The next morning, as dawn broke and the morning glow spread across the horizon, the Chaoyang Garrison was enveloped in a gentle golden light.
Inside the camp, the sound of bugles rang out, breaking the tranquility of the dawn and announcing the start of a new day of training.
Shen Hanshan, dressed in a brocade robe and with a long sword at his waist, rode a magnificent black horse and slowly entered the camp gate.
At the camp, the soldiers were already lined up in neat rows, their armor gleaming coldly in the morning light. Some held guns, others swords, and they were doing their morning exercises in accordance with their commander's commands.
The sounds of clashing swords and spears rose and fell, intertwining with the birdsong echoing from the distant mountains to create a stirring battle hymn. The air was thick with the scent of earth and sweat, the unique, powerful aroma of a military camp.
As Shen Hanshan walked across the training ground, his gaze swept over every focused and resolute face, and a surge of pride welled up within him. These soldiers were his solid support in protecting this land and safeguarding the peace of its people.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" A voice as loud as a tsunami suddenly rang out.
Shen Hanshan nodded slightly from his horse, signaling everyone to continue their morning exercise. He then dismounted and handed the horse to Su Mu, who was standing nearby.
Upon seeing this, Li Xiaotian, the commander of the garrison, quickly stepped forward and bowed, his face full of confusion: "Your Highness, you've come at the right time. Her Highness the Princess just left not long ago. Why are you two still separated, one in front and one behind, instead of going together?"
He was usually a big, burly man who spoke in a rough voice unless it involved military secrets.
Seeing that Shen Hanshan didn't respond, he joked, "Your Highness, could it be that you didn't appease the beauty in bed and angered His Highness?"
Shen Hanshan frowned slightly, punched Li Xiaotian, and said with a laugh, "Li Xiaotian, how many days has it been since you got a beating? Are you itching for a beating?"
Li Xiaotian hurriedly smiled and told Shen Hanshan about the things the princess had inspected after her arrival.
"Your Highness, Her Highness seemed to be just taking a casual stroll. Oh, I heard that Her Highness is a princess who was found among the common people. Perhaps she was curious about what our military camp is like. She took a walk around, found it uninteresting, and quickly went back."
"Tell me about the people who accompanied His Highness."
“It was just His Highness and a maid. The maid was about this tall. Tall and thin, if she weren’t with His Highness, I would have thought she was some young lady from a wealthy family, with delicate and fair skin.” Li Xiaotian gestured as he spoke.
"With Your Highness holding the token, I dare not refuse to let you pass." He lowered his voice as he watched Shen Hanshan's face gradually darken.
Shen Hanshan immediately leaped onto his warhorse, gave a shout, and the black horse shot out of the camp gate like an arrow, galloping off in the direction Zhao Zhi had gone.
The morning breeze brushed against my cheeks, bringing a slight coolness.
Shen Hanshan gripped the reins tightly, urging the horse to gallop along the winding mountain road.
Along the way, he saw people working hard from early morning and occasional patrolling soldiers, but he never found anyone who resembled Zhao Zhi.
He followed the hoofprints forward. Finally, when he reached the banks of the Chun Chao River at the border of Chun Sheng County and Chao Yang County, a cloud of dust rose ahead, indicating that a large number of people and horses had just passed by.
His heart tightened instantly, and he quickened his pace.
Just then, a large caravan suddenly appeared in front of him, slowly approaching from the opposite direction.
The caravan was exceptionally large, with goods piled up like mountains, almost obscuring his view.
He was extremely anxious and hurriedly spurred his horses to bypass the caravan, looking around for Zhao Zhi's whereabouts. However, after the caravan slowly passed by, only the empty riverbank and the fading sound of horses' hooves remained in the distance.
Zhao Zhi had already vanished without a trace!
Shen Hanshan stared wide-eyed at the wide river, unable to resist swearing, his hands clenching into fists that made a creaking sound.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
