“Take me, I’m really strong!”
“Not only am I strong, I’m fast too!”
“I once killed a wild boar in the mountains!”
“I can outwork any man. Last year, I dug the fields for three days straight, turning over all our land by myself!”
As the women soldiers approached, the crowd of women surged forward, eagerly promoting themselves.
“Sir, you’re amazing!” Qing Mu Lan thought to herself, jumping onto a rock and signalling A Mei to strike the gong.
The gong rang, and the crowd instantly quieted.
“I know many of you are here because you’re struggling to eat. Let me say upfront, Mr. Jin’s textile factory is likely expanding soon and will probably recruit from your villages too.”
With so many people, Qing Mu Lan had more choices and spoke confidently, “If you’re just here to fill your stomachs, you can wait for the textile factory jobs. They’ll feed you too. But let me be clear, joining my women’s militia means signing a life-and-death contract. It states you can’t quit within a year, or you’ll repay double the wages. Think carefully!”
Her words were like cold water splashed into a hot oil pan, sparking chaos.
“Miss Mu Lan, is that true?”
“When will Mr. Jin expand the textile factory?”
“How many people will Mr. Jin hire? From which villages?”
“Miss Mu Lan, if we work here, do we get meals too?”
“Will the wages in other villages be the same as in Xihe Bay?”
“Does the brick kiln or construction need more workers? My husband wants to join!”
The women stopped caring about the militia, bombarding her with questions about the textile factory.
“For textile factory matters, ask Mr. Jin,” Qing Mu Lan said, smiling and waving at Jin Feng, who had just arrived.
“This girl…” Jin Feng shook his head with a wry smile.
He’d only come to see how many women would show up, not expecting Qing Mu Lan to rope him in.
Still, since the textile factory expansion was already in the works, he didn’t blame her. It was a chance to build anticipation for future recruitment.
“Hello, everyone, I’m Jin Feng,” he said, stepping onto the rock with a smile. “The textile factory expansion is in preparation. We’ll likely start hiring in about a month, aiming for around three hundred people. Everyone can apply.”
Jin Feng answered the women’s questions on the spot. By the end of his speech, most of the women left.
But seventy or eighty women stayed to join the militia.
They were mostly from families without men, where textile factory wages alone couldn’t support their households.
Perhaps a couple genuinely wanted to be soldiers.
“I’m glad you stayed, but let’s be clear: I’m not recruiting women to embroider. You’ll get the same pay as male soldiers, but you’ll do the same work, like escorting goods and fighting bandits with knives.”
Qing Mu Lan continued, “If you’re scared, leave now. If you desert in battle, you’ll be executed on the spot, with no compensation. Even if you die, it’s for nothing. This will be in the contract. Think it over.”
Three more women left after her words.
But most showed resolve.
“Those who’ve decided, sign the life-and-death contract now. If you’re unsure, go home and think. You can come back tomorrow,” Qing Mu Lan said. “But tomorrow’s the last day. After that, we’re done.”
“I’ll sign!”
“Me too!”
The remaining dozens of women pressed their handprints on the contract and began training that morning.
About half were eliminated, but over thirty passed, exceeding Qing Mu Lan’s goal of fifty by seven or eight. She kept them all.
With this expansion, the women’s militia nearly matched the men’s in numbers, thrilling Qing Mu Lan.
But more people meant more equipment. For days, she stuck to Jin Feng like glue, pestering him to forge weapons for the militia.
Sure enough, when Jin Feng woke up, Qing Mu Lan was already in the courtyard.
“Dear lady, didn’t I promise to make the weapons?” Jin Feng said helplessly. “Why aren’t you supervising the militia training? What are you doing here?”
“I was just worried you’d oversleep, so I came to wake you,” Qing Mu Lan said with a sheepish grin.
Jin Feng was fond of sleeping in. A few days ago, he slept until mid-morning, and since Qing Mu Lan found out, she’d been coming early to rouse him, much to his frustration.
“I’m up. Go on, get out of here,” he said, head aching at the sight of her.
“Mu Lan, since you’re here, stay for breakfast before heading to the hills,” Guan Xiao Rou said, emerging from the kitchen with a smile.
“Great, great!” Qing Mu Lan said, wiping her mouth and eagerly heading to the kitchen to help Run Niang and Tang Dong Dong carry out the food.
Raised in luxury, she was tired of the militia’s communal meals in Xihe Bay. Run Niang, devoted to cooking and guided by Jin Feng, had become an excellent chef. Qing Mu Lan, tagging along with Jin Feng, had eaten a few meals here and raved about Run Niang’s cooking.
“Mu Lan, a good commander leads by example, eating and sleeping with the soldiers, bonding with them!” Jin Feng lectured. “You’re distancing yourself from them. How will you earn their respect?”
“Sir, don’t try to fool me!” Qing Mu Lan rolled her eyes. “You’re the men’s commander, but I don’t see you eating and sleeping with them.”
“The men’s commander is Brother Liang, not me.”
“If it’s not you, why were you leading the fight against the bandits?”
“I just temporarily take command during battles.”
“Sounds nice, but you’re just being lazy, shirking responsibility, right?”
Qing Mu Lan smirked. “I’ve decided too. I’ll hand the women’s militia command to A Mei for now and take it back after breakfast.”
Jin Feng was stunned, unable to retort.
Pfft!
Tang Dong Dong couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth when she saw Jin Feng’s dark expression.
Guan Xiao Rou and Run Niang’s eyes crinkled with laughter.
It was the first time they’d seen Jin Feng so thoroughly outdone.
“What’s so funny?” Jin Feng, asserting his authority as head of the household, slapped the table. “Why hasn’t Xiao E gotten up yet?”
“I’ll go get her!” Guan Xiao Rou said, covering her mouth and running to Xiao E’s room.
As she entered, Xiao E’s giggles echoed out.
Tang Dong Dong finally lost it, collapsing into laughter with Qing Mu Lan.
Slap!
Jin Feng, exasperated, slammed his chopsticks on the table.
This meal was ruined.
“Sisters, what’s so funny? You’re all so happy,” Xiao E said, following Guan Xiao Rou, rubbing her eyes curiously.
