Chapter 207: Inviting someone to join the army, revealing the true nature of the situation...

That day, Zhang Ting finished his shift and led Zheng Er home.

As dusk fell, the sky was ablaze with the glow of the setting sun, casting an orange-yellow hue across the horizon. She sat in the soft, comfortable sedan chair, her eyes lowered in thought. Since that day, Chen Jue had not sent anyone to look for her, leaving her feeling uneasy.

A gentle breeze lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, and merchants and travelers bustled about. The lively chatter made the street seem even more prosperous. What a peaceful and beautiful scene! Unfortunately, it was only a short time before it would become the starting point of war, a place of constant fear and uncertainty.

The sedan chair swayed slightly, transitioning from bustling activity to tranquility.

Unbeknownst to them, the sedan chair bearers had taken a route completely opposite to that of the Zhang residence. Zheng Er realized something was amiss, drew his broadsword, and held it across the middle of the road, coldly shouting, "Holding a high-ranking official hostage, you have some nerve!"

"Stop right now!"

Zhang Ting lifted the carriage curtain and looked out; the scenery outside was unfamiliar, and she had no idea where she was.

The sedan chair carriers stood silently in place, their rough fingers rubbing their waists as if trying to pull something out. The calluses on their hands were clearly the result of ordinary people's hard work. Zhang Ting paused, "Zheng Er, step down and go back to tell your husband that he doesn't need to wait for me for dinner tonight."

Speak of the devil and he appears.

Zheng Er was surprised, "Master?" There's obviously something wrong with these people. Why is the master surrounded by wolves?

Zhang Ting: "Don't worry about me, go back." She closed her eyes and leaned against the car wall. Chen Jue's timing for looking for someone was really terrible. He had to come right at mealtime.

That old woman is really despicable.

Seeing that Zhang Ting had something on his mind, Zheng Er was convinced and withdrew, but she still looked worried and watched the sedan chair go further and further away. She sighed, sheathed her long sword, and went back to the mansion to inform her husband.

The moon was bright and the stars were few; a cold wind raged, and crows cawed incessantly.

Zhang Ting huddled miserably inside the sedan chair, her stomach growling loudly. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and shivered uncontrollably.

What's wrong with that old woman? Why did she choose such a far and desolate place to meet me?

Zhang Ting was so weak that her lips were pale. All she wanted was to get there quickly and find something to eat.

After walking for a while, the sedan chair stopped in a grove of trees.

The sedan curtain was lifted, and a cold wind rushed in. Then, a weathered hand reached in from the outside.

This scene almost made her scream in fright, thinking she had seen a ghost.

The newcomer spoke in a gentle and polite tone, "Please, Minister Zhang."

Zhang Ting shivered as he placed his hand on hers, whether from hunger or cold, it was hard to tell. “Your Highness, there’s no need for you to come in person. I will go myself.”

Although Chen Jue was over forty, he was strong and healthy, and he easily pulled her out of the sedan chair.

Feeling the slight tremor in her hand, she chuckled twice, as if startled. "Zhang Qing still needs to work on her courage. Sending someone to find you tonight was also to cover our tracks."

Liu Wang, who was standing next to her, walked over and said, "Your Highness has been waiting for you, sir. This cold wind is biting and stings the skin. Lord Zhang, please remember the courtesy and kindness His Highness has shown you."

Zhang Ting stood firm, her face pale, and looked at Chen Jue with deep emotion. "Your humble servant has nothing to repay you with. Serving your sovereign is like serving your parents." In her heart, she cursed, "This old bastard chose such a faraway place to meet. Didn't I suffer because of her? How dare she say she was wronged?"

She's shameless to this extent; she really feels she's far from being shameless herself.

We reminisced for a while, then stood by the woods enjoying the cool breeze.

Liu Wang sneezed, pulled out a thin strip of black cloth, and was about to blindfold Zhang Ting. "It's getting late, please come with me, Lord Zhang."

Chen Jue pressed her hand to stop her, "Alas, Xiao Ting is my granddaughter-in-law, there's no need to be so formal."

Zhang Ting, her face expressionless: There's no need to be so formal.

And so the three of them, one in front and two behind, walked deeper into the woods.

Liu Wang held the torch high, his boots rustling softly on the straw mat. "Tonight we will be conducting military exercises, and I have specially invited Lord Zhang to come and observe. Let us identify any shortcomings and formulate sound strategies for our great cause."

The further you go in, the narrower the path becomes.

Zhang Ting looked around in a daze. It was a low-lying basin with a flat and open bottom, providing ample space for training troops. In addition, the steep mountains formed a natural barrier, perfectly blocking the outside world's view.

The firelight in the Mingtang illuminated her face, making her features appear even more defined and clear. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she had fallen into deep thought again.

After walking for about 15 minutes, we finally arrived at our destination.

Torches were erected everywhere, illuminating the military camp. Soldiers brandished their spears and practiced their military drills, their shouts shaking the heavens. Ox carts were also transporting supplies in an orderly manner. The whole scene was solemn and orderly, exuding an unstoppable momentum.

Zhang Ting was fairly certain that Chen Jue was absolutely skilled at leading troops, and with a few more years of training, he might be able to rival the Imperial Guards.

An unexpected person came to pay her respects, "Lord Zhang, how have you been? I heard you've been promoted again, congratulations!"

The person who came was Xu Qiushui. It had been more than a year since I last saw her. She had combed her hair neatly, stood up straight, and looked radiant.

Zhang Ting glanced at her, then bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings to Lord Xu." She was far from unharmed; she was clearly in grave danger!

Zhang Ting felt like a lamb that had fallen into a wolf pack, with one wolf after another eyeing her covetously, wishing they could devour her alive.

They're not even giving her food; it's just too cruel.

Her spirits were at their lowest, yet she still dragged her exhausted body to accompany Chen Jue on his inspection of the military camp.

Chen Jue walked ahead with clear eyes and a confident demeanor. "What does Zhang Qing think? Is it feasible to fight against the capital?"

Xu Qiushui and Liu Wang stood on her left and right respectively, and upon hearing this, their gazes turned to Zhang Ting.

Zhang Ting was speechless. After being the Crown Princess for so many years, shouldn't you be more adept at rebellion? Instead, you're asking her.

She opened her mouth, but a sharp pain shot through her stomach, and the words she was about to say changed: "Is there any food left in the army?" As if in response to her question, a rumbling sound suddenly came from her stomach.

Everyone was stunned. Food? Is this some kind of new strategic plan? It took them a while to realize what she was talking about.

Faced with so many incredulous looks, Zhang Ting met their gazes without flinching, speaking with confidence and conviction.

If you bring someone to work, you should at least provide them with a meal!

These people have eaten and drunk their fill, but does she deserve to be cold and hungry?

In the silence, Chen Jue suddenly laughed, "It was my oversight that allowed Zhang Qing to suffer from hunger and cold for so long."

He turned around and ordered his attendants, "Hurry up and prepare a feast. I want to eat and drink with my beloved minister."

He couldn't help but shake his head. Everyone outside said that Zhang Ting was so open-minded and quick-witted, saving people from suffering, but her actual age was what it was. She was still just a child, like Xiao Yi.

Xu Qiushui and Liu Wang exchanged a glance, noticing an unusual closeness in their lord's attitude. Considering their kinship, they further elevated Zhang Ting's importance to their lord.

At the banquet, Zhang Ting ate heartily, devouring everything in a flash, leaving everyone speechless.

Liu Wang stared at her, his mouth agape, his jaw almost dropping. "You...you...how could you be so disrespectful to scholars!" She was a role model for all scholars, the wife of a top scholar who achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, the youngest prefect in the history of the dynasty, and the white moonlight admired and revered by countless people!

How could you act like this?! Absolutely not!!

Zhang Ting stopped what she was doing, glanced at her casually, and then continued cleaning the table.

It's just a meal, why are you acting like I stole her husband and child? It's so inexplicable.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Zhang Ting finally filled her bottomless stomach.

She demurely wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness." The Crown Princess's meals are indeed excellent; I can come here often for more meals in the future.

Chen Jue found her extremely amusing. "If Zhang Qing likes it, then come and try it more often. We'll always keep a pair of chopsticks for you in the army." He shook his head. It seemed that she wasn't doing too well either. Judging from her aggressive demeanor today, she probably hadn't had a proper meal in the past.

Even after becoming a prefect, he was still pitifully hungry. How pathetic!

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness." Zhang Ting replied without hesitation; to be even a moment late would be considered ungrateful.

After a satisfying meal, let's get down to business.

Inside the tent, the lights were on.

The four sat on the ground, their shadows swaying in the wind.

"Does Zhang Ting think our army can fight against Kyoto?"

Zhang Ting yawned; before he knew it, it was time for bed. "Your Highness," he said, "in my humble opinion, it is far from enough."

Chen Jue said she still had 50,000 soldiers under her command, which was equivalent to an ordinary elite force.

Zhang Ting didn't say anything more, but only asked, "Why does Your Highness want to rebel?"

After pondering for a moment, Chen Jue said to everyone, "The Empress Dowager is tyrannical and greedy, building palaces on a massive scale, treating the world as her private treasury, and indulging treacherous and corrupt officials in power, disregarding the lives and deaths of all the people. There are almost yearly famines. I cannot bear to see the Great Yong Dynasty perish here, nor can I bear to see the people displaced and starving. Therefore, I have summoned the talents of the world to remove the treacherous officials around the Empress Dowager, so as to serve the country!"

Zhang Ting nodded. "That is the problem. Your Highness, your words are righteous, but you must know that you are still a commoner who has been imprisoned. Where did your troops come from? How did you manage to contact the outside world?" Many victories in wars can be attributed to the fact that they were righteous armies. Hegemony gained purely through rebellion will ultimately be despised.

She spoke with a firm and resolute voice, staring intently at Chen Jue: "If you start a rebellion with this in mind, a huge obstacle will be looming in front of you. With just a wave of the court's hand, armies from all over the world will be like fish crossing a river, stretching as far as the eye can see."

Xu Qiushui sat in the corner, silently nodding in agreement.

Who would believe that a commoner who fell from the mountaintop to the valley floor would suddenly have over 100,000 soldiers?

Chen Jue couldn't help but nod. This was something she had overlooked. If she continued to carry this banner, she would indeed not be able to stand firm and would find it difficult to convince the public.

Xu Qiushui looked at Zhang Ting with a smile, "Lord Zhang is not only very good at governing the people, but also knows a lot about military affairs." She turned to Chen Jue and cupped her hands, "Congratulations to the lord for gaining another talented person."

Liu Wang gave Zhang Ting a strange look. The woman who was now talking eloquently and giving advice seemed completely different from the poor man who had been eating and drinking so heartily just moments before.

For a moment, she almost thought she was hallucinating.

She pinched herself hard; ouch! It hurt.