Seeing that it was getting late, Li Xinzhai put away the empty wine flask, stood up, stretched, and did some warm-up exercises. He said, "Okay, I won't talk to you anymore. I'll go back to the palace first."
Hearing this, Mo Yu rolled his eyes again and said, "Don't worry, there are so many people guarding her, she will be fine."
To be honest, Li Xinzhai had seen many people roll their eyes, but Mo Yu's was the most skillful. Not only was it not annoying, but this grown man even had a cute and playful look when he rolled his eyes. In this respect, he was much better than Tang Chen. Tang Chen had tried to roll his eyes seriously, and his face was so contorted that at first glance, he looked like he was about to ascend to heaven.
Although he basically had to watch Tang Chen turn off the lights and rest at a fixed time every day before he could feel at ease, it did not mean that he returned to the palace just for Tang Chen: "Haha, these, I am not worried about her."
Mo Yu asked in disbelief: "Apart from her, who else could it be?"
Li Xinzhai's face darkened slightly, and he said, "Don't you think Wang Ruo has suddenly become a little strange these past few days?"
Mo Yu asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why didn't I notice it? Isn't she always like that?"
Li Xinzhai patted Mo Yu's frail body in the cold wind and said earnestly, "Child, you've met too few people. When you experience more, you'll naturally feel it."
...As soon as Li Xinzhai left the military camp, Zhong Qin returned with the midnight snacks prepared by Tang Chen. During this period, Wang Yanzhou only slept for two or three hours every day, and Zhong Qin did not dare to tell Tang Chen for fear that she would worry.
When he returned, as expected, the light in Wang Yanzhou's room was still on. Zhong Qin knocked gently on the door and said, "Master, I brought you some midnight snacks."
"Come in."
Wang Yanzhou put down the document in his hand, stretched his shoulders, and asked, "How is the recruitment going?"
Zhong Qin took the midnight snack out of the lunch box and said as she arranged it, "It's not optimistic."
A few months ago, they led tens of thousands of troops out of the valley to pursue the South Vietnamese army, only to return with only a few dozen men. Not only was it difficult to gather so many men in such a short time, but the people of Qingliang Valley were already beginning to lose trust in Wang Yanzhou. After all, these good men had followed him out confidently, ready to make great achievements, only to not kill a single enemy soldier and then inexplicably die in the forest.
Wang Yanzhou had ordered that the Qingliang Valley army's actions in Zhiyou Forest not be spread outside, and that other stories be used to cover up the incident. However, it was unknown where the rumor had gotten out; it was fine the day before, but the next day, the news had spread throughout the valley.
Coupled with the news of Emperor Gan Zhao's death, everyone was filled with anxiety about the outcome of this battle. While the new emperor would soon assume the responsibilities, would it be too late? They had thought that by sending Gong and Bei Mo to marry, Bei Mo would be able to provide some assistance if something happened in the future. Currently, Bei Mo was not only standing by and watching, but was also secretly gathering troops. Perhaps they had ulterior motives, plotting a tactical mantis stalking the cicada while the oriole waited behind.
After a long silence, Zhong Qin finally said, "I'll go back and think of a solution."
Wang Yanzhou smiled wearily and said, "It's late, and you've been tired all day. Go back and rest first. We'll discuss it tomorrow. If you collapse from exhaustion, who will help me?"
Just as Zhong Qin was about to go back, she suddenly remembered something she hadn't told Wang Yanzhou yet, so she hurried back: "...Oh, by the way, there's news from Chen Xin that the Duke of Liang's Mansion is currently safe, but just to be on the safe side, he wants to secretly bring the Duke, his wife, and Shuyi with him."
Wang Yanzhou had thought about this before, but he had been so busy recently that he forgot about it. "Well, Qingliang Valley may not be completely safe right now, but it is definitely better than the capital. Let's send someone to carefully pick them up."
Zhong Qin frowned slightly and said with a cupped hand, "There is one more thing I don't know if I should tell you."
"But it's okay."
Zhong Qin said without hesitation: "Madam Wang Ruo, your behavior in recent days has been a little strange."
Wang Yanzhou put the snack he had just picked up back with some confusion, "What's wrong?"
Zhong Qin couldn't tell what was wrong, but she always felt something was odd: "It's a strange thing that I can't explain, and I don't really understand it."
Although Wang Ruo is Wang Yanzhou's biological aunt, in his impression, his mother seems to have never mentioned Wang Ruo. In the end, he should be more cautious: "...She and my mother are sisters, but we haven't known each other for long. Although it is a bit disrespectful, we should still send some experts to watch her. As long as she doesn't do anything too outrageous, let her be."
Zhong Qin nodded and said, "I understand. Then, Zhong Qin will go back first. You should go to bed early."
"Um."
At the end of the dead branches and leaves, there is a small thatched hut and courtyard with warm lights. It is different from the rest of the cool valley where there are panic-stricken people and trees are on edge. It seems like a small world isolated from the outside world in the valley.
In this small world, Zhou Xiao'e sat by the stove and did her needlework as usual, while Lin Qinghui went in and out to bring in charcoal from outside to add to the fire. This small home was always filled with a touch of tenderness and warmth.
After Zhou Xiao'e finished her last stitch, she put away all the needlework and thread, and after boiling a pot of hot tea, she said, "Qinghui, such a big thing has happened in the valley. Aren't you going to help Yanzhou?"
Lin Qinghui sighed with the tiredness typical of an elderly person and said, "Alas, I'm an old man. Even if I wanted to help, I'm powerless."
Zhou Xiao'e sighed slightly and said, "After all, the late queen entrusted him to you. We should help as much as we can."
Lin Qinghui knew Zhou Xiao'e's temper. She rarely meddles in other people's affairs, but if she does, it must be because she has made up her mind and will not let others refute her. Although this person always speaks and acts softly, her firm attitude when encountering things is difficult to change. "Suddenly mentioning this, do you have any thoughts?"
Zhou Xiao'e smiled and said, "I don't have any such thoughts. I just feel that we are protected by Qingliang Valley after all. In times of crisis like this, we can't just stay out of this world."
Lin Qinghui said tentatively, "I heard that South Vietnam has several artillery pieces that are leaving. Will it be..."
Zhou Xiao'e understood what Lin Qinghui meant. Many people outside were probably wondering if the artillery in South Vietnam's hands was made by the Zhou family. "Although the Zhou family has many talented individuals, it would be extremely difficult to produce something of that level of power. Furthermore, the Zhou family had a family motto from the previous dynasty: to remain neutral and never provide weapons to any country during wartime."
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