Xia Feng described the events vividly, and Jiang Xingyan listened, utterly captivated.
“And just like that, all our shops coordinated their efforts, even earning a ‘Royal Supplier’ designation. Customers from the clothing stores, rouge shops, and jewelry stores who purchased over a hundred taels’ worth of goods would receive a complimentary box of Qianshan Su’s pastries—”
“Exactly the ones that wouldn’t sell otherwise!”
Dongyang, seeing that Xia Feng had been talking for ages without letting her get a word in, hurriedly cut in. Her comment made Jiang Xingyan burst out laughing.
“You there, keep your voice down. Don’t let others hear,” Xia Feng said with a smile, then gestured for Dongyang to continue. “In just a few days, the shops that were targeting us couldn’t hold on anymore. We even absorbed a few of them! So today, we entered the palace to thank Her Majesty the Empress for her tacit approval and presented her with quite a few fine gifts.”
Jiang Xingyan teased her, “Why didn’t you give her the unsellable stuff?”
The group laughed together, their lively and intimate camaraderie clearly visible.
Little Ya didn’t understand what the adults were discussing, but she joined in the laughter anyway.
Yun Chunfeng, however, couldn’t bring himself to smile.
The Young Miss’s expression was overflowing with praise and approval.
He could have done all that too!
How did that guy get ahead of him?
Sulking in the corner, he watched as Jiang Xingyan busied herself discussing the next steps with Xia Feng and Dongyang, completely oblivious to him.
Yun Chunfeng grew even more frustrated.
Fortunately, the military camp wasn’t far. Wang Qi steadily brought the carriage to a halt at the main gate.
Xin Zhui, along with a group of officers and soldiers, had been waiting for quite some time.
They had achieved a great merit, and according to tradition, tonight was to be a grand feast for the entire army.
As soon as Jiang Xingyan stepped down from the carriage, she was startled by the intense, eager gazes of the crowd of men.
She suddenly remembered the unwritten rule Xin Zhui had told her about and couldn’t help an inward laugh.
“Look at all of you. It’s not like you’re normally starved or left wanting for clothes. Are your eyes really turning green with envy?”
Xin Zhui fawned as he stepped forward. “We don’t get to drink wine on regular days, General.”
Jiang Xingyan shot him an exasperated look. “How pathetic!”
She flicked a banknote from her sleeve and slapped it onto Xin Zhui’s chest. “Here, take this to buy some decent wine. Don’t drink so much that you have a headache tomorrow again.”
Xin Zhui numbly clutched the banknote, his heart surging with emotion: Did A-Xing just… touch me?
Whack!
Old Sun-tou gave him a solid slap on the shoulder, instantly scattering any lingering romantic notions into thin air.
Clutching his chest, Xin Zhui complained, “Are you crazy, Old Sun-tou? You—”
Looking closely, he saw Old Sun-tou staring fixedly at the banknote in his hand.
“How much is it? Look at you, acting like you’ve never seen money before!”
Xin Zhui pretended to glance at it casually.
“How much?! F-f-f-five thousand taels!”
Tears welled in his eyes: What a hard life we led following the General before!
General, oh General, you need to see what you missed out on, and what you made us miss out on!
Coincidentally, Huo Ci gracefully descended from Wang Fu’s carriage at that moment.
He was met with Xin Zhui’s resentful glare.
It’s all your fault!
If you hadn’t treated A-Xing poorly, we’d all be basking in her favor and living the good life by now!
Huo Ci: ?
A few days apart, and what madness is this now?
——-
Yun Chunfeng listlessly stirred the thin-skinned wontons in his bowl, feeling utterly disgruntled.
Weren’t the Huo Family Army supposed to be a bunch of rough, uncouth men?
So where did they learn all those elaborate, roundabout ways of praising the Young Miss and that guy as a match made in heaven?!
Watching that guy’s bashful expression just made him furious!
When would they ever switch back?!
He wanted to stand openly by the Young Miss’s side too, alright?!
Jiang Xingyan’s forced smile had stiffened her face. Seizing a moment, she slipped into the command tent and finally let out a heavy sigh of relief.
She really wanted to tell them that she and Huo Ci were already divorced, but seeing the soldiers’ eager eyes, she couldn’t bear to dampen their spirits. Otherwise, they wouldn’t even enjoy their meal tonight.
“Whew! Yun-ge?”
Hearing Jiang Xingyan call him, Yun Chunfeng immediately put on an obedient expression. “Young Miss, I’m right here.”
Jiang Xingyan lifted the curtain and walked into the inner area. She saw Yun Chunfeng holding up a spoon with a small wonton towards her. “Young Miss, hurry and eat. This bowl has cooled down; it’s not too hot.”
Without thinking much, she leaned over and ate it directly from the spoon.
Clatter!
Jiang Xingyan turned to see Huo Ci, who had followed her in, drop the box of pastries he was holding onto the ground.
Who could understand?!
Watching your own body being fed by a love rival—what a hellish scenario that was!
Even more infuriating was how this guy was hitting on A-Yan everywhere, without end!
Embarrassed, Jiang Xingyan straightened up and walked over to pick up the pastry box.
Huo Ci also bent down to retrieve it, and they knocked their heads together solidly.
Both stumbled backward.
“General, everything’s ready! Let the feast begin!”
Xin Zhui bounded in cheerfully, just in time to catch Huo Ci in his arms.
The four of them stared at each other.
“Ah! I didn’t mean to!”
Xin Zhui wanted to drop the Huo Ci in his hands, but remembering it was Jiang Xingyan’s body, he gently set him down instead, then covered his face and ran off.
Jiang Xingyan looked at the abashed Huo Ci, then at the gloomy-faced Yun Chunfeng.
What… what kind of mess was this?!
——-
The evening feast finally began.
Unlike the previous small, purpose-driven banquet hosted by Xin Zhui, this was a grand feast for the entire Huo Family Army.
Seated in the place of honor, Jiang Xingyan temporarily forgot the extreme awkwardness from earlier. Lifting a wine jar, she proclaimed with heroic fervor, “Today’s wine is not only to salute the five hundred brothers of the Raiding Camp but also to honor all the officers and soldiers of our Huo Family Army! Whether from the Vanguard Camp or the Supply Camp, whether fighting on the front lines or providing support from the rear—every soldier is an indispensable part, a pillar of our Huo Family Army!”
“The General is mighty!”
“We pledge to follow the General unto death!”
One jar of wine went down.
Jiang Xingyan picked up another. “Today is a joyous occasion. This General will announce in advance: our Huo Family Army will establish an Embroidered Uniforms Camp, dedicated solely to gathering enemy intelligence, staffed by masters from the martial world. Everyone must unite as one, and under no circumstances harbor suspicions that would turn brothers against each other!”
“We heed the General’s instruction!”
The second jar went down.
“The Northern Luo scoundrels’ desire to destroy us remains undying. We have now reached a critical moment of survival. We must rely on the masters of the Embroidered Uniforms Camp to scout the path ahead, so we are not blinded by a single leaf and miss the greater forest. Everyone must remember this well! Alright, let the feast begin! Eat and drink to your hearts’ content!”
At her command, the camp erupted.
The wine Xin Zhui bought this time was indeed good. Jiang Xingyan found it refreshing and drank several more jars. In a moment of inattention, Huo Ci collapsed into her arms.
Yun Chunfeng’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, his teeth gritted so hard they almost shattered.
“What happened here?”
Old Sun-tou, who had come over to offer a toast, was dumbfounded. “I… I just wanted to thank the General’s wife for her support. If it were up to you, General, you’d never have come up with five thousand taels for us to eat and drink. Who knew… just one cup, and the General’s lady ended up like this. I’m innocent, I tell you!”
“How big was the cup?”
Old Sun-tou held up a wine cup about the size of his thumb. “See, just this one.”
Jiang Xingyan’s mouth twitched.
He really is so useless!
Huo Ci’s face was flushed red, his eyes dazed. He clung to Jiang Xingyan’s waist, refusing to let go, mumbling, “A-Yan, don’t… don’t leave me.”