Hudong Mountain is relatively close to Longhua Mountain, but unlike the bustling Longhua Mountain, the terrain here is steep and extremely desolate. Apart from the families of the Qi family’s garrison troops, there is no one else here.
The Qi family army camp is on the top of the mountain. Qi Yuning goes up the mountain almost twice a year. The mountain road is difficult to walk on. Even in winter when the branches are dead and there are no leaves, you can still see the mountain road. If you go up the mountain in spring and summer, you have to bring a machete and cut off the branches that block the way.
The weather is cold. It snowed on Hudong Mountain last night, making the mountain road very difficult to walk on.
Lingling said in Lu Ze's arms, her little face flushed, "There's so much snow!"
Qi Yuning said, "It's really not a good day to be snowing like this. It's freezing."
Seeing Qi Yuning shivering with cold, Lu Ze stepped forward, held Qi Yuning's hand and said, "Your hands are so cold, let me help you up the mountain."
Qi Yuning said, "You'd better hold Lingling tightly with both hands! We're almost there."
Lu Ze said, "One hand is enough to hold Lingling."
The mountain road was difficult to climb and it took almost an hour to reach the top of the mountain.
The terrain at the top of the mountain is flat, and there are many wooden houses built along the mountain. Every household raises chickens and ducks and cultivates vegetable fields in front of the wooden houses. It is much more lively than the foot of the mountain.
When Qi Yuning reached the top of the mountain, a woman in armor walked up to Qi Yuning, half-knelt and said, "Your subordinate greets the princess.
"Aunt Ren, please get up."
Lu Ze saw the armored woman in front of him and asked, "Is this General Ren Yao, the idol-chasing female general from back then?"
Ren Yao looked at the young man, then at the little girl in his arms who looked like him, and asked, "Who are you?"
Lu Ze put Lingling down and bowed, "I am Lu Ze, the eldest son of Duke Lu and Princess Pingrou."
Ren Yao asked, "So it's Master Lu. Is this Master Lu's daughter?"
Qi Yuning stepped forward and said with a smile, "Aunt Ren, Lingling is also my daughter. I have been wanting to bring Lingling to see you for a long time, but I have been busy with work and have never had the chance to come. Lingling, call me Grandmother."
Lingling called out sweetly, "Grandma."
Ren Yao asked, "When did the princess marry Prince Lu?"
Qi Yuning said: "Although we have a child, we are not married yet."
Ren Yao's brows furrowed even more tightly, and she looked up at Lu Ze with displeasure.
Lu Baoshuang pulled Lu Baoxue forward and saluted, saying, "General Ren, I, Lu Baoshuang, have heard that General Ren is a heroine. I admire you very much and would like to serve under you with my sister!"
Qi Yuning said, "Aunt Ren, your health has been getting worse in recent years. It's time for you to go down the mountain and spend your remaining years in peace. The two sisters from the Lu family want to be female generals. I think it would be better to let them lead the troops and give it a try."
Ren Yao said, "As per your instructions, I have prepared the banquet. Please take a seat and enjoy your meal."
Qi Yuning climbed the mountain for an hour and was hungry. When they got inside and sat down to eat, Lu Ze sat next to Qi Yuning.
Ren Yao looked at Lu Ze with displeasure in her eyes and asked, "Since Prince Lu and the Princess have a daughter, why don't they take responsibility?"
Lu Ze said, "General Ren, I will be responsible for the princess. When the princess and I get married someday, I will definitely invite General Ren to have a drink at the wedding."
Qi Yuning also chuckled and said, "Aunt Ren, the story between Master Lu and I is a long one, and he is not irresponsible."
Ren Yao understood Qi Yuning well, and knew that she had never suffered any loss since she was a child, so she was relieved.
Lingling was eating very obediently at the table. When Ren Yao learned that Lingling was Qi Yuning's child, there was more love in her eyes when she looked at Lingling.
"Princess, what is the child's name?"
Lingling held the chicken drumstick and said, "Lingling's name is Lu Yiling!"
"Lu Yiling...Yiling!"
Ren Yao's eyes welled with tears when she heard this. "When General Liu left, Yi Ling was almost born. If it weren't for someone's plot..."
Qi Yuning asked, "Someone plotted against you? Aunt Ren, you said someone plotted against you?"
Ren Yao wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, "No, that's not the case."
Qi Yuning looked directly at Ren Yao and said, "Aunt Ren, what do you mean by being plotted against? I met Wang Tao not long ago, and he said that Uncle Huo An is not dead, but is hiding in the Shu Palace under an assumed name. Is this related to the plot?"
Ren Yao was secretly annoyed that she had said the wrong thing, and repeatedly said: "Princess, there are outsiders here."
Qi Yuning said to Ren Yao, "Come with me outside."
Qi Yuning walked to the edge of the cliff, from where he could have a panoramic view of the entire Shengjing City.
"Aunt Ren, you also know that Uncle Huo An is still alive and lurking in the Shu Palace, right?"
Ren Yao nodded and said, "Yes, this matter started thirteen or fourteen years ago. At that time, General Qi led us to attack Beimo, and we were sure of victory.
However, there was a problem with our military rations. We were short of military rations and medicines, and our every move was leaked to the people of Beimo.
At that time, General Qi had already guessed that there was a traitor inside the military camp.
It was also a snowy day like this. When the Northern Desert troops were at the gates of the city, the soldiers' cotton clothes for keeping warm were torn apart at the slightest touch. They were made of reed fluff, which was completely incapable of keeping warm in the Northern Desert.
Most of the Qi family soldiers died of starvation, cold, and freezing, and died due to medicine shortage!
We tried our best to defend the city. General Qi discovered that there was someone in Beimo who was colluding with the Dasheng Dynasty. He led his troops to pursue the Beimo bandits and wanted to find out who in the Dasheng Dynasty was colluding with the Beimo bandits. However, he fell into the Beimo trap. General Liu went to rescue General Qi while pregnant, but was also killed by the Beimo bandits.
Even so, some people said that General Qi was greedy for military merit and took the risk to attack Beimo, but at that time General Qi just wanted to give an explanation to the dead Qi family soldiers.
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