Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 367 Opinion
Although they were reluctant to leave life in the northern frontier, they packed up and set off quite quickly. After all, His Majesty had personally sent a special envoy to urge them on, so they couldn't delay. Besides, going to the capital to receive their titles and rewards was a good thing, and there was no reason to put it off.

Early the next morning, Jiu Que and his entourage had already packed up and departed with the special envoy. They had no intention of disturbing the people of the Northern Frontier Pass this time, hence their early rise. The people here lived in poverty, but were exceptionally resilient, like pine trees thriving in the icy wilderness; no matter how strong they were, they had their own survival strategies. Having been disturbed by the grasslands for so many years, it was time for them to rest and recuperate. Everyone agreed with this.

"General Yuchi, I still need your continued support for those factories I set up. If they continue to develop, the products from those chicken farms and wool mills can not only benefit the entire northern frontier, but can even be dumped domestically. The capital city is very cold in winter. If the goods are of good quality and inexpensive enough, I believe no one in this world would refuse them."

"Don't worry, those brothers and sisters have put a lot of effort into the chicken farm and wool mill during this time. They are much more professional than I am. In addition, with your guidance, the output has already doubled. I believe that next winter you will be able to see our products sold in Beijing."

"That's good. Now that the grasslands have been defeated, the borders will be safe for at least twenty years. If we can use this time to develop rapidly, we might be able to expand the territory of our Great Jing. Taking over the enemy's land is not a true victory. True success lies in being able to truly recuperate and thrive on that land, firmly establish ourselves, and even pass it down to future generations. Although the grasslands are somewhat barren, we can grow crops other than grains. When I return, I will discuss with the officials in charge of agriculture to find grains or cash crops that can be grown on the grasslands. In addition to setting up various farms, we must also develop basic livelihoods."

"You have a longer-term vision than I do. Okay, I will definitely pay more attention."

"And General Yuchi, you've just recovered from smallpox, so it's best not to overexert yourself. If you need anything, feel free to ask General Lin or Military Advisor Cui for help. Especially Military Advisor Cui; he knows my factory very well. I've already discussed the five-year development plan for the northern frontier with him. He knows exactly what to do next..."

Seeing that Jiu Que was about to leave, yet still so concerned about matters concerning the Northern Frontier, General Yu Chi was truly relieved. Even after leaving the Northern Frontier, this child wouldn't forget them; that was enough.

The grasslands have now been utterly defeated; they've plowed them all up. Putting everything else aside, at least they no longer need to worry about the threat from the grasslands. Perhaps one day he really will be able to retire from the military and return to his hometown, where he can then go to the capital to see Jiu Que.

So why be sad at this time?
Even though he tried to comfort himself, General Yuchi still felt a burning pain in his eyes. He had already sent the child away once before, and now he had to personally send her off again. It was really going to be a hardship for an old man.

Alas, I wonder when His Majesty will strip him of his official post and send him back to his hometown to retire and live a peaceful life.

"Nine Palaces, go to the capital and make your preparations first. In a few years, when I am old and weak and unable to fight on the battlefield, I will retire from the army and return to the countryside to find you in the capital. You won't forget me then, will you?"

"How could that be? You can come anytime you want. My courtyard is always reserved for you all..."

"That's good, that's good..." Perhaps it was due to his age, but General Yuchi was incredibly sorrowful. He even seemed about to cry, which gave Lin Chongshan, standing beside him, goosebumps. My goodness! Yuchi Mingxi, a grown man, wouldn't shed tears in front of so many people, would he? This was truly embarrassing; he regretted coming with him.

With so many people crowding around and heading out, it wouldn't be easy for her to turn her horse around and leave. She could only quietly shrug her shoulders and then look solemnly at Jiu Que.

"Don't take his words seriously. When you go back this time, you must serve His Majesty even more diligently. His Majesty has summoned you back now because he has high hopes for you. Don't let him down."

"Don't worry, General, I will."

The young eunuch Lin, standing beside him, maintained his ever-smiling demeanor, having truly inherited the skills of Eunuch Jiufu. At this moment, he seemed not to have heard anything, and the curve of his lips did not change at all; he was simply a divine being.

To be honest, before leaving, he had already anticipated that the Northern Frontier Army would be reluctant to part with him. After all, even he had heard of General Ying's formidable reputation in this place. Moreover, there was Lord Ying—no, now he should be addressed as Prince Rui. Prince Rui himself was also a decorated war hero. If he hadn't heard and witnessed it with his own ears and eyes, Eunuch Lin wouldn't have believed that this young girl, not even 20 years old, could have utterly routed the grasslands. Not only had she captured the grassland Khan, killed the most powerful contender for the next Khan, Prince Muldun, and taken the entire grassland royal family captive, but she had even severely wounded the Khan's only remaining son, leaving him on the verge of death. Now, he had fled deep into the grasslands, his whereabouts unknown.

Such a feat of military achievement, which even sounds somewhat unbelievable, actually appeared! What's even more remarkable is that despite Prince Rui's outstanding military exploits, there wasn't a trace of jealousy in the entire Northern Frontier. Judging from the sorrowful expressions on their faces during the farewell, it was all genuine.

This is strange.

It's important to understand that the primary reason for discord among generals on the battlefield is military merit. Civil officials face immense difficulty in gaining promotion, due to various considerations. Even so, they will scheme against each other for the smallest achievements, sometimes requiring decades of planning for even a minor rank increase. Military officers, in theory, should be even more fiercely competitive for military merit. While a scholar might become a high-ranking official, a military officer who achieves merit on the battlefield could potentially change their social class overnight, rising from a penniless commoner to a high-ranking official in the court!

Sometimes, court officials would send their children to the army to gain merit and a nominal official position, as this was the most direct path to advancement. Naturally, the competition for military merit was even more fierce.

Under such circumstances, Prince Rui was able to secure the greatest military achievement in defeating the grasslands without arousing jealousy from others, which truly demonstrates his youthful talent and skillful handling of the situation.

Especially after hearing that Prince Rui had not participated in the mopping-up operation of the remaining remnants of the grassland army after defeating the main force of the grassland army, Eunuch Lin's opinion of Prince Rui rose to a new level.