The peasant girl has a private space, and her husband is handsome.

Beside the campfire, Mo Xiaobei was surrounded by the goatee-bearded strategist and General Mu, looking quite smug.

When Mo Xiaobei was with Gong Yu, he was practically invisible; nobody noticed him at all.

Since following Miss Su, he has been very popular wherever he goes.

Ying Shiba looked down on Mo Xiaobei's smug look. "Tch, a petty person who's gotten ahead. He's only doing this because of Miss Su."

"Young Master, that boy Mo Xiaobei's heart and eyes are only for Miss Su, and he has long forgotten about you, his master."

Gong Yu: "Shadow Eighteen, you shall receive ten strokes of the military rod as punishment."

Shadow Eighteen: ? ? ? Shouldn't Mo Xiaobei be punished?

Ying Shiqi sighed inwardly: Little Shiba isn't very bright. He's been following the young master for so long, yet he still hasn't realized that in the young master's heart, Miss Su is above everything else, including himself.

Never say anything bad about Miss Su in front of the Crown Prince, or you'll be in big trouble!

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, everyone, whether soldiers stationed in Yinguan City or those in Shacheng, ate rice candy and were very happy.

In the Great Qi Kingdom, eating sweets on the first day of the lunar new year is considered a good omen, symbolizing a sweet year ahead.

Moreover, the soldiers ate chicken, duck, fish, and braised meat that Su Qianqian had sent them on New Year's Eve.

Originally, there was a shortage of firewood, and they couldn't even get a hot meal on New Year's Eve. But the meal was not only hot, but also incredibly plentiful.

A pile of black stones was burning at my feet, much warmer than usual.

Such a New Year's Eve dinner was something they never even dared to dream of.

Many of them had been guarding the border for years, and in previous years they were just grateful to have a meal for the New Year's Eve dinner. But this year's New Year's Eve dinner was so luxurious, all thanks to General Su, who was far away in Qinghe County.

It's so good to have General Su!

Shacheng is rich in gemstones of all colors: pink, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow... they come in all colors and are very beautiful.

However, because it is not a rare gemstone, this gemstone is not expensive.

Mo Xiaobei thought it would be a waste to go back empty-handed. Miss Su liked gemstones and liked to sew gemstones onto her clothes, so she led the five or six hundred people in the caravan out to collect stones.

Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Many of the soldiers stationed in Shacheng have been given a holiday. Hearing that General Su likes colorful stones, they all went to help collect stones.

General Su traveled a long distance to send them delicious food and charcoal for heating, and they wanted to do their part to repay General Su.

Gong Yu was also among the crowd picking up colored stones, and he was even wearing the cloak that Miss Su had just given him.

The new cloak was black, which made Gong Yu's face appear even more like jade.

Mo Xiaobei, being a man himself, was stunned: "The young master is so handsome. If he and Miss Su were to stand together, they would be a match made in heaven. Our young master was born to be with Miss Su."

The goat-bearded strategist picked up colorful stones until dark without getting tired, his admiration for General Su as lofty as a mountain stream and as virtuous as a noble conduct.

Until Mo Xiaobei forcibly dragged him back to the camp.

Mo Xiaobei was touched by how devoted the goatee strategist was to General Su, so he gave the goatee strategist two extra packets of rice candy.

The goatee-bearded strategist solemnly slipped a five-hundred-tael silver note into Mo Xiaobei's hand. "This is for Miss Su. Miss Su must need a lot of money to maintain such a large army. Young man, I beg you to put in a good word for me with General Su. If Miss Su is willing to take another strategist, please write to me and I will set off for Qinghe County immediately."

Mo Xiaobei knew which money he could accept and which he couldn't, so he quickly stuffed the banknotes back into his hand.

"If you really want to be Miss Su's strategist, then you'd better show her your best skills and let her see your abilities."

"Actually, the area around Huainan is not peaceful. The King of Huainan has the help of the Miao holy maiden. The Gu worms in the hands of that holy maiden are particularly powerful. If you go to Qinghe County, it may not be safer than staying in Shacheng."

The goatee-bearded strategist patted his chest and assured, "I am not afraid of death. All strategists in the world want to serve the strongest general, and I am no exception. My greatest wish in this life is to follow General Su and become his most capable strategist."

The goatee-bearded strategist, even in his forties, had not married or had children, dedicating all his energy to the profession of strategist.

"Young man, please keep this silver note. It's all my savings in this life. I want to make this money work for its fullest potential. Please help me transfer it to General Su so that he can support his troops."

Mo Xiaobei was slightly touched and finally began to take the goatee-bearded strategist seriously. "May I ask your name, strategist?"

"Hu Pingfan".

"Okay, I've got it. Don't worry, I'll definitely pass on your message to General Su."

When Mo Xiaobei set off, all the generals of Shacheng came to the city gate to see him off.

He also asked him to send many local specialties to Miss Su.

Mo Xiaobei returned laden with local specialties, colorful stones, and several boxes given to him by Gong Yu, and set off.

He felt it was such a pity; if he hadn't come out to deliver supplies, he could have spent the New Year with Miss Su.

Miss Su must have prepared a lot of delicious food for the New Year's Eve dinner, but unfortunately I didn't get to taste it.

\

News of the victory at Yinguan City was quickly sent to the capital via an urgent dispatch.

But Emperor Jing of Qi has not yet received the latest letter.

The information he had was sent from the border a few days ago; it was news that Yinguan City was besieged by 100,000 Northern Barbarian troops.

Emperor Qi Jing knew that Yinguan City would be the fourth city to be massacred by the Northern Barbarians.

So Emperor Qi Jing had a very bitter year, he was worried sick, couldn't eat or sleep well, and couldn't be happy at all. He even lost weight.

Emperor Qi Jing only hoped that the news would come slowly, even more slowly, as if the later the news arrived, the less pain he would suffer.

The morning court session on the third day of the Lunar New Year was just a formality; the ministers would meet with the emperor once and then go home to reunite with their families.

However, due to the latest battle reports from the border, the ministers had to stay in the palace a little longer.

The urgent military report arrived just in time for the morning court session.

Emperor Qi Jing felt bitter, but he knew that the fact of the massacre was unavoidable and would have to be faced sooner or later. He gritted his teeth and ordered, "Bring me the letter."

Emperor Qi Jing's hand trembled as he received the letter.

The bitterness in his heart was indescribable.

There's nothing we can do; we haven't won a single battle on the northern border in the last few months.

With the massacre of Silver Pass City, he has no face to face his ancestors.

Emperor Jing of Qi felt extremely frustrated being emperor and really wanted to quit.

He discovered that the contents of the letter were not scary at all.

Emperor Qi Jing could not believe the contents of the letter. He pinched his thigh hard. Yes, it was not a dream, it was all real.

A smile gradually appeared on Emperor Qi Jing's face. After reading the letter, he jumped up from the dragon throne with joy.

The ministers were surprised by Emperor Qi Jing's unconventional actions.

Although the emperor was young, he had always been very composed, and this was the first time he had jumped up from the dragon throne during the morning court session.

Oh no, has the Emperor gone mad with greed? It's no wonder he's been provoked by the news of the Northern Barbarians massacring the city of Yinguan!

Alas! It's such a pity that the God of War, General Xin, died young; otherwise, how could such a horrific tragedy have occurred?

Duke Anguo thought to himself, "That Miss Su from Qinghe County is truly capable. Why don't I suggest that she go to the northern frontier to guard the country? That way, she'll definitely be able to stop the northern barbarians from moving south!"

"Hahahaha—" Emperor Qi Jing roared with joy. He thought he would receive a terrible report that Yinguan City had been massacred, but he did not expect that Yinguan City had actually repelled 10 Northern Barbarian troops.

This is fantastic news!

Dozens of battles, large and small, have taken place on the northern border in the past few months. The Battle of Yinguan City was the only battle in which they won, which restored Emperor Jing of Qi's confidence in defending the territory of the Great Qi.

The ministers were even more worried when they saw Emperor Qi Jing laughing like a madman.

It's over. Yinguan City has been massacred, the young emperor has gone mad, and the Great Qi is doomed.

The location of Yinguan City is extremely important. Once the enemy captures Yinguan City, they can advance unimpeded and attack the heartland of Daqi.

We should be able to capture the capital soon.

These powerful officials are about to lose their high positions and generous salaries, and become prisoners of the northern barbarians.

How could I willingly lose my wealth and status! How could I willingly become a prisoner!

Heavens above, I beg you, save the beleaguered Great Qi! Grant Great Qi a new God of War!