Chapter 79

After returning to the camp, the other spoils of war were naturally handed over to the junior officers in charge of military supplies for inventory. Carrying a warm cloak and some roasted lamb, Fan Changyu went to find Xie Zheng first.

The moment she entered the tent and saw Gongsun Yin there as well, she found it rather surprising and asked, “Mr. Gongsun, are you here visiting the wounded soldiers again?”

She had heard the soldiers in the camp all address this handsome and refined man as “Mr. Gongsun.” Assuming he was some kind of strategist official like Old Tao, she naturally followed suit.

Gongsun Yin answered stiffly, “Yes.”

Fan Changyu said, “Perfect. I brought back a whole roasted lamb. We can eat lamb together later.”

After speaking, she walked straight toward Xie Zheng. The joy from the day’s fruitful expedition had long overshadowed the slight awkwardness from the previous night. Shaking open the cloak, she draped it over him and said with a smile, “I found you something warm to wear at night.”

Not seeing Changning anywhere, she held up the remaining cloak and asked in confusion, “Where’s Ningniang?”

Looking at the unmistakable Chongzhou insignia embroidered on the cloak, Xie Zheng’s handsome brows furrowed. He had wanted to ask where it came from, but because of Fan Changyu’s question, he answered first.

“She was sleepy. I had someone take her back to rest.”

Gongsun Yin looked at the roasted whole lamb in Fan Changyu’s hands and asked uncertainly, “Miss Fan, did you hunt a sheep and roast it already?”

With a pair of honest-looking eyes, Fan Changyu replied, “I seized it from the rebels at the foot of the mountain.”

Gongsun Yin nearly choked on his own saliva.

Meanwhile, Xie Zheng’s expression immediately darkened. His gaze locked onto Fan Changyu as he asked in a less-than-pleasant tone, “You went down the mountain?”

Fan Changyu nodded.

“That’s right.”

Xie Zheng barked, “Nonsense! Do you know how dangerous it is down there?”

Knowing he was worried about her safety, Fan Changyu wasn’t offended by his harsh tone. She simply explained, “I wanted to see if I could help. Most of the rebels were gathered at the front of the mountain, so there had to be fewer people on the back side. We don’t lack food up here, but we’re short on salt. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to go grab some.”

Xie Zheng’s brows remained tightly knit.

Now that he knew she had actually gone down the mountain and fought the rebels, his heart felt as though it had been hanging by a thread the entire time. Even though she was standing safely before him now, the lingering fear refused to leave him, making his tone increasingly severe.

“The terrain on the back side of the mountain is steep and unsuitable for troop movement. Unless absolutely necessary, the rebels would never choose to attack from there. Today’s operation was intended to burn the enemy’s grain stores. Going down the mountain to seize supplies without authorization could have alerted them and ruined the entire plan. You’re not in the army and aren’t bound by military regulations, but if your actions had caused a disaster, who knows how many soldiers’ lives would have paid the price? You must never act so recklessly again.”

As she listened to his harsh words, the smile slowly disappeared from Fan Changyu’s face.

She stared at him for a long moment.

Then she set down the roasted lamb, said nothing, and walked out of the tent.

Looking at the tent flap that had just fallen shut again, Gongsun Yin turned back to Xie Zheng and said, “She came back safe and sound, and you scolded her the moment she arrived. Do you really think she’s one of your soldiers?”

Xie Zheng closed his eyes heavily.

“The battlefield is not a game.”

Gongsun Yin sighed. He knew Xie Zheng was simply letting his concern cloud his judgment.

Meanwhile, Xie Zheng spoke in a low voice.

“Call Xie Seven and Xie Five.”

The two men were the personal guards Gongsun Yin had sent to protect Fan Changyu. Both were veterans who had followed Xie Zheng through countless battles.

Not long afterward, Xie Seven and Xie Five arrived. They had been handing over the grain they had seized to the quartermasters and still wore traces of excitement on their faces.

But upon seeing Xie Zheng’s frost-like expression, they immediately realized something was wrong.

Suppressing their smiles, they knelt and lowered their heads.

“Your subordinate knows his crime.”

Thinking of Fan Changyu’s angry departure, Xie Zheng felt a blockage in his chest. Combined with the pain from his wound whenever he moved, his mood worsened further.

When he raised his eyes, the sharp arc cast by his dark lashes seemed tinged with cold severity.

He almost laughed from anger.

“You know your crime? If you knew, why did you follow her in this madness? I ordered you to protect her, and instead you escorted her straight into the rebels’ nest? What do military regulations mean to you?”

Xie Five, the guard who had fought alongside Fan Changyu on the back mountain, hesitated before speaking.

“Please calm your anger, Marquis. When we followed Madam… Madam to the back mountain, we originally intended only to let her take a look from above. Fearing we couldn’t persuade her otherwise, we informed Mr. Gongsun. Who would have thought we’d run into rebels disguised as our men sneaking up the mountain?”

“At first, I intended to escort Madam through a breakout. Unexpectedly, Madam proved herself a true heroine. She fought bravely and eliminated every rebel who had climbed the mountain. Afterward, she interrogated several rebel soldiers, learned their troop deployment below, and decided to return the favor by catching them off guard and avenging the brothers who had died on the mountain.”

He paused before continuing.

“Unfortunately, before the reinforcements Xie Seven went to fetch could arrive, the rebels below began showing signs of retreating. Madam worried that something had happened on the front lines, so in order to tie down the rebels on the back mountain, she boldly attacked their camp.”

“Madam led us in seizing five sacks of coarse salt and sixty-two sacks of grain. Not a single casualty was suffered on our side. This subordinate failed in his duty and is willing to accept punishment. I only ask that the Marquis not blame Madam.”

After hearing the full details, Xie Zheng remained silent for a time.

His thick black lashes lowered, concealing every trace of emotion in his eyes.

Seeing this, Gongsun Yin said, “Miss Fan adapted to circumstances. She wasn’t acting recklessly. Going down the mountain ultimately brought more benefit than harm. The Marquis acted out of concern because he didn’t know the full story. Now that you do know what happened, don’t chill Miss Fan’s heart.”

Half-closing his eyes, Xie Zheng finally spoke.

“You may leave.”

The order was clearly directed at the two guards.

After they departed, Gongsun Yin looked at Xie Zheng and said, “Although Sui Yuanqing was rescued by the rebels, his presence still served as bait, keeping Prince Changxin’s main forces tied up at the front. That allowed the reinforcements from Yan and Ji Provinces to successfully burn the enemy grain stores.”

“Without supplies, the rebels won’t last much longer. By sheer accident, Miss Fan actually helped you accomplish this strategic objective.”

“You’ve already scared her away. Figure out for yourself how you’re going to make amends.”

Xie Zheng pressed his thin lips together without responding, but a trace of self-reproach was evident between his brows.

Shaking his head, Gongsun Yin left the tent.

Thinking he might as well play peacemaker, he asked the nearby sentries where Fan Changyu had gone. Learning that she had headed toward the cooks’ camp, he leisurely followed after her.

When he arrived, he discovered the entire cooks’ camp bustling with excitement.

A crowd of soldiers had gathered in a circle, cheering and shouting at something in the center.

Curious, Gongsun Yin approached for a closer look.

Fan Changyu was slaughtering a pig.

The wild boar brought back from the hunt had been carried down the mountain alive, tied up tightly rather than killed outright.

After days of continuous rain, the sun had finally emerged.

Its light wasn’t dazzling, but as it fell upon Fan Changyu, who stood among the crowd with her sleeves rolled up, she seemed almost wrapped in a hazy golden glow, as though even her hair was shining.

Gongsun Yin was just admiring how calm and beautiful she looked in that moment.

Then—

Her knife flashed downward.

The tightly bound boar let out a piercing squeal as blood erupted from its throat like a fountain.

Gongsun Yin’s face immediately turned pale.

He quickly looked away and thought to himself that perhaps only Xie Zheng could handle a woman like this.

The surrounding soldiers erupted into praise.

“Miss Fan’s pig-slaughtering skills are incredible! One strike, one kill!”

“Look at that whole basin of pig’s blood! We can make another dish for the brothers today!”

Fan Changyu sheathed her knife.

Hearing all the praise, she felt it was recognition of her butchering skills and couldn’t help smiling as well.

Looking up, she noticed Gongsun Yin standing among the crowd, seemingly having come specifically to find her.

After exchanging a few words with the head cook, she squeezed through the crowd and walked over.

“Did you come looking for me, sir?”

Not wanting to make his purpose too obvious, Gongsun Yin coughed lightly.

“I was just taking a look around the cooks’ camp and happened to run into you slaughtering a pig.”

He paused before revealing his true purpose.

“Don’t take your husband’s words to heart. He has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. He was afraid something might happen to you down the mountain.”

“The battlefield is unimaginably dangerous. Just look at the injuries covering his body and you’ll know every battle is fought with one’s life on the line. Since you returned safely this time, that’s one thing. But if something had happened to you, with injuries as severe as his, even if he wanted to save you, he wouldn’t have been capable of it.”

Fan Changyu found a stone stool and sat down.

“I’m not angry at him. It’s just that after hearing what he said, I realized I may have done a good deed that almost caused harm.”

“As you said, I was only fortunate enough to return safely this time. If I hadn’t come back and had gotten other soldiers killed as well, I’d really have become a sinner. Those soldiers also have wives, children, and elderly parents waiting for them at home. Just thinking about it makes my chest feel heavy.”

For Fan Changyu to say something like this genuinely surprised Gongsun Yin.

“Though you’re a woman, your character is no less than that of a man. What you’ve said is precisely one of the most valuable lessons a commander can understand.”

Seeing her confusion, he explained further.

“Every decision a commander makes concerns the lives and deaths of the soldiers beneath him. Yet no battle can be fought without shedding blood or losing lives.”

“The strategies a commander devises can only sacrifice a small number of people to save a greater number.”

“Victory and defeat are common matters in war. If a commander loses a battle and lacks the strength of character to endure it, he will likely never accomplish anything significant for the rest of his life.”

Suddenly, Fan Changyu felt that generals were admirable not only for their martial prowess but even more so for the strength of their hearts.

Looking at Gongsun Yin, she said sincerely,

“Thank you for enlightening me, sir.”

Knowing Xie Zheng’s terrible temper, Gongsun Yin doubted he could bring himself to apologize personally.

“Your husband was worried you were upset with him, so he asked me to come check on you.”

Fan Changyu picked up a small stick and poked at the dirt on the ground.

In a muffled voice, she said, “I’m not angry with him. He’s so badly injured. He must have experienced life and death on the battlefield himself. He was afraid I might cause trouble and get others killed, which is why he said those things.”

“I… actually feel rather ashamed.”

Gongsun Yin raised his brows in surprise and answered honestly,

“He was simply afraid something would happen to you.”

Fan Changyu’s poking motion paused briefly.

But she still kept her head lowered and said nothing.

For a moment, even Gongsun Yin couldn’t figure out what she was thinking.

“Well, I’ve delivered the message. I still have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

Just as he was about to depart, he heard someone from the cooks’ camp loudly lamenting,

“What a pity! We managed to hunt such a huge black bear on this mountain. If we were down below with a full set of seasonings, I could make an entire bear feast!”

Gongsun Yin immediately changed direction and walked over.

“A bear was hunted?”

Hearing his voice, the soldiers from the cooks’ camp turned toward him.

Seeing the white-robed, elegant man, they immediately guessed his identity and hurriedly made way for him.

“Military Advisor!”

“Military Advisor!”

Gongsun Yin looked at the enormous black bear.

Without a fierce warrior leading the hunt, bringing down such a beast would have been nearly impossible.

He praised them, saying, “Today we dealt a heavy blow to the Chongzhou rebels. This bear is certainly a lucky omen. Which general hunted it?”

A cook beside him answered excitedly,

“Miss Fan hunted it!”

Gongsun Yin: ???