Zhao Ling thought to himself that these shadow unit members were indeed reliable, and it would be wise to maintain good relations with them. With this in mind, he felt a slight urge to get closer.
After hesitating for a moment, his gaze finally settled on An Jiu’s jade-like forehead and delicate brows. Noticing the scars under her eyes, he couldn’t help but feel pity. “With such grace, why did you choose this path?” he asked.
An Jiu wasn’t usually talkative with strangers, but his question made her want to share her thoughts. After a brief pause, she summarized her response: “When faced with formidable enemies, if you can’t stand firm, who else will step up if not us?”
The phrasing, if taken the wrong way, was shockingly crude!
But Zhao Ling held back. He needed to seize this chance to win over the Crane Control Army and prevent relations from worsening further. Forcing a faint smile, he said, “Your words are bold, young lady—a sign of your forthright nature. However, you may have misunderstood. We’ve never been weak in dealing with the Liao invasion.”
“Hah.” An Jiu’s laugh held no mirth. Having gained a deeper understanding of the Song Dynasty’s predicament, she believed the situation was dire. To ensure Zhao Ling fully grasped her meaning, she used an analogy: “Seems we have different definitions of weakness. When faced with an assault where resistance is still possible, some cry ‘no’ while secretly enjoying it, proving that even their upbringing can’t suppress their primal instincts. We don’t waste breath crying—we save our strength to fight.”
Zhao Ling clenched his jaw, his beard trembling slightly.
Noticing his discomfort, An Jiu wondered if she’d been too harsh. Attempting to soften her words, she added, “I’ve never been one to submit meekly, which is why I’m still in this line of work.”
Ah, what a splendid explanation—so considerate of his feelings. An Jiu felt she was becoming more and more normal, soon to shed the label of a psychiatric patient. The thought excited her slightly, and her dark, gleaming eyes fixed intently on Zhao Ling.
“You…” Zhao Ling’s voice began to tremble. “You… get out.”
An Jiu’s expression calmed. This reaction wasn’t what she’d expected…
“Understood.” She leaped onto the roof beam and glanced down to see Zhao Ling pouring himself a cup of water, breathing heavily.
Though An Jiu struggled with social interactions, she could still discern emotions. Reflecting for a moment, she kindly added, “If you don’t wish to resist, we can protect you. No need for excessive gratitude. Just don’t end up resenting us for interfering with your… enjoyment.”
Sputter!
Zhao Ling sprayed water all over the table, some even shooting from his nostrils, leaving him coughing and teary-eyed.
He fumbled for a handkerchief to wipe himself.
An Jiu paused, hearing faint laughter in the distance—Gao Dazhuang, nearly choking on his mirth. Frowning, she didn’t wait for Zhao Ling to recover before heading over.
“What’s so funny?” An Jiu perched on a nearby tree branch.
Gao Dazhuang, tears streaming, slumped over a horizontal branch, gasping for breath. “Mei… Mei Shisi… you were brilliant. The Song Dynasty is proud of you.”
“My instincts tell me you’re mocking me,” An Jiu said, refusing to fall for it.
“Truly.” Wiping his tears, Gao Dazhuang looked at her earnestly. “For the first time, I think you’re quite an endearing little runt.”
“I’ll grow taller,” An Jiu stated matter-of-factly.An Jiu had mixed European and American ancestry in her past life. By the age of sixteen or seventeen, she had already reached over 170 cm in height. Now, she stood around 160 cm tall. Though shorter than before, it wasn’t a significant issue for a girl still growing!
"Then we’ll talk after you’ve grown taller," Gao Dazhuang thought to himself, already silently deciding that for dealing with people like Zhao Ling, Mei Shisi should be the one sent out in the future.
As the two were speaking, Lou Mingyue hurried back.
"It’s the Liao army attacking the camp. They’re targeting the provisions and equipment," she reported the news she had just gathered. "This time, the Liao army dispatched many elite fighters. Even I was nearly pursued. Though Ling Jiangjun has made preparations, in my opinion, the Liao forces will likely retreat unscathed."
Sui Yunzhu analyzed, "They’re taking such risks to pave the way for the Liao’s impending large-scale army. Two days ago, I checked—even the granaries in Hejian Prefecture are nearly empty."
The Song Dynasty had a million troops. Such a massive force consumed enormous resources even without active warfare, let alone now, when the war was intensifying.
Agriculture in the border regions had never been as developed as in the south, and local grain production was barely sufficient. With the Liao’s constant incursions, burning, and looting, many areas had already fallen into desolation. Over the years, even the prefectural granaries had been depleted by more than half. Ling Ziyue had borrowed grain from local authorities several times, but it was scarcely easier than requesting provisions from the imperial court—merely more convenient.
Many living in comfort had no firsthand experience of such hardships and only saw Ling Ziyue’s repeated requests for supplies as problematic. Civil officials, unwilling to let military officers gain excessive power or status, often exploited this issue.
"The two armies are still entangled in battle. For now, the provisions remain intact, but who knows how long that will last," Lou Mingyue said.
Ling Ziyue commanded over 300,000 troops, but they couldn’t all be stationed in one place. The main camp held no more than 100,000. The Liao Raiders were not only formidable in combat but also highly mobile. With so many martial arts masters among them, success was highly probable.
Gao Dazhuang’s expression darkened.
After a long silence, Li Qingzhi spoke up, "Sir, let’s join the fight. At the very least, we should ensure the border troops have something to eat."
"Mei Shisi stays. The rest of you, come with me!" Gao Dazhuang ordered.
Sun Dixian glanced at Qiu Yunxiao, a trace of resentment flashing in her eyes.
Qiu Yunxiao had fought alongside Sun Dixian several times, and their private relationship carried some ambiguity. Qiu Yunxiao specialized in poisons, which technically placed him within the way of medicine, yet the Crane Control Army treated Mo Sigui and him vastly differently. Adding to his discontent, both Mei Shisi and Lou Mingyue—whom he fancied—had tangled connections with Mo Sigui. Sun Dixian, however, was skilled at comforting and flattering others. In his current predicament, even her hollow gestures of validation felt precious.
Thus, Qiu Yunxiao treated Sun Dixian differently from the rest.
Noticing Sun Dixian’s look, Qiu Yunxiao paused briefly before saying, "Sir, Mei Shisi excels with crossbows and could be of great use. Sun Dixian is mediocre in both ranged and close combat. Why not switch them?"
Gao Dazhuang had heard rumors of An Jiu’s archery skills but had never witnessed them himself. He cast an inquiring glance at Lou Mingyue.
Lou Mingyue nodded.
With an amused smirk, Gao Dazhuang looked between Qiu Yunxiao and Sun Dixian and said, "Then let’s make the switch."With that, she turned her head and said to An Jiu, "Lord Chu isn't here, poor thing—no one to dote on you now!"
An Jiu felt her injuries had mostly healed and had no objections to the arrangement. She replaced her damaged weapon and joined the others heading to the battlefield. (To be continued...)
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