Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 253 Traitor
The method of softening wool with wood ash water was quite effective; by the time His Majesty's envoys arrived in the North, the wool mills had already produced yarn. Jiu Que had previously seen bloggers demonstrate how to make sweaters from yarn, but the impression wasn't deep; she could only offer some pointers to those skillful women. People of this era may not have seen many novelties, but they were shrewd and capable, no less so than people of later generations. With just a few pointers, they were already able to knit simple sweater pieces, eventually forming rudimentary vests.

After the first vest was made, it was first sent to Jiu Que. It was a rough garment that didn't look good and was even a bit crude, but Jiu Que looked at it as if he were looking at a perfect garment woven by the Weaver Girl.

This garment marks the beginning of a new era for the entire North; at least, in the near future, they will no longer suffer from the cold.

"Lord Ying, how is it?"

Jiu Que touched the wool sweater, feeling its soft texture. Although it still couldn't compare to later products, it was already a pretty good warm garment.

So she nodded emphatically.

The women around, who had been holding their breath, exchanged incredulous glances, then suddenly burst into gasps of surprise.

"Great! We made it!"

"We have so much wool, we can make so many sweaters! We'll never be short of money again! We'll never freeze again! That's wonderful!"

"It's all thanks to Lord Ying! If it weren't for Lord Ying, I would never have known in my life that stiff wool could be made into such a soft and warm sweater! I've never worn such warm clothes before!"

"me too……"

Seeing everyone's jubilant expressions, Jiu Que couldn't help but smile. She had been busy solving cases everywhere and had never settled down to do anything substantial. Now, being fully immersed in her work, she felt an unexpected sense of satisfaction.

Just as everyone was jumping for joy, Jiu Que saw Chunyu Shuang give her a wink and quietly slipped out.

As soon as I stepped outside, I saw Chunyu Shuang looking anxious, holding a letter in her hand.

"Is the letter from the capital urging us to return?"

Jiu Que remained calm. The chicken farms and wool mills in the Northern Territory were thriving, and she simply couldn't leave her post. She had already explained this in her previous memorials and secret letters, and Her Majesty would surely understand.

Has something happened that you're writing to me now?
After carefully reading the letter, Jiu Que's expression became somewhat solemn. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, he quietly whispered in Chunyu Shuang's ear.

"His Majesty has been investigating those previous cases, as well as the ambush we encountered on our way here. They all belong to the same master. However, while he was investigating the real culprit, one of the clues pointed to the Northern Frontier Army."

"!"

Chunyu Shuang's pupils suddenly contracted as she stared at Jiu Que in disbelief. But upon seeing Jiu Que's resolute gaze, she realized something was amiss. The number of bandits who had ambushed them was considerable, yet the Northern Frontier Army hadn't noticed a thing—this was strange. However, upon arrival, all the Northern Frontier soldiers she encountered appeared warm and composed; how could Chunyu Shuang not suspect anything?
Chunyu Shuang stammered slightly, wondering what Jiu Que was thinking.

"What...what should we do? Does His Majesty mean..."

"Find the traitor in the Northern Frontier Army and bring him to justice. Conflicts between the Great Jing and the grasslands are frequent these days, and a war is inevitable. If war breaks out, that traitor hidden in the Northern Frontier Army will be a major threat. We must find him before that happens." As he spoke, Jiu Que threw the thin piece of paper onto the fire and watched it burn to ashes before turning and leaving.

He pulled his cloak tighter around himself; the day was getting cold, and they still hadn't found a coal mine. He needed to work harder. The search team hadn't sent back any good news. Should he go and check it out himself?
He glanced back at Chunyu Shuang.

"Chunyu, I haven't ridden a horse across the grasslands since I came to the Northern Frontier. Would you like to come with me?"

"...Come on, you know I can't ride a horse. You go ahead, I'm too lazy to move, this awful weather is getting colder and colder."

“That works too. Just remember to keep an eye on them. You can’t afford to be careless with these chicken farms and wool mills.”

"Okay, I understand. Don't worry."

Jiu Que now has a wide range of activities within the Northern Frontier Army. She said she wanted to go for a stroll on the grasslands, and General Yu Chi, if he weren't so busy, would have gone with her. General Lin Chongshan, too, had led her women's army to the grasslands a few days ago to hunt down a group of barbarians who had crossed the border, and hadn't returned yet. General Yu Chi had no choice but to select a young and handsome general.

When the candidates were chosen, General Yuchi gave Jiu Que a subtle, smug look and even nudged her shoulder.

“Girl, don’t say I, your uncle, don’t love you. Bai Ruhui, who went out with you, is already a commander of a thousand men at such a young age, and he’s incredibly handsome, with broad shoulders and a slender waist. He’s a real beauty, and he’s not indifferent to you either. You have to seize this opportunity. Those young men in the capital are like weaklings; they can’t compare to the strong and healthy men of our frontier! Jiu Que, let me tell you, when choosing a man, you can’t just look at his appearance; you have to look at his physical strength. This is related to your happiness…”

It has to be said that although General Yuchi usually looks incredibly dignified, he actually looks rather sleazy right now. However, Jiu Que is not a shy little girl, and she nodded calmly.

"Alright, since Uncle Yuchi has said so, he must be a handsome young general. I'll meet him first!"

"it is good!"

General Yuchi slapped his thigh excitedly.

“We, the people of the North, should have this kind of spirit! Don’t worry, Bai Ruhui has plenty of young and strong men under his command, most of whom are not married. If you have your eye on any of them, just tell your uncle!”

Jiu Que nodded. After all, this was his uncle's good intention, and he couldn't let him down.

"Uncle, where can I go the farthest? To be honest, I've wanted to go out and travel for a long time, but I'm worried that I might violate the taboos of both sides. You'll have to find a reliable person to accompany me to avoid any conflict."

"Don't be afraid! Your uncle has already prepared a candidate for you. My deputy general, Di Yun, is thirty-three years old this year. He is very steady and reliable. Let him come along too. You can listen to him if there is anything. Don't be fooled by his amiable appearance, which is similar to that of Military Advisor Cui. In fact, he is quite skilled in martial arts and extremely powerful."

"Thank you very much, Uncle. If we manage to hunt any game this time, I will definitely give you the biggest one!"

"Hahahaha—okay! But Uncle doesn't want the biggest one, just the first prey you hunt is fine."

(End of this chapter)