Here is the translation:
ng Qianqian was treating her injuries inside the tent.
She wasn’t seriously injured; there were minor wounds, mainly on her back and left shoulder.
As Qing Shuang applied dicine, she said, "Miss ng, you’re really too reckless."
ng Qianqian knew it was out of concern: "Getting injured on the battlefield is inevitable."
Besides, if you don’t fight desperately, you die.
Qing Shuang dipped the golden sore dicine and carefully applied it to the wounds on her back: "Miss ng, have you fought in battles before?"
ng Qianqian paused for a mont: "Perhaps."
Qing Shuang didn’t understand.
At that mont, a well-rested little tabby cat broke free from its swaddle, climbed out of the basket, and gracefully jumped from the table onto ng Qianqian’s lap.
ng Qianqian petted it and asked, "Along the way, how did you prevent people from getting suspicious?"
Qing Shuang opened her mouth and mimicked crying sounds.
ng Qianqian was startled and turned to look at Qing Shuang in a daze.
Qing Shuang explained, "Before the Grand Commander took in as a Hidden Guard, I perford tricks and begged on the streets. To avoid having my hands or feet broken, I reluctantly learned so crude mimicry skills. Actually, I don’t sound much like Miss Bao Shu, but they weren’t familiar with her, so they couldn’t tell."
ng Qianqian nodded: "I see."
She hadn’t expected Qing Shuang to have such a bitter past.
Lu Yuan appointed Zhang Feihu as the Chief General of the cavalry unit and instructed him to depart for Chi County at dawn the next day, with the explicit order to retake it before nightfall.
Zhang Feihu cupped his hands in salute: "How should we fight this ti?"
He wasn’t testing the Grand Commander’s capabilities; he was genuinely seeking advice.
Though Zhang Feihu had his own strategies, he couldn’t discount the possibility that the Grand Commander had better ones.
Lu Yuan replied calmly and effortlessly, "Fight however you think best."
Had Zhang Feihu heard this a day earlier, he would’ve scoffed—this court-appointed amateur was at it again with reckless nonsense!
But now, he stood with hands on his hips and his spine straight: the Grand Commander trusts !
Most Military Generals dislike that superficial hypocrisy—if they’re impressed, they admit it, and there’s no sha in that.
At first light the following day, Zhang Feihu led ten thousand cavalry into battle.
"By the order of the Grand Commander, reclaim Chi County! Open the gates swiftly—surrender and you won’t be killed!"
In Chi County, three thousand rebel soldiers were killed, and one thousand were captured.
"By the order of the Grand Commander, reclaim Feng County! Surrender and you won’t be killed!"
In Feng County, sixteen thousand rebel soldiers were killed, and three thousand were captured.
"By the order of the Grand Commander, exterminate the traitors! Kill without rcy!"
"Where are you running? Your Grandpa Zhang is here!"
Over just five days, the court’s troops, together with the border guards, retook the cities occupied by the rebel army and wiped out remnants trying to flee to Beiliang territory.
Not only that, Lu Yuan seized the rebels’ abundant supplies of grain and winter clothing, distributed them among the border guards and civilians, and ordered soldiers to repair the towns, villages, and stations devastated by the war.
The camp had beco bustling as they planned to strike out for Yun Pass the next day.
Lu Yuan, feeling dizzy from sitting in the tent, stepped outside for so fresh air.
He wandered to a quieter area and found a rock to sit on.
A group of children from the nearby village, playing and chasing each other, arrived at the spot.
They had never seen an uncle as handso as Lu Yuan and couldn’t help but encircle him, scrutinizing him left and right, up and down.
The last person who stared at him like this already had grass growing two feet high over their grave.
The oldest was about seven or eight years old; the youngest was barely two or three. Each child clenched a walnut in their hands.
"Who are you?"
The oldest child asked.
Lu Yuan replied in a cold voice: "Grand Commander."
In the Capital City, his na alone could stop a crying child, more effective than any demon.
But the border’s children clearly hadn’t heard of him.
The youngest toddled forward and patted his stomach: "Belly."
Lu Yuan snorted coldly: "A bunch of ignorant little brats."
With deliberate malice, he snatched one child’s walnut, placed it on the rock, and smashed it to pieces with a single punch!
The children’s eyes widened in awe.
Lu Yuan, exuding killing intent, said, "Want to end up like this walnut? If you don’t leave now, I’ll—"
The two-year-old extended their walnut to him: "Do it again!"
Another child held out their walnut: " too!"
"Do it again! Do it again!"
"Mine too!"
"Mine first! Mine first!"
Lu Yuan: "..."
In the Capital City, even spirits and demons wouldn’t dare approach the Grand Commander, yet at the border, he was endlessly pestered by a band of toddlers.
"Niudan! Maodan! Big Ya, Little Ya, Gouwa! Dinner’s ready!"
The children ran off, clutching their walnut kernels with satisfaction.
At the village entrance, they bumped into Zhang Feihu, who was returning from inside the village.
It turned out the walnuts were his gift, and seeing the children’s kernels, he laughed, "Wow, cracked them open already? Impressive work!"
The eldest child pointed back at Lu Yuan: "That man cracked them for us!"
The youngest rubbed their belly: "Belly."
Zhang Feihu glanced over.
Lu Yuan instantly vanished from the rock and strolled nonchalantly back towards the campsite.
"Grand Commander!"
Zhang Feihu promptly let go of the children and stepped forward to salute.
Lu Yuan responded with a faint "Mm."
Zhang Feihu asked, "Grand Commander, are you heading out?"
Lu Yuan replied, "Just taking a stroll."
Zhang Feihu didn’t question further: "A mont ago, the kids ntioned soone helped them crack their walnuts. Did you happen to see who it was?"
Lu Yuan responded coldly, "How would I know sothing so trivial?"
Zhang Feihu thought that made sense; surely, soone as preoccupied with national and military affairs as the Grand Commander wouldn’t concern himself with cracking walnuts for re children.
He sighed, "That’s a sha; I’ve never seen kernels so perfectly intact before. I happen to have a whole sack of walnuts and thought of asking that person to crack all of them for !"
Lu Yuan’s mouth twitched fiercely.
Returning to the main tent, Lu Yuan encountered ng Qianqian at the entrance.
ng Qianqian clad in armor, held her helt in one hand and the Brocade Spring Saber in the other. She glanced toward the rock with a sly smile and said, "The Grand Commander seems very popular at the border."
Just as she spoke, a one-year-old baby toddled up, reaching out to grab ng Qianqian.
ng Qianqian, worried the child might fall, set down her saber and took his small hand.
The child opened his mouth: "Mama."
ng Qianqian froze.
Lu Yuan gloated: "Seems you’re even more popular."
The baby let go of ng Qianqian’s hand and clung to Lu Yuan’s leg: "Papa."
Lu Yuan: "...!!"
Lu Yuan shouted, "Don’t call that!"
The baby burst into tears and, in retaliation, urinated on Lu Yuan’s foot.
The Grand Commander imdiately froze in place!
ng Qianqian rarely laughed unless she couldn’t hold it in: "Hahaha! Hahaha!"
Lu Yuan’s expression darkened.
...
The three crucial military strongholds were all reclaid, yet neither Lu Lingxiao nor Yu Zichuan had appeared. ng Qianqian speculated that both had already crossed Yun Pass and infiltrated the Beiliang army’s camp.
As ng Qianqian made plans to head to Yun Pass to assist them, the two returned with the Yin Hu Guard.
ng Qianqian, wanting to avoid entanglent with Lu Lingxiao, donned her mask upon returning to the tent.
When she stepped out, she encountered Zhang Feihu.
"Little Nine! Why are you wearing a mask?"
In the military camp, ng Qianqian went by the na ng Xiaojiu.
ng Qianqian asked, "You can tell it’s ?"
Zhang Feihu pointed at her: "Very easy to recognize—the armor, the Brocade Spring Saber, and during the fight with the rebels, didn’t your left hand get nicked? It’s wrapped in bandages!"
So that’s why.
ng Qianqian felt reassured.
Since Lu Lingxiao hadn’t seen her in this form, he shouldn’t be able to recognize her.
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