It’s too late to feel wronged.
“Hmph, we’re leaving. Don’t come crying and begging us to come back then!”
Ran Sheng completely ignored those who left and looked at those who remained. “Continue tomorrow. The Commander said this is the most basic requirement to enter the Divine Capital Camp. If you can’t complete it, you can’t enter. Since you’ve chosen to stay, you must complete the mission. Do you have confidence?”
“Yes,” a group of soldiers replied weakly, some sitting, some lying down.
“Louder!”
“Yes!”
“Very good. Continue tomorrow. Only those who meet the requirements can return to the Divine Capital Camp. The deadline is three days. After three days, those who haven’t achieved their goals will go home and continue to be your pampered young masters.”
The crowd watched Ran Sheng leave, a hidden unease stirring within them. “Three days, can you finish it?”
“We have to finish it, whether we can or not!” someone said. “If we don’t finish, we have to scram!”
“Speaking of which, that little vixen Xiao Man is really arrogant. She was a tyrant in the Imperial Capital before, always causing trouble and getting into fights!” someone said, their voice cracking. “I joined the Divine Capital Camp to avoid her, but she actually chased me here. I’m so unlucky!”
Everyone turned towards the voice and saw a youth with a rosy complexion. He looked so young, yet the moon had climbed high into the sky and frost began to descend, and some people still hadn’t finished their run. Ran Sheng sighed, “Those who haven’t completed the mission, continue running tomorrow until you finish.”
“Deputy Commander, that woman is clearly retaliating intentionally, trying to make things difficult for us. We’re not running anymore.”
“Those who don’t run can go home, and from now on, you are forbidden to set foot in the Divine Capital Camp again,” Ran Sheng said calmly. “Who wants to give up?”
“I’m not running anymore. I refuse to be subordinate to a woman!” someone immediately said bitterly. “Running around the mountain like this is completely useless. She’s just deliberately retaliating, retaliating against us for giving her a hard time!”
“I’m not running either. I won’t put up with this indignity!”
“Me too.”
“Make a note of them all,” Ran Sheng ordered coldly. “Confiscate their identification tags and expel them from the military camp.”
Those people didn’t actually want to leave the Divine Capital Camp. After all, staying for three years meant they could secure good positions outside. But being expelled from the camp was entirely different. They were just trying to use withdrawal as a tactic to force Ran Sheng to resist Xiao Man with them.
“Deputy Commander Ran, with your abilities, you could be the Commander. Are you willing to let a woman be above you?”
“Deputy Commander Ran, you are the Commander in our hearts. We refuse to accept that woman as Commander!”
Ran Sheng ignored their words. “Who else wants to leave? Hurry up!”
“Deputy Commander Ran.”
“Once you’re out of this Divine Capital Camp, don’t you dare say you know me!” Ran Sheng said coldly. “You can’t even compare to a young girl, and you have the audacity to boast here? If you’re truly unconvinced, then prove it with your skills and surpass them. Just talking rubbish makes you unworthy of being a man. You might as well put on women’s clothing and become a woman!”
“Deputy Commander Ran, you…”
“Who else is leaving? Hurry up, don’t waste my time.”
Everyone exchanged glances, but no one stepped forward. Those who had spoken first immediately regretted it, but their identification tags had already been collected. It seemed too late to back out now. Rubbing his eyes and crying miserably, one youth wailed, “She definitely wants to force me to submit to her!”
“You don’t think so?”
“How can I not? The last time she saw me on the street, she wanted to take me home. I was forced to join the Divine Capital Camp. I never expected to be unable to escape even by hiding here.” The youth cried even harder. “How can I escape her wicked clutches?”
“She’s already engaged,” someone comforted him. “Her fiancé is Master Wen Mohan.”
“What?” The youth looked shocked. “That shameless woman actually laid her hands on Young Master Wen? Truly shameless. No, I can’t let her succeed!”
“She’s the Commander of the Divine Capital Camp now. If we don’t meet the requirements, we’ll be expelled from the camp!”
“I won’t let her expel me. I will definitely finish my run within two hours!” The youth fiercely wiped the tears from his face. “I absolutely cannot let a woman look down on me!”
“Right! We absolutely cannot let a woman look down on us either, otherwise, we’re not men!” A group of people became impassioned, vowing to make Xiao Man look at them with new eyes.
Ran Sheng, hidden in the shadows, watched these foolish boys and couldn’t help but sigh. “A bunch of simple-minded lads, easily led astray. General, your daughter has more schemes than you can imagine. Her subordinates are as cunning as monkeys, their methods are exactly the same as the young lady’s.”
“My lord, why don’t you expose Princess Yongning’s true face?”
Ran Sheng glanced at his attendant. “Expose her true face? Are you tired of living, my lord?”
“My lord is afraid of Xiao Man?” the attendant frowned. “To be subordinate to a woman is a disgrace. My lord, you can’t let a green-behind-the-ears brat lord over you!”
Ran Sheng turned around and looked at his attendant as if he were seeing him for the first time. “Are you dissatisfied with the trusted Commander?”
“This subordinate is not. This subordinate is merely feeling wronged for my lord!”
Feeling wronged for him? Ran Sheng’s lips curved into a smile.
“We are subjects of His Majesty and must obey His Majesty’s orders unconditionally. Since His Majesty has appointed her as Commander, it means she has the ability.”
“My lord, but you are the most suitable person,” Zeng Jia said with indignation. “My lord has poured his heart and soul into the Divine Capital Camp. After General Xiao was harmed, you should have been the rightful Commander. Who knew that Xiao Man, relying on His Majesty’s favor, deliberately snatched your position? She’s a woman who is already engaged. Shouldn’t she be getting married and having children, instead of coming to compete with men for status? This subordinate truly cannot swallow this insult!”
Ran Sheng walked back, his expression somewhat strange. “Then what do you think I should do?”
Zeng Jia looked around, ensuring no one else was present, then leaned close to Ran Sheng’s ear and whispered, “The Divine Capital Camp is located in a remote area. Accidents can happen on the way, and it wouldn’t be strange at all.”
“You want me to get rid of Princess Yongning?” Ran Sheng asked slowly.
“As long as she’s alive, with the lingering prestige of the Protector General’s mansion and His Majesty’s favor towards her, my lord will never attain the position of Commander. Only by killing her can we eliminate future troubles permanently.”
Ran Sheng glanced at the guards following him. This person had been with him for several years. Only today did he realize that this man was indeed ruthless, even daring to instigate him to kill a princess!