[COMPLETE] Transmigrated Author: The Quiet Plum

Chapter 18: Who to Serve

Media: Hong Ting/Xiao Ting
https://pin.it/2c76gOT

---

The soldier in front of her suffered fright after fright. He almost bit his tongue. "Your Majesty, this subject... this subject is undeserving!"

Nuo Ying Su's closest servant looked at the Empress in a disapproving manner and helped her up. Where on earth would you see the mother of a nation kowtowing to a mere soldier?

Where had the rules gone to? Where was the sense of propriety?!

This was the same female servant that fetched Mao Zhu. If she knew this would happen, she should have just opted to take punishment instead of obeying orders.

But Ruo Wen wouldn't understand her master. Nuo Ying Su bowed to show the gratitude of the original owner.

Gui ayi was her only reprieve when her world came shattering down on her. When the cowardly miss thought that Gui ayi died, her world also lost its color.

Now that she was found, her heart stirred with anguish and a sense of obligation. How could the present Nuo Ying Su ignore such feelings?

She lived up to this day because of the body given to her. Whoever hurt Nuo Ying Su before, she enacted revenge upon. Whoever showed kindness, she doubled it.

That was her principle. It was her way to let Nuo Ying Su's soul rest in peace.

Seeing the lieutenant also kowtowing, the Empress knew the fear that covered his being.

She laughed while wiping the lingering tears in her eyes. She remembered her nurse's fearful attitude towards her.

Being at the top of the world was indeed lonely.

"Stand up, lieutenant." She uttered while being assisted to rise too. "My Lord has taken note of your deeds. Not just saving my ayi. Soon, your family will be honored. Ben gong hopes you will not lose yourself in the turbulent waters."

>本宫 - běn gōng - pronoun used by Empress and high-ranking consorts when talking to ppl with lower rank<

These words had multiple meanings and Mao Zhu engraved it in his heart. Serving this type of masters, he was sure he wouldn't regret.

Naturally, Mao Zhu didn't tell a soul of what transpired in that old courtyard. The banquet passed him by like  a breeze.

Commander Sui said a few phrases to him but he wasn't overpraised so the other soldiers treated it as the commander's courtesy.

In Mao Zhu's mind, he only did what he had to in the battlefield. He took care of his men the way a father cared for his children. He disciplined them and led them to battle after battle.

Many of them were just young peasants who were pulled from toiling at the fields. He did his best to minimize the fatalities. And honed these youths to be worthy soldiers of the empire.

Before, he was loyal to the flag they raised in the war. After meeting the dragon and the phoenix, he knew that these masters weren't so bad.

If they asked him to raise his sword, he would do so for his people and for his lords. What he wasn't aware of: this normal duty for him was precious to the Emperor and Empress.

In the court, finding a loyal subject was the same as finding a needle in a haystack.

---