You want me to jot it down?
Lin Shu snorted. "Come on then, tell me. What exactly can't be found in our literary texts?" He was awaiting Ji Yunshu's fall from grace!
Ji Yunshu spoke carefully, "It was recorded in the Military Annals that the late Emperor began to traverse the country in the third year of his reign. He commanded mighty troops, fought in the harsh North with the Yue Army, and eliminated thirteen cities in his wake. His flag flew high across the land, hanging from the city towers for a staggering nine days, fluttering proudly in the winds. His brave general Liao Wei was t.i.tled there, earning his place as the Great Lin General who has conquered the most number of cities, but it wasn't because of his bravery and wits, it was because he had the help of a female strategist named Zhao Ye - she could read by age three and had already devoured tens of thousands of military scrolls by age five. By ten, she stood on the battleground, offering advice and tactics. She was responsible for the retreat of the South Liang army and she returned to the Great Lin, emerging victorious. She published 'The Art of War on Land' under the pen name 'Bai Zi' when she was only twelve years old, detailing everything from preparing troops to conquering a city to a myriad of strategies. The original copy is still preserved in the Imperial Palace's library. Zhao Ye spent her entire life on the battlefield and her accolades speak for themselves. She pa.s.sed away at the age of sixty-five in the thirtieth year of the late Emperor's reign."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone's jaws dropped in disbelief.
Ji Yunshu had no intentions of stopping there and continued, "Taking things slightly further back, the Emperor before that, Ping Sheng Emperor, ascended to the throne at twenty-four, but pa.s.sed away of illness only a year after. The Empress Dowager, Xiao Zhuang Empress, a.s.sisted her young son as he took his rightful place as heir. Just three months later in the same year, East Ju came pus.h.i.+ng across the border. In order to prevent civil unrest, the Empress Dowager could only take up the mantle of command and ordered thirty thousand soldiers to defend the North as they headed South. Another ten thousand were deployed to attack the East from the West - it took no more than six months before East Ju surrendered to the Great Lin's name. The next July, there was an internal revolt - Marquis Lian submitted two pet.i.tions for impeachment. The Empress Dowager had no choice but to bring her young son to seek refuge at the South Tower Temple. She delivered a secret letter to the outstations at all four borders and single-handedly coordinated a siege against her enemies. Without her, we would not have the Great Lin that we know today."
