Harassment

There is a price to pay for being a good person, and it is not a small one.

Although it wasn't a huge sum, it was far beyond what her military salary could cover. She had been forced to return to the Imperial Capital to withdraw a considerable amount of money from her accounts. She only hoped that before the steward reported to her father, she could come up with a good excuse. Using her salary was a small matter, but if her father asked about it...

Putting down the quill and pushing the paper across the desk, the steward glanced at the signature and handed over a silk bag filled with gold coins.

"Miss Yilan, here is what you requested. Also, His Lordship wrote to say he will return to Xiuwa in a month."

"Is Little Yilan in a bad mood?"

Lin Yilan snapped out of her daze and forced a smile for the old woman beside her. "I'm fine, just a little tired."

Seeing her clearly picking at her food, the old woman looked at the child she had raised with heartache.

"It's not that easy to fool Old Maya. Tell Nanny what you are worried about."

"I was thinking that Nanny's cooking has remained just as good after all these years."

The old woman looked disappointed and sad, her tone dim. "Do you think Nanny is too old? Little Yilan used to tell me everything."

"Nanny!" The young woman jumped up from her seat and hugged the old woman tightly. "Don't say that. No matter how old you get, I will love you just the same. You are the person who loves me the most."

"But Yilan has her own secrets now." The old woman sighed deliberately.

"I just..." Lin Yilan bit her lip and gave up resisting. "Father is returning to Xiuwa."

The old woman wrapped her arms around her slender shoulders understandingly.

"I don't want to see him, but..." She paused, her voice lowering. "It's my fault. I can't satisfy Father."

"Yilan is excellent. I've always thought His Lordship is too picky."

"I think I'm going to get scolded again." Comfort was futile; the young woman muttered to herself.

"That's not your fault, it's His Lordship who..." The old woman began her decades-long complaint.

Lin Yilan didn't continue speaking, quietly feeling the warmth of the embrace until the rambling stopped. "Thank you, Nanny. I feel much better now."

"Yilan..." The old woman studied her expression and couldn't help but sigh.

"Nanny?" She keenly sensed something was wrong.

Old Maya hesitated for a moment. "Yilan, I heard rumors among the servants privately. The General has recently taken a liking to a newly promoted Colonel. They say he's a rising star in the military, and the General might intend... to make him your husband."

Her green eyes darkened instantly, like a cold night shrouding a lake.

"What is that person's name?"

"I'm not sure about the name, but he is the third son of the Qin family." The old woman was a bit uneasy and could only offer weak comfort. "Yilan, maybe he's a nice person. His Lordship must have considered it carefully, perhaps..."

"I understand. Thank you, Nanny. Sorry, I'm a little hungry."

With a perfect smile, she continued her meal perfectly. Lin Yilan did not speak again.

Qin Luo, born into the Qin family, another military lineage.

Looking at the military records pulled by her former colleagues, Qin Luo had outstanding military achievements and a rising reputation. His promotion speed was extremely fast. Recently, he had saved a certain councilor during a rebellion, earning great merit and the Royal Medal. His new orders were to transfer to Xiuwa to assist in defense and reorganization; he would arrive soon.

Bang!

The burly soldier was thrown heavily to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Next."

There was no response for a long while.

"Cap... Captain..." Angie was signaled by the other soldiers with their eyes and braced herself to remind her. "There is no next. Everyone has had a turn."

Lin Yilan looked up and swept her gaze around. The soldiers in the squad looked green in the face, standing crookedly around the field. Some were even holding their waists; perhaps she had been a bit heavy-handed today.

"Training ends here. Go back and rest, continue tomorrow." Knowing she had lost control, Lin Yilan cancelled the evening drill. The soldiers felt as if they had been granted amnesty and helped each other leave.

"Looks like you're in a bad mood." Dana lingered like a ghost as usual, leaning against the wall to tease her. "Want to have some fun with me? I have many ways to put a young girl in a good mood."

"Thank you for your kindness, Lieutenant. I don't think that's necessary."

"You can forget I'm a superior." Dana raised his eyebrows, his expression ambiguous and frivolous. "I'm not as stiff as Jones."

"Military regulations are as such; I dare not be presumptuous." Signaling Angie to leave first, Lin Yilan had lost the patience to be polite.

"Treat me as an ordinary man?" Dana propped one hand against the wall, blocking her path, his face almost touching hers. Seeing her silent, Dana's interest grew. "Seriously, just try it once, I guarantee..."

"Get lost."

Dana stiffened. "What did you say?"

"Get lost!"

Lin Yilan repeated coldly. Her hazel-green eyes were as cold as frost and snow, an inviolable chill.

Dana unconsciously took a step back, his face turning exceptionally ugly.

Too lazy to spare him another glance, Lin Yilan walked away.

"Sir?" Several soldiers gathered around to jeer. "This broad really thinks she's a princess."

"Face and body are pretty, but that temper..." Filthy gazes stared at her back.

"Princess of the Infantry Company?" The group roared with laughter.

"Heard she was cut from Del City, and she's still putting on airs."

"Wasting such looks on the battlefield, those noble lords are truly wasteful."

"If they weren't wasteful, how would we get a turn?"

"So spicy, looks like it'll take some effort."

"Sir can handle it, right? That old dog Jones is really in the way."

"Sir?" The group of soldiers discussed lewdly for a while before realizing Dana hadn't made a sound. "You're not just going to let it go, are you?"

"How is that possible." Having hit a hard nail, Dana's desire to conquer burned even hotter. "I thought she was just a rigid woman with a pretty face. Didn't expect a spicy wild cat. Now I'm even more interested."

The crowd snickered knowingly, urging him on with their words, waiting to get a share after the captain had his fill.

Discipline at the Xiuwa Base was extremely strict, but routine training was not heavy. Compared to the laxity around them, Lin Yilan's strictness made her subordinates complain incessantly, their grievances boiling over. Angie, who was closest to the captain, heard the most complaints and was urged by her comrades countless times, but she never dared to speak up to advise against it.

As a veteran, Angie had her own judgment. Although they hadn't spent much time together, she understood her quite well. This new officer was young and kind but definitely not weak or easily bullied. She would be reasonable within limits, but would not yield an inch on matters of principle. Maintaining peak physical condition was a soldier's duty; it was hard to use fatigue or the laziness of other squads as an excuse.

With no way to appeal, the soldiers could only grit their teeth and endure. After several rounds, their military skills improved significantly, and their combat effectiveness changed quite a bit.

"Doing good work lately." Jones tossed his military cap aside and sat down heavily; the chair gave a fragile creak.

"Thank you, Sir." Lin Yilan's expression remained normal.

The Lieutenant was a typical soldier: short-tempered and rough, but he did not stint on praise for subordinates he appreciated. Lin Yilan's squad had won the routine base competition, putting him in a great mood and making him secretly proud of his own judgment.

"Is Dana still giving you trouble?"

"I can handle it."

"Good. Like a soldier." The answer satisfied Jones. "Report if you need anything."

"Yes."

Lin Yilan hesitated for a split second, which Jones caught. "Speak your mind."

"There are male soldiers in the unit forcing female soldiers into inappropriate behavior. Can this be stopped?" This abuse had existed for a long time. Apart from watching coldly, she had no authority to control it.

"Let them be." Jones didn't care much. "Being a soldier is boring. Letting them have some fun can reduce other troubles."

"But this is extremely atrocious for the female soldiers." Lin Yilan persisted in her admonition. "They are serving the Empire, yet they must deal with the dual harassment of the battlefield and their colleagues."

"The army doesn't need the weak." Jones wasn't interested in this topic. "If a soldier can't even protect themselves, I don't consider them a qualified soldier."

"Women are the minority in the army and have no physical advantage. It is difficult to fight against injustice."

"Then why can you do it?" Jones leaned back in his chair, already a bit impatient.

Lin Yilan was silent for a moment. "Because the superior I met was you."

Although Jones was rough, he had no habit of meddling with his subordinates, which was extremely rare in the army.

"It's not just because of me. It's because you're strong enough to handle it." Jones had his own views. "Those female soldiers knew what kind of place the army was but still chose to enlist. They should have this awareness. If they don't want to be bullied, they can become strong. But most of them use their bodies to exchange for various conveniences, seducing the bastards into jealous fights. Why should I give them special care?"

"That is only a minority. Many are forced to endure out of necessity."

"You pay too much attention to irrelevant things." Jones didn't think it was necessary to continue and waved his hand to interrupt. "The army has always been like this. Your brain shouldn't be wasted on this. Controlling subordinates too tightly will only dampen morale. Cut the crap in the future."