Chapter 11: Half a Sixty-Year Cycle, Xiao Jinghong!

Chapter 11. Xiao Jinghong, the Lady of Arsenic Armor!

"Wooo!"

At that moment, far a thousand miles from Shu Zhou City, within the Xuanjia Military Garrison, a melodious horn sounded.

Two tens of thousands of soldiers clad in scarlet-red scales, wielding six-foot-long slaughter horse swords, practiced their formations in perfect rows of five hundred each.

"Huuu!"

"Ha!"

These soldiers bore solemn faces, their bodies robust and muscular, brandishing their long blades with fierce vigor, their might shaking the very earth beneath their feet.

Before them atop a high platform, three crimson banners fluttered high, each emblazoned with a grotesque tiger's head stitched in gold thread.

Below, a woman stood beneath the banners, clad in silver-white scales. She was slightly thinner and shorter than the other soldiers, yet her eyes, hidden behind a half-mask of arsenic armor, were as calm as still water.

—It was none other than Xiao Jinghong, the second granddaughter of the current Duke of Tongyuan, Xiao Yuan.

She gazed at the military formations before her, contemplating the current situation, and secretly mused: "They are nowhere near enough."

Shu Zhou, the southernmost stronghold of the Wei Empire, was hemmed in on three sides by enemies.

To the south lay the ten-thousand-mountain region inhabited by barbarian tribes, where dense forests and towering peaks concealed countless tribal settlements. Since the great war twenty years prior, these barbarians often raided northward, seeking to seize passes.

To the southwest, the Poba Kingdom stood as an outpost of the eastern Buddhist kingdoms advancing westward. Those clad in silk robes became bandits, while those in animal skins rampaged along the tea-horse roads.

To the southeast, the inner sea teemed with pirates who preyed upon merchant vessels and even raided wealthy merchants and trading posts on shore.

Thus, since the founding of the Wei Empire, three military garrisons—Iron Wall, Wild Wolf, and Xuanjia—had been established in Shu Zhou, with soldiers settled to farm and fortifications erected to defend the region.

Simultaneously, Shu Zhou was declared a Protectorate, overseen by a military commissioner and a hereditary marquis who jointly defended the territory.

The marquis in charge of the three garrisons was none other than the Xiao family, to which Xiao Jinghong belonged.

After a moment's incense burned away, the Xuanjia soldiers concluded their drills, standing at ease, their eyes sharp and alert, awaiting the generals' commands.

A middle-aged general approached the platform and bowed: "General Xiao, are you satisfied?"

Xiao Jinghong's gaze remained fixed on the soldiers, her voice calm and flat: "Satisfactory."

The middle-aged general hesitated: "General Xiao, if you have any suggestions, speak freely. I shall report to the commander-in-chief afterward."

Xiao Jinghong tilted her head slightly, thought for a moment, and said: "Their momentum is adequate, but their cultivation is lacking. Against the Poba cavalry brigands, they can hold back two, but against barbarian warriors, there remains a gap."

"This..."

Several officers exchanged glances, discerning the frustration in her expression.

Barbarian warriors, relying solely on brute strength, could match nine-rank, upper-tier martial artists. If they wore heavy armor and wielded blades, even eight-rank martial masters might not prevail in a one-on-one duel.

These Xuanjia soldiers, however, had been hastily assembled from the best of the garrison's troops, totaling two tens of thousands of nine-rank, middle-tier martial artists. Their current might was already a hard-won achievement.

Before these officers could speak, Xiao Jinghong continued: "The formations have been drilled sufficiently. Further practice would yield little benefit. Let them hunt some pirates and bandits to gain experience."

The middle-aged general pondered, then grimly agreed: "I shall obey General Xiao's command. After reporting to the commander-in-chief, I will dispatch troops to sweep the area."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghong slightly nodded, then turned and walked away from the platform.

"All soldiers, your performance is still wanting. Today, we shall continue practicing the slaughter horse sword..."

"Yes!"

After a moment, Xiao Jinghong returned to the headquarters and noticed a figure lying on the table, snoring loudly.

Two female soldiers in soft armor helped her remove her heavy scales, took her helmet, and polished it before retreating outside.

Another woman in a long dress, wearing a half-mask identical to Xiao Jinghong's, approached with two scrolls.

Xiao Jinghong took the scrolls, flipped through them, and pointed at the sleeping figure on the table: "When did she arrive?"

"Not long after you left the training ground."

The sleeper stirred at the sound, lifted her head, revealing a round, rosy face. A silver bell around her neck chimed softly as she moved.

She blinked dazedly, then upon seeing Xiao Jinghong, her eyes widened in joy: "Sister Xiao, you're back! We were so bored we fell asleep waiting for you!"

Xiao Jinghong glanced at her, her voice flat: "Pei Nanlu, this is a military garrison, not a place for you."

"I know, but Grandmother insisted I come find you."

Pei Nanlu, younger in age and shorter than Xiao Jinghong, yet curvaceous in her colorful dress, her bare feet gleaming white like jade.

"What do you want?"

"Soon is the Bonfire Festival of the clan. Grandmother wants you to attend."

Pei Nanlu saw Xiao Jinghong not looking up, leaned in to read the scrolls together.

"Grandmother said these years have been much better thanks to your care. She wants you to come for the festival, and also to discuss trade agreements."

"Trade agreements?" Xiao Jinghong paused, "The Thirteen Tribes, or your own clan?"

"All thirteen tribes together!" Pei Nanlu laughed merrily: "Are you satisfied, Sister Xiao?"

"I'll send someone to discuss the specifics."

"Ah? You won't go yourself?"

"No." Xiao Jinghong closed the scrolls, sat at the table, "Soon is my grandfather's sixtieth birthday. I must return home."

"His birthday? A feast?" Pei Nanlu's eyes widened, a small tusk peeking from her lips, quickly adding: "May I go?"

"No."

"Why? When you married, I helped you block the wedding. Now that Uncle Xiao is celebrating his birthday, I want to go. Is that not reasonable?"

"No."

"If I helped you then, you should repay me now. He would have died in the Xiao family."

"He will die in the Xiao family," Xiao Jinghong's voice remained unchanged.

"But but..." Pei Nanlu's large, watery eyes blinked pleadingly: "Just let me go, Sister Xiao."

"Break your legs!"

"..."

Pei Nanlu pouted, then turned and walked toward the door.

As she reached the entrance, no one called out behind her.

Soon, Xiao Jinghong heard Pei Nanlu's voice echoing from outside: "Xiao Jinghong, you won't let me go? I'll go anyway! I still want to teach that runaway groom a lesson..."

The female officer beside her asked: "General, should we send someone to stop her?"

Xiao Jinghong slightly shook her head: "Let her be."

"But the husband-to-be..."

"Pei Nanlu knows her place. She won't harm him." Xiao Jinghong asked: "Any letters from home?"

"Er-ya has received a letter."

"What's that about?"

The female official hesitated, then said, "He said that, in recent days, the younger master has begun practicing martial arts, but he lacks talent, is careless, lazy, and unfit for any significant task."

Xiao Jinghong’s lips curved slightly beneath her silk sleeve: "That’s fine. Being a idle and superfluous son-in-law is better than before, when he was full of ambition."

She didn’t expect Chen Yi to be diligent; all she wanted was for him not to be as much of a burden on the Xiao family as when he’d fled his wedding.

"General, you—do you not resent his previous escape from the marriage?" the female official asked cautiously.

"Why should I?" Xiao Jinghong’s smile faded. "Before the wedding, I already knew my grandfather sought a match for Chen’s family with a specific purpose."

"Next year, without bearing arms, he will set out for Jinling as a hostage. The Xiao family needs me there."

When he finished speaking, Xiao Jinghong swept his gaze across the room and calmly commanded, "Prepare everything. Tomorrow, we depart and head back, stopping by the Guard Commandant’s office and the military barracks to check on the letters from the capital."

(Chapter Complete)