The saintess is pregnant, what does that have to do with me, a spoiled brat?

Xishan Camp, drill ground.

The autumn wind, carrying yellow dust, felt like a knife cutting into my face.

Xu Nuo sat on the grand master's chair on the command platform, toying with a dark gold jade pendant with dragon patterns in his hand.

Below the stage, hundreds of pampered young soldiers from the elite cavalry were running wildly around the drill ground. They were all pale and their tongues were sticking out; they didn't even have the energy to curse.

Lin Hu, accompanied by dozens of veterans of the Zhenbei Army, stood on both sides of the track, each carrying a cowhide whip soaked in cold water.

Anyone who dares to be a step too slow will be lashed on the back with a whip.

"Snapped!"

"Hurry up! Haven't you eaten yet?!" Lin Hu shouted.

Xu Nuo didn't look at those pampered soldiers; his gaze fell on the wooden stakes at the edge of the training ground.

More than a hundred private soldiers from the Marquis of Changxing's mansion, wearing only their underwear, were suspended in mid-air, exposed to the cold wind.

They've been hanging there all night.

"Your Highness," Li Wanning, having changed into a clean set of personal guard armor, approached the grand chair, "the people from the Marquis of Changxing's residence haven't arrived yet. That old fox Zhang Fu, he wouldn't really be planning to abandon his grandson, would he?"

Xu Nuo looked up at the sky.

The sun was already setting in the west.

"He's willing to abandon his arrogance, but he can't bear to part with these hundred-plus fourth-rank private soldiers." Xu Nuo said calmly, "How much resources does it take to train a fourth-rank warrior? If Zhang Fu doesn't even care about these people, who will dare to risk their lives for the Marquis of Changxing's mansion in the future?"

The voice just fell.

A rapid sound of horses' hooves came from outside the camp.

"Boom!"

Dozens of warhorses rammed through the barricades of the main camp and charged straight in.

Leading the group was none other than Marquis of Changxing, Zhang Fu.

The old man was dressed in a purple-gold python robe, his face was ashen, and his eyes were as sinister as a vulture's. Behind him were two elderly men with deep auras, their temples bulging, clearly experts.

The cavalry reined in their horses in front of the reviewing stand.

The warhorse reared up and let out a long neigh.

"Promise!"

Zhang Fu immediately spotted the private soldiers hanging from the wooden stakes, and Zhang Kuang, who was lying in the corner of the command platform, bound like a dumpling.

"Grandpa! Save me! Grandpa!" Zhang Kuang struggled and screamed desperately when he saw his savior.

Zhang Fu's eyes twitched violently, and his chest heaved.

"Release him!" Zhang Fu pointed at Xu Nuo and shouted angrily.

Xu Nuo didn't even budge an inch.

He picked up the glass of iced tea beside him and took a slow, deliberate sip.

"Where's the money?"

"You still dare to ask for money!" Zhang Fu laughed angrily. "You've illegally detained a high-ranking official and extorted money from a founding noble! Xu Nuo, do you really think there's no law in the Great Li Kingdom?!"

"The law?"

Xu Nuo put down his teacup and stood up.

He walked to the edge of the command platform and looked down at Zhang Fu.

"Lord Zhang, you led your private army to storm the military camp. According to the laws of the Great Li Army, what is your punishment?"

"Don't try to intimidate me with military law!" Zhang Fu waved his hand. "When I was helping Emperor Taizu conquer the country, your grandfather was still playing in the mud! If you don't release them today, I'll raze your entire elite cavalry camp to the ground!"

The two elderly men behind him stepped forward at the same time.

boom!

Two powerful auras, both at the peak of the third rank, shot into the sky, stirring up the sand and stones on the ground.

The pampered soldiers on the drill ground were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground.

Lin Hu's expression changed, and he quickly led his personal guards to shrink their formation and block the front of the command platform.

Xu Nuo smiled.

"Crush the elite cavalry?"

He shook his head.

"Zhang Fu, you're getting senile."

Xu Nuo suddenly raised her foot and stepped on Zhang Kuang's right knee.

Click!

The sound of bones shattering was crystal clear.

"ah--!"

Zhang Kuang screamed in agony and fainted from the pain.

"How dare you!" Zhang Fu's eyes were bloodshot.

"What wouldn't I dare to do?" Xu Nuo's tone was icy. "I said, ten thousand taels for a head. If it's even a penny less, I'll take a part out of him."

"Take one more step forward, and I'll crush his head."

Xu Nuo's foot moved to Zhang Kuang's face.

Zhang Fu stared intently at Xu Nuo.

There was not a hint of joking in those deep black eyes.

He's a madman.

That little beast actually dared to kill someone!

Zhang Fu gritted his teeth, the fat on his cheeks trembling. He had been a powerful figure in officialdom for decades, always the one dominating others. When had he ever been forced to this point by a mere upstart?

"Well... well, what a fine heir to the Duke of Zhenguo."

Zhang Fu squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth.

He waved his hand.

The attendants behind him jumped off their horses and overturned the carriages behind them.

One after another, heavy mahogany chests were carried down and slammed to the ground with a dull thud.

The lid of the box was opened.

There were gleaming silver ingots and stacks of thick silver notes.

"One million two hundred thousand taels," Zhang Fu said hoarsely. "Not a penny less. Release them!"

Xu Nuo raised his chin.

Lin Hu led his men forward and quickly took inventory.

A moment later, Lin Hu turned his head: "Young Master, the number is correct."

"Release them," Xu Nuo waved his hand.

The guards went over and cut the ropes with a single stroke.

More than a hundred private soldiers lay on the ground like dead pigs, unable to get up for a long time.

Zhang Fu's men quickly went over and carried Zhang Kuang and his private soldiers onto the carriage.

"Promise".

Zhang Fu mounted his horse and looked down at the command platform.

"You'd better be alive to spend this money."

"The royal autumn hunt is in a few days. The Western Hills camp will be responsible for the outer perimeter. I'll be waiting for you at the hunting grounds."

Xu Nuo looked at him, a smile playing on her lips.

"Please take care, my lord. We won't see you off."

"Next time you want to send money, just send someone to let me know, so you don't have to make the trip yourself."

Zhang Fu snorted coldly, flicked his whip, and led his men out of the camp in a sorry state.

The drill ground was deathly silent.

The hundreds of young soldiers looked at Xu Nuo with nothing but fear in their eyes.

Even the Marquis of Changxing was extorted for 1.2 million taels of silver, and he didn't dare to utter a single word.

The situation in this elite cavalry unit has changed.

"What are you looking at!" Lin Hu roared. "Keep running! If you don't finish ten laps today, nobody's eating!"

The young soldiers shuddered and quickly got up to continue their frantic run.

Inside the main tent.

One million two hundred thousand taels of silver and silver notes were piled on the ground.

Li Wanning squatted beside the box, counting the silver notes with shining eyes.

"You've struck it rich! Xu Nuo, your money-making speed is terrifying!"

"Stop looking."

Xu Nuo walked over and took out a stack of silver notes.

"Give Lin Hu two hundred thousand taels of silver and tell him to buy the best medicine and meat on the black market. These pampered soldiers may be useless, but they still have some basic skills. We need to train them to be decent people within three months."

"The rest will all be converted into spirit stones."

Li Wanning was stunned: "One million taels for spirit stones? You're going to eat spirit stones?"

"Go when I tell you to."

Xu made no explanation.

He sat cross-legged on the cot and closed his eyes.

The jade pendant on her chest was burning hot.

The Primordial Dragon Soul roared within his dantian, its thirst for energy almost consuming him.

At the initial stage of the third rank, it's not enough.

Zhang Fu's parting words were not unfounded.

Royal autumn hunt.

The Second Prince Li Chengqian, Marquis Zhang Fu of Changxing, and Shen Qingyi from the Primordial Holy Land.

These people will definitely make their move during the autumn hunt.

"Autumn hunt..."

Xu Nuo opened her eyes, and a dark golden dragon pattern flashed in her black pupils.

He stretched out his hand, and a ball of violent dark golden energy appeared in his palm.

The qi manipulated the air, producing a sharp whistling sound as it tore through the air.

Outside the tent, Lin Hu strode in, holding a military order that had just been delivered.

"Your Highness, the Ministry of War has issued a document."

Lin Hu handed over the official document.

"Three days later, the royal autumn hunt will take place. The entire elite cavalry unit is ordered to be deployed and stationed in the northern valley of the Western Hills hunting grounds."