07 Disrespectful

The weather in the north is cooler and windier than the weather in Ntu-Tshua. Chinua and her two guards rode slowly down the fading path. Along the way, Chinua also looked out over the miles of wilderness, wondering why the land was fine, but why left inhabited.

Chinua asked, "The two of you have trained here for two years. Do you know why this land is inhabited?"

Khunbish said, "People don't usually live here. They call it the badland."

Chinua, "Badland? What do you mean?"

Khenbish said, "People call it badland because the soil on the land is not suitable for farming, and that's why people either migrate north or south below those mountains." He pointed to the mountains behind them.

Chinua saw a group of people approaching not far ahead. She asked, "Are there any bandits here?"

Khunbish said, "I don't know now, but when we were training, we didn't have any bandits. The reason is, it's hard to find water here."

Chinua took out her journal and began to write down what she had observed. She looked at the mountain and asked, "What's on the other side of that mountain?"

Khenbish said, "I don't know. I've never been there?"

Chinua asked, "How long do you think it will take us to get from here to the other side of the mountain?"

Khunbish said, "It could take four to seven days."

Chinua said, "Khenbish, reminds me that we need to go and see what's on the other side of that mountain. I want to see it before we go back to Ntu-Tshua."

Khenbish nodded, "Yes, Chinua."

On the side of the road, they met a group of six young people who were having lunch. Chinua and her two bodyguards dismounted and walked towards the group of young men with their horses. Sitting not far from the six, they also started taking out food. Chinua and her guards began to eat.

Not long after, a group of six also came to the roadside to rest, seeing that the other three should be the servants of the other three.

One of the first groups sneered at the second group and muttered, "Hmph... If you are still a young master, or a noble with servants, it's better to stay at home." The group laughed.

One of the young men in the group lifted the teacup and looked at one of his servants. He quoted loudly, "Lightning is faster than thunder. That's why some people's statuses don't appear until they speak." He took a sip of tea. "This cup of tea is the same." He handed the cup to the servant.

Another young man in the first group shouted, "Hey, don't think that if you speak in metaphors, I don't understand what you mean."

The young master stood up and sneered mockingly, "Oh... I'm sorry, my stupid comment offended you." He smiled at the group of young people. "I was just commenting on the tea to my servant."

Not far from the three, a group of young soldiers approached them. A soldier asked, "What's going on?"

The young master greeted the soldier and said, "Nothing wrong...just some misunderstanding."

The lead soldier said, "Let's resolve those misunderstandings now. Once you enter through the main entrance, the training camp is no place to resolve any misunderstanding." He looked at the young master. "No servants are allowed to enter the training ground."

The young master smiled and said, "Oh, the servants will wait for me outside the barracks. If I pass the test, they will return home. If I fail the test, I'll return home with them.

The leading soldier asked, "What's your name?"

The young master smiled and said, "Altan..." He looked at the leading soldier. "Altan Sed..."

"Sed."

The people around were muttering to themselves.

"Sed...he must be related to Prince Dzhambul."

"I bet he is."

Timicin stood aside and said, "So what? The soldiers of the Northern Army don't rely on their titles, they rely on combat skills. Even if you are a distant cousin of King Batukhan, you will not receive special treatment."

Altan looked coldly at Timicin and said, "Speaking of special treatment, I believe you get more special treatment than any of us." He smirked at Timicin. "Son of King Batuhan's most trusted court official, and a distant nephew of General Batzorig."

"No matter what you say, I'm not ashamed of what I got," Timichin said, raising his fist. "I won them with my fist."

Altan smirked, "I hope this is always true." He turned to his servant. "You camp here, and you are not allowed to enter the camp."

Servants, "Yes master."

Timicin looked at the first group of people and asked, "Are you also here to sign up?"

The man replied, "Yes."

Timicin looked at Chinua, Khunbish, and Khenbish and asked, "What about the three of you?"

Khenbish said, "We're here to sign up for training too."

Timicin approached, staring at Chinua. He looked Chinua up and down and said, "You're too vulnerable, I don't believe you'll make it past the first selection."

Chinua looked at Timicin and said, "Even the softest river can drown a person, what makes you think that this vulnerable person cannot out beat you?"

Timicin laughed, "Ha...ha...ha... you sound so girlish, no wonder you look so vulnerable. You're in the wrong place. A girly man like you should be holding a brush, not a sword or a bow." The men standing in front of Chinua laughed. "You might as well go home and save your mother's tears."

Chinua looked at Timicin and the men around Timicin and she said, "You haven't seen me with a sword and a bow with your own eyes, how can you be sure that I don't know how to hold a sword and bow?"

Timicin approached Chinua and murmured, "Because you're weak..." He took a step back. "Because even if you have the height of a man, you will never be stronger than a man."

Khenbish said madly, "Be careful with your mouth."

Chinua said, "Go and tell Batzorig that Chinua is here to see him."

Timicin smiled and said, "Just call General Batzorig by name and who do you think you are?"

Chinua said, "Tell him and he'll rush out to meet me."

Timicin mocked, "Did General Batzorig impregnate you?"

The men laughed at Timicin's jokes.

Chinua looked at Timicin and said, "A soldier who doesn't respect the commander-in-chief is not worthy of being a soldier."

Timicin sneered at Chinua, "You think you know me well..."

Chinua still stared at Timicin. She said, "Don't underestimate me. I know more than I speak, I think more than I speak, and I pay more attention than you realize."

A sudden burst of anger rushed past Timicin. No one has ever talked to him this way. His fists were clenched tightly, and he punched Chinua's face. "You!"

Timicin's fist was caught by Khunbish, who had already punched Timicin directly in the stomach. Khunbish pulled Timicin's forward and slapped Timicin's forehead hard. The impact made Timicin stagger back and rush towards the five soldiers standing not far away. Timichin fell to the ground clutching his stomach, grunting in pain.

Chinua walked over to Timicin, who was still sitting on the ground, sorting out what had just happened to him. She said firmly, "I open my mouth for many reasons...being disrespected by you is not one of them. Your rudeness just shows people how weak you are as a person." She looked at Altan and then back at Timicin, who manages to get to his feet with the help of his comrades. "Just because you're from high society doesn't mean you deserve respect. Respect is earned; not given."

Chinua started leaving Timicin and the others, taking Khunbish and Khenbish toward the main training camp.

Altan looked at Timichin and mocked, "Well, at least my servant didn't knock you to the ground like his servants." He smiled and walked towards the main training camp.

Timicin murmured angrily, "I will make this girly man's life a living hell."

As soon as Chinua, Khunbish, and Khenbish arrived at the gate of the camp, Batzorig was already waiting for Chinua's arrival. Batzorig walked up to Chinua and said, "I'm sorry, I can't meet you in the badland, I'm not allowed to leave the base camp."

Chinua said, "It's alright."

Batzorig said, "Come in, please."

Chinua, Khunbish, and Khenbish followed Batzorig into his private tent. Only when they were inside the tent, Batzorig knelt on his knees in front of Chinua and said, "I, Batzorig Buqu greeting Princess Chinua."

Chinua looked at Batzorig and said, "General Batzorig, please get up."

"Thank you, princess Chinua." Batzorig stood up and said, "I have received news that Princess Chinua will bring me a letter from King Batukhan."

Khunbish reached into his robe and handed Batzorig the letter written by King Batukhan. Batzorig read the letter and looked at Chinua. He folded the letter and stuffed it back into the envelope. He said, "Princess Chinua, although the content of this letter is accurate. I'm afraid Princess Chinua will not be able to withstand rigorous training."

Chinua said, "You haven't seen me train, why do you think I can't withstand rigorous training?"

Batzorig said, "Princess Chinua, once you enlisted your name, I will treat you no different from the soldiers you train with."

"I see, my father said the same thing," Chinua said, looking at Batzorig. "I don't want to be treated differently than you treat any soldier."

Batzorig said, "Princess Chinua, you are the first woman in the camp full of men. I fear..."

Chinua said, "General Batzorig, if orders are clear, and the soldiers disobey, then it is the fault of the soldiers. Political order can be sabotaged but to disobey a military command is treason to the country they served."

Batzorig only listened to Chinua's words and knew why King Batukhan sent this princess to be a soldier. He sighed and looked at Chinua, "I don't doubt why King Batukhan decided to send you here."

Chinua said, "It was I, who asked father for permission to send me here."

Batzorig looked at Khunbish and Khenbish, "You two know where to go. Take Chinua to register her name." He looked at Chinua. "From now on, I'll call you Chinua. Once you write your name, you're no longer royal until training is complete. Do you have any questions?"

Chinua, "No..." She looked at Khunbish and Khenbish. "Take me to register my name."

Batzorig watches as Chinua, Khunbish and Khenbish leave Batzorig's tent. He sighed, "Princess Chinua, King Batukhan will be so proud of you, if you are a prince."