Upon hearing the private whisper from the soldier, Deputy General Mei Yuxin let a sly smile play at the corners of her mouth. She waved her hand, signaling a female soldier nearby to step forward. That soldier, Yang Liu, with willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and a graceful figure, walked up to Li Rufeng with a light step. Wearing a sweet smile, she said in a soft voice, "Kind sir, I heard that you are clever and resourceful. The way you just scared away that bully was simply extraordinary. This humble maiden admires you so much."
Li Rufeng had never witnessed such a spectacle before. He instantly blushed to the roots of his hair and stammered, "G-Girl, you flatter me."
Deputy General Mei Yuxin seized the moment to press the advantage from the side. "Look at that, even the heroines in our army are captivated by you. If you join the Imperial Guard and make your mark in the future, girls like her will be yours to pick from."
The surrounding soldiers of the Imperial Guard began to hoot and jeer. "That's right, Li Rufeng, don't hesitate! Such a pretty girl is making the first move, you might as well just give in!"
"Precisely! Once you're in the Imperial Guard, you'll have beauties by your side and endless wealth and glory!"
Panicking, Li Rufeng waved his hands while backing away, pleading for mercy, "My lords, my good lady, I beg you, spare me! I'm just a farmer, I really don't have that kind of ability. This honey trap doesn't work on me! I still have an old hen waiting for me to feed back home; if I'm late, it'll starve and get skinny!"
The female soldier Yang Liu feigned sadness, her eyes turning red as she pouted coquettishly, "Kind sir, is this humble maiden really so unappealing to you?"
Seeing her pitiful appearance, Li Rufeng stamped his feet in anxiety, on the verge of tears. "Girl, please don't be like this. I... I really cannot be a soldier! The moment I step onto a battlefield, I'll definitely pee my pants. Not only will I disgrace myself, but I'll also implicate everyone else."
Just then, an old man selling candied haws passed by. Seeing this scene, he couldn't help laughing. "My, Li Rufeng, what kind of romantic luck have you stumbled into? The girls of the Imperial Guard are coming after you!"
As if grabbing a straw to save his life, Li Rufeng shouted to the old man, "Uncle, please put in a word for me! I'm really not cut out to be a soldier, I just want to look after my few acres of land and live my life."
The old man chuckled and shook his head, saying to the Deputy General, "General, Li Rufeng has always been timid and afraid of trouble. Please don't make things difficult for him. His parents passed away early, and he relies solely on farming to raise his younger siblings back home. It's truly not easy for him."
Taking advantage of the moment while everyone was talking, Li Rufeng greased the soles of his feet and bolted. He ran like the wind, terrified that Deputy General Mei Yuxin and the crowd of Imperial Guards would catch up. As he ran, he kept looking back over his shoulder, muttering to himself, "I've finally shaken them off. As for this soldier business, I wouldn't do it even if it killed me."
Watching Li Rufeng's scurrying back, Deputy General Mei Yuxin felt more and more that something was amiss. "This brat reacted so strongly. Could it be he really does have some extraordinary skills and is deliberately hiding them?" She decided to send someone to test Li Rufeng.
Thus, Deputy General Mei Yuxin summoned a few sharp-witted soldiers and gave them detailed instructions. Taking their orders, the soldiers disguised themselves as a band of robbers and lay in wait along the path Li Rufeng had to take to get home.
Before long, Li Rufeng came strolling along, humming a little tune. Suddenly, several "robbers" leaped out from the roadside, armed with clubs and roaring, "This road was opened by me, these trees were planted by me! If you want to pass this way, leave your toll money behind!"
Li Rufeng was startled at first, but then felt a secret thrill. *Heh, these petty thieves didn't even bother to ask who your Lord Grandfather is, daring to act so arrogantly in front of me.* But then he thought better of it—he couldn't expose his skills. Putting on a terrified expression, he trembled and said, "B-Brave heroes, I... I'm just a poor farmer, I really don't have any money on me. I beg you to spare me."
The "robber" chieftain stepped forward, grabbed Li Rufeng by the collar, and said viciously, "Cut the crap! If you don't have money, take off your clothes to pay the debt!"
Li Rufeng was practically on the verge of tears. "Good heroes, it's freezing out here! If you strip off my clothes, won't I freeze to death? How about this—I have a few old hens at home, I'll go back and catch them for you, I guarantee they're nice and fat."
At that moment, a "robber" lackey whispered in the chieftain's ear, "Boss, this kid doesn't look like he's faking. Could he really have skills?"
The chieftain glared at the lackey. "Idiots, test him some more."
With that, the "robber" chieftain raised his club, pretending he was going to hit Li Rufeng, while cursing, "If you don't pay today, I'll beat you to death, you poor wretch!"
Terrified, Li Rufeng hurriedly covered his head and shouted, "Don't hit me, don't hit me! I'll give it, I'll give it!" But he patted every inch of his body—he truly had no money, and he spun around in panicked circles.
At this tense moment, a Woodcutter Uncle happened to pass by. Seeing what was happening, the uncle shouted indignantly, "You robbers! Daring to commit robbery in broad daylight—is there no respect for the law?"
The "robber" chieftain said dismissively, "Old man, mind your own business, or we'll beat you up right along with him!"
Without a shred of fear, the Woodcutter Uncle put down his bundle of firewood, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to throw down with the "robbers."
Seeing this, Li Rufeng cursed inwardly. *This uncle is rushing to his death by himself, fine—just don't drag me down with him!*