Your Majesty, Please Stop!

Chapter 265: I Am a Lowly Soldier of the Western Qin

"Xiaoqi, are you taking a break today? You woke up so early."

"Yes, I received my military pay yesterday, so I bought some meat to let my parents and wife taste!"

"You just got married, you should spend more time with your new bride at home!"

"Aunt Li is right!"

Ma Xiaoqi carried a knife with pork in his hand and greeted his neighbors with a slightly shy smile on his face. However, his back was straight, and his eyes carried a sharpness that could only come from having taken many lives.

Entering an alley, he soon turned into a small courtyard. An old woman had already come to greet him, her face full of reproach. "You bought so much meat again. It would be better to buy some jewelry for Ruoniang instead. You're just wasting money!"

"Mother, I bought some for Ruoniang at Li's Gold Shop yesterday evening!"

Ma Xiaoqi scratched his head and smiled as he handed the meat to his mother. "Let's make some meatballs for breakfast. I love eating them!"

"Who eats meatballs for breakfast?" His mother shook her head, but there was a smile on her face as she went to the kitchen. Her son had been in the army for eight years and had become a sergeant in the Western Qin army. He had ten soldiers under his command, and he hadn't died in so many battles. Wasn't that a blessing?

Ma Xiaoqi had already entered the east wing room. The red "double happiness" character on the windowsill had not been taken down yet. Inside, a beautiful girl was dressing in her bridal attire in front of a bronze mirror. When she saw him enter, her face turned red, and she lowered her head.

"Ruoniang!" Ma Xiaoqi chuckled and reached out to hold the girl's hand.

The girl blushed even more and gave him a white look. "It's broad daylight. What if my parents see us?"

Ma Xiaoqi continued to smile foolishly. "Your parents won't mind. I brought back a new bride in a bridal sedan chair, hehe..."

Before the girl could speak, a sudden sound of urgent horse hooves came from the street outside. A loud voice shouted, "The Duke has called for a military assembly. No rest today. Gather at the training ground. Anyone who arrives late will be executed!"

Ma Xiaoqi's foolish smile immediately disappeared, and he turned to pounce on a suit of armor and a sheathed military sword hanging on the wall.

"Xiaoqi!"

His newlywed wife, who had been sweet and gentle just moments ago, suddenly turned pale and tightly held onto his hand.

Ma Xiaoqi shook off her hands forcefully and said in a deep voice, "There's no room for games in the army. It seems like the time for a decisive battle has come. If I die on the battlefield, find a good man to marry in the next life. Ma Xiaoqi will repay you!"

After speaking, he rushed towards the armor, quickly putting it on and making sure everything was in order. He had transformed from an ordinary young man into a resolute low-ranking officer of the Western Qin army.

He took a deep look at his tearful newlywed wife and turned to walk out of the door.

His elderly parents were already standing under the old locust tree in the courtyard, their eyes red.

Ma Xiaoqi walked past his parents, took a few steps, and suddenly turned around, kneeling down heavily and knocking his head a few times. A tear fell from the corner of his eye. "The Duke has called for a military assembly. If I don't return, take care of yourselves, and in the next life, Ma Xiaoqi will be your son again!"

Without any hesitation, he stood up and walked away.

"Xiaoqi!"

His mother couldn't hold back her wailing any longer and stumbled a few steps forward. "The meatballs..."

"Bring him back! Let him go! When the sons of the Western Qin enter the army, they sell their lives to the Duke of the Jiang family. The military pay has never been harsh. He eats the Jiang family's rations!"

His father scolded sternly, his face also filled with tears.

Not far away, in the east wing room, the newlywed wife had already cried until she had no strength left.

...

Ma Xiaoqi walked out of the small courtyard with his head down and stopped in the middle of the alley, looking at another small courtyard diagonally opposite.

There, cries could also be heard.

"Father! Let your daughter join the army for you! You're already this old..."

Three teenage girls, tears wetting their cheeks, tightly held onto a man in his forties, dressed in a mysterious armor of the Western Qin Army.

The man took a deep breath, the tenderness on his face disappeared in a blink of an eye, and he forcefully pushed away the three daughters, scolding, "You're talking nonsense, my children... I have already found husbands for you, all merchants in the city, so you will never have to worry about food and clothing in the future..."

He took a few quick steps, then paused for a moment. "The prince is recruiting soldiers. Your father's life has already been sold to the prince. I'm afraid I won't be able to return this time. You have no brothers, and in the future, you must not let anyone bully your mother!"

After saying this, he didn't waste any more words, walked out of the courtyard, and saw Ma Xiaoqi waiting across the street. He paused for a moment and nodded slightly.

Ma Xiaoqi asked in a deep voice, "Uncle Kui, is it time?"

"Is it time?" Others may not understand, but everyone in the Western Qin Army understood.

Sun Kui nodded heavily, gripping his waist knife tightly. "The brothers in the army are spreading the news. The prince wants to lead us in a big battle. The prince has never led troops before, and this may be the time!"

The two men stopped talking, their armor clashing as they walked out of the alley.

Beside the street, a hundred soldiers had already gathered around a centurion on horseback, forming neat formations.

"Western Qin Army, Wei Character Camp, Infantry Battalion 37, Centurion Ma Xiaoqi reporting!"

"Western Qin Army, Han Character Camp, Archer Battalion 46, Centurion Sun Kui reporting!"

The two immediately joined the ranks, the brims of their helmets slightly lowered, their eyes filled with the aura of a hundred battles.

The centurion on horseback had a cold expression, counted the number of soldiers, and shouted, "March to the training ground!"

He took the lead and galloped away, followed by Ma Xiaoqi and dozens of soldiers, marching in a neat formation. Amidst the clanging of iron armor, they followed closely behind.

The surrounding crowds of people, regardless of what they were doing, stopped and silently and respectfully watched the soldiers move away.

...

The training ground was not far, and they arrived in a moment. At this time, there were already thousands of soldiers standing there, and a deputy general in Qilin armor was already waiting.

Ma Xiaoqi, Sun Kui, and the others looked at the general on the white warhorse, their eyes filled with respect. The deputy general, Yan Chizong, was said to have a relationship with the prince, but he had never taken advantage of it. He relied solely on his bravery and military achievements.

At this moment, Yan Chizong's cold face was filled with a strong killing intent. He had joined the Western Qin Army a few months ago and found that this was his final destination. Regardless of his relationship with the leader of the sect, it was all in the past. He had never even met the "old leader" once. He felt that the Western Qin Army was a ruthless army where respect and hierarchy were necessary. He hoped that the young man, regardless of his background, would one day pat him on the shoulder and say, "Well done!"

Yes! He was extremely proud in his heart. There were not many people he admired in his life, but the prince was definitely the one he admired the most.

As for what exactly he admired, he couldn't be bothered to say, and others wouldn't understand.

"Clang!"

He drew his long knife and pointed it forcefully in the direction of the main camp of the Western Qin Army. "Forward!"

The one thousand soldiers of the Mu Xiu Army thundered and rushed towards the main camp.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the main camp. They saw the vast Western Qin Army camp, all the tents had disappeared, and the densely packed 140,000 Western Qin Army had already assembled. Spears and spears were like a forest, warhorses were stomping, and bows and crossbows were densely packed.

Hundreds of small general flags gathered together, gathered under a huge "Jiang" character banner.

Hundreds of tall generals stood under the banner.

At this moment, everyone was looking at the command platform. Only one person stood on the platform, wearing golden nine-wing armor, a golden helmet with a red plume swaying slightly, tall and straight, with a cold expression. His whole body exuded a mysterious and incredibly powerful aura.

That power seemed capable of destroying the heavens and the earth.

It made people inexplicably surrender in their hearts and filled them with an unbeatable belief.

Ma Xiaoqi, Sun Kui, and other low-ranking officers of the Western Qin Army had hot eyes, trembling with excitement. But they were just one of the 140,000 elite soldiers. Like them, the Western Qin Army was filled with nervousness and a strong fighting spirit.

Yan Chizong led his men to merge into the vast Western Qin Army like a sea, silently looking at the figure on the platform, and said calmly and firmly in a voice that only he could hear:

"I am Yan Chizong, deputy general of the Western Qin Army. I am willing to follow the prince to conquer the world!"

(End of this chapter)