Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 1047 - 651: The Morale of the Troops

Chapter 1047: Chapter 651: The Morale of the Troops

Hidden in the shadows at the corner of the drill ground, Xu Yuan silently observed everything unfolding ahead.

The elderly man surnamed Jin, loyal to the Marquis of Zhenxi, truly lived up to his reputation as a veteran of countless battles. The feat of rallying an entire town’s soldiers rapidly to the government office was an enormous undertaking.

Who to notify which regiment, who would lead that regiment to the government office, and even the precise positioning of each regiment on the drill ground—all of these details required meticulous coordination. Yet, within just two hours, the opposing party had arranged everything neatly.

However, as regiment after regiment was led into the government office, a buzzing like flies began to stir in every corner of the drill ground, rumors growing louder and more chaotic. From commanders of entire battalions and armies to rank-and-file soldiers, no one was spared from the incessant whispering.

"Old Zhou, why has your regiment been summoned back as well?"

A lieutenant’s stride toward the front lines was interrupted by a familiar voice from the ranks. Turning back, he saw a regiment commander, face concealed by an iron mask, gazing at him with evident concern.

After a brief silence, he hesitated as he studied the other’s mask carefully:

"Are you Ai Renhua?"

"Who else could it be, old leader?" The masked commander grumbled and replied with frustration.

Lieutenant Zhou glanced at the upper-echelon commanders at the front line and muttered softly:

"Isn’t it obvious? The entire Second Town has likely been called back to the government office."

The masked commander’s voice escaped through his helmet, muffled but fraught with anxiety:

"Wasn’t it decided in that pre-battle meeting that the Insect Tide’s first target would be your East City Wall? If we’ve been called back now, who’s left to guard the city? On the way to the government office, my regiment saw several large groups of knights marching en masse toward the East City Wall."

Lieutenant Zhou held the other’s gaze for a few moments:

"Orders are orders. The generals up above must have their reasons."

With that, he bypassed his counterpart and continued toward the front.

But even in those mere dozens of steps, Lieutenant Zhou overheard whispers that threatened to shake morale spreading quickly among the soldiers.

"Did you hear? Jiuping District was overrun by those rioters."

"That bawdy house?"

"Yeah, the brothers from the Sixth Regiment said the people inside suffered terribly."

"I’ve been to that bawdy house before. They had the nerve to look down on me for being a roughneck. They never considered that without us, who would keep their peaceful and carefree lives safe? Now that we’re gone, serves them right."

"Enough, enough! What’s one bawdy house compared to this? I heard from Lieutenant Zhou’s men that some large-scale knight groups over by the East City Wall are preparing to storm the gates."

"Brazen enemies!... But there’s nothing we can do; we’ve all been ordered back."

"Whether we’re called back or not doesn’t change anything. You all saw what happened today. It’s easy enough to crush rioters, but how are we supposed to suppress those Saints? I’ve been in the army for over a decade, and this is the first time I’ve fought under such humiliating conditions."

"....."

With this, the chatter around them suddenly fell quiet. Yet the lull didn’t spread; it was instead overshadowed anew by the surrounding clamor.

"Those Saints—surely someone can handle them."

"That’s right. I’ve heard from the upper ranks that there’s actually a Saint in the city as well. They haven’t acted yet for broader strategic reasons."

"I wasn’t referring to the Saints."

"Can you just spit out your point all at once? Talking in circles—if you don’t, I swear I’ll cut you down right here!"

"With what army? Are you so pampered you’ve forgotten your past scars already?"

"Enough. Zhang Xing, who are you talking about?" A noticeably older voice interrupted their squabble.

Upon hearing the elder’s voice, the two soldiers swallowed their anger, clicked their tongues, and grumbled:

"Wasn’t there a major rebellion near the East City Wall this morning? Didn’t dozens of Town-Army Arrows fly over from there, all blocked single-handedly by a female commander."

"A female commander? Are you kidding me."

"Other than General Wan from the First Town, there shouldn’t be any women in leadership in Zhenxi Army, but she’s out campaigning with the Marquis."

"Zhang Xing, are you fantasizing about women now?"

"Have you all forgotten about the Commandery Princess? She understands military formations, she’s a woman, and isn’t she still in the mansion?"

"Pfft... hahaha."

"That’s hilarious, stop making things up."

"Believe it or not, I saw it with my own eyes."

Zhang Xing turned his gaze toward the Martial Arts Stage, hoping to confirm whether the female commander he’d seen that morning was indeed the Commandery Princess. Yet the stage remained empty.

The soldiers around him, meanwhile, paid him no attention as their own chatter continued:

"Speaking of the Commandery Princess, have you heard that rumor?"

"What rumor?"

"It’s spreading from the Xuanting Army—that the Commandery Princess is secretly harboring the Great Desert Goddess and has been swayed by the Prime Minister’s Mansion’s Third Young Master, that pretty-face scoundrel. She’s allegedly planning to sacrifice Second Town’s twenty thousand troops to protect them."

"What?"

"They say the Saints’ real target is the Prime Minister’s Mansion’s Third Young Master. If we hand him over, they’ll retreat."

"Then why not hand that man over? The Prime Minister’s affairs don’t concern us in Zhenxi Prefecture."

"Because he didn’t finish saying—the Saints don’t just want the Third Young Master, they also demand the Commandery Princess."

"Tch tch... I see. No wonder we’re defending to the death."

"Li Wu, what’s with that expression? Don’t tell me you’re actually considering handing over the Commandery Princess."

"No way, absolutely not. The Commandery Princess is of noble blood; her life is so precious. Compared to her, the lives of us soldiers, along with this city’s million residents, are worth nothing."

"Careful what you say! Speak too freely and risk being executed for inciting unrest."

"Execution? All for speaking truth? Then fine, let them do it."

"I actually think Li Wu’s got a point."

"The Six Saints attacking the city—either way we’re dead. At least we can choose how to die. As the scholars say, we’d die as martyrs for justice."