Qiu Yan stood at the entrance of the tent, holding Little Ya in her arms, facing Xia Feng with a look of mutual bewilderment.
Xia Feng let out a snort of laughter. “Little Ya, it’s me. I came back to get something.”
Qiu Yan patted Little Ya, whom she was holding, and teased her with a smile, “Our Little Ya has grown up, hasn’t she? Now she even knows how to joke with us.”
A resolute expression appeared on Little Ya’s tender little face.
She shook her head, her eyes fixed only on Xia Feng. “She’s the strange auntie.”
Little Ya was usually very well-behaved and affectionate towards the four maids—Chun, Xia, Qiu, and Dong—never showing such wariness as she did today.
Remembering that Little Ya had instantly recognized Jiang Xingyan whose soul had been swapped, Qiu Yan instinctively took two steps back, putting distance between herself and Xia Feng.
“Xia Feng, since Little Ya feels something’s off, please don’t move for now. I’ll have someone report to the General first, and we’ll decide what to do.”
Xia Feng agreed with a helpless smile. “Alright.”
She was so composed, showing no panic or anger at being exposed.
This only confused Qiu Yan more.
She glanced left at the determined Little Ya in her arms, then right at the calm Xia Feng standing opposite.
She was at a complete loss.
Just then, she spotted Xiao Mi out of the corner of her eye and turned to call him. “Brother Mi!”
Xiao Mi hurried over. “Miss Qiu Yan? I just saw Miss Xia Feng looking very anxious. Did she lose something?”
As Qiu Yan took a step closer to him, before she could even open her mouth, a knife-hand strike landed on her shoulder.
“Watch out!”
In a flash, Xia Feng rushed forward, caught Qiu Yan, and set her down on a nearby stool.
Little Ya stared wide-eyed as she was taken into the arms of an unfamiliar uncle.
Before she could cry…
A small insect suddenly flew two circles in front of her face.
The tiny child’s eyelids drooped, upper lid meeting lower, and she fell into a deep sleep.
Xia Feng chided Xiao Mi, giving his shoulder a light punch. “Senior Brother! I’m here to enlist. You mustn’t hurt their maidservant!”
Xiao Mi sighed helplessly. “Go back.”
Xia Feng stubbornly lifted her chin. “I won’t! Who says women can’t—”
“Surround the central command tent! I want to see who has the guts to barge into the Huo Family Army camp without permission!”
Xiao Mi shoved Little Ya into Xia Feng’s arms, his face switching to an expression of surprise. He lifted the tent flap and walked out.
“Deputy General Xin, what’s going on?”
Xiao Mi’s gaze fell on the Xia Feng standing beside Xin Zhui, and his expression shifted dramatically.
“Miss Xia Feng, you… you… you, weren’t you inside the tent?”
The ‘Xia Feng’ from inside the tent walked out, holding Little Ya.
Both were dressed in men’s clothing, their appearance, posture, and mannerisms almost identical.
Xiao Mi kept looking back and forth between the two Xia Fengs, wearing an expression of utter shock.
Xin Zhui felt a creeping unease: Could it be we’re seeing ghosts in broad daylight?
Xia Feng narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the person before her who looked exactly like her.
She was the first to figure it out.
Last night, Miss mentioned the Embroidered Uniform Battalion, specializing in reconnaissance. They must have some special skills. Could this be them?
A faint smile touched her lips. “This master, it seems you didn’t meet the General’s requirements to enter the Embroidered Uniform Battalion.”
The ‘Xia Feng’ opposite her looked baffled. “What Embroidered Uniform Battalion? I think you’re the one with a problem. I’m just the General’s personal maidservant.”
“Xia Feng is not this General’s personal maidservant, but my wife’s.”
“General!”
The soldiers automatically cleared a path.
Jiang Xingyan walked forward, followed by Yun Chunfeng and Huo Ci.
‘Xia Feng’ looked stunned.
“To cause such a scene, it seems with your level of skill, you’re not yet qualified to be a Captain in my Embroidered Uniform Battalion,” Jiang Xingyan said, extending a hand. “Give Little Ya back to me.”
“Hmph!”
‘S Xia Feng’ deliberately didn’t hand Little Ya to her. Instead, she shoved her into the arms of Xiao Mi, who was closest, and lifted her chin defiantly. “I’ll be back!”
Boom!
“General, be careful!”
A flash of light and a puff of smoke later, the fake Xia Feng had vanished without a trace.
Dong Xue quickly took Little Ya from Xiao Mi’s arms and handed her to Jiang Xingyan.
“Mommy, strange auntie,” Little Ya murmured, rubbing her drowsy eyes as she slowly woke from her deep sleep.
Jiang Xingyan patted her lovingly. “Little Ya is so amazing. You recognized right away that wasn’t Xia Feng, didn’t you?”
Little Ya nodded earnestly.
Deeply moved, Xia Feng moved closer, touching Little Ya’s little arm, then her little leg. We really didn’t dote on our Little Ya for nothing all this time!
“Brothers, did you see that? That’s the skill of these extraordinary individuals from the martial world. If you don’t want to be outdone, you better be on your highest alert! Report anything unusual to the General immediately.”
He added with a mischievous grin, “Consider it a bit of extra difficulty for our future brothers in the Embroidered Uniform Battalion, a little early training for them.”
The soldiers’ competitive spirit was thoroughly ignited. They were all rubbing their hands together, eager for action.
Some even started checking their comrades’ clothing, looking for any hidden distinctive features they could use for identification.
Huo Ci watched the camp growing lively and couldn’t help but silently admire it.
In the past, to prevent his soldiers from revealing too many weaknesses, he had demanded strict rules and the suppression of personal desires from the moment they joined the Huo Family Army.
This achieved strict military discipline and obedience, making the soldiers hold him in utmost awe.
But it lacked humanity. It lacked warmth.
Just like him, it bred arrogance and stubbornness.
A-Yan… she perfectly made up for that.
“Alright, it’s already noon. Anyone who hasn’t finished viewing the portraits, hurry up. After today, this opportunity won’t come again,” Jiang Xingyan said with a stern face, looking completely serious.
The soldiers in front of her, terrified of being bachelors for life, scrambled over each other to rush back towards the camp entrance.
“Matchmaker Zhao, don’t leave! I really like that girl!”
“Matchmaker Liu, as long as it’s a woman who’s willing to have me, just set the date directly! We’ll get married!”
The corner of Jiang Xingyan’s mouth twitched. Are they that desperate?
“Don’t take my spot!”
Xiao Mi yelled as he ran too.
As he passed Jiang Xingyan, caught off guard, she reached out and grabbed his shoulder.
He turned his head, puzzled. “General? What is it?”
Jiang Xingyan’s lips curved into a smile. “In such a hurry you’re skipping roll call? The Captain of the Huo Family Army’s Embroidered Uniform Battalion can’t be so undisciplined.”