Chapter 29

Outside the courtyard, it was a world of fierce competition and flying sand, where men vied for dominance; inside the courtyard, it was a scene of vibrant spring, with flowers blooming and birds singing enticingly.

A few distinguished guests arrived uninvited, among them were the young ladies of the Xu family, so Xu Qinglian and Xu Cuitaohua led their sisters to greet them.

The one who caught everyone's attention the most was the proud and haughty Lady of Pucheng, Zhu Qiaoqiao. She was dignified and beautiful, with slightly high cheekbones, exuding a sense of grandeur and shrewdness. According to rumors, this lady might become their future sister-in-law.

Another girl who stood out was the ethereal and graceful Liuyu. She was known as Miss Mu, but she spoke very little, always sitting quietly and listening attentively.

Cuitaohua, intending to befriend her future sister-in-law, brought up the topic of the poetry club. However, Zhu Qiaoqiao showed little interest, responding indifferently. On the contrary, the young ladies of the Xu family were very enthusiastic, asking for more details.

After a while, Hongye and Lüzhu began to feel restless, as they were worried about what was happening outside. They found an excuse and hurriedly ran out, lifting their skirts.

Zhu Qiaoqiao frowned, displeased by the scene, thinking to herself that these were indeed wild girls from the countryside, lacking proper upbringing. However, shortly after, a maid came to invite Xu Qinglian, who got up apologetically and left gracefully.

Does this family have any rules at all? Do they look down on me, their distinguished guest? Zhu Qiaoqiao became increasingly angry, her face darkening, ready to lash out.

But Cuitaohua's words immediately deflated the lady's temper, "Sister Qinglian was invited by the Crown Prince of Yan. They have played together since childhood and have a very close sibling relationship."

The Xu family actually has such frequent interactions with the Yan王府? Zhu Qiaoqiao was greatly surprised. Although her father, the King of Qin, was the third in line, and the King of Yan, Zhu Di, was the fourth, in terms of power and status, the Qin王府 could not compare to the Yan王府.

Moreover, in recent years, her father had almost lost his title and fiefdom, but thanks to the late Crown Prince and the King of Yan's repeated appeals, the crisis was averted.

Zhu Qiaoqiao immediately put aside her arrogance and smiled, "Count me in for the poetry club."

Wangjia Village was located to the north of the Xu family's villa, close to the main road. The village had a large sandy area, known for its abundant production of watermelons.

Zhang De, the youngest son of Hou Zhangyi, was sixteen years old. Among his brothers, he was the least favored due to his young age and inability to inherit the title, serving as one of the two deputy generals in the vanguard.

Whenever Li Jinglong took them to brothels and teased girls, Zhang De's task was to gather information and keep watch outside, earning him the nickname "Scout General." Zhang De was very dissatisfied with this.

With the entire army lacking water, Li Jinglong naturally sent Zhang De out. Accustomed to doing dirty and tiring work, Zhang De remembered the lush green watermelons under the vines by the roadside.

With five hundred men to feed, Li Jinglong, considering himself a famous general, understood the importance of securing supplies before moving the troops. Besides buying watermelons and other cooling items, Zhang De also had to meet the supply convoy coming from a nearby village.

His subordinates eagerly smashed open the watermelons and started eating. Zhang De sat in a chair, leisurely taking a bite of the sweet and juicy melon, while calculating the time.

Then, the thirty-odd men were ambushed and captured by the long-prepared Zhu Gaohu. With his hands tied, Zhang De looked foolishly at the elegant General Lüzhu, and under no severe torture, he spilled all the information he knew.

"Is he lying?" Hongye, one of Zhu Gaohu's deputy generals, looked puzzled. It wasn't that she was suspicious, but how could this person reveal everything so easily?

Lüzhu couldn't stand Zhang De's intense gaze and pouted, "He's so quick to talk, there must be a trick. We need to use severe punishment! Bring five watermelons and feed them to this rogue."

"I swear to heaven, if I lie, may I be pierced by a thousand arrows, struck by lightning, attacked by five poisons, torn apart by five horses, sent to the eighteenth level of hell, and become a vengeful ghost that can never find peace, and die a terrible death," Zhang De said urgently.

Everyone around him gasped, thinking, "It's just a game, and he's making such a severe oath?" In the scorching heat, Lüzhu suddenly shivered, her hair standing on end.

"Hongye, is he crazy?" Lüzhu pulled Hongye aside and pointed to her own head with her little finger.

Zhu Gaohu burst into laughter, winking and nodding, "I believe every word he says. If you can atone for your sins, I might spare you."

Zhang De's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly, causing everyone to spit at him for being a weakling.

Zhu Gaohu, satisfied, said, "Untie them."

Lüzhu was shocked and quickly said, "How can you trust him so easily? If something goes wrong, it will embarrass the Xu family."

Zhu Gaohu nimbly mounted his horse and smiled, "Don't worry, if he dares to lie to me, I'll make sure he never gets married."

Thus, the supplies for five hundred men were intercepted and rerouted to the Xu family. Additionally, there were sixty captives and the "defected" Zhang De.

"Coward."

In the newly built castle, as Lüzhu was leaving, she looked at Zhang De, who was locked in a wooden cell, with a hint of disdain. Zhang De blushed and shouted, "I'm not a coward, I'm not a coward."

Lüzhu turned back and made a cute face, saying mockingly, "Prove it to me, prisoner."

"I will, I will prove it to you," Zhang De said firmly, staring at the beautiful face that had captured his heart.

"Hmph!" Lüzhu held her head high, her slender waist swaying as she walked away gracefully.

On the green mountain, the old man lay on a comfortable couch, while Zhu Di stood with his hands behind his back, admiring the view outside. The steward was reporting the latest developments.

Both the old man and Zhu Di, having spent their lives in military service, had blood and fire in their veins, which would never change. Even the games of the younger generation were of great interest to them.

When they heard that the eldest son was always on the front lines and the second son had captured a large amount of supplies and prisoners, Zhu Di smiled and said, "Using surprise troops to harass the enemy's supply lines, well done. It seems the next focus of the conflict will be the nearby river."

The old man slowly opened his eyes and asked, "Are all these strategies from Xu Hao?"

The steward shook his head, "It's a collective effort, not from one person."

"Hmm." The old man's expression was complex, and after a long sigh, he slowly closed his eyes again.

Zhu Di frowned and thought for a long time before asking, "Father-in-law, does this mean that Xu Hao can adopt the strategies of others and coordinate them effectively, making him a capable general?"

After a long pause, the old man, with his eyes still closed, said softly, "He is just a man who can get things done."

"Hmm."

Zhu Di responded with a light "Hmm," but his frown remained. He did not agree with the old man's assessment. Indeed, Xu Hao, an unknown commander, seemed dispensable, but one must not forget that he was among a group of people far more noble than himself. Yet, he had seamlessly integrated everyone, seemingly effortlessly.

Especially his most rebellious son, who willingly went to ambush and attack, which was more than just being able to get things done.

Young people are competitive and proud, often unwilling to yield. Despite the eldest son, Zhu Gaochi, appearing humble, he was actually very stubborn. If Xu Hao's decisions and commands did not win his respect, he would never have helped Xu Hao issue orders.

For a moment, Zhu Di could not fully grasp Xu Hao, and Xu Hao once again left a deep impression on the King of Yan.

On the training ground, Xu Hao enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by the enemy, including various dried meats, fresh chicken, and fragrant white rice.

Looking at the victorious and boastful Zhu Gaochi, who still had energy to spare and was looking for trouble, Xu Hao found it very annoying.

Suddenly, he had an idea. He whispered a few words to Qiuxiang, who then ran to the castle to find Xu Qinglian, who was "discussing serious matters" with Zhu Gaochi. Qinglian then lightly told Zhu Gaochi, and the stubborn eldest son obediently issued the order.

Soon, Zhu Gaohu led the wolf and tiger guards of the Yan王府, riding towards the distant river.

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