In the distance, the Hidden Guard watched Xingxing running wildly, her steps as if dancing on his heart, making it throb with anticipation.

The Hidden Guard spurred his horse back to camp, exhausted, planning to take a bath and hit the bed.

Just as he was about to sleep, he learned that Xingxing had food poisoning and was making constant trips to the latrine.

The Hidden Guard felt a jolt in his heart, could it be the pastries he bought that upset her stomach?

Upon inquiry, it was indeed so, and he was at a loss, not knowing what to do.

He just dreamed of giving her stone-filled buns, breaking her teeth, which angered him half to death.

Now, after the pastries he brought caused her diarrhea, the Hidden Guard could only wonder what kind of revenge Xingxing was plotting against him—

Since learning about Xingxing’s upset stomach, he’s sneezed no less than ten times.

Xingxing dragged her weary body over, feeling as if she had lost half her life.

Seeing the Hidden Guard standing there, without thinking, she shot him a glare, highly annoyed but refrained from scolding him.

After all, it was she who wanted the pastries.

The misfortune was her own doing.

But how she looked at the Hidden Guard just seemed unpleasant.

As she passed by the Hidden Guard, Xingxing extended her hand, "Give me back my purse!"

"How can you take back something once it’s given away?" the Hidden Guard firmly refused.

Xingxing puffed her cheeks in anger.

Inside the tent, Su Jin called out, "Xingxing."

Xingxing rubbed her stomach, casting the Hidden Guard a fierce glare, and then turned to enter the tent.

Seeing Xingxing’s pale face and her suffering, Su Jin couldn’t find the right words, "Quickly drink the medicine."

Xingxing lifted the medicine bowl, the bitter scent filling her nose, she looked pitifully at Su Jin, "Can’t I not drink it?"

Su Jin supported her chin with her hand, gazing at her, "Doesn’t that question sound familiar?"

Xingxing, "...."

Xingxing thought for a moment, the lady had asked her the same thing before, and she had righteously said, "How can you get well without taking medicine, it speeds up recovery."

Xingxing stopped talking, looked down at the medicine bowl, feeling like there was someone in it, the person she now hated the most.

Feeling like the Hidden Guard was in the medicine bowl, Xingxing gulped down the medicine in one go.

So bitter.

Xingxing put down the bowl and quickly drank tea.

Xingxing rolled her eyes and said, "Lady, where are the pastries?"

"I asked someone to dispose of them," Su Jin said.

"Why do you need the pastries?"

Xingxing shook her head, "Nothing."

She just wanted to return the pastries to the Hidden Guard.

After spending more than an hour in the latrine, Xingxing felt a bit unsteady, sitting there, rubbing her stomach.

Fortunately, after taking the medicine, her stomach no longer hurt.

She never wanted to eat pastries again in this life.

She also never wanted to squat in the latrine again.

Yet the foolish Hidden Guard believed in getting up where you fell, taking every opportunity to buy Xingxing pastries from the street as an apology, making Xingxing boil with anger.

Xingxing had always been healthy, after all, she once used to eat a lot of meat buns in a meal, but after joining the military, her appetite had halved, and her complexion was now a bit worse.

This time, after getting food poisoning, it took her three days to recover her energy, and she became skinny, with little appetite.

Su Jin even reflected on whether she had been too strict with Xingxing, but it was hard to reduce Xingxing’s food intake, and if left unchecked, she’d quickly regain the weight.

Despite feeling sorry, she had to endure, allowing Xingxing to only drink a bowl of chicken soup every few days for nourishment.

One day, the weather was clear, and the sun shone bright with not a cloud in sight.

Such weather was not welcome at the border; first, the heat made training tough, and second, the sun scorched the ground, and if it became windy, the sands would be fierce.

However, on this day, Su Jin felt very much at ease.

Because the people from Beimo came to discuss borrowing grain.

Their arrival was quicker than expected, indicating that King Beimo was eager to accomplish this matter, being constantly pressed by Nangang for debts wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

Emperors always care about face.

Every time they’re pushed, King Beimo recalls being captured alive, and then being schemed against under the guise of a rescue.

This matter has become a thorn in King Beimo’s side, not removing it causes discomfort.

If all the pressing from Nangang comes to nothing, the Emperor of Nangang’s face might not look too good.

Since Su Jin was the key person who made this happen, she was summoned when the people from Beimo arrived.

Entering the tent, she unexpectedly saw an acquaintance—

The Eldest Prince of Beimo.

No wonder it was the Eldest Prince of Beimo who came, considering Su Jin’s carefulness sending messages to Princess Beimo, concerning King Beimo’s reputation, he wouldn’t take it lightly.

The grain and grass borrowed is large in amount and ten thousand taels of gold, a small leak would mean a loss of wealth and would even damage their reputation.

The Eldest Prince of Beimo, being King Beimo’s legitimate eldest son and Princess Jing Mountain’s elder brother, could handle the matter reliably, putting both Beimo and Daqi at ease.

The Eldest Prince of Beimo was gentle and elegant, after exchanging pleasantries, Su Jin said, "It’s an honor for you to come personally, surely King Beimo has some conditions for lending the grain?"

The Eldest Prince of Beimo smiled, "Father indeed has a small condition."

"What condition?" Su Jin asked.

The Eldest Prince of Beimo looked toward Marquis Dongxiang, "Your Daqi captured my father, creating enmity, but releasing him granted a favor; the delicate relationship between Nangang and my Beimo is well known, with Daqi and Nangang poised against each other, it’s challenging for Beimo to participate openly alongside Daqi against Nangang, the risks are high."

"After careful consideration, Father entrusted me with this task to show earnestness, but lending thirty thousand measures of grain and ten thousand taels of gold is too substantial; Father needs something as collateral to be assured."

The sum was so large that the Prince and the Old Prince couldn’t think of anything other than cities as collateral.

"Our Daqi will never use cities as collateral," Marquis Dongxiang stated.

The Eldest Prince of Beimo smiled, "Father doesn’t want cities."

"Then what does he want?" Marquis Dongxiang furrowed his brows tightly.

"A marriage contract of your son," the Eldest Prince of Beimo’s voice resonated throughout the camp tent.

"...."

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Marquis Dongxiang was speechless.

He never expected King Beimo to hold such a grudge, wasn’t it just that his daughter wasn’t favored enough for a marriage alliance?

To hold a grudge until now, forcing him to hand over his son’s marriage contract with both hands is...

Nobody except Marquis Dongxiang knew that King Beimo was interested in a marriage alliance with the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

No one foresaw that King Beimo had his eyes on Young Master Su, not Su Chong.

Prince NanAn and others were present in the tent, enjoying the spectacle, after all, they were trustworthy, there was no fear of the secret getting out.

Prince NanAn patted Su Chong’s shoulder, "Didn’t expect marrying a wife would make you so valuable."

Su Chong, "...."

Chu Shun looked Su Chong up and down, handsome and skilled in both the pen and the sword, importantly the Young Master of the Flying Tiger Army.

This kind of identity, becoming a son-in-law of King Beimo, was not possible.

Even if Marquis Dongxiang agreed, the Emperor wouldn’t.

Does King Beimo want to make Su Chong a concubine to his daughter?

"King Beimo is really a generous person, sending gold and grain along with the princess," Chu Shun joked.

"...."

"I see the Marquis is a bit tempted," Heir of Marquis Beining chimed in.

"...."