She Came to Heal, Stayed to Conquer

"Oh? Did she really say that?"

Before Wei Chengchao could finish his words, the Marchioness of the Champion Marquis lit up, instantly feeling relieved.

"Yes, I heard it from Princess Changle herself that day." Wei Chengchao nodded confidently.

Upon hearing this, the Champion Marquis slightly relaxed his brow.

Princess Changle often played with those famous sons and daughters of the Capital City, including Wei Chengchao, so the Champion Marquis couple trusted what Wei Chengchao said.

The Empress had mentioned it before, and now with confirmation from Wei Chengchao, the Champion Marquis couple felt at ease about Princess Changle sneaking away to find Zhao Zun.

"Thank you, Mr. Wei, for informing us," the Champion Marquis cupped his hands and sincerely thanked him. "Then, let’s go inside and have a look!"

"Marquis, Marchioness. This way, please!"

Wei Chengchao also let out a sigh of relief, gesturing them to proceed, and quickly sent them inside.

The Champion Marquis couple walked toward the tavern, conversing in low voices as they went.

"In this case, it’s not entirely without clues. This child, Changle, has a proud nature and is deeply favored by His Majesty. Her actions this time are probably an attempt to win Zhao Zun’s heart." The Champion Marquis had a slight smile on his face.

The Marchioness sighed softly, her handkerchief gently wiping her eyes, seemingly hiding the calculation within them.

"She took guards and maids with her, which puts my mind at ease. His Majesty has decreed it, and although Zhao Zun already has Han Lei as his primary wife, given Changle’s personality and status, she might stir up the situation in Canzhou. She might even push that common girl Han Lei out and take her place!"

The Champion Marquis nodded slightly, "As long as she’s safe, I’m content. Our daughter’s not young anymore; since her heart is set on Zhao Zun, let her pursue it on her own. We should refrain from interfering too much."

The couple exchanged smiles, each seeing the words "happy to see it happen" in the other’s eyes.

Then, led by a waiter, they entered a private room and began sampling the Drunken Immortal Brew and dishes with the many guests.

However, what the couple did not know was that Zhao Zun only had Han Lei on his mind, busy helping her build a cement factory, having long forgotten about Princess Changle, who was under supervision...

......I am the lazy dividing line......

At the end of March, in the Beiguan Yong’an City barracks.

The late spring breeze carried a touch of warmth, seemingly mixed with the aroma of distant locust flowers.

But Li Gang, the newly appointed commander of Yong’an City, had no heart to appreciate the beauty of the spring day.

At this moment, he stood on the city wall, his eyes fixed on the distant grasslands, his eyes bloodshot, revealing endless fatigue and anxiety.

The small-scale harassment by the Turkic cavalry was like flies in spring, relentless. Although it hadn’t caused major casualties, it was exceedingly frustrating.

After the Beiguan Garrison Marshal Cao Xiong went to the Marshal’s Residence in Ling’an City, Li Gang took over this troubling task.

He had a feeling that the Turkic people were using the soldiers of Yong’an City as a whetstone, continually honing their skills on them.

"General, the Turkic people have harassed us three times today already; they probably won’t come again. You should take the opportunity to rest!"

Military doctor Mr. He walked up to the city wall with concern, holding a steaming bowl of medicinal soup.

Every day, only a few dozen or a hundred soldiers fell wounded in the harassment, not many.

Therefore, after Cao Xiong went to Ling’an City, Mr. He not only looked after the wounded but also took responsibility for Li Gang’s health.

Li Gang gently shook his head, took the medicinal soup, and drank it in one go. The bitter taste seemed incapable of easing his inner agitation.

The Turkic raids weren’t too big or too small but, as the city’s main general, he dared not rest peacefully. Naturally, his health suffered as well.

"The Turkic raids have become increasingly rampant and irregular during this time, requiring constant vigilance from everyone."

As the two were talking, a soldier ran up hurriedly, clutching a carrier pigeon.

"General, there’s a letter from Mr. Cao!"

Li Gang grabbed the pigeon, took the letter tube from its leg, took out the letter, and quickly scanned it.

Moments later, he frowned deeply, his expression growing increasingly grim.

"What’s wrong, General? Are you feeling unwell?"

Seeing this, Mr. He quickly reached out to check Li Gang’s forehead, only to have his hand blocked away with a wave.

"I’m fine. It’s just that the letter from Mr. Cao says that scouts from Ling’an City discovered that scouts from Ala and Meng Country have been frequently active recently, with cavalry from these two countries appearing fifty miles outside Ling’an City."