(Extra Story) Grand General 05

Wang Hui watched on, increasingly convinced that Fang Zhiyi had lost his mind. A mere cook was now taking to the field, and Fang Zhiyi was even clapping and cheering for him.

He let out a silent sigh. General, don’t blame me. Who told you to stand in someone else’s way? In past military tournaments, every officer below the chief commander had to compete, showing both skill and strategy. Now it looked no better than watching street thugs brawl.

But Fang Zhiyi was thoroughly entertained, even delighted.

“Sister, do you have any new products today? Let me try them for you,” Fang Yunlan said as she stepped back into the cosmetics shop.

He Yinqing smiled and replied, “Sister, you’ve been coming so often. I haven’t come up with anything new yet.”

“Sigh, it’s so stifling in the palace. Better to come out for some fresh air and chat with you—it lifts my spirits.”

He Yinqing was overjoyed.

She hadn’t expected that, ever since last time, this Imperial Noble Consort had become a different person. She no longer made trouble for her and had even introduced quite a few noble ladies to come and spend money at her shop.

This wasn’t an enemy at all—it was a money god!

“Qingqing!” Princess Xiao Xiao emerged from the back, gave Fang Yunlan a disgusted look, and said, “Don’t bother with her!”

He Yinqing instinctively glanced at Fang Yunlan, but Fang Yunlan smiled magnanimously and said, “Go on, go on—you attend to your business. I’ll just look around myself.”

“What are you doing? How can you say that in front of others?” He Yinqing complained to Xiao Xiao.

“Don’t be fooled by her! She’s vile!” Xiao Xiao blurted out.

He Yinqing shot an apologetic smile toward Fang Yunlan, who was browsing the goods, and pushed Xiao Xiao to the backyard.

“She clearly wants to make amends with us. Why do you have to be like this?”

“Make amends? She’s up to no good! She—yesterday in the palace, when she saw me, she gave me a dirty look!” Xiao Xiao fumed.

“With that spoiled temper of yours, who could put up with it?” He Yinqing said. She often joked with Xiao Xiao like this, but today the words clearly struck a nerve.

Xiao Xiao shoved He Yinqing away. “He Yinqing! What do you mean by that? I’m spoiled, am I? Don’t forget—when she sent people after you, who was it that helped you?”

He Yinqing’s expression shifted slightly, but she quickly put on a smile again. “Fine, fine, I misspoke. Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. I’ll go hurry her along, all right?”

Xiao Xiao fell silent.

He Yinqing went back to the front and looked at Fang Yunlan, who seemed perfectly gentle, and couldn’t help feeling a bit wistful. Setting aside Fang Yunlan’s earlier villainous methods, she was actually far easier to get along with than that spoiled princess.

Before He Yinqing could even speak, Fang Yunlan said, “I must have made things difficult for you, sister, coming by so often, haven’t I? No matter. I’ll have someone send you a list later, and you can just send the goods over to me.”

With that, she glanced toward the backyard.

“That little girl has been spoiled since childhood. She’s got a stubborn streak. I’m sure she’s been a handful for you, sister.”

As Fang Yunlan left, He Yinqing also looked back at the backyard and found herself somewhat agreeing with Fang Yunlan’s words.

Even though she herself had been on guard against Fang Yunlan all along, Xiao Xiao’s flaws were becoming increasingly apparent—domineering, overbearing, and rude.

If it weren’t for the fact that Xiao Xiao was a princess, He Yinqing might have slapped her long ago.

Once she stepped out the door, Fang Yunlan’s expression turned grim. She had fully grasped her superior’s meaning: to survive, she had to endure, to get along with the female lead. That way, even if the princess wanted to come after her, there would be no pretext. But could this really lead to avenging her original body?

The month-long full-army tournament finally came to an end. In reality, the matches had been among the lower-ranked soldiers only. The generals had just shown up, shot the breeze, and then gone off to enjoy themselves. No one had taken it seriously.

Looking at the victors, Wang Hui’s face was expressionless. These soldiers were timid and cowering—they didn’t look like they had much potential.

Fang Zhiyi, however, went so far as to arrange a banquet for them. These low-ranking soldiers had never enjoyed such treatment, and they all sat there fidgeting.

It wasn’t until Fang Zhiyi personally announced that each of them could pick five hundred men from the soldiers they had defeated, forming an elite vanguard unit, that they all became excited.

The general was really promoting them after all!

And Fang Zhiyi moved fast. No sooner had this makeshift vanguard unit been established three days than he was already clamoring to gather warhorses, determined to lead the army into battle himself.

Wang Hui couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. Leading eight thousand men into battle? Fang Zhiyi must have had too much cheap liquor.

Once the horses for eight thousand men were secured, next came the weapons, then the provisions and fodder.

Wang Hui watched as Fang Zhiyi steadily walked deeper into the trap they had set, silently mourning for him.

But what Wang Hui never expected was that Fang Zhiyi declared they wouldn’t need provisions. Each soldier was only issued five days’ worth of dry rations and water.

Even Wang Hui, who was counting on Fang Zhiyi to hurry back to the capital, couldn’t help but hesitate: “General, perhaps you should…”

“Don’t worry. Just mind the camp for me!” Fang Zhiyi said with a laugh, slapping him on the shoulder—so hard that Wang Hui nearly lost his footing.

It wasn’t Fang Zhiyi’s fault, really. He had endured this long and finally reached this very moment. Who wouldn’t be thrilled?

Watching this ragged, loose column set out, Wang Hui shook his head. Go on then, do your worst—the bigger the mess you make, the harsher the punishment waiting for you! He, for his part, had better pick a side soon. Who knew whether it would be Yilibu or someone else who succeeded the Grand General this time.

What they didn't know was that Fang Zhiyi had a secret weapon of his own.

“Little Hei, you know what to do.”

Little Hei flapped up with a string of curses. “I knew you’d want to use me.”

“In war, the key thing is information,” Fang Zhiyi said, riding along at a leisurely pace, speaking to the officers around him.

These men were mostly common soldiers by origin; they understood none of that. Whatever the Grand General said, they listened.

“But General, isn’t war about who’s got the sharper blade, the thicker armor, and the tougher horses?” someone asked.

Fang Zhiyi turned to look. It was that round-bodied cook, who had only recently learned to ride, his body wobbling awkwardly with each stride of the horse.

Having someone ask questions was a good thing.

“Take our hunt for those tribes’ tracks, for example. They get word early and slip away. Not only do we waste our strength for nothing, but when we're exhausted and our horses are spent, they come and ambush us. By then, even if our blades are the sharpest and our horses the best, we’re still no match for them.”

Fatty Liu nodded thoughtfully.

Seeing that the General hadn’t growled at Fatty Liu for asking but had patiently explained, the others gradually relaxed.

Soon another voice piped up, “Then, General, do we have that—information—this time too?”

A smile spread across Fang Zhiyi’s face. “Of course.” He suddenly reined in his horse and turned to give orders. “From now on, Fatty Liu, Zeng Jiaye, Wu Shihao…” He rattled off five names—all of them the victors from before.

The men stepped forward one after another.

“Each of you take five hundred men and march according to the positions I give you. Abandon all heavy baggage. Move fast!”

“Yes, sir!”