The Eighth Prince (Rewriting) (Barely Updates)

10; Training Suggestion

Co-authored By Relendria

Entering Sargeant Chu's tent Guang Chia-Hao looks at the Sergeant who closes the scroll within his palm. It seems as though it was a letter from the main camp, Guang Chia-Hao didn't say anything as Sargeant Chu placed the closed scroll on his desk and then looked up at him.

"Your Highness, good evening," Sargeant Chu greeted him politely.

Guang Chia-Hao nodded and returned his own polite “Good evening” to Sargeant Chu. 

"What is on your mind?" Sargeant Chu asked. His curiosity was piqued by Chia-Hao’s request to meet. He hoped that the man wouldn’t make some outrageous demand or complaint. So far, he had been nothing like the spoiled, stupid and problematic prince that the gossips had revealed. It would be a shame if this meeting reversed his good impression of the unwanted prince.

"I'd like to make some suggestions about the training," Guang Chia-Hao said, getting straight to the point. He hated polite dancing around in conversations.

"Oh?" Sargeant Chu raised an inquisitive brow but said nothing else. He would not judge the prince’s request with so little information.

From the time the eighth prince arrived at the main camp until now, Chia-Hao had shown he was both intelligent and capable of fending for himself. Just today, he had soundly defeated the malingerers in his own troops and made a good start on winning the respect of the remaining men he had brought with him. He would listen to the details before deciding whether the suggestion had merit. "And what are those suggestions?" 

Guang Chia-Hao remembered the days in his past life when the soldiers ran low on food supplies and had to seek out food. The entire army suffered and it dealt a blow to the war effort. He would not allow that dark time to be repeated in this life.

"Above the waterfall there is a verdant swamp with a bit of miasma in the air – I suggest you allow me to take the soldiers to train there and gather supplies at the same time."

Sargeant Chu was left almost speechless by this suicidal suggestion.

"Do you have any idea of what you're suggesting?!?” the Sargeant hissed. “That swamp is highly dangerous. A suicide mission is not “training”!”

Sargeant Chu’s face was covered in the disappointment he felt for Chia-Hao.

"Yes, the swamp is dangerous – but so is war," Chia-Hao countered.

"You are suggesting I allow them to simply walk to their deaths!"

"I am suggesting you allow them to train in an adverse environment. Not only will this allow them to hunt and gather food and medicine for us, but they will also be able to gain an immunity to many toxins." 

"Your Highness, that swamp is well known to be a death trap! It not only has a toxic miasma but many of the creatures are venomous and many plants are poisonous." 

"They will not die if they follow my lead," Chia-Hao argued stubbornly.

Sargeant Chu tightened his lips, trapping his instinctive denial. Chia-Hao’s suggestion to turn the ravine into a trap showed that he was able to come up with innovative solutions to problems. If Chia-Hao thought this could be beneficial, he must have some sort of plan.

“Explain it to me. What exactly are your plans?" 

Chia-Hao’s stance relaxed slightly. If the Sargeant was asking him to elaborate then there was still hope for his plan.