Chapter 67: From Now On He Can Never Bully Your Soldiers Again!

Both sides immediately erupted into a fierce contest!

The young soldier who arrived first, relying on his abundant stamina and strength, rushed forward trying to forcefully push aside several veteran soldiers.

With a glance, Zhang Wu'an signaled, and the two veteran soldiers beside him did not meet the enemy head‑on but deliberately turned sideways to yield, causing the opponent's full force to instantly vanish, stumbling forward a step.

He roared, used the momentum to kick off the shoulder of a teammate who had already bent down, vaulted up, surged half a step ahead, and seized the red military flag firmly in his hand!

"We won! We won!" Zhang Wu'an raised the flag high; though panting, his voice rang like a bell!

The four veteran soldiers behind him excitedly helped each other up, laughing loudly!

The arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted in thunderous cheers! Especially the veterans' shouts were the loudest!

Tuan Tuan, cradled in his father's arms, was so delighted he nearly bounced out: "Father! Uncle Zhang won! They won!"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled faintly, "Not bad, truly worthy of the soldiers I trained!"

Lv Zheng, furious, shouted, "Useless! They're all a bunch of useless!"

Lv Huairen wore a pallid, iron‑blue face.

Xiao Yuanhang glanced at them and said loudly, "Training soldiers is not only about strengthening the body; more importantly, they must know how to cooperate, use their minds wisely, to survive on the battlefield!"

His gaze fixed on Lv Zheng, his tone turning severe: "Deputy General Lv, do you have anything else to say? You know nothing of military affairs, issue orders recklessly, Zhang Wu'an argued on principle, yet you not only ignored him but abused your authority, seeking to impose a heavy punishment!"

"You nearly injured one of our battle‑hardened veteran generals!"

"Since you just wanted to punish him with fifty staffs, I, the Prince, will transfer those fifty military staffs to you. Take them without grievance! Servants! Execute!"

The two soldiers bearing the staffs exchanged a glance, then hesitantly looked toward Lv Huairen.

"I'll see who dares!" Lv Huairen could no longer hold back, bellowing loudly.

"Commander Lv," Xiao Yuanhang glanced at him lightly, "Do you intend to defy the order?"

Lv Huairen was instantly at a loss for words.

Xiao Yuanhang looked at the two soldiers responsible for the execution.

Both trembled all over, daring not to delay further, stepped forward, grabbed Lv Zheng's arms and pinned him onto the bench where Zhang Wu'an had just been lying.

Lv Zheng was both terrified and frightened; a military staff is no toy, and his small frame could not endure it. He shrieked, "I don't want it! I don't want it! Father, save me! Father!"

Lv Huairen, hearing his son's cries, knew his pampered nature; receiving fifty staffs would likely cost his life, so he yielded, saying, "Prince, my son is still young, just entered the army, not as robust as the soldiers."

"Prince, may you show mercy, perhaps… ten staffs?"

Xiao Yuanhang stared at him silently; the meaning was crystal clear: your son struck others and earned fifty staffs, now it's your turn, and you think ten staffs will settle it?

Lv Huairen clenched his teeth, "Twenty staffs? I beg the Prince for mercy!"

Xiao Yuanhang finally nodded, indicating his agreement.

Tuan Tuan slipped out of his father's arms, waddling to the staff, tilting his little head up to stare at the execution staff: "Wow, what a huge stick!"

Xiao Ningchen hurried over, crouched, and said, "Tuan Tuan, this is for beating people, not for fun. Second brother will take you somewhere else to play, okay?"

Tuan Tuan extended his small hand, curiously patting it: "Second brother, this stick is for beating people, it's bare and ugly, huh."

The onlookers couldn't help but smile; such a little kid—who cares if a staff looks good? As long as it works.

Tuan Tuan lowered his head, opened the Embroidered pouch at his waist, produced a half‑broken eyebrow pencil of unknown origin, and smeared both staffs: "I'll draw on them, then they won't be ugly!"

The execution soldiers could only laugh helplessly; seeing Prince Ning smiling and tacitly approving beside them, they could only let her mess around.

Seeing both staffs covered with crooked black lines, Tuan Tuan happily ran back to Xiao Yuanhang: "Father! Hold me!"

Xiao Yuanhang scooped her up, "Tuan Tuan, they're about to beat someone, are you scared?"

Tuan Tuan clutched his neck: "Not scared!" (though his mouth sounded tough, his little face buried into his father's neck:) "Exactly, it's not pretty."

Xiao Yuanhang extended his large hand, covering his daughter's little ear, and laughed, "Then Tuan Tuan just stay here, don't look."

He looked around; his veteran soldiers stood nearby with solemn faces, shouting loudly, "Execute!"

The two soldiers inhaled, and, as usual, swung their staffs down.

"Bang!" The first staff struck down.

"Ah—!!!" Lv Zheng let out an unbearably mournful scream, as if the blow had shattered his bones rather than merely hitting flesh!

The watching soldiers were first stunned, then all displayed contempt.

"What are you pretending? One staff and you already sound like that?"

"Where's the bravado you show us in daily drills?"

The two execution soldiers were also taken aback, exchanged a glance, and each saw something odd in the other's eyes: "No force, they're holding back, after all he's Commander Lv's son, they're sparing him."

"Bang!" The second staff fell.

Lv Zheng's wail rang again, no longer sounding human.

Now not only the veterans, but even Lv Huairen's personal guards showed disdain.

"It can't be that bad, who hasn't been punished? This looks so disgraceful!"

"Truly disgraces the face of our soldiers!"

Lv Huairen was angry, anxious, and pained; his own son was being beaten, yet he could do nothing but hope the beating would end quickly so the army doctor could treat his son.

Tuan Tuan whispered into Xiao Yuanhang's ear, "Father, from now on he can never bully your soldiers again!"

Xiao Yuanhang felt a stir, looked at the black scribbles his daughter had just drawn on the staffs, instantly understood, and smiled faintly, covering her ear tighter.

Xiao Ningchen, also puzzled, followed his father's gaze and suddenly had an epiphany.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The staffs fell repeatedly, each of Lv Zheng's cries more mournful than the last.

By the tenth strike, his howl had become hoarse.

When the twentieth strike finished, his head tilted, and he collapsed completely unconscious, his hips and legs a mess of blood and flesh.

The execution soldiers stared at their hands and staffs, faces blank.

The surrounding jeers grew louder; everyone thought Lv Zheng was merely faking his misery.

Only Xiao Yuanhang and his son exchanged an unspoken glance, and together looked at Tuan Tuan's innocent little face.

Tuan Tuan blinked, with a look that said, "It's none of my business! I only drew a picture!"

Lv Huairen, frantic and incoherent, shouted, "Quick! Get him into the main tent! Where's the army doctor? Call him over!"

A wave of people and horses fell over in chaos.

Xiao Yuanhang snorted, "Commander Lv, if from now on I learn you are arbitrarily meting out punishments again, the next flogging will be yours!"

Lv Huairen forced down his inner fury, unwilling to say more, "As you command." He turned and rushed into the main tent with the soldiers carrying his son's body.