Chapter 16: The General’s Pampered Little Wife 16

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The General’s Pampered Little Wife 16

Xiao Shen took a deep breath, forcing down the anger in his heart. He turned to Ji Xiaosong, his tone instantly softening. "My wife, you must be exhausted from your long journey. Go rest in my tent. I will handle things here."

Ji Xiaosong nodded gently. "Be careful, Husband."

Afterward, Xiao Shen called over a trusted soldier and ordered, "Escort my wife to my tent. Protect her well, and allow for no negligence whatsoever."

Once Ji Xiaosong had left, Xiao Shen turned to the Crown Prince and said, "Your Highness, this matter requires further deliberation."

The Crown Prince stood up. "Come. Let us gather the generals and discuss how to respond."

Xiao Shen and the Crown Prince went to the main command tent together and summoned the generals.

「Meanwhile.」

Ji Xiaosong arrived at Xiao Shen’s tent. It was simple but tidy inside. A low couch was set in a corner, covered with thick bedding.

In the center of the tent stood a wooden table, upon which lay military maps and documents.

On a rack to one side hung Xiao Shen’s battle armor and sword, which exuded a cold aura.

Ji Xiaosong sighed softly and began to tidy up.

She neatly arranged the documents on the table and refolded the bedding, making the entire tent feel more cozy and orderly.

Her movements were gentle and practiced, as natural as if she were in her own home.

Once she was done, Ji Xiaosong sat on the edge of the couch. Rongrong, a wisp of white mist shrunk to the size of a coin, floated over to her.

[Song, do you think Xiao Shen will question you in detail about your journey to the Northern Land?]

"I don’t know. One lie needs more lies to cover it up. I’m afraid I’ll slip up, so it’s better to just be vague and muddle through when the time comes."

[Then... how long are you planning to stay?]

"Until the army returns to the capital?"

[Xiao Shen and the others might not want you to stay that long.]

"Then I’ll just have to find a way to make him let me stay."

Ji Xiaosong yawned. She was utterly exhausted.

She saw that Dawn was already breaking; she had pulled an all-nighter.

Less than an hour later, Xiao Shen returned to his tent.

He tiptoed inside, his gaze immediately captivated by the sight of Ji Xiaosong by the couch, her sleeping form still showing traces of weariness.

Xiao Shen approached slowly, his eyes filled with tenderness and compassion.

He bent down and gently brushed a few stray strands of hair from Ji Xiaosong’s forehead. Then, leaning over, he ever so carefully gathered her into his embrace.

As if sensing him in her sleep, Ji Xiaosong mumbled a few unintelligible words. Xiao Shen leaned in to listen but couldn’t make them out. He simply thought she looked incredibly cute.

The corners of his lips curved up as he placed a kiss as light as a feather on her forehead. He then held her tightly, as if trying to merge her into his very being.

As if sensing his warmth, Ji Xiaosong subconsciously snuggled deeper into his arms, her hands wrapping around Xiao Shen’s waist as she murmured, "Husband..."

Xiao Shen’s heart melted in an instant. He hugged Ji Xiaosong tighter and lay down on the couch with her, basking in their shared warmth and closeness.

Ji Xiaosong slept all the way until the afternoon before she leisurely awoke.

She opened her eyes and found Xiao Shen was no longer beside her. Only the lingering warmth he’d left behind assured her that their embrace had not been a dream.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes, still heavy with sleep.

After collecting herself, she began to tidy her clothes and hair.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps approached from outside the tent. Ji Xiaosong tensed, not knowing who was coming.

"My Lady, do you require an attendant?"

The voice of a middle-aged woman, which sounded quite cheerful, came from outside the tent flap.

Ji Xiaosong composed herself and said, "Come in."

The woman lifted the tent flap and came in, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, My Lady. The General sent me to wait on you."

Ji Xiaosong gave a slight nod. "Thank you for your trouble. May I ask your name, ma’am?"

The woman smiled. "You’re too kind, My Lady. Just call me Li San Niang. I’ll help you wash up first." With that, she brought a basin of water over to Ji Xiaosong.

After Ji Xiaosong had washed up, the woman brought her some food, saying, "My Lady, the General had this prepared especially for you. Please, eat something."

A warmth bloomed in Ji Xiaosong’s heart as she looked at the food. "Where is the General now?" she asked.

"The General is busy with military matters and probably won’t be back for a while. But he left instructions for you to rest comfortably in the tent and not to worry about other things, My Lady."

Ji Xiaosong nodded gently and began to eat.

The food was simple, but the spread was surprisingly generous.

There were a few coarse-grain steamed buns, a bowl of plain congee, a small dish of pickles, and several slices of smoked meat.

Ji Xiaosong was halfway through her meal when Xiao Shen lifted the tent flap and entered.

"Is the food to your liking?" Xiao Shen asked with concern.

Ji Xiaosong put down her bowl and chopsticks, smiling. "Since you arranged it, Husband, of course it’s to my liking."

Xiao Shen walked over and sat beside Ji Xiaosong. "It’s my fault, making you suffer out here with me."

"As long as I’m with you, Husband, it’s not suffering. Has the matter from last night been resolved?"

Xiao Shen glanced at Li San Niang. "You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir," Li San Niang replied, and withdrew from the tent.

After Li San Niang left, Xiao Shen took Ji Xiaosong’s hand. "My wife, we’ve made some headway regarding last night. I’ve already had men secretly replace a portion of the faulty weapons and supplies, and I’ve strengthened our defenses. But the matter isn’t completely resolved. It still requires careful planning."

"Only a portion?" Ji Xiaosong asked, frowning. "Why? Is it because you don’t have enough proper replacements?"

"It’s true that Chen Country seems peaceful and prosperous, but His Majesty’s orders for me to campaign everywhere these past few years have left the national treasury empty. Otherwise, Prince Qi would never have dared to launch a rebellion at this time."

"Additionally, the Crown Prince, the other generals, and I have discussed the matter and plan to set a trap to lure out the mastermind. However, this course of action might be risky."

"My wife, it is all thanks to you risking this dangerous journey to warn us. If not for you, the Crown Prince and I would have remained completely in the dark, and the consequences would have been unthinkable. I really don’t know how I can ever thank you."

Ji Xiaosong looked at Xiao Shen. "Husband, I’ll believe in you no matter what. There’s no need for ’thank you’ between a husband and wife."

Moved, Xiao Shen pulled Ji Xiaosong into an embrace. "My wife, with your trust, I swear I will give my all to keep you safe."

A sudden thought made Ji Xiaosong’s eyes light up, and she gently pushed away from Xiao Shen.

"Husband, if you don’t have much, then Prince Qi must, right? I’ve heard that even though the Northern Land has a harsh climate and winter lasts for about half the year, the soil is fertile and produces a high yield of grain."

"The people of the Northern Land also have a habit of stockpiling grain, so Prince Qi must have a large reserve. And as for weapons, since he’s already rebelled, he must have a great many of those, too."