Simply Trading 222 Secrets 2

Li Changhai sighed as he watched his people pull themselves together after the fight. It had been a little more intense than he had expected it to be, and he was more than grateful that no one had been killed. There were six new recruits to the troop who had taken some minor injuries, but they did not look too serious. So it was likely that they would recover from the same, after some medical treatment, and continue to serve him as guards along the way.

Then he turned to the trio that was accompanying him, and saw how they each wore different expressions on their faces. Clearly, they had differing views, with regards to how this particular ambush that had been set targeting him directly again.

He was only halfway convinced, he had to admit, after listening to Qin Feng, Du Yan and Lin Liushui. Especially when they brought up the last assassin's actions. There was cold sweat running down his back, when he heard how the four of them had gone against Du Yan at once. Would he have been able to fend them all off, like his big, strong Brother Yan did?

He wasn't sure, but he didn't protest when they pretended to give him orders thereafter, setting him to remain closer to the carriage, in the centre of the group. Ostensibly to look after the injured soldiers.

It did put him in a position to see what the others were doing, and how they were dealing with the attack:

Lin Liushui was his usual stoic self, with that languid, polite smile on his lips. He had not said a word since the last of enemy had been slain. His eyes, however, were raking over every inch of their so-called battlefield, as if searching for something that he might have missed earlier, during the fight.

Qin Feng, on the other hand, had a usual intense, searching look on his face, and was taking part in the search of the bodies together with the soldiers. No doubt, he was interested in the arms and armour borne by the experts, and was trying to find out more about the same.

As for Du Yan, who was the reason for the four of them making the journey in the first place, he was glaring at the corpses, as he wiped his twin maces clean with a rag. As though he would like nothing better than to tear them all apart! And probably toss their bodies into his alchemical furnaces to melt them down in some sort of mystical pill too!

Well, the Second Ducal Prince wasn't inclined to blame him for his anger towards their attackers. He was not wrong regarding the reason that saw the four of them, and all those soldiers, making this particular journey in the first place. And why they were pushing themselves so quickly along the road too.

To be fair, they were ahead of schedule. And by about two days, no less! That was something that Li Sanlang had not anticipated, when the band left the Ducal City of Yanyun. But they were still a day away from the next major city, of Ningban City, which was at the midpoint of their trip, more or less.

Which was why this particular attack had come at a rather opportune moment. Just like Lin Liushui had suggested, the Second Ducal Prince saw it as a test for his soldiers, to show that they were not the raw troop that they had been, when they left Changqing City a short while back. Between their new captain, and the experience that they have picked up from their journeys thus far, they seemed to have gotten better as a troop.

And that pleased Li Changhai greatly. He would have a need for these soldiers later, when he got to the Capital. Although he did wonder about their abilities to handle drills and parades, compared to their fighting capabilities. There would be some of the former, once they arrived at their destination, he was sure.
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But he was more confident in himself now, since they have shown themselves to be a tough unit, and that their fighting skills were nothing to scoff at. Regardless of how they would be able to handle those formal activities in the Capital City proper. Not that he cared; soldiers were primarily there to fight, rather than to look pretty standing on a wall!

"You will still have to make sure that they polish up their manners a little, before you get into the Capital. They will be upholding the Duchy of the Westlands' good name, once they are there. As well as making sure that you don't lose any face, against all those polished Royal Palace Guards."

The Second Ducal Prince turned about, and saw that it was Lin Liushui who was standing behind him with a grin on his good-looking face. He had somehow managed to join Li Changhai at the carriage while the latter was tied up in his thoughts. The smiling man waved his fan at the soldiers, and shook his head at the lot of them.

"Look at how awful their uniforms look. They are so hard on their clothes. Almost as hard as they were on the enemy! Looks like you will end up spending a good bit of coin, to make sure that they patch up their clothes properly. Fortunately, I have already thought of a good course of action for you. Otherwise, you are likely to end up more a pauper than a prince."

Li Changhai snorted as soon as he heard that. And threw up his hand as though to ward off the words like he would a blow. "Ridiculous! Soldiers should fight and their armor and weaponry takes precedence over all of that pretty uniform nonsense! As if pretty clothes will make them fight any better!" he scoffed.

But Lin Liushui merely sighed and grinned as he shook his head at the Second Ducal Prince. "I had expected you to neglect that little bit. So I had taken steps of my own. No need for you to thank me, of course. And you should be able to tell the difference, once they have put on my little contribution to their uniform shirts."

"What do you mean? It is not as though they can be seen properly, can they? Not under that armor that I had managed coax out of my father," grunted Li Changhai.

"That might work for the normal people in Chuanshui Town. They would be impressed to see any sort of uniform, and will be especially engrossed in your Captain Wen's shiny armor. But the rest would only look like they need a good bath, don't you think?"

Li Changhai was about to protest, about the time and the money that that would cost. Then he stopped, and realized what the gallant was not saying! Looking down, he could see that his uniform, armor and all, were still largely pristine, compared to the rest of the troops. Even Captain Wen looked more travel-stained than he did!

Which was enough to make him stand out.

That was something that he would have to be careful with, from hereon.

"I think I understand. Perhaps we will all get a bath, when we get to the next town, hey?"

* * *

Chapter end

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