Liu Sanqi's introduction of the play 'Three Beatings of the Princess's Consort' on the Sky Canopy elicited various reactions from many people below.
As one of the main character prototypes, Yin Ning was naturally among them. At this moment, Yin Ning was complaining to Empress Xu and Emperor Jingming:
"Seventh Brother is slandering me. I was just worried that Su Yu, after going to the battlefield, would only think about making achievements while ignoring the dangers of war. So I kindly reminded him. How is that being harsh to Su Yu?"
Yin Ning still remembered that when Su Yu told her he was preparing to go to the battlefield, his eyes were filled only with excitement and fighting spirit, without a trace of fear or nervousness. She was afraid that he would be overconfident and end up making a misstep, even costing him his life. That's why she gave him a thorough beating, making him understand that there is always someone stronger. On the battlefield, he should be more cautious and not underestimate anyone.
"And, Su Yu wasn't beaten to tears that time either. It was purely because the wind started up in the courtyard, and sand accidentally got into his eyes, making him tear up."
Hearing Yin Ning's explanation, Emperor Jingming felt it was reasonable. After all, he genuinely couldn't believe that someone like Su Yu, who could make the barbarian tribes beyond the passes flee in panic, would be such a crybaby. However, in truth, what surprised Emperor Jingming even more than the possibility of Su Yu being a crybaby was Yin Ning's martial skills.
Although he had previously allowed Su Zheng to teach Yin Ning martial arts in the palace, it was mainly to win over the Su family and show his close attitude toward them. As for how well Yin Ning learned, Emperor Jingming had heard Empress Xu praise her a few times, but he always thought Empress Xu was exaggerating in front of him and didn't take her words seriously.
As for Yin Ning's martial arts level, others below the Sky Canopy were also curious. Luo Chuan couldn't help asking Su Yu, "General, is Her Highness the Princess's martial arts really as formidable as described in the play on the Sky Canopy? With your skills, you can easily beat both me and Iceberg Zheng!"
Hearing Luo Chuan call him Iceberg Zheng again, Zheng Jin couldn't be bothered to care. He just looked at Su Yu with curiosity, obviously also interested in the question.
When Su Yu heard Luo Chuan's words, he didn't hesitate to answer, "My uncle once told me that Yin Ning is the person with the best martial arts talent he has ever seen, and her comprehension is far beyond ordinary people. What Yin Ning learns in one year is equivalent to three or four years of diligent practice by others."
"Damn!" Luo Chuan exclaimed in shock. "Then what's the difference between her and the martial arts geniuses in those scripts?"
Zheng Jin also spoke in surprise, "No wonder she thought you were too weak."
With Zheng Jin casually reopening the old wound, Su Yu couldn't help darkening his face. He wanted to say he wasn't weak, but remembering that Yin Xin's play was titled 'Three Beatings of the Princess's Consort' and that Liu Sanqi had only introduced the second beating on the Sky Canopy, he instantly lost the courage to speak.
Seeing Su Yu's change in expression, Luo Chuan elbowed Zheng Jin in the side: "Keep quiet! Don't you know our general doesn't like hearing you talk?"
Zheng Jin often spoke only to hit people where it hurt. "Besides, where is our general weak? Even if he gave you a handicap, he could still knock you down!"
Su Yu: "..."
Now Su Yu regretted that before leaving, he couldn't bear Luo Chuan's nagging and agreed to bring both him and Zheng Jin along. He should have just returned to Jingshi alone, so he wouldn't have to listen to Luo Chuan and Zheng Jin annoy him.
"Both of you, shut up! From now until the Sky Canopy ends, you are not allowed to say a single word. That's an order!"
Luo Chuan wanted to protest, but upon hearing the word "order," even his lively and cheerful nature forced him to clamp his mouth shut.
Su Yu, feeling the peace around him, was about to sigh in relief when Liu Sanqi's voice came from the Sky Canopy:
"I believe my dear viewers still remember what I mentioned earlier that made me think of 'Three Beatings of the Princess's Consort.'"
"That's right. According to the play's content, the reason Emperor Jingwu and her prince consort Su Yu didn't share a bed in the first two years of marriage is largely related to the third beating."
"In the play 'Three Beatings of the Princess's Consort,' the princess and the consort, who were sworn enemies, were married by imperial decree."
"On the wedding night, the princess directly told the consort that she would only marry someone who could defeat her. If the consort truly wanted to be her husband, he would have to fight her first."
"Of course, even if you haven't seen this play before, I believe you've all guessed the outcome of this duel."
"However, although everyone knows that the princess and consort in this play are based on Emperor Jingwu and Su Yu, Yin Xin actually added quite a bit of fictional content to make the plot more interesting."
"For example, the three beatings I just introduced didn't actually happen in history. They are purely fictional plots invented by Yin Xin."
"Although Emperor Jingwu and Su Yu did live separately for the first two years of marriage, according to historical records, the reason for their separation was that Emperor Jingwu believed that if women gave birth too early, it would greatly increase maternal and infant mortality."
"And this understanding of hers is indeed consistent with modern medical research."
"Various medical studies clearly show that if a woman gets pregnant and gives birth before her body is fully developed, it can easily lead to serious problems such as difficult labor, postpartum hemorrhage, miscarriage, and infant disabilities."
Liu Sanqi's casual remarks on the Sky Canopy brought considerable shock to the people of the Great Jing Dynasty, where early marriage was prevalent.
Under the Sky Canopy, by a stream, several young women were washing clothes. Upon hearing Liu Sanqi's words, their expressions changed. One woman murmured, "No wonder Sister Xiujuan died in childbirth. I remember she was only sixteen last year."
"She was sixteen. She said before that she's five years younger than me."
A silence fell over the group. Then a woman suddenly spoke, "Can anyone help me take my clothes home? Just throw them at the entrance. I'm going back to my parents' house to see if I can persuade them to postpone my little sister's wedding for two years."
"Sister Lixiang, I'll take them back for you. Don't worry."
"Alright, I'll bring you a salted fish made at my parents' house another day. It's delicious!"
With that, the woman dropped her clothes and rushed off to her parents' home. Liu Sanqi's reminder from the future stirred ripples across the Great Jing Dynasty. Previously, only a handful of physicians believed that early marriage and early childbearing were harmful to both mother and child. But now, even the lowest commoners realized this. Although due to various practical reasons, early marriage could not be completely eliminated in the Great Jing Dynasty, it was believed that the situation would improve from now on.
Liu Sanqi on the Sky Canopy did not realize how her brief words had changed the fate of many women in the Great Jing Dynasty. Oblivious, she continued her livestream:
"Apart from the three beatings and the reason for separation in the early years of marriage, the cause of the consort's disfigurement in the play also underwent Yin Xin's dramatic adaptation."
"In the play, the consort, while leading troops to suppress bandits, was slashed across the face by the bandit leader during a fight."
"But in true history, the scar that diagonally crosses Su Yu's entire face came about when he beheaded King Najie. King Najie's second son, Sai Huoke, seized the moment and slashed at his face with all his strength."
"Historical records state that Su Yu's injury was extremely dangerous. At the time, he had just beheaded King Najie and was even holding the king's still-warm head. According to the Najie tribe's customs, anyone who avenges the former king automatically becomes the new king!"
"So for Sai Huoke, killing Su Yu would have been killing two birds with one stone—avenging his father and realizing his ambition to become king!"
"However, Su Yu was, after all, one of the seven recognized war gods in history. As Sai Huoke swung his saber with all his might, Su Yu quickly leaned back, avoiding the fate of having his head split in two. Instead, he only received a bleeding cut on his face."
Below the Sky Canopy, Emperor Jingming was overjoyed to hear Liu Sanqi say that Su Yu would behead King Najie in the future. He felt Su Yu had done an excellent job. Emperor Jingming had hated this unencountered opponent, King Najie, for years. Among the past kings of the Najie tribe, this one had caused the most casualties to the Great Jing Dynasty. Emperor Jingming had long wanted to tear him to pieces but had never been able to achieve it.
On the grasslands, in the Najie tribe, King Najie's mood was naturally not as cheerful. His face was ashen, never expecting that having roamed the grasslands in glory all his life, he would end up killed by a man from Great Jing and in the humiliating manner of beheading. When he heard that Sai Huoke had tried his best but failed to kill Su Yu, only adding a scar to his face, he flew into a rage, cursing Sai Huoke as useless.
Sai Huoke remained silent, not daring to show his anger at King Najie. The other half-brothers standing nearby, who had recently seen Sai Huoke favored by King Najie but now suddenly being scolded mercilessly, were secretly delighted. If not for fear of King Najie's wrath falling on them, they would have happily added to Sai Huoke's humiliation.
On the Sky Canopy, Liu Sanqi looked at the camera and sighed, "Although Su Yu paid the price of disfigurement, his act of beheading King Najie played a crucial role in helping Emperor Jingwu stabilize the Great Jing Dynasty."
"Su Yu set up an ambush and launched a surprise attack on King Najie with several hundred elite light cavalry because the main Najie forces were marching south and had invaded the capital of Great Jing."
"Although after Emperor Jingwu led her troops into the capital, the Najie army was forced to retreat, they still harbored the ambition to fight a protracted war against Emperor Jingwu."
"However, when the news of King Najie's beheading reached the Najie army, his eldest and third sons, who were leading the main forces, immediately became restless and turned back to the grasslands, fearing that their brother Sai Huoke would seize the opportunity to claim the throne while they were away."
"While King Najie's sons were locked in a fierce struggle for the throne, Emperor Jingwu, who had ascended the throne, ordered preparations for her coronation ceremony."
"According to the Great Jing ritual, as Emperor Jingwu's prince consort, Su Yu was supposed to accompany her to the ceremony."
"However, it was not until the late night before the ceremony that Su Yu appeared at the palace gates, travel-worn."
"You might think that Su Yu was delayed by heavy military affairs, forcing him to return to Jingshi only at the last moment."
"But in fact, it had nothing to do with military matters. Su Yu delayed his return simply because he was afraid to see his wife."
"Although we say scars are the best medals for heroes, Su Yu, as the person involved, was quite concerned about the prominent scar on his face."
"And as everyone knows, Emperor Jingwu never beat around the bush and liked to speak plainly."
"So according to historical records, when Emperor Jingwu saw Su Yu again, her first words to him were, 'If you had the guts to keep avoiding me all this time, why didn't you have the guts to just not be my prince consort?'"
At this point, Liu Sanqi sighed deeply, "One thing I really regret is that the historians of the Great Jing Dynasty were really inconsiderate. They only recorded Emperor Jingwu's question but not Su Yu's reply. Now I'm itching with curiosity, wishing I could travel back in time to ask Su Yu what he actually said to Emperor Jingwu."
Under the Sky Canopy, Yin Ning strongly agreed with Liu Sanqi's complaint, because she herself was extremely curious about how Su Yu would have replied. Moreover, she found it unbelievable that Su Yu would be too embarrassed to see her just because of a scar on his face. Yin Ning felt the whole thing sounded magical and surreal. Could their marital feelings have become that close?