The noble young ladies said, “The eldest Miss Ling of the Marquis of Dingyuan's household is a madwoman. Instead of behaving like a proper lady of a distinguished family, she spends all day showing her face in public. It's utterly unseemly.”
The ladies of the capital said, “The wife of the young Duke of Wen is a madwoman. She's married, yet she doesn't know how to support her husband, raise children, or manage the household. She even leaves her husband behind. It's completely improper.”
The people of Great Zhou said, “Little General Ling of the northern frontier is a madwoman. She's a woman, yet she has none of the demure grace expected of her. She spends every day among weapons and soldiers. Morals are truly in decline.”
At that moment, Ling Yun was on the frontier, riding a warhorse and fighting the enemy. She had no idea people were talking about her, nor would she have cared. She suddenly sneezed several times, just as a strange gust blew sand into her mouth. She had to spit it out rather ungracefully before ordering her troops to charge onward.
Ling Yun, the only daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, grew up on the frontier. After coming of age, she was ordered to return to the capital to marry, only to face one clique of noble families after another ganging up to exclude her. She used her own abilities to retaliate against them on the spot, earning a reputation for reckless arrogance. After a series of trials and upheavals, she came to understand the limits of what one person could accomplish. So she steeled herself to leave the one she loved and returned to the northern frontier. There, she distinguished herself, rose through the ranks, took command of the army, and helped the new emperor ascend the throne, eventually becoming a pillar of the realm.
