Chapter 134

Chapter 134

The war between the Barbarian Army and Qiusha had officially begun.

The people in the city all waited in silence, and some even burned incense at home every day, praying for the immortals to bless the Ji Family Army with victory.

Spring arrived, and good news came from the front lines.

The Barbarian Army had been defeated again and again, forced more than eight hundred li away from Qiusha City.

“I’m already five. When is Ji Yan’an coming back?”

Jiang Yunsui crouched on the ground, holding a stick as she poked at the mushrooms on the tree.

After poking them twice, she plucked them off.

The mushrooms growing on the trunk were shiitake, and they were not small, either.

There were more than a dozen on a single tree trunk.

They were easy to pick. A gentle snap, and they came right off.

They were tasty too, and could be dried into shiitake. When it was time to eat them, all they needed was a soak in water.

“Jiang Yunsui, more mushrooms grew again?”

The weather still was not exactly warm, and during winter, many mushrooms would not grow at all.

But these shiitake had sprouted.

The first time Xiao Xing saw shiitake growing on the tree trunks in the courtyard, he was utterly stunned.

And there were quite a lot of them. They grew on the courtyard trees and even on the dry firewood.

The two children went around picking shiitake as if they were hunting for treasure.

“Yep. A whole bunch grew this time too.”

The two of them carried baskets and searched everywhere.

In the end, they picked two heaping baskets full.

Xiao Xing said, “We already have so many dried mushrooms we can’t finish them.”

The shiitake grew in large numbers, and every other day, another big batch would appear. Jiang Yunsui had already had the servants in the residence prepare all kinds of dishes made with shiitake.

But they could not finish them. They simply could not.

Whatever they could not eat was dried into mushrooms, which could be stored for quite a long time.

Jiang Yunsui muttered, “When Ji Yan’an comes back, I’ll make him eat the dried shiitake. I won’t give him the fresh ones. That’s what he gets for not taking me with him.”

Xiao Xing could not help laughing. Though Jiang Yunsui sounded fierce now, he knew that when the Young Master really came back, she would never have the heart to keep the good food from him.

The two were about to send the mushrooms to the kitchen when a roll of drums suddenly sounded.

That was the signal of victory.

Jiang Yunsui’s eyes instantly lit up. She forgot all about the shiitake, grabbed up her little skirt, and ran outside.

When she reached the residence gates, she could clearly hear the cheers of the people inside Qiusha City.

“We won! We won!”

“The Ji Family Army drove the Barbarians away! This is wonderful, sob… the Barbarians were driven away!”

At that moment, the people’s gratitude toward the Ji Family Army reached its peak.

Some were so excited they hugged one another, and everyone wore smiles on their faces.

A smile appeared on Jiang Yunsui’s face too.

They had won. He should be back very soon now, right?

After that day, Jiang Yunsui waited at home for news every day.

But instead of waiting for Ji Yan’an to return, she received news that he had gone missing.

Jiang Yunsui was completely stunned.

“Missing? How could he go missing? Didn’t they win?”

Her eyes reddened.

Song Jin’s face was covered in stubble, and he looked utterly disheveled.

“In the final battle, the Barbarian Army resisted far too fiercely. On top of that… there was a traitor among us. The main camp was attacked. Thankfully, we had taken precautions in advance. The Young Master’s hidden guard escorted him away, and his current whereabouts are unknown. But we can be certain that they are not in mortal danger.”

Then he said to Jiang Yunsui, “Little Yunsui, I need Zuozuo and Youyou’s help. On the grasslands, our sense of direction is weak, and it’s easy to get lost. Only by relying on a dog’s nose can we find any clues.”

This time, Heiwa had gone to the battlefield with them. Though Zuozuo Youyou looked big, they were still young. And since Ji Yan’an was worried about Jiang Yunsui, he had not let them go, only leaving them at home to protect Jiang Yunsui.

“Then I’m going too.”
Song Jin frowned. “No.”

Jiang Yunsui burst into tears from sheer frustration. “No, I want to go. I have to go…”

Little Mushroom cried and threw a tantrum, shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Anyway, anyway, if you won’t let me come with you, I’ll just secretly follow behind you. You won’t even notice me.”

Song Jin’s head throbbed. Why was this little thing so stubborn?

Jiang Yunsui tilted her small face up at him, tears pattering down her cheeks, her eyes and expression full of defiance.

“You. Aren’t you usually especially timid? Why are you running toward danger on your own now?”

Jiang Yunsui muttered, “I’m not timid at all.”

“Anyway, I’m going with you.”

“Didn’t we already win? If there’s no danger anymore, why can’t I come too?”

Song Jin’s ears were going numb from her endless nagging.

“Fine, fine, I’ll bring you. But let me make this clear: this time is different from before. We can’t take a carriage.”

Jiang Yunsui nodded at once. “I can ride a horse.”

Song Jin rubbed her little head and sighed.

“I’m going to rest first. We’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

With Ji Yan’an missing, there were many matters he needed to handle, and he had not had a proper rest in ages.

Jiang Yunsui nodded. After watching him enter the room to rest, she began thinking about what she should bring.

If they couldn’t take a carriage, then she definitely couldn’t bring much.

Jiang Yunsui carefully calculated it all, then, with great heartache, gave up her little snacks and pretty clothes.

But she definitely still had to bring food.

Dried mushrooms?

Forget it. No matter where she was, she could make mushrooms grow. She would never lack mushrooms to eat.

Better to bring more dried meat, and seasonings that could make food taste good.

She had to bring some glass noodles too…

Little Mushroom huffed and puffed as she prepared everything. At that moment, she was truly envious of Songsong’s racial talent.

Songsong was a squirrel spirit, and its racial talent gave it two extra spaces that could hold lots and lots of things.

When Xiao Xing found out Jiang Yunsui was leaving, he came to look for her.

“Can I leave with you?”

Although he didn’t know where Jiang Yunsui was going, he wanted to follow her.

“No.”

Jiang Yunsui shook her head. “Don’t worry. I’ll come back.”

The news of Ji Yan’an’s disappearance was being kept under wraps. Only a small number of people knew.

Song Jin had specifically warned her not to tell anyone.

Although Little Mushroom loved gossip, she was very good at keeping her mouth shut. She absolutely would not say what should not be said.

Xiao Xing looked a little disappointed. He took something from around his neck and handed it to Jiang Yunsui.

“Take this. This is the only thing I have. I hope it can keep you safe and sound.”

It was a small wooden plaque, though she couldn’t tell what kind of wood it was made from.

But precisely because it was only a wooden plaque, Xiao Xing had been able to keep it from being stolen while wearing it around his neck.

Ever since he could remember, he had owned nothing at all. Only this wooden plaque had stayed with him.

That was why he treasured it so much. Now that he was giving it to Jiang Yunsui, he only hoped the wooden plaque that had kept him company could bless and protect her.

“Thank you. I’ll definitely be safe and sound. I’m very capable, you know. I’m especially good at running away.”

Early the next morning, Song Jin had already packed as well.

Xiao Xing came to see them off.

Jiang Yunsui and Song Jin rode the same horse, none other than White Horse Leader.

Because Jiang Yunsui had given it quite a bit of Imperial Flowing Essence, it had finally, albeit unwillingly, allowed Song Jin to ride it.

White Horse had eaten so many special meals from Jiang Yunsui that now, when it stood with the other horses, it looked noticeably taller than them.

Whether in build or coat, it was much more beautiful.

Anyone could tell at a glance that this horse was truly handsome.

Jiang Yunsui turned and waved goodbye to Xiao Xing. Their group was not large, but every person in it was an elite chosen by Song Jin.