That same evening, at the Prime Minister's mansion.
Prime Minister Chen Yuanliang, Minister of War Ruan Yan, and Minister of Personnel Gao Jun gathered secretly through a hidden passage, plotting who knows what.
The next morning, Chu Chen reported to Princess Xin Yue and then rushed off to recruit soldiers.
Princess Xin Yue, engrossed in playing cuju, seemed to have forgotten about the five hundred people waiting to be recruited.
She only assigned ten personal guards to assist Chu Chen, while she continued her cuju endeavors.
For many days, Princess Xin Yue was busy playing.
Suddenly, the Empress summoned Princess Xin Yue.
In the imperial study, Princess Xin Yue felt uneasy, like a child who had made a mistake.
"Mother, what do you need me for?"
"Hmph, tell me, what have you been doing lately?"
The Empress asked sternly, disappointed.
"Ah? This... playing."
She wanted to lie, but she dared not.
"Playing! All you do is play! I told you to learn knowledge from Little Chenzi, why haven't you learned?"
"You don't cultivate, you don't learn knowledge, and you leave a eunuch to train soldiers in the military camp?"
"Do you think a eunuch can train soldiers? Why didn't you bring your personal guards and have them help train the new recruits?"
"Do you know how many people are secretly mocking the two of you while you're playing?"
The Empress criticized, somewhat angry.
"Mocking the two of us?"
Princess Xin Yue was stunned and immediately became angry.
"This princess wants to see who dares to mock me and Little Chenzi, besides Mother. Not even my imperial sisters are allowed."
"You know to be angry now? What were you doing before? Taking my money, with such a huge advantage, and you don't even know how to seize it?"
The Empress said irritably.
"Mother, you know about the money?"
The Princess, who was just angry, immediately lost her temper and pleaded nervously, "I instructed Little Chenzi to misuse this money. If you want to blame someone, blame me."
"Hmph, is a mere eunuch worth you defending him like this?"
"Of course! Little Chenzi is very useful."
Princess Xin Yue tried hard to think of Chu Chen's merits and quickly said, "He can earn a lot of money for you, Mother, he can make me happy, he knows how to make fun toys for me, and he knows so much knowledge..."
"Enough."
The Empress waved her hand, interrupting the Princess.
"If I really wanted to blame you, I would have done so long ago. You should go to the military camp and see for yourself."
The Empress waved her hand.
Princess Xin Yue, inexplicably summoned by the Empress to be scolded, and then sent back without any consequences, didn't quite understand what was happening.
But there was one sentence she remembered: someone was mocking her and Little Chenzi.
In the military camp, Chu Chen stood in front, shouting slogans.
"Turn left!"
"Turn right!"
With his sixty years of cultivation, Chu Chen's voice could easily be heard in every corner of the military camp.
"Little Chenzi!"
"Huh? Aren't you playing cuju, Your Highness? What brings you here?"
Chu Chen was a little curious.
"That was the plan, but I was suddenly summoned by Mother and scolded. So, this princess came to take a look."
"I also heard that someone mocked your troop training skills, Little Chenzi? Let this princess see how you train that you'd be mocked. Is it really bad?"
Princess Xin Yue's face was smiling, waiting to see a good show.
She didn't think a eunuch like Little Chenzi could train soldiers, but it didn't matter. She had brought General Wang Biao, the leader of the personal guards, with her this time.
When Little Chenzi embarrassed himself in front of her, she would let General Wang Biao take over the training of the soldiers.
"Then Your Highness should watch carefully. My troop training techniques are unparalleled in heaven and earth."
"Really?"
Seeing Chu Chen's confidence, Princess Xin Yue became a little unsure if Chu Chen actually knew what he was doing.
"Pfft~"
Suddenly, a laugh came from behind.
Everyone looked back and saw the Third Princess, who had apparently entered at some point and overheard Chu Chen's words.
"Third Imperial Sister, what are you laughing at?"
Princess Xin Yue frowned, a little displeased.
"Imperial Sister, you need to be more discerning and not always so naive. Don't even believe the boasting of some people around you. That's not good."
As the Third Princess spoke, she looked at Chu Chen with a half-smile, making it clear who she was referring to as boasting.
"Third Imperial Sister, I won't allow you to speak about Little Chenzi like that! I believe Little Chenzi is not boasting!"
Princess Xin Yue was angry.
"Hehe~ Imperial Sister, I've never heard of any soldier trainer on the Azure Cloud Continent who, instead of letting their subordinates cultivate, messes around with things that go 'round and 'round. Are those things more important than powerful strength?"
"Moreover, when Little Chenzi recruited soldiers, he didn't look at cultivation talent at all. I heard he only valued simple honesty."
"What's the use of simple honesty? Without cultivation talent, one doesn't even have the qualification to enter the army, let alone be a reserve for the royal personal guards."
"Imperial Sister, you should properly manage this Little Chenzi. Sometimes spoiling them too much isn't good."
"If you don't know how to discipline him, you can send him to me, and I'll discipline him on your behalf."
The Third Princess's sarcastic remarks were actually an attempt to win Chu Chen over to her side.
Although the Third Princess felt that Chu Chen's troop training might not be very good.
It didn't matter. The Third Princess didn't mind.
Because Chu Chen was handsome and pleasing to the eye, knew how to make people happy, could earn money, could plant, and his personal strength seemed not bad.
"I will not hand Little Chenzi over to you. Don't even think about it."
Perhaps it was a woman's intuition, but Princess Xin Yue, for once, had a moment of intelligence and instantly grasped her Third Imperial Sister's true intentions.
Chu Chen, standing on the side, was a bit bewildered.
Aren't the two princesses supposed to be fighting each other? How did it turn into a talent competition, and the talent being competed for was himself?
Am I that sought after?
"Oh dear, I've been discovered."
"Then I'll be direct."
The Third Princess, whose true intentions were revealed, was not embarrassed. She looked at Chu Chen with interest and said with a smile, "Since we've both recruited new soldiers and are in the military, why don't we have a competition according to the monthly combat power review rules of the army?"
"If the new recruits recruited by my Imperial Sister can win against my new recruits in a month-long competition, then Imperial Sister will not poach your precious Little Chenzi."
"But if you lose, you will give Little Chenzi to Imperial Sister. How about it?"
"No, I'm not stupid. I won't use Little Chenzi as a stake. Don't even think about it, Imperial Sister."
Princess Xin Yue held Chu Chen's arm, watching the Third Princess warily.
"It seems my Imperial Sister truly cherishes him. Then let's change the terms. If I win, he will serve me for three months. If I lose, Imperial Sister will not poach this talent. Is that acceptable?"
The Third Princess took a step back.
Princess Xin Yue thought about it. Without losing Chu Chen, solving the troublesome Third Imperial Sister seemed like a good deal.
She agreed, "Okay, you said it, Imperial Sister."