A series of calm, flowing movements, most likely proved Chu Chen, the little eunuch, to be a martial arts master.
However, the people around didn't think too much about it, prioritizing the situation at hand.
"Eunuch Chu, are you alright?"
Despite knowing they couldn't help, the referees who arrived a step too late collectively inquired about Chu Chen's safety.
Chu Chen, the little eunuch, was not only Princess Xin Yue's personal eunuch but also held the honorary title of a third-rank Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Household Department in the palace. He was a high-ranking official.
If anything had happened to him, they would have likely been buried with him.
"I'm fine, what could happen to me?"
Chu Chen waved his hand and pointed at Zhou Cheng, saying, "You'd be better off worrying about General Zhou's safety."
"Uh~ Your subordinate obeys."
Thus, over thirty military experts surrounded Zhou Cheng to check his injuries.
"I didn't expect Eunuch Chu to be a martial arts master despite looking so young. The force of his strikes didn't cause much harm. He landed on his back and is temporarily unconscious."
"He's probably fainted from anger even in his unconscious state."
"Truly pathetic."
The thirty-odd people discussed Zhou Cheng, who was lying unconscious on the ground, with sympathy.
On the high platform, seeing Chu Chen unharmed, he called for the soldiers to assemble.
Princess Xin Yue finally let go of her worries, but she still turned and ran towards the training grounds.
"Fifth Prince! Where are you going? The results haven't been announced yet!"
"Fifth Prince! Your Highness!"
"Ah, this, Your Majesty?"
The surrounding ministers, confused, cautiously looked at the Empress.
The Empress frowned as she watched Princess Xin Yue's retreating back and sighed, "Let her go."
"Your will be done." The ministers cupped their hands in reply.
The several princesses exchanged glances.
Princess Xin Yue, running, recalled the danger Chu Chen had just faced.
If Chu Chen had really been trampled to death by the charging warhorses, she couldn't imagine how she would live afterward.
Without Chu Chen, life would return to how it was before.
The busy Empress, the power-struggling court, no one to play with her, her imperial sisters visiting only once every month or two. The oppressive palace maids and eunuchs who dared not speak loudly, always mindful of rules and filled with trepidation.
The imperial palace was like a prison, and she was the inmate living within, day after day.
Only by grasping that behavior, wild and arrogant, like a dim flickering candlelight, could she bring about a different sensation and prevent herself from being assimilated and numbed.
Only in this way could she survive in this inescapable prison, not be bound and become a lifeless puppet with a constantly changing makeup.
In the darkness, a sliver of light, from an unknown source but discovered by her, broke through the tedious, helpless, and destined darkness.
Unknowingly, it illuminated her surroundings.
"Reform the ranks!"
"Report!"
Chu Chen, unaware that Princess Xin Yue was running towards him, was sternly reorganizing the troops.
"Report, Eunuch! Full strength of five hundred men, currently four hundred and seventy-nine!"
"Very good, you may rejoin the ranks."
Twenty-one people out of five hundred were eliminated. Most of them were eliminated when Zhou Cheng, in a desperate attempt to behead him, made his move.
In reality, only about four or five people were eliminated by Zhou Cheng's soldiers.
What a glorious record!
"Soldiers! You've heard the numbers. At the cost of twenty-one eliminations, we eliminated the opposing battalion of five hundred men! And we even eliminated their commander."
"The record is so glorious, but I don't want you to be overly proud! Because this was just a friendly sparring match, it was fake! It was simulated!"
"I hope that on the real battlefield in the future, you can still achieve this!"
"Tell me, do you have confidence?"
Chu Chen asked loudly.
"Yes! Yes!"
"Very good, quiet down and await the Empress's announcement of the results. I will suggest to the Princess that you all be rewarded handsomely upon our return."
"I can guarantee that everyone will receive..."
"Who?"
Before Chu Chen could finish speaking, he heard the sound of someone running quickly from behind.
Still on the training grounds, Chu Chen didn't let his guard down and quickly looked back. It was Princess Xin Yue.
He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and, with a smile, was about to say something when he suddenly noticed that Princess Xin Yue's expression seemed a bit off.
What's this? Tear tracks? Princess Xin Yue was crying? Could it be that someone dared to bully the princess?
Before Chu Chen could figure it out, Princess Xin Yue rushed forward and hugged him.
"Xiao Chenzi, Xiao Chenzi, it's so good that you're alright."
"Wuwuwu."
Chu Chen was stunned. What was this performance?
There were hundreds, even thousands, of people watching. And she, a princess, was hugging him, a little eunuch?
I'm probably finished!
Chu Chen tried to break free from Princess Xin Yue's embrace, but she was using a lot of strength. He tried a couple of times without much force and reluctantly gave up.
"Your Highness, be sensible. Let's separate first. There are thousands of people watching. This will cost me my life!"
Chu Chen subtly poked Princess Xin Yue's stomach with a finger, as he dared not touch Princess Xin Yue at this moment, not even placing a hand on her shoulder.
Because he was afraid of dying.
Upon hearing that it would cost him his life, Princess Xin Yue finally reacted and quickly separated. She whispered, "This princess was just too worried about you, you ungrateful thing."
But in her heart, she knew that her actions at that moment could have been very dangerous for Chu Chen, and she didn't know if it would cause any adverse effects.
Princess Xin Yue's eyes darted, and her intelligence, rarely seen, kicked in.
She patted Chu Chen's shoulder forcefully and shouted, "Just now, this princess wanted to sneak up on you to see if you were still vigilant after the battle, but I didn't run steadily and almost fell."
"Fortunately, I used you as a shield. You performed well. I will reward you along with your performance in the sparring match later."
Holy crap, the silly, sweet princess's intelligence is online!
Chu Chen was a little surprised, but his actions were swift. He cupped his hands and said humbly, "All of this is thanks to Your Highness's merits."
"If not for Your Highness's benevolence, who always provided food and drink and rewards, how would the soldiers have the strength they do today?"
"Coupled with Your Highness's encouragement for the soldiers to train hard every time you visited, which greatly stimulated their enthusiasm, their morale has always been high."
"This is why we have achieved such glorious results today, to reciprocate Your Highness's generous treatment!"
"Therefore, all the credit belongs to Your Highness, and this subject dares not claim it."
Huh? I, this princess, always provided food and drink and rewards? Encouraged them every time? I don't remember any of this!
The soldiers behind Chu Chen were also bewildered. How come they didn't know about this?
Princess Xin Yue was stunned for a moment, then chuckled, "Alright, alright. Straighten your ranks and await Mother's announcement of the results."
"Your subject obeys."
Phew, let's see if this impromptu improvisation can fool them.
Chu Chen, with a poker face, ordered the troops to tidy up and move to the front-center of the training grounds to await the results.