Lisa could even be described as a completely different person.
The aristocrats in the capital were all pampered and spoiled, hence they carried a laid-back and leisurely air.
Though they were all fair-skinned and well dressed, they lacked a certain spirit.
But Lisa was different.
Through years of living on the frontlines, she had a quality that those other young masters lacked.
Those old and broke clothes often caused her to be overlooked, but when changed to the dress of those aristocrats, that quality was now well presented.
It was very eye-catching.
Seeing Jennie looking at her for the whole while, Lisa's face heated.
Lisa felt nervous. She could not be at ease ever since she changed into this outfit.
Such a high-quality outfit, did I look very weird wearing it? Her Highness probably thinks that I'm weird too...
Jennie could tell Lisa's embarrassment with one look. She smiled faintly, then she put away her surveying gaze of Lisa.
Jennie walked to Jonathan's side. Placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, she said to her: "Liam, this is my younger brother, the one I've told you about."
Jennie and Lisa's eyes met.
They shared a smile, as if they were back to those days of 'escape'.
Nayeon and Jonathan looked at these two oddly, feeling somewhat puzzled.
Nayeon looked at Lisa, then she blinked: why does it seem like this person turned more relaxed when he heard her Highness say that?
Jonathan helped Jennie sit on the main seat, then he sat down on the right seat.
Lisa remained next to the lowest seat.
Jennie told Jonathan a simplified summary of their journey.
As for Carl's situation and the dangers of this trip, she did not mention any of it. Instead, she started to question Jonathan's progress on his homework.
Jonathan rubbed his nose, but he did not dare to disobey his older sister.
He stood up from his seat with his back straight, then he began to report to Jennie what lessons he had learned and what books he memorized in the days where she wasn't around.
Jennie would occasionally interrupt Jonathan with a few questions. After some thinking, he would answer them at once.
Jennie would nod and give praise when it was answered well, while she would furrow her brows when they were answered passably.
She would then bring up a list of book titles that Lisa had never heard before, to have Jonathan write out sections from those books for homework.
Jonathan was only eight years old, so his small face twisted up when he heard Jennie's penalties. But he did not dare to say a word of complaint. He simply gave a nod as he said yes.
Lisa sat by the side quietly, watching the siblings interact.
Traces of warmth flowed in her heart. She was shown another side of Jennie.
With Jennie's grace and quiet elegance put away, she had the sternness of an old teacher.
As Lisa looked and looked, soon she could not take her eyes away.
Naturally, Jennie noticed Lisa looking at her the whole time. She curved the corners of her lips slightly, then she finished her evaluation of Jonathan.
"Jonathan, how do you interpret this?" Jennie mentioned a quote from Sun Tzu Art of War.
Jonathan was surprised to hear Jennie's question: why did sister suddenly test me on military tactics? Was she inspired from the trip to the military camp?
However, Jonathan dared not to drag his feet.
After some thinking, he straightened his back as he answered: "This sentence means: To someone who is adept at making use of soldiers, he does not need to gather his men repeatedly, or send military supplies repeatedly. Weapons and equipment will be supplied by the kingdom, but one must still attempt to take food supplies from the enemies. That way, there will be enough to feed the army. The reason why a kingdom becomes poor from war is because the army is far from the capital, and hence supplies had to be delivered from a long distance. The cost of this delivery will definitely cause the commoners to become poor. Prices near the garrison will definitely inflate. If there is inflation, there will be a drainage of resources. With the drainage of resources, tax and labor will naturally increase."
"Hmm." Jennie nodded with satisfaction.
She took a look at Lisa without leaving a trace, then she continued: "Actually, in a simpler manner of speaking, it would be that troops that are in battle should not overly rely on provisions by the court, because the matters of war are constantly changing. Complete preparations must be made for any moment. In case that the provisions are limited, or if there isn't enough for some reason, one must learn to replenish it with other kinds of routes and rations. Do not limit it to the enemy's provisions. For example, in a time of no alternative, war horses are also rations too. One can sow land for military crops or raise livestock for rations to eat when provisions are tight."
"Understood, I will remember."
"Then, this phrase.... how do you understand it?" Jennie mentioned quotes from Sun Tzu - Art of War again.
"Mm... This phrase is to say that, the principles in handling troops are: against opponents of high ground backed by hills, do not attack upfront; to enemies pretending escape from defeat, do not follow for further attack; do not storm enemies with elite forces; for enemies with troops of bait, do not be greedy; do not intercept troops that are retreating to the mainland; to enemy troops that were surrounded, leave a breach open; to enemies who are cornered, do not overdo forcefulness, these are the basic principles in handling troops."
... ...
In the time that followed, Jennie asked Jonathan many questions regarding the military's march, formation, geography, military strength and plotting attacks, etcetera.
Jonathan answered all of them.
When there were answers that were not complete or perfect, Jennie would provide an explanation patiently.
When the last questioning was complete, Jennie looked at Jonathan as she asked: "Did you get all that?"
"I've got it!" Lisa answered impulsively...
Hearing this, Jonathan and Nayeon turned their heads towards Lisa...
Lisa finally realized that she had been completely absorbed by Jennie's lecture.
She had lost her awareness of the situation...
Feeling Jonathan and Nayeon searching gazes on her, she straightened her body at once as she looked stiffly to the front.
Jennie smiled as she looked at Lisa, secretly happy: he is smarter than I had expected. Despite missing school, without receiving any systematic guidance and education, he could understand such obscure concepts, and understand them quickly.
This was absolutely a pleasant surprise for Jennie.
Jonathan looked at Lisa, then he looked at his smiling sister.
Only then did he realize with vigor: I was wondering why sister would ask so many military questions, so it turns out that she had an ulterior motive...
Jonathan turned back his head to look at Lisa, scrutinizing her from head to toe.
He looked at Lisa until Lisa's scalp felt numb...
"This humble servant greets your Highness, the Eldest Princess, your Highness, the Crown Prince. His Majesty has summons. The royal banquet has been set, may the two Highnesses and Battalion Commander attend the banquet."
"Mm, I've got it. Jonathan, Liam, let us go."
Once they had left Windsor castle, Jennie and Jonathan got on their respective litters.
Thanks to these two, Lisa got to ride on a litter for the first time in her life.
Lisa sat inside the litter, looking down at her own outfit as Jennie and Jonathan's conversation echoed in her ears.
Lisa was not stupid. She knew that Jennie was borrowing the act of testing the Crown Prince on his studies to secretly give her lessons.
The kingdom was powerful.
Being the heir to the throne, the Crown Prince would not need to be present on the battlefield for his entire life.
Jennie's words from before was simply meant to be instructions for her.
Was she worried about me? Or was she trying her best to help me?
Ever since that day in the inn, where Jennie requested Lisa to take up the responsibility of protecting the border against the Huns, Jennie had not brought it back up again.
But Lisa has thought about it for the whole journey. She had already made a decision.
As for why she has yet to answer Jennie, it was simply because Lisa was worried that she may fail.
She was a woman after all.
To enlist with a false name and to enter the military dressed as a man was a serious crime.
If she was not careful and earned fiefs, she would even receive a death sentence for deceiving the King.
But on second thought, what was she afraid of? Her entire family was already dead.
It's like what Jennie said.
At the very least, she could still put in her greatest effort and protect the millions of common folks at the border, so that they would not go through the same suffering that she had!
Additionally, Lisa has spent the whole journey looking at Jennie.
She had seen Jennie go through suffering as a fugitive. Before she could notice it, Lisa's heart had flashed with an audacious idea.
If there comes a day where I could really become a Commander-in-Chief like General Windsor, with a powerful army holding down the borders, could I be of help to her... to frighten those Dukes?
Or at the very least... so that she would not have to live her days in fear and anxiety anymore...?
As Lisa sat inside the litter, she opened her eyes once again.
Her expression had changed into one of unparalleled resolution.
Windsor castle was not far from the palace for banquets. It did not take a very long time for them to arrive.
Jennie, Jonathan and Lisa walked into the grand hall.
Charles had yet to arrive, but many people that Lisa did not recognize were already present.
"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince is here, her Royal Highness, the Eldest Princess is here, Battalion Commander is here."
The guiding eunuch announced.
Lisa followed Jennie and Jonathan further into the grand hall.
***
Inside the Grand Hall.
The big dining desk that faced the entrance was empty.
Beside it was a smaller dining desk that was reserved for the Crown Prince.
The Duke of Winterfell, Victor, sat on the first dining desk on the right as he was the eldest son. The desk opposite him was empty.
Beside that empty dining desk, there was a smaller desk.
The Duke of Tryon, Jacob's dining desk was placed second on the right.
Seeing Jennie and Jonathan walk in, he put down the wine goblet in his hand with an unkind expression.
This damned woman, what was Joshua doing? Letting her escape like that...
We've lost this precious chance where Jennie had left the palaces.
It would be extremely difficult to make a move now, and father had intentionally set a royal banquet this time.
He had invited every Dukes, even leaving out the analogging officials, despite the fact that it would leave a mark.
The implication of a warning was clear.
It seems that...
I'll have to consider Peter's suggestion, hm.
==============