No Repeats

The general's new page boy

(Author's note- hi all, I've been having problems with my account so took awhile to recover it. Please like the chapter if you enjoyed it or leave comments. Your views and likes helps keep me motivated to write! Thanks ☺️)

Xie Mun is a trusted unit commander, having raised up the ranks steadily and gained the respect and adoration of his subordinates. Never in his almost twenty years in the military has he seen such a genius as the great general Yu Li.

When the general joined the army, he was just a kid and no one took him seriously. At first the middle rank leaders all thought he was given a position based on his relationship with the old general. But they were all proven wrong within a couple of weeks.

The youth was a natural manipulator and combined with his sky high martial arts, he became their most deadly weapon. The general has a reputation for patiently entrapping the enemy into a literal dead end and brutally slaughtering them with no thoughts of taking prisoners.

There have only recently been a change in tack, where his special forces unit take the heads of the enemy key leaders or targets as a warning sign and directive to submit before their army will be decimated. The death and gore is impactful. In one or two moves, the general would be able to paralyse the enemy with fear tactics and force submission.

Since the general joined the military, his rank rose and rose, no one expected that they would be under the leadership of a sixteen year old. But over the last two years, he had built this north west army into a disciplined and elite group.

If you were to compare this army with the southwest or the central imperial army, it is likely that the northwest could easily take on the combined strength of both armies, despite the significant differences in numbers and span of control.

The general has never been back home since he joined the army. Xie Mun knew him as an obsessive and focused man. There have never been a scandal linked to this man, no weakness, not even family can be held hostage.

The Huang manor is a known fortress, some say is more secure than even the imperial palace. Worst still, the General's well known brutality makes any enemy think trice before daring to cross him personally.

There was an example of a spy who managed to ferret out the exact location of the Huang manor and tried to report it to the Tazi tribe. The message was intercepted and the spy caught, flayed alive with all organs ripped out  and hung on the city walls as an example. The corpse was eventually bought down after rotten pieces started to fall.

That was why, when the general abruptly left the barracks a week ago, leaving him in charge, Xie Mun was shocked beyond words.

While inspecting the fortifications Xie Mun saw a rapidly approaching carriage and several men on horses surrounding it.

It seems like the general has returned with his security team. But what is unusual is that the General is riding a horse, not sitting in the carriage as Xie Mun expected. Who can the General be escorting?

Running quickly down to the city gates, Xie Mun greets the General and his crew while curiously looking at the carriage. They rode back to the General's private residence within the barracks fortifications.

When they got to the entrance, the carriage stopped and the men disembarked their horses. The General walked up into the carriage and led out out a handsome young boy.

Xie Mun judges that the boy might be around twelve or thirteen years old. When the boy speaks his two dimples and bright eyes makes his face dazzling.

Xie Mun found that he couldn't concentrate while his eyes kept wandering towards the kid's face. If the boy was a girl, she would definitely grow up to be a dazzling beauty, the type that can cause the fall of a kingdom.

The General doesn't seem too happy with Xie Mun's distraction and scrutinising eyes. He waves his hand and quickly sends Xie Mun away after introducing the new page boy, Shu Pei.

After bowing in polite greetings, Shu Pei quickly followed the General to his study. The steward of the General's residence was quickly summoned to settle living arrangements for Shu Pei.

According to the General's instructions, Shu Pei was given the adjoining room to the General. Being at the frontier, the accomodation is basic, with servants quarter generally close to the master's. However, it has been unprecedented that a page boy should take up the General's adjoining room. Those are usually reserved for his wife or concubines.

Surprised but the well trained steward dared not question his master and nodded in obedience.

"Dismissed," said Yu Li coldly giving the nod to leave the study. "Bring dinner to the study tonight and have him serve me," he added to the steward before the man could step out the door.

"It seems that you are trusted by the General," commented the steward as they walked towards Shu Pei's new room.

"He is barely tolerating me," Shu Pei said bluntly. She is looking around as she speaks, trying to find weaknesses in the walls so that she can plan her escape.

The journey to the frontier has been uneventful except for the fact that they were joined by his men middle way and she was forced to take on a new male identity.

Yu Li did not give her any explanations, apart from saying that she was part of his plan. She needed to obediently stay by his side as a page boy for a couple of years and he will ensure her family will be well cared for.

Shu Mei found that his attitude is domineering and completely different from his previous self. She felt fearful of his sharp gaze and deadly aura, but at the same time, she felt deep down a certain level of contempt since she has been his bed warmer for close to ten years.

In truth, Yu Li acted impulsively and had no further plan or purpose other than to keep her around him and give her time to fall in love with him again. But during the journey he thought back at how weak and defenceless she is.

A thought lodged itself in his mind and refused to budge until finally he succumbed to it. He must train her in martial arts and equip her as many methods of self defence as possible. That is the only way she could protect herself in this battle that he is setting up.

Being possessive and not wanting to draw undue attention to her as a girl in an army camp, he thought the best way is to have her disguised as a male youth. Once she matures and her body develops, he would already be well placed in her heart to marry her.