Marquis Gu immediately praised, "Madam, your genius and strategic prowess are incomparable. Having a wife like you is truly my good fortune in life."
Human nature is never what it seems; even the battle-toughened Marquis Gu has learned the art of flattery.
Qin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh, "So, I could be your think tank."
"Naturally, if only I had known you earlier, I wouldn’t have needed General Jin."
Marquis Gu showered praises upon Qin Yuan out of fear of falling short, all while comparing her to General Jin.
General Jin, newly flush with spoils, suddenly sneezed so hard it nearly shook his brain loose.
The others asked, "Old Jin, are you feeling weak? You caught a chill after just two days hiding in the outdoors pretending to be a bandit."
General Jin retorted, "What do you know? This is surely because your sister-in-law is missing me."
Looking at the tents filled with silver boxes, everyone felt particularly satisfied.
They were bursting with profits this time—not only were their purses stuffed, but even if the Ministry of War caused trouble again, their military pay was covered. This money, after all, came from the Wild Donkey People.
General Jin said, "With the Marquis absent, I’ll keep this brief. You’ve all worked hard these past few days. Take the silver, relax for a bit, but utter not a word of this. Let it all rot inside your stomach."
"Of course, unless we don’t care about our lives anymore?"
Having taken silver, speaking of it would be akin to losing their lives.
According to Daxing’s laws, soldiers posing as bandits for robbery is a capital crime, implicating their families. After just a few good days off the battlefield, they weren’t ready to give it up.
"Just remember, don’t blabber to the women you’ve chosen over a drink or two," General Jin warned once more.
Everyone agreed, "Understood, we follow the Marquis’s orders, loyal first to our brothers. How could we sell out everything for a woman?"
"Best be like that. The Capital isn’t like the Northern Border; it’s filled with cunning beauties. Just don’t get captivated. If someone flatters you sweetly, don’t spill everything indiscriminately." General Jin’s darkened face, filled with menace, said, "If you can’t keep your mouth shut, don’t blame your brothers if they cut your tongue out."
Nobody dared to joke, nodding solemnly, "Yes, even in sleep, I wouldn’t utter a word."
After reprimanding them sufficiently, General Jin released them.
With everyone dispersed, General Jin inspected the barracks before riding out of the Great Camp.
Long absent from home, both his old wife and beautiful concubines missed him dearly.
Galloping onward, two streets from home, he encountered a ceremonial procession head-on. General Jin hurriedly dismounted, standing aside to let them pass with their fanfare.
It looked like the procession of Prince Jin.
Prince Jin, aligned with the Crown Prince, while now Marquis Gu had allied with Prince Qi. Between both factions, a battle was bound to come. General Jin tugged on his horse’s reins and retreated.
But Prince Jin unexpectedly opened the curtain, peering out with a faint smile in his direction.
General Jin’s heart skipped a beat.
As expected, once Prince Jin’s procession passed, an old eunuch approached, asking in a shrill voice, "Is the person ahead General Jin, master of the Great Camp?"
Master of the Great Camp?
Isn’t that an overstatement?
General Jin respectfully responded, "I am General Jin, currently serving under Dingbei Marquis’s command. May I ask what brings you here, sir?"
"This humble servant wouldn’t dare trouble General Jin; Prince Jin himself wishes to speak with you. Please come this way with me."
General Jin nodded helplessly and followed along.
...
Even while taking a medicinal bath, Marquis Gu was unwilling to let Qin Yuan leave, speaking through the curtain about various affairs in the manor over the past few days.
Finally, Qin Yuan asked, "You previously mentioned entrusting the private treasury to me—does that still hold?"
Her words had scarcely fallen when the sound of water stopped beyond the curtain.
After a moment, Marquis Gu cautiously asked, "Certainly, does this mean you wish to manage it?"
Qin Yuan sat on the embroidery stool, nodding through the screen, suddenly realizing he couldn’t see, before uttering an "Mm."
Marquis Gu chuckled, "You’re willing to help me manage it, what made you change your mind today?"
Qin Yuan sighed deeply, "From today, we’ve torn our relationship with Prince Jin Wang and the others—it’s even Prince Qi we can’t fully trust. I thought...today, I almost became someone else’s meat on the chopping block, risking my parents and brothers. If worst comes, at least Prince Qi is a royal child; there’s dignity in death. We, however, cling to the lives of two families and clans."
The Marquis Gu was silent, then said, "Yuan’er, it’s the Gu Family’s fault for involving you. I’ll write you a repudiation letter shortly; if things go downhill, you can return home."
His voice grew thick with emotion as he spoke.
Qin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh.
"And what good would returning home do? The Crown Prince is frail, Prince Jin thrives with borrowed power, and once the Crown Prince passes, Prince Jin will emerge. Though Prince Qi is the legitimate son, due to the former Crown Prince and maternal clan, he fails to win the Emperor’s favor. Empress Lin and others wish him dead. The struggle for the throne is ever bloody, and even returning home, they wouldn’t spare the Qin clan. You and I are one—it’s not merely words!"