Ran Sheng's expression changed. "Your Highness, you've mistaken me for someone else!"
Xiao Man smiled. "Perhaps I have. Regardless, thank you."
A suspicious blush crept onto Ran Sheng's face as he turned his head. At that moment, cheers erupted from the field. "Deputy Commander, we won! We won!"
Ran Sheng quickly looked towards the arena. It was five to four. They had narrowly won. "Well done! Tonight, you all get extra chicken legs!"
"Thank you, Deputy Commander."
"Indeed. It seems my assessment of you was biased. I must correct that," Xiao Man said calmly. "The next match is a siege battle. I hope you can surprise me again."
"Women should be at home, looking after their husbands and children, not causing trouble in the military camp. In the next match, we'll surely make all your people lie down!"
"Good spirit," Xiao Man said, looking at her own people. "For the next match, do you have confidence?"
"Reporting to my Mistress, we do!"
"Excellent." Xiao Man's gaze fell upon the two mountains outside the military camp. They were about a hundred meters apart, with dense trees that could excellently conceal their figures. "This will be the venue for the third match, the siege battle."
Ran Sheng frowned as he looked at the mountains Xiao Man pointed to. "Your Highness, in this case, your people may not have the advantage. My men have been stationed here for years and are very familiar with the terrain of these mountains."
Xiao Man simply smiled faintly. "It's alright. I believe my people will not lose. Let those two mountains be your camps. The time limit is three hours. Whoever captures the opponent's flag first wins."
"Agreed."
"To ensure fairness, I will not participate," Xiao Man said calmly.
"You won't participate?"
"If I were to participate, who among you would be my match?" Xiao Man asked softly.
Ran Sheng's expression shifted slightly. Indeed, if Xiao Man were to participate, none of them would be her match. While a siege battle isn't decided by a single person, with fewer numbers, Xiao Man could easily defeat them with her martial prowess!
"We are familiar with the terrain, and you are not participating. Your people will be at a disadvantage."
Xiao Man looked at Ying Xue. "Ying Xue, you will take my place."
"Yes, my Mistress." Ying Xue was also dressed in a fitted outfit, exuding a heroic and spirited aura.
"Do not kill anyone."
"Understood."
Ran Sheng looked at Ying Xue, a sense of caution in his heart. Although she was just a maid by Xiao Man's side, the fact that Xiao Man dared to let this maid participate in her stead indicated that the maid possessed extraordinary abilities.
"Deputy Commander, His Highness Prince Qin has arrived."
Ran Sheng looked confused. "Why is Prince Qin here?"
Xiao Man's gaze turned towards the approaching figure in the distance, and she remained silent.
"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Qin."
Nangong Yu's eyes fell on Xiao Man. Seeing that she seemed in good spirits, he breathed a sigh of relief. When he learned that Xiao Man was taking up a post at the Divine Capital Camp, he had been quite worried that she would be bullied.
"What are you all doing?"
"This humble general made a bet with Princess Yongning. It's a best-of-three. The first two rounds were one win, one loss, and we are about to begin the third round."
A guard brought a chair, and Nangong Yu sat down beside Xiao Man. "What is the third round?"
"A siege battle. The two mountain tops opposite us will be our respective positions. Whoever captures the opponent's flag first wins."
Nangong Yu then realized his worry was somewhat unnecessary. Xiao Man had once single-handedly taken down a bandit stronghold. Her people were adept at jungle warfare. Even if they were not familiar with the terrain, Ran Sheng's pampered young men were no match for her people.
"In that case, I shall be the witness," Nangong Yu declared. "Prepare to begin."
After both sides' men were organized, they carried their flags and planted them in the designated spots, awaiting the signal drum to commence the assault on each other's mountain tops and capture the opposing positions!
The drum sounded. Ran Sheng did not act rashly. He divided his subordinates into three teams. One team, along with himself, would defend their position and guard their own flag. The remaining men would infiltrate the enemy camp and seize the flag when the opportunity arose.
Ying Xue beckoned with her finger, and a young man immediately ran over to her with a playful grin. "Miss Ying Xue, what are your orders?"
"Pei Jun, the general said you have a nimble mind and excellent lightness skill, and that you're as slippery as a loach. Take four men, carry the flag, and move around the mountain, hiding. Do not reveal your whereabouts."
"Yes, Miss Ying Xue."
"Lu Wei, take six men and set up traps," Ying Xue said slowly. "I want those who come here to have no return!"
"Yes."
"The rest of you, with me, let's go capture the flag!" Ying Xue immediately led her people into the dense forest. Pei Jun took the flag and hid, while Lu Wei began setting up traps centered around their position. Sudannovel.com
Ran Sheng had been closely monitoring the surroundings, but after waiting for a long time, there was no movement from the other side. He couldn't help but wonder, didn't they want to capture the flag quickly?
Just then, a scream erupted from the opposite mountain, startling birds into flight from the forest. A faint unease began to stir within Ran Sheng. He hadn't seen the other side's men, yet he heard screams, and the screams sounded somewhat familiar. Could it be that the other side was waiting for them to fall into a trap, and once their men went over, they would be attacked en masse?
Ran Sheng's scalp tingled. If the other side wiped out all his men and then attacked them, with just a few of them left, they would likely be unable to withstand the enemy's assault. What should he do to protect the flag? Ran Sheng looked at the six men behind him. These six were only mediocre. All the skilled fighters had been sent to capture the flag. If the men sent out were all taken down by the opponent, how would the remaining men deal with the enemy's attack?
Ran Sheng hesitated for a long time, then gathered all the remaining men together. "All of us will stick together. I'd like to see how they can defeat all of us and steal our flag!"
Screams echoed from the opposite mountain. Ran Sheng closed his eyes to rest. Xiao Man had said not to kill anyone. At most, they would suffer some hardship, but their lives would not be in danger. What he needed to do was guard the flag. As long as the flag wasn't stolen, they just needed to endure until the competition ended.
Ying Xue, leading her men, moved swiftly through the dense forest, capturing the enemies who had infiltrated their mountain one by one. Once she was sure there were no stragglers, she led her people to the other mountain.
Xiao Man and Nangong Yu sat at the foot of the mountain waiting. "Why did you take up a post at the Divine Capital Camp so quickly?"
"Being idle at home makes me prone to overthinking," Xiao Man said slowly. "I need to find something to do. Why are you at the Divine Capital Camp?"
"I heard Father mentioned that you were appointed as the commander of the Divine Capital Camp. The people in the Divine Capital Camp are not easy to deal with. I was worried you would be bullied, so I came to support you. Turns out, I was being overly cautious. You're more likely to bully others," Nangong Yu said warmly. "I just don't understand why you would take on the Divine Capital Camp. You know it's a thankless and difficult task."