“What Zhenzhen has said, I will report to His Majesty before making a decision,” Qi Tianming said after a moment of contemplation.
“Whether it succeeds or not, it is for Father to decide.”
Qi Tianming left in a hurry. Qi Zhenzhen accompanied the old madam for a while longer before returning to her own courtyard.
Er Xi, seeing her return, nimbly presented the letters she had just retrieved from the Qian family. “Miss, Madam Zhang’s letter has been delivered. These are yours.”
Three of them.
Qi Zhenzhen frowned. Why did Gu Sinian have so much to write about? Judging by the frequency of his letters, others would surely think he missed her dearly.
She read them one by one, then began to ponder how to write her reply.
He detailed everything he had done and eaten each day, like a running diary. Qi Zhenzhen had tactfully suggested he could extend the frequency of his letters, but perhaps her suggestion was too subtle, and Gu Sinian hadn’t understood? He still wrote every two days.
If it weren't for the ongoing disaster relief efforts to write about, Qi Zhenzhen genuinely didn’t know what else to say in her replies.
Fei Xu ground ink. Qi Zhenzhen carefully considered her response, consolidating the three letters into one. She wrote three sheets of paper, let the ink dry, folded them, put them into envelopes, sealed them, and handed them to Er Xi.
The border.
In the military tent, the border general was raising a toast to Gu Sinian with a flushed face.
“Your Highness’s strategic talent is a once-in-a-century rarity. If you hadn’t led the soldiers in formation today, with just us, how could we have achieved such a victory?” said Yan Da Lang, a man with a thick beard, excitedly.
Today, thousands of Tatar tribesmen had attacked, and half of them had fallen to their hands. The Great Feng soldiers who had fought numbered just over three hundred. Such a victory, with fewer against more and almost no casualties, greatly boosted the morale of the army, increasing their admiration for the young prince.
“General Yan flatters me,” Gu Sinian replied humbly. “Are not all the soldiers of Great Feng aware that the sons of the Yan family are all valiant warriors? If you were not guarding the border, how could the people of Great Feng enjoy peaceful lives?”
Yan Da Lang laughed heartily. “Your Highness need not be modest. You are a capable person, and all the soldiers see it. We people never speak of empty platitudes; we speak with strength. Your Highness is not only peerless in martial arts, but your formations also command our respect. Don’t you agree?”
The soldiers in the tent echoed in unison, “General Yan speaks the truth.”
For a time, the atmosphere in the tent was high, and everyone frequently toasted Gu Sinian.
In such a setting, Gu Sinian naturally could not refuse; this was the recognition of his abilities by everyone.
Border generals rotated annually. If they encountered familiar generals with whom they had served, they naturally knew each other’s capabilities and there would be no dissent. When encountering those they hadn’t served with, they would initially be questioned, and Gu Sinian needed to demonstrate his abilities to impress them.
Yan Da Lang was an old acquaintance and naturally trusted him. However, other generals were not so easily convinced. After all, in their eyes, he hadn’t been on the battlefield for years, but had been living a life of luxury in the capital. Generals who had served on the border for a long time looked down on such people. In their opinion, he was merely making a trip during the New Year to gain some merit and continue his pampered life.
“Alright everyone, let’s stop drinking here. Although the Tatar tribe was thoroughly defeated and retreated, the Tatar tribe is not the only one that invades Great Feng every year. We must not let our guard down. Gu Qing, issue an order to prepare hangover soup for the adults who have been drinking. Do not be careless,” Gu Sinian announced loudly.