Zhou Mingzhi immediately denied: "Your Highness, General Ning Yuan is really busy, that's why he couldn't come to welcome you."
Qin Zhao said: "He seems quite proactive in his work, but the result is that he has lost three cities in a row. Who is he trying to impress with such superficial efforts?"
Zhou Mingzhi lowered his head with his brows furrowed, cursing this imperial princess in his heart.
He held back the urge to lash out and said, "Your Highness doesn't know that fighting wars is not so easy. Victory and defeat are common in military affairs."
This was clearly meant to mock Qin Zhao for not understanding warfare.
Qin Zhao: "Victory and defeat may be common, but three consecutive defeats are not.
Stop making excuses and bring Yuan Deyi to see Me immediately."
Qin Zhao walked past Zhou Mingzhi towards the main tent, but was stopped by Zhou Mingzhi, "Your Highness, this is General Yuan's main tent."
He pointed to a small tent 10 meters away, "We have prepared a camp for you over there."
Qin Zhao noticed Zhou Mingzhi's obstruction and suspected he had an ulterior motive.
She blinked at Huo Jun, and Huo Jun understood. She kicked Zhou Mingzhi over, "Get lost!"
Zhou Mingzhi struggled to get up three or four times to continue blocking their way, arousing Qin Zhao's curiosity even more.
She quickened her pace towards the main tent.
A disheveled civilian woman suddenly ran out from inside. Seeing Qin Zhao in her golden armor, she reflexively ran towards them!
"Milord, save me! Save me!"
Just then, another man with only pants on also rushed out from the tent, still holding a large ring blade in his hand.
He was about to roar something fiercely with an ominous look, but stopped when he saw the many unfamiliar faces outside.
Looking at the extraordinary Qin Zhao, he asked hesitantly: "Who are you?"
Huo Jun said coldly: "Vile wretch, how dare you not pay respects to Her Imperial Highness the Princess!"
Yuan Deyi smirked and said, "So it's the Imperial Princess."
He slowly knelt down, "This general pays respects to Her Imperial Highness the Princess."
The civilian woman hid behind Qin Zhao.
Qin Zhao asked the woman: "You asked Me to save you, what happened?"
The woman knelt before Qin Zhao and was about to speak when Yuan Deyi yelled at her: "Don't you dare say it!"
The woman was so frightened her teeth chattered.
Qin Zhao said: "Don't be afraid, I will stand up for you."
The woman took a deep breath and said: "I'm just a farmer's wife selling pastries. General Yuan took a liking to me and demanded I sleep with him.
I refused, so he threatened to kill my family.
My husband persuaded me to come to the military camp to accompany him.
But I didn't expect that not only would he...he would also beat me!
I really couldn't take it anymore, so I ran out."
Qin Zhao saw that this woman was no older than 30. Her skin was tanned and weathered from years working under the sun, but she still retained some charm.
One could imagine how beautiful she used to be.
Yuan Deyi loudly refuted: "Your Highness, don't listen to her nonsense! She was selling herself from the start!
We had agreed on a price, but she went back on her word later. That's why I beat her!"
The woman shook her head and wanted to explain but choked on her words from sobbing, she could only cry uncontrollably.
Qin Zhao walked up to Yuan Deyi.
Yuan Deyi saw her gentle demeanor and thought she believed him.
Suddenly a shadow flickered before his eyes and he heard a loud slap!
Qin Zhao's slap made Yuan Deyi's right cheek numb.
Qin Zhao said: "My hand slipped, I didn't mean to hit you."
Twisting right and wrong, who doesn't know how?
Yuan Deyi covered his left cheek with his left hand and pointed at Qin Zhao with his right, "I went easy on you...."
Before he could finish his vicious words, his index finger suddenly felt a sharp pain!
When he looked again, his index finger was gone!
All that was left was a gory stump!
Qin Zhao fiddled with the bloody dagger and asked, "Anything else you want to say?"
The soldiers who witnessed this were scared silent!
Yuan Deyi came to a new understanding of this seemingly weak and helpless woman standing before him.
He lowered his head looking at the stump where his finger used to be, no longer speaking. He secretly swore to get back at the Imperial Princess!
After sending away the civilian woman, Qin Zhao entered the main tent.
Huo Jun and the elite soldiers they brought along followed her in.
The air inside the tent was foul, mixed with all kinds of foot odor, armpit odor, and sweat odor. Qin Zhao almost vomited from the stench!
Qin Zhao covered her nose with her sleeve and instructed the dozen or so elite soldiers: "Clear this place out and throw away anything that should be discarded."
They responded in unison: "Yes ma'am!"
Qin Zhao and Huo Jun exited the tent to wait outside.
Yuan Deyi saw his personal belongings thrown out like garbage and questioned angrily: "By what authority are you throwing away my things? This main tent belongs to me!"
Qin Zhao replied: "It's Mine now."
She looked at Huo Jun. Huo Jun held up the imperial edict they carried!
Everyone who saw the imperial edict knelt down.
Seeing the long-lost imperial edict, Yuan Deyi dared not make trouble.
Huo Jun read aloud: "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor decrees: My daughter Qin Zhao excels in both civil and military affairs, possessing an astute and nimble mind.
I hereby grant her command robes to quell the border unrest. She is immediately granted the title Grand Commander of Heavenly Strategies, assuming command of the Northwestern Army!"
Everyone exclaimed loudly: "Thanks to His Majesty's grace!"
Qin Zhao asked: "Yuan Deyi, do you understand what you should do now?"
Yuan Deyi thought of the Northwestern Army he had cultivated over many years now having to relinquish control, resentfully grinding his teeth.
He squeezed out a few words between clenched teeth: "I will follow Your Highness's arrangements!"
"Tomorrow, gather all officers ranked seven and higher from the Northwestern Army at the main tent to see Me."
"Yes...Your Highness."
Yuan Deyi left, dripping blood along the way from his wound.
Afterwards, Qin Zhao's 5,000 elite soldiers moved into the Northwestern Army's camp.
Yu Qingzhu, Mo Qianqiu, Cong Han, Shen Xue also moved into the tents arranged by Qin Zhao.
As Qin Zhao's deputy commander, Huo Jun stayed in another camp tent next to the main tent.
Qi Yan Su Luo stayed with Qin Zhao.
After bathing in the refurbished main tent, the two of them changed into casual clothes and sat on the bed.
Qin Zhao asked: "Chi Rong Country and West Lin Country border each other, what do you know about them?"
Qi Yan Su Luo said: "Although Chi Rong Country was established in an oasis, its resources are still quite scarce.
The people of Chi Rong Country can eat their fill during the rainy season, but starve during the dry season.
To reduce burdens during droughts, the Chi Rong people use the most primitive fighting methods to weed out the weak and vulnerable.
In order to survive, everyone has to give their utmost effort.
That's why although the Chi Rong population is small, everyone can fight very well."
Qin Zhao nodded, "No wonder the Chi Rong people were able to capture three cities in just two months.
It seems the situation at the northwestern border is indeed tricky."
But she added: "However, the greater the risk, the greater the reward!"
Qi Yan Su Luo gazed at Qin Zhao with complex emotions. On one hand, she hoped Qin Zhao would be defeated by Chi Rong for the people of Yue Country to also experience their country's downfall and their families' destruction.
On the other hand, she hoped Qin Zhao would survive...
Qin Zhao asked: "What are you staring at me for?"
Qi Yan Su Luo gently shook her head. "Nothing, let's go to sleep."
"Alright, don't bother me tonight. It's too dry in the northwest, I'm afraid I'll die of dehydration."
"I won't touch you if you don't talk dirty."
The next day, Cong Han brought water in for Qin Zhao to wash up.
Seeing the two on the bed, her face flushed red as she exited the tent.
