A tidal wave of warhorses poured into the hands of the long-awaiting reserve cavalry.
In the blink of an eye, the Gao Family Village Cavalry Battalion expanded from one thousand riders to two thousand.
The very moment one reserve cavalryman received his own warhorse, he whooped with joy and leapt onto its back, urging it into a wide, reckless gallop around the training grounds. His laughter echoed wildly.
"Hahahaha! I'm a real badass now! I've got my own warhorse! Hahahaha! No more sitting in the rear waiting for the veterans to die off before it's my turn! Hahahaha!"
Drunk on excitement, he raised his musket and charged straight toward the firing range. From horseback, with practiced confidence—
Bang!
The bullet struck the bullseye cleanly. His marksmanship was excellent.
Unfortunately, the sharp explosion sent terror straight into the warhorse beneath him.
The horse screamed, reared violently, and bucked.
The reserve cavalryman was flung off like a sack of grain.
The onlookers immediately burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! You idiot—are you still alive?"
The man scrambled back to his feet, dust all over his face, eyes full of confusion.
"Why'd it do that?" he muttered.
Zao Ying walked over, lips curled into an amused smile.
"These are Manchu horses, not our own," she said, half scolding, half laughing. "They haven't gone through adaptive training. Of course they'll panic if you fire a musket right next to their ears while riding them."
"Oh?" The reserve cavalryman stared at her, eyes wide and innocent. "So… our horses do get trained for that?"
"That's right," Zao Ying replied, her tone softening. "You must fire guns close to them repeatedly, get them used to the sound. Only then will they stay steady when you shoot from horseback. And if you want the horse to truly recognize you as its master, you must eat with it, sleep beside it, and build trust."
She looked around at the men.
"From today onward, this horse is your brother-in-arms. It will charge into danger with you, and it will share every victory and defeat."
Only then did the reserve cavalrymen fully grasp how deep the art of cavalry truly ran.
Zao Ying's voice thundered across the grounds.
"Step up your training! Build bonds with your warhorses! A great battle is coming, and soon. The pacification of the Ordos Tribe—only our Cavalry Battalion can accomplish it! Fight hard, and show the infantry what cavalry truly means!"
The cavalrymen roared as one.
"OORAH!"
Henan Province, deep within an unremarkable mountain range…
Lady Xing, wife of Chuang Jiang, was personally overseeing the distribution of supplies to the rebel army.
She was no fragile woman sheltered behind silk curtains. Lady Xing possessed a quiet boldness and a sharp, worldly mind. Chuang Jiang trusted her greatly, entrusting her with the vital task of managing all provisions—daily rations, weapons, and battlefield supplies alike.
Even negotiations with Jin merchants were handled solely by her.
Over time, Lady Xing had seen far too much of the world.
There was a saying: "If only you had never seen the world, you might have loved my plain face forever."
Turn that line around, and its meaning becomes obvious—those who have seen the world rarely settle for the ordinary.
This was a truth shared by all humanity.
Unfortunately, Chuang Jiang was—ahem—not a man favored by appearances. Records described him as tall, sharp-cheekboned, with piercing eyes, a hooked nose, and a hoarse voice. He avoided alcohol and women, lived on coarse grain, and endured hardship shoulder to shoulder with his soldiers.
To Lady Xing, her husband had become increasingly… unappealing.
Just as these thoughts drifted through her mind, a personal guard entered the tent.
"General Fan Shan Yao has arrived to collect military provisions."
"Oh?" Lady Xing's spirits instantly lifted. Fan Shan Yao was famously handsome—exceptionally so—and she found herself utterly unable to resist that face.
"Quickly," she said, smiling, "invite General Fan Shan Yao inside."
Moments later, Fan Shan Yao stepped into the tent.
The moment his handsome features came into view, Lady Xing's heart skipped wildly.
With a casual excuse, she dismissed her guards, leaving only the two of them alone.
Fan Shan Yao suddenly stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.
"Heh heh," he whispered, "I knew it. You like me, don't you?"
Lady Xing gasped softly, her reply dissolving into a flustered murmur.
Encouraged, Fan Shan Yao lifted her effortlessly and laid her onto the campaign bed, his hands already moving to loosen her clothes—
At that exact moment, the Deity of Decorum leapt dramatically into view, blocking the camera with righteous indignation.
The lens, most unwillingly, shifted away—settling instead on a tree just outside the tent. Two crows nestled together, beaks brushing affectionately.
When the camera finally returned to the tent, Fan Shan Yao was already fully dressed in his armor.
Lady Xing lay beneath the quilt, cheeks faintly flushed.
"My lord," she murmured sweetly, "now that we are truly together… you must take responsibility for me."
Fan Shan Yao replied gravely,
"If your husband discovers this, we'll both die without burial. The only path left is to elope."
Elopement—
The act of two lovers fleeing family and society, usually to some distant, unforgiving land, to scrape out a bitter life together.
Lady Xing frowned.
"But I don't want to flee to some desolate wasteland and suffer. I haven't yet enjoyed enough of this world's wealth and splendor."
Fan Shan Yao shook his head.
"Nor do I wish to die as a rustic nobody. But if word spreads that I seduced my brother's wife, I'll be cast out of the brotherhood. No man who commits such a sin is ever respected."
Lady Xing wrung her hands anxiously.
"Then… what can we do?"
Fan Shan Yao's eyes sharpened.
"There's only one choice left. We defect to the government."
Lady Xing gasped.
"What? Will the government even accept us?"
"I command five thousand men," Fan Shan Yao said calmly. "The government is desperate for troops. Why wouldn't they take me? I've heard that 'Madman He'—He Renlong—is operating nearby. We'll pledge ourselves to him."
Lady Xing hesitated, then nodded.
"Then… I'll trust you, my lord."
Fan Shan Yao flashed a smug, handsome grin.
"Heh heh. Leave everything to me. And, my dear… I suddenly want you again."
Lady Xing whispered softly,
"Come… come to me…"
In a few swift movements, Fan Shan Yao stripped off the armor he had just put on and leapt back onto the bed.
Once more, the camera tactfully turned away—this time to a tree where a pair of squirrels chased and tangled together playfully as dusk settled over the camp.
When the lens returned, dawn had already arrived.
Chuang Jiang had barely risen from his bed, teeth still unbrushed, when a soldier burst in, pale with panic.
"Brother Chuang Jiang—disaster! Lady Xing and Fan Shan Yao were secretly involved! They fled overnight with their troops! No one knows where they've gone!"
Chuang Jiang froze.
He lunged for Lady Xing's tent, yanking open the flap—
Inside was the aftermath of a fierce struggle. Bedding thrown into chaos. A sight too painful to behold.
His eyes turned blood-red.
"Why?" he roared. "My first wife, Han Jin'er, betrayed me. Now my second wife has done the same! Why? Why does this keep happening to me?!"
"No—!"
He dropped to his knees, slamming into the ground as he howled at the heavens.
"This isn't real! Why do you torment me so?!"
His nephew, Li Guo, rushed forward and helped him up.
"Uncle!" he said firmly. "From this day on, we devote ourselves entirely to rebellion. Women—we want nothing to do with them!"
Chuang Jiang clenched his fists, his expression turning hard.
"We will rebel," he said coldly, "and we will do it properly. But women… women are still necessary."
He exhaled sharply.
"Next time, I'll simply choose more carefully."