All her movements were as smooth as flowing water, without any sluggishness. Her agile figure was completely different from that wealthy woman who had been aided in and out of a horse carriage just yesterday. Despite the appearance of weakness yesterday, she had proven the true extent of her strength. Today, however...even the frailty she had exhibited yesterday was gone.
One look at her was enough to witness the sharp intensity of her aura, enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine.
This was where Ji Xinhe’s uniqueness lied. When she needed to be in the role of a noble lady, she could carry herself with grace and elegance. And when she needed to be in the role of a military commander, she could exude an imposing grandeur.
And she didn’t have to pretend to be either because she was capable of playing both roles well.
"Why are you all standing there dumbfounded?! Did I ask you to stop?!" Xinhe’s voice rose slightly, carrying a sharp edge as her cold gaze swept over the soldiers in the training ground, causing an icy chill to crawl up their backs.
The soldiers shuddered, instantly resuming their weapon drills.
It wasn’t until then that General Zheng finally recovered, with a wry smile, he said: "This soldier pays his respects to the princess."
Xinhe had no objections to the title "princess". She had no attachment to the military power granted to her. It was simply something Marquis Mu Houchu had entrusted her with; all she needed to do was use it to train these soldiers properly and prepare them to resist the imperial court’s attacks. It didn’t matter to her if they saw her as their princess or general.
Just like their first meeting when she merely wore a woman’s dress, she only wanted them to accept her as their leader, rather than because of her identity.
Xinhe looked at the soldiers on the training ground and asked softly, "Are these infantry?"
"That’s correct."
"Yesterday, General Zheng introduced me to many different types of soldiers, but I noticed there were no assault soldiers," Xinhe said.
At her words, General Zheng stammered, "Assault soldiers? I must admit my ignorance. I know about infantry, cavalry, and mounted archers, but assault soldiers..."
Xinhe nodded softly, "Apparently there are none. Actually, this type of soldier plays a significant role, especially in technically sophisticated battles. The requirements for assault soldiers are high in terms of martial arts, understanding of battles, and proficiency with weapons. Such soldiers often take the lead in a raid on the enemy’s camp, which provides a distinct advantage in wars."
General Zheng was dumbstruck. This was the first time he’d heard of assault soldiers, and the fact that he was learning this from a woman surprised him even more.
This woman was extraordinary indeed.
"Your words hold valuable wisdom, princess." General Zheng was stunned for a while before hurriedly agreeing.
Xinhe pursed her lips and pointed to the soldiers on the ground. "Bring some capable soldiers up here and I’ll personally train them as an example."
Her words were clear - she was considering adding this type of unit to their forces.
The urgency in General Zheng’s response was palpable as he hurriedly commanded some men to step forward.
The selected soldiers were visibly frightened. From yesterday, the woman’s reputation had begun to spread throughout the army. Anyone who caught her attention ended up in hot water.
The crowd beneath the training platform looked on, eager for the spectacle.
The five soldiers selected to demonstrate stood in front of Ji Xinhe, awaiting her further instructions. "Now you can all attack me at once, using your best abilities. If you can wound me, you will be generously rewarded."
The five soldiers turned pale and quickly fell to their knees. "We wouldn’t dare!"
Xinhe casually pulled out a small wooden knife from her sleeve. It was a toy that Marquis Mu had made for Ah Guai. The toy knife was completely blunt and wouldn’t harm anyone. It was also small and good-looking, making it a favorite toy for Ah Guai.
Now that the toy knife was in Ji Xinhe’s hand, it seemed completely out of place and puzzling to the onlookers.
A little fire brought over a bowl of red dye. Ji Xinhe dipped the wooden knife into the dye and said, "Pay attention, this is my weapon. You can use the weapons you’re most comfortable with to attack me. Whoever wounds me will be heavily rewarded. If you’re too cowardly to even fight, I also need you. You’ll receive fifty military cane strokes and get out."
Xinhe spoke these words lightly, as if she was merely discussing what to have for lunch.
But in the ears of the surrounding people, her words stirred up a storm, their faces changing rapidly. As they hesitated, staring at the red wooden knife in Xinhe’s hand, one person finally stood up, drawing his sharp sword in preparation. Soon, others followed suit, wielding their weapons.
Xinhe stood just two steps away from them, holding the small wooden knife indifferently, drawing attention to the sharp red color on it.
"Attack!" One of the soldiers was the first to launch an attack on Xinhe, brandishing his sword at her. Xinhe didn’t dodge, only slightly dodging when the sword was nearing her. She grabbed his sword wielding hand and coolly let the wooden knife leave a red "wound" on his neck.
The soldier remained frozen in place, completely shocked at what had just occurred. Xinhe’s ghostly agility and fierce skills had happened in a split second, leaving him no room to react. Before he knew it, he was already "dead".
The other soldier exchanged glances, and then the four of them threw themselves at Xinhe. But she was too fast and precise, and within moments, each of them had a similar red "wound" on their necks.
It was the first time everyone had truly witnessed Xinhe’s abilities. They were all stunned, staring at each other in disbelief before falling to their knees and exclaiming, "The princess is mighty!"
Even General Zheng on the side kept repeating, "the princess is formidable indeed!"
Xinhe handed the wooden knife back to Xiao Chaihuo and then asked, "Did you carefully observe my moves?"
General Zheng was stunned, hesitated for a moment, and then finally managed to reply, "I remember a little."
"It doesn’t matter if you didn’t pick up everything. At the very least, you should understand that this type of close combat relies on being fast, accurate, and ruthless. This is also essential for assault soldiers."
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