Chapter 010: The Affection Between Lovers Before the Expedition

Two days later, Emperor Yanping officially announced to the world that he would raise troops against the Han, claiming to mobilize 300,000 soldiers, while in reality only 110,000 were deployed

Xue Rou, in a state of panic, tried to break free from Ying Xuan's embrace, but Ying Xuan's hand held her tightly, showing no intention of letting go

"Why haven't you tied up this audacious scoundrel yet?" The surrounding soldiers surged forward, and no matter how much strength Zhu Dachi had, it was of no use. He was firmly bound with thick hemp ropes by the crowd and pushed down in front of Jiao Xin

On November 14, in the thirty-seventh year of the reign of Emperor Yanping, a grand ceremony to swear allegiance and offer sacrifices to Heaven was held outside the southern gate of the Western Capital.

"Enough, Tenth Prince, this is the Southern Camp. Matters within our army will be handled by me. When it comes to military discipline, I am more knowledgeable than you. It is getting late, so I kindly ask all the princes to return early." Jiao Xin finally erupted, issuing an eviction order to Ying Xuan and the others, showing no hesitation in disregarding their royal status.

"Mother, I am about to leave." Ying Xuan knelt down on the ground, but due to wearing armor, he could only kneel on one knee and performed a military salute.

This robust man is not short in stature, yet he is entirely covered in excess flesh, bearing no resemblance to a soldier; instead, he resembles a butcher from the streets.

Rest assured, I understand.

Thank you, General Jiao, for your hospitality today. We shall meet again the day after tomorrow. As Ying Rui saw that the order to dismiss guests had already been issued, he chuckled and prepared to leave with Ying Xuan and Ying Zhan, as it would not be beneficial for him to have a strained relationship with these military leaders in his future pursuit of the position of Crown Prince

It is precisely for this reason that Jiao Xin is highly respected by the soldiers in the military

At this moment, perhaps any words are superfluous; two hearts that are connected to each other no longer require any other medium to unite them

However, a soldier is always a soldier; even after years of striving in the officialdom, he ultimately cannot learn the artifice of the literati. Although Jiao Xin has been suppressing his inner disgust, Ying Xuan and Ying Rui have keenly observed it.

After a brief meeting, Ying Rui felt a lack of interest and began to wander around the Nandaying with the company of Jiao Xin

However, my son still has some matters he wishes to entrust to you, Mother." Ying Xuan tightly grasped the hand of Xue Rou, intending to continue speaking, but was interrupted by Liu Fei, who raised her hand to stop him.

After a long while, the two lips, entangled in passion, slowly parted, yet the eyes of both still shimmered with a dazed allure

Ying Xuan and Xue Rou felt a sudden joy in their hearts and exchanged smiles with each other

He gently supported Xue Rou's body, kissed her lightly on the forehead, and said, "Wait for my return"

Where Jiao Xin passed, all the soldiers stepped aside, bowing their heads in a display of reverence, perhaps in their eyes, Jiao Xin was their deity

Upon hearing Jiao Xin's words, Ying Zhan realized that he had already offended this veteran general in the army, and although he felt reluctant, he still held back the words he had yet to finish.

As Ying Xuan and others passed by a tent, a sudden and intense argument erupted from within, and judging by the chaotic sounds, there were at least a dozen participants involved.

The Southern Camp is commanded by General Jiao Xin of Xuanwei, who leads an elite force of 40,000 troops, most of whom are selected from various local border armies. Upon receiving the order to mobilize 20,000 troops, Jiao Xin immediately set up his tent and selected the most elite 20,000 soldiers from the Southern Camp, appointing two of his trusted generals to lead them.

Is this still the appearance of my Qin soldiers? Are my Qin soldiers really of such character?" Seeing Zhu Dachi screaming and causing a ruckus, Ying Zhan seemed to be provoked, breaking free from Ying Xuan's grasp, and pointed at Zhu Dachi, angrily rebuking, "How can such a scoundrel become a soldier of my Qin? Such a person should be executed. Creating such a disturbance in the military camp, and yet not being executed, where is the military discipline of my Qin?"

At this moment, Ying Xuan, under the attentive service of Xue Rou, donned his cloak and armor. The ancient horizontal sword sent by Emperor Yanping was fastened at his waist, while Xue Rou was carefully adjusting his collar on tiptoe, resembling a young bride making the final preparations for her husband who was about to go into battle.

"Protect the princes." Upon hearing Jiao Xin's words, the nearby soldiers quickly gathered around Ying Xuan and the others, tightly encircling them in the center.

Yes. Xue Rou obediently nodded her head

Jiao Xin gazed thoughtfully at Ying Xuan's departing figure, opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing

General Jiao, how can there be such soldiers in your army, so disregarding military discipline? Why not directly shoot him? Where are the archers?

Several other guards took the opportunity to quickly close in, each grabbing hold of his arms and legs. With a loud roar, Zhu Dachi exerted himself and forcefully threw them off.

"Brother Ten, General Jiao will naturally handle matters in the military camp; we need only observe."

Jiao Xin, with his hands behind his back, immediately announced the punishment for Zhu Dachih. However, Zhu Dachih began to scream, "Another confinement in the small black room? I can't take it, I can't take it.

Without excessive words or unnecessary actions, Xue Rou gently leaned against Ying Xuan's shoulder. The blush on her face made her feel a bit hot, and she involuntarily rubbed against Ying Xuan's neck, as if wanting to bury her face in his embrace.

"Where are the archers?" Ying Zhan shouted again, but still no one obeyed his command. Instead, everyone's gaze grew colder, tinged with a hint of mockery, as if they were looking at a fool, filled with a humble pity.

Upon hearing Ying Xuan's words, Zhu Dachi seemed invigorated, struggling even more desperately: "Your Highness, Your Highness, I am willing, I am willing"

The strong man turned around, and Ying Xuancai was able to see his appearance clearly

Ying Xuan gently tugged at Ying Zhan's sleeve, signaling him to step back first

"Your Highness, the Tenth Prince, please go to the back for now. We will handle matters within the army ourselves." Jiao Xin's expression became somewhat unnatural, yet he continued to exert effort to suppress it.

Haha, as a soldier, what kind of life do I desire? I believe the general understands this better than I do. No matter how fine a sword is, if it has never been drawn from its sheath, it is ultimately just a piece of iron. I hope the general will give this some serious thought. Having said that, Ying Xuan paid no attention to the puzzled gaze of Ying Zhan beside him and strode out of the military camp alongside Ying Rui.

Xue Rou struggled a few times with all her might, yet she could not break free from Ying Xuan's restraint. Perhaps the disorienting aura left Xue Rou somewhat entranced, or maybe her budding feelings had already made a silent promise.

"Hmph, why are you tying me up again? At first, you all deceived me by saying that being a soldier would ensure a full stomach and lead to high-ranking positions. Now that there’s a war, you won’t let me go. I refuse to do this anymore; I will not be a soldier any longer." Zhu Dachi became furious, grabbing the hand of a soldier sent to capture him and, with great effort, threw him a distance of four to five meters.

Go ahead. Remember to come back early. There were no tears, no reluctance, as if gently reminding a child about to go out to play to return home early, calm and without a ripple of emotion

A roar echoed as Jiao Xin had not yet entered the tent, and suddenly a furious shout came from within. Following that, there were chaotic cries of agony as five or six figures burst through the tent, falling to the ground in disarray

Jiao Xinyuan was originally a border soldier stationed at the frontier. Later, due to his outstanding military achievements, he gradually rose to the position of one of the Four Great Generals. Having joined the army at the age of thirteen, he is now in his fifties, making him the oldest among the Four Great Generals. He is also the one who loves military life the most, spending at least half of the 365 days of the year in the barracks.

Where are the archers? The call of Ying Zhan for battle seemed to receive no response, as everyone turned to look at him, coldly staring at Ying Zhan

Ying Xuan also cupped his hands towards Jiao Xin and said, "General, if possible, I hope this brave man can become my personal guard and accompany me on the expedition"

Lady Liu did not speak; she merely gently adjusted a few stray strands of hair for Ying Xuan, softly caressing Ying Xuan's cheek

Thank you for the generous affection of His Highness the Fourteenth Prince, but this child is too reckless and foolish, and I fear it may go against Your Highness's intentions

"Boldly, come here, bind him for me." Jiao Xin was utterly exasperated with this troublesome fellow, and with a wave of his hand, five or six of his personal guards rushed forward unarmed.

Lady Liu merely smiled faintly, carrying a hint of satisfaction and a touch of reluctance

"General, the soldiers lying on the ground in distress struggled to salute Jiao Xinhang despite their pain. Only Zhu Dachih wore a displeased expression and said loudly: 'It is unfair to General He Tushu. Why can they accompany the army on the expedition while I, Zhu Dachih, cannot? I also want to go on the expedition.'"

"Bring it to me, tie up this audacious thing!" Jiao Xin shouted loudly at Zhu Dachi, his tone was severe yet lacked a sense of finality, instead carrying a faint hint of disappointment akin to that of a teacher lamenting a student's failure to meet expectations

Not long after, Ying Xuan, under the reception of the Imperial Guards, left the palace and hurried towards the place outside the southern gate for the sacrificial ceremony and oath-taking.

Zhu Dachu's body can only be described as excessively overweight, with the flesh on his body rhythmically shaking up and down as he speaks

The personal guards of Jiao Xin, who was protecting Ying Xuan and the others, quickly positioned themselves between Ying Xuan and the burly man, forming a human wall, yet showed no signs of surprise, as if it were a common occurrence.

You insolent fool, so audacious and reckless. Bring him here and drag him out to be beaten with thirty military clubs, then confine him to solitary confinement. He will be released only when he acknowledges his mistakes and corrects them.

After expressing gratitude for the imperial favor, Ying Xuan proceeded to the southern camp with Ying Rui and Ying Zhan

The door was gently pushed open, and Liu Fei entered accompanied by Liu Zhong

Ying Xuan suddenly wrapped his arms around Xue Rou's waist and, without further ado, sealed her lips.

Xue Rou obediently closed her eyes, allowing Ying Xuan to take what he desired with wild abandon

Jiao Xin furrowed his brow, feeling quite apologetic as he exchanged glances with Ying Xuan and the others, before preparing to enter the tent to investigate further

The altar for the heaven worship outside the South Gate was constructed overnight by nearly ten thousand strong men within two days, reaching a height of seven to eight meters

Beneath the altar stood the soldiers in a flurry, bows strung and ready on their steeds. In an instant, the banners obscured the sky, and as far as the eye could see, there were only the black dragon flags fluttering in the wind.

"Zhu Dachi, it's you again," Jiao Xin shouted angrily at the burly man.