Arrival At Mezhou City

 General Sima walked into the room while Adlin and Cyrus were chatting and called her name.

Adlin!

Father! Adlin replied with a surprised looking her eyes as she and Cyrus immediately got up from their seats. What brings you over this night? She asked in a soft caring tone.

Cyrus immediately walked over to Adlin's side as general Sima walked up to them, so he could sit on one of the two seats. 

I am here to see you, general Sima replied. Oh! You are still reading books of military tactics? He asked after looking at the table where the book was placed.

Yes, Adlin answered.

Adlin, do you feel tired after practicing martial arts for so many years? He asked.

No! Sewing and embroidery are boring, she swiftly answered. 

Hmm, girls should learn some needlework, only in this way can you marry someone good.

Then why did you teach me martial arts?

That's because I thought you are gifted in martial arts, it will be a pity if you didn't learn. But I regret it now.

But it's too late, Adlin said triumphantly. 

After thinking for a while, general Sima asked Adlin "if I let you go to the battlefield, will you be afraid?"

No, she answered immediately without thinking.

You may die on the battlefield, general Sima reminded her. What you will hear are drums, what you will see are flying flags. But those are not the real battlefield. People sacrifice and die, that is the real battlefield.

But I have a heart of protecting the people. Everytime I think of it, it makes me happy, Adlin replied while smiling. 

But pretending to be a man is deceiving his majesty.

Father are you afraid?

Naughty! General Sima said and laughed while getting up from his seat. Cyrus!

Yes sir! He answered respectfully.

When you go to the battlefield, you must protect her.

Cyrus's eyes widened in surprise.

Yes sir! He replied bowing his head.

General Sima immediately left and Adlin shot up from her seat.

Thank you father. Did father just allowed me to go on the expedition? She asked Cyrus whose smile was overwhelming.

Yes!

Yeah!!! They both raised their arms in the air and shouted in unison. 

 The next day, general Sima and Adlin now bearing the name Adu, together with Cyrus and their personal bodyguards, marched to Mezhou city. They were welcomed into the city defense walls where military plannings took place.

Welcome Marshal Sima, general Funk the residing commander saluted him.

Thank you Funk. You have gotten older, general Sima replied. 

Yes Marshal, general Funk said. We have been happily waiting for your arrival but at the same time we were afraid, because once you came, it meant the peaceful days were over.

Hahaha, they all laughed.

Let me introduce someone to you. This is commander Adu, the commander assigned by the imperial court, general Sima said pointing to Adlin. 

Greetings general Funk, Adlin saluted.

Oh you are welcome commander Adu, general Sima's son. You have grown a lot, it's just that you... are... thinner now, general Funk commented. Follow me well in the future and I will take care of you. 

That sentence made their hearts skip a beat and their eyelids twitch. They thought he had found out she was a girl. 

And this is Cyrus his personal bodyguard, marshal Sima continued.

Greetings general Funk, Cyrus saluted. 

General funk nodded.

Commander Adu!

Yes Marshal! Adlin answered.

I will assign 500 soldiers to you immediately to set up camp as the front camp at the first ten miles outward Mezhou city. They will set out immediately.

Yes Marshal! Adlin answered and walked out with Cyrus to get the soldiers ready. 

General Funk's expression became mean as he looked from Marshall Sima to commander Adu.

Marshall, it's a heavy duty to be on the front line. Adu is still young, and it's his first time in the battlefield, general Funk spoke his concerns. Is this...

Hey, since the court assigned him to the position, he should take his responsibility, Marshall Sima said. Also, you can't spoil him only because you are at his uncle's age, okay? He asked and left without waiting for a reply.

General Funk still wanted to fume about it because he wasn't satisfied with the young Adu taking on such a high responsibility but another general on the same rank with him stopped him and warned him with eye signalling. 

 Outside, general Funk was busy cleaning his horse with a scowl on his face. General Qi who had warned him earlier came up to him playfully.

Funky Funky, are you angry? Let me remind you, don't call him Adu any longer, call him commander. Show some respect, he told general Funk while smiling.

Hmm! General Funk sneered without answering. 

Also, don't think about the battlefield achievement at the front line. Can that position be left to you? General Qi asked.

Realizing this, he stopped fuming and dropped the brush he used for cleaning the horse.

Let's go have a drink, general funk suggested.

Okay, general Qi agreed and they left together. 

 At night in a place where military equipments were packed in order, three low ranked soldiers were sitting by the way, drinking and laughing. They saw newcomers who were moving the military equipments passing. One of them was Stanley but goes by the name "Arash".

Newcomers? One of the three asked and they all laughed.

 As one of them passing in front of their drinking spot, they put their legs on the way so that he fell. Arash immediately went up to him and helped him up.

Are you okay? Arash asked.

Yes, he replied and thanked him.

How do you want to be a soldier when you couldn't even stand steadily? One of them asked and they all laughed. 

Arash walked up to the low ranked soldiers as they got up too. Looking them in the face, he spat out.

What do you mean? 

Hmm! Kid, you have a little temper, one of them said. But let me remind you, you are new here so you should learn to be respectful.

It's normal for newcomers to do more, Arash replied. But that's enough. It's boring to make fun of good people. 

Eh ya! One exclaimed. Every year, there will be newcomers who are short tempered. Mates what do we do with newcomers who are short tempered?

Cut the crap! The other chipped in. Let's just teach him how to be human, isn't that right?

That's right! The others replied. 

One of them launched at Arash directly and they exchanged a few moves and Arash beat him down effortlessly. He fell down to the dismay of his colleagues.

Beat him! He screamed while hitting his fist on the ground.

The other two immediately attacked him but they were even weaker. He only just evaded their first strike of the fist, jumped and swung his feet at their heads. They fell down like a pile of woods.

Stop it! A voice shouted from a distance.

They stopped fighting and looked in the direction of the voice only to see commander Adu coming.