Gu Chenzhou listened to Jiang Wan’s words, said nothing, and turned to leave.
“Where are you going?” Jiang Wan asked.
“Arrest people according to the list.”
This list, extracted from Jiang Wan’s interrogation, contained nearly a hundred names.
The people Gu Chenzhou had painstakingly captured before were less than half of those on this list.
Even this list might not be exhaustive, and they needed to quickly apprehend these individuals for further questioning.
After several days of intense work, nearly five hundred people were apprehended, and no new discoveries were made.
General Han stared at the long list, genuinely shocked for a moment.
“I never imagined so many spies had infiltrated my army!”
He couldn’t fathom these people, mixed among the soldiers, waiting for the moment to strike a fatal blow.
The mere thought sent a shiver of apprehension down General Han’s spine. He turned to look at Jiang Wan, “Jiang girl, you’ve rendered a great service this time.”
Jiang Wan smiled, “Then General must record this merit well, so it can be rewarded in the future. I rather wish to earn some glory for myself.”
General Han laughed heartily, “Naturally. Your contribution this time is truly significant, and this general will certainly not let your efforts go unrewarded.”
After General Han finished laughing, Gu Chenzhou stepped forward and said, “General, your subordinate has failed in his duties. I beg for your punishment.”
Before General Han could speak, Jiang Wan quickly interjected, “General, although Deputy General Gu captured fewer people, they were all in important positions. The threat posed by these individuals is clearly greater. Therefore, Deputy General Gu’s merit is also immense.”
General Han smiled and looked at her, “Does Jiang girl worry that this general will punish Deputy General Gu without regard for fairness?”
Jiang Wan replied, “I believe the General would never do such a thing, but… I am simply worried and flustered.”
General Han raised an eyebrow, “Oh? How are you worried and flustered?”
Jiang Wan coughed lightly, “General, you may not know, but, Deputy General Gu and I actually…”
“Miss Jiang!”
Gu Chenzhou, guessing what she was about to say, quickly interrupted, “The matters of that year were all temporary arrangements and should not be taken seriously.”
Jiang Wan smiled playfully, “And what if I insist on taking it seriously? After all, I never thought it was a temporary arrangement; I truly took it to heart.”
You don’t want me to cling to you? I insist!
Gu Chenzhou was utterly exasperated. What exactly did this girl want?
General Han was very curious, “Jiang girl, what temporary arrangement? You and Deputy General Gu…”
Jiang Wan spoke quickly, “He and I were betrothed, so I am worried and flustered.”
“What?”
Er Lang jumped up, “When did this happen? How come I didn’t know! Gu Chenzhou, what do you mean? Are you trying to break off the engagement? How dare you abandon my sister?”
Gu Chenzhou’s headache intensified.
One unpredictable and capricious Jiang Wan was already enough to cause him trouble, and now this simpleton was getting involved.
He had to clarify this matter.
Just as he was about to speak, Yan Li’s voice came from outside the tent, “It is true. Chen Zhou and the young lady of the Jiang family are indeed betrothed. I personally agreed to this matter.”
Yan Li walked in from outside the tent and cupped his fists in a salute to General Han, “General, Deputy General Jiang, seven years ago, when Miss Jiang fell into the water and Chen Zhou rescued her, her reputation was damaged. Therefore, Magistrate Jiang and his wife discussed with me and arranged a marriage for the two children.”
Gu Chenzhou’s eyes widened, “Master, why are you…” talking nonsense?
Before the last four words could be uttered, Yan Li interrupted him.
“Chen Zhou, Miss Jiang’s reputation was indeed damaged because of you back then, and I did arrange a betrothal with the Jiang family for you. Didn’t you also give your family’s heirloom jade pendant to Miss Jiang?”
Gu Chenzhou’s face turned dark with anger. How could all these people be telling such blatant lies?
He glanced at Yan Li, guessing his intention for speaking this way.
Not wanting to embarrass his master in front of outsiders, Gu Chenzhou could only endure it for now, planning to discuss this matter properly with his master later. Thus, he remained silent.
Seeing his silence, General Han took it as his tacit consent and smiled, “So you were already betrothed. Chen Zhou is twenty-one this year, which is not a young age. I was worried before that your marriage might be delayed, but I didn’t expect you to have been betrothed long ago. That’s why I wondered why you weren’t in a hurry.”
“Good! Since your marriage has long been settled, I no longer need to worry about it. When we accomplish our great cause, this general will personally preside over your wedding.”
Jiang Wan smiled, “Thank you, General!”
Marriage was out of the question; she had no intention of marrying in her lifetime. But for now, she wanted to provoke Gu Chenzhou!
She hadn’t intended to bring up the betrothal at all. If he hadn’t looked at her as if she owed him eighty thousand taels of silver and hadn’t been returned, and had just allowed her to stay by his side to absorb energy, she would have returned the jade pendant herself after the war, and they would have gone their separate ways.
If he made her unhappy, she would make him even more unhappy!
Jiang Wan said with a giggle, “General, I wish to stay in the army and fight the Zhao rebels with you.”
General Han was somewhat surprised, “You wish to stay? Jiang girl, do you know what war is? It is fields strewn with corpses and rivers flowing with blood. Are you truly not afraid, a young lady?”
Jiang Wan’s smile faded, “To fight on the battlefield, to slay those traitorous dogs with my blade, to re-establish a new dynasty for the people behind us, and to protect their peace and prosperity. What is there to fear in such a matter!”
“Well said!”
General Han was somewhat excited, “Jiang girl, have you thought it through? Once I agree to let you stay, you cannot leave. You must follow us all the way until the Zhao rebels are defeated and the army returns victoriously. There are countless dangers along the way, and you might even die on the battlefield.”
Jiang Wan nodded firmly, “I have thought it through. To shed blood and sacrifice for the sake of millions of people, I have no regrets even in death!”
General Han was also stirred by her words, “Good! I agree to let you stay! Jiang Wan, heed my command!”
Jiang Wan stepped forward and knelt on one knee, “Jiang Wan is here.”
General Han ordered, “I hereby appoint you as the third deputy general of my Han Army, responsible for intelligence gathering.”
Jiang Wan was delighted. Gathering enemy intelligence was her specialty.
So, she happily accepted the appointment, “Your subordinate will certainly not fail the General’s trust!”
General Han nodded happily, “Good girl! A woman as capable as any man, well done!”
After emerging from General Han’s tent, Er Lang’s smile was so wide it almost reached the back of his head, “Wan Wan, you are truly amazing! We are colleagues from now on!”
Jiang Wan giggled, “Brother Er, you can try harder from now on. If I surpass you, you will lose face.”
Er Lang chuckled, “I don’t feel disgraced losing to my own sister; I feel proud. My sister is truly capable!”
As the siblings were chatting and laughing, Gu Chenzhou suddenly walked over with a dark expression.