The command tent was an ordinary one for a commanding officer. Chu Zhao did not employ the Empress's ceremonial trappings in the army, eating and lodging just like the common soldiers.
"The meal was prepared by the best restaurant in the commandery city," Chu Zhao said, pointing at the table, then raised an eyebrow with a smile. "After all, we've already taken Zhongshan Commandery. As the Empress, I can still indulge in some good food without issue."
Mu Mianhong watched the girl's spirited expression under the lamplight. It seemed the reason she had been invited to this late-night meal was because of that young master from the Xie family.
Mu Mianhong smiled and sat down, picking up her bowl and chopsticks to examine the dishes.
"Xiao Man prefers savory flavors," Chu Zhao said, pointing to a plate of fried fish. "She can finish a whole plate of these small yellow croakers in one go."
Mu Mianhong picked up one with her chopsticks and said, "So do I. The most common food in our stronghold is roasted or fried meat."
Chu Zhao hummed in acknowledgment and pointed to another dish. "She also likes these lotus leaf wraps. Try one, Chief."
Mu Mianhong replied, "We rarely eat these. I've never seen them before." With that, she picked one up.
A temporary silence fell as the two ate, the only sound in the tent being the crackling of the candle flame.
Chu Zhao didn't let the silence linger for long.
"I invited you here to discuss a matter," she said.
Mu Mianhong didn't put down her bowl and chopsticks, merely saying, "Please speak, Empress." She even used serving chopsticks to place some food in Chu Zhao's plate. "You should eat too."
Chu Zhao didn't refuse this gesture of reciprocity, nor did she comment further. "Prince Zhongshan has surrendered a hundred thousand troops. The court will deploy these troops to the Border Army, but I want to assign fifty thousand of them to you, Chief."
Mu Mianhong chewed slowly, looking up at her as if pondering. "Are they to become soldiers or bandits?"
"These troops were originally raised by Prince Zhongshan," Chu Zhao explained. "Although the officers have been purged, the soldiers' backgrounds and connections are complex. The court's intention is to disperse them among the Border Army units, but I think that would be a waste of the hundred thousand troops' combat effectiveness. Moreover, it could undermine the Border Army's strength."
For a moment, Mu Mianhong's attention drifted as she looked at her, vaguely recalling that young general—
In a room at night, he had removed his armor, carrying the fresh scent of a bath, rolling up his sleeves as his slender fingers traced movements on a map, turning to call her.
"Ah Mian, come look. If we deploy these troops like this—"
Mu Mianhong asked, "Then what do you need me to do?"
"Tame them," Chu Zhao said, tapping the table lightly with the back of her chopsticks. "Break up these fifty thousand troops and make them your own."
Mu Mianhong took another bite of food, watching her chopsticks, and nodded. "This way, we neither disrupt the Border Army nor lose additional support." Then she shook her head. "But achieving this will take time." She looked up at Chu Zhao. "Your Majesty, you must be patient."
Chu Zhao raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Not patience, but confidence. I'm confident that even without these fifty thousand troops, Western Liang won't be able to break through the Border Commandery."
Mu Mianhong smiled and served her more food. "Your Majesty is mighty. Since there's no urgency, then it should be manageable."
Chu Zhao slid the command tally toward Mu Mianhong. "I'll inform Uncle Zhong. When the time comes, he'll send his trusted men to take charge of the troops and, under the pretext of training, hand fifty thousand over to you."
Mu Mianhong acknowledged the order, taking the tally and examining it in her hand. She chuckled softly. "I never thought I'd one day hold the command tally for imperial troops."
After all, she was originally a bandit.They were targets of the imperial army's suppression.
Chu Zhao remained silent for a moment before saying, "I know this may seem unreasonable, but I still cannot grant you any official recognition at this time."
Mu Mianhong looked at her.
"This is also my personal selfishness." Chu Zhao met her gaze without flinching. "As the Empress now, revealing your identity would bring me no benefit."
She spoke bluntly - an Empress having a mother who was a mountain bandit was indeed no honorable matter.
Mu Mianhong showed no trace of resentment, simply nodding: "Not only would it bring you no benefit, but it wouldn't be good for the General either. Since he has passed, let him rest in peace without further disturbance."
Chu Zhao looked at her and said, "Moreover, revealing your identity wouldn't be good for you either."
Mu Mianhong gazed at the young woman, a glimmer of light appearing in her eyes.
She was very beautiful. Though time had left its marks, when her eyes lit up, her entire being seemed to radiate moonlight, making people drop their guard and want to keep looking at her - was this how her father had fallen for her back then? Chu Zhao averted her gaze and took a sip of the broth.
"You should know the circumstances under which I became Empress. Since taking this position, the kingdom has faced numerous difficulties. Though I may appear glorious on the surface, I face challenges everywhere. My relatives get threatened, coerced, turn against me, or suffer because of me." She spoke softly, "If your identity becomes known, you will surely become a target. I know you're capable, skilled in martial arts, and have followers, but the schemes and calculations in this world are too dangerous."
She looked at Mu Mianhong.
"You would face danger because of me, and I would face difficulties because of you."
"So, keeping this secret is the safest for both of us."
Mu Mianhong smiled: "I understand, Your Majesty. Please rest assured." She ate a few more bites of food and took another sip of broth. "This tastes wonderful too. I suppose Xiao Man would like it?"
Chu Zhao nodded. This entire meal had been specially prepared according to Xiao Man's tastes. She didn't know Mu Mianhong well, but assumed their preferences would be similar.
"Your Majesty." Mu Mianhong set down her bowl and chopsticks, standing up. "I'll go make preparations now."
Chu Zhao also rose: "In a few days, I'll return to the capital with Ding Dachui and the remaining Dragon Guard Army. Wait here for Uncle Zhong's people to take over the troops, then accompany them back to Yunzhong County."
Mu Mianhong acknowledged the order, glanced at her one more time, then turned and left.
Chu Zhao remained standing where she was, quietly letting out a sigh of relief.
So getting along with her wasn't so difficult after all.
......
......
"How did it go?"
"Boss, what did she say?"
As soon as Mu Mianhong returned to her own tent, several men eagerly crowded around, their expressions excited and expectant.
"Did she acknowledge you?"
"Did she call you mother?"
Mu Mianhong looked at them and smiled: "No." Before they could react, she produced a command token and waved it. "However, she's giving us the fifty thousand troops that Prince Zhongshan surrendered."
The men stared blankly, as if not comprehending.
"Fifty thousand." Mu Mianhong repeated. "What other bandits in the world have so many followers? From now on, we'll truly be the number one bandits under heaven."
She laughed as she said this, and two of the men joined in her laughter. But one man came to his senses.
"What nonsense, Sister Hong," he said. "This is a tough assignment. Managing fifty thousand troops is no easy task."What's more, these are rebels supported by Prince Zhongshan.
This is clearly meant to tame them.
The other two men also snapped back to reality.
"Boss, this is just another way to make us work!"
"You've done so much for her, yet she won't even call you mother!"
"She doesn't call you mother, yet has the nerve to ask you to do things—what does that mean?"
"She's surnamed Chu, she's Chu Ling's seed—black-hearted and ruthless."
"Neither father nor daughter are any good, always coercing you."
Complaints came one after another. When the last remark slipped out, the man beside him nudged him, and he awkwardly stopped, glancing at Mu Mianhong.
"Boss, I—I didn't mean it," he stammered in explanation. "I wasn't blaming you."
"Boss, we'll follow you in anything," the previous man added. "We're not afraid of anything; we're just worried you're being wronged."
Another man nodded, his expression sullen. "Exactly, she can't treat people like this."
Mu Mianhong looked at the three of them and smiled. "I understand how you feel, but don't worry. She's not coercing me, much less bullying anyone. She's doing this for our good."
She didn't hide anything from her brothers and shared Chu Zhao's words with everyone.
The three men's expressions softened considerably.
"Being an Empress isn't easy, huh," one man muttered.
Mu Mianhong said, "Nothing is easy. Being the Empress, the highest-ranking person in the world, means enduring the greatest hardships."
Another man hesitated but couldn't resist saying, "But even if she doesn't acknowledge it publicly or tell the world, she should at least acknowledge you in private."
Mu Mianhong fell silent for a moment.
"She dares to look at me now, without avoiding me," she said with a smile. "That means she's accepting me in her heart. There's no rush."
At this, she sighed softly and looked up at the night sky.
"Although I acknowledge her and miss her, the truth is, I don't know if I'm truly doing it for her."
The three men exchanged glances. What did she mean? If not for her, then for whom?
"I treat her as my daughter because I gave birth to her. A mother should, and must, care for her daughter," Mu Mianhong said. "But in reality, I don't know whether it's me who misses her or just the role of a mother."
They grew even more confused, the three men staring at each other blankly.
Seeing their expressions, Mu Mianhong laughed too. She couldn't quite explain it herself.
"However, just now, watching her eat in front of me and talk to me, it suddenly became clear to me," she said softly. "It's me who misses her. It's me who's happy to have a daughter. It's me who's deeply saddened that I abandoned her back then. I—"
As she spoke, she lowered her head to hide her suddenly tear-filled eyes.
The three men exchanged glances. Though their boss appeared delicate and fragile in front of others, she was actually ruthless in killing and never hesitated in a fight. Shedding tears was almost unheard of—
"I don't know how to explain it either," Mu Mianhong lifted her head and smiled. "But everyone, don't worry. I'm fine, I'm happy."
They could see that. The three men nodded and said no more. "Then, Boss, you go ahead with your work."
Watching Mu Mianhong enter the tent, the three men exchanged glances again.
"But still," one man whispered, "I think Chu Zhao is just like Chu Ling—smooth-talking and black-hearted. See how she's bewitched the boss with just a few words—"
The other two men kicked him. "Keep your mouth shut."The three of them walked laughing and chatting into the night, while inside the tent, the cunning Chu Zhao sat staring blankly at the bowl before her.
In the bowl lay one braised chicken foot and one radish meatball.
These had been picked for her by Mu Mianhong earlier as a reciprocal gesture.
How coincidental—these two happened to be her absolute favorites, specially ordered by A Le from the restaurant.
Mu Mianhong... she actually knew her taste preferences.
Chu Zhao, on the other hand, had no idea what Mu Mianhong liked. She had entertained her based on Xiao Man's preferences, as she was very familiar with Xiao Man, and Xiao Man had always been by Mu Mianhong's side.
Mu Mianhong had never spent time with her before—only recently, during these days of marching and fighting, enduring rough conditions, drinking milk tea and chewing dry biscuits. There had been no opportunity to discuss tastes or preferences.
So how did she know?
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