Chu Qiao glared at him, "You still dare to say that!"
"I won't say any more," Yan Xun apologized hastily, "I was just talking nonsense and was too talkative. Sir Chu, please don't be so picky with me."
Chu Qiao snorted, as if to say "I'll let you go".
Yan Xun laughed loudly. The soldiers in the distance poked their heads out, wondering why His Royal Highness Prince Yan and Lord Chu were discussing military situation with such high spirits, nodding and bowing, and sometimes beaming with joy. Could it be that Lord Chu had decided to assassinate Emperor Xia in Zhenhuang City?
"You have to be careful. Swords have no mercy on the battlefield. Don't take risks lightly."
No matter how fierce and strong a woman is, she will feel overwhelmed when faced with certain situations. Just like now, after knowing that there is no hope of her going along, someone starts chattering again.
"Okay, I understand." Yan Xun nodded honestly with a good attitude.
"Although Mr. Wu is in charge of the First Army, the factions within the army are complex and the Daxing Guild has infiltrated the army severely. You must be careful of fires in the rear and internal instability."
"Don't worry, I've got it in mind."
"Meiling Pass is too far north, and the weather is cold. You are also ill, so keep warm, wear more clothes, cover yourself with more blankets at night, and remember to take the medicine prescribed by the accompanying medical officer on time."
"Okay, I'll pay attention."
"When you go to bed, remember to put a basin of water by your bed. You always cough, and the smoke from the brazier is too strong, which is bad for your health."
"Yes, I remember that."
"Let others handle the contact with the Quanrong people. Don't do it yourself. We don't understand the Quanrong people's attitude, so we must be on guard against any changes."
"Don't worry."
"Remember to write to me every day. If I don't hear from you in three days, I will go to Meilingguan to find you immediately."
Someone groaned weakly, "Even if I die, I will remember to write to you first to let you know."
Unexpectedly, the person who was mumbling suddenly became anxious, "What are you talking about? If you say it again, I will pack my bags and follow you!"
Yan Xun hastily expressed his opinion, "I am talking nonsense. I am guilty of a heinous crime. Ah Chu, if you continue talking, it will be dark."
"What's the big deal if it's dark? If it's dark, we can leave tomorrow."
Yan Xun's tears were almost flowing, but he could only hum helplessly and did not dare to make any objection.
"How many coats did you bring?"
"Five."
"Where are your boots? There's snow everywhere. It will melt as soon as you warm the fire. Remember not to wear wet boots."
"Okay, got it."
"Did you bring hand warmers? How many did you bring? Are they enough?"
"Ah Chu," Yan Xun frowned, "You packed my luggage for me."
"Oh? Really? I forgot." Chu Qiao's attitude was very calm. "Let me see. Did you bring the knee pads? Oh, I did. Do you have enough socks? Oh, I brought eighty pairs. Is the hood thick enough? It's okay, it's made of bear skin, and I sewed a strip of fox skin on the outside."
Chu Qiao unloaded the luggage from the carriage and squatted on the ground to look through it. After a long while, she seemed to suddenly remember something, jumped up and shouted, "Is there enough charcoal? I'll load a whole cart for you."
Yan Xun replied weakly: "It's enough, Ah Chu, it's enough, don't worry, there are our garrisons all along the way, even if it's not enough, we can get supplies from the army."
"How can that be possible?" Chu Qiao frowned and said, "We use white charcoal, which produces the least smoke. The charcoal used in the army is made of clay, which produces a lot of smoke when burned and hurts the trachea."
Without waiting for Yan Xun to stop her, Chu Qiao had already ordered the guards behind her, "You, yes, you, come here. Go to the military supply department and load two carts of charcoal. Remember to ask for white charcoal. Hurry up. This is a matter of life and death for our army. His Highness trusts you and gave you the task. You must complete it as quickly as possible. Do you understand? The sky of Yanbei will remember your loyalty and bravery."
The young soldier was so excited that his face turned red. After holding it in for a long time, he suddenly saluted and shouted, "Everything for Yanbei!"
After saying that, he galloped away. Although he didn't know what the relationship was between loading two carts of coal and the life and death of our army, Lady Chu was a military genius, and the task she issued must have its own profound meaning. The soldier firmly believed that in future battles, these two carts of white coal would play a decisive role in the victory or defeat of our army. So, with full revolutionary enthusiasm and excitement, he ran away wildly, so excited that he even forgot to ride the horse.
The morning sun is as blazing as fire, the sky is golden and boundless, and two people are bidding farewell to each other on the vast snowfield.
"Yan Xun, you have to be careful. This trip is full of dangers. You have to be alert to everyone around you."
Yan Xun nodded, "I know, and so do you. If I'm not here, someone might take the opportunity to bully you. Remember their names and don't confront them head-on. I'll deal with them one by one when I come back."
"Well, okay, we'll raid their homes and seize their property."
"Okay, and tie them up so you can beat them up as you like."
"Okay, it's decided." Chu Qiao nodded and continued, "You should treat the 4,000 archers I assigned to you as close guards and don't send them into the battlefield easily. Their weapons have been improved by me and their combat effectiveness is extraordinary. We should keep them as secret weapons."
"Okay, I'll make a note of that."
"Don't eat cold food. It's bad for your health. You should take a rest and don't get too tired."
"Well, don't worry."
"Less riding, more staying in the carriage. The wind is too strong, and thick clothes are useless."
"Um."
"Don't drink the cold water. I brought you some honey. Drink more. You've lost a lot of weight recently."
"Um……"
"If anyone in the army calls a prostitute, you kill him. Those women might be sick. You are not allowed to even look at them. Do you understand?"
“Know…know…”
"If any local official dares to send you beautiful women on the way, write down their names and tell me when you come back. Those women are probably all spies sent to monitor you. Don't let any of them go. I'm doing this for your own good."
“…”
"After you capture Meilin Pass, don't kill all the rebels' families. Send them to work in the mines. Don't keep the women in the army. Just drive them out of the border. A group of women staying in the army is a typical way to confuse the army's morale. None of them is a good thing."
Chu Qiao talked freely, her eyes full of contempt for the group of women who had confused the army. However, she forgot that she herself seemed to be a woman who stayed in the army, and she also held a high position and seemed to hold great power...
"Yan Xun," Chu Qiao said earnestly with a deep gaze and a very sincere expression, "The purity of an army and a political party must be guided by its supreme leader. You are the king of Yanbei. Your quality of life and moral level will directly affect the direction of Yanbei's political power and the future destiny of Yanbei, and will even have an immeasurable influence on the entire Simon Continent. You must not be involved in the unrealistic, reckless, and decadent lives of those playboys in Zhenhuang City, and their upside-down and irresponsible relationships between men and women. Although you are in a high position and hold great power now, you must be prepared for danger in times of peace. You must remember this! This is my most sincere advice as a friend who grew up with you, fought with you, and lived with you."
Yan Xun was extremely embarrassed and completely speechless.
Unexpectedly, Chu Qiao was extremely dissatisfied with his attitude. She raised her eyebrows and angrily asked, "Are you listening to me seriously?"
Yan Xun almost cried, his expression was extremely painful, "Ah Chu, I'm listening."
Chu Qiao's anger subsided a little. She glanced at him and said in a charming tone, "After we arrive at Luo'an City tonight, send a letter to me via flying eagle. Don't let me worry."
Yan Xun's heart was bleeding. It was already so late. Even if the warhorse suddenly had four more legs, he might not be able to reach Luo'an tonight.
Seeing that the soldiers who had gone to fetch charcoal had returned in high spirits, Chu Qiao had to end her long speech. She felt a little uncomfortable and her eyes were a little sore. She held Yan Xun's sleeve tightly and was unwilling to let go. This was totally unlike her usual self. She knew that Yan Xun was probably laughing at her in his heart, and Ah Jing and the others were probably laughing so hard that they were choking. But she just didn't want to let go. The last time they were apart it took such a long time. The two of them had never been apart for such a long time in all these years. She had an instinctive resistance to this separation. There was an inexplicable worry lingering in her heart, which made her extremely scared. She was making small talk awkwardly, with her head down, knowing that she was embarrassed, and she mumbled like a wronged young wife. Yan Xun couldn't even hear what she was saying.
“How about this?” Yan Xun asked in a very low voice, “Can you give me a ride? But you must come back after you get to Sunset Mountain!”
With a whoosh, a white shadow flashed past him, and Yan Xun thought he had seen a ghost. In an instant, Chu Qiao was no longer there. The King of Yanbei was a little stunned. Before he could react, he saw Chu Qiao had already run to the team far away, riding upright on the horse, waving and shouting at him: "Come here! Why don't you leave? What time is it? You are still dawdling!"
The other soldiers also looked at Yan Xun with squinted eyes, as if to say: Your Highness has probably never been to a battlefield, he is frightened and reluctant to leave!
In an instant, Yan Xun felt like crying but had no tears.
"Girl! Are you going with us?" The team finally set off. The soldiers of the Black Hawk Army were familiar with Chu Qiao and asked with a smile.
"No, I'll only take you to Sunset Mountain."
"It would be great if the girl followed me. She's really good at fighting!" said an old soldier who had been following Yan Xun since Zhenhuang.
"That's right. I saw it the other day. The girl was able to beat more than a hundred men by herself. Those men were as tall as hills, with eyes as big as copper bells. With one punch, their heads would be smashed. I, Old Liu, couldn't fend off any of them. But the girl was better. She knocked them all down in no time, without even a drop of blood on her body."
"Ah? So powerful!" The soldiers who didn't know the truth widened their eyes.
"That was, you didn't see it. That scene, hey, it's not exaggerated."
Chu Qiao said modestly, "Haha, not that great, just average, just average."
"It would be nice if the girl would come with us."
The soldiers sighed collectively once again. Chu Qiao immediately turned around with a proud look on her face and stared at Yan Xun eagerly. Her expression seemed to be saying: Did you hear that? Did you hear that? This is the voice of the masses!
“Walk properly! Stop talking so much nonsense!” Yan Xun scolded with a dark face, ignoring Chu Qiao’s gaze and pretending that all his previous words were compliments on today’s food and weather.
In less than an hour, the army arrived at Sunset Mountain in the west. The main group went ahead, while Yan Xun and the guard group stopped for a while. Seeing Chu Qiao's red eyes and her head down twisting her fingers, Yan Xun had to sigh and jumped off the horse. He walked up to Chu Qiao and gently held her in his arms, saying softly, "I promise you, I promise to take care of myself and be careful. If the battle situation is unfavorable, I will turn back immediately and never be brave. I will definitely come back to see you intact. If I can't do any of these, you can beat and scold me as you like. Don't be like this. How can I leave with peace of mind when you are like this? Ah Chu has always been the strongest. You have to support me and help me. You are my closest comrade-in-arms and the most trustworthy lover, right?"