"What is this!!!" Si Ning yelled staring daggers at the water they didn't change.
Did they think filtering the water won't make him notice?
It's been three days and he'd been trying not to complain about the little water they would bring for him to take a bath every morning but filtering the water he used previously was nothing but inhumane and as the General, he would not tolerate it. The least he could do in this world that refused to fade was to enjoy it. Soaking in a half-filled tub was getting on his nerves and he always choked down his complaint but seeing the filtered water was the height of his endurance.
Chen An rushed in to see Si Ning beside the bathtub staring at it like it was an abomination. "General, what's wrong?"
Si Ning took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves before he jumps on Chen An to chew his head off. "This water is what is wrong, why isn't it changed. This is the water I used to take my bath yesterday." He complained turning to glare at Chen An.
"General, Forgive me for not being able to get much water because to get water is a bit difficult. The selected men had to walk for miles to the stream." Chen An bowed deeply.
"Then get the captured Xilie soldiers to fetch it and by all means add Shen Yu!" Si Ning suggested proceeding to take his seat to continue reading the classic book Chen An provided for him.
"General." Chen An's mouth fell in shock. "You have changed." He said absentmindedly.
"How so?" Si Ning was certainly curious. Was it because of his priority to take care of his appearance by taking a frequent bath, washing his hair, and eating healthy or what he had been demanding for like salad, milk, and neat plates were a bit much but as a General, he deserved to be treated well.
"General you are more rational not that you weren't... but the way you deal with Xilie soldiers was brilliant."
"I see." Si Ning didn't know Chen An could be capable of flattering him.
When the wounded were taken to the camp with horse carriages. Si Ning told the Xilie wounded soldiers to behave or he would strip them naked and nail them on a display platform. A soldier among them told him he was bluffing and to show he was serious, the soldier was stripped naked by no other than the scarred face man which Si Ning later found out his name was Wei with no surname.
Seeing this Si Ning concluded that Wei had a violent nature. When Shen Yu woke up and kept making a fuss placed Si Ning to have no choice than to threaten him that nailing a soldier from Xilie that doesn't comply with his rules didn't leave him out and in his special case as the General, he would also draw him naked and paste it around the camp and also take it to Xiu to paste it on all the notice boards. Shen Yu had to weigh his options after seeing that Si Ning was serious about his threat, he later chose to be silent since his honor was at stake.
"General Si Ning..." Ah Dai walked in and saluted him.
Since Si Ning came back, he had not seen Ah Dai once but he was told Ah Dai had been sleeping. Now seeing the color returned to Ah Dai's face was a relief but his arm gone kept tugging at his heart. The woman that accompanied him also came in and bowed. Her apron was still bloodstained.
"Ah Dai I can see you are doing good." Si Ning commented but Ah Dai only nodded not making a move to leave.
"Mother I am fine now." Ah Dai told the woman next to him. "Please you have to stop doing this or I will be downgraded in the Young Master's eyes." He whispered.
Even though Ah Dai whispered to the woman he called mother. Si Ning still heard him wondering who this Young Master was.
Was it Chen An?
"General...." Ji Ran ran in breathing hard. "The ingredients you told me to look for, I was able to procure them except fresh lemon." He rushed out holding a small cloth bag.
When they returned to camp. Si Ning decided to start his treatment on getting baby-soft hands, General or not. He was going to get rid of his calloused hands. He told Ji Ran to procure salt, honey, olive oil, and lemon. Told him to find an errand boy to get it if they have it in the store only for him to ask of Ji Ran later and Chen An told him Ji Ran went to town which was a day ride and Ji Ran was just back after three days.
Si Ning had given up on how they think in this world. "Thank you Ji Ran." He raised his hand to collect the bag only to see Ji Ran's eyes welled up in tears. Chen An looking shocked and Ah Dai darting his eyes around.
It was actually out of Si Ning's character to thank someone but he had decided to change. He could remember he was quite a nice boy in grade school but changed during high school.
Without the lemon, it couldn't work which means his dream baby's soft hands would have to wait.
"General I rode as fast as I could to tell you that his Majesty sent us reinforcements and they would get here before dawn, Second Prince is leading them!" Ji Ran handed him the cloth bag and collected the cup of water Chen An gave him to drink.
It was a relief since Si Ning wasn't sure how to fight with the troops left in case the scouts should warn them of an attack but it was quite disturbing to know the Second Prince was coming.
Does this mean the Second Prince would be the number one in the camp and firstly how does he greet him? Does it mean they would share a tent?
Si Ning doesn't need to worry about that now. He could try to ask about the Second Prince better from Chen An without sounding eager to know the details about him.
"General." Su Heng walked in. "General Shen Yu is demanding to see you."
"First tell him he will be fetching water for me to take my bath." Si Ning instructed.
"General I will do it." Ah Dai said. "I will fetch you the cleanest water."
"No Ah Dai, the Xilie soldiers will be doing that and Chen An why are you still waiting? you all can leave." Si Ning took the classic book he had been reading.
"Forgive me, General. I will prepare them." Chen An replied leaving the room with Su Heng and Ji Ran.
"Young Master Ah Dai might have lost one arm to Shen Mo and Ah Dai is very grateful Shen Mo fell by Young Master's hands but that doesn't hinder Ah Dai since Ah Dai is right-handed." Ah Dai said softly as he knelt on the ground.
Young Master? Ah Dai? The way Ah Dai was talking and acting was very confusing
Si Ning diverted his attention from the book to only see they were the only ones in the room, which means he must be the Young Master. "Ah Dai make me some tea." He decided to give him something to do since Ah Dai was looking like he would burst out crying at any time.
Just that sentence brightened Ah Dai's look and Si Ning could tell Ah Dai doesn't need his sympathy since he smiled brightly before heading out to carry out his task.