Qiu Su awkwardly raised her hand to rub her forehead; this sounded like the beginning of a sentimental prelude. What if everyone surrounded her, demanding to verify her identity? Should she lift her robes and fight them shirtless? (Qiu Su, you're overthinking it.)
The silence below was so profound you could hear a pin drop. After a long silence, General Qin's imposing gaze slowly swept from one side to the other before he spoke again: "Back then, General Ji was framed by treacherous officials. I was incompetent and was transferred beyond the Great Wall before receiving this news. The Ji family has a long history of renowned generals, protecting the country generation after generation. General Ji spent his life fighting in the east and west, yet unexpectedly, he died in this way at the hands of traitors. Back then, we were trapped in the northern frontier for more than half a year, with insufficient supplies and repeated defeats. If it weren't for General Ji's solo incursion into the enemy camp, persuading them to ease the war with a mere mile's distance, we would all have died in the northern frontier. The soldiers of the Ninth Battalion all understand the situation at that time. If it weren't for General Ji personally acting as an envoy to penetrate the enemy camp, we would probably all be a pile of bones. For so many years, we have been sent to the border time and time again, unable to enter the capital for decades. Why is that?"
"The surname is Ji. Ji Hao, the son of the Yellow Emperor, was brave and skilled in battle from a young age. He is from the lineage of General Ji. Fortunately, the Ji family was spared, allowing the young general Ji Heng to escape danger. The young general has been entrusted by the late emperor and the current emperor to come to the border to command the three armies. I will not force you. Those who are willing to follow General Ji, please step forward. Those who are not willing to follow, please find your own way."
General Qin took a step toward Qiu Su, his eyes sweeping over the crowd below like knives, his hand still gripping the long sword at his waist.
This was a threat, a blatant threat. Qiu Su glanced at He Zhuo, who winked at her and took the first step forward, and groaned. Ivan, arms crossed, chuckled softly to the side. Seeing Qiu Su's expression of wanting to die but being unable to, he whispered, "Don't worry, sister. General Qin said that the puppet emperor entrusted you with this. Even if that villain hears about it, he'll just think it's a scheme by you to sow discord. With the Empress Dowager's forces, they naturally won't kill the young emperor at this time."
Another Sima glanced at the small contingent that had followed He Zhuo forward, frowned, and raised his voice, "General Qin, everyone knows that General Ji is kind and brave. But may I ask, General, how can you prove that this man is indeed Major General Ji? Back then, the Ji family was wiped out, your wife died in a fire, and the young master of the Ji family was killed while playing in the garden. General Qin, please forgive my rudeness, but could you perhaps be another Prince An?"
General Qin glanced at Qiu Su, who had her hands behind her back and frowned. She looked at the Sima for a long time with a seemingly deep expression, then nodded and said, "That makes sense. May I ask if this Sima has seen General Ji and his wife?"
"I haven't seen him before," the Sima surnamed Liu glanced at the small group behind him, and snorted, "But who hasn't seen General Ji's portrait? General Ji is brave and skilled in battle, with an extraordinary bearing. This one..."
He Zhuo chuckled lightly, "Is Commander Liu saying that Major General Ji's appearance isn't as convincing as the old general's?" He Zhuo glanced at the veteran generals standing in front of him and asked, "Esteemed deputy generals and division commanders, you must have met the old general. May I ask, Deputy General Xue, what is your opinion?"
The deputy general whose name was called stroked his beard and looked at the person on the stage, saying, "This one is not as brave as the old general, but she has the air of a general's wife. Well, hehe, this humble general dares not presume to say."
The strategist Xiao Chong squinted, his gaze shifting back and forth between Qiu Su and Ivan several times, before whispering to the adjutant, "The one next to him has features that resemble the old general more."
“The world is vast, and there are countless people who look alike. If the young general were here, he would be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. This man looks younger.” The deputy general added, “However, judging from his eyes, he seems somewhat weathered.”
Qiu Su glanced at the crowd whispering amongst themselves, then at General Qin who nodded to her, and coughed lightly behind her back, saying, "I was seriously ill a few days ago, but thanks to the Emperor and General Qin's protection, I survived and came to the Southern Frontier to recuperate. I don't want to talk about the past, my father's grudge..."
Qiu Su found herself unable to continue; the title of "father" felt far too distant to her. If it weren't for her Ji family bloodline, her child wouldn't be here...
General Qin picked up the conversation and sighed, "Young General, you have endured many hardships. The past is past. Since you have the military tally left by the old general, why worry that you cannot unify the three armies and clear the old general's name?"
Qiu Su curled the corners of her lips, and then heard General Qin say, "The Northern Wuna have recently tried to enter the country again. Now that the young general has joined the army, he will naturally show his true abilities. At this time, when we are defending against the enemy, the young general will be the commander-in-chief, leading He Sima's troops, so that everyone can see the old general's bravery in his prime."
The Una tribe was the most ruthless in the southern border region. While it wasn't accurate to say they would eat the flesh and drink the blood of their captives, none of them survived. The soldiers both wanted to deal with the Una cavalry and feared dealing with them the most. Although Qiu Su had never seen them, she had heard about them from others while living outside the camp for a long time.
As soon as General Qin finished speaking, Qiu Su's lips twitched. It wasn't a slight smile, it was a full-blown twitch. Ivan nudged Qiu Su, whose lips were still twitching, and said in a low voice, "Sister, you should say that you have not failed in your mission."
Hmm, she'd like to fulfill her mission if General Qin gave her the chance.
"Young General, please!" General Qin stepped aside to make way for Qiu Su, leading her to the tent where the generals were discussing matters. Qiu Su twisted her toes, wanting to walk in the opposite direction, but Ivan grabbed her arm and pulled her along, forcing her to follow General Qin.
"Ivan!" Qiu Su whispered a rebuke.
"Hehe, isn't there He Zhuo by my side? I'll direct him from behind and let him go forward to kill the enemy."
Qiu Su felt awkward. Being called "sister" by a man half a head taller than herself hadn't seemed strange before, but now it felt incredibly eerie.
"I am General Ji Shao," Qiu Su told herself no less than ten times before, under the eager gaze of the generals and with the soldiers diligently lifting the curtain, she bowed and entered the tent. Looking at the curved sword hanging in the corner, Qiu Su thought, "Qiu Su, you fool, you've embarked on a path of no return!" Qiu Su seemed to see someone riding a horse charging towards her with a single stroke, and couldn't help but shrink back.
Everyone looked at Qiu Su, who was baring her teeth and shrinking her neck, with strange eyes. He Zhuo, however, smiled and said, "Young General, please take a seat."
"I wouldn't dare." Qiu Su awkwardly stretched out her neck and said to General Qin, "I lack experience and may disappoint General Qin's expectations. However, I, Ji, will do my best."
"It's nothing." General Qin thought for a moment and sat down in the main seat, having a chair placed next to him, gesturing for Qiu Su to sit down. Then he said, "It's been a long-awaited opportunity for Major General Ji to join the army. With the Emperor being held hostage and us unable to leave the southern border, we would have no legitimate reason to raise an army, nor would we receive support from the other two camps. With Major General Ji bringing the old general's military seal into the camp, these problems are easily solved."
Qiu Su lowered her eyelids, trying to appear profound, but after much hesitation, she couldn't help but ask, "Wu Na, why have you invaded our dynasty?"
"The severe drought north of the Tianshan Mountains is only one of the reasons. Does Una need a reason to seize any territory he wants?" A lieutenant explained with a frown, seemingly also deeply resentful of Una.
General Qin nodded and said, "Major General Ji, please proceed with your tactical arrangements. It would be best to win without fighting. If you find that the enemy forces are difficult to resist, Major General Ji, please come back and request reinforcements, and then we can make further plans. Commander He's troops are also known for their excellent training, and each of them is a skilled fighter."
"I wonder where Una's cavalry is?" Perhaps they weren't invading at all? Or perhaps they just wandered around the area and went back, Qiu Su comforted herself with these thoughts.
"Once we reach the Black Gorge Pass, there will still be some distance to our camp, giving us ample time to prepare for battle," General Qin said, his eyes filled with hope.
Qiu Su's lips twitched again, and not only that, her hands trembled under her sleeves. She hesitated for a moment before realizing her mistake. Glancing at He Zhuo's gleaming eyes, she clenched her hands and said, "General Qin, actually..."
"Actually, with Brother Ji taking action, General Qin has nothing to worry about. Brother Ji is very skilled in tactics, and perhaps she has a good way to win without losing any soldiers or generals."
Qiu Su couldn't help but twitch her lips, and she even ground her teeth in a flustered manner.
"However, we need to scout out the terrain first. I'll take Brother Ji to check out the terrain in the next few days, and we'll discuss the specific defensive and offensive measures later."
Qiu Su frowned, her brows furrowing like caterpillars, and gritted her teeth as she said, "Commander He, in the army, let's address each other by our official titles."
He Zhuo chuckled, "This subordinate obeys the order, Major General Ji."
Qiu Su looked at He Zhuo's smiling, almond-shaped eyes, then narrowed her own eyes. Suddenly, she felt a little itchy in her hands. After thinking about it for a while, she realized that she wanted someone to spank her a couple of times.
48
48. The child's mother's second spring...
Qiu Su was feeling dizzy, and she was still dazed when Ivan came to greet her outside the tent. Uh, she still wanted to hit someone.
“Sister,” Ivan said softly, “Don’t worry, I grew up traveling between the southern and northern borders, so I know the terrain well. We’ll figure it out slowly, and we’ll find a way.”
"Besides," Ivan winked mysteriously, "He Zhuo will definitely not let my sister be in danger, and General Qin will not let my sister take any risks either. We still don't know if those cavalrymen are real or not."
This kid really knows how to persuade people. Everyone's eyes are sharp; sending a fake cavalryman on a stroll would just be throwing mud at themselves. Qiu Su glanced at Ivan, thinking that if he really grew up here, perhaps he'd have a better chance of winning.
But then again, "Ivan, now that you're home, why don't you go home and visit your family?"
"Ana Ata, oh, my parents, they've gone on a trip, there's no one else at home. My brothers, it's the same whenever I see them. Hehe, when my parents come back, I'll have to introduce my sister to them."
Qiu Su felt a warmth in her heart and said with a smile, "Your parents must also be carefree people."
Ivan shrugged and smiled, glancing at Qiu Su. "It's very carefree, but I heard from them that I have an older brother and an older sister, but they were both lost when I was young. My sister is the same age as my sister, and my parents would definitely like her."
Qiu Su smiled and reached out to pat Ivan's shoulder, but her hand was grabbed before it even reached him. Qiu Su glanced at Xiao Qiu, who had run to Ivan's feet and was now squatting down, looking up at her. She sighed and said slowly, "He Zhuo, you really are..."
"Really what?" He Zhuo pulled Qiu Su's hand back, glanced at Ivan, and said, "Brother Ji, how can you just pat a little brother's shoulder like that?"
Qiu Su Jiong.
"And another thing. Young man, why are you behaving so indistinguishably from Major General Ji? Aren't you, a mere soldier, afraid of tarnishing Major General Ji's imposing image?"
Qiu Su's lips twitched, but Ivan remained calm, whistling dismissively before heading elsewhere.
Qiu Su glared at He Zhuo, who chuckled twice and whispered, "Let's go check it out tomorrow. I'll go out for a bit later. Is there anything else Su Su needs?"