Chapter Nine: The Noble Heir

Upon being assigned her own room, she found herself in a dormitory shared with nine others. The beds, ten in all, were neatly arranged along the sides. The furnishings were simple: one table, one chair, and a stand for washing basins.

As soon as Kaiming entered, she collapsed onto the nearest bed, lying flat on her back, her limbs aching as if they were about to fall apart. Chunhua tossed her luggage beside her, scowling, “This bed is mine, move over!”

Kaiming ignored her, eyes shut, even as Chunhua gave her a shove; in retaliation, she let out an exaggerated snore.

Chunhua shook her fist in mock threat.

The two of them sensibly found bunks further in and settled down. A few more people trickled in, all behaving themselves. Finally, a burst of loud laughter erupted at the doorway, and two or three girls swept in like a gust of wind, escorting a petite young lady in a red dress.

Chunhua glanced at them askance; though they wore servant attire and lugged heavy, ornate trunks, she curled her lip in disdain.

The newcomers swiftly surveyed the room and made their decision. Setting their trunks down, they called out to Kaiming, “Hey, you, move further in. This bed is for our young lady!”

Kaiming kept her eyes closed, not responding.

“You hear us? Get up!” The servants reached out to grab her.

But as soon as a hand touched Kaiming’s arm, Chunhua stepped in, shoving them away with surprising force. Her voice rang out like a bell, “Someone’s already here. Find another empty bed!”

The servants glared, “How dare a mere girl soldier be so rude to our young lady!”

Chunhua retorted coolly, “There are no young ladies here. Only soldiers.”

The servants seemed about to argue, but the beauty in red quickly intervened, “I’m here to train. There’s no need to fuss over a bed.”

“But miss, this bed is most convenient and the air here is fresher. We’re worried you won’t be comfortable.”

“I already said I wanted a private room. Cleaner and easier to look after.”

They grumbled amongst themselves. Kaiming turned her back to them, picking at her ear.

“Enough!” The young lady cut them off crisply, her face set. “Convey my thanks to my cousin. I’ll handle things from here.”

Seeing her displeasure, the servants fell silent, gave a few last instructions, and left.

The young lady looked around at the others—everyone was watching her, except for Kaiming, who pretended to sleep. She forced a smile, “Hello, I’m new here—”

“A young lady, aren’t you?” one of the duo piped up, and the whole room burst into laughter.

Suppressing her anger, the young lady glared at them, dragged her trunk to an empty bunk on the left, and, passing Chunhua, who was tidying her things with her head down, failed to notice Chunhua’s right foot extended behind her.

She stumbled over Chunhua’s foot and fell sprawling, provoking even louder laughter.

Flushed with anger, the young lady scrambled up, and Chunhua, half-smiling, remarked, “So careless—are you made of straw?”

She leapt up, hands on her hips, glaring.

“So what?” Chunhua replied loftily, mirroring her stance.

The two from the bunk inside rose and stood beside Chunhua like sentinels, their combined presence instantly deflating the young lady’s bravado.

“Young lady Xiaoqiao,” a male voice sounded at the door. The officer in charge, accompanied by two soldiers, surveyed the scene. “Is there a problem?”

“No,” Xiaoqiao glanced at Chunhua. Chunhua and her allies quickly feigned innocence, busying themselves with their beds.

“I just tripped. No one else is to blame!” Xiaoqiao shot Chunhua a venomous look.

The officer seemed unperturbed by the spectacle. He turned to Xiaoqiao with a smile, “If you’re uncomfortable here, you can have a private room. Young Master Dai has instructed—”

“That’s enough. I know my cousin will arrange everything, but I’m here to train, not to be coddled!” Xiaoqiao nodded stiffly at the officer. “Thank you for your help, sir. Please treat me as any other soldier from now on.”

The officer nodded approvingly. “Very well, miss. But before you’re just another soldier, you must act the part of the young lady once more—Young Master Dai is at the barracks and wishes to see you.”

Before he had finished, Xiaoqiao had already dashed out the door.

Chunhua spat in her direction. Only then did Kaiming lazily open her eyes, roll over, and head outside.

“Where are you going?” Chunhua called after her.

“The latrines.”

Kaiming strolled out, feeling refreshed and taking in her surroundings with keen interest. The large training ground was encircled by rows of earthen dormitories—quarters for the soldiers. The building was divided into two sections: men’s barracks on the left, women’s on the right, reminiscent of a co-ed dormitory. In the center of the field lay cement blocks, sandbags, and wooden obstacles for training.

Beyond the training ground, elegant buildings nestled among green trees and red blossoms—she wondered what purpose they served.

Curiosity drew her toward the back, but she was soon intercepted by patrolling soldiers. “Is this where you’re supposed to be?”

“Yes, of course,” Kaiming replied amiably. “May I ask, who lives here?”

“Only people of rank,” one patrolman replied curtly, shooing her away.

People of rank? Kaiming shook her head, abandoning her little adventure. Suddenly, a burst of girlish laughter floated over—soft, sweet, unmistakably Xiaoqiao’s. So she’s in the quarters for the nobility—of course, as a privileged daughter, her cousin would be a privileged son, and their meeting here made sense.

Kaiming wondered—since falling into the Central Palace, she’d mostly encountered ordinary people. She’d never seen a true nobleman; she couldn’t help but wonder what this young master looked like.

Her curiosity mounting, she crept into the shrubbery along the path, her heart pounding.

The patrol had moved on, leaving just one guard at the crossing. Peeking through the bushes, Kaiming could see Xiaoqiao, radiant as ever, chatting animatedly with a man whose back was to her. All she could make out was his smooth black hair, a green jade hairpin, and a robe of lake-green silk. The guard paced back and forth, blocking her view.

Frustrated, Kaiming picked up a pebble and tossed it into the bushes near the guard. The sharp crack drew his attention. “Who’s there?” he barked, sword drawn, and strode over to investigate.

The commotion caught the attention of both Xiaoqiao and the young man, who turned toward her. For the first time, Kaiming saw the young master’s face.

His skin was as fine and pale as a woman’s, his brows elegantly arched, his eyes veiled in mist. A faint smile lingered on his lips. Standing among the trees in his water-green robes, he seemed to drive away half the summer’s heat simply by being there.

What a remarkable man! Kaiming marveled, though the only phrase that came to mind was “alluring in every way”—damn, that was meant for women. She cursed her own lack of eloquence.

The guard poked through the bushes with his sword and reported, “Young Master Dai, no one’s there!”

The man addressed as Young Master Dai nodded, turning to Xiaoqiao, “Just stay here for now, and don’t get into trouble. If anything comes up, Ji will look after you…”

Xiaoqiao nodded, “You’re as nagging as my mother.”

Dai smiled, “If I don’t know you, who does? You’d better rein in that temper here and try not to fall out with your roommates.”

“So Ji told you already—he has a loose tongue!” Xiaoqiao pouted.

Dai’s smile faded. “He hasn’t had time to tell me yet. What, have you already made trouble?”

“No!” Realizing her slip, Xiaoqiao covered her mouth, eyes darting. “I just got here—what trouble could I have caused? Cousin, you worry too much!”

“If you aim to become a general like Dayin, you must train hard here. This very training ground was once where Dayin himself trained.” Dai’s voice was low, every word clear, wafting right into Kaiming’s ears. “You must not only reach her stature, but even surpass her—replace her!”

Replace Dayin? Kaiming was as stunned as Xiaoqiao. What nonsense was this? Dayin was already a legendary figure; how could anyone hope to match her, let alone surpass her?

Recruit training would begin tomorrow. The afternoon was free. Kaiming napped in the dorm until mealtime, then slipped into the mess hall.

With a mouthful of dry rice, she glanced around. The canteen was a large, bare room, reminiscent of a modern school cafeteria but even more spartan—just a few long tables and benches. Most soldiers stood or squatted to eat; few sat. Men and women, dressed in varied uniforms, moved about briskly, eyes fixed ahead. The air was thick with the strange smell of the food.

Kaiming pinched her nose, giving up on her next bite. It was all rice with a dash of vegetables—she’d waste away at this rate. She regretfully squeezed her arm.

A flash of color caught her eye—Xiaoqiao’s lovely face appeared at her table, carrying a two-tiered lunchbox. “I’m sitting here. It’s the best spot for air—move!” she demanded, brooking no refusal.

Her outburst shattered the quiet; everyone looked over.

Kaiming turned away, pretending not to hear. This woman had to compete for everything—beds, now even tables.

Xiaoqiao, seeing Kaiming unmoved, raised her voice, “Are you going to make me stand here all day?”

A female soldier at the table, eager to avoid trouble, quickly picked up her bowl and left. With her pride intact, Xiaoqiao slammed her lunchbox down with a snort.

Kaiming watched as Xiaoqiao opened the box and, like performing magic, produced dish after dish until half the table was covered in delicacies.

Truly a child of privilege—to bring her own food. Kaiming bit her chopsticks, eyeing the spread. So, even in the army, there were class distinctions.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden commotion nearby. Bored, Kaiming looked over—just in time to see Chunhua and several male soldiers butting bellies in a contest.