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墨書 Inktalez
San Chun could sense the bitterness hidden behind his smile. People can often do many things against their will; some are forced by life, some are driven by necessity, or perhaps it is simply for someone or something.
Just like the last time they spent time together, he wouldn’t ask her about her matters, and she wouldn’t inquire about his background. Both kept the secrets in their hearts, discussing only matters outside of themselves.
San Chun was most curious about the war between the Yan State and the Chu State, so she asked a few questions, and Young Master Rong was indeed able to enlighten her.
He smiled and said, “The King of Chu, Song Ren, is quite a character. He knows when to make a move. With Chengyang Jun busy attacking Qi State, naturally, some people couldn’t sit still.”
San Chun blinked, “The King of Chu is called Song Ren?”
He was surprised, “You don’t even know what the King of Chu is called?”
She chuckled awkwardly, “Now I know.”
She had never been good at remembering names, and even now, the ones she remembered best were just a few. She still knew Feng Lingjun, but as for what Feng Lingjun was called, she truly couldn’t recall.
Young Master Rong couldn’t help but shake his head. Since he met her, he had thought she was a very strong person—intelligent and skilled in martial arts, handling matters calmly—yet he didn’t expect her to have such a confused side.
San Chun shyly touched her nose and said, “You continue. What will happen if Song Ren can’t sit still?”
“The King of Chu, Song Ren, has always been very ambitious. He has long wanted to compete with Chengyang Jun, so he is naturally busy expanding his territory. On one hand, he seeks alliances with other states; on the other hand, he is busy swallowing weaker nations. The first target will definitely be the Yan State.”
San Chun knew that Song Ren was interested in the Yan State not because it was weak and easy to bully but because of its excellent geographical position. It was like an intersection; no matter which direction you wanted to go, you had to pass through there. Such places have always been hotly contested by military forces because whoever controls it possesses the fastest and most stable route for troop movement.
Young Master Rong continued, “Song Ren dreams of having the Yan State submit to him. Moreover, that Chancellor of Chu, Yan Ping, is known for his cunning arguments; this time the reason he found is also quite dubious.”
A merchant convoy from Yan State killed someone in Chu State, and that person was a noble from Chu—a distant relative of Song Ren. But coming from Song Ren, it became that they killed his beloved younger brother. Chu used this as an excuse to attack Yan State, claiming it was for revenge for his beloved brother.
Furthermore, whether it was indeed the Yan merchant convoy that killed the noble remains uncertain. Later on, over a hundred people from that convoy were killed near the border of Chu State, leaving no witnesses.
When someone wants to attack you, they usually don’t need a reason; finding one for you is already quite a feat. However, having found a reason but not informing you until they arrive at your doorstep to say “I’m here” is quite troublesome—it’s practically an ambush.
Not long ago, the Yan State had been eager to wage war against the Zhao State, actively preparing for battle. The reason was likely that a woman favored by the King of Yan had been taken by the Prince of Zhao, and in his anger, he wanted to go to war with Zhao. However, before they could finalize their preparations, the army of Chu arrived, catching Yan off guard as they had deployed their forces to the north while leaving the south vulnerable.
San Chun found this quite amusing. From Young Master Rong's perspective, Chu was still a civilized country, unlike Wei Kingdom, which sought to pick fights over laughable reasons.
While they were talking, the carriage came to a stop. Young Master Rong smiled and asked, "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?"
San Chun looked outside; it was a large residence, presumably Young Master Rong's private home. She hadn't expected to talk with him for so long and even follow him all the way here. A man inviting a woman to his home always felt a bit strange.
"No, I won't stay," she hurriedly shook her head and quickly jumped down from the carriage.
Young Master Rong lifted the curtain of the carriage and smiled at her, "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
San Chun nodded and turned to run down the street.
Young Master Rong watched her dart away like a cat, and upon encountering her, his gloomy mood seemed to lighten considerably. Perhaps staying in this city was not such a bad idea after all.
At that moment, Main Street was bustling with people running about. Although San Chun ran quickly, she did not stand out because she had been riding in Young Master Rong's carriage; Winter Bamboo Shoot had already gone far ahead. In such chaotic times, leaving a girl alone on the street was quite unsafe.
She hurried back along the same route, but Winter Bamboo Shoot was no longer there. When she rushed home, she found that she had arrived just in time for lunch.
This girl was quite thoughtful; knowing that San Chun hadn't eaten much at noon before leaving the tavern, she had prepared a meal for her.
Leaning against the kitchen door, San Chun watched her busily moving around and suddenly sighed, "If only I could take you with me; having you around these past few months has spoiled me."
Winter Bamboo Shoot paused and looked at her with mild surprise. "Are you planning something?"
San Chun smiled slightly. "Not really; I just really want to join the army."
As she walked back, she pondered this matter. As a Yan person, it felt imperative to do something for her country during its time of crisis. Her greatest asset was her martial skills and the military strategies she learned from several renowned strategists.
Upon hearing her words, Winter Bamboo Shoot's expression remained calm. "If you can go into battle and fight enemies, that would be good; however, as a woman, it is generally not appropriate to do what men do."
San Chun blinked. Sometimes she was very curious about this teenage girl; despite her young age, her words were profoundly deep, often leaving people stunned. Especially since her expressions rarely showed any fluctuations, she felt like an old person who had experienced many hardships.
She reluctantly looked around, "This courtyard will be yours from now on. There is still some money at home, enough for you to get by for a while. After all, you've been with me for a few months; I can't ignore your future."
Winter Bamboo Shoot asked, "Are you not planning to come back?"
"Let's see." Whether she would return was not something she could decide. It was common to die on the battlefield, and if that unfortunate fate befell her, so be it.
Sometimes she really thought about it; living was too exhausting, and perhaps it would be better to die on the battlefield.
Her nature was always to do whatever needed to be done. After enjoying her last meal in this courtyard where she had lived for a few months, she began to pack the things she would need for battle.
Upon reflection, she realized she didn’t have much to take with her. Soldiers typically went into the military with nothing; they were provided with food, lodging, and weapons. She truly lacked nothing. Of course, if she couldn't get used to the food in the barracks, it would be best to bring Winter Bamboo Shoot. But it was impossible for her to take a Girl along; even if she wanted to, the other person might not agree.
After searching through her belongings for a while, she found a wooden box containing snow lotus toad balm. This was a gift she had received from Qing, which he returned to her when he left. It was more useful for her than for him. Now it finally had its purpose.
After changing into men's clothing and looking at herself in the mirror, she felt that this appearance was not suitable for entering the barracks.
What kind of place was the barracks? It was a place without women; it was a place where boars competed with beauties. Among a group of ravenous men, what would happen if a delicate and beautiful person appeared? Surely there would be a swarm of flies buzzing around her, wanting more.
When she was in the barracks before, she had seen several burly men surrounding a weaker individual without letting go. At that time, her identity was that of a prince; no one dared to think ill of her. Otherwise, given her appearance back then, who knew how many disasters she would have faced?
She rummaged through her pack and found the Disguise Pill left by Qing. After applying it, she instantly transformed into an extremely ugly person.
Winter Bamboo Shoot watched as an incredibly ugly man walked out in front of her and couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.
"Ah!" She exclaimed and then saw that man wink at her. Unable to help herself, she asked, "Are you Spring Maiden?"
San Chun smiled, "Your eyesight is quite good; you can recognize me even after I dress like this."
Winter Bamboo Shoot sighed; just now she truly hadn't recognized her. If she hadn't known that there was only one person in the room, she wouldn't have been so sure it was her. She felt puzzled about how someone so beautiful could change into such an ugly form in an instant.
Azure Wind Academy To avoid being easily recognized by others, one must make themselves as unattractive as possible, ideally to the point where people feel disgusted at first glance and don’t want to look again. She succeeded in this.
In fact, San Chun didn’t do much; she simply changed her complexion, added a couple of fierce scars, and dotted her face with pockmarks. This face made people feel hungry at first sight because it resembled a burnt pancake—golden brown with black sesame sprinkled on top, which then fell to the ground, causing the sesame to scatter, only for a dog to rush over and step on it.
Winter Bamboo Shoot stared at her for a long time before getting used to the shock of her appearance. She murmured, “Miss, are you really going out like this?”
San Chun was quite certain. She took some money from her belongings to give to her while keeping the rest wrapped in her bundle, then stepped out the door.
She was somewhat familiar with Jiancheng. She knew that whenever there was an urgent military situation, some passionate young people would voluntarily want to enlist. According to the National Policy she had established back in the day, the court treated these individuals favorably. As long as they had some skills and weren’t too weak or elderly, they would be accepted and incorporated.
At the same time, they would also employ some willing civilians to help. This was done both to boost morale and to gather capable individuals scattered among the populace for the country’s use. Especially when facing overwhelming odds, recruiting from the civilian population became imperative.
Just like Young Master Rong, he spoke eloquently about national affairs and was quite knowledgeable about military strategy. If it weren’t for his physical limitations, she would have thought he was fit to be a commander.
The current Governor Feng Cheng had previously served under General Pang Wan, who was one of her own people; he shouldn’t go against some of the policies she established back then.
Upon arriving at the Prefectural Office, she found a crowd gathered outside—mostly citizens of Jiancheng, many of whom were there to inquire about news.
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