Chapter 4: The first day of service for the Sixteen Guards of the Southern Court was anything but smooth. ...

In the back garden of the Marquis of Xuanping's residence, Chen Yuanqing held a willow stick about the thickness of his forearm in his hand.

Chen Liangyu moved swiftly through the garden scenery.

As Chen Yuanqing chased after him, he shouted angrily, "Chen Liangyu, you stop right there! You dare to run?! I'll beat you to death today!"

Chen Linjun urgently summoned his mother, Madam He, who had been secluded in the Buddhist hall for many years, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures.

He Yunzhou quickly walked around the pavilion, waved his hand, and blocked Chen Yuanqing's way with his white ash wood cane. He put his hands on his hips and said, "Chen Yuanqing, why did you hit my daughter again? Last time you hit her with twenty lashes, she almost lost half her life."

Chen Yuanqing let out a sigh of relief. After such a heavy injury, his body was no longer what it used to be, and he couldn't help but admit that he was getting old.

He Yunzhou looked ready to settle scores at any moment, which deflated Chen Yuanqing's confidence. He said with a hint of helplessness, "Ask her, ask her what good deeds she's done this time!"

Chen Liangyu peeked out from behind the vermilion pillar of the pavilion, calling out, "Didn't you say I could do whatever I wanted, Father?"

"You still dare to say that."

As Chen Yuanqing was about to chase after him, he said, "You've really made your father look very proud!"

He Yunzhou snatched the willow stick from Chen Yuanqing's hand: "Alright, Huai'er told me about what happened at the morning court. Didn't you also not want your daughter to marry the Crown Prince? Li'er, come here and apologize to your father."

Chen Liangyu reluctantly walked out of the pavilion, fidgeting for a long time without uttering a single word.

Seeing her expression, Chen Yuanqing knew she was unconvinced and said, "Don't you know where you went wrong?"

"Saying it's up to me is just because I'm afraid people will say you've failed to raise your daughter properly, that Chen Yuanqing's daughter is shameless for talking about her marriage in front of the Emperor, thus embarrassing you."

Chen Liangyu straightened his back, his voice full of energy. Despite his thousand grievances, he pointed one foot outward, ready to run at any moment.

"You..." Chen Yuanqing was so angry that he couldn't speak.

After calming Chen Yuanqing down, He Yunzhou turned to Chen Liangyu and said, "Li'er, you have always been a sensible child, but what you did this time was really inappropriate. Although His Majesty's decision to make you the Crown Princess has not yet been finalized, he is discussing it with your father. If you want to marry Prince Shen, your father will speak to the Emperor privately as an elder. What you did today was to publicly humiliate the Emperor and the Crown Prince."

Chen Liangyu said, "Since we are still discussing it, we should express our opinion as soon as possible before a decision is made. Do we have to wait until the imperial edict arrives and there is no room for maneuver before I go and defy it?"

Chen Linjun slapped her hard from behind, so hard that she almost coughed up blood. He winked at Chen Liangyu and said, "Say less and apologize to your father."

"I did nothing wrong, I don't admit it."

Chen Yuanqing felt a surge of anger rising in his heart, but instead laughed: "Well done, Chen Liangyu, you've been granted an official title, that's impressive! Keep it up!" He put his thumb up between Chen Liangyu's eyes and on the bridge of his nose, "Go to the ancestral hall and kneel for two hours to think things through."

"Kneel then."

***

There were long-standing rumors in the court that Emperor Xuanyuan and Marquis Xuanping, Chen Yuanqing, were at odds. This time, Chen Yuanqing returned to court with a great victory, but Emperor Xuanyuan insisted on making Chen Liangyu the Crown Princess, seemingly to prove the rumors untrue.

There are three reasons for this.

One reason Emperor Xuanyuan wanted to add glory to Marquis Xuanping was that he wanted to do so.

Secondly, considering the military power currently held by the Chen family, any marriage or wedding of a daughter by the Marquis of Xuanping could cause upheaval in the court. Whoever Chen Liangyu marries, the 400,000 troops in the northern border will become their ally.

Thirdly, Chen Yuanqing submitted several resignations after the court, retiring from his post. Chen Linjun took over the military affairs of the northern border, effectively transferring power from one hand to the other. Ultimately, the Xuanping Marquis's mansion still held sole control, leaving Chen Liangyu in Yongdu to keep the northern border in check.

Ten days after returning to the capital, Chen Yuanqing again wanted to relinquish his military power and resign, but Emperor Xuanyuan politely refused. Undeterred, he submitted his resignation petition for three consecutive days, but Emperor Xuanyuan did not approve it. He then took sick leave and stopped attending the morning court sessions every day, which Emperor Xuanyuan granted.

All military affairs in the northern border were handed over to Chen Linjun, and the Emperor granted Chen Linjun special permission to return to the northern frontier after the New Year. As a result, there were two more idle people in the household, with nothing to do all day long.

Chen Linjun would sneak out every day to find Yan Nian, acting furtively like a chicken thief.

He and Yan Nian had been married for several years but had no children. His mother, Madam He, went with Yan Nian to Hongfu Temple to have the abbot divine the future. The divination showed that after a short period of joyous celebration, they would be without offspring.

The eldest brother and sister-in-law's wedding banquet was simple. At that time, the war was at a stalemate, and they only had time to toast the soldiers and pay respects to their parents and heaven and earth. Upon closer inspection, they didn't even have time to make a proper wedding dress. Madam He was already upset about the neglect she had given her daughter-in-law. After consulting a divination, she insisted on holding a wedding banquet in Shangyong on an auspicious day, despite the repeated dissuasion of Yan Baizhang and his daughter Yan Nian.

After the betrothal and auspicious rites were completed, they proceeded with setting the wedding date and welcoming the bride. Madam He was very particular about this matter and forbade the couple from seeing each other before the wedding.

However, the auspicious wedding date was chosen to be the sixteenth day after the new year, which caused Chen Linjun great distress. He angrily cursed the abbot for taking people's incense money without doing any good deeds.

Chen Liangyu watched with utter disdain: "Brother, your remarriage with sister-in-law is only two or three months away. It's not like we're trying to break you up. Why go to such lengths?"

"What do you know?" Chen Linjun felt like killing her, and said with a forced smile, "The Sixteen Guards are quite idle?"

That's really bringing up the very thing you shouldn't be talking about.

The Sixteenth Guard's first day in office was not smooth.

The original deputy commander, Gao Guan, was determined to be promoted to commander. However, when a new person was suddenly parachuted in, a young girl with yellow hair whose thighs were not even as thick as his arms, he was extremely dissatisfied and tried every means to instigate his subordinates to trip up Chen Liangyu.

Chen Liangyu stepped one foot into the threshold of the garrison headquarters, but everyone was busy with their own things and didn't seem to notice her.

Only one person threw down his broom and ran towards her. The person was dressed in the uniform of the Sixteenth Guard, was a little taller than Chen Liangyu, and had a slightly childlike face with a tanned wheat color.

"You must be the newly appointed commander?" he asked with a smile.

Perhaps it's because the innocent heart of a young person hasn't been worn down by life, and even their smile is clean and bright.

After receiving a nod of approval, he grinned and introduced himself as he led the way: "My name is Xing Rui. I sweep the floor at the garrison office. I've only been here for two days."

Chen Liangyu nodded slightly: "I've got it."

Xing Rui looked her over closely. She was taller than the average girl, and her face was somewhat cold and stern, without a smile. He chuckled, "Commander, I really didn't realize you were so capable. Three thousand remnants of your troops defeated a hundred thousand enemy soldiers. Even novels wouldn't dare to write something like that!"

Chen Liangyu's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers clenched tightly.

He was referring to the battle when Dingbei City fell.

Although it was truly a legendary battle, for those who experienced it firsthand, it was like being in a hellish inferno. She was a remnant soul who crawled out from the blood and flesh of thousands of soldiers, a survivor. Those soldiers who were buried far from home should not be considered as merits worthy of her mention.

Seeing her commander's displeasure, Xing Rui tactfully changed the subject: "Commander, I heard you're getting married soon? Has the Emperor granted your request for a marriage?"

Gossip really does spread fast! Chen Liangyu took a deep breath and tightened her clenched fist even more.

Ying Rui's eyes blinked brightly. She was a good child, but she didn't seem very bright.

Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about?

Xing Rui realized she had misspoke again, but thankfully they had already reached the main hall. To make amends, she introduced the place even more enthusiastically: "Commander, this is where the Sixteen Guards usually handle all their affairs. To the right are the side rooms where you can rest if you're tired. To the left is the armory, and behind that is where the brothers rest when they change shifts. The Sixteen Guards don't have much to do, so it's quite leisurely..."

Before he finished speaking, a tall, burly man strode in, followed by a dozen or so soldiers, each carrying a stack of books. In the blink of an eye, they piled them up in front of Chen Liangyu, covering the entire table.

Xing Rui stepped forward, bowed slightly to the man at the head of the group, and called out, "Deputy Commander Gao."

Gao Guan ignored him, so he consciously stepped aside.

Gao Guan stood in front of Chen Liangyu, his burly body completely blocking the light behind him, attempting to project power silently.

Chen Liangyu put his hands behind his back, tilted his head slightly, and stared back at him.

Gao Guanren was honest and clumsy, with a bewildered look in his eyes, and seemed not to remember seeing him that night.

I didn't recognize him.

For a moment, Gao Guan inexplicably felt the pressure emanating from the young girl's aura.

He blinked his small eyes, pointed to a stack of books on the desk, and said, "All the matters handled by the Sixteen Guards over the past ten years, all the expenses, and all the personnel's comings and goings are here. Take a good look at them, and tell me if there are any oversights or things that need to be improved."

Chen Liangyu emerged from behind the desk and said respectfully, "Vice Commander Gao, I am new here, please forgive any mistakes."

Having saved face, Gao Guan softened his tone: "Commander, you're too kind. This is my duty. Please keep watch, and the brothers won't bother you any longer."

He didn't tell her where to start, but it didn't really matter. Uncle Yan had already taught her. These things were easy for her to understand when she was in the Northern Camp. She figured that the accounts and personnel of the Sixteen Guards, which had less than 5,000 men, couldn't be more complicated than those of an army of 400,000.

Chen Liangyu bowed slightly, and Gao Guan then turned and left with his men.

She shifted her gaze to the case files and ledgers that were a foot high on the table, then turned it to Xingrui's face.

Not much to do? Very relaxed?

Ying Rui blushed, scratched the back of her head awkwardly, and grinned.

Gao Guan stopped at the door, turned around and pointed at Xing Rui, saying, "Hey kid, why aren't you leaving?"

So Xingrui followed her out.

Not long after, a string of curses came from outside: "You little brat, you've only just arrived and you're already trying to curry favor with her, you traitorous little beast! You want to climb the social ladder? You should at least see if you're up to the task. You're all talk and no action. Go back to sweeping your floor!"

In one morning, Chen Liangyu had only finished reading one stack of books. Fortunately, there were no mistakes or omissions, which suggested that Gao Guan had done his best.

She rubbed her temples, stretched her limbs, and shuffled out. She'd rather be training in the army; if she'd known it would be this kind of backache, leg cramps, and other grueling work, she would never have taken it.

She was just about to step into the sunlight and stretch when she heard voices coming from around the corner at the other end of the corridor.

"Reincarnation is a real skill. Brothers might not even get promoted after three to five years, but this guy got promoted directly to commander."

"Putting everything else aside, although our Sixteen Guards are not as glorious as before, we are still the imperial guards. Serving under a maid, I feel ashamed to even hold my head up when I walk. Yesterday, Huang San'er and the others from the Northern Office invited me to drink, but I made excuses to decline. Going would only make them a laughingstock."

There were also those who spoke up, their voices barely audible: "It's not entirely because of Marquis Xuanping; she has military merits."

No one paid him any attention; he was quickly drowned out by louder voices.

Two months ago, in the northern border of Dali, Beiyong sent troops to Dingbei City in Suzhou. After days of bloody fighting, the city's garrison's supplies and provisions were finally exhausted, and the Grand Marshal Chen Yuanqing was seriously wounded.

Victory was within reach when a surprise attack suddenly appeared.

Chen Liangyu displayed his talent, taking command and leading his remaining troops to abandon the city and lure the enemy. In the Horseshoe Valley of the Qilian Mountains, they used rolling stones and fire attacks from the hillside. That day, a strong wind blew, thick smoke filled the sky, and the smell of burning meat could be smelled for miles around.

The Yong army, realizing they had fallen into an ambush, still had a chance to survive, but Chen Linjun, who arrived with reinforcements at the opportune moment, intercepted and killed them from the rear. The main force of Northern Yong suffered more than half its losses and was unable to fight any longer.

Two months later, Bei Yong surrendered. The decades-long war between the two countries thus came to a brief respite.

Ying Rui swayed over listlessly, carrying a bamboo broom, while Chen Liangyu leaned against the doorframe, listening intently to their discussion.

"Ah!" Xing Rui was startled by the head that suddenly appeared on the door: "You scared me! You heard me?"

Chen Liangyu shrugged and spread his hands, ignoring the criticisms of those people.

What good would it do to hear it? When the Emperor asked her if she dared to take on the task, she had already anticipated a situation a thousand times worse than this. A few words were utterly insignificant.

Xing Rui didn't understand her meaning, but guessed that she must be very upset to be talked about like that, so she comforted her, "Don't take it to heart. To be honest, when I first came to the Southern Office, I was also given a waist knife, but now I've been given a broom."

Why did the waist knife turn into a broom?

"Made a small mistake. Inadvertently, a bowl of hot soup was poured over Vice Commander Gao's head."

Chen Liangyu realized that this person was treating her like a little girl. But she still chuckled softly; how careless of her!

A note from the author: