Now, speaking of the military camp, the kitchen was busy with cooking. Outside, a group of soldiers touched their hungry stomachs, waiting for the buns to come out of the pot.

Just as the steaming buns were brought out, the soldiers smelled the aroma, and then the bugle suddenly sounded.

That sound was enough to make anyone nervous.

The soldiers lined up, each grabbing three large meat buns, eating as they rushed to the city gates to fight.

The battle lasted for a full day and night.

The soldiers of Daqi, having just filled their stomachs, were in high spirits. The Nanliang people thought the grain and grass were stuck halfway, believing the Daqi soldiers would be exhausted and went all out to attack the city.

Even though they were at a disadvantage, they persisted, thinking they could wear down the Daqi soldiers’ strength and take the city in one sweep.

Who could have predicted, the kitchen fires never stopped, and as soon as the buns and bread steamed out of the pot, they were quickly sent to the gate tower.

Su Jin, pregnant, would rest after helping for a while, not exhausting herself.

Qin Hanhan had been helping all along. After helping a soldier bandage an injured arm, she stood up and felt a wave of dizziness.

Su Jin saw this and supported her, saying, "Are you alright?"

Qin Hanhan shook her head, "I’m fine."

Really, with such a pale face?

Because Qin Hanhan knew medical skills, Su Jin did not check her pulse, guessing she was just tired. Su Jin said, "You should quickly go back and rest; don’t overwork yourself."

Qin Hanhan said it wasn’t necessary.

Su Jin had the maid Xueling help her back.

When Qin Hanhan arrived back at the camp, she fainted right away. If Xueling hadn’t been supporting her, she would’ve really fallen to the ground.

Xueling was so scared she was at a loss.

The military doctors were all rushed to save the injured soldiers and weren’t in the camp; Xueling didn’t know what to do.

Soldiers hurriedly went to report to Su Jin.

Hearing Qin Hanhan had fainted, Su Jin was also shocked.

Upon hearing this, Xingxing quickly said, "Miss has also been tired for half a day. Just as well, go back and check the pulse of the Heir’s wife and then rest."

So Su Jin went back to the camp.

...

The Nanliang withdrew with the sound of a horn, and Daqi scored a grand victory. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Chu Shun and the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo bravely fought the enemy, and the two cooperated seamlessly, breaking into the enemy camp and capturing a fifth-rank general of the enemy, getting thrown up by the Daqi soldiers.

Some soldiers hurried over and shouted joyfully in the cheers, "Congratulations to the Heir of Marquis Jingguo, the Heir’s wife is pregnant!"

Chu Shun was first stunned, then overjoyed.

And then——

Joy turned into sorrow.

He was thrown to the ground, arms and legs spread out.

The soldiers were so happy they forgot to catch the Heir of Marquis Jingguo and the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo they had thrown into the air.

So they landed firmly on the ground.

Chu Shun, "...."

Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo, "...."

Chu Shun struggled to lift his head.

The soldiers who had done the throwing scattered, as if nothing had happened.

Chu Shun, "...."

"At least... give me a hand, will you?" His sorrowful voice drifted with the wind.

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo was in a slightly better state. When he was thrown down, there were people who didn’t hear the news and tried to catch him, but they couldn’t hold him up.

He got up, rubbing his sore butt after the fall.

Chu Shun thought the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo would give him a hand, only to hear him say, "Get up on your own, I need to hurry and go congratulate my brother’s wife."

Chu Shun, "...."

Why did he feel like dying?

Would it kill him to give him a hand?

Clearly having captured a small enemy general, in high spirits, becoming a father soon, and yet he was so unlucky...

By the time he returned to the tent, the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo had already finished his congratulations and was coming out, patting Chu Shun on the shoulder, "Congratulations."

Chu Shun’s shoulder was still sore; when he was patted, it hurt so much he bared his teeth.

Qin Hanhan, leaning against a large pillow, was flushed and blushing.

Seeing Chu Shun looking disheveled, she hurriedly asked, "Are you hurt?"

"I’m fine, just took a fall," Chu Shun said.

Chu Shun pressed Qin Hanhan to lie down, "You’ve moved the fetal energy, lie down and rest properly."

Qin Hanhan leaned against the large pillow; Chu Shun, smelling the sweat on him, went behind the screen to change out of his armor.

Outside the camp, Prince NanAn and the Heir of Marquis Beining brought back twenty carts of grain.

The soldiers were helping each other back to camp.

Seeing the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo approaching, Prince NanAn asked him, "Did a battle begin? How’s the situation?"

Upon hearing of the victory, Prince NanAn breathed a sigh of relief.

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo looked at the carts bringing in the grain and said, "Have all the grain supplies been brought back?"

"We only brought back twenty carts as an emergency supply."

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo’s mouth twitched.

With so many people in the camp, how many days could twenty carts of grain last?

If it weren’t for the Wei Family sending grain supplies in time, winning this battle would have been as difficult as reaching the heavens.

But Prince NanAn knew the camp was short of grain, and if they could bring it back, they wouldn’t have left it behind.

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo patted Prince NanAn on the shoulder, speaking earnestly, "You need to work hard."

Prince NanAn was puzzled, "Work hard on what?"

"Your brother’s wife is pregnant, and Brother Chu will also be a father soon," Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo said.

"...."

The Heir of Marquis Beining also patted Prince NanAn on the shoulder.

For other things, it might be fine, but for this, one truly needed to make an effort.

Prince NanAn felt a strong pang of frustration.

They were all about to become fathers, but he hadn’t even brought a wife through the door yet.

Chu Shun wrote a letter back to the Capital to convey the joyful news.

Prince NanAn wanted to include a letter, but after several attempts to put pen to paper, he finally set it down.

He understood his father and mother well enough to know that if he urged them at this time to quickly finalize the betrothal gifts, so he could have a wedding banquet and marry Nie Yao when the army returned victorious to the Capital,

Prince NanAn and the Princess would certainly first scold him once they received the letter.

Now you know urgency?

What were you doing earlier?!

If he had obediently listened to their words, not only would he have married by now, but they might even have held a grandchild.

To avoid being scolded, Prince NanAn resolutely gave up on the idea of writing the letter.

Meanwhile, Marchioness Jingguo, knowing Su Jin had safely reached the border, was hesitating whether to call her daughter-in-law back.

Although her son was also at the border, it wasn’t appropriate for a woman to stay in the military camp.

However, with Su Jin there, Qin Hanhan also had company staying in the camp.

Moreover, Marchioness Jingguo also hoped Qin Hanhan could become pregnant. Otherwise, after the battle, who knows when that could happen.

When the letter reached the Marquis Jingguo Mansion, Marquis Jingguo was at home while Marchioness Jingguo was playing mahjong at the Beauty Pavilion.

A servant hurriedly brought the joyous news to Marchioness Jingguo.

Marchioness Jingguo was so happy she couldn’t close her mouth.

Although the news of the fetal energy movement was a little worrying, with Su Jin’s excellent medical skills and Qin Hanhan’s own skills, they were confident in maintaining the pregnancy and taking good care of her little grandchild.

Marchioness Jingguo was happy for a while, then restrained herself when thinking about Princess NanAn.

Princess NanAn looked at her and couldn’t help but smile, "No need to mind me; it’s a good thing to soon have a grandchild."

Princess NanAn’s face showed a faint smile, but inside she was laughing wildly.

I’m not envious of you at all. In no time, my grandchild will also be born.

Now that the Empress has been sent to the Cold Palace by the Emperor, there’s no need to hide Nie Yao’s pregnancy anymore.

But mentioning it now seemed a bit like showing off.

Princess NanAn held back and said, "In a few days, I have to go to Yinzhou. I might be away for a month or two and won’t be able to play mahjong with you all."

"Going for so long?" Marchioness Beining asked in surprise.

"It is a bit long, but I’ll definitely be back in time for the full month banquet of your grandchild," Princess NanAn smiled.

When it was known that the Heir of Marquis Jingguo’s wife was pregnant, the noble ladies at the Beauty Pavilion came over to offer congratulations.

The mahjong game paused for about an hour and then continued.

Just as the tiles were sorted out, a sudden sound of a mourning bell came through.

The powerful and sorrowful sound shocked anyone who heard it.

Princess NanAn and Marchioness Jingguo exchanged glances, both startled by the sound.

Because only when someone in the palace or a high-ranking official of the court dies would such news be announced.

Everyone held their breath and focused, counting the number of times the bell tolled.

A full twenty-seven times.

Could it be... the Empress Dowager has passed away?