Chapter 1833: Hidden Depths

Xiao Yunfang's face flushed red from being stared at by the soldiers she met on the road; to avoid embarrassment, she struck up a conversation with Ye Liuyun.

"I tried the three‑man formation you drilled the soldiers in; its attack power is indeed strong, it's very flexible, and it doesn't easily reveal weaknesses."

"But how about defense?"

"Won't a three‑man team be somewhat weak?"

"Back then we were pressed for time, and I hadn't finished the training."

"This formation actually has three as its smallest unit; for defense it can be three, six, nine… even three thousand, linked into a large formation."

"The same goes for attack; they just haven't been trained up to that level yet."

Ye Liuyun explained.

"You've already been promoted to Leader, outranking me—should you consider expanding the army?"

Xiao Yunfang hinted to Ye Liuyun.

"Before she said she was equal to Ye Liuyun and didn't want to be his subordinate; now her implication is that she agrees to go."

But Ye Liuyun didn't think that much; he just sighed, "Expanding the army is easy, but what about resources?"

"A three‑thousand‑strong unit can go suppress bandits, but a ten‑thousand‑strong army can't survive on bandit‑suppressing alone! We need plenty of enemies and resources!"

"Then we can go to the border battlefield! There we have enough resources, and we can avoid the marriage‑selection event!"

Xiao Yunfang made the suggestion innocently.

"Avoiding it probably isn't possible; we still have to face it! But going to the border battlefield does indeed align with the army's development."

"Do you also want to go with me?"

Ye Liuyun asked.

Xiao Yunfang said with a slightly red face, "You're the Leader now, so you get to call the shots—unless you look down on my spear unit!"

Having laid it all out so clearly, Ye Liuyun finally understood this time.

"Exactly! I'll go see He Lin Feng later to get the people and bring them over!"

Ye Liuyun said, suddenly enlightened.

Only then did Xiao Yunfang smile satisfactorily.

"But the treatment you give us must be the same as for your own people!"

"Of course! By then we'll all be our own people—how could I mistreat you?"

Ye Liuyun also readily agreed in one breath.

They first went to Mysterious Origin Pavilion and placed an additional order for five thousand sets of equipment with Steward Liao.

The extra would be kept as spares.

They also ordered a ten‑thousand‑person warship and three small warships each holding a thousand people.

The previous five‑thousand‑person flying boats were all converted into warships as well.

"This is also making you spend too much!"

Xiao Yunfang also felt that Ye Liuyun was spending too much.

Ye Liuyun, however, didn't mind: "It's fine; we'll earn it all back later."

"Leader Ye?"

"Won't you go to the Flying Crane Pavilion tonight?"

At that moment, Xuan Yuan Ling's voice came out.

She wore a white dress, looking even more noble.

It seemed she was about to go out.

"Sigh! There's nothing to be done—I have to go! I've borrowed a beautiful woman, hoping the princess will let me off!"

Ye Liuyun said helplessly to Xuan Yuan Ling.

In their earlier conversation, Xuan Yuan Ling also noticed that Ye Liuyun truly had no other feelings toward Xiao Yunfang.

So she was still quite happy inside.

But thinking of Ye Liuyun going to marry He Lian Xiu made her feel uneasy.

Now, upon hearing that Ye Liuyun had borrowed a beautiful woman in hopes the princess would let her off, she couldn't help but laugh.

"How could you think of that! The Prince's decision isn't for the princess to overturn—but if you want to borrow a girlfriend, I can help."

Xuan Yuan Ling said with a smile.

"Ah?"

Ye Liuyun didn't understand what she meant by helping.

Xuan Yuan Ling then stood at Ye Liuyun's other side and smiled, "How come, Leader Ye, do you think I'm not good enough for you?"

Only then did Ye Liuyun realize that Xuan Yuan Ling, like Xiao Yunfang, was coming to back him up.

"Are you also going to take part in the marriage‑selection tournament?"

Ye Liuyun asked curiously.

"What's up?"

"As the princess's friend, I've been invited to come along as a companion."

"Anyway I have to go there—why don't we go together?"

Xuan Yuan Ling explained.

"Oh! Then let's go together!"

Ye Liuyun didn't think much of it.

So they walked out of Mysterious Origin Pavilion together, got into Xuan Yuan Ling's carriage, and headed over.

In the carriage, Xuan Yuan Ling suddenly recalled Ye Liuyun's attire and asked, "Why are you still wearing armor to go to the banquet? You're not being sent to fight!"

I came out of the military camp, and I've been wearing this all along.

Ye Liuyun also didn't want to deliberately change clothes.

"That won't do! At the very least, you need some etiquette to attend a banquet, right?"

Going like that, you're too conspicuous.

Others will think you're deliberately showing off your status, trying to attract the princess's attention.

Xuan Yuan Ling advised.

"Like that! I really don't want to attract that princess's attention!"

Ye Liuyun said, and immediately stored the armor into the Space World.

Inside, he was still wearing the clothes he wore when he went to eat with Xuan Yuan Ling last time.

After becoming Leader, inside there's no need to necessarily wear military uniform.

Xuan Yuan Ling then laughed: "I know you don't want to cater to those rich young masters."

But you are already a Leader; if your clothing doesn't match your status, people will look down on you.

In the future, when you need something from others, it won't go so smoothly.

Otherwise, we'll go back to Xuan Yuan Mansion, I'll help you pick a few suitable outfits, you'll also use them later!

"If we go back now, we probably won't have time, right?"

Xiao Yunfang said deliberately.

She didn't want Xuan Yuan Ling to fawn over Ye Liuyun.

From the moment Xuan Yuan Ling appeared, the two women have actually been jealous of each other, secretly competing.

Moreover, they originally took a detour to Xuan Yuan Mansion, wasting a bit of time; now going back to pick clothes will definitely make them late.

Xuan Yuan Ling thought about the time and also felt that being late would be bad.

"Ah, forget it, I'll do it myself!"

Ye Liuyun wanted to use the properties of the gilded battle armor.

These two women, one is not short of money, the other is his comrade-in-arms, and neither would covet anything from him.

Then, light flowed over his body, and in the blink of an eye his clothes changed into a high-end white shirt trimmed with gold-threaded gold edges, accompanied by a gold belt.

This changed Ye Liuyun's entire aura.

Paired with Ye Liuyun's golden pupils, it was even more fitting.

Both Xuan Yuan Ling and Xiao Yunfang were captivated.

Especially Ye Liuyun's Heaven and Earth Power is strong, especially close to nature.

In every gesture, he made people feel especially comfortable and amicable.

"Is this okay?"

Ye Liuyun saw them dazed and directly asked.

Only then did they react, nodding repeatedly.

"Can your clothes still change?"

Xiao Yunfang asked, puzzled.

"Made of gilded metal?"

Xuan Yuan Ling also asked.

"Yeah! Made of gilded metal!"

Ye Liuyun confirmed.

"I never expected it! You really hide your strengths well—actually wearing armor made of gilded metal!"

Xuan Yuan Ling sighed.

Even if one covered the whole body with artistic conception crystal stones, they might not be able to exchange for this gilded armor Ye Liuyun wears.

Yet before, everyone actually looked down on his attire.

I'd estimate even the King of Xiliang doesn't have that much gilded metal to make clothing.

"Just being able to deal with the past is enough!"

Ye Liuyun, however, didn't care much.