Lu Shi scolded the men angrily. Even though Chu Yanxi had committed an unforgivable sin, he was still a prince, the Emperor's own son.
If they merely played with Chu Yanxi and taught him a lesson, it would be fine. But if they went too far and left any obvious scars on Chu Yanxi, the Emperor would see them. Not only would their lives be forfeit if the Emperor was enraged, but the young general would also be implicated.
They were already at the capital's Heavenly Prison. As long as they delivered Chu Yanxi safely and without any physical defects, their mission would be complete. There was no need to continue to torment Chu Yanxi. If anything went wrong, the gain would not be worth the loss.
"Lord Lu, I was just speaking carelessly. Please don't be angry. I'll leave now... I'll leave now."
The reprimanded soldier realized that he had indeed said too much. He quickly admitted his mistake, even slapping his own mouth twice. He then bowed and hurried to the back of the group.
Upon arriving at the gates of the Heavenly Prison, Lu Shi removed the smelly sock from Chu Yanxi's mouth. As he brought it closer, a foul odor assaulted his senses. Lu Shi quickly threw the sock far away, wondering whose sock it was. It was truly pungent, enough to make a person suffocate.
In contrast, the moment the sock was removed, Chu Yanxi began to vomit, wishing he could expel all the sour bile from his stomach.
Lu Shi, after enduring the assault of the smelly sock, now had to face Chu Yanxi's vomit. He almost couldn't hold back and vomited himself.
"Hurry up and take him inside!"
Lu Shi said, suppressing the discomfort in his stomach. These clueless men only knew how to stand behind and watch, not to help. The most important thing was to get the prisoner inside quickly.
"Yes, Lord Lu!"
Two men standing behind had some sense and quickly stepped forward to respond. They each took an arm of Chu Yanxi and escorted him into the Heavenly Prison.
Lu Shi reached up to wipe his nose. Before he could bring his hand to his nostrils, he was assailed by the foul odor, almost making him suffocate.
"Everyone, wash your feet when you get back. And wash those socks that have been stored for months. They are truly enough to make a person choke to death!"
Lu Shi glared at the men behind him with disgust. They looked decent enough normally, but unexpectedly, they were so slovenly. Their socks alone were enough to kill a cow with their stench.
Not to mention that these socks had been stuffed into Chu Yanxi's mouth. Thinking about it now, he felt a pang of sympathy for Chu Yanxi. To have to smell their dirty socks for no reason – who else could endure such an odor?
"Lord Lu, we brothers have always been like this. When we go to war, we can't even eat a proper meal, let alone worry about cleanliness. Some of our socks haven't been washed in half a year, and we wear them like that. We never felt anything wrong with it."
"That's right, Lord Lu. Haven't we all come this way? It's been so many years, and we brothers have long gotten used to it."
The men grumbled, all holding the same opinion about not washing their socks, a rare display of unity.
Lu Shi was utterly speechless at their remarks. He couldn't believe they had the audacity to say such things, and with such justification.
"That was when we were on the battlefield, and our priority was the war. Not washing socks and neglecting hygiene were unavoidable. But now... now we are in the capital, and there are no battles to fight. We only train. Can't you spare some time to wash your socks? Ultimately, it's because you're all accustomed to being lazy!"
"What's the big deal? We're just..."
"Shut up and stop making excuses. Tonight, go back and sort out your personal hygiene. Tomorrow, I'll inspect the camp. If I find anyone still hiding dirty socks, dirty clothes, or unwashed bedding, you'll all be punished by military law!"
Lu Shi couldn't tolerate their slovenly appearance any longer and finally issued a strict order.
Before, it was on the battlefield, and everyone was unkempt out of necessity. Now, things were different. They were in the capital, yet they remained so dirty.
If this information got out, people would only mock the Black Armored Army for being inadequate, bringing shame upon all of them.
Everyone pouted, showing clear reluctance on their faces. They had always lived this way. Why were they making such a fuss now, insisting on hygiene?
Asking them to fight on the battlefield was a matter of unquestioning bravery, but the thought of them washing clothes and cleaning every day like women made them feel extremely uncomfortable, as if a horse's mouth had been grafted onto a donkey's head – it simply looked wrong.
"What are you dawdling for? Since you have time now, hurry back and tidy up!"
With Lu Shi's command, they all ran off in one direction. In the blink of an eye, not a single person was in sight.
Lu Shi carefully raised his hand to sniff. He coughed dryly several times. The smell was truly awful. No, he needed to wash his hands quickly.
After seeing Chu Yanxi settled, Lu Shi went to report to Ling Mo Han.
"Young General, Chu Yanxi has also been escorted into the Heavenly Prison and is being held in solitary confinement. I guarantee no one will be able to contact him."
Ling Mo Han put down the scroll in his hand and spoke slowly after a moment of thought: "Well done. Send more troops around the Heavenly Prison. It is imperative to ensure Chu Yanxi's safety within the prison. If there are any mistakes with the person, you will be held accountable!"
"Your subordinate understands!"
"You may go now. You've been busy for a few days. Go back and rest today."
Ling Mo Han finally magnanimously decided not to bother Lu Shi further today. He only had Lu Shi as a capable subordinate. He couldn't continue to overwork Lu Shi day and night like this.
If the man wore himself out, where would he find such a competent person? In the end, he would be the one working hard. He had to let Lu Shi rest well so that he could be utilized again.
"Thank you, Young General. If you have nothing else, your subordinate will take his leave."
Suppressing his inner joy, Lu Shi asked cautiously.
"Go down!"
The moment Ling Mo Han spoke, Lu Shi hastily retreated. He had been busy for several days and hadn't slept a full night's sleep. Today, he could finally go back and rest properly. If he didn't leave now, he'd be a fool.