After a hurried breakfast, Chen Xiaobei first headed to the woods west of the village. Dozens of villagers were making charcoal. Although they were all skilled workers and their techniques were mature, there was no real difference whether he watched or not.
Yet, Chen Xiaobei couldn't help but worry and wanted to check on them.
Seeing Chen Xiaobei approaching from afar, Chen Dayong smiled and walked up to greet him. Chen Dayong was quite diligent; when he wasn't on duty at the village entrance, he would usually be found by the charcoal kilns.
"Brother Xiaobei, are you here for something?"
Chen Xiaobei shook his head gently. "No, no, I just came to see you. Let them continue their work."
Chen Dayong nodded and pointed into the distance. "Miss Liu's charcoal kilns here seem to have fewer people too. I heard they're planning to sell them outside."
Chen Xiaobei nodded. "Yes, Rumei has some connections, so we don't need to worry about it. You just need to check on them occasionally and make sure they don't burn anything down."
Chen Dayong nodded. "Okay, I've noted it down!"
"Also, when they deliver charcoal and cabbage, please help me inquire about something. After spring, I plan to raise chickens, pigs, cattle, and sheep."
Hearing this, Chen Dayong's eyes widened, and he looked at Chen Xiaobei in disbelief.
"This, you're going to raise so many?"
Chen Xiaobei nodded. "Yes, you know that cave Elder Mao told us about? He put a lot of wild chickens and snakes inside, and even a small wild boar. He said he put them in there over half a year ago."
"Right, that wild chicken he gave me. I looked at it, and there were no signs of decay at all. It still smelled very fragrant."
Now Chen Dayong understood and nodded. "I see, you want to put them there to air dry before selling them outside."
Chen Xiaobei smiled slightly. "You understand my intentions best."
"Alright, then I'll talk to everyone and see what connections we can find."
Another day passed in the blink of an eye. The next morning, the city of Wannian was abuzz with excitement. Princess Zhaoning had returned.
The Emperor, Xiao An, was thrilled upon hearing the news. "Quickly, bring Jingfeng to see me."
Before long, Princess Zhaoning, Xiao Jingfeng, entered with Eunuch Xiao Shunzi. Upon seeing Xiao An, Princess Zhaoning bowed respectfully. "Jingfeng greets Father Emperor."
Xiao An nodded slightly. "Jingfeng, you're finally back. I can finally rest easy."
Princess Zhaoning, Xiao Jingfeng, chuckled. "Father Emperor, don't worry. It's just the insignificant Great Tu Kingdom, nothing to be concerned about."
"I've also written a letter to my master and sent someone to deliver it to the Lotus Sect. If my master receives it, he will also come to assist us."
Xiao An became even more excited after hearing this. "Excellent, excellent, wonderful! This will give us a greater chance of victory."
Princess Zhaoning bowed again, clasping her fists. "Father Emperor, I will go pay my respects to Mother Empress now. If you have any commands, you can send someone to summon me directly."
Xiao An waved for Princess Zhaoning to leave.
Watching her depart, Xiao An excitedly slapped the table. "Excellent, with Jingfeng back, I feel much more at ease."
Eunuch Xiao Shunzi clearly hadn't understood why the return of a princess would make the Emperor so happy.
"Your Majesty, the Princess is not yet married and may not be suitable for appearing in public."
Xiao An burst into laughter. "Jingfeng left in anger some days ago, and I've always had a deep worry in my heart. Now that she's back, doesn't that mean she has forgiven me?"
"Of course. Since we are not seeking a marriage alliance with the Great Lin Kingdom, I must quickly find a suitable match for Jingfeng."
"Now that the Great Tu Kingdom is invading, it's an opportunity for all talented individuals to showcase their abilities. Let's see which noble heir can stand out, and I will betroth the princess to him."
"Right, go and issue an imperial decree to all the households as I just said..."
Eunuch Xiao Shunzi bowed and withdrew.
Soon, the news spread throughout Wannian City: whoever could defeat the Great Tu Kingdom would marry the princess. This was undoubtedly a meteoric rise for many, becoming the Emperor's son-in-law.
The people were instantly incited. All the disciples of the royal nobility who knew a little martial arts clamored to fight, and the national enthusiasm for war soared.
The news reached Crown Prince Xiao Jingyun's palace. Upon hearing it, he felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.
His father really knew how to play games. His sister had just returned, and he'd caused such a stir, using her as bait.
However, at this moment, he had little time to consider such trivial matters.
Just after noon, Xue Feng sent a messenger. The Great Tu Kingdom's army had indeed bypassed the Daqing River and was intercepted by him. However, the enemy seemed to have reinforced their troops, numbering more than 300,000.
Hearing this, Xiao Jingyun inwardly despaired.
He had over a hundred thousand soldiers, while the enemy had 300,000. With Wannian City as their shield and the Four Spirit Eight Trigram Formation, they could still hold on. But if the enemy's forces were too overwhelming, his Eight Trigram Formation would be of little use, and they would simply disperse.
Seeing Xiao Jingyun frowning with worry, Zhou Quan also began to feel uneasy.
It seemed the situation was not optimistic.
"Your Highness, perhaps we should send people to urge the various reinforcement armies again, to bring less baggage and hurry over."
Xiao Jingyun shook his head. "In such cold weather, without provisions, what good would it be for them to rush here? With no place to stay and no food, they would soon be depleted."
He sighed and continued, "While the various princely estates are currently high-spirited, let them contribute more. Go and summon all the guards from their estates, form them into a separate unit, and you will train them in preparation for any eventuality."
Zhou Quan bowed and left.
Meanwhile, in the Liu Manor, Liu Yuanwen and Liu Kai were intensely discussing over a map.
Although Liu Yuanwen did not understand martial arts, having followed his father for a long time, he understood battle formations and strategies.
Liu Kai, of course, was an expert. He pointed to the Daqing River and explained the situation to Liu Yuanwen.
"Although we have thirty thousand men, the Daqing River stretches for hundreds of miles. According to reports from the front, the river is not yet completely frozen, so it should not be able to bear the weight of pedestrians. The enemy will need boats or to build a bridge to cross."
Liu Yuanwen nodded. "Good. In that case, holding the line with thirty thousand men for two to three days should not be a problem."
"I think the Crown Prince should order Xue Feng to hold out for three days, and then, under the cover of night, quietly retreat. Let the enemy cross the river, otherwise, those thirty thousand men will likely be annihilated."
Upon hearing Liu Yuanwen's words, Liu Kai nodded slightly and clasped his fists. "Young Master, you are right. The enemy is far more than 300,000."
"Then hurry up and go," Liu Yuanwen waved his hand.
However, Liu Kai shook his head and clasped his fists. "First Young Master, I am merely a steward. My position may not grant me an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince. It would be better for you to handle this matter. Moreover, if you go, this favor will be credited to Master's account. Who knows, if the Crown Prince is pleased..."
After hearing Liu Kai's words, Liu Yuanwen pondered for a moment and nodded.