Ms. Wu finally felt a little relieved. She then busied herself packing her daughter's luggage. Considering that she was a girl and it would be inconvenient for her to be out, she prepared many sets of comfortable underwear for her.

I also prepared a thousand taels of silver notes, and picked out some smaller denominations for her. I also prepared some exquisite little gold and silver beads for her to use.

After seeing Xiaoli off, Wu returned to her room and cried again. From then on, she worried about the border war situation every day and was anxious day and night, fearing bad news.

Xiao Li stored all the gold and silver in her spatial storage, keeping only some light items for show. The next day, she and Wu Jiayan set off for the border town.

☆

Gu Xiaoyue learned that Xiaoli had gone to the border town from her father.

Gu Qihang had long been worried about his path to advancement, and now that Xiao Li was willing to go to the battlefield to share his burdens, he was filled with relief.

However, when he saw that the sons of the Gu family were not as good as a girl, he felt that his family was unfortunate and felt melancholy.

Fortunately, his second daughter was not like his eldest daughter, and she even managed to secure such a good son-in-law for him. Thinking of this, he poured himself another drink.

As soon as Gu Xiaoyue returned to her room, she angrily pushed everything on the table onto the floor.

The dowry her stepmother gave her was the same as that of a concubine's daughter from another branch of the family. Despite raising her for so many years, her stepmother showed her no gratitude whatsoever.

All her efforts to befriend her elder sister were in vain, and she even called her "mother" for so many years for nothing.

At such a crucial time, my elder sister actually ran off to the border town. When we needed her, we couldn't find her. It's truly hateful.

She tore several more handkerchiefs before she felt a little better.

She dared not break the valuable porcelain in the room, because they were all registered and could not be repaired if they were broken.

Over the years, I have been on good terms with my elder sister and have received some benefits, but they are mostly in terms of food and daily necessities. I haven't received much gold or silver.

Because her stepmother was a woman who valued rules and regulations, she wouldn't allow anything that exceeded the proper standards to appear in her room.

Gu Xiaoyue could foresee how impoverished her life would be after marrying Xie Shuhuai, but she was helpless and could only be secretly angry.

Chunyan, however, curled her lip in disdain. She thought this person was formidable and could stir up trouble in the Duke's mansion, but who knew that she would be eliminated so early.

"Granny, what should I do? My dowry is so small, how will we survive?"

Chunyan inwardly complained, but outwardly maintained a respectful demeanor.

"Miss, I have no choice. You are just a concubine's daughter. If the eldest young lady were still at home, that would be better."

Gu Xiaoyue's eyes lit up. Her elder sister doted on her the most, and she certainly wouldn't stand by and watch her stepmother treat her so harshly.

Yes, she was going to write to her sister and ask her to ask their stepmother for more dowry.

She thought about it for a while, but was still unwilling to give up, so she turned to ask Chunyan.

"My aunt was so favored, didn't she leave me any dowry?"

Chunyan's lips twitched. What kind of dowry could a concubine possibly have?

But she didn't dare say it that way, so she had to say it more tactfully.

"Although your aunt grew up in the Duke's mansion, she was ultimately bought, so..."

Gu Xiaoyue immediately understood, feeling both angry and ashamed. She waved Chunyan away and began to take stock of her own things.

Xiao Li received Gu Xiaoyue's letter, but did not intend to reply.

Because of the original owner's and her stepmother's love in her previous life, and because she married into the general's mansion, the Duke's mansion prepared a generous dowry for her.

Forget about it for the rest of your life. Whatever amount you get, that's what you get. Don't even think about getting a penny more.

She would send a letter to Wu every two weeks, and this time she specifically reminded her mother about Chunyan and Aunt Chen.

She didn't care what Wu wanted to do. Wu also knew that Chunyan couldn't be kept, so she gave her to Gu Xiaoyue as part of her dowry, since they were quite close anyway.

Xiao Li was currently suppressing bandits. The dangers of the border town were not only external enemies, but also fierce mountain bandits.

Because of her outstanding skills, Xiao Li was promoted by the general and became a centurion in just one month.

Today she received orders to go to Qingmu Mountain to suppress bandits. Others didn't know why a hundred-man squad was being sent, but Xiaoli learned from 123 that the Third Prince Zhao Yunshen was currently trapped on Qingmu Mountain.

This was a perfect opportunity for her to make a name for herself. Xiao Li was particularly brave today. These bandits usually committed all sorts of evil deeds, and Xiao Li showed them no mercy.

He killed one person with each sword strike and charged straight to the mountaintop.

In a side room on the mountaintop, a steamy scene was unfolding. Zhao Yunshen was bound hand and foot and sitting on a chair, while the second-in-command of Qingmu Mountain was teasing him with a chopstick.

The second-in-command was a beautiful woman in the prime of her life. However, because her husband died suddenly on their wedding night, she was ostracized by her clan and fled.

He was later rescued by the leader of Qingmu Mountain and settled down there.

At this moment, she was sitting at the table, drinking alone, occasionally using her chopsticks to lift Zhao Yunshen's chin, watching this handsome man eat with her food.

However, Zhao Yunshen was completely uncooperative, which made her very unhappy.

"Wouldn't it be good to be my husband here on Qingmu Mountain? There are many people who covet me, but I only have my eye on you. I even saved your life."

"Hmph! I advise you to know what's good for you and let me go, and I might be merciful enough to spare your life. Otherwise, you can expect your head to fall with the fall of your knife."

The second-in-command chuckled, "I don't believe you have any reinforcements. Once you get to Greenwood Mountain, you won't have a choice."

She pretended to take off her clothes, and Zhao Yunshen panicked. Seeing the second leader's bare shoulders, he had no choice but to look away.

This put them at a disadvantage, and the second-in-command became even more smug.

Zhao Yunshen was terrified. Was he going to die on Qingmu Mountain today?

"Bang……"

With a loud crash, the wooden door was kicked to pieces.

Xiao Li charged straight at the second-in-command with her sword, never expecting to see such a sensual scene. She wondered if the third prince would skin her alive afterward.

Please don't do that, or you'll offend him instead of gaining merit.

Thinking of this, Xiao Li got angry and became even more ruthless.

The second-in-command never expected that a Cheng Yaojin would appear at the last moment.

She reacted quickly, gritting her teeth as she grabbed her clothes, draped them over herself, and picked up the short sword lying to the side. The two then engaged in combat.

Xiao Li's sword light was aimed directly at the second leader's face. The second leader had no time to dodge and could only barely turn his body to the side before rolling on the ground.

The short sword in his hand stabbed towards Xiao Li's abdomen. Xiao Li kicked out and struck the second-in-command in the chest. She flew several meters away and crashed into the dilapidated door.

Xiao Li was incredibly fast, outpacing the second-in-command. She swung her longsword, piercing the second-in-command's chest, drawing blood. He soon went still.

Xiao Li turned around and cut the ropes binding Zhao Yunshen. Tsk tsk~ His skin is so white!

Seemingly sensing the scrutinizing gaze, Zhao Yunshen glared angrily, while Xiao Li quickly averted her gaze and respectfully knelt on one knee to pay her respects.

"I am late, sir, and I apologize for the trouble you have suffered."