Chapter 145

"General Duoti, what are your suggestions for the sparring sessions between our soldiers on both sides?"

That day, Xiao Yunzhou summoned Duoti to the imperial study.

He introduced Hou Yuchuan, the commanding officer of West Mountain, to Duoti. "Duoti, feel free to speak your mind."

Xiao Yunzhou was also worried that Duoti's heart was still in Chu even though he was physically in Jing, and might harm his precious Little Princess.

So he had Wei Zheng bring the Wet Nurse, holding the Little Princess behind the screen in the imperial study.

"As the King of Jing commands." Duoti was sturdy in build, his voice booming like a temple bell as he placed his right hand on his chest.

With his thick brows and large eyes, he appeared exceptionally upright and honest, not like someone with ulterior motives.

From start to finish, his posture was impeccable, showing complete obedience.

Hou Yuchuan, standing by the side, flashed a look of appreciation. "Brave warrior of the grasslands, a hundred tales cannot match seeing you in person. After our sparring, let us share a drink."

Duoti hesitated before nodding. "Thank you for the hospitality."

He seemed ill-at-ease with social interactions.

Xiao Yunzhou was speechless.

If he didn't know in advance that Duoti had been bribed by the King of Chu and was full of schemes, Xiao Yunzhou would have almost believed Duoti's 'honest and straightforward' persona.

[Wow, this Duoti is a ruthless man.]

[His pretense means nothing. In the past, when he was bullied and beaten by his brothers, he didn't utter a word and endured the hardship.]

Through the gap in the screen, Xiao Chuchu saw the armor Duoti was wearing in the study.

Hearing Duoti's 'watertight' response, she immediately thought of the 'live stream' she had seen at the foreign quarters these past few days.

[In the foreign quarters these days, the Ministry of Rites has been serving him lavishly, but he refuses it all.]

Xiao Chuchu clicked her tongue, amazed by this man's perseverance.

[The emperor father has been away at West Mountain for so long, and Duoti has been living like a vagrant in the foreign quarters for just as long.]

"Huh?" Xiao Yunzhou was stunned.

[In the freezing cold, he doesn't use a brazier in his room at the foreign quarters, and even though there are beds with quilts, he doesn't sleep on them. He just lays a straw mat on the ground and sleeps in his clothes.]

[The sumptuous meals, fine wines, and delicacies prepared by the foreign quarters, he doesn't touch a single bite. He returns them untouched, saying he brought his own grassland food.]

[He's almost reduced to gnawing on tree bark.]

"What?!"

Xiao Yunzhou stared wide-eyed at Duoti, who didn't seem particularly haggard.

What is he doing?

Didn't his daughter just say that the King of Chu had bribed Duoti with generous gifts?

He had thought Duoti was greedy, which is why he had instructed the Ministry of Rites to serve him lavishly, sparing no expense.

"Ahem, Duoti, have you been comfortable staying at the foreign quarters these past few days?"

[But Duoti only heard the first part where the storyteller talked about how Jing used to struggle in everything, with the Duke of Dingguo cursing the court for not paying military stipends.]

[When the Duke of Dingguo gets drunk, he loves to recount the hardships of leading soldiers into battle... things like lack of military pay, not even having rations... freezing to death in the snow, eating horses when hungry, and then wanting to eat the fallen enemy soldiers after finishing the horses... The storyteller knows all this and incorporated it into his latest segment about 'reflecting on past bitterness to appreciate present sweetness.']

[But when Duoti heard it, he became terrified, thinking Jing's soldiers suffered even more than those on the grasslands.]

Xiao Yunzhou's mouth twitched.

Truly, rumors are more ferocious than tigers!

Taking things out of context is so misleading.

Xiao Yunzhou shifted his complicated gaze to Duoti, who was still looking at Hou Yuchuan with pity.

"General Duoti, I just had a thought."

"It's not appropriate for our two countries to engage in bloodshed and battle."

"How about this - for this sparring session, your ten brave grassland warriors can be divided into two groups of five, and work together with my elite Jing soldiers respectively."

"Form two teams, one side with ten attackers, and the other with ten defenders."

"Here's how it will be, Duoti, you will be the chief commander, and Hou Yuchuan will be the deputy commander. You two will be in one group, responsible for the attack."

"The other group will be on the defensive. I will appoint the Duke of Dingguo as the chief commander, and choose another brave warrior from the prairie to be the deputy commander."

Duoti and Hou Yuchuan were both taken aback.

This was different from what they had expected.

Xiao Yunzhou's expression was ambiguous, "The prairie and my Jing Country are not in opposition. This sparring session is more about exchange."

"From today, ten defenders, ten attackers, two groups of soldiers, mixing those from the prairie and Jing Country, eating, living, and training together for three days."

"After three days, we will have an attack and defense battle at Ma Family Slope."

Xiao Yunzhou rubbed his palms together, leaning forward.

[Wow, is this the ancient version of a military exercise?]

Xiao Chuchu exclaimed.

Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up. Exercise, what an apt word, befitting the celestial realm.

"It's settled then. Hou, the deputy commander, you and General Duoti choose four brave warriors from the prairie and four soldiers from Jing Country to form the ten-man attack squad."

"Immediately, go to the Capital Camp and rest and train!"

Xiao Yunzhou narrowed his eyes.

He must let Duoti see the true conditions of the Jing Country military camp!

Duoti has misunderstood his Jing Country too much!

"Oh, and when you enter the Capital Camp, you don't need to bring anything from the barbarian quarters." Xiao Yunzhou looked at Duoti meaningfully.

"!"

Duoti, who had intended to bring the prairie map to frame Jing Country, was shaken to the core.