Chapter 174
Chapter 174
Song Jin and the others refused to believe it until they tried issuing commands themselves.
The two great roosters were clearly intelligent. They understood every instruction, but simply refused to obey, even giving the men contemptuous looks.
Their arrogance made them seem even more deserving of a beating than Ji Yan’an.
Song Jin’s palms itched. “Why do I want to slap them so badly?”
Nanshu egged him on. “Why don’t you try? I want to hit them too, but I definitely can’t beat them.”
Song Jin gave two dry laughs. Did he look like a fool?
“Don’t you think the way those two chickens look at people seems strangely familiar?”
Nanshu scratched his head. “It does, but I can’t place it.”
“Think of the Young Master.”
Nanshu clapped his hands. “That’s it! Our Young Master often looks at people like that, especially back in the Capital.”
“Exactly. No wonder so many people in the Capital wanted to assassinate him.”
Ji Yan’an was speechless.
Could those two possibly speak any louder?
Nanshu suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.
“How could you say such a thing? Our Young Master was born extraordinary, noble, and intelligent. That is clearly a gaze filled with wisdom. Isn’t that right, Young Master? Heh heh…”
Ji Yan’an gave him an icy look and uttered two words.
“Shut up.”
Nanshu immediately closed his mouth and stood to one side, looking aggrieved.
He had not been the one to say it first.
Jiang Yunsui glanced from the two roosters to Ji Yan’an.
Hmm? They really did look a little alike.
Especially when she and Ji Yan’an had first met. Their expressions were identical!
Ji Yan’an pressed a hand onto her fidgeting head.
“Go make your preparations. We leave in half a month.”
Jiang Yunsui’s attention immediately snapped back.
“You’re going too?”
Little Mushroom instantly began to worry.
“You’re already like this. Why are you still running around? What if your illness gets worse?”
Shen Qingzhu smiled. “I was the one who suggested that the Young Master come with us.”
“Mobei’s environment is not favorable at present. We are heading south. Although that region has a great deal of poisonous miasma, it also has abundant mountains and forests, a pleasant environment, and far more medicinal herbs. It is suitable for recuperation.
“Most importantly, my master is in Dali. The Young Master must first restore his health, and my master’s medical skill surpasses mine. He can recuperate there.”
There was only one concern. His master enjoyed using all manner of peculiar medicines. Hopefully, the Young Master would be able to accept them.
Jiang Yunsui happily threw her arms around Ji Yan’an.
“I’ll go prepare right now! We need lots and lots of snacks this time.”
She scampered off, then ran back just as quickly.
“This is for you. Ji Yan’an, you have to stay happy so you’ll recover faster.”
With that, she stuffed a beautiful armful of peach blossom branches into his hands.
Ji Yan’an accepted them and lowered his eyes. Brilliant pink blossoms bloomed before him, their vivid color reflected in his pupils.
The corners of his lips curved upward despite himself.
His mood truly had improved.
Jiang Yunsui carefully tucked the egg into a small cloth pouch padded with soft feathers and cotton.
The cotton came from the two plants she had grown, so there was not much of it. She had gathered the seeds and shown the cotton to Ji Yan’an, explaining that it could be made into wonderfully warm clothing.
Ji Yan’an took the matter seriously and promised to send people to search for more.
“Fat Grandpa, let’s make wine! Peach blossom wine! I have lots of peach blossom petals.”
The little girl’s bright, childish voice rang through the kitchen.
Fat Chef inspected the blossoms and agreed that they were excellent. He decided to gather more with her the next day. They could be used for both peach blossom cakes and wine.
“We’re going to Dali in half a month, Fat Grandpa. Let’s make lots of tasty things.”
“I want cookies, fried dough twists, milk tablets…”
Whenever Jiang Yunsui had free time, she liked experimenting with different foods alongside Fat Chef. By now, they could bake quite a few things in the bread oven, including milk tablets.
Making milk powder was troublesome, however. It took a great deal of fresh milk to produce even a small amount.
Still, it was easy to carry and made a convenient source of nourishment for troops on the march.
After deciding what supplies they needed, Jiang Yunsui and Fat Chef whispered together for most of the day before finally parting.
With the egg hanging in a pouch against her chest, Jiang Yunsui ran back with the two great roosters.
It was dark now. She would continue working tomorrow.
Ji Yan’an’s residence was unexpectedly lively when she returned.
She clung to the doorframe and peeked inside. Hmm? What was happening?
It seemed someone was being interrogated.
Moving with all the stealth of a tiny thief, Little Mushroom disturbed no one as she crept silently to the front to watch.
“Young Master, I did not do it deliberately! I truly never betrayed or sold you out, and I have absolutely no connection to those people!”
A man in a guard’s uniform knelt on the floor, weeping bitterly, his eyes full of remorse.
Ji Yan’an asked calmly, “Why did you remove that brick?”
Understanding dawned on Jiang Yunsui’s face.
So they were questioning the person responsible for the hole. She wanted to know what had happened too.
The man’s expression twisted. Finally, he gritted his teeth and confessed.
“It… it was because of a woman I love.”
Jiang Yunsui immediately pricked up her ears.
“I met a woman outside and fell for her. Only a few days after we met, she said she wanted to marry me. She also said she felt sorry that my patrols were so tiring and wanted to give me something, but it was inconvenient for me to accept anything while inside the residence.
“So she… she told me to remove that brick. Once it was taken out, she could pass small things through the gap. I replaced it afterward, so no one would notice anything unusual.”
His eyes reddened as he finished.
“I never thought…”
Nanshu looked at him in exasperation. “Are you an idiot? That woman was obviously deceiving you. She was a spy! If she truly wanted to give you something, she could have done so at any time. Why insist on delivering it while you were on duty?”
The man cried even harder. He understood now, but it was already too late.
He had never intended to betray Ji Yan’an, but he had nevertheless been used to assist the enemy.
In the end, the man was punished with twenty strokes and dismissed from his post. He would never be permitted to remain in Ji Mansion again.
Fanning himself, Song Jin shook his head. “A tender lover’s embrace is the grave of heroes. The honey trap truly is effective.”
Ji Yan’an sent men to capture the woman and prepared to uproot every remaining threat in Mobei.
“It is time to close the net.”
He would use the next half month to put everything in order.
Half a month was brief, but he had begun laying his plans long ago.
The Barbarians had just suffered a defeat, and King Huxie’s forces had been badly mauled. They certainly would not launch another large-scale invasion of Mobei anytime soon, though small raids were inevitable.
“Have the instructors responsible for teaching the villagers been selected?”
Uncle Li nodded. “As you ordered, Young Master, I selected retired veterans capable of training ordinary people. Once the spring plowing is finished, they will be sent to the villages.”