When it comes to food and money, which is more important in military campaigns?

Now they seem to be equal, both of paramount importance.

After Song Yanqing assured her that he would find a way, Lu Qiqi returned to the wounded soldiers' camp.

The next morning, he took Song Yanqing's warrant and went to the Wu residence as planned.

This time, Lu Qiqi brought Li Changlong with her.

The youngest aunt of the Princess of Kangle Township became General Wu's concubine, a fact that was already common knowledge among the noble families of the border town.

Therefore, bringing Li Changlong along is not a special thing.

To avoid gossip, Lu Qiqi specifically asked Lu Xiangxiang to take the child to the west courtyard.

The group ate pastries and drank tea under the pavilion in the west courtyard, while teasing their little cousin.

The pavilion has no blind spots in any direction, so the maids and servants coming and going can see what is happening below.

In this way, one can avoid gossip and being falsely accused of having an affair.

After Lu Xiangxiang and Li Changlong recognized each other, both of their eyes were a little red.

Xiangling was sent away by Lu Qiqi to guard the path to the pavilion, making sure no one could get close.

Xiao Lingyue was naturally handed over to Li Changlong.

Letting him hold the child would prevent Lu Xiangxiang from being frightened by the shocking news, which could hurt or frighten the child.

Lu Qiqi lowered her voice and said, "Auntie, what I'm about to say is hard to accept, so please be prepared."

This concerns your and Lingyue's lives, so don't let anyone see through your act.

Lu Xiangxiang's face changed drastically, turning pale and sickly, but when she heard that it concerned her child and her life...

He swallowed hard, mustered his courage, and nodded.

Lu Qiqi succinctly informed her of Wu Guangping's intention to rebel.

Lu Xiangxiang's face grew even more pale, and a chill crept up her pale fingers.

She lowered her head, trying to control her slightly trembling legs, then glanced at Li Changlong and Xiao Lingyue in his arms under the bench by the pavilion railing.

When she turned her head again to look at Lu Qiqi, she said, "Qiqi, this is a crime that could implicate nine generations of a family. Will Lingyue really be alright?"

She was barely clinging to life, and had finally had a beloved daughter, but she never expected that her lord would commit treason.

With such heinous crimes, can the current emperor really let the mother and daughter off the hook?

But right now, there's nothing else we can do besides trusting Lu Qiqi.

She took a deep breath, grasped Lu Qiqi's hand with her icy hands, hoping to find a sliver of warmth and strength, and asked, "What should I do?"

"A coordinated attack from within and without!"

Lu Qiqi told her to monitor General Wu's every move while he was in the mansion.

There's no need to search for evidence; just record any unusual behavior, and the Shadow Guards will deliver the message.

After understanding, Lu Xiangxiang nodded repeatedly. After the two finished discussing the important matters, they began to enjoy tea and chat.

However, in the second half of the story, after learning the truth, Lu Xiangxiang became somewhat absent-minded.

Lu Qiqi could only gently remind her, which finally made Lu Xiangxiang change her mood and pretend to be happy.

After all, when family members gather, if they look sad and tearful, it might make people think that the family members have come to freeload or bring some unusual news.

Instead, it might alert the enemy and arouse suspicion.

Li Changlong held the soft, cuddly little girl in his arms, his heart melting.

Moreover, she is his aunt's daughter, and with the bond of blood, they would naturally be much closer.

Even little Lingyue, who was only a few months old, had this kind of telepathic connection. She laughed even more happily in Li Changlong's arms than in her own father's arms.

While they were still joking around, the servants passing by on their way to the West Garden all turned their gazes to them, and walked away quickly without slowing down their pace.

After hearing what Lu Qiqi had said, Lu Xiangxiang recalled the recent events in the manor and felt that something was amiss.

She said, "Recently, the General's mansion has been managed by Concubine Ning. Whenever the First Madam finds the General in the mansion, she goes to make a scene."

However, this did not shake Aunt Ning's control over the household.

Speaking of this, Lu Qiqi recalled the kneecap that the First Madam had broken by her kick. Judging from the timeline, it was already good enough that she could get out of bed, so how could she possibly have the energy to cause trouble?

Lu Qiqi asked, "Is the First Madam's leg better?"

Lu Xiangxiang shook her head and said, "No, I was sitting on a rolling chair and being pushed by the servants to find the general."

Lu Xiangxiang had previously said that Aunt Ning and the wives and concubines in the General's Mansion lived in harmony.

She stayed in her own courtyard and never left, making her a concubine with a very low profile.

Aunt Xiang recalled her tall figure and calm demeanor in the face of adversity, and thought that if this person had been born into a good family, she would probably be the mistress of the household.

"There is another matter. After Aunt Ning took over the household, unlike last time, she often went out of the mansion to attend banquets, and the general never stopped her."

This piqued Lu Qiqi's curiosity, but temporarily taking over as the housekeeper was, in a sense, a last resort.

If a concubine were to substitute for the wife and attend banquets for various noblewomen, it would be a direct slap in the face to the first wife.

No wonder the First Madam endured the pain to go to General Wu to reclaim her power as head of the household.

When Lu Xiangxiang mentioned Aunt Ning, she told Lu Qiqi everything that she felt was strange.

"Previously, the First Madam was in charge of the household affairs and often attended banquets hosted by the ladies of the border town."

But Consort Ning not only attends banquets, I heard she also helps the other ladies make money; those ladies come and go from Consort Ning's courtyard every day.

She had never heard of Aunt Ning being a businesswoman before.

Lu Qiqi quickly grasped the key point: according to Lu Xiangxiang, a woman who had lived in seclusion for a long time, as a concubine, did not cater to men.

Not only did he have the power to manage the household, but he also seemed to have become a different person, showing a particular interest in gold and silver.

Not only did he earn money himself, but he also had to bring along the women of wealthy families in the border town to earn money as well.

In a short period of time, the conflict between the principal wife and the concubine was quietly resolved.

Such a person's methods are quite sophisticated.

Lu Qiqi thought that it was really strange that General Wu had such treacherous intentions, yet now he valued and relied on a concubine so much.

She would tell Song Yanqing about this when she returned to the military camp, and have the Shadow Guards investigate Aunt Ning's background.

Time passed quickly; it seemed as if Lu Qiqi and Li Changlong had just entered the mansion and were about to take their leave.

Lu Xiangxiang held her child and stood under the pavilion, watching the two young men and women walk away. Tears welled up in her eyes and dripped onto Xiao Lingyue's face.

She had been confined to the mansion for many years, and the farthest she had ever gone was the garden in the west courtyard, and all she could look up at was the sky under the eaves.

She also wanted to see if the outside world was as vast as Lu Qiqi had described.