for his iron ore business belonged to her.

Before setting out, Zhao Hengyi had done his homework and knew the legendary tale of the Lady of Xiangcheng.

Wei Linglan, Lady of Xiangcheng, had married the nephew of Duke Wen at sixteen, but her husband died not long after. Duke Lu, devoted to his daughter, did not force Wei Linglan to remarry. Instead, he quietly returned the bride price to her late husband’s family, added generous gifts, and reclaimed her dowry—both families knew to sever ties without open words.

Widowed, Wei Linglan chose not to live with her parents but moved to Jiangling, where much of her dowry was invested.

Such willful independence was considered scandalous in Great Yan, but Duke Lu cherished his youngest daughter and often said he had wronged her himself by picking that match. With his protection, no one dared interfere.

No one expected the unconventional Lady of Xiangcheng to possess such business acumen. Under her management, her already considerable dowry enterprises flourished in just a few years.

But what captivated commoners and noblewomen alike was the female guard she assembled—the Daughters’ Corps.

These were the very knights Zhao Hengyi had met, all Wei Linglan’s handpicked attendants. Well-trained and as capable as men, they had, over the years, wiped out countless bandits around Jiangling.

Independent and wealthy, refusing to rely on her husband’s family, Wei Linglan became an idol to young noblewomen everywhere.

Knowing her identity, Zhao Hengyi had no intention of currying favor just yet. He simply wished to avoid offense, lest it jeopardize future dealings with her firm.

Once Zhao Hengyi’s group retreated into the cave, Wei Linglan said nothing more. She allowed her attendants to help her rest and saw that preparations for the night were made.

The two caravan stewards, eager to ingratiate themselves, scurried over to the maid called Xiaotao and asked if she needed anything.

“No need. Just stay put and keep quiet,” Xiaotao replied. The two stewards nodded but lingered nearby, watching the female knights set up camp, acting like servants awaiting orders.

The girl who had been rebuked by her mistress, Xiaotao, now felt embarrassed when Zhao Hengyi and his group truly yielded the space by the entrance.

Xiaotao took the initiative to approach Miao Xiaoyu, bowing with her fists together in the martial fashion. “Sister, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. It’s been an unlucky day, and I was short-tempered. Please, don’t take it to heart!”

Even in apology, she refused to address a man directly.

Miao Xiaoyu blushed, flustered by the presence of such an unusual female knight. “It’s nothing, really. Oh, we have roast rabbit and pheasant—please, have some!”

Xiaotao, who had only come to apologize to avoid disgracing her mistress, was caught off guard. Someone of her mistress’s station could hardly eat food of unknown origin.

“Big sister, your clothes are so pretty!” one of the six little sisters exclaimed.

“No, brother-in-law says this is called heroic!”

“Big sister, where did you buy your outfit? I want one too.”

“Second Brother roasted the best pheasant—you must try some!”

“Your horses are so tall, much taller than ours! Amazing!”

“Big sister, you’re really beautiful!”

The six children, crowding around Xiaotao with wide, curious eyes, peppered her with questions until the usually composed knight was at a loss for words.

It was simply the way children expressed their admiration and longing to be close to such valiant women.

“She’s not beautiful—she’s fierce!” came an unexpected voice.

To everyone’s surprise, Wei Linglan herself had come over, crouching down to joke with the six children. “A woman like her will have a hard time finding a husband.”