Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 544: Rivalry (Part 2)

Jiang Shaohua looked at Lin Huiniang, who had a face full of relief, and couldn’t help but smile: "Have you decided? Not getting married in the future?"

Cao Da needs no introduction; he is a personal soldier of Liu Hengchang, with parents, a son, house, and land. Given Lin Huiniang’s situation, remarrying Cao Da is a good choice.

Mani is a foreigner and has lost an arm, with physical disabilities, yet he is a courageous and brave man, with a stature and appearance stronger than Cao Da. Now Mani is in the military camp assisting with training, which counts as meritorious service. If Lin Huiniang is willing to marry, it’s not impossible.

Lin Huiniang hesitated for a while, softly saying: "Commandery Princess, I really have no plans to marry. However, I want to have a child."

Jiang Shaohua was somewhat surprised, looking Lin Huiniang up and down: "You only want a child, not a husband?"

Lin Huiniang nodded: "If I wanted to remarry, I would have done so years ago. But my heart has been utterly wounded, and I don’t want a man. If I can have a child that I raise myself, nothing would be better."

Jiang Shaohua picked up on a certain implication: "So, Mani is not unrequited; you have feelings for Mani as well."

Lin Huiniang, slightly embarrassed, lowered her voice to reveal her plan: "Mani is a foreigner, born a slave, and even struggles with the Da Liang language. I’m thinking of having a child with him. Once I’m pregnant, I’ll sever ties."

A foreign slave in the military camp can’t stir up trouble. Perhaps after a year or two, he would be sent back to Biyang Racecourse to continue as a slave, without me needing to do anything to distance myself.

Cao Da won’t work. Once entangled, he would cling to me without letting go. I want to have my own child, and Cao Da is absolutely not the choice.

Jiang Shaohua pondered briefly and then understood Lin Huiniang’s intentions: "Well, whether you marry or have a child is your own business. As long as you’ve thought it through."

Lin Huiniang, having received tacit approval from the Commandery Princess, was spirited and quickly bowed to express thanks.

Jiang Shaohua glanced at her: "This matter cannot be publicized, it must be kept low-key. If there are rumors or gossip in the future, you’ll have to bear it yourself."

Lin Huiniang straightened her chest: "I’m a woman who came out of a bandit’s den. In the first two years in the military camp, I was often pointed at and gossiped about. I’m not afraid of idle talk."

She doesn’t want to marry, unwilling to depend on anyone for existence. Rising from that mud, she intends to live the rest of her life with a straight back.

In Jiang Shaohua’s view, this is a small matter that can be easily sheltered. She is pleased to see those once-pitiful women live well.

What does it mean to live well? In fact, it’s simple: living life in a way you like. If Lin Huiniang wants to have a child alone, so be it.

"Huiniang," Sun Zelan’s voice resonated in the tent: "Come in, apply medicine to Mani’s wounds."

Lin Huiniang acknowledged first, bowed to Jiang Shaohua, then entered the Wounded Soldier Camp tent.

Mani is a tough man, having been punished with thirty military regulations, his back and buttocks wounded, yet he remained silent.

Next to him, Cao Da grimaced in pain, occasionally crying out.

The two formed a strong contrast.

Lin Huiniang approached Mani’s bed, bowed her head to apply medicine, her demeanor clearly more gentle than usual, her tone softer: "If it hurts, just cry out, don’t endure it all."

Mani turned his head with difficulty, his eyes fixated on Lin Huiniang, like a starving wolf who’s found meat to fill its stomach.

Lin Huiniang smiled gently and continued applying medicine to Mani.

Though Mani’s back was incredibly painful, in his heart blossomed like a fresh flower.

Entering and leaving the Wounded Soldier Camp was a regular occurrence for him. Lin Huiniang often treated his injuries, clearly liking him. However, Da Liang women are very reserved, never admitting it with their mouths. For this, he was quite troubled. Unexpectedly, suffering a beating today, he received Lin Huiniang’s gentle care.

It was truly worth it!

Cao Da initially was grinning his teeth in pain, but after turning his head and seeing this scene, his eyes turned red with jealousy.

The Commandery Princess was just outside the tent, and Commander Liu was also present, so Cao Da didn’t dare to say much. Only after Sun Junyi treated his back wound and the group left did Cao Da endure the pain and speak: "Lin Huiniang, why didn’t you come and apply medicine for me?"

Lin Huiniang ignored Cao Da, patiently applying medicine to Mani, her movements gentle and meticulous, making others envious.

Mani managed to squint over, a proud and provocative look in his eyes.

Cao Da was furious, yet couldn’t vent his anger at Lin Huiniang, glaring fiercely at Mani. The two continued their ocular duel for several rounds.

After Lin Huiniang got up, she softly instructed Mani: "Your injuries are skin-deep; a few days of rest will have you off the bed. You sleep for a while, and I’ll go to the kitchen to get some hot porridge for you."

"I want porridge too." Cao Da groaned unwillingly: "Lin Huiniang, I’m injured too, why only care for him."

Lin Huiniang turned her head, her beautiful face tight, voice indifferent: "I’ll have someone come over to move you to another tent. You both are not suitable to stay in one place and should recover separately."

"No, if someone leaves, it should be him, why should I leave!"

Unfortunately, in the Wounded Soldier Camp tent, apart from a few military doctors, Lin Huiniang was in charge. Sure enough, Lin Huiniang called two trusted aides to carry the disgruntled Cao Da away.

Mani lay on the bed recovering, smiling even in his dreams.

...

Jiang Shaohua stayed in the military camp, patrolling the camp daily, training alongside the trusted aides.

The Personal Guard Camp had been secretly recruiting trusted aides. Just within the Third Camp, there were over three thousand people. Combined with the First and Second Camps, the number was approaching ten thousand.

In terms of military strength, it was equivalent to two regular stationed armies. Regarding weapons, warhorses, equipment, and combat power, the Personal Guard Camp could be used five to one.

However, such expansion had indeed brought about many negative issues.

"Commandery Princess, most of the trusted aides recruited in the past two years come from North zone refugees. They come from different places, with some not even sharing a common language. Also, most have no martial background, requiring training from scratch."

Liu Hengchang whispered: "These past two years, I have constantly been training new recruits. Secretly taking them to fight bandits in real combat, sending them in shifts to deliver grain to granaries. They can barely be used now, but compared to the old soldiers in the Personal Guard Camp, they still lag far behind."

That is to say, the true elite of the Personal Guard Camp are still the two thousand trusted aides from the early years. Those recruited in the past few years are merely adequate.

Jiang Shaohua nodded slightly: "I’m aware of this, Commandery Princess. Military training is not something achieved overnight, it must be done step by step. The current military strength is already enough for self-defense."

To say self-defense would be too modest.

With the current military capability of Nanyang County, launching an offensive to capture a state or county wouldn’t be difficult. Emperor Taihe, far away in the Capital City, didn’t realize that the Commandery Princess’ talk of "raising soldiers for strength" was not a joke.

Liu Hengchang glanced at the Commandery Princess and acknowledged.

Song Yuan came in with a serious expression, handing over a bamboo tube: "Commandery Princess, there’s news from the border army."