Li Chengru got into the carriage, went to the general’s residence with the food box, and handed it to Xiao Baoshan.
Xiao Baoshan stayed in the residence for some carefree days. He practised martial arts, read books, and went to bed at the same time each day like when he was in the tribe.
When Li Chengru arrived, Xiao Baoshan was ready to go to bed. However, when he heard that Li Chengru brought food made by Ye Xiaoxian, he put on clothes again to meet Li Chengru.
Li Chengru said straightforwardly, “There’s no need to prepare dishes for me. I got full in the palace. Tea is fine.”
Xiao Baoshan paused.
“What, no tea?” Li Chengru asked.
Xiao Baoshan asked, “Only water, is it okay?”
Xiao Baoshan was a rough man, and now he lived alone. He always grabbed anything he had to drink. So how could he boil water for tea?
Li Chengru said, “I specifically bring you food. And that’s how you treat me? Well, forget it, I can live with water.”
Xiao Baoshan went to get the kettle, but after touching the edge of the kettle, he asked Li Chengru, “Cold water, is it okay?”
Li Chengru was speechless, “Your residence look deserted, but you do have a servant, right?”
Xiao Baoshan said, “Maybe they are busy.”
The general’s residence is very large, but only a few servants were responsible for its cleanup. It was already hard enough for them to sweep the courtyard every day. Xiao Baoshan didn’t want to add to their labours.
Li Chengru shook his head. “Sure enough, people won’t be nice to honest people. Alright, I’ll drink cold water. I’m used to living a hard life, so I’m not picky. But the dishes I bring you might be cold. You might want to find someone to heat it up for you or you heat it up yourself?”
Xiao Baoshan asked, “This is from Little Ye?”
“Yes, I saw her in the morning. She asked me to bring some food back to you and she also got you some words.”
“What?” asked Xiao Baoshan.
Li Chengru pointed to the food. “You eat this first.”
Usually, Xiao Baoshan didn’t eat anything late at night, but since it was made by Little Ye, he picked up the meat right away.
It was still warm. Although it was less tasty than when it was hot, the texture was still very good.
Moreover, it tasted exactly like what he had eaten when the Tianshan tribe was eating meat to celebrate their festival.
He hadn’t seen Little Ye for a long time, and missed her so much. Now he could eat the meat she cooked, and he felt like she was by his side. He would think of how she looked when she was making roast lambs, how she was busy shuttling through the grass field, and how she came to his yurt, shyly.
“Is she fine?” Xiao Baoshan asked Li Chengru while eating.
“She looks good, very energetic,” Li Chengru took a sip of cool water and said seriously.
“She has some words to me. What is it?”
Li Chengru told him what Little Ye had said, “She said that you don’t need to worry about her. No matter what you do, you have to do it out of your own inner voice. If you do something outrageous for her, she won’t forgive you. She doesn’t want the future generations to curse her. In short, she doesn’t want to be the source of calamity.”
Xiao Baoshan was silent.
Li Chengru added, “She also said that with food and liquor in State Preceptor’s residence, she’s living a comfortable life now, so don’t miss her too much.”
Xiao Baoshan ate silently.
Seeing this, Li Chengru knew that he was not in good mood, so he patted Xiao Baoshan on the shoulder, “Alright, the food is here, and you know her words, too. What to do next is your business.”
Xiao Baoshan did not send Li Chengru off. He just stared at the dish in front of him.
…
The next day.
Li Chengkun lost his temper in the palace.
He didn’t expect they had just held the ceremony yesterday with all the ministers and imperial concubines together to pray for the peace of the nation. And today, they got the news that his soldiers lost the battle in the north.
‘Bastards, what bastards!’
‘Yan Ziyan is really useless. He actually lost at this time. Isn’t this deliberately hitting me, Li Chengkun, in my own face?’
What made it even worse was that Li Chengkun had announced that they would take a day off today because the ceremony last night ended too late. The ministers didn’t have to go to the court in the morning, so he couldn’t find anyone to discuss it now.
Li Chengkun sent his personal eunuch for State Preceptor and let State Preceptor enter the palace as soon as possible.
The eunuch went to the State Preceptor’s residence and told the gatekeeper that the Emperor was urgently calling State Preceptor.
However, he only saw Mrs. State Preceptor.
Mrs. State Preceptor asked, “What? State Preceptor? State Preceptor didn’t come back last night.”
“He didn’t come back?” The eunuch was surprised.
Suddenly, he patted his head.
‘What a fool I am! I should have been more cautious and gone to Empress Dowager’s palace first. Perhaps State Preceptor now is at Empress Dowager’s palace because he drank too much last night.’
The eunuch told Mrs. State Preceptor, “State Preceptor may be too tired last night and slept in another courtyard. I will go somewhere else to look for him.”
After the eunuch left, Mrs. State Preceptor couldn’t help but scold, “Ugh, what other courtyard? How could this old man live there for no reason? He must go to find THAT WOMAN in the palace.”
…
When the eunuch found State Preceptor, he was still in the bed with the Empress Dowager in his arms.
He was annoyed when being suddenly woken up. Who was that bold to come to Empress Dowager’s palace to disturb him?
Then he learned that it was the Emperor who called him urgently. He got up right away, put on clothes and freshened up. He ran out in a hurry without having breakfast.
When State Preceptor reached the imperial study, Li Chengkun’s face was so dark with anger.
“Your Majesty!” After paying respects, State Preceptor asked again, “Your Majesty, what happened?”
Li Chengkun threw the document to State Preceptor. “Take a look for yourself.”
State Preceptor scanned it through and asked, “Yan Ziyan lost the battle?”
It was the first time Yan Ziyan had lost a battle.
State Preceptor pondered for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, it might not be a bad thing. We can send Xiao Baoshan to support Yan Ziyan and let Xiao Baoshan kill him. In this way, our aim will be achieved. This is what we have been planning.”
Li Chengkun asked, “Have you persuaded Xiao Baoshan?”
“His wife is in my residence. I don’t need to talk with him, unless he wants to get rid of his wife. If he doesn’t obey the order and doesn’t kill Yan Ziyan, then we will kill his wife. If he wins the battle and comes back, we will provide a position for him. As time goes by, people will forget his achievements and we can find a reason to kill him. In this way, no one can threaten us. Besides, if Xiao Baoshan wins, the Northern Qing Kingdom will suffer huge losses. They can’t launch a battle again within five years.”
Li Chengkun’s expression became less serious.
In fact, he had the same thought. However, he didn’t want to make this decision by himself. Since State Preceptor said these words, it would appear that these things were planned by State Preceptor. At that time, if things were revealed, then it would be State Preceptor’s fault.
Otherwise, Li Chengkun wouldn’t have indulged State Preceptor like that.
Li Chengkun said, “Alright, then I’ll leave it to State Preceptor. How many soldiers and supplies will Xiao Baoshan need, and when will he start off? It’s all at your disposal.”
State Preceptor said, “Yes, I will go and arrange it now.”
At the same time, State Preceptor thought to himself, ‘Well, you have to depend on me at the most crucial moment. Li Chengkun, you are too weak!”
…
State Preceptor came out of the palace and went straight to Xiao Baoshan.
Xiao Baoshan wasn’t friendly when he saw State Preceptor.
After State Preceptor sat down, he poured a cup of water for him.
State Preceptor was thirsty, took a sip but couldn’t help but spit it out.
“Why is this hot water? You don’t have tea in your general’s residence? What about the servants here? Are they reluctant to make a pot of tea for you?” State Preceptor scolded.
Xiao Baoshan didn’t say anything.
State Preceptor looked around. There were indeed few people in the general’s residence.
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, this is too shabby. As a general, you are too poor. You don’t have enough servants and maids. It’s better for your wife not live in your residence. If she lives here, how could she endure such a poor life? General Xiao, I have to tell you one more time, you need to think about your wife.”
Xiao Baoshan said flatly, “State Preceptor, you don’t need to worry about that!”
“I have something to worry about right now. Last night, our soldiers in the north encountered a sneak attack from the Northern Qing Army and lost the battle. The Emperor hopes that you can support them and… you remember what I told you last time, right?”
State Preceptor paused so Xiao Baoshan said, “Kill Yan Ziyan and his bandit soldiers.”
State Preceptor said with satisfaction, “It’s good that you remember it. Think about your wife. She’s a talented and good-looking woman. Beautiful, with outstanding cooking skills. Even though she didn’t show up yesterday, her cooking skills were already well-known throughout the city. A woman like her is a perfect match for you. If she was gone, where are you going to find such a wife? Am I right?”
Xiao Baoshan smiled and asked, “When can I lead my men to Heihe City?”
State Preceptor was a little surprised. He didn’t expect Xiao Baoshan to agree so soon. He said, “As soon as possible. I’ll let the Ministry of War prepare supplies for you now. Go and muster your troops now. The sooner you go, the better.”
State Preceptor believed that Xiao Baoshan could win this battle.
…
The news of Xiao Baoshan going out on his expedition again spread throughout the capital.
This news like a spring breeze brought the people in the capital a hint of comfort.
After all, apart from the crushing defeat a few years ago, Xiao Baoshan was an invincible general. People in the Northern Qing Kingdom were terrified of him. The North had been safe and sound because of him and Qian’s family.
Also, it was long said that their nation had no generals, now there he was!
Xiao Baoshan had come back.
Two days later, Xiao Baoshan set off with 70,000 soldiers.
The troops passed through the street and then went out from the northern gate. When the onlookers saw Xiao Baoshan riding on a tall horse, they couldn’t help but sigh.
“Wow, so tall!”
“So energetic!”
“Look at how powerful he is. This is a real general. I feel that as long as he takes action, he has won half.”
“Right!”
“…”