Zhao Liangcai glanced at the tent opening, then sat up and took the bowl of medicine from Sheng Jiangqi, drinking it in one gulp.
"Doctor Sheng's medicine is as awful as ever."
Sheng Jiangqi hitched up the hem of his robe and sat down with a bold stride on the stool beside Zhao Liangcai's bed. The former refinement was long gone.
"If you could sleep normally, you wouldn't need to drink this nasty medicine."
Zhao Liangcai smacked his lips, his brows furrowed by the bitter taste in his mouth. "My wife can lull me to sleep for an entire night with just a single melody."
Sheng Jiangqi patted the dust off his clothes. His daughter was to marry Qin Sanniu in the future, so he wouldn't argue with the younger generation.
"Have you sent word to your wife about your feigned injury?"
"Not yet. Liu Ji's men are still watching. My wife is no ordinary woman, she'll be fine," Zhao Liangcai replied confidently.
He lifted the white cloth wrapped around his waist, letting his abdomen breathe.
Sheng Jiangqi shook his head. Still too young. However, Zhao Liangcai had his own plans, and he couldn't say much. Fortunately, his father was close to Qin Junyao, so there shouldn't be any major issues.
"Just make sure you know what you're doing. Oh, and we're running low on medicinal supplies in the army."
Zhao Liangcai lay back down on the bed. "Hold off on the medicine for now. We haven't taken the northwest city yet, and Prince Luo will likely send more men."
"I had intended to settle things with Shao Yong with a real fight, but I never expected him to use civilians as shields. Such a despicable fellow."
Biandan, sitting to the side, seemed confused. "Boss, why are we waiting for Prince Luo to send more men?"
Zhao Liangcai turned his head and stared at Biandan. "Were you at the white tents yesterday?"
Biandan's eyes darted aside. How did the boss know he was at the white tents?
The women from the Wanhuagou pleasure house in the city had disguised themselves and left before the siege. They were now staying in the white tents at the rear of the military camp, waiting to return to Wanhuagou after the city was taken. He had always followed the boss, and it was only recently, outside the northwest city, that he learned the tents behind, which were off-limits, housed these women.
"General, I was just helping to deliver food."
"If you like going there so much, then go and guard it. Anyone who tries to approach with ill intentions, just cut them down." Zhao Liangcai found the people in the white tents to be quite a headache.
The ones who had besieged the city before were all old soldiers he had led, and their discipline was strict, which was why he had felt at ease training new recruits not far from the northwest city. But these new recruits, who had not been through the crucible of war, were difficult to manage. If his men were to harm the women under Hua Niang, Hua Niang would tear him apart – she was his benefactor.
"Cut them down?" Biandan asked in surprise.
"General, it would be better to send those people from the white tents away. Women shouldn't be in the army, and besides, their profession is bound to give those new recruits ideas." Biandan mused to himself that yesterday he had seen no less than ten new recruits, and if one of them approached, they'd be gone, and before the battle even began, they'd be short a hundred or eighty men.
Zhao Liangcai looked at Biandan. That was right. Even his personal guards couldn't help but peek, and during the siege, they would be too preoccupied. Where could they send them away to?
Zhao Liangcai suddenly remembered Qin Junyao mentioning that she wanted to expand her residence. Hua Niang had brought out only fifteen of the top women from her establishment. Others might look down on their backgrounds, but Yao Yao and Grandma Qin had visited brothels before, and she had even sparred with them on musical instruments.
"Biandan, take your men and escort them back to Yangshu Village to stay at my residence temporarily. If my wife asks about my situation, tell her the truth."
Sheng Jiangqi, who had been listening to Zhao Liangcai and Biandan's conversation, was dumbfounded. Send a dozen or so brothel women to live in his own house? Was he confused from lack of sleep? Sheng Jiangqi thought he'd have to take Zhao Liangcai's pulse later.
Biandan was also frozen in place. He had merely asked why they were waiting for Prince Luo to send more men, and now he was being sent back to Yangshu Village?
Seeing Biandan standing motionless, Zhao Liangcai urged him, "Go quickly. The sooner the better."
"What about Prince Luo?" Biandan hadn't forgotten the main point.
"The news that came out yesterday was that Liu Yi and Shao Yong are old acquaintances. Understand?"
Biandan nodded blankly.
"If you understand, then hurry up and go. You don't need to conceal the news deliberately, just ensure their safety."
Biandan hurried away, and Sheng Jiangqi also left the tent after taking Zhao Liangcai's pulse.
Zhao Liangcai lay on the bed, wondering if Suozi could come, and when. Only when Suozi arrived would he have more confidence. Prince Luo wanted to incorporate Shao Yong into his banner, and Shao Yong was also willing to defect. For now, they were just probing each other. Prince Luo intended to test his abilities, and Shao Yong wanted to eliminate him, this thorn in his side. To guard against Shao Yong's underhanded tactics, Zhao Liangcai planned to feign illness and keep them besieged for a few more days. With food scarce, Shao Yong wouldn't dare to keep too many civilians in the city. He hadn't expected this Mr. Liu Yi to know Shao Yong previously. It seemed he had to continue feigning injury. He didn't know when this would end, and he wanted to go back to see Yao Yao and their unborn child.
While Suozi's team rushed towards the northwest city, Qian Duo and Biandan, following the merchant caravan, slowly made their way to Yangshu Village.
In Yangshu Village, Qin Junyao and Liu Yu were digging flowers in the mountains.
"Madam, this one looks nice, let's dig more of them?" Liu Yu asked Qin Junyao, seeing a clump of plants with small purple flowers.
Qin Junyao, sitting in her chair, nodded. "Alright."
"Madam, this tree is growing well," Dengzi shouted to Qin Junyao from the side.
Qin Junyao raised her hand. "Okay."
She looked up through the gaps in the treetops at the sky and sighed in her heart. Why, why, did she have to come?
Ling Manshuang had people build a wall two zhang high and two chi thick. The walls built by the Qin Hou family were also one zhang high. All the able-bodied men in the village who had time came to help build the walls. In each courtyard, besides people, there were many adobe bricks, dry grass, and water buckets. Qin Junyao wanted to watch the wall being built, and whenever she had nothing to do, she would stand in the courtyard and watch. Anyone who passed by would be extremely cautious, afraid of bumping into her. Grandma Qin found her to be a nuisance and didn't let her leave her room. When she disagreed, Liu Yu suggested going up the mountain to dig for plants to decorate the courtyard, which attracted her attention. She had come, and while others happily searched for plants, she sat in her chair watching others search.
"Madam, let's go further in. They say there are red flowers ahead," Liu Yu said excitedly to Qin Junyao, her hands covered in dirt. Qin Junyao forced a smile. She really wanted to tell Liu Yu that Sister Hua had all the flowers she wanted in her space, as long as she didn't have to sit in this chair.
"Liu Yu."
Hearing Qin Junyao's tone, Liu Yu knew what she was going to say. "Madam, the mountain path is dangerous. Binding you to the chair was Madam Qin's order, and we dare not disobey."
"I am your master," Qin Junyao said, patting the armrests with her hands, reminding Liu Yu whom she should listen to.
"Madam, let's go ahead. Come, let me carry Madam. Be careful."
Qin Junyao...
Qin Junyao spent the entire morning circling the mountain in her chair before returning. She searched for a while in the Zhao family's residence and finally found Grandma Qin in Axle's room, holding a small feather duster and watching Qin Xiaoyu and Axle salute each other.
"Grandma, what are they doing?"
Grandma Qin pointed at Axle and Qin Xiaoyu with the feather duster. "You're back. These two brats killed four of my half-grown chickens, saying they wanted to roast them. Stand up straight!"
"I mean, why don't you catch other people's chickens to eat? We can just compensate them with some money. These chicks at home took so much effort to acquire and finally managed to raise them, and you've ruined four at once."