The camp was quite a distance from the main military tent, taking a while to reach.

Upon arrival, Duke Huguo was in the middle of discussing matters with several generals, so he waited ten meters away for half a tea’s time before entering.

Entering the military tent, he saluted Duke Huguo and asked, "I wonder why the Great General has summoned me?"

Duke Huguo looked him over before saying, "I heard your archery skills are remarkable?"

Xie Jingchen was taken aback and modestly replied, "The Great General praises me too highly."

Duke Huguo laughed, "You don’t have to be too modest. Being able to hit the enemy with every arrow is proof of your extraordinary archery skills. But why do you not aim for their vital spots?"

This was the thing Xie Jingchen feared the most.

Unexpectedly, he couldn’t escape it.

He glanced at Duke Huguo, then lowered his head again and said, "When my father taught me archery, he only allowed me to injure the quarry, not kill it. Otherwise, it wouldn’t sell for a good price. I’ve gotten used to it."

Duke Huguo, "..."

Honestly.

A surge of old blood rushed to his throat, almost making him spit it out.

He thought there must be some reason for only wounding the enemy and not taking their lives, and it turned out it was a habit from hunting?!

Indeed, live game sells for more than dead game.

With such superior archery skills, achieving a hundred percent accuracy, did his father intend for him to hunt for a living all his life?!

Receiving titles and ranks, bringing glory to the family, wouldn’t that be good?!

Xie Jingchen’s simple reasoning successfully infuriated Duke Huguo, and he issued him a stern order, "This is the battlefield, not a hunt. Change this habit!"

After tossing this command, he dismissed Xie Jingchen.

When Xie Jingchen exited the main military tent, he exhaled lightly, relieved that he had muddled through without raising suspicion.

He stepped back to his camp to rest.

Just as he was responding, the guard returning from delivering the painting to Beimo came back, reporting to Young Master Shi.

Dong Chenglang curiously asked, "The Prince of Beimo just accepted the painting like that, wasn’t he curious about who sent it?"

The guard replied, "Of course, the Prince of Beimo was curious, but I couldn’t disclose Captain Li, so I told him that with the letter, he would naturally guess who sent it."

Upon hearing this, Xie Jingchen’s heart skipped a beat.

Young Master Shi was curious, "Go on."

"As a result, the Prince of Beimo guessed it was the Daqi Prince Zhenbei’s Heir Consort who sent it," the guard said.

"..."

Xie Jingchen’s heart, which had reached his throat, dropped back down with a thud, causing a dull ache.

Dong Chenglang’s mouth twitched, and the guard said, "I didn’t deny it, just took my leave and returned."

Xie Jingchen lifted the tent flap and entered, raising his hand to rub his forehead, "Thank you for your efforts."

The guard felt a little embarrassed, it was only about delivering a painting; apart from being a bit of a journey, it was not difficult at all, yet Xie Jingchen had saved his master’s life.

He wouldn’t even blink if he had to lay down his life for this.

Dong Chenglang patted Xie Jingchen’s shoulder and said, "Now that the painting has been delivered, can you tell me why you sent that painting to Beimo?"

Clearly, it was to get close to the Crown Prince, yet ultimately you took the painting from someone living in the Crown Prince’s separate courtyard.

Dong Chenglang had been pondering this for days and still couldn’t figure it out.

Xie Jingchen knew he was curious, but some things couldn’t be told. However, openly deceiving would damage the hard-earned trust, so Xie Jingchen said half-truthfully, "There’s a hidden truth about Beimo Cheng King’s murder in the painting."

"Where is it hidden? I didn’t see anything," Dong Chenglang said.

Xie Jingchen looked at him.

Dong Chenglang, "..."

Dong Chenglang felt awkward.

He accidentally exposed the fact that he had sneaked a look at the painting.

He scratched his head awkwardly, trying to shift the topic, "What did Duke Huguo want with you?"

This matter, Xie Jingchen did not hide from him.

Dong Chenglang was not surprised. Such outstanding archery skills, aside from saving him, were often used at the back of the blade. Naturally, it would arouse Duke Huguo’s suspicion.

However, Xie Jingchen could find such a reason to perfunctorily deal with Duke Huguo. Dong Chenglang was quite impressed.

He looked at Xie Jingchen and asked, "Why don’t you target the enemy’s vital spots?"

Even though they were in the military camp and disappointed with the court, once on the battlefield, there was no need to hold back, was there?

Knowing Xie Jingchen’s "real" identity, he might be able to deceive Duke Huguo, but not them.

"Young Master Zhao was once favored by Dongxiang Marquis Mansion while in Daqi, and the court and Daqi are enemies; we are not," Xie Jingchen said.

Since they were not enemies, naturally they couldn’t strike ruthlessly.

Prime Minister Zhao in Nanliang had always advocated maintaining good relations with Daqi, thus angering the Emperor of Nanliang and Duke Huguo, suffering considerable exclusion over the past two years, and losing hope in the court, retiring to the countryside.

Dong Chenglang also believed that Xie Jingchen joined the army camp to act as Zhao Xu’s spy, not to achieve meritorious deeds and illustrious positions.

Once Zhao Xu raised his soldiers successfully, would he not have a promising future?

Having mixed in the military camp, precisely knowing that they formed an alliance privately with Zhao Xu, granting him much protection.

He had barely helped Zhao Xu, yet received such considerable favor in return.

Dong Chenglang felt a lot of pressure.

It seemed he needed to further stir up trouble for his uncle.

Daqi, inside the military camp.

Marquis Dongxiang returned to the military camp from the city gate, first back to the main military tent, discussing the battle situation with the Prince for a while, then letting everyone return to rest.

Having some free time, Marquis Dongxiang also left the military camp to see Su Jin.

But Su Jin was not in the camp.

The camp was deserted.

Marquis Dongxiang frowned, turned around, and asked, "Where’s my daughter?"

"The Heir’s wife is at the General Workshop," the camp guards said.

Why did she go to the General Workshop?

Marquis Dongxiang headed towards the General Workshop.

His daughter truly couldn’t sit still for a moment.

Not letting her go to the battlefield to treat soldiers was to protect her from harm. How did she end up at the General Workshop out of idleness?

Su Jin was chatting with the General at the General Workshop, and Xingxing saw Marquis Dongxiang approaching and said, "Miss, the Marquis is here."

Su Jin looked up to see Marquis Dongxiang striding over.

A few days ago, Marquis Dongxiang stopped Su Jin from going under the city’s tower for rescue.

Once battle breaks out, there are too many casualties, and the gate area becomes chaotic. While soldiers were carrying wounded, they accidentally knocked into Su Jin’s waist, causing bruises. Fortunately, the unborn child was unharmed.

Since that day, Marquis Dongxiang ordered Su Jin not to go to the gate. If she was bored, she could make golden sore medicine to pass the time.

Marquis Dongxiang didn’t allow it, and Xingxing revered Marquis Dongxiang’s words like a holy decree. Su Jin hadn’t stepped out of the military camp for days.

Seeing Marquis Dongxiang coming over, Su Jin approached and said, "Father, you came to find me?"

Marquis Dongxiang glanced around and said, "What are you busy with at the General Workshop?"

The General came over to speak, but Su Jin quickly said, "Let me finish here first, and then tell Father."

The General swallowed his words.

The Heir’s wife wanted to give the Marquis a surprise.

Marquis Dongxiang understood that Su Jin was up to something again, and he was genuinely curious, yet he didn’t ask.

Since he was at the General Workshop, he might as well check the quality of the weapons and bows.

Su Jin urged Marquis Dongxiang several times to go back to rest. Marquis Dongxiang wondered if it was really to let him rest or to prevent him from discovering what she was up to. He said, "Aren’t you going to ask about your husband?"

"Father saw him?" Su Jin quickly asked.

"Yes."

"He’s doing quite well in the Nanliang military camp. He’s already a Thousand Commander now," Marquis Dongxiang said.

Su Jin, "..."

Xingxing, "..."

"My husband is truly amazing," Xingxing couldn’t help but praise.

Marquis Dongxiang’s mouth twitched as he walked away.

Su Jin thought Xie Jingchen was too conspicuous.

Infiltrating the enemy camp was one thing, but he wasn’t discreet at all, even managing to become a Thousand Commander. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

But she had never heard of this rank?

Is it unique to Nanliang?

Su Jin asked a soldier, who replied, "Besides Captain, Thousand Commander is the lowest rank in the military camp."

Su Jin, "..."

Xingxing, "..."

Xingxing quietly took back her words of praise for the husband’s prowess.