Chapter 20: The General’s Pampered Young Wife 20

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The General’s Pampered Young Wife 20

The moment Xiao Shen stepped out of his tent, he quickly organized his soldiers into formation to face the enemy.

Ahead, Prince Qi, clad in battle armor, was personally leading his troops. Their army was a grand and imposing sight, and their deafening war cries shook the heavens.

Unafraid, Xiao Shen brandished his longsword and charged toward the enemy, leading the vanguard.

His movements were agile and his swordsmanship was lethal. Wherever he went, Prince Qi’s soldiers fell one after another.

Seeing this, Prince Qi was overcome with rage and charged at Xiao Shen, sword in hand.

Xiao Shen’s eyes sharpened as he engaged Prince Qi in a fierce clash.

Swords flashed back and forth between them, and for a time, neither could gain the upper hand.

But Xiao Shen only grew bolder as the fight wore on. Spotting an opening in Prince Qi’s defense, he struck with a sudden burst of force, sending the prince’s sword flying. In the next instant, he leaped forward, dragged Prince Qi from his horse, and pinned him firmly to the ground.

"Everyone, halt! I have captured Prince Qi!" Xiao Shen roared.

Seeing their commander captured, Prince Qi’s soldiers fell into disarray.

Meanwhile, in her tent, Ji Xiaosong was too worried about Xiao Shen to stay put. She secretly summoned Rongrong, sat on her back, and flew into the sky to survey the battlefield.

She watched as Xiao Shen fought with unparalleled bravery amidst the army and successfully captured Prince Qi alive. Her heart swelled with both pride and concern.

Once the situation stabilized, Ji Xiaosong and Rongrong quietly returned to the tent to wait for Xiao Shen’s return.

"Rongrong, Xiao Shen’s martial arts are incredible. If I could learn a thing or two from him, it might come in handy when I travel to other worlds in the future."

[’Learning martial arts is a good idea, but Xiao Shen might not be willing to teach you.’]

"What’s there to be afraid of? I’ll just pester him until he agrees."

Ji Xiaosong hadn’t yet recovered from the scene she’d witnessed on the battlefield. Her mind was filled with the image of Xiao Shen’s incomparably heroic figure.

She still had many worlds to visit in the future. If any of them proved dangerous, having some martial arts skills to protect herself would mean she wouldn’t be completely at the mercy of others.

*

Ji Xiaosong didn’t know how the peace talks between Xiao Shen, the others, and Prince Qi were proceeding, nor did she have much interest in the matter.

She waited a long time for Xiao Shen to come back, but there was no sign of him, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.

The next day, she slept in until late in the morning, but there was still no sign of Xiao Shen.

’I don’t know what that man is made of,’ she thought. ’Ever since I arrived at this army encampment, I’ve barely seen Xiao Shen rest.’

’Even a man of iron would collapse at this rate!’

Just as Ji Xiaosong was wondering how she would persuade Xiao Shen to get some rest when he returned, Li San Niang lifted the tent flap and came inside.

"Madam, the guard contingent from the General Mansion in the Capital City has arrived with supplies," Li San Niang said respectfully.

[’Song, it’s the supplies you arranged for the guards to send on the day you left.’]

Rongrong’s reminder made Ji Xiaosong recall the matter.

She straightened her clothes, smoothed her hair, and said, "Then I’ll go and meet them. They should be the people I arranged for."

But as soon as she lifted the flap, she was stopped.

"Madam, the General has given orders. You are not to leave the tent," a guard said, looking troubled.

Ji Xiaosong frowned slightly. "I’m just going to see the guard contingent, not anywhere else."

"Madam, please don’t make things difficult for us. We dare not disobey the General’s orders."

The guard held firm. With no other choice, Ji Xiaosong said, "In that case, have the guard captain come in."

"Well..."

The two guards exchanged a glance, thought for a moment, then agreed. Soon, they brought the guard captain inside.

The guard captain entered the tent, bowed respectfully to Ji Xiaosong, and said, "Madam, all the supplies have been handed over to the General’s adjutant. Also, a message came from the Capital City asking if you were well. I have already replied that you are doing fine."

Ji Xiaosong nodded. "Thank you for your hard work."

The guard captain added, "Madam, now that we have arrived, it would not be right for us to leave. The General is busy with military affairs, so from now on, we will be responsible for your safety."

’I can’t even leave the tent. What is there to protect?’

Ji Xiaosong shook her head helplessly and sighed. She crossed her arms, her brow furrowed with annoyance.

"Since you are in a military camp, you should focus your energy on assisting the army, not wasting manpower on me. The war is not yet over, and the army needs all the help it can get," Ji Xiaosong said, her expression serious.

The guard captain was taken aback for a moment before quickly replying, "Madam, protecting you is also a matter of utmost importance. Besides, this is the General’s wish as well."

"What danger could I possibly be in inside this tent? Don’t be so stubborn. Follow my arrangements." Ji Xiaosong waved her hand dismissively. She really didn’t need so many people watching her.

The guard captain’s face showed hesitation, but in the end, he cupped his fist and said, "As you command, Madam."

A real man’s ambitions lie in making his mark on the world, especially for men like them who came from the army.

He had thought that after leaving the regular army, he would only serve the Xiao family, but now, unexpectedly, he was back.

How could staying by Ji Xiaosong’s side compare to the camaraderie of the military barracks?

After leaving the tent, the guard captain first went to Xiao Shen’s main tent to report.

At that moment, Xiao Shen was in negotiations with the Crown Prince and Prince Qi. The adjutant couldn’t possibly disturb them, so he had no choice but to agree to Ji Xiaosong’s request.

’Even if the General gets angry later, won’t Madam be there to coax him?’ he figured.

「Meanwhile.」

Ji Xiaosong was incredibly bored in the tent. She had already examined everything inside over and over again, and there was nothing new to see.

Watching Ji Xiaosong pace back and forth out of sheer boredom, Li San Niang softly suggested, "Madam, perhaps you could do some needlework to pass the time?"

"Needlework?"

As a young lady from a noble family, the original owner of this body was naturally skilled at such things.

Coincidentally, among the supplies that had just been delivered were several fine pelts, soft in texture and with a lustrous sheen.

An idea sparked in Ji Xiaosong’s mind. She decided to make a warm cloak for Xiao Shen.

She called Li San Niang over and instructed, "Bring me those pelts, and prepare a needle and thread."

Li San Niang did as she was told and soon had everything ready.

Ji Xiaosong sat before the daybed and began to carefully cut and sew.

"Rongrong, will I forget this dressmaking skill in the next world?"

[’No. Skills you learn on your own in the small worlds will not disappear.’]

"I see. Needlework was a skill the original owner of this body already had. If I want to make it my own, I’ll need to practice it a lot, right?"

[’Yes.’]

Receiving Rongrong’s affirmative answer, Ji Xiaosong breathed a sigh of relief.

She wasn’t greedy when it came to skills; she would be content to master a few in this lifetime.

Any more than that, and she might not be able to perfect them.

Stitch by stitch, Ji Xiaosong carefully sewed the cloak. Before she knew it, the entire day had passed.

As night fell, Ji Xiaosong finally finished the cloak. She looked at her creation with a heart full of joy, hoping Xiao Shen would return soon to try it on.

Just as Ji Xiaosong was thinking about Xiao Shen, the tent flap was lifted, and a weary-looking Xiao Shen walked in. Ji Xiaosong quickly rose to greet him.

"Husband, you’re finally back," Ji Xiaosong said, her eyes full of concern.