CHAPTER 79: CHAPTER 79: UNDER THE MOON (PART 1)

This small young boy is Cui Du.

After Cui Du saluted, he stood up straight. He wasn’t very accustomed to the distinctions between social ranks, so he boldly met Jiang Shaohua’s eyes and gestured with his hands.

Jiang Shaohua was in a good mood and didn’t mind, guessing with interest, "I, the Commandery Princess, went with the Personal Guard Camp to suppress bandits, and it took almost half a month. Did you hear that I returned to the mansion, so you rushed back tonight to see me?"

Cui Du grinned, nodding repeatedly, and took out a charcoal pen and paper from his sleeve, swiftly drawing a few strokes, and handed it to Jiang Shaohua.

Jiang Shaohua looked carefully under the lantern and moonlight.

"The spring plowing at the field manor is about to finish, and it’s almost time to start planting." Jiang Shaohua guessed while looking at the few particularly large and plump seeds drawn on the paper, "Are you selecting seed grains?"

Cui Du first nodded, then gestured a few more times.

This year’s sowing doesn’t allow time to cultivate new seed grains, so the best batch will be selected from the existing seeds. Once the spring plowing is over, various new seed grains can be cultivated. Such tasks cannot be accomplished overnight; it takes years of selection and cultivation to come up with truly high-yield seeds, at least three to five years.

Jiang Shaohua didn’t fully understand what Cui Du was gesturing.

As the Commandery Princess, she didn’t need to understand so many specifics. She just needed to trust her subordinates and let them do the work. If they did well, there would be rewards; if not, punishment could come later.

Just for Cui Du’s great contribution of offering a new style of plow, supporting him for ten years would be worth it.

Jiang Shaohua encouraged with a sincere face: "I have entrusted the field manor to you; do whatever you want. In everything, you have my backing."

Cui Du felt his heart warm at these words, his spirits were immediately lifted, and he gestured over his chest, as if offering his heart.

Jiang Shaohua was amused, "What are you doing? To repay me, you just need to work well in your duties, no need to spill your heart and soul."

Cui Du laughed too.

Not sure what he thought of, he picked up the charcoal pen and started drawing again.

Jiang Shaohua waited patiently, and upon seeing what Cui Du drew, chuckled again, "Are you trying to ask how I felt about the recent bandit suppression expedition?"

On the drawing was a girl on horseback holding a long spear. The girl’s head was exaggeratedly large with a round chubby face. The style was entirely different from freehand brushwork—simple, exaggerated, and amusing.

Cui Du nodded vigorously, eyes showing inquiry and concern.

Truthfully, a person living in the Prince Mansion where everything depended on the Commandery Princess’s grace didn’t have the qualification to engage with her as equals. Even Chen Zhuo and Song Yuan had to be cautious when speaking with Jiang Shaohua. As for Lu Junma, to call her by her given name, even he had to see what kind of mood Jiang Shaohua was in.

Cui Du had obviously overstepped.

Yin Zhu wanted to intervene.

Jiang Shaohua glanced over, and Yin Zhu immediately closed his mouth.

Cui Du didn’t notice, still eagerly waiting for the Commandery Princess’s response.

Jiang Shaohua thought for a moment and said, "The campaign against the bandits was a great victory; all the bandits were killed. I took action myself and killed people twice."

Cui Du: "..."

Cui Du couldn’t speak, but his pupils widened dramatically.

Jiang Shaohua was amused again, turned, and signaled for Yin Zhutu Bai to step back further.

Once the two maids and the personal soldiers had retreated seven or eight meters away, Jiang Shaohua quietly said, "Are you very surprised? Actually, I didn’t expect it either, that I would truly kill people myself."

"Killing doesn’t feel good. The first time I made a move and saw blood, I felt nauseated, threw up once, and couldn’t eat. That night, I had nightmares for half the night; every time I closed my eyes, I saw scenes of flesh and blood flying."

"But I can’t show it. Even Yin Zhu and Tu Bai don’t know about my nightmares."

"I am the Commandery Princess; I have to command utter respect. The Personal Guard Camp follows my orders, but I need more than that. I require their reverence and loyal following."

"The second time I took action, it got much better. That night, when I shot Zhu Yidao, the personal soldiers around me were roused with ferocity. After that, their attitudes towards me subtly changed. I didn’t vomit, and the nightmares ceased."

At this point, Jiang Shaohua paused, looking deeply into the slightly pale young boy’s face: "Cui Du, have you ever killed anyone?"

Cui Du shook his head wildly.

He had only killed a chicken once. After being splattered with chicken blood, he never laid a hand on chickens again. What does killing a person feel like?

He couldn’t even imagine it!

"If possible, never stain your hands with blood," Jiang Shaohua said softly.

Cui Du’s frantic head shaking suddenly stopped.

He stared at her, dumbfounded.

She repeated softly, "Killing isn’t a beautiful thing; unless necessary, don’t entertain such thoughts."

Then what about you?

Why, at such a young age, are you burdened with all this?

Jiang Shaohua and Cui Du locked eyes, her gaze taking in his confusion and pity. After a moment of silence, she spoke softly, "I am different."

How are you different?

Cui Du gestured a few times, finding it difficult to express his feelings, he simply started drawing once again.

The charcoal pencil made a faint scratching sound on the sturdy paper. Cui Du’s strokes flew, quickly handing the paper to Jiang Shaohua.

This was another somewhat disrespectful act. He wasn’t too careful, even brushing against the Commandery Princess’s fingers.

Jiang Shaohua glanced instinctively. Cui Du was completely unaware of his "insolence," his expression utterly candid.

Jiang Shaohua smiled faintly, looking down.

The drawing depicted a small girl with a big head and puffy cheeks, lifting her head with confidence, followed by a group of people drawn only as lines. Only one had a face drawn, a cute young boy with the same big head and puffy cheeks.

This boy following the Commandery Princess was, of course, Cui Du himself.

He had deliberately drawn himself close to the Commandery Princess, the nearest in distance. This sneaky little thought made Jiang Shaohua chuckle with amusement, "Cui Du, is it true that you sincerely wish to follow me?"

Cui Du nodded vigorously without hesitation.

He relied on the Commandery Princess for everything, from clothing and food to shelter. The Commandery Princess had given him the limitless field manor, and a group of people. More importantly, in this strange, chaotic, and bewildering world, the Commandery Princess had given him identity and background.

She was his only light.

He only hated that he couldn’t speak now, and that the Commandery Princess couldn’t understand his writing, so his passionate feelings couldn’t be expressed.

Jiang Shaohua’s eyes curved in delight: "As long as you work diligently, I will never treat you unfairly. It’s a pity you look only about ten years old now, but wait a few years; when you grow taller, I will matchmake for you and find you a wife."

Cui Du: "..."

Cui Du shook his head quickly, face turning red for some unknown reason, whether from embarrassment or something else.

Jiang Shaohua laughed again, "What? Unwilling? Have you perhaps already been married?"

Cui Du’s head shook even faster.

...