The practice ground was still filled with the sounds of other guards sparring, but at this moment, it was no longer important.
"Is this an act?"
The Duke of Dingguo stared with wide eyes at the five guards lying on the ground, quickly questioning himself and refuting his own doubt.
"No, it's not an act, it's real."
"Their movements, their speed, almost unaffected by the winter clothes!"
The Duke of Dingguo rushed over and grabbed the victorious guard who was still standing, attempting to strip off his clothes with his bare hands!
But as soon as he touched it, the Duke of Dingguo froze, feeling the texture of this new winter coat—down jacket!
It was bundled up into lumpy protrusions, bulky and unsightly, but exceptionally fluffy and soft, not stiff at all, a feeling he had never experienced before.
"So thick, yet so light..."
The Duke of Dingguo stood dazed for a moment, then forcibly pulled one off the guard and put it on himself!
The guard who had his clothes stripped off flashed a notable look of reluctance on his face.
The Duke of Dingguo did not miss this glance, immediately snorting, "I'm just trying it on, I'll return it shortly!"
"It's just a winter coat, I've had marten and tiger fur cloaks before, I'm not going to covet your clothes—"
The Duke of Dingguo spoke impulsively, his mouth quicker than his brain.
But halfway through, as he was putting the coat on, he got stuck.
He couldn't finish the rest of his words.
This down jacket was made of dark black fabric, sewn in an ugly, unremarkable patchwork, and especially bulky.
But once he put it on, it was incredibly light!
He felt no weight on his body at all.
It felt like he could soar into the wind!
The Duke of Dingguo stood dazed, then took a few steps forward, drew the sword from the guard's waist, and showed off some fierce moves!
The swishing sound of the wind cut through the practice ground's vast sky, piercing the ears of the officials.
One by one, the martial warriors widened their eyes in observation.
The civil officials did not understand the subtleties, but the warriors saw it clearly.
"The Duke of Dingguo's vigor is undiminished from his prime!"
"Hah! It seems these winter clothes haven't hindered the Duke's movements at all!"
"Is it really that light and convenient?"
"How is this possible?!"
"I want to try it too!"
The older generation of warriors, whose experience was comparable to the Duke of Dingguo's, boldly rushed forward to snatch the remaining 'Bear Winter Clothes' from the four victorious guards!
"Don't worry, don't worry, we'll just try them on like the Duke of Dingguo and return them to you—"
The four newly arrived old warriors all said this.
And then, there was no "and then."
After a flurry of sword and spear maneuvers, they felt the clothes on their bodies, no, the down jackets, their eyes shining brightly!
What returning to the guards? It was unthinkable!
"Ahem, Your Majesty, how many of these winter clothes do we have?"
"Just bestow this one to this old servant, I won't need any other rewards from Your Majesty for the New Year."
"Hmm, practice ground guards, Your Majesty, you should reward them with new ones? This one has been drenched in my sweat, I won't return it, lest I burden them."
The five guards who had their clothes stripped off: "..."
The entire court of officials: "..."
Speechless.
Shameless, thick-skinned.
Once they put it on, they refused to take it off? Just say you're robbing them!
The Duke of Dingguo didn't even blush.
He had already returned the sword to the guard, his wrinkled old hands calmly extending into the down jacket—the large pockets on either side of the hem!
This coat even had large pockets!
The Duke of Dingguo was astonished.
Xiao Yunzhou nodded towards him, "These can hold some supplies for marching, such as charcoal pencils, fire starters, small knives."
"Duke of Dingguo, what do you think of Concubine Liu's idea?"
The Duke of Dingguo opened his mouth.
Useful, incredibly useful!
Nowadays, some soldiers keep their small knives and whatnot in their boots, clothes, which stinks of sweat when they take them out.
More importantly, bending over, taking off shoes, patting their chests—it all wastes time!
This down jacket is lightweight and can carry items, an all-in-one!
Xiao Yunzhou chuckled, "A woman who has never been on the battlefield, Concubine Liu's understanding of marching matters is far inferior to the Duke of Dingguo's."
Ah.
The Duke of Dingguo's old face reddened.
He knew more, but while he was skilled in slaying enemies and leading armies, this military winter coat was truly beyond a woman's expertise.
"The idea for these coat pockets came to Concubine Liu a couple of years ago when she was watching a play in the palace. In the play, a young male actor took out a token of affection from his sleeve."
"Concubine Liu wondered if 'sleeve pockets' could be added to these winter coats near the soldiers' hands, closer than the hem."
"Her experience pales in comparison to your old wisdom, Duke. Please offer more guidance on areas for further improvement."
Further improvement? What else?
The Duke of Dingguo carefully recalled the 'exhilarating' feeling of his earlier sword maneuvers.
He couldn't think of anything.
The only flaw with these winter clothes was—they were expensive!
With the current tight military budget, could so many of these exceptional winter clothes be made to supply the entire border army?
True, the national treasury had borrowed money from the people, but military expenditures and supplies were a bottomless pit, always going out with nothing coming in.
How could the army repay the people's money?
The Duke of Dingguo understood clearly that the money from the Qian Xing Bank could only be used for other purposes, not for the army.
"These winter clothes have no flaws," the Duke of Dingguo sighed.
"If there is a flaw, it's with the Ministry of Revenue, with those Chancellors of the Imperial Cabinet."
"Concubine Liu is a fine woman, she has done nothing wrong."
The Ministry of Revenue, the Imperial Cabinet: "???"
What in the world, where did this conclusion come from?
They were standing there at the practice ground, and the blame fell from the sky!
Chancellor Fu Cha frowned.
His deputy could not hold back, stepping forward to refute, "What does the Duke of Dingguo mean by this?"
Martial warriors were unreliable, brainless, just a moment ago they were united with the civil officials in criticizing the Emperor's appointment of a female official.
Now they turned around and stabbed the civil officials in the back!
Rude, vulgar, mindless!
"You were talking about Concubine Liu's appointment as a female official, about the winter clothes, why drag us into this?"
The Duke of Dingguo glared back, "You fool Shen Mian! What did I mean, of course I meant your incompetence!"
"The palace has produced such excellent winter clothes, and when I think about how your incompetence means we can't afford to make even twenty or thirty thousand for every soldier in the Jing Country army to have, I want to curse you all!"
After the Duke of Dingguo's explanation, the martial warriors, even the Minister of War, began nodding in agreement.
"Are these winter clothes really that good?" The watching civil officials became curious.
The Duke of Dingguo had been sluggish and pale from the cold just like them earlier.
Now, after wearing these winter clothes, not only were his movements agile, his voice boomed... even his forehead was sweating!
Five distinguished Dukes and Generals had put them on and refused to take them off.
From Concubine Liu, to the Imperial Cabinet.
From black winter clothes, transforming into the Bear Winter Clothes.
"This is good, whoever wears it knows it," the Duke of Dingguo waved his hand. "I suggest everyone tries it on. If our army can all have this, then we'll no longer fear marching in winter!"
"..."
The whole court of civil and military officials, except for the five generals dressed like bears, gaped in astonishment.
Have them try it on? Try what?
Why don't you all just take it off?
"Hmm, we'll have all you ministers try it another day," Xiao Yunzhou smiled with a shrug. "For now, there are only these five."
"Ah!"
The Duke of Dingguo frowned. "I just knew it, these clothes must be very expensive, with intricate craftsmanship? So light yet so warm."
"I knew it, if these clothes can't be popularized, they'll just blame the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Cabinet, no doubt!"
The Ministry of Revenue and Imperial Cabinet's mouths twitched.
Chancellor Fu Cha cleared his throat lightly. "Silver thread and charcoal can also provide warmth, but the price is too high to promote in the army. Duke of Dingguo, please don't be unreasonable."
"Concubine Liu has merit, but these winter clothes cannot be extended to everyone, so they are not very useful. Forcing them into the army would overly burden the people's finances."
"Your Majesty, this minister reiterates, I do not object to rewarding merit, but Your Majesty should be just and fair, and measure merits accordingly. As for conferring titles on palace ladies, I ask Your Majesty to reconsider."
Chancellor Fu Cha kowtowed.
The Duke of Dingguo stroked the winter clothes he wore fondly, clearly liking them, but upon hearing this could only sigh.
"Aiya."
Too expensive, can't be used.
Got excited for nothing.
Just the generals wearing them is useless if the soldiers can't.
No matter how good, it's pointless.
The Duke of Dingguo and the other generals looked disappointed, and just as they were dejectedly preparing to remove the winter clothes and give up on the matter, they heard Xiao Yunzhou laugh.
"Chancellor Fu Cha and Duke of Dingguo both speak reasonably."
"Coincidentally, regarding Concubine Liu's winter clothes—Jiang Li, why don't you explain the cost?"
From the group of civil officials, the 'traitor' Jiang Li finally raised his head and stepped forward.
Facing the Duke of Dingguo and Chancellor Fu Cha, he spoke his first words of the morning court session.
"These winter clothes are not expensive, just a sack of duck feathers."
"...?"
"???"
"...??!"
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