Moreover, the trees were all evergreen, which concealed the place well. After turning around a giant tree, you could see a military review platform built in front of it.

Wei Tingsi led Zhao Shu step by step onto the reviewing stand. All the elite troops who had been training there had already gathered below. There were so many people that Zhao Shu could not see the end of the line; there were at least tens of thousands of them.

Every soldier was in high spirits, their armor and weapons gleaming. They were all excited to see Wei Tingsi.

Previously, Zhao Shu did not quite understand why Zhao Kuangyin wanted to "release military power over a cup of wine," nor did she understand why emperors insisted on smearing their generals. Sometimes, a civil official could casually submit a memorial, and the emperor could dismiss the general and completely negate his past achievements.

Now she understands deeply, because many times, a general is the soul of an army! In the hearts of those soldiers, they know better than anyone whose side they belong to and whose side they don't belong to. Most of them will not easily abandon the general they initially followed. They are loyal and devoted, and as long as the general gives the order, they will go through fire and water without hesitation.

It has been common since ancient times for a single family to have its own army.

Zhao Shu and Wei Tingsi stood together on the reviewing stand. The soldiers below were excited and couldn't help but exchange glances. They all had high military discipline and did not whisper among themselves.

Instead, they communicated with each other through eye contact, quite tacitly.

For example, Soldier A: The general has finally found a woman, and she looks pretty good.

Soldier B: He exudes an air of nobility; no wonder he's our general. He has good taste.

Soldier C: I heard from Brother Li that the general made his move on the girl when she was young.

The soldiers, A and B, glared and bared their teeth to show their anger. They knew the truth but didn't tell us. It was simply unethical!

Soldier C felt wronged. He had only just found out himself. The one who kept it a secret was Li Zhuo. That kid was very tight-lipped. Seeing how much they were worried about the general's marriage, he didn't reveal a word. Last time he went home, he lamented to his mother that the general was getting on in years and still unmarried. His mother comforted him, saying she would keep an eye out for the general...

Zhao Shu's face turned green. She secretly reached out and pinched Wei Tingsi. The soldiers below the stage were looking at her as if they had discovered a new continent, making every cell in her body feel hot.

What kind of look is that? Are the in-laws staring at their daughter-in-law? Does it have to be so blatant? At least be a little more subtle!

Wei Tingsi smiled, turned his hand over and grabbed Zhao Shu's hand, proudly showing off their affection in front of tens of thousands of soldiers.

Zhao Shu struggled, but couldn't break free no matter what she did. She glared at him, but said without opening her mouth, "Let go. Men and women shouldn't touch each other. How can I face people after this?"

Wei Tingsi smiled in response, without moving his mouth, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Does Shushu think it's shameful to be their general's wife?"

It's a wonder she dared to ask such a question. If she were more thin-skinned, she would definitely be furious right now, and if she were, she would definitely storm off, making him lose face.

However, Zhao Shu wasn't too thin-skinned. "Didn't you say you wanted me to call you Marshal?"

"It will be soon. Does Shushu think that title is impressive?" He smiled, his expression full of doting affection and sweetness, hoping to share his achievements with Zhao Shu and let her see his most impressive side.

The two looked at each other on stage, both with smiles on their faces. Tens of thousands of soldiers below the stage were forced to witness their public display of affection, yet they felt even sweeter than the two of them.

Xia Guang was the most unable to stand it. If he weren't afraid of Wei Tingsi's strength, he would have shouted: "God, I can't stand it anymore! If you want to show affection, go back to your room!"

"Stop being so glib and get down to business." Zhao Shu forcibly pulled her hand away and stood beside Xia Guang, giving him the spotlight.

Seeing her shyness, Wei Tingsi's lips curled up, and although he tried to suppress his smile, he couldn't help it.

After a moment, she managed to suppress the sweetness in her heart before loudly proclaiming, "This is Princess Jun."

The sudden introduction made Zhao Shu glare at him again. The soldiers below the stage were immediately agitated. Rows of soldiers knelt down and shouted, "Greetings, Princess!" Their voices were loud and clear, and the sound was infectious, instantly stirring up their blood.

This is the power of a team, turning the simple into the profound, and the minute into the grand.

She had no choice but to step forward and announce, "Everyone, please rise."

The soldiers below the stage heard her voice for the first time. As soon as her voice fell, they were all like they had been injected with chicken blood. They forgot about their military discipline and started whispering among themselves.

"The princess is beautiful, her voice is sweet, and most importantly, she and the general are a match made in heaven."

"Yes, yes, I've heard that the princess is a virtuous and good woman. The general should find a woman like her to be his wife. It would be prestigious."

They spoke with flushed faces, even more excited than Wei Tingsi, as if they were getting married themselves.

"I also heard that the rank of the princess is much higher than that of the princess. Even the princess has to bow to her. I knew it! The general is so reluctant to marry. Heaven must be saving the best for him."

"What is a princess? The princess is the Empress Dowager's own granddaughter. The Empress has no daughters. There is a difference between illegitimate and legitimate children. The princess is a noble royal lady with a pure lineage. How can she be compared to those scoundrels?"

Historically, the government has always implemented a policy of keeping the people ignorant. Children of noble families, those who are enlightened, would not admire the royal family so much, but it is different for ordinary people. In the eyes of ordinary people, the royal family is the most noble family in the world.

Of course, despite their high status, in their eyes, the general they should follow is the one they believe in. They don't blindly follow anyone just because they think someone is more prestigious.

In addition, in their eyes, aristocratic families were defined as people of high moral character and prestige.

Wei Tingsi listened to the soldiers' discussion with a smile, not angry at all. He looked at Zhao Shu with a half-smile and said softly, "Shushu, I didn't do anything."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!