Xiao Hongyu wasn’t in the tent now. After Laiyue left, He Changdi continued pacing within his tent frantically. He started rubbing the green jade ring that Chu Lian had given him that he was wearing on his right thumb. It seemed like his heart would only calm down if he did so.
Chu Lian had been intending to leave today. However, Sima Hui persuaded her to stay one more day.
With Sima Hui as her guide, it became much more convenient for Chu Lian to take a tour around the border army camp. She could even take a peek at the female soldiers’ training grounds.
Chu Lian didn’t know how to ride, so Sima Hui’s adjutant Xiaoju picked out a gentle mare for her and helped her onto the horse’s back. Following that, Xiaoju got on her own horse and helped to lead Chu Lian’s mare around.
It was Chu Lian’s first time riding a horse, so she was excited. Sima Hui accompanied her on her own handsome snow-white steed, pointing out the sights in the camp and explaining the details to her from time to time.
Chu Lian learned a lot on this little trip. With her fur cloak wrapped around her, despite the strong winds turning her cheeks red, she didn’t feel cold at all. Her mood remained high and excited throughout the day.
How often would she get the chance to be shown around the northern border camp by a female general? Of course Chu Lian was going to seize the opportunity and make the most of it.
Sima Hui took off the red fox fur hat on her head and passed it over to Chu Lian, “Lian’er, why don’t you wear this? This will be warmer than that hood on your cloak.”
Chu Lian looked the smiling Sima Hui. Seeing that Xiaoju had already passed another hat to Sima Hui, she didn’t turn down the offer and took the hat over. She pulled down her hood and put the hat on her head.
Since they were in an army camp right now, she had chosen a simple hairstyle. She didn’t have many accessories on her head either and half of her hair was let loose behind her back, so nothing got in the way of the hat.
She was wearing on a red cotton-padded dress with pomegranate flowers embroidered on it, paired with an additional short vest on her upper body. The sleeves of her vest and the hem of her skirt were covered in a layer of white rabbit fur. Wrapped around her was a thick pink cloak. Sima Hui’s red fox fur hat turned out to be rather matching with her outfit for today.
Most of her black hair was covered by the hat, which also had a ring of round white pearls. There were even a few strands of pearls hanging on either side of her temple, forming miniature curtains. The pearl strands swayed with every step of the horse underneath her, highlighting her fair face and flushed cheeks and making her seem even more dazzling.
Sima Hui was very satisfied upon seeing Chu Lian’s outfit completed by her hat. She pointed to the left, “Lian’er, the Right Wing Army’s training grounds are over there. Captain Guo, Captain He and the other officers usually train their soldiers there.”
Chu Lian’s gaze followed where Sima Hui was pointing and was immediately met with the sight of He Changdi looking over from far away.
Despite the distance between them and despite not being able to see He Changdi’s face clearly at this distance, she was absolutely sure that He Changdi was looking at her right now, perhaps due to her women’s intuition.
Chu Lian didn’t greet him at all. Instead, she followed Sima Hui on a path around the borders of the male camp, checking out other areas of interest.
He Sanlang was skilled in martial arts and his five senses were much more sensitive than most people. Furthermore, Chu Lian’s outfit today was rather eye-catching. It was hard for him not to notice her.
Think about it. Most of the people in the army were wearing dull grey armour. Even Sima Hui’s female soldiers were dressed in similar outfits. It was impossible for Chu Lian not to stand out in her red clothes!
Not only that, He Sanlang had been watching from the start as Sima Hui had taken off her own hat for Chu Lian to wear!
Sima Hui was dressed in silver armour with a bright red cloak behind her. She had a lanky figure and carried herself with a heroic bearing. Her waist and back were straight and she had a red-tipped spear strapped to her back. She even had a handsome white horse under her. When she was riding next to Chu Lian, if no one looked closely, they wouldn’t look like two women at all. Instead, they would seem like a young couple deeply in love…
Especially when Sima Hui had taken off her hat and given it to Chu Lian to wear. He Changdi was hopping mad within!
Sima Hui had instantly taken the top spot on the list of people he hated.
His eyes were like daggers as he focused on Chu Lian, fighting his urge to rush over there immediately. However, that wicked woman pretended as if she hadn’t seen him and walked away!
Thus, Captain He’s subordinates suffered through hell today.
After the training ended, all of the soldiers were grabbing onto their sore waists and legs and crying for their mothers.
Wasn’t it bad enough that they hadn’t had a full meal in days? Why were they still being tortured through training like this? Had they offended the heavens somehow?
Once he was done training his troops, He Changdi took Laiyue with him and headed for Sima Hui’s tent.
He made a trip back to his own tent to change out of his clothes first. When Xiao Hongyu spotted him taking out a grey set of inner clothes from his wooden chest, he had come over curiously with a bright smile. “Brother He, you’re finally going to stop wearing that dark green tunic? Hehe, I even made a bet with Brother Zhang to see when you were going to change out of that! It looks like it’s my win!”
The end result of Xiao Hongyu’s teasing was getting punched. Of course, he didn’t dare to return the blow.
Chu Lian and Sima Hui were eating snacks in her tent. Xiaoju set down a plate of nicely cut sugarcane on the table.
