It Is Not Easy To Live In Disguise

It was fine when they were surrounded by people. Once they were left alone, Xiao Yue unwittingly recalled the details from the previous night. She hugged herself and talked to Long Zhao Feng while looking at the ground.

"You... what do you plan to do with me?"

"What I plan to do with you?"

Xiao Yue lifted her eyes and gazed at the silver mask. Behind the silver mask, Xiao Yue could not see the expression on his face. She was a little unhappy. When they were alone many times, Long Zhao Feng always took off the silver mask so they could see each other's faces. This time it did not seem that he intended to show her his face.

"I want you to come with me. There is something you can do for us."

"What is it?"

"You will see."

Long Zhao Feng readjusted the silver mask.

"Xiao Ya, when we are here, you are my squire and I am your general. Maintain that appearance in public. Other than us, only Chao Guang and Xiao Yu know about your real identity. Got it?"

"Mmm."

"Get ready. I will come in a little bit."

Xiao Yue left dejectedly. She did not want to come to war in the first place, so what was he icing her out for? Was it because of yesterday? Because she rejected his advances? What was he even thinking, touching her like that? If he was hoping that Xiao Yue would respond positively when being groped at a hot spring, then he was sorely mistaken! She was not raised to be such a cheap woman!

Outside, horses were already brought into the courtyard and most of the soldiers already mounted their horses, two on each horse. Yu Fen anxiously walked back and forth in front of their horse. She almost cried out of relief when she saw Xiao Yue approaching.

"Y- I mean, Xiao... Xiao Ya, I thought you are not coming. I am so worried. How is it...?"

Xiao Yue pursed her lips. She did not want to answer. She wordlessly pushed Yu Fen toward the horse and helped her mount the horse before she climbed in front of her smoothly. They were the last to mount their horse other than the general himself, so all eyes were directed at them.

Yu Fen was very anxious and scared when facing the horse so they knew that she was a newbie in horse riding. They expected Xiao Yue to also behave the same way, but this new person actually knew how to ride a horse! Or at least she knew how to mount the horse without making a fool of herself!

When they finally set to depart, Xiao Yue and Yu Fen were riding in the middle of the formation. The other new soldiers were mostly recruited from villages. They were common folk who had yet experienced the fierceness of a battle.

The only blood they saw was their own or that of the village folks when they accidentally cut themselves while harvesting or doing any other farm activities with sharp blades. Their hands were clean, their soul intact. None of them had ever taken other people's lives before. And none of them knew how to ride horses.

Horses had their own temperaments. Some were agreeable, some were not. Those who were unlucky enough to get temperamental horses quickly let the horses lead them instead of leading the horses. The horses did not want to move too fast, so trotting slowly turned into walking.

No matter how hard the new soldiers tried, they could not persuade their horses to move faster, thus earning themselves scolding from the senior soldiers and their colonels. In a way, this was also how the higher ranks evaluated the new recruits. Those who were adept in horse riding were given more important roles during an invasion.

They were trained to attack fast and escape fast. If they additionally had a good head on top of their shoulders, they could easily rise in ranks. This was how important horse riding skills were.

The fact that Xiao Yue was the best horse rider amongst the new soldiers did not escape Long Zhao Feng's commandants' eyes. They nodded in acknowledgment at Xiao Yue's skills in controlling her horse. When the rider was comfortable, the horse too would feel at ease. Yu Fen was easily frightened and shrieked a lot at the beginning, but after holding onto Xiao Yue's waist for hours and seeing how capable Xiao Yue was, she too soon feel more relaxed and her grip loosened.

The troops went farther and farther away from the palace. Soon they were only surrounded by tall trees and mountains.

"Do not stop!" a voice shouted from behind. "We do not plan to camp anymore. We will ride until we reach the camp!"

The new soldiers were exhausted but they did not dare complain. Xiao Yue was a woman and she was not used to riding on a horse for a long time in Chun Ya's body, so what little benefits she got from the hot spring the previous night had completely disappeared after riding for two hours non-stop.

Although the troops did not plan to stop until they reached the campsite, in the end they still had to stop because some of the new soldiers fainted and fell down their horses. The scorching sun and exhaustion took their toll real fast on the common folks. Dragging the unconscious young men with them, the troops finally rested near a river. After riding in such heat, both the old and new soldiers were overjoyed to see and drink some water.

Xiao Yue helped Yu Fen come down from their horse and the two ladies made their way to a spot at the edge of the river. Xiao Yue wanted to take off the pesky helmet, but Yu Fen stopped her.

"Y- I mean, Xiao Ya, you cannot. I only tied your hair up in a bun. If you remove the helmet, they will see that you are a woman immediately."

'So I have to keep my helmet on forever while I am in the army???'