VBNWDW - Chapter 143

Chapter 143

The remaining days passed in a hurry. Zhong Jueyu, as the only reliable member of the Great Liang imperial family, was incredibly busy. After handling the funeral rites, she had to prepare for the military expedition, leaving her with very little time to spend with Luo Yueqing.

However, having learned her lesson from last time, she would rush back to the manor no matter how late it was. The Little Daoist, for her part, no longer acted up as she had before. Pitying the other woman for her busy days, she did her best to let her get more sleep.

In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the expedition. This time, Luo Yueqing no longer needed to rely on the Luo Family, standing at a corner of the city wall and craning her neck just to catch a glimpse.

Instead, Zhong Jueyu openly led her by the hand to the front, announcing their relationship to the world for the first time. Regardless of what the officials behind them might be thinking, the two of them stood before the horses, speaking in low voices.

Hearing that it would be nearly half a year before she returned, Luo Yueqing didn't want to cry, but her eyes still turned red.

Zhong Jueyu could only pull her into an embrace, promising softly, "I will come back as soon as I can. Wait for me."

Luo Yueqing turned her head away, trying to hide the glint of tears in her eyes, but then turned back, wanting to look at Zhong Jueyu one more time.

Zhong Jueyu lowered her head, resting her forehead against hers, and repeated again and again, "I will hurry back."

The red cloth ribbon tied in her topknot today had been tied by Luo Yueqing's own hands. It fluttered in the wind, casting a red shadow on her silver armor.

The person in her arms held back her tears, refusing to let them fall. Her almond-shaped eyes were veiled in mist as she finally managed to say, "I don't want you to rush back in a panic. I want you to come back safe and sound."

Without a second thought, Zhong Jueyu followed her words. "Alright, I'll come back safely."

Luo Yueqing detected the compliance in her tone and couldn't help but feel a trace of annoyance. She warned, "Zhong Jueyu, you'd better take that to heart. I remember every single scar on your body, and I'll be checking when you get back."

She added emphatically, "If there's even one new one, we'll see how I punish you."

It was like a kitten trying to extend its sharp claws, but the target of the warning could only see its soft pink paw pads.

Zhong Jueyu couldn't help but laugh. "Alright. The Little Daoist can punish me however she likes."

This angered Luo Yueqing, who raised her eyes to glare at her.

Zhong Jueyu didn't release her until a soldier came to urge her on.

Then, the drums sounded. Under the bright sunlight, the army of ten thousand charged forward with their silver-armored general, gradually disappearing over the horizon.

The next time she turned around, it was already autumn.

In the absence of an emperor, Great Liang continued to operate stably.

The two princes, who had been demoted to commoners, dawdled on their way to the capital. Perhaps they initially still harbored ambitions of inheriting the throne, for they were quite respectful toward Prime Minister Meng, putting on an act of actively trying to reform themselves.

Later, seeing that Meng Yunshan was unmoved and didn't treat them like potential heirs in the slightest, they gradually revealed their true natures.

Meng Yunshan was busy; how could he have time to deal with them? The two princes took this to mean he didn't dare punish them, and their attitudes grew increasingly arrogant. It even reached the point where they dared to grope the servant girls in the Meng residence in broad daylight.

As it happened, Luo Yueqing came to visit that day and witnessed this very scene. She raised her hand and ordered the personal guards Zhong Jueyu had left for her to step forward. They gave the two a sound beating, then stripped them of their clothes and threw them at the city gate, giving the entire capital's citizens quite a show.

Having lost face completely, the two princes naturally clamored to complain to Prime Minister Meng.

But Meng Yunshan just spread his hands and said bluntly, "Before Her Highness the Grand Princess left, she gave half of the Tiger Tally to Miss Luo. She also issued a decree appointing her to the position of Imperial Censor, independent of all civil and military officials, with the right to execute first and report later."

He specifically emphasized, "From princes and imperial grandsons down to officials and commoners, she can execute them directly without court approval."

The two princes trembled as they listened, shouting that Zhong Jueyu couldn't possibly be so muddle-headed. How could she give a woman from the Luo Family so much power?

Just then, they heard a sound nearby. They turned their heads and saw Luo Yueqing standing right there, the half Tiger Tally dangling and swaying at her waist, not the least bit worried about losing it.

The two princes' legs went weak, and they fell to their knees before her.

This was no daughter of a disgraced official!

This was clearly the little tyrant of the capital!

Terrified, the two princes scrambled to hide inside the house, fearing her executioner's blade would fall upon them.

Luo Yueqing, however, had no intention of dwelling on the matter. After thoroughly intimidating them, she turned and walked toward the study with Meng Yunshan.

News from the border kept arriving. Although there was more good news than bad, the bad news was still plentiful. Luo Yueqing listened with a worried heart and began to ponder how she could help Zhong Jueyu.

Naturally, she wouldn't rush to the battlefield. She would be of no help and would only make Zhong Jueyu worry. After much thought, she decided to focus on the rear's food supply.

When two armies fought, it wasn't just a competition of generals and soldiers, but also of the nation's reserves.

If the grain supply was cut off, what did it matter how strong your soldiers were? A few days of hunger and they would lose the ability to resist. Thus, provisions were extremely important.

It was currently the autumn harvest, so there was no shortage of food for the time being. But once winter arrived, to support the front lines, everyone in Great Liang would have to tighten their belts. Even so, this would only be enough for the army at the front to barely get by.

This was also why battles had been so frequent lately. The commanders of both armies understood the power of winter, so they were desperately attacking during this period, trying to seize even the slightest advantage while they could still eat their fill.

At this moment, Luo Yueqing no longer had time to experiment with increasing production, so she decided to work on preservation instead.

For example, canned food, which could preserve food for a very long time.

Making canned food required glass jars. At this time, Great Liang's knowledge of glass was limited to liuli, which was produced in extremely small quantities and treated as a precious gemstone.

The method for making glass was simple. Luo Yueqing gathered a group of artisans, bought a plot of land in the suburbs, and built a workshop. The first few batches of glass were sold to high-ranking officials and nobles. Afterward, she had them craft Buddha statues and religious icons, which were sold exclusively to temples and monasteries, earning a huge profit.

Due to the previous wars, the Grand Princess's manor had secretly subsidized a great deal, so there wasn't much money left in the treasury—only enough to barely maintain the Grand Princess's dignity. But with Luo Yueqing's maneuvering, the entire treasury was filled to the brim.

The silver that couldn't fit was reinvested into the factory to expand production.

By the time those nobles realized what was happening, the once incredibly expensive liuli had already become a common object that even ordinary people could afford.

However, no matter how indignant they were, they didn't dare do anything to Luo Yueqing. They could only watch as she raked in profits. There were even rumors that Luo Yueqing had become the wealthiest person in Great Liang.

But Luo Yueqing didn't care. She turned around and bought large quantities of grain to build up reserves.

Due to the limitations of the era, she could only use cork stoppers to seal the jars. It took over a month of experiments before she finally perfected the canning process yesterday. Today, she sought out Meng Yunshan to inform him about the canned food.

At the same time, there were also the instant noodles she had developed through repeated experimentation. The method wasn't difficult, but no matter how she tinkered, they never tasted as good as their modern counterparts. Their only advantages were that they were easy to store and quick to cook.

But for the soldiers in winter, being able to eat their fill was already the greatest happiness. When the time came, they could just boil some water, toss the canned meat and noodles into a pot, cook for a few minutes, add a pinch of powdered seasoning, and it would be ready to eat. It even saved a great deal of firewood.

Upon hearing this, Meng Yunshan immediately summoned the court officials to discuss the matter, and it was settled.

After that, came the harsh winter.

The border was bitterly cold. It had snowed heavily all last night, blanketing the world in white. The snow covered the flatlands, and the soldiers, dressed in thick cotton coats that made them look like bears, lined up for their food.

As the commander-in-chief and generals, Zhong Jueyu and the others didn't need to queue; their meals were delivered to them early.

But for some reason today, instead of hiding in their warm tents, this group of people was standing outside.

Li Shigui was holding a food box. The food, which had been steaming hot just a moment ago, turned half-cold the instant she stepped outside. She quickly lifted the bowl and poured the contents into her mouth.

In this icy weather, getting a hot meal was not easy. Even as a general, she only got two more pieces of meat and a mouthful of soup than the other soldiers.

Li Shigui let out a comfortable sigh, her cheeks stuffed with meat, moving as she chewed. She mumbled with appreciation, "It's all thanks to the Little Daoist."

They had received the new type of food supply some days ago. Luo Yueqing had even written a long letter, explaining how to eat it, one method at a time.

At first, no one believed it. Looking at the liuli jars, which used to be incredibly rare, they were all shocked by the Little God of Wealth's extravagance.

Li Shigui and Ruan He wondered if Luo Yueqing had sold their Grand Princess's manor. But that was fine. At worst, they would just follow Her Highness and move into the imperial palace. As long as she didn't sell the palace, it would be alright.

But the soldier transporting the supplies told them that liuli was now all over the capital. Even commoners could use it to seal their windows. Miss Luo had even built a glass house in the Grand Princess's manor, so she wouldn't lack for green vegetables in the winter.

Moreover, Luo Yueqing had gained the title of "Little God of Wealth." Now, people all over the capital were lining up, all wanting to do business with her.

Hearing this, Ruan He and the others' mouths fell open. They had thought Her Highness had married a demanding ancestor, but they never expected she had brought home a god of wealth.

That person even asked, "Your Highness, the Little God of Wealth asked me to ask you if she could replace all the tiles on the Grand Princess's manor with liuli to make it look prettier."

Zhong Jueyu opened her mouth, then closed it. Finally, she only said, "As long as she wants it, let her do as she pleases."

As for the canned food and other items, the troops were initially reluctant to accept them. After all, they were things they had never seen before. Who knew what problems they might cause after eating them?

So Zhong Jueyu took the lead. She had the cooks boil water, and she, along with Ruan He, Li Shigui, and the others, stood in the middle of the crowd and personally tried the food to prove it was safe. After that, the soldiers went from being unwilling to fighting over it, and they too began calling her "God of Wealth Luo" with every other word.

Whoever could let the soldiers eat their fill in the harsh winter was a great benefactor. After all, in past winters, even without battles, many would freeze or starve to death. Now, halfway through winter, everyone had actually gained a couple of pounds. How could they not be grateful to her?

Li Shigui swallowed the meat, wiped her mouth messily, and said, "Your Highness, what are we standing here for?"

Zhong Jueyu seemed to be pondering something and didn't answer her right away, her gaze heavy as she looked ahead.

Li Shigui could only shut her mouth sheepishly, secretly wondering if Her Highness was still angry.

Communication between the capital and the border was difficult. A letter took at least a month to arrive, even when rushed. Last time, Her Highness had finally received a letter from the Little Daoist, but two pages were dedicated to how to store and eat the canned food, with only a single mention of "Your Highness" at the very end.

Li Shigui had sharp eyes and saw Her Highness's gaze linger on that line for a long time, her thumb rubbing over it again and again. Then she sulked for a whole day before handing the sealed reply to the returning soldier the next day.

Li Shigui had even secretly mocked her with Ruan He, saying that if Her Highness really had guts, she should have waited a month before sending a reply to Miss Luo. A delay of just one day—Miss Luo would hardly even notice.

But when she turned around, Her Highness was standing right behind her. That night, Li Shigui joined the firewood-stoking team.

After waiting a little longer, Zhong Jueyu finally spoke. "If we were to attack the Chu army now, they should be powerless to resist."

Everyone was stunned. They were surprised by Her Highness's words, but at the same time, they felt it wasn't impossible.

In the past, they didn't fight in the harsh winter because provisions were scarce, and the soldiers could only huddle in their tents and starve. But now, they were all well-fed and plump.

Li Shigui was the first to react. She took a step forward and said, "Your Highness, this general requests to go into battle."

Ruan He followed suit.

The others all cried out as well. The enemy was exhausted while they were strong. This was a military achievement served up on a platter!

The next second, everyone filed into the command tent and began discussing how to take the enemy by surprise and recapture the old cities in one fell swoop.

When the spring breeze arrived, the ice clinging to the branches melted. The blackened charcoal braziers could finally be thrown outside, and children, having shed their thick cotton coats, ran through the streets.

In the Meng residence, some clapped their hands and laughed, some were beaming with joy, and one man stood up excitedly, shouting, "Say that again!"

The soldier kneeling on the ground immediately said, "A month ago, Her Highness led the troops to recapture Xuzhou and is now attacking Yanzhou again. It will be taken in a matter of days."

The frustration from being forced to retreat again and again by the Chu army last year was finally swept away.

"Good, good, good! Heaven blesses our Great Liang for sending us Her Highness the Grand Princess," someone slammed the table and shouted with a laugh.

The person next to him suddenly looked across and added, "And it's also thanks to Miss Luo."

Luo Yueqing was sitting in the same row as Meng Yunshan. Hearing this, she just shook her head and said, "What could I have done? We only did what those in the rear should do. All the credit belongs to the generals and soldiers at the front."

Another person spoke up. "God of Wealth Luo, you are too modest. If it weren't for your strategies, sending large quantities of supplies…"

He was interrupted before he could finish. Luo Yueqing waved her hand, her posture faintly resembling that of Her Highness the Grand Princess. "My lord, you flatter me. I see this soldier has more to say. Why don't we hear him out first?"

The man who was interrupted wasn't angry at all. He chuckled, "It was I who spoke out of turn."

Seeing this, the soldier quickly clasped his fist and said, "It's just that His Highness the Crown Prince could not bear the hardships of the border. One day, he suddenly slipped past his guards and snuck out of his tent to play in the snow. As a result…"

His voice paused, then he continued, "…he caught a chill and died from a severe illness."

The room fell silent. He had been the Crown Prince for so many years, after all, and they had all watched him grow up. Although he had no great merits or faults, he was much better than his two brothers. First driven mad by fear, and now dead—everyone couldn't help but sigh.

But this was not the time for sighing.

Meng Yunshan waited a moment before speaking. "Order the news of the great victory at the border to be spread, so the common people can rejoice as well. As for the rewards, we will discuss them after Her Highness the Grand Princess returns."

After speaking, Meng Yunshan turned to look at Luo Yueqing, as if waiting for her approval.

Luo Yueqing nodded slightly and added, "For now, we can only postpone the rewards. But the court should still show its appreciation. Why not prepare some money and grain to be distributed to the families of the soldiers on the expedition? Then have them write letters to send to the front lines. It would also help ease the soldiers' homesickness."

"Yes, we shall do as Miss Luo says," Meng Yunshan said, a hint of admiration in his expression.

The others retracted their gazes. Nowadays, in this capital, everything was decided by Luo Yueqing and Meng Yunshan.

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