The Farm Girl's Charismatic Fortune-Chapter 369 - 365 Someone Finally Came

The next day, just as dawn broke, a group of people arrived at the hill behind the military camp.

Thunder Granny and Old Han knew they were going to the camp and did not follow them.

According to military regulations, the soldiers in the camp should get up and train before dawn.

However, they waited until the sun was up for half an hour before they finally heard the bugle sound.

The weather was cold, and the Empress Dowager could understand to a degree; after all, there were no current military actions, and training could be relaxed a bit as long as combat readiness was maintained.

But it took two quarters of an hour from the bugle sounding before all the soldiers were assembled.

The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but get angry again, "With this speed of assembly, if there was an enemy attack, even the thickest gates and tallest walls would be breached!"

Although the Empress Dowager was getting on in years, she insisted on practicing martial arts for half an hour every day, not daring to neglect it.

One reason was to strengthen her body and health, and the other was to set an example for the soldiers in the army.

The Empress Dowager has always believed that one has the right to educate others only if one can do it oneself.

Only if you can do it, then you, as a superior, have the confidence, the ability to command genuine respect, devotion, and even die-hard allegiance from the hearts of the people.

Getting angry was bad for her health, and Ruo Xuan held the Empress Dowager’s arm, feigning anger, she said, "Exactly! It’s simply disgraceful! They must be punished, and severely at that!"

Ruo Xuan’s voice was sweet and gentle; these pretense words of anger carried no force at all.

The Empress Dowager’s anger was extinguished by the sweetness of that voice!

Ruo Xuan continued, "Fortunately, we came to see this ourselves and averted a greater disaster. From today on, they must be trained properly. Of course, punishments are due where deserved, responsibilities must be investigated, and personnel changes must be made where necessary."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager also felt secretly relieved, wasn’t it good that they discovered it early?

Otherwise, if a sudden military conflict erupted, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"We need to visit the military camps in various places more often. After years of complacency, they have forgotten what it feels like to be beaten!"

The Empress Dowager watched the soldiers below begin their training.

After watching for a long time, she saw no signs of any high-ranking officers.

And while the soldiers had started training, it was as good as not training at all; most were just going through the motions. There were some who were diligent, but they were few, as everyone tends to follow the crowd.

If you don’t fit in, you’re likely to be ostracized and targeted.

Furthermore, there was no sign of any officers leading the training.

The highest rank in the camp was probably a Centurion.

People have a tendency to laziness and base instincts; without someone to lead them, they would slack off.

With no officers to lead the soldiers in training, the training was half-hearted. After running for a while, the Centurion allowed the soldiers to train on their own while he went back to his bed to sleep.

When their Centurions had left, the soldiers sparred lightly for a bit and then sneaked back to their own beds.

In less than half an hour, the entire training ground was deserted.

This time, the Empress Dowager did not get angry. She said to Zhou Ludong, "General Zhou, go to the camp and deliver a message now!"

"At your command!" Zhou Ludong left to carry out the order.

"Let’s go! Let’s take a look at the camp."

At that moment, the Empress Dowager’s thoughts were racing.

From the dock incident to the soldiers’ attitudes towards training, and the unusual peace on the frontiers in recent years.

This was unprecedented.

Initially, she thought that the neighboring countries did not want to provoke trouble because they wanted to purchase grain seeds from Xuanyuan Country, which might affect the procurement.

After all, they needed to buy grain seeds every year, and while they could keep some of their own harvest for seeding, it would not guarantee high yields.

So to grow crops yielding a thousand catties per mu, one would need to buy grain seeds from Xuanyuan Country every year.

Grains are the foundation of a country, and Xuanyuan Country effectively had several neighboring countries by the throat.

Now, it seemed the other side wasn’t worried about securing grain seeds but aimed to monopolize the breeding technique.

She felt that the unusual tranquility of the border might have something to do with the neighboring countries wanting to weaken Xuanyuan Country’s military strength.

That way, their attack would be easier.

Moreover, with people dying for wealth like birds dying for food, these past few years, as loyal and dedicated officers such as Yan Heng and others have been returning to the capital one after another, it’s estimated that some of the commanding officers left to guard the border might have been bought over by neighboring countries.

This was quite normal.

Just as Xuanbao had said, fortunately, it was not too late.

It was time for a complete military overhaul! The Empress Dowager thought to herself.

As the group descended from the mountain, Ruo Xuan was already in the carriage, Ruo Xuan had changed into men’s clothing.

It was more convenient to wear men’s clothing when visiting the military camp.

Yan Jiaojiao did not change. When she was a child, she had visited the military camps in Nanzhou, and she estimated that some soldiers would still recognize her.

Moreover, she was now married; there wasn’t so much fuss about it.

After Ruo Xuan had changed her clothes, the first thing she asked Yan Jiaojiao was, "Do I look good in men’s clothing?"

Yan Jiaojiao nodded vigorously: "Handsome! Unparalleled in elegance! If you were a man, I would marry you!"

"What about compared to Xuanyuan Brother?"

"Of course, you look better, more approachable! Cousin Xuanyuan is always so cold, how could he look as good as you?"

Ruo Xuan was then thoroughly pleased.

Xuanyuan Que couldn’t help but take an extra glance at her.

Ruo Xuan asked with a smile, "Am I like a gentleman, mild as jade, with unparalleled handsomeness?"

Xuanyuan Que: "Hmm."

He didn’t dare say she looked a bit like a Little Eunuch with her tender appearance.

Otherwise, he figured this flower would never let it rest.

It was then that Xuanyuan Que boarded the carriage.

Yan Jiaojiao also got into another carriage.

The three carriages set off for the military camp.

*

On the other side, after Zhou Ludong descended the mountain, he appeared at the entrance of the military camp, holding the command token. The two soldiers guarding the camp were fast asleep in a thatched hut, wrapped in thick cotton coats.

Zhou Ludong kicked the thorny barricade at the entrance of the military camp down with one foot!

The two sleeping soldiers jumped three feet high in fright.

After glancing at the barrier that was kicked open, they angrily said to Zhou Ludong, "Who? Who dares to trespass on the military’s restricted area?"

"This is the military’s restricted area. Those who trespass will be executed!"

"I, as the General, would like to see whether it is you who die or I!" Zhou Ludong took out the command token and the yellow imperial edict: "The Ninth Prince’s guard is here on imperial orders for an inspection. Report to your Great General immediately to come welcome me!"

At this moment, the three carriages carrying Ruo Xuan and the others were gradually approaching.

Upon seeing the command token and the yellow imperial edict, and then looking at the carriages approaching in the distance, the guards turned pale with fright, "I will inform him at once!"

One of the soldiers rushed inside, nearly tripping and almost falling over in his haste!

When he reached the camp, he couldn’t help but shout, "Everybody up! Trouble is brewing! The Emperor has sent the Ninth Prince to inspect the troops, and he’s already at the entrance!"

"Get up quickly!"

"General, General! The Ninth Prince is here! The Ninth Prince is here for an inspection!"

Then the soldiers, who had just taken off their clothes and snuck back into their beds, hurriedly dressed and ran out in a panic.

Guo, the main commanding officer, was not in the camp; there was only one Deputy General, with the other three Deputy Generals having returned to the city.

When there were no battles, the Imperial Court would usually retain two generals of Fourth Rank or higher to serve as the commanding officer in the camp, while four Deputy Generals served under them. All generals below the commanding officer in rank were collectively referred to as Deputy Generals.

At this moment, the one Deputy General was practicing with a spear in the indoor training field. Hearing the commotion outside, he released his long spear, which landed firmly back in its place.

At last, someone from the Imperial Court had come!