Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 813: Military Camp (Part 3)

Eighty thousand soldiers, how to quickly form ranks is truly a profound knowledge.

Rows of heads, one after another, swiftly found their positions in the ranks. They proceeded to march forward at a quick pace in the dense rhythm of drumbeats.

Even an outsider can see the troop’s orderliness.

Jiang Shaohua nodded secretly. At the command, soldiers could quickly assemble and advance, demonstrating the military prowess of the Left General. The Imperial Army’s Divine Power Camp and Brave Camp indeed paled in comparison.

Jiang Shaohua completed the entire course alongside the army. The normally boisterous and rough soldiers were holding their breath today, so nervous they didn’t even dare to make a sound. Occasionally, one or two brave ones would sneak a glance at the Empress, only to hurriedly avert their gaze as if scalded by boiling water.

These soldiers never imagined they would live to see the Empress in person.

The Empress feeds them well, clothes them warmly, and grants them a salary every month. Such good days were once unthinkable.

Their lives had long been dedicated to the Empress, ready to sacrifice themselves for her at any moment.

The Left General looked at the soldiers, each as if fueled by adrenaline, and thought: He’s been laboring hard training these troops, yet as soon as the Empress arrives, they all show such loyalty, ready to die for her. It’s not that he has any rebellious intentions, but even if he did, among these eighty thousand soldiers, who would follow him?

Enough, enough, better not indulge in such unpropitious thoughts.

After completing the routine five-mile march, they proceeded to formation training, battle array practice, and so forth.

Jiang Shaohua, accustomed to the military camp, was a real expert, understanding all the intricacies. Having asked the Left General several questions in succession, he was sweating coldly down his back and dared not slacken, quickly gathering his wits to respond.

Moved by the atmosphere in the camp, Jiang Shaohua felt a bit eager: "Left General, how about a sparring duel with me?"

Song Yuan had already brought forth the spear, Jiang Shaohua took it, its tip flickering and blooming like flowers.

A real man cannot afford cowardice.

The Left General raised his eyebrow, drew the long knife from his waist: "Blades and spears are blind; please, Emperor, take care."

Valiant soldiers. The aura of a main general determines the aura of an army. The bolder soldiers even stopped their hands and gathered quietly around.

Jiang Shaohua raised an eyebrow and smiled, wasting no time as she made the first move.

The spear darted forward like a dragon, aiming straight at the Left General’s face.

The Left General remained still, raising his long knife to block.

Clang!

Blade and spear clashed fiercely!

Jiang Shaohua was somewhat startled as her Divine Power was astonishing. Normally, she’d have to restrain half her strength when sparring with her trusted aides, only letting loose fully when dueling Song Yuan. It was her first time going hand to hand with the Left General, not expecting him to be so formidable.

Jiang Shaohua decided not to hold back, the spear darting vigorously like the wind.

The Left General wielded his long knife ceaselessly to block, the clanging sound was nonstop.

These soldiers didn’t understand, watching with boiling blood, someone suddenly shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"

"Great General’s might!"

Soon, two waves of cheers formed, some fiercely supporting the Empress while others backed the Left General.

Song Yuan fixed his gaze on the duelists in the center, his right hand resting on the knife handle at his waist. Should anything happen, he’d immediately draw his blade to intervene. A group of trusted aides similarly kept a close watch.

Unexpectedly, a sudden accident occurred.

The Left General’s long knife was struck by the spear, abruptly breaking into two pieces. The spear darted forward like lightning.

Everyone gasped in unison.

The spear point halted abruptly three inches from the Left General’s throat.

The sharp spear gleamed with a fierce cold light, casting a reflection of the Left General’s complex expression.

The Left General sighed deeply, speaking ambiguously, "Remarkable, Emperor, I have lost."

Jiang Shaohua moved her wrist, calmly retracting her spear: "Left General has yielded graciously."

The watching soldiers stirred into a frenzy, loudly shouting "Long live the Emperor."

Some sharp-minded ones inwardly snickered. Who would have thought that the thick sharp-browed Left General would now flatter the Emperor? The loss had been too convincing.

Even the Left General’s personal soldiers thought so.

The sole puzzling question was, how did the Great General break his own treasure sword?

Baffled, his personal soldiers silently picked up half of the broken treasure sword from the ground, feeling deeply regretful. This sword had accompanied the Left General on battlefields for over ten years; no one expected it to break under the Emperor’s spear today.

...

After lunch, everyone returned to their respective tent to rest.

Today, the Left General was evidently not in a pleasant mood, entering the tent with a stern countenance, instructing his personal soldiers to fetch pain medicine.

The personal soldiers were surprised: "Where is the Great General injured?"

The Left General spoke through gritted teeth: "Stop babbling! Just fetch it!"

The personal soldiers scolded, dared not speak further, quickly fetched a bottle of medicine.

The Left General rolled up his sleeve, revealing his wrist which had turned blue.

This was from earlier when the spear shaft had glanced off, causing immediate pain in his wrist. He had gritted his teeth and endured, never uttering a complaint.

Seeing this, the personal soldiers shuddered, hastily applied the medicine, murmuring quietly, "How can the Great General be injured without saying a word."

Too much shame to admit it.

The Left General thought with a poker face.

The garrulous personal soldiers continued to whisper: "Previously, I thought the Great General deliberately lost to the Emperor. Could I have guessed wrong? The Emperor is truly that formidable!"

The Left General, annoyed, glared at him: "Shut up! The Emperor is naturally mighty, needing no concessions. I am not the sort to be shamelessly flattering. A loss is a loss."

The personal soldiers felt intimidated by the glare, clammed up instantly.

The Left General mused for a moment, then advised again: "Nobody is to gossip about my wrist injury."

Truly, too much shame.

The personal soldiers obediently nodded in agreement.

...

"Zuo Feng, is undoubtedly the first among soldiers."

In another tent, Jiang Shaohua sincerely praised: "After inspecting several military camps, Heroic Guard Camp had the strictest discipline and the most organized appearance."

"Just speaking of today’s skirmish, the Left General’s skill is absolutely equal to Commander Song, and possibly even surpassingly valiant. It has been a long time since I’ve engaged in such an exhilarating spar."

Song Yuan laughed as he took over: "I went to Yu State with the Left General, witnessed the Left General’s command assaulting a city. As for the other generals, I do not know and cannot comment. The Left General indeed has real skills."

"Otherwise, I wouldn’t spend so much effort on him."

Jiang Shaohua’s eyes glittered as she chuckled softly: "Today, I publicly broke the Left General’s treasure sword. In a few days, when the military force exercises again, my Personal Guard Camp will shine a little, shocking Zuo Feng."

"I wonder when he will genuinely surrender and pledge his allegiance to me wholeheartedly."