Chasing Jade (Zhu Yu)

Fan Changyu returned to the camp. The other spoils of war would naturally be tallied by the junior officers managing the military supplies. She first took the warm cloak and roasted lamb to find Yan Zheng.

Upon entering the tent, she was surprised to find Gongsun Yin there as well. "Gongsun has come to visit the wounded again?" she asked.

Hearing the other soldiers in the camp address this handsome and refined man as "Gongsun," she assumed he must be an advisor or official like Old Tao and followed suit.

Gongsun Yin answered stiffly, "Yes."

Fan Changyu said, "Perfect timing—I brought back a whole roasted lamb. We can all share it later."

With that, she walked straight toward Xie Zheng. The fruitful gains from today's excursion had long overshadowed the awkwardness from last night. As she shook out the cloak and draped it over Xie Zheng, she smiled and said, "I found something to keep you warm at night."

Not seeing Changning, she held up the remaining cloak and asked in confusion, "Where's Ning Niang?"

Xie Zheng noticed the unmistakable Chongzhou emblem on the cloak and frowned. He was about to ask where it came from, but Fan Changyu's question forced him to answer first: "She was tired, so I had someone take her back to rest."

Gongsun Yin eyed the roasted lamb in Fan Changyu's hands and asked uncertainly, "Miss Fan, did you hunt a lamb and roast it yourself?"

Fan Changyu widened her innocent eyes and said, "I took it from the rebels at the foot of the mountain."

Gongsun Yin nearly choked on his own saliva, while Xie Zheng's expression darkened abruptly. His gaze locked onto Fan Changyu as he asked in a displeased tone, "You went down the mountain?"

Fan Changyu nodded. "Yes."

Xie Zheng snapped sternly, "Reckless! It's dangerous down there!"

Understanding that Xie Zheng was worried about her safety, Fan Changyu wasn't angered by his harsh tone. She simply explained, "I wanted to see if I could help. The rebels are all gathered at the front of the mountain, so the rear must be less guarded. We have enough food up here, but we're short on salt. It wouldn't hurt to grab some."

Xie Zheng's brows remained tightly knit. Knowing that Fan Changyu had truly descended the mountain and even clashed with the rebels, his heart was in his throat. Though she stood unharmed before him now, he couldn't shake the lingering fear, and his tone grew even sterner: "The rear mountain's terrain is steep and unsuitable for troop movement. The rebels wouldn't choose to attack from there unless absolutely desperate. Today, the army planned to burn the rebels' provisions. Raiding their supplies recklessly could alert them and jeopardize the entire operation. You're not bound by military regulations, but if you cause a major mishap, countless soldiers' lives could be lost. Don't act so rashly in the future."

Hearing these harsh words, Fan Changyu's smile slowly faded. She stared at Xie Zheng for a moment before setting down the roasted lamb and walking out without a word.

Gongsun Yin watched the tent flap fall back into place, then turned to Xie Zheng. "She returned safely—why lecture her so harshly? Do you really see her as one of your soldiers?"

Xie Zheng closed his eyes heavily. "War is no game."

Gongsun Yin sighed, recognizing that his concern had clouded his judgment.

Xie Zheng then ordered in a low voice, "Summon Xie Qi and Xie Wu."

Xie Qi and Xie Wu were the two personal guards Gongsun Yin had assigned to protect Fan Changyu, both seasoned veterans who had fought alongside Xie Zheng for years.

Within moments, Xie Qi and Xie Wu—who had been handing over the seized provisions to the supply officer—hurried over.The two men had initially looked somewhat pleased, but upon seeing Xie Zheng's frosty expression, they realized their mistake and quickly composed themselves, kneeling with bowed heads. "We acknowledge our fault," they said.

Xie Zheng's chest tightened at the thought of Fan Changyu's angry departure, and the pain from his wound only worsened his mood. His long, dark lashes cast a sharp shadow as he nearly laughed in frustration. "Acknowledge your fault? Then why did you follow her reckless actions? I tasked you with protecting her, not escorting her into a den of rebels! What do you take military regulations for?"

Xie Wu, the personal guard who had stayed with Fan Changyu to fight at the rear mountain, hesitated before speaking. "Marquis, please calm your anger. We only intended for Madam to survey the mountain. Fearing we couldn’t dissuade her, we informed Gongsun. Unexpectedly, we encountered rebels disguised as our men sneaking up the mountain. I planned to escort Madam to safety, but she proved herself a heroine, slaying the enemy with such valor that she captured all the rebels who had ascended. After interrogating a few rebel foot soldiers and learning their defensive layout, she decided to retaliate, catching them off guard to avenge our fallen brothers. However, before Xie Qi could return with reinforcements, the rebels below began retreating. Worried something had gone wrong at the front, Madam acted swiftly to seize their camp and stall them."

He paused before continuing, "Madam led us to seize five sacks of coarse salt and sixty-two sacks of grain without a single casualty. I failed in my duty and accept punishment, but I beg you not to blame Madam."

Hearing these details, Xie Zheng fell silent, his thick lashes veiling his emotions.

Gongsun Yin interjected, "Miss Fan acted with quick judgment, not recklessness. Her actions were more beneficial than harmful. Your concern clouds your judgment, Marquis. Now that you know the full story, don’t let her heart grow cold."

Xie Zheng half-closed his eyes before finally speaking, "Dismissed." The order was clearly for the two guards.

After they left, Gongsun Yin regarded Xie Zheng. "Though Sui Yuanqing was rescued by the rebels, his presence at the front drew Changxin Wang's forces, allowing the reinforcements from Yan and Ji to burn their supplies. Without provisions, the rebels won’t last long. Miss Fan unwittingly helped complete your grand plan. Since you’ve already driven her away with harsh words, you’d best think of how to make amends."

Xie Zheng pressed his lips together, silent, but self-reproach flickered across his brow.

Gongsun Yin shook his head and left the tent, deciding to mediate. He inquired about Fan Changyu's whereabouts from nearby sentries and learned she had gone to the cookhouse camp. Strolling over, he found the place bustling with activity, a crowd of soldiers gathered in a boisterous circle.

Drawing closer, he saw Fan Changyu slaughtering a pig.

The wild boar, brought back from the hunt, had been bound but not yet killed. After days of overcast skies, the sun finally emerged, casting a soft glow. Amid the crowd, Fan Changyu, sleeves rolled up, seemed to radiate a golden halo, every strand of her hair shimmering in the light.Gongsun Yin was just thinking how serene and lovely Fan Changyu looked at this moment when, in the next instant, he saw her raise her knife and bring it down with a swift motion. The wild boar, tied up securely, let out a piercing scream as blood gushed from its neck.

Gongsun Yin paled slightly and quickly averted his gaze, silently musing that this young lady was probably only someone Xie Zheng could handle.

The soldiers watching from the sidelines cheered loudly.

"Miss Fan's pig-slaughtering technique is superb! One strike and it's done!"

"Look at this big basin of pig blood—we can make another dish for the troops today!"

Fan Changyu sheathed her knife, pleased by the praise, which she took as affirmation of her butchering skills. She smiled faintly.

Looking up, she noticed Gongsun Yin standing in the crowd, seemingly there specifically to see her. After exchanging a few words with the head cook, she pushed through the crowd and approached him. "Were you looking for me, sir?"

Not wanting to appear too obvious, Gongsun Yin cleared his throat and said, "I came to the cookhouse camp to take a look and happened to run into you slaughtering a pig."

He paused briefly before revealing his true purpose for coming. "Don’t take your husband’s words to heart. He may have a sharp tongue, but his heart is soft. He’s just worried you might run into danger if you go down the mountain. The battlefield is perilous—just look at his injuries. Every battle is a fight for survival. It’s fortunate you returned safely this time, but if something had happened to you, given how badly he’s wounded, he wouldn’t have been able to save you even if he wanted to."

Fan Changyu sat down on a stone stool and said, "I’m not angry with him. Hearing what he said made me realize I might have done more harm than good with my good intentions. Like you said, it was sheer luck I came back unscathed this time. If I hadn’t, and other soldiers had died because of me, I’d truly be a sinner. Those soldiers have wives, children, and elderly parents waiting for them at home. Just thinking about it weighs heavily on my heart."

Gongsun Yin was genuinely surprised to hear such words from Fan Changyu. "Though you are a woman, Miss Fan, your temperament is no less than a man’s. What you’ve said touches on the rare qualities of a true general."

Seeing her look somewhat puzzled, he explained, "A general’s every decision determines the lives of the soldiers under their command. But there isn’t a single battle that can be fought without shedding blood or losing lives. A general’s tactics can only sacrifice the few to save the many. Victory and defeat are commonplace in war. If a general loses a battle but lacks the fortitude to endure, they’ll likely never achieve anything significant in this life."

Fan Changyu suddenly felt that those who became generals were not only formidable in martial skill but also admirable in their mental resilience.

She looked at Gongsun Yin and said, "Thank you for enlightening me, sir."

Gongsun Yin, knowing Xie Zheng’s stubborn pride, doubted he would humble himself to console her. "Your husband was afraid you’d resent him, so he asked me to check on you."

Fan Changyu picked up a small stick and poked at the dirt on the ground, muttering, "I don’t resent him. He’s suffered such severe injuries—he must have experienced life and death on the battlefield. He told me those things because he was afraid I’d cause trouble and get others killed. I… I feel ashamed."

Gongsun Yin raised an eyebrow in surprise and said truthfully, "He was just worried about you."

Fan Changyu’s hand stilled briefly, but she kept her head lowered and said nothing.

Unsure what the young woman was thinking, Gongsun Yin said, "I’ve delivered the message, Miss Fan. I have some other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now."He was about to leave when he overheard loud discussions from the cookhouse camp: "What a shame we hunted such a black bear up in the mountains. If we were down below with all the seasonings ready, I could whip up a Full Bear Banquet!"

Gongsun Yin paused mid-step and turned toward them, asking, "You hunted a bear?"

Hearing his voice, the soldiers from the cookhouse camp turned to look. Seeing his striking figure in white robes, they immediately recognized his identity and quickly made way for him, calling out respectfully, "Military Advisor."

Gongsun Yin observed the massive black bear and thought it would have taken a fierce warrior to bring it down. He praised, "After today's great victory over the Chongzhou rebels, this bear is truly an auspicious sign. Which general hunted it?"

A nearby cookhouse soldier eagerly replied, "Miss Fan took it down!"

Gongsun Yin: ???