At Shuiyue Cottage, Xiao Zhen was teaching Xiao Man military strategy while they looked at military books.
Ying Xue served them, her expression numbly thinking: her mistress knew all this already, yet she still patiently listened to the General.
"Father, you should go to the main courtyard," Xiao Man said, putting down the military book and looking at Xiao Zhen. "Today is Third Sister's coming-of-age ceremony. For propriety's sake, you should go and see her."
"It's just a coming-of-age ceremony," Xiao Zhen said coldly, planting a flag on the sand table. "When you encounter such a situation, how should you deploy your troops?"
Xiao Man glanced at the sand table, immediately moved two sets of troops, and dispatched a pair of cavalry for a surprise attack. Xiao Zhen's eyes lit up. How had he not realized before that Xiao Man had such astonishing talent in military deployment?
"It seems you haven't been idle while I've been away."
"Father set up such a large study in my courtyard. If I were idle, wouldn't that be a disservice to Father's intentions?" Xiao Man said with a smile. "Father, knowledge gained from books is superficial, and talking about war is ultimately useless. When will you take me to the military camp to see?"
Xiao Zhen chuckled upon hearing this. "You want to see the military camp?"
Xiao Man nodded eagerly. "I do. It would be even better if I could be appointed to a position in the army."
"What, you want to inherit your father's legacy and become a female general?" The laughter rumbled from Xiao Zhen's chest. "I never imagined my daughter had such spirit."
"Father, are you agreeing or disagreeing?" Xiao Man moved her own flag on the sand table to Xiao Zhen's formation.
She wanted revenge, and to do that, she first needed to control military power.
In fact, Nangong Yu was a good choice, but Nangong Yu was too astute to be easily fooled. Moreover, she feared being seen through by him, and given Nangong Yu's disposition, he would likely chop her to pieces.
"There will be opportunities. Next time Father returns, I'll take you to the military camp for a look," Xiao Zhen said with a smile, a hint of relief in his eyes.
Suddenly, he felt that his daughter had truly grown up.
"Minister Yan, what are you doing..." Arguing voices came from outside the door. Xiao Man sighed and looked at Xiao Zhen.
After all, Xiao Ling was also his daughter. Today was Xiao Ling's coming-of-age ceremony; he had to see her.
Xiao Zhen's expression turned slightly cold. "You rest well. I'll be back shortly."
"Father, you should go accompany Third Sister. After all, it's Third Sister's coming-of-age ceremony today. She's a young lady now. Once she's married, Father might not even be able to see her."
Xiao Zhen paused, then turned back. "I won't let you get married anytime soon."
Xiao Man covered her mouth and smiled. "Alright, daughter won't get married. I'll stay by Father's side and accompany you."
A smile curved Xiao Zhen's lips, and he strode out of the room, just in time to meet Minister Yan barging in, followed by many people.
"General Who Guards the Nation."
"Minister Yan." Xiao Zhen's voice carried a hint of coldness. "Minister Yan, barging into my daughter's courtyard and shouting like this. Is this Minister Yan's etiquette and decorum?"
Minister Yan's face turned pale with anger. "Today is Ling'er's coming-of-age ceremony, and you haven't even shown your face. Is this how you are as a father?"
"How I am as a father is not for others to dictate." A maid brought a chair and placed it in the courtyard for Xiao Zhen to sit and talk. Xiang Xue held an umbrella nearby. The sun was quite strong today, and prolonged exposure could lead to heatstroke.
"How the General Who Guards the Nation acts as a father is not my concern, but I can concern myself with the General Who Guards the Nation doting on his concubine and neglecting his wife!"
"Doting on my concubine and neglecting my wife?" Xiao Zhen thought for a moment, tapping the armrest of his chair rhythmically. "My wife passed away many years ago. Minister Yan, when did I ever dote on a concubine and neglect my wife?"
"Xiao Zhen, don't forget, Jia Yi is also your wife!"
A cold smile curved Xiao Zhen's lips. "Oh, Minister Yan is referring to Madam. This General has been away in the army for years. When did I dote on a concubine and neglect my wife? And which concubine was it?"
"Third Concubine. You handed over the power of household management to Third Concubine. Isn't that doting on your concubine and neglecting your wife!"
Xiao Zhen took the tea offered by Qiu Tong, took a sip, and then slowly said, "Speaking of which, this General has yet to thank Minister Yan for raising such a good daughter. In the past decade or so that she managed the household, the treasury of my General Who Guards the Nation's mansion has been depleted by losses of up to a million taels."
Madam Yan's eyelids twitched. Even the Old Madam was greatly surprised. Madam Yan, who had been managing the household, had embezzled funds, leaving the treasury depleted by a million taels of silver?
"General, your concubine managed the General's mansion for over a decade without any mistakes. I don't know what the General is referring to regarding the losses in the treasury. Your concubine knows nothing about it!" Madam Yan said anxiously, tears welling up. "But Third Concubine managed the household affairs, and errors occurred?"
"Madam, you are mistaken. When this servant took over, I compared the accounts one by one and found many items missing, totaling over a million taels of silver. I reported it to the General." Third Concubine arrived with the Second Young Lady. "Greetings to the General. Greetings to the Old Madam."
"So many items missing from the treasury, what is going on?" The Old Madam's face turned green. This wasn't ten taels, or a hundred taels, but a million! This was enough to bring down the General's mansion!
One must know that the treasury of the General's mansion contained treasures accumulated by the Xiao family over generations of battlefield battles and imperial rewards, each piece priceless. Coupled with the income from the estates and shops, she rarely managed the affairs herself. She never imagined the treasury had been depleted to this extent.
"Father, Mother would never do such a thing!" Xiao Ling quickly ran up, knelt before Xiao Zhen, and tugged at his robe. "All these years, Mother has devoted herself to the General's mansion. If not for her merits, she has at least her hard work. Mother has never been willing to spend money carelessly. She treated elder sister as her own, giving her whatever she wanted. She could never have done anything to embezzle funds. Father, you must believe Mother."
"Xiao Zhen, not only do you dote on your concubine and neglect your wife, but you are also slandering my daughter. Do you think the General Who Guards the Nation's mansion, with its great contributions, can act with impunity?" Minister Yan roared, accusingly.
Xiao Zhen played with the tea lid, which clinked against the teacup with a clear sound. "Minister Yan, please do not be agitated. This General is only concerned with Madam's innocence. That is why I asked Third Concubine to temporarily manage the household. Once this matter is clarified, the power of household management will be returned to Madam."
"You..." Minister Yan wanted to say that you are clearly slandering, but Xiao Zhen's pretense of acting for her good made him unable to speak.
"My daughter is innocent."
"Whether she is innocent or not will be clarified soon. This General will not dote on his concubine and neglect his wife," Xiao Zhen said slowly. "There are certain rules this General values. Xiao Ling's coming-of-age ceremony was originally planned to be grand. However, with the assassination attempt on the Thirteenth Prince and the involvement of the General's mansion, I know she has been wronged. This General has also prepared a gift for her. Does Minister Yan find anything amiss? If there is anything amiss, this General will accompany Minister Yan to the Emperor's presence."