Ping blinked, because without knowing who was asking this, how could he possibly answer correctly? Either it might be one of the other recruits eager for another excuse to make fun of Ping…not that anybody could ever mistake the youngest recruit for the captain’s chǒng’ér…Or - well, somehow Ping doubted the captain himself would ask such a question, but that could be a clever way of deflecting suspicion. 

“Umm,” hedged Ping, looking around nervously. “Captain Shang can be very strict with us, but I don’t think it’s right to complain.” Not until Ping was safely ensconced in his tent with his guardian dragon.  "He wants us to become good soldiers.“