Chapter 66: Even the most difficult tests will be passed.

"Ah!" In an instant, the screams of the barbarians filled the air. Some were engulfed in flames on the spot, while others fell from their horses and struggled to put out the fire. As far as the eye could see, it was like a living hell.

The wisdom of our predecessors proves that fire attacks rarely fail.

The main force of the barbarians was crippled in this battle.

This battle will at least guarantee peace in the border region for twenty years.

The soldiers and civilians on and off the city wall were overjoyed, and Chunzhi also smiled.

That's wonderful. At least I've done right by my late husband's lifelong dedication.

Chunzhi married Xu Hua for one simple reason: out of gratitude.

Chunzhi repaid the kindness of the Xu family, and the Xu family repaid the kindness of the Huo family's maid.

The journey from Kyoto was fraught with peril. The Xu family was wiped out, leaving only an orphan and a widow. For the last leg of the journey, a maid from the Huo family sacrificed herself to secure the protection of a local leader among the refugees.

Chunzhi didn't know who her father was, but that didn't matter. After her mother died, Old Mrs. Xu took the initiative to raise her, planning to pair her with Xu Hua in the future to carry on the Xu and Hu families' lineage.

Unfortunately, Xu Hua suffered too much hardship on his escape, leaving him physically weak and unable to do things that men could do.

But this man was indeed General Xu's son. He grew to be as tall as an adult and dared to steal cattle and sheep from the barbarians. With the remaining wealth of the Xu family, he actually managed to raise a force.

Chunzhi was lost in thought and didn't notice Hensheng calling her.

"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law!" Hensheng raised his voice.

Chunzhi was almost startled. "What happened? Did the barbarians return?"

Hensheng smiled and said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, the barbarians are already routed."

Most of the barbarians perished in the fire, and the small number who escaped also suffered severe burns.

They suffered a complete defeat in this battle. Leaving aside whether they have the courage to regroup, they can't even muster that many men in a short time. They'll have to wait until the next generation grows up.

Hensheng continued, "Sister-in-law, I would like to ask you to lend me some troops. The barbarians are currently unable to invade the border, and only a small number of troops are needed to guard the front line."

Chunzhi did not give an immediate reply. Judging from Hensheng's current performance, he was a qualified monarch, even better than the emperors of the Jiang family she knew.

But Xu Hua was the one who built this team up, and she felt sorry for them!

Stealing cattle and sheep from the barbarian grasslands across the mountains sounds simple, but every time it's fraught with danger. Xu Hua never returned unscathed. Every time his grandmother saw him, she would beat him with a feather duster, cursing, "You can't even live a peaceful life, you have to make your entire clan die out."

Chunzhi couldn't say she loved her husband that much, but this man had grown up with her and was like a father or an older brother to her.

She couldn't just hand over Xu Hua's hard work like that!

"You should know that what you're about to do will kill a lot of people. You say it's a loan, but how will you pay me back?"

Hensheng was speechless at these words, and coupled with the fact that he was not a strong person to begin with, he suddenly felt much weaker.

Su Zhenzhen couldn't stand seeing honest people being bullied. In war, people always die. What else can they repay? Isn't this just typical game robbery?

“Chunzhi, the soldiers in your hands are either Xu Hua’s or the original Northwest Army. Doesn’t the Northwest Army have to obey the orders of the imperial court? You and I both know Hensheng’s identity. So what if he just takes the Northwest Army away? They respect you and discuss things with you.”

"Let's talk about Xu Hua's secret private army. You know why he created this private army. I believe that if Xu Hua were here, he would definitely lead his troops to surrender in the face of the current situation."

"Oh?" Chunzhi raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Why didn't your late husband hand over this private soldier to His Highness the Crown Prince before his soul was reincarnated?"

"You!" Su Zhenzhen was speechless.

That's a good question. When Xu Hua was reincarnated, she was as frail as a willow in the wind. How could she be the kind of person who could lead an army? She herself wouldn't want to hand over the wealth she had worked so hard to build up to someone who couldn't handle things.

But can you say that? Of course not, it would be too hurtful.

But Hensheng had indeed grown up. He first bowed to Chunzhi to express his apology, and then spoke sincerely.

“I was weak before, and not only did Brother Xu not dare to entrust me with this task, but I myself also had thoughts of ending my life. But now times have changed, and I have grown up a lot. I believe I can take on this responsibility. Please give me a chance, sister-in-law.”

Chunzhi stared intently at Hensheng, as if trying to discern the truth behind his words.

Seeing that Hensheng's gaze was calm and showed no sign of guilt or weakness, Chunzhi felt a little relieved. The life she had saved after so many deaths had not disappointed them after all, but she still maintained a composed demeanor.

“I can give you a chance. Right now, there are no barbarian attacks, and we have plenty of time. I will arrange several tests for you. If you can pass them all, my soldiers will be at your beck and call, and even I will serve you as my master.”

That was settled. Time flew by, and soon it was time for dinner.

Su Zhenzhen still had no appetite. What was gratifying was that not only had all the weapons of the Huo family army been cleaned of rust, but Qingshan also led people to help "reforge" the weapons of the Northwest Army. After a day and a night, the combat effectiveness of the entire army had doubled.

Qingshan handed the bottle containing acid to Su Zhenzhen, saying, "Lord Yinchai, this is for you. We rinsed it several times with water, and not a drop was wasted."

Su Zhenzhen then realized that she couldn't let things from another dimension get out of place, otherwise it would cause chaos in the world. She quickly threw the bottle into the air and sent it back to the 906th century.

Oh no! So many alcohol bottles were smashed during the day, and a lot of shards are still lying on the ground. This is not something from this era.

If you were to use existing materials from this era to make glass, that would be fine. But you've essentially put something from the 906th century into ancient times, and now it seems you can't take it back.

Is Heaven going to strike me with lightning again? I'll have to stay close to Hensheng these next few days; Heaven is still being kind to him.

Hensheng also happened to have something he wanted to say to Su Zhenzhen, "What kind of tests do you think Sister-in-law Chunzhi will set?"

Su Zhenzhen tugged at Hensheng's sleeve; if it weren't for the difference between men and women, they would have wanted to hold hands like a young couple.

"Don't worry, you can pass any kind of test."

"Why?" Hensheng didn't understand. Could it be that the so-called assessment was just a formality, just to make everyone look good?

Hensheng hadn't realized that he was unconsciously overthinking, and that his thoughts were all inclined towards those so-called imperial techniques.

Su Zhenzhen was only worried about whether lightning would strike her, and had no time to care about Hensheng's inner thoughts. She blurted out, "Think about how the lightning was right in front of you last night. Even God couldn't bear to strike you and favored you. No matter how difficult the test is, Heaven will definitely let you pass."