The old man Sun was very polite and respectful. He knew that the woman before him was a young lady from a noble family, someone he, a low-born commoner, could not possibly look up to. "This old man has brought seeds from home. I wonder if they can be of use. If honored lady does not mind, this old man can try with the seeds he brought first."
Sheng Lengshuang saw that his granddaughter was not crying or making a fuss, but was very well-behaved. She smiled and said, "It's not convenient for you to carry the child. I'll arrange someone to help you with the child, so you can do your work more easily."
Old Man Sun repeatedly waved his hands, appearing very flustered. "No, no, no! This old man will just carry the child on his back. How could I possibly ask someone to look after her? Children of farmers are raised this way. They shouldn't be spoiled, or they'll develop bad habits."
Sheng Lengshuang did not insist upon hearing this. Instead, she took the child's pulse and examined her. "She's a bit malnourished, but there are no major problems. The kitchen has bought goat's milk with plenty of milk. Two large bowls will be set aside for this child every day. You can go to the kitchen to collect them on time."
Old Man Sun knelt on the ground with a 'plop' and kowtowed his apologies. "Thank you, honored lady, thank you, honored lady! If not for your kindness, my granddaughter and I would likely not have survived."
"Honored lady, rest assured, I will work diligently."
Sheng Lengshuang helped him up, feeling quite helpless. "There's no need to kowtow. I've invited you here to work, so just focus on your tasks. I will arrange everything else. Today, you should first examine this plot of land and decide what would be best to plant."
"If you need anything, you can tell me or the soldiers."
She paused, as if remembering something. "There is a bowl of goat's milk in the kitchen. Go to the kitchen, warm it up, feed it to the child, and then come back to work."
Old Man Sun, holding his granddaughter, thanked her repeatedly, tears of gratitude streaming down his face. He had truly met a kind person and no longer had to worry too much about his granddaughter perishing.
Sheng Lengshuang knew that her presence would make Old Man Sun uncomfortable, so she went off to attend to other matters with several doctors.
Old Man Sun was honest, diligent, and willing to work. He did not want to waste time.
After feeding his granddaughter, he carried her on his back and wandered around the plot of land with a hoe. He would occasionally hoe the soil, and his spirits had clearly improved.
...
After finishing a day's work, Sheng Lengshuang rubbed her sore neck.
She exchanged a few pleasantries with the doctors with a smile, then left the tent, preparing to return to the General's mansion.
Unexpectedly, after only a few steps, she heard the urgent shouts of the sentries.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! The great army of the Southern Jin Dynasty is here again!"
Sheng Lengshuang's heart tightened. She saw countless soldiers running towards the assembly point, some already putting on armor, others holding weapons, accompanied by the thunderous beat of war drums.
She instinctively searched for Mo Lingxi's figure. She took a few steps forward and then stopped. Although she had been at the border for several days, she still couldn't adapt to war.
Every time she heard of a battle, she would become very worried.
It was completely different from the worry she felt in the Eastern Capital. In the Eastern Capital, she couldn't see or touch it, and there wouldn't be so much concern and unease. But here, she could see and touch, and clearly feel the war. She worried about Mo Lingxi getting injured, worried about him making a mistake.
But she knew that what she could do now was to wait in the military camp and not do anything that would cause trouble.
"Miss Sheng, are you alright?" a doctor asked with concern.
Sheng Lengshuang waved her hand, indicating she was fine. She pulled at the corners of her lips. "Thank you for your concern. I will be fine. I will wait here for Prince Mingrui to return."
The doctor opened his mouth, wanting to offer more comfort, but the words caught in his throat, and he didn't know what to say. He, who had no friends or relatives on the battlefield, could understand the pain of such a situation, let alone Miss Sheng.
If his own friends or relatives were going to the battlefield, he feared his legs would go weak and he would sit on the ground, not remaining as calm as Miss Sheng.
Sheng Lengshuang looked at the assembled army and finally saw Mo Lingxi on his warhorse. Her worry intensified.
As if sensing her gaze, Mo Lingxi looked towards Sheng Lengshuang, nodded gently at her, and then led his troops to battle.
Sheng Lengshuang chased a few steps, then forced herself to stop. She couldn't do this. Especially at a time like this, she had to remain steady, so as not to make Mo Lingxi worry about her on the battlefield.
Unable to calm herself, she stood on a higher spot in the military camp, gazing at the battlefield where the two armies were clashing, anxiously awaiting Mo Lingxi's return.
She had to believe in Mo Lingxi. He had been fine several times before, and he would be fine this time too.
Faintly, she heard the shouts and the sounds of combat between the two armies, as well as the pained cries, like needles piercing her eardrums, making her heart even more unsettled.
He would be fine. He would be fine this time too.
She clenched her fists tightly and stood there, motionless.
After an unknown period of time, as the sky began to darken, she saw two blood-soaked soldiers carrying a stretcher. A person with an arrow lodged in their chest lay on the stretcher.
"Where are the doctors? Military doctor, military doctor! Quick, the commander is injured!" shouted the soldier in front.
Sheng Lengshuang's body went weak, but she quickly regained her composure and ran over.
What met her eyes was Mo Lingxi, covered in blood and grime, lying on the stretcher with a furrowed brow. Drops of blood dripped from beneath the stretcher, staining the ground along the way.
"Mo Lingxi..." She quickly took Mo Lingxi's pulse and asked other doctors to examine him. "It's inconvenient for me to treat him. Please help him. Tell me what you need."
The doctors understood. Generally, doctors were not allowed to treat their own relatives, mainly because they might lose control of their emotions, leading to mistakes.
"Miss Sheng, please rest assured, we will heal Prince Mingrui. Quickly, carry Prince Mingrui inside and prepare the necessary medicines and tools!"
Sheng Lengshuang watched as Mo Lingxi was carried into the tent. She gritted her teeth, praying that Mo Lingxi would be alright. The pulse she felt wasn't particularly good or bad; it all depended on the treatment now.
At this moment, she noticed one of the soldiers who had carried Mo Lingxi back. She grabbed him and asked what had happened. "How did the commander get injured?"
The soldier casually wiped the sweat from his forehead, unconcerned about his appearance. "The great army of the Southern Jin Dynasty attacked like madmen, charging in recklessly. They even dragged our wounded soldiers with them to die."
"The commander was ambushed while being surrounded. If he hadn't dodged quickly, that arrow would have hit his head. Those dogs from the Southern Jin Dynasty are truly detestable!"
He bowed and then went off to attend to his duties.
Sheng Lengshuang understood that it was the frantic offensive of the Southern Jin Dynasty. It was likely that the Southern Jin army wanted to capture Chenmen Pass before its military and civilians were fully recovered, thus avoiding being defeated by them later.
If the Southern Jin army could not capture Chenmen Pass, it wouldn't just be a simple defeat. It would also have a significant impact on the internal affairs of the Southern Jin Dynasty and destabilize the new emperor's position.