Prince Qi opened warehouses in Yunzhou to distribute grain and win people’s hearts, but his insults to the Yu State populace as ignorant fools offended more, leading to his efforts to win favor failing utterly.

But that was not enough. Prince Qi had few troops, and the grain stored in the warehouses he occupied were far from being completely consumed. He’d rather destroy it than let it benefit the court.

It was precisely this grain that made Old Duke Chong wary.

After Prince Qi insulted the Yu State populace as ignorant, rumors spread that Prince Qi secretly sold the grain people paid to merchants at low prices.

This infuriated the people.

Calling them ignorant fools, unwilling to open warehouses to feed them, yet colluding with merchants to sell grain for their hard-earned money.

Such a heartless scoundrel, yet dares dream of becoming Emperor?

Why doesn’t heaven strike him down with thunder?!

For a time, curses filled the air.

Prince Qi was furious and sent people throughout the city to find those spreading rumors.

However, whether it was a rumor was debatable, since Prefect Qian of Tongzhou Prefecture was found transferring grain, burning grain boats, and deceiving the world, resulting in his family’s confiscation and his execution.

Prefect Qian was Prince Qi’s man, and this matter had already been announced to the world.

Some of Tongzhou Prefecture’s grain was indeed sold to the people through merchants, and who could assure Prefect Qian wasn’t acting under Prince Qi’s orders?

If Tongzhou Prefecture could commit such acts of grain trafficking, wouldn’t Yu State be capable too?

Regardless of whether Prince Qi did this, he couldn’t escape the blame.

Prince Qi was so angry, his head seemed to emit smoke.

The Yu State warehouses contained a lot of grain, and now with the rumors, he couldn’t use it for relief to win hearts, nor could he sell or destroy it, lest the gossip push him to an abyss with no bottom.

While Prince Qi was still deciding what to do, Old Duke Chong led an attack on the city.

With the grain Prince Qi dared not destroy lost as his amulet, what need was there to fear him anymore?

This was the first formal confrontation between the court and Prince Qi since he raised troops in rebellion.

Those who win hearts win the world; Prince Qi lost the people’s hearts, how could he win?

The Yu State populace opened the city gates wide, and Prince Qi’s men fled in panic, discarding armor and helmets.

In the first battle, Old Duke Chong led troops to retake the Yu State granary.

Victory news reached the border, and Marquis Dongxiang shouted joyously, although his joy was short-lived as Nanliang attacked again.

Ever since the grain was burned, Daqi seized the opportunity to capture a Nanliang city, leading Nanliang to repeatedly attack, restless with madness.

Nanliang’s wall-jumping was understandable given its ambitious intent to annex Daqi, only to meet fierce resistance from Daqi’s soldiers, unable to advance an inch, and now even losing a city.

What’s this called?

It’s called failing to steal the chicken, losing the rice, inviting humiliation.

A city lost that isn’t reclaimed means Nanliang’s face remains trampled on the ground.

The horn sounded as soldiers were having lunch, and the General cursed, "Can’t a man eat a full meal in peace?!"

Yes.

Nanliang especially chose to attack when Daqi was eating, as if Daqi’s camp indeed had little grain, barely able to make ends meet.

A general grabbed a steamed bun, laughing, "Nanliang’s morale is defeated, clearly it’s just full from food, trying to muster enough spirit to take back the city."

"Yet after six assaults, they’ve all ended in tragic defeat; how long can this grain-sustained morale last?"

"I suppose when we return, the dishes will still be steaming."

The generals burst into laughter.

Marquis Dongxiang donned his helmet, reminding, "Be vigilant."

The generals restrained their laughter.

No one dared to be careless.

The once invincible Flying Tiger Army fell to Nanliang, after all.

Such a painful lesson, who dared ignore it?

Nanliang’s surrender was out of the question; Daqi couldn’t relax for a day.

As the horn blared, Marquis Dongxiang and the Prince went to the city gates, just as Su Jin and Qin Hanhan were about to eat.

Qin Hanhan, suffering from morning sickness, had little appetite, so Su Jin attended to her, not rising immediately.

Qin Hanhan ate quickly, choking, so Su Jin served her soup, "Eat slowly, not in a rush."

Qin Hanhan patted her chest, saying, "I’m fine, let’s hurry and help."

Su Jin had a bowl of rice and went with Qin Hanhan to help mend the wounds of injured soldiers.

Having just pulled an arrow from a soldier and applied medicine, bandaging the wound, a call suddenly came, frantic and urgent, making Su Jin’s heart race.

"Sister-in-law!"

"Sister-in-law, save us!"

It was Prince NanAn’s voice.

Su Jin tied a butterfly knot, stood and turned, seeing Chu Shun and Prince NanAn carrying a stretcher running over.

The sight frightened Su Jin.

Though Chu Shun and Prince NanAn’s ranks in the military weren’t high, their statuses were.

Who could they be carrying for treatment but someone of significance?

Su Jin rushed forward and saw that the stretcher bore none other than the Heir of Marquis Beining.

An arrow was lodged in his chest, in a perilous spot.

"The military doctors didn’t dare extract the arrow for Brother Mu, so we came to find sister-in-law," Prince NanAn said anxiously.

The Heir of Marquis Beining’s face was ashen, on the verge of fainting.

Su Jin hurriedly said, "Quickly carry him into the tent."

Prince NanAn and Chu Shun carried the Heir of Marquis Beining into the tent.

Su Jin used scissors to cut open the Heir of Marquis Beining’s brocade robe, Qin Hanhan assisting from the side.

Xingxing, on the other hand, had no opportunity to contribute.

Su Jin, looking toward Prince NanAn and Chu Shun, said, "You should leave; I won’t let anything happen to him."

The Heir of Marquis Beining’s condition was indeed grave.

The camp didn’t dare extract the arrow, knowing that with her there, treatment would be more secure, rather than being beyond their capability.

Chu Shun and Prince NanAn didn’t know, thinking the Heir’s life was hanging by a thread, hence rushed him to Su Jin.

Su Jin removed the arrow from the Heir of Marquis Beining; blood spurted out, splattering onto Qin Hanhan’s face.

Su Jin promptly stopped the bleeding for the Heir of Marquis Beining.

Chu Shun and Prince NanAn waited outside, pacing impatiently.

Only after two full quarters did Su Jin emerge from the tent, saying, "The bleeding has been stopped."

Prince NanAn breathed a sigh of relief.

Xingxing couldn’t help asking, "How could the Heir of Marquis Beining, with such high martial arts skills, not evade an enemy arrow?"

The battlefield was perilous; injury was inevitable despite great martial prowess, quite normal.

Su Jin saw no issue, yet unexpectedly, there was one.

While Nanliang shot arrows to attack, the Heir of Marquis Beining was defending at the gates; a soldier suddenly stumbled forward behind him, crashing into his back.

With Heir’s attention split, an enemy arrow was loosed his way...

Confirming the Heir’s safety, Prince NanAn and Chu Shun departed; the battle was ongoing; Nanliang had nearly cost them a brother, vengeance would only be sated by slaying more Nanliang men.

Su Jin returned to the tent to check the Heir’s pulse, confirming no immediate danger, leaving Xueling to care for the Heir while she and Qin Hanhan went to treat others.

Xingxing, the maid, couldn’t be trusted by Su Jin for anyone’s care but hers.

In the Agarwood Pavilion she’d seen Xingxing stitch up wounds of a Hidden Guard, poking the wound with her fingers.

Su Jin had thought it deliberate spite against the Hidden Guard, not intervening.

On the battlefield, Su Jin realized Xingxing thought treating injuries was done like that, diligently poking a Third-Grade General, causing him to howl.

Heaven knows what other wrongs this maid had memorized, but Su Jin was frightened.

Keeping Xingxing with the Heir, Su Jin not only saved others but had to ensure this maid didn’t carefully, sincerely, collect the other half of the Heir’s life.