Chapter 194: True to Her Military Heritage

Chapter 194: True to Her Military Heritage

Xiao Yuchen had no wish to linger, but he stayed for two more days. The two guards accompanying him had sustained injuries. Though not grave, they needed a couple of days to recuperate.

They set off after two days, the shared brush with death having forged a bond. Princess Jianing and her brother escorted them to the city outskirts.

As they parted, Li Jinghao suggested to Xiao Yuchen that they should have a drink together if he was still in the capital, only to be met with a stern look from Princess Jianing. The boy, barely in his teens, was already making drinking plans.

Xiao Yuchen couldn't help but laugh at the siblings' interaction, reminding him of his own brother and sister who were always at each other's throats.

The group of five rode off, and Princess Jianing watched their figures fade into the distance. Turning to Li Jinghao, she said, "Let's go back."

Li Jinghao hummed in agreement, and the siblings boarded the carriage. Sitting down, Li Jinghao hesitated before asking, "Do you think the heir of Marquis Yongning is betrothed?"

Princess Jianing thought for a moment, "Probably not. Among the items he asked us to take back to the capital, there was nothing that would belong to a young woman."

"Sister, you always notice the details," Li Jinghao giggled, earning an eye roll from Princess Jianing.

"Then, do you think the heir of Marquis Yongning is engaged?" Li Jinghao continued to probe.

"Put away those little tricks of yours," Princess Jianing said, pulling out a book to read, clearly not in the mood for conversation.

Seeing this, Li Jinghao sighed like an old soul, "With our mother gone and our father being the way he is, who else will worry about your marriage if not me?"

Princess Jianing put down the book in her hand, resignedly saying, "I have my own plans for my marriage."

Li Jinghao's shoulders slumped, "I don't want you to marry someone you don't love just so that I can inherit the throne."

Princess Jianing sighed with resignation, "You're overthinking it; I won't compromise my happiness."

Li Jinghao tilted his head in thought, "The heir to the Marquis of Yongning doesn't seem too bad these days, mainly because he's quite handsome. Sister, seeing a face like that every day would surely brighten your mood. I just don't know if he's already betrothed."

"Shut up," Princess Jianing said, looking like she was about to get angry, and Li Jinghao promptly fell silent.

In the capital, Tang Shuyi was still unaware that her eldest son had narrowly escaped death. At this moment, she was visiting the residence of the Great General to watch Wuhe and Xiao Yuming spar.

Ever since Xiao Yuming started learning under the Great General, she would visit frequently, believing it essential to maintain a good relationship since her son was studying under his guidance. Today, after having breakfast, she brought gifts for her visit.

After chatting with Madam Xiang for a while, she was led to the front courtyard's training grounds, where the Great General's men were sparring. Tang Shuyi had seen Xiao Yuming practice martial arts before, and even with a mother's bias, she couldn't claim he was better than these men.

However, she didn't lose heart; Xiao Yuming had been delayed for so long, and he hadn't been formally practicing martial arts for very long.

"My husband says Yuming has a natural aptitude for martial arts and is progressing rapidly," Madam Xiang remarked.

Tang Shuyi was naturally pleased to hear her son praised but remained modest, "He's a bit clever, but he still needs much guidance from the Great General."

Madam Xiang smiled, "Don't worry, he's quite pleased with your Yuming now."

Tang Shuyi smiled even more joyously.

Seeing this, Madam Xiang leaned in closer and suggested, "Why not let Yuming spar with Xiao Wu?"

Tang Shuyi's smile paused for a moment, then she casually replied, "Sure, I'd like to see his progress."

Madam Xiang gave her another look, then whispered something to the maid beside her, who left with a smile. Before long, Xiao Yuming and Xiao Wu stepped into the middle of the training ground.

Tang Shuyi had come to a realization: if her child was lacking in some areas compared to others, they must bravely acknowledge and confront it. Not only did she need to face it, but Xiao Yuming did as well. Only by confronting it could they strive to improve.

While her thoughts were scattered, Xiao Yuming and Xiao Wu had already begun their bout. Xiao Yuming wielded a saber, and Xiao Wu a whip. Having watched others spar often, Tang Shuyi could now discern some of their techniques.

The match had just begun, and Xiao Yuming was evenly matched with Xiang Wu, displaying significant improvement in his moves, strength, and speed. Tang Shuyi couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride. She knew that recently, Xiao Yuming had been diligently practicing martial arts every night and would seize any spare moment to study military tactics.

Hard work pays off even for the dullest of minds, and Xiao Yuming was far from dull.

Meanwhile, in the training ground, Xiao Yuming felt increasingly frustrated. It was clear that Xiang Wu was holding back. It was a disgrace for a man of honor to be coddled during a match. Swinging his blade towards Xiang Wu, he said, "Don't go easy on me."

Annoyed by Xiao Yuming's tone, Xiang Wu, who wasn't known for her patience, snapped back with a much stronger lash of her whip, a significant increase in both speed and force.

Why should she hold back? If it weren't for her mother's instruction, she wouldn't have spared him any mercy.

Xiao Yuming swiftly dodged the attack, thankful for his quick reflexes, or else he would have been struck. Yet, this only invigorated him. A true match required both parties to exert their full strength.

Xiao Yuming had made considerable progress. The first time he faced Xiang Wu, he was barely able to retaliate, but now he could exchange several moves with her. Xiang Wu noticed his improvement and exclaimed with a hearty laugh, "Not bad, you've improved a lot. But you still have a long way to go before catching up to me."

Gripping the hilt of his sword more tightly, Xiao Yuming intensified his offensive. The duel between the two became fierce and spirited. Watching from the sidelines, the senior general nodded in approval and a young man beside him remarked, "As expected of a warrior's descendant, his progress is remarkable!"

The senior general sipped his tea, "He still needs to temper his character. You all should look after him."

The young man chuckled, "We are."

Indeed, they were taking good care of him. Almost treating the young master like a servant, they never pulled their punches during sparring sessions. They only feared his potential retribution once he grew stronger.

As the match in the training ground neared its end, Xiao Yuming began to falter. He swung his sword at Xiang Wu, who sidestepped and countered with a swift lash of her whip, wrapping it around Xiao Yuming's arm. A sharp tug from her, and Xiao Yuming dropped his sword in pain.

Xiang Wu sheathed her whip and saluted, "Thank you for the match."

Xiao Yuming returned the salute, "It was my lack of skill."

"You've progressed rapidly, I've never seen anyone improve so fast," Xiang Wu commented as she walked beside him towards the edge of the training ground. "Your current issue is the inflexible application of your techniques, and your speed still isn't fast enough. Speed requires relentless practice, but for technique, you need to ponder and adapt…"

As Xiang Wu shared her experiences, Xiao Yuming listened intently. The shame of defeat was replaced by the desire to learn. Losing was not the problem; it was how to turn it into victory that mattered.