Yin Shuangshuang personally escorted the grain and forage to the border and saw the Emperor’s confidant, Great General Feng, for the first time. Great General Feng’s appearance was quite rugged, easily reminding people of the word ’brave but not smart’.

However, it would be foolish to judge a person by their appearance. Great General Feng, having defended the border for so many years, could deter the barbarians from crossing the line externally and suppress aristocratic family officials to aid in managing internal affairs.

Great General Feng is truly a person of both literary and military prowess, with great attention to detail. Over the years, many have suffered losses at his hands, making his reputation quite formidable.

Both were confidants of the Emperor, though they were strangers to each other, they had heard of each other, and their first meeting was quite friendly.

As a subordinate official, Yin Shuangshuang first greeted and paid his respects: "This official has met the Great General. I have long heard of your mighty reputation and unparalleled wisdom. Seeing you today, it truly lives up to the rumors."

Great General Feng also smiled, showing a friendly demeanor: "Mr. Yin, no need for such formalities. I too have long heard of your illustrious name.

Your Majesty has often mentioned Mr. Yin, praising Mr. Yin’s unparalleled wisdom as a rare talent. Now that I’ve met you, your extraordinary grace is indeed as remarkable as they say."

As Great General Feng spoke, he took the opportunity to observe Yin Shuangshuang. For convenience in escorting the grain and forage, Yin Shuangshuang traveled in official attire, which was somewhat androgynous.

She carried a slight smile, and although she was a woman, her demeanor inevitably reminded one of a genteel and mild-mannered gentleman, making her seem quite harmless.

But Great General Feng knew how this seemingly harmless female Magistrate skillfully manipulated the aristocratic families, step by step compressing their survival space. If someone like that were truly harmless, it would be a surprise.

"Oh, by the way, this General has not yet thanked Mr. Yin for sending that hot pot base along with the military grain. This item is truly wonderful, not only speeding up meal preparation but also being exceptionally delicious.

The soldiers under my command are all very grateful to Mr. Yin for developing such a convenient and delicious food; Mr. Yin truly has a delicate mind."

Great General Feng wasn’t exaggerating. Because of a single hot pot base, Yin Shuangshuang had become known to everyone in Great General Feng’s army.

The soldiers at the border didn’t have an easy life; army meals were always mass-prepared, just enough to fill their stomachs. Delicious food was never a luxury they could afford, nor did anyone care about that.

Now, someone cared enough about their hardships in defending the border and fighting on the battlefield to invent this delicious hot pot base to improve their lives. This deeply moved them.

So even though not many had actually met Yin Shuangshuang, she had earned an excellent reputation within Great General Feng’s army.

Yin Shuangshuang gave a faint smile: "It’s just a small thought, not worth much. The Great General and the soldiers of the border shed blood and sweat daily to defend the nation; you are the true heroes.

I can’t go to the battlefield and fight, so I can only do my part in hoping to give the soldiers at the border something enjoyable to eat."

Yin Shuangshuang actually didn’t care much about the hot pot base. At this time, without chilies, they used dogwood for the spicy flavor, which wasn’t as tasty as chilies, and she didn’t like it.

Thinking about the political affairs of Qingyang Prefecture and the possible counterattacks from the aristocratic families, Yin Shuangshuang exchanged a few pleasantries with Great General Feng before hurrying back to Qingyang Prefecture.

Great General Feng was busy preparing the army for battle and had no time for extended conversations with Yin Shuangshuang, who also needed to hurry back to prepare the second batch of military provisions.

By the time Yin Shuangshuang returned to Qingyang Prefecture, Great General Feng had already left the pass to fight the barbarians and had won several battles in a row.

When Yin Shuangshuang gathered the grain for the second delivery to the border, the barbarians, after suffering several severe losses from external aggression, realized they couldn’t continue their infighting.

Now, the barbarians had quickly ended their internal strife and united to resist Great General Feng. When Yin Shuangshuang reached the border, both sides were locked in a stalemate.

The barbarians were born and raised on horseback, fierce in nature, with both men and women able to fight. When they gathered for a desperate counterattack, even Great General Feng, who knew much about the barbarians, found it challenging.

When Yin Shuangshuang arrived at the border, she overheard two deputies beside Great General Feng discussing the issue. It mainly focused on how the barbarians’ excellent horsemanship was a headache, as they came and went like the wind.

Yin Shuangshuang frowned. The counterattacks by the aristocratic families had already begun. During her last return to Qingyang Prefecture, she had discovered many small moves by the aristocratic families. Without her vigilance, who knows what major incident might have occurred.

Under such conditions, it’s best to end the battle with the barbarians swiftly. Otherwise, if the aristocratic families erupt, internal and external threats would occur simultaneously, which would be disastrous.

Yin Shuangshuang pondered deeply on how to win this battle against the barbarians as quickly as possible.

It’s said that the barbarians grew up on horseback, making their temperament fierce, and their fighting and living inseparable from horses.

One could say the barbarians are natural horsemen, giving them an unparalleled rapport with their horses, making them even more formidable on the battlefield.

However, once they lose their horses, the barbarians’ combat effectiveness is greatly diminished. If something could be done to affect their horses, they wouldn’t stand a chance against Great General Feng.

But as to how exactly to achieve this, Yin Shuangshuang pondered overnight before coming up with a rather unconventional plan and prepared to meet Great General Feng.

When Yin Shuangshuang met Great General Feng, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked troubled. Great General Feng was not just a brute good at war; he was well aware of the internal and external crises they faced.

So Great General Feng was quite anxious. If he had the time to proceed slowly, he was confident he could thoroughly defeat the barbarians, ensuring they would never dare to disturb the border again.

But now, the one thing he lacked was time. He didn’t have the time for a prolonged campaign with the barbarians. The recent frequent actions by the aristocratic families were palpable even as he fought on the front lines.

The newcomers groomed by the Emperor, while having replaced the aristocratic officials, were still inexperienced and were struggling to handle the aristocrats.

The people the Emperor had were mostly those whose literacy was initially good and later discovered by Mr. Nameless and Wang Zhongxuan; otherwise, they couldn’t have been put to use in such a short time.

But such half-trained individuals who could be used with a little guidance were still too few. If there were more talents at hand, the Emperor could handle the aristocratic families more easily.

Originally, according to Yin Shuangshuang’s plan, they should have waited a few more years. By then, with more talent in the Emperor’s hands, they could have beaten the aristocratic families with absolute certainty.

However, the internal turmoil among the barbarians was a rare opportunity. The Emperor was eager for action. Without consulting or discussing with Yin Shuangshuang, he ordered Great General Feng to engage the barbarians.

If the Emperor hadn’t initiated the battle, Yin Shuangshuang could still have advised him. But the Emperor had already acted; talking more was pointless.

Moreover, the barbarians’ internal conflict indeed presented a rare opportunity. Yin Shuangshuang could only helplessly try to clean up the mess.