The commander's tent was slashed open by Xiao Lanhua's long sword. Xue Cheng, behind her, dealt with everyone in the tent. Xiao Lanhua looked at the woman holding the sword, her eyes fixed on the two of them.

The woman trembled, but did not move an inch from Fu Zhong.

Xiao Lanhua didn't have time to explain to her. He lifted the woman aside with one hand and helped Fu Zhong up from the ground.

The woman was heartbroken. How could someone who had been with her for over ten years have turned out like this in just a short time?

"Fuzhong, Fuzhong."

"Your Majesty, you've arrived..." the eunuch said to Xiao Lanhua while spitting out blood.

"I've come to save you. We have to go back to the palace together. The Empress can't beat you in that place."

"I...maybe I can't go back, Your Majesty."

"But Fuzhong didn't embarrass you... didn't disgrace you."

"Our Grand Steward of Shuhua Palace would certainly not embarrass himself in public."

Xiao Lanhua thought these were her last words, but before she knew it, Xiao Lanyi walked in from outside.

"Here, take your medicine."

"Brother, it's too late for any medicine, it's too late..."

The woman burst into tears upon seeing her brother, her eyes red and filled with helplessness.

"I was worried about you, so I came to check on you. See, with your brother here, would you let me cry?"

Xiao Lanyi stepped forward, took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out a pill, and put it into Fuzhong's mouth.

This was given to him by Ruyi before she left.

The bottle contained not ordinary pills, but pills made from a hundred Thousand Red Fruits and other spiritual herbs.

It's fortunate that Huo Xiaolong was a spendthrift; otherwise, Doctor Gu wouldn't have known the dosage of the Thousand Red Fruit.

"Back to camp!"

Xiao Lanhua was kneeling on the ground, not even realizing what was happening. Her brother grabbed her and put her on a warhorse. Then several doctors rushed over, lifted Fu Zhong onto a stretcher, and put the woman on Qing Song's horse.

"You won't die, don't worry. This medicine is really good. Even if your brother only has two pills for this expedition, he'll survive."

The woman didn't want to speak. "Look at that person! He's almost bled to death. Do you think he can just live like that? Why don't you let me finish crying at the funeral?"

Compared to the physical battles and hardships in Dongyu, things in the capital require more mental effort.

"If we want women to pass the imperial examination, we must make Consort Xiao win this battle beautifully. Otherwise, she won't have the confidence to argue in the court."

Huo Xiaolong put a persimmon in his mouth and said to Lan Tingche across from him.

“When I was a child, I had a tutor who was one of the top strategists in the Great Yan. If he could come to our aid, even if the Imperial Concubine does not return in triumph, we should still have a way.”

The man sitting opposite Long'er—no, it should be said that the man sitting below Long'er.

Because Lan Tingche was washing Long'er's clothes, the clothes that had been on the roof that day got dirty. Hou Xiangxiang found the clothes today and tried to destroy the evidence, but he stopped her.

The soap was mixed with warm water and rubbed to create foam, which was then rubbed back and forth on the clothes with slender fingers.

"Is he not an official in the imperial court now?" the girl asked.

"No, I resigned from my official post and stayed at home after what happened to my parents."

"Didn't you go out for a walk or anything?"

"When he was a child, my master told me that a true hermit lives in seclusion. As long as he stays at home and lives a carefree life, the emperor will not interfere with him. If the emperor wanted to kill him, even my great-uncle would have to think twice, for fear that he might have a backup plan."

The man stood up. The clothes were washed; he just needed to rinse them again before hanging them to dry.

"Shall we visit him tonight?"

Huo Xiaolong also stood up to pour him a fresh glass of water.

She can be lazy, but she can't take it for granted that others should do things for her, especially if they don't pay her.

When it comes to talent, it's best to act first. What if that gentleman Tingche mentioned thinks she has the makings of a ruler?

"Okay, whatever you say."

Lan Tingche felt that the master wouldn't dislike Long'er, because he liked him, liked him very much.

So how could anyone in this world not like Long'er?

But she's not gold, so it's normal that others don't like her.

For example, right now.

An elderly man with a gray beard sat at a desk in a simple room with only a few sticks of incense, a table and chairs, and a bookshelf full of rare books.

"Tingche, do you mean... you want me to assist her?"

"Not you?"

The old man looked at Lan Tingche with a worried expression and asked incredulously.

The refined-looking man placed his hands in front of his head, bowed, and answered the old man.

"Long'er is the Prince of Zhenbei, with the world in her heart and prioritizing its well-being. If you, sir, could assist her..."

"Your father is the former Crown Prince!"

Lan Tingche's words were interrupted.

The man frowned slightly. "I know, what else?"

Are you my dad?

"Sir, is it because I am a woman?" Huo Xiaolong stepped forward and asked.

"Who in the entire Great Yan has not heard of the name of the Prince of Zhenbei? But Tingche is the legitimate heir of the royal family. As his fiancée, you should be his strongest support. In this way, men are the heavens and women are the earth, which is the right path for the Great Yan."

“Sir, you taught me from a young age that when you marry, you should respect and value your wife. How can you say such things now?”

Before Huo Xiaolong could speak, Lan Tingche couldn't sit still any longer. What do you mean by "his strongest support"? Do you know how much effort I put into getting this support?

The girl raised an eyebrow and smiled with relief.

"Even so, we won't disturb your rest any longer, sir. Farewell."

Watching the girl's departing figure, Lan Tingche took off after her.

"Long'er, are you angry?"

Huo Xiaolong shook his head. What was there to be angry about? This gentleman wasn't insulting women; he was simply bound by ideas that had been ingrained for thousands of years.

Not only today, but even in the past, weren't there many people who felt that women shouldn't hold high positions?

"I'm not angry. It's just that the master doesn't like women to be emperors."

He gently tugged at the girl's sleeve with his long, slender fingers and whispered in her ear.

"Don't worry, I'll make him like it."

Everyone in the world should think you are the best.

Huo Xiaolong: That's not necessary.

She knew that people around him felt sorry for him, but Huo Xiaolong didn't think about it that way. Thinking so much was too tiring. If this one didn't work, he could just find another one. If that still didn't work, he could bring his Aunt Hua over. She could at least hold her own against this old man.