Zhao Ger didn't rely on his father: "My husband is a third-rank official serving in the provinces. The Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial is merely a fourth-rank official. Why should I bow to you?"
Madam Tang: "......"
"Why don't you bow to me?" Zhao Ger looked at her.
Madam Tang was trembling with rage, her finger pointing at Zhao Ger shaking. Her lips moved—she instinctively wanted to invoke the Yan family—but in the end, she said nothing.
Yan Shizheng was only a third-rank official, the same rank as Zhao Ger's husband. And he had always been cold and indifferent to her, his cousin. Earlier, when she wanted to find a post for her son, she'd talked until her lips were worn out, and this cousin of hers still hadn't agreed. Saying it now would be useless. But being humiliated like this by a ger in front of everyone—it truly enraged her. Just then, Madam Yan entered. Madam Tang immediately seemed to find her backing: "Sister-in-law......"
Madam Yan ignored her and went straight to sit by Zhao Ger. Touching the flower on her head, she said to Zhao Ger with a smile: "Zhao Ger, your Guaizai's little mouth is really something."
Earlier, when she'd taken Guaizai and the others to the courtyard to play with the other children, Guaizai saw flowers blooming beautifully nearby and asked if he could pick them—he wanted to give them to his little brother. Madam Yan said yes, so Guaizai picked two. Probably feeling embarrassed about taking from someone, Guaizai picked another one, waved for Madam Yan to crouch down, then tucked the flower into her hair and praised her beauty.
Madam Yan was delighted and kissed him. But Guaizai's face instantly turned red. He lowered his head, twisting his clothes—shy yet righteous—and asked Madam Yan if she had fallen in love with him. Then he begged her not to, because it would put him in a difficult position. After all, he had already let down too many, too many people.
Dandan chimed in: "Grandma Yan, don't be like that. You're so old, and you have such a big daughter-in-law. Dandan would be very troubled!"
Liuliu and Gungun nodded along.
Madam Yan had laughed all the way back. Now, just talking about it, her belly was about to cramp from laughing.
The other women hadn't seen the children, but still seized the opportunity to flatter.
"I can see Fang Fulang has such a sweet appearance—his three children must be the same."
Seeing this person had gotten ahead of them, the others immediately followed, afraid all the good words would be used up—a stream of flattery. Madam Tang, seeing no one paying her any attention, turned and left hatefully.
Madam Yan glanced over briefly but didn't pay it any mind. Back in the capital, Madam Tang had been close friends with the eldest daughter of the Meng family. When she heard the woman had been executed, she cursed Meng Ruqing again and again—a legitimate eldest sister who had been a companion for over a decade, who in a moment of foolishness did something wrong, and when the Qin family wanted to execute her, Meng Ruqing hadn't even pleaded for her. Truly heartless.
Madam Yan was close with Meng Ruqing, so naturally she didn't get along with Madam Tang.
With the eldest daughter-in-law busy up front, Madam Yan didn't need to worry about anything. She just waited for the youngest daughter-in-law to bring the baby over, and everyone gathered around praising the child. Whether sincere or not, the back courtyard was lively and bustling, while the front courtyard remained quiet and still.
At noon, a banquet was laid out. Just as they were eating, the steward came rushing in from outside, looking anxious, and called out loudly, "Master!"
Prominent families value propriety above all. With several tables of guests present, the steward's behavior was truly rude—unless something serious had happened.
For some reason, Fang Zichen's heart skipped a beat.
Surely not...
The steward bent down and whispered something into Yan Shizheng's ear. Yan Shizheng's expression changed abruptly. Without a word, he hurried off with the steward.
Something serious must have happened.
Everyone looked at each other, not daring to pick up their chopsticks again. Seeing this, Fang Zichen felt awkward eating alone, so he reluctantly set down his chopsticks too, staring eagerly outside—wondering if it was what he suspected. If that were the case, Lord Yan probably wouldn't be back until later. It was getting cold, and if the oil in the dishes congealed, they wouldn't taste good anymore.
Ah!
When Yan Shizheng returned to his study, Qin Yi was standing inside. Seeing him, Qin Yi was about to bow, but Yan Shizheng waved him off and asked in a low, steady voice: "You say something has happened to Old General Qin — is this true?"
"Yes." Qin Yi pulled a letter from his pocket and offered it with both hands: "My young master sent me to deliver this."
Yan Shizheng's back was drenched in cold sweat the whole way there. He took the letter and opened it directly.
Old General Qin had been severely wounded two days ago in a battle against the Chao Kingdom army at the Yanhe Canyon Ridge. The Qin army had suffered a great defeat, with nearly two thousand casualties.
War was never about waiting passively for the enemy to attack. When the time was right, one had to strike first.
Moreover, the longer the war dragged on, the more the common people suffered.
Old General Qin naturally wanted to end the war as quickly as possible.
A detachment of nearly thirty thousand Chao troops was stationed at Huaihe Ridge. After deliberating, Old General Qin decided to lead his men through Yan Canyon to eliminate this detachment first — but as soon as they entered the canyon, they fell into an ambush.
Tens of thousands of arrows flew from the mountain peaks on both sides toward them. Although Old General Qin immediately ordered his men to form ranks and hold their defense, the vanguard was caught off guard and suffered heavy casualties. And it didn't end there.
The Qin family army used shields to block the arrows, rendering them harmless. Then the Chao Kingdom army launched a second "attack."
Bundles of firewood soaked in oil, burning fiercely, were hurled into the canyon by the Chao Kingdom army. Within moments, thick smoke billowed and flames shot up to the sky.
The instant a spark caught their clothes, they went up in flames. Soldiers screamed and rolled on the ground, desperately trying to smother the fire. But without their shields to protect them, a whistling hail of arrows rained down, and the screaming quickly fell silent.
In that brief span of time, the ground was covered in bodies — burning, pierced through with arrows, back and front. Fresh blood dyed the entire canyon red in an instant.
Everywhere was a sea of fire.
They'd been betrayed!
Someone had leaked military intelligence.
Old General Qin realized it and immediately shouted to retreat.
But it was too late. The words had barely left his mouth when rumbling sounds came—countless boulders rolled down from the mountain peaks, blocking the retreat route.
With no way back, they could only charge forward.
The Chao Kingdom army seemed to want to encircle them like dumplings. A-You led troops charging in from the front, and the two armies clashed in the canyon.
Old General Qin was, after all, a great general. He had followed his father onto the battlefield at age nine. To this day, he had experienced countless battles, large and small—some where they were chased by the enemy, some where they barely escaped with their lives, and some where he led ten thousand men out and returned with only a thousand. He had crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. He had seen the direst of situations. In the face of crisis, he was calm and composed. With one sweep of his spear, he took off an enemy lackey's head.
The battle lasted nearly four hours. Wails echoed endlessly through the canyon.
Thick smoke from the canyon rose straight into the sky.
Both sides suffered heavy casualties. Old General Qin finally managed to carve a bloody path out with the vanguard. Just as he was about to hold off the enemy so the wounded behind could retreat first, Lieutenant General Lu suddenly thrust a spear at him.
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