Xiao Zheng perched on a tree, eyes sharp and ears keen, watching for any soldier in danger before swiftly shooting an arrow at the bandit threatening them.
These outlaws had blood on their hands, fighting without discipline, hacking at anyone in sight. The soldiers, initially high-spirited, gradually grew fearful.
The bandit leader swung his broadsword and charged straight at Liu Qian.
"You brat! Today, I’ll skin you alive!!"
Liu Qian gritted his teeth and met the strike. Their blades clashed violently before recoiling apart.
"I can’t hold on much longer!!" a nearby soldier wailed.
Outnumbered fifty against a hundred, their original plan had fallen apart—how could they match these ruthless killers?
Distracted for just a moment, Liu Qian was forced back relentlessly by the bandit leader.
With a frustrated growl, he glanced up at Xiao Zheng, who lounged leisurely in the tree.
"Boss!! We need your help!!"
Xiao Zheng clapped his hands and leaped down.
The bandit leader roared with laughter at the sight of the slender figure before him.
"A bunch of wet-behind-the-ears brats dare to rob me?! Even if both of you attack at once, you’re no match for—"
Before the last word left his lips, a blade flashed through the air. The bandit leader’s face darkened as he dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Seizing the moment, Xiao Zheng slashed downward, hooked his foot, and pressed the blade against the man’s neck.
The bandit leader felt a cold sting—only gurgling sounds escaped his throat.
"Your leader is dead!! Surrender now!!"
At Xiao Zheng’s declaration, the Sky Wolf Mountain bandits froze. Staring at the severed head in his hand, they trembled in terror. Some tried to flee.
Unnoticed, Li Tie had already climbed onto a rooftop, bow drawn, aiming at the escapees.
"Drop your weapons! We’ll spare your lives! Anyone who resists—this is your fate!!"
Xiao Zheng picked up the bandit leader’s sword and hurled it at the second-in-command, still fighting desperately. The blade pierced through the man’s chest, pinning him to a tree behind. His lifeless eyes stared wide, and the nearby bandits dropped their weapons, collapsing to their knees in surrender.
The battle was over in an instant.
After mopping up, Liu Qian sat dejected on the ground. A single misstep had nearly cost him his life against these murderous thugs. The once-arrogant man was thoroughly humbled.
Zhang Hu and Li Tie, however, remained unfazed. Their bulging sacks of loot and smug grins stretched ear to ear made them look downright punchable.
Xiao Zheng ordered the surviving bandits bound and gagged, then dumped near the nearest city gate with a note before departing.
He then distributed silver ingots to a group of women, his expression softening.
"Rest in the carriage. At dawn, take this silver and start anew—pretend this was just a nightmare."
"Thank you, savior!"
Among the women, one in a green dress glanced up at Xiao Zheng, catching only the faint mole at the corner of his eye before lowering her gaze in silence.
Hooves thundered as the group vanished into the night, leaving the women standing motionless, still dazed.
With the general’s treasury replenished, the imperial army’s evaluations concluded. Xiao Zheng’s officers groaned in frustration—not without reason. Nearly every bandit stronghold within hundreds of miles had been cleared out, and the few stragglers had fled. They had no one left to practice on.
Thus, rumors spread of a mysterious faction in the martial world. Clad in black, ruthless yet never harming civilians, they targeted only bandit dens. Wherever they struck, outlaws who once terrorized the land now trembled at their name. The capital’s outskirts became safer than ever.
In the imperial court, mornings grew quieter without Xiao Zheng’s presence. Fewer memorials piled up. One day, the Emperor suddenly recalled him and learned he was drilling troops. Curiosity stirred.
"This old minister is also curious. General Xiao once boasted boldly—can she truly tame those unruly soldiers?"
"The Xiao Army respects the Marquis of the Northwest’s authority, but the Left and Right Armies won’t bow to her."
The elderly ministers resumed their gossip. At the rear, Lord Lu hunched even lower.
Recently assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture, he’d been met with smirks and teasing from colleagues: "Lord Lu, don’t forget to invite us to the wedding banquet!" The constant jabs had added streaks of silver to his hair.
"Rumors say General Xiao trains soldiers like a deity. This minister yearns to witness it firsthand. I boldly beg Your Majesty’s permission to observe and learn from her methods!"
"I second the motion!"
The Emperor waved a hand.
"Granted. We shall visit the capital’s training grounds today!"
Coincidentally, it was awards day for the Left and Right Armies. Xiao Zheng stood sternly before the rowdy young soldiers, hands clasped behind his back.
"On the battlefield, circumstances shift in an instant. No enemy follows your plans. As commanders, you must keep clear heads! Remember—if morale breaks, defeat is certain."
"This was merely the first trial. In six months, a harsher test awaits! I promote by merit alone, not favoritism. Liu Qian, step forward!"
Clad in armor, Xiao Zheng stood tall as a pine, gaze piercing as he scanned the ranks.
"At your command!" Liu Qian snapped to attention, eyes blazing.
"The Left Army excelled in this evaluation! Each participating soldier is awarded ten taels of silver as encouragement!"
Cheers erupted from the Left Army.
Damn it! They never expected—the Right Army was even worse! Hahaha!! For most soldiers, ten taels was no small sum—enough to feed a family of four for half a year if spent wisely. And they’d already pocketed loot from the raids.
Those who hadn’t joined the trial now regretted it bitterly.
When the Emperor arrived with his entourage, he found soldiers who once seemed lifeless now brimming with ambition, eyes alight with the hunger for glory.
"Left and Right Armies—formations!!"
Drums boomed. Dust swirled across the training field as a killing aura rose among the troops.
The ministers who’d come for amusement fell silent.
The Emperor nodded slightly. As Prince Kang had said, Xiao Zheng truly had skill—no empty boasts. In just two months, the imperial army had transformed. How formidable, then, must the Xiao Army be? A complicated emotion flickered in the Emperor’s heart.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, his expression returning to calm as he clapped his hands.
"Excellent!!"
"With such a divine army, how could our Great Yuan not prosper? To have a divine general like you is truly a blessing for our empire. This Emperor will reward you generously!"
"Thank you for Your Majesty's grace!!"
"Immediately relay this decree! Prepare five hundred plump pigs and sheep at once, ensuring they are delivered to the military camp in the shortest time possible to reward the soldiers!"
"Long live the Emperor, long live, long, long live!!"
The cheers pierced the heavens, and the Emperor, gazing at the soldiers before him, couldn't help but throw his head back in laughter.
The next day, at the Lu residence.
"Imperial decree arrives!"
This time, it was Eunuch Liu delivering the decree again, and Lu Chao was still bewildered.
"Ministry of Works clerk?? Me??"
