99: Chapter 0099 Marriage

The waiter looked dejected. "Don't even mention it. It's already been three days, and I have no idea where she went! Her family has been so worried that they've come by several times already!"

Qi Wenjun let out a sigh of relief. It seemed he really had been overthinking things!

This "Emei Peak" had truly finished off that little beauty.

Just then, a patrol of soldiers came over from not far away.

Qi Wenjun kept his head down and ate silently, then left the city again after finishing his meal.

This time, he did not hesitate again. He bought a fast horse and sped back to the White Kings Army camp.

Meanwhile, at Zhu Ming's farm, Su Wansha and Mu Wanying were playing mahjong with the elderly couple, Zhu Ming and his wife.

Lin Xiao was in the kitchen, busy preparing lunch for everyone with Xiao Qingxuan.

After being busy for all these days, he finally found some time to come and visit the elderly couple, and Lin Xiao intended to show off his skills a little.

Xiao Qingxuan's cooking skills were not very good, but she could still help out.

Mainly, she was too calculating when playing mahjong, which annoyed Zhu Ming, so she had to give up her seat to Mu Wanying.

At this moment, a black horse arrived, and a heroic-looking woman in black jumped down.

Leng Bingyan walked quickly into the courtyard, slightly out of breath.

"You really calculated it correctly. That guy went to Baiyu Pavilion and only left after confirming everything."

Lin Xiao turned around and smiled. "To be able to serve as the deputy commander of the secret guards, his brain certainly wouldn't be too simple."

"You've worked hard these past few days. Here are some freshly fried oil cakes. Want to try one?"

Lin Xiao took an oil cake coated in soybean flour and handed it to Leng Bingyan.

The woman was somewhat flattered, her face turning slightly red. She reached out to take it and took a bite... it was sweet.

This guy... how is he so good at cooking too?

Mentioning Qi Wenjun, Mu Wanying, who was playing mahjong, didn't look too happy.

"That traitor! My father adopted him back then and taught him martial arts in vain. What an ungrateful wretch!"

When she saw that handwritten letter two days ago, Mu Wanying immediately recognized that it was indeed Qi Wenjun's handwriting.

At that time, she wished she could have grabbed her spear and killed him right away, but Lin Xiao had persuaded her otherwise.

"Hey! — I've won!"

Zhu Ming laughed heartily, looking just like an old urchin. Where was his demeanor as a great Confucian scholar?

"Oh no! I... I didn't notice! Did I deal the winning tile again?"

Mu Wanying looked dejected. She was too angry and hadn't thought clearly because her head was hot.

"I just love playing mahjong with Wanying. She always lets me win a few rounds!"

"Elder Zhu... you are making fun of me again!"

Mu Wanying pouted playfully. Of course, she wasn't actually angry; as long as the two elders were happy, that was enough.

Xiao Qingxuan said with a smile, "Husband, since Qi Wenjun has brought back the defense map, shouldn't we redeploy our troops now?"

"That goes without saying, and we must focus our defenses on the border near Western Qiang."

Lin Xiao said, "I have already sent Qin He to take men to investigate the Western Qiang side. News should be reported back soon."

"The only worry now is that after Qi Wenjun goes back, he discovers that the spy doesn't exist at all, and then all our efforts will have been in vain," Su Wansha said with concern.

"That won't happen. If they discover that their operation has been exposed, we can go trade for the iron ore in Western Qiang ourselves, or even seize it."

"If they never find out and come to trade normally, that would naturally be best."

Xiao Qingxuan looked at Lin Xiao with smiling eyes. "Husband, this move of yours is a win-win situation."

"My wife understands me!" Lin Xiao laughed.

"But I just can't figure out how you managed to deceive Qi Wenjun, husband. Who was disguised as 'Emei Peak'?"

"As for that... allow me to keep you in suspense. You will know in the future!"

After all, they were at Zhu Ming's house, and Lin Xiao didn't want to talk about the Disguise Technique.

Su Wansha was secretly pleased. Only she knew who Emei Peak was; even Xiao Qingxuan didn't know!

Lunch was served. Zhu Ming and his wife looked at the table full of various fresh meats and vegetables, and the copper pot heated by a clay stove with charcoal in the middle, both looking bewildered.

"General Lin, what is this?" Ding Cuihua had studied food for half her life, yet she had never seen this thing before.

"This is a 'hot pot'. Watch how I eat it."

Lin Xiao picked up a slice of lamb, swished it inside, dipped it in some sauce, and ate it.

"Refreshing!" Lin Xiao looked satisfied. "As the weather gets cold, hot pot is the best. It's just that there are no chili peppers here, nor sesame paste, so the condiments are a bit lacking."

Everyone became interested and started to follow his example, beginning to put meat, fish balls, chicken, and vegetables into the pot one by one to try it out.

"This hot pot looks simple, but it can greatly preserve the original taste of the ingredients. It can be called a return to simplicity!"

Zhu Ming particularly liked the freshly made fish balls and ate several of them in a row.

"Why didn't I think of cooking like this? It saves so much trouble!" Ding Cuihua also praised it endlessly.

Xiao Qingxuan and Mu Wanying's beautiful eyes also shone with brilliance. Being with Lin Xiao, one could always encounter new and fresh things.

"General... General Lin, can I introduce this hot pot to Baiyu Pavilion?"

Su Wansha had already seen the business prospects; she could definitely make a fortune!

Lin Xiao took another mouthful of hot lamb. The beach sheep here in the borderlands tasted excellent.

"Of course you can, but this hot pot is actually not hard to replicate, and it's easy for others to steal the technique."

"You might as well wait. The day I take over the entire six northern provinces, we can join forces and open a dozen or so shops at once, making a huge profit!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present looked at him with strange expressions.

Lin Xiao chuckled. "What's wrong? Isn't it clear to you all what I want?"

After a moment of silence, Zhu Ming said with a smile, "Since General Lin has his sights set on the six northern provinces, why have you been so slow to take action against the other commanderies in Cang Province?"

"Although the other commanderies lack mineral resources, they have people and land, which are all resources."

Lin Xiao smiled playfully. "It's easy to conquer them, but it's not easy to hold them."

"My military strength is less than one-tenth of Prince Bai's. Taking over an entire province is too much of a stretch for now."

"Secondly, the imperial court appointed me as General Zhenbei, but they neither give me men nor money. To expect me to keep working hard for them, how could it be that easy?"

Zhu Ming's eyes flickered, and he stroked his beard with a smile.

"Wanting the horse to run without feeding it grass is indeed improper. The imperial court should make some sort of gesture."

Lin Xiao looked at the old man's mysterious demeanor and thought to himself, could he have heard some rumors?

The capital. The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study. "Is this battle report... confirmed to be correct?"

Emperor Hong sat on the couch, looking at the battle report from the northern border he had just received, his hands trembling.

"Father, I have already confirmed it repeatedly with the Ministry of War. The Zhenbei Army indeed repelled Marshal Suhe's army of fifty thousand, and even beheaded the Grand Shaman's disciple, General Tumen!"

Crown Prince Li Chenghao smiled and cupped his hands in congratulations. "Congratulations, Father, for gaining a great general who protects the nation!"

"Good! That's good!! That bastard, the Golden Tent Khan, won't have an easy winter this year!"

Emperor Hong slapped his thigh in excitement. "What about Cang Province? Has it been taken?"

"Cang Province... only Wushan Commandery has been recovered."

"Why is the progress so slow!?" Emperor Hong frowned.

"Father, just think, the Zhenbei Army has less than thirty thousand troops in total. They have to fight against the Northern Barbarians and also face Prince Bai; it is very difficult for them."

Emperor Hong sighed. "It's still because the rewards are not enough. Since that's the case... I will give him a reason that forces him to take Cang Province!"

"What is your brilliant plan, Father?" Crown Prince Li Chenghao looked puzzled.

Emperor Hong said playfully, "I remember, the daughter of the Marquis of Linyuan, Xie Shang, Princess Ningxiang, is not yet married, right?"