Chu Jiubian looked away from the man’s chest muscles, and when he raised his eyes, he met the slightly dubious gaze of their owner.

Chu Jiubian: “…..”

It was perfectly normal to admire the appearance of the same sex. Qin Xiao had better not think of him as a pervert.

“Jiujiu.” The child took advantage of his illness, saying coquettishly: “I wanna sit high up.”

Qin Xiao lowered his eyes to look at him.

Bai Lihong immediately put on a pitiful expression: “Miaomiao is grown up and can’t sit high up anymore.”

Qin Xiao: “…..”

Yes, he even said his baby name. 

This wasn’t Chu Jiubian’s first time encountering Bai Lihong’s baby name.

In the original book, the name “Miaomiao” was given to him by the late empress.

‘Miao’ for ‘seedling,’ which symbolized a good harvest.

Qin Feng had hoped that her child could grow up healthy and be able to lead the common people to live good lives.

But what was sitting high up?

Chu Jiubian was unfamiliar with this game, but he guessed it was similar to being lifted up in the air.

No matter what it was, Bai Lihong was the emperor, and he could only be a child for a couple of days while he was sick.

Chu Jiubian couldn’t bear to disappoint him.

Evidently, Qin Xiao couldn’t either.

He said: “Just this once.”

Bai Lihong immediately grinned from ear to ear, and his pitiful appearance vanished as he clung excitedly to his uncle.

Qin Xiao lifted him up and let him ride on his shoulders.

So this was what he meant, Chu Jiubian suddenly realized.

Many children rode on their father’s shoulders like this when they were young. He had always been curious…..was it really that fun?

But when Chu Jiubian heard Bai Lihong’s laughter, he smiled.

It must be fun.

Qin Xiao was 1.9 meters tall, and the child sitting on his shoulders had a very good view. He steered Qin Xiao to move around, but they remained within the limited space of the bedroom.

Clearly, the young emperor was aware that some things should remain hidden from outsiders.

Qin Xiao played with him for a while, and the child asked to come down on his own initiative.

Qin Xiao set him back on the bed.

Bai Lihong stretched out a little hand and clasped his shoulder, saying: “Jiujiu has worked hard.”

Qin Xiao rubbed his little head and then skillfully helped him put on his clothes.

Hong Fu had already helped him wash all the sweat away when he woke up that morning, so now, he simply got dressed.

When he was finished, Qin Xiao called Hong Fu in from the outer room.

“Take His Majesty to wash his face,” he said.

“Yes.” Hong Fu led Bai Lihong to the outer room, where someone had already prepared water for washing. He didn’t need anyone else to help him. Instead, he personally watched the young emperor brush his teeth, then helped him wash his face and comb his hair.

Chu Jiubian also prepared to leave.

He planned to take the iron wok to the kitchens and cook up something tasty for the child.

It was currently lunchtime, so the kitchen must already have ingredients prepared. That would make everything more convenient.

However, the Imperial Kitchens were located in the back courtyard of Yangxin Hall, so it was unlikely that anyone would be allowed to go there casually unless they were accompanied by Qin Xiao.

Unlike electronic thermometers, iron woks were something that could conceivably be found in this era, so it wouldn’t seem too out of place if Chu Jiubian procured one.

Since he would be using it for cooking from now on, he couldn’t just keep hiding it every time; he might as well just take it out openly.

Thus, he had no intention of hiding it from Qin Xiao.

And conjuring a pot out of thin air was far more shocking than producing a couple of pills. Even someone as rational as Qin Xiao would be startled by it.

He didn’t believe he was a god, right?

Didn’t he think he was just a special person with extraordinary abilities?

If he were to suddenly produce a pot out of thin air in front of Qin Xiao, even such a staunch atheist would have to waver in his beliefs.

Thinking of this, Chu Jiubian couldn’t help but glance at Qin Xiao.

Their eyes met, and Qin Xiao smiled faintly: “Do you want a ride too?”

“What?” Chu Jiubian stared blankly.

“I noticed that you seemed rather envious of His Majesty just now.” Qin Xiao approached him and patted his shoulder. “Want to try?”

Chu Jiubian’s indifferent expression nearly cracked.

“No need,” he said, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes.

Qin Xiao chuckled.

Chu Jiubian had no wish to continue this topic, and said: “May I use the kitchens?”

“You may.”

Qin Xiao led him to the back courtyard and dismissed the cooks, leaving only the two of them in the kitchens.

On the stove were several pots, all made of bronze or ceramic. Fish was simmering in one of the ceramic pots, and there was an abundance of processed ingredients on the counter next to it.

Chu Jiubian looked around and found that apart from the lack of a wide variety of seasonings, everything else was fairly complete.

It seemed that a lot of ginger slices had been added to the fish to remove the fishy taste, so rather than smelling fragrant, it just smelled strongly of ginger.

Chu Jiubian had eaten it at Yaotai Residence before, and it didn’t taste good at all.

Although Bai Lihong’s fever had subsided, according to the treatment methods of the Imperial Hospital, he would definitely have to take medicine for several days in order to make a complete recovery. For this reason, Qin Xiao assumed that Chu Jiubian had come here to brew medicine.

He just didn’t know how he had prepared such efficient medicine the day before.

Seeing that Chu Jiubian was going to move a bronze pot, Qin Xiao stepped forward and said: “Let me do it.”

“No need.” Chu Jiubian glanced at his shoulder.

When Qin Xiao was holding the boy, he had barely used his left hand, likely because he didn’t want to pull on his wound.

Qin Xiao was somewhat surprised.

He himself had practically forgotten about the injury to his shoulder, but Chu Jiubian unexpectedly still remembered it.

Chu Jiubian set the slightly heavy pot on the ground, and then Qin Xiao watched as a new pot that seemed to be made of iron appeared out of thin air in his hand.

Just like the pills that had appeared out of nowhere before, this pot popped into existence.

While the pills could have been hidden in a sleeve or other places, such a large pot couldn’t possibly have originated on Chu Jiubian’s person.

This couldn’t possibly be sleight of hand. So what else could it be?

In an instant, an outrageous idea suddenly became clear.

Qin Xiao’s deep eyes were fixed on the young man only steps away, who had already placed the iron wok on the stove.

“Let me show you what we immortals eat.” Chu Jiubian spoke casually, as if his magic trick was nothing to be surprised about.

Qin Xiao lowered his eyes and suppressed his restless thoughts.

“Can you cook?” Chu Jiubian turned his head to look at Qin Xiao and happened to catch a glimpse of his concealed expression.

It seemed to have worked.

As expected, drastic measures were needed for someone like Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao recovered and said: “I can call Matron Zhong.”

Matron Zhong was the head chef of the Imperial Kitchens, and had also accompanied Qin Feng in the palace before. She had always been the one to serve Qin Feng and Bai Lihong their meals, and continued to do so for Bai Lihong now.

Chu Jiubian supposed this person must be trustworthy.

Since he wasn’t going to cook every day anyway, he might as well teach Matron Zhong now for future convenience.

“Then please have her come,” he said.

A secret guard must have gone to inform her, because before Qin Xiao could speak, Matron Zhong hurriedly entered the kitchen and bowed to the two of them.

“No need for that.” Qin Xiao told her to light the stove.

Matron Zhong went to leave after the fire was lit, but Chu Jiubian said: “Stay.”

She sent a quick look toward Qin Xiao, and only stayed after he gave a nod.

Then she kept her head down and remained silent.

But in her mind, several rounds of questions had already passed through it.

She spotted the iron wok.

Iron ore was precious nowadays, and smelting it was troublesome, so it was considered a valuable resource. Therefore, no one had ever thought to make an iron wok.

The iron wok in front of her was very well-made, and looked like it was meant for stewing. Wasn’t that a waste?

She knew everything in the kitchen by heart, and hadn’t seen anyone bring in this iron wok, so where had it come from?

Could it be related to the young master?

They were fairly well-informed in the Imperial Kitchens, but because they didn’t know one another’s backgrounds, they didn’t dare just talk about anything. 

Just a few days ago, Ning-wang had punished a lowly eunuch named Xiao Huzi and a cook named Lian Niang on the grounds of “offending a noble person.”

These two had been in the Imperial Kitchens for several years. Everyone knew perfectly well that Qin Xiao’s sudden punishment of them meant that either they had betrayed their master, or they were spies planted there by other forces.

After that, the atmosphere in the kitchens had become much more relaxed, because everyone else knew that they were innocent, and were Qin Xiao’s or the Emperor’s people. Because of this, they all naturally became closer.

So when they gathered together to work or rest, they inevitably chatted for a while, with the main topic of conversation being the currently very popular “Jiu-gongzi.”

His ability to accurately predict the rainfall, his creation of ice, and the poems that were wildly popular amongst scholars and poets all demonstrated that Chu Jiubian was a celestial being descended from heaven.

Almost all of them believed this.

Matron Zhong couldn’t help but think of this matter now, and was inevitably a little excited at the thought of Chu Jiubian’s identity.

That iron wok must have been conjured up by the young master. She wondered what he intended to use it for.

Since they had brought her in to serve, didn’t that mean she would also have a chance to witness a miracle?!

“Matron Zhong,” Chu Jiubian called out.

“This servant is here.” Matron Zhong’s tone became even more respectful.

“I will now teach you how to cook the stir-fried dishes we immortals eat. Once you’ve mastered them, you can cook them for His Majesty in the future.”

Stir-fried dishes eaten by immortals?!

Good heavens! What an honor!

Matron Zhong flushed with excitement. Her hands trembled slightly, but she still managed to calmly and resolutely agree: “Yes, this servant will definitely learn them well.”

Chu Jiubian had long taken charge of his own household, and was a pretty good cook. Although he had basically stopped cooking after entering the entertainment industry, his skills should still be present.

The pot was already hot, so he used a matching iron spoon to scoop some oil, then added chopped scallions and onions and stir-fried them. Once they were aromatic, he added a spoonful of seasonings.

Seasonings were arguably the best food additives of his era.

Once the seasonings were fragrant, he added some chopped cabbage.

Unlike stewing, stir-frying immediately released the rich aroma of the vegetables.

Matron Zhong swallowed hard. A gnawing wave of hunger washed over her, but she dared not let her mind wander. She fixed her eyes almost unblinkingly on Chu Jiubian’s movements, afraid of missing anything.

Qin Xiao could tell from Chu Jiubian’s movements that he had done this often.

People said that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen, but Chu Jiubian seemed to handle cooking with ease and confidence. And under the hazy glow of the flames, his aloof temperament seemed more down-to-earth.

Like an immortal who had descended to the mortal world.

Since he was already doing this, Chu Jiubian wanted to enhance the recipe a little more.

So he secretly took out some fine salt and thirteen-spice powder from the System Space. It would be even better if he could use some light or dark soy sauce.

However, just these two potent seasonings instantly created a mouthwatering aroma.

This time, not only Matron Zhong, but even Chu Jiubian was craving a taste.

The aroma wafted out of the kitchen to where the other cooks and Xiao Xiangzi were waiting out in the courtyard, and they all swallowed hard.

“What is that scent? It smells so good, ah.”

“Is Matron Zhong cooking? Have her skills improved?”

“It smells so strong, it’s making my stomach rumble.”

Xiao Xiangzi was one of the people closest to Chu Jiubian, and he firmly believed in his identity as a “god.” Because of this, he deduced the truth with a high degree of accuracy.

“Our Young Master must have brought some celestial food with him,” Xiao Xiangzi said.

Everyone turned to look at him: “How does Xiao Hong know that?”

Xiao Xiangzi proudly raised his chin and said: “Our Young Master is skilled in everything. He always brings us mortals the best things from the heavenly realm to broaden our horizons. I think this aroma is from the food he brought back from heaven.”

The cooks and palace maids exclaimed in amazement, all of them filled with envy.

To be able to accompany an immortal was truly an incredible stroke of luck for Xiao Xiangzi. But he was different from them, being the only disciple of Eunuch Hong Fu.

Bai Lihong had finished washing up, and came to the kitchens with Eunuch Hong just then.

He could smell the fragrance from a great distance.

Having just recovered from a fever, the child still had a low appetite. He had only drunk a few mouthfuls of porridge in the morning, and his mouth constantly felt dry and bitter.

But now, smelling this aroma, he couldn’t help but salivate.

The child always tried to appear more composed and mature in public. His cheeks puffed out, and he quickly swallowed twice.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

The people in the courtyard knelt down.

Bai Lihong called for them to rise, and looked at Xiao Xiangzi.

Xiao Xiangzi immediately stepped forward and bowed, reporting: “Your Majesty, our Lord and the Young Master are inside.”

“Are they cooking?” Bai Lihong asked in his childish voice.

Xiao Xiangzi shook his head: “This servant doesn’t know.”

He could make a definitive statement to his fellow servants, but not to His Majesty.

Inside the kitchens, Chu Jiubian had already finished the stir-fried cabbage dish.

He picked some out and took a bite. Although it lacked the flavor of cured meat and chili peppers, compared to the dishes of this era, it would be no exaggeration to call it divine cuisine.

Besides, Bai Lihong was still so young. It was best for him to eat something simple and low in salt. If it did contain chili peppers and cured meat, the child probably wouldn’t be able to eat it.

Chu Jiubian picked up another portion of cabbage and looked at Qin Xiao: “Want to try some?”

Qin Xiao’s eyebrows rose. Then he walked over, leaned down, and took the bite from his hand.

Matron Zhong’s attention was initially focused on the dish, but this scene immediately caught her eye and frightened her so much that she almost knelt down. But out of fear of disturbing the two lords, she could only lower her eyes in guilty shock and pretend that she hadn’t seen anything.

But inside, she was screaming.

Good heavens!

What in the world did she just see?!

She saw the Young Master feeding their Lord! The two even shared the same chopsticks!

Chu Jiubian glanced at her reaction, rather satisfied.

He was only putting on an act for the “outsider.” His “love tribulation” involving Lord Ning-wang needed to be confirmed with some solid news.

He and Qin Xiao were bound together now, standing against those other forces.

However, it wasn’t necessarily the case that Qin Xiao’s subordinates saw him as one of their own.

But if his relationship with Qin Xiao was ambiguous, these people’s attitudes toward him would change.

During the Great Ning Dynasty, scholars considered visiting prostitutes a refined pursuit, and there were brothels in abundance. Even the Minister of Works, Jian Hongzhuo, was involved in such activities. He had also married a man, and to this day had no concubines or children. Therefore, among the powerful and wealthy families of the capital, affairs between men were not uncommon.

This made it easier for Chu Jiubian to spread rumors about his ambiguous relationship with Qin Xiao.

“Delicious,” Qin Xiao praised without reservation.

He hadn’t expected Qin Xiao to directly use his chopsticks. He had just been teasing him, as well as showing enough intimacy to make Matron Zhong’s imagination run wild.

But Qin Xiao’s move actually assisted him well.

Outside, Bai Lihong really wanted to go in and see what they were doing, but he feared that Xiansheng and his uncle were attending to a serious matter, so he could only suppress his cravings and pace back and forth in the courtyard, his little legs moving fast.

At last, the kitchen door opened.

Bai Lihong came to a stop and looked over with expectant eyes.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian came out one after another, but Matron Zhong didn’t follow them. Instead, she remained in the kitchen to continue cooking other dishes.

With Chu Jiubian’s demonstration, this woman who was already a skilled cook was able to understand the concept of “stir-frying.”

As if her meridians had been opened, she eagerly took the iron wok and began to stir-fry.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao bowed almost simultaneously.

They were in tacit, unspoken agreement.

In front of outsiders, they must maintain Bai Lihong’s face as the emperor.

Bai Lihong then returned their greeting.

The two in front of him were his uncle and the Grand Tutor, so his response was also very standard.

“Your Majesty’s meal will be served shortly,” Qin Xiao said to Bai Lihong. “Let’s return to the main hall first.”

“Okay.”

The three of them then led Eunuch Hong and the others back to Yangxin Hall.

As soon as they arrived, the child was eager to ask what they had been doing and what smelled so good.

“You’ll see when the dishes are served,” said Qin Xiao.

Before long, a variety of dishes were placed before them.

Unlike the usual bland and watery dishes, today’s food looked incredibly appealing.

“Wow!” Bai Lihong exclaimed in delight. “So many new dishes!”

He sniffed, smelling the aroma he had noticed near the kitchen before. It was so fragrant that he swallowed hard.

Now that he was Emperor, he should naturally be the first to start eating.

So the child eagerly grabbed his chopsticks, and Hong Fu hurried to serve him food.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao also began to eat without needing anyone to serve them.

The table held six dishes.

The portions weren’t large, but Chu Jiubian felt that the three of them probably wouldn’t be able to finish it.

Let alone one of them being a child, the other two didn’t eat much. Chu Jiubian had a small appetite, and Qin Xiao should be the same.

However, the rest could be given to Eunuch Hong and the others. Here, it could be called a reward from their superiors.

“Delicious!” Bai Lihong’s eyes lit up after just one bite of cabbage. “Xiansheng, did you make this?”

It just so happened that Chu Jiubian had made this dish, so he nodded and said: “I did.”

“Xiansheng is amazing!” Bai Lihong’s admiration was undisguised, and he even tugged at Qin Xiao’s sleeve. “Jiujiu thinks so too, right?”

Their eyes met. Bai Lihong silently pursed his lips and lowered his head to eat, not daring to say another word.

Oh no.

Jiujiu always said not to talk while eating.

Just as he was thinking he might get a scolding, he heard his uncle say: “Yes. He is very impressive.”

He looked up in surprise and saw his uncle staring at Xiansheng.

Xiansheng glanced at his uncle, then resumed eating without a smile or a word.

This cold attitude was completely different from how he treated Bai Lihong.

The child was a little confused; did Xiansheng not like his uncle?

But Jiujiu was very good.

Everyone was satisfied with the meal. All six dishes were eaten clean, with nothing wasted, as most of it ended up in Qin Xiao’s stomach.

Chu Jiubian thought to himself, this guy looks thin, but he sure can eat a lot.

While the atmosphere in Yangxin Hall was filled with joy and harmony, the atmosphere inside Cining Palace was oppressive.

The palace servants hung their heads, barely daring to breathe.

It seemed that ever since the appearance of the Grand Tutor, there hadn’t been many peaceful days in Cining Palace.

Matron Liu served the Empress Dowager, picking up a piece of stewed eggplant with her chopsticks.

Eggplant stewed with only sauce and salt was usually considered delicious, but presently, Xiao Ruohan didn’t like the look of it and had no appetite.

She slammed down her chopsticks and reached out a hand.

Matron Liu quickly helped her up, and the two of them left the hall.

The aroma from the Imperial Kitchens had wafted far and wide, attracting the attention of many palace servants, and rumors soon began to circulate. It was said that Chu Jiubian had once again performed a miracle, bringing down food from the heavenly realm for the Emperor and Lord Ning-wang to eat.

And the rumors became increasingly fantastical, starting with claims that the heavenly cuisine was capable of strengthening the body and prolonging one’s life.

Xiao Ruohan didn’t believe it, but hearing it still annoyed her.

Ever since this Chu Jiubian appeared, Yangxin Hall had been experiencing a surge in comfort – first the ice, and now gourmet food.

Moreover, Qin Xiao’s influence in court was growing stronger and stronger.

The Imperial Court and the harem were intrinsically linked; the Xiao family was accustomed to using marriage alliances to win over court officials, and even emperors. But the current young Emperor was only three years old. Even if they offered him a celestial being, he wouldn’t care at all.

Thus, the only one in the harem now was her, the Empress Dowager.

But Qin Xiao was indifferent to everything. He was well-mannered and polite on the surface, but he never actually took her seriously.

Since his ascendance to the throne, even the young Emperor hadn’t formally paid his respects to her, disregarding her entirely.

“My Lady, please don’t get angry and harm your body,” Matron Liu said gently. “It’s just some food. I doubt they’ll bother to hide it, and our people will find out the details soon enough.”

“You’re just trying to appease me,” Xiao Ruohan huffed. “You know that’s not what I’m angry about.”

It was just food. She was the Empress Dowager, a legitimate daughter of the Xiao family. What good food hadn’t she already eaten or seen?

Matron Liu smiled: “Matters outside the palace are already being managed, so you can relax and wait for the right opportunity.”

A cold glint appeared in Xiao Ruohan’s eyes: “I hope they will act quickly and stop Chu Jiubian from getting in my way.”

What she was waiting for was for Chu Jiubian, this variable, to vanish entirely, and for Qin Xiao to also be removed as an obstacle.

Without the Qin family, the young Emperor was nothing.

At that time, Jiannan-wang was the one most likely to seize the initiative. With the Xiao family’s assistance, by the time the vassal kings arrived, Jiannan-wang would be securely seated on the throne.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, gazing outside toward a certain secluded residence in the capital. Guards stood watch closely around the perimeter, and many more secret guards were hidden all around, remaining vigilant at all times.

In the main house’s courtyard, a dozen people sat on wide mahogany chairs, creating an atmosphere that was at once strange and harmonious.

If there were outsiders present, they would be surprised to find that these people were all prominent figures in the capital. They all belonged to the four great families, but none of the family heads were present.

These officials rarely gathered together in such a way; this was the first time in nearly three years.

And their reason for gathering here today was to discuss how to eliminate the unpredictable “Jiu-gongzi.”

Everyone wanted him out of the way, but no one was willing to take the lead.

Thus, here they were.

No one would play any games; they would all send out their top assassins to ensure a fatal blow.

Otherwise, there was no telling how Chu Jiubian and the forces behind him would retaliate against them.

This group of cunning old foxes discussed for a long time before ultimately deciding when to take action and how many people to send.

The outcome of this would be that no one would suffer a loss, but no one would gain an advantage either.

Chu Jiubian was unaware that these people had already devised a plot to kill him.

What he cared about at the moment was contacting Jiang Shuoye as soon as possible and asking him to spread Chu Jiubian’s name in order to collect Faith Points.

The collection of Faith Points didn’t require disseminating his real name or identity. Even if believers worshiped him by his pseudonym – or didn’t even know his other name – as long as they believed in him because of his actions, they could imagine him however they wanted.

So when Jiang Shuoye helped spread his name, there was no need to call him the “High Priest.” It was enough to refer to him as an immortal.

After having lunch at Yangxin Hall, Chu Jiubian returned to Yaotai Residence.

As usual, he stated that he was going to take a nap. But the moment he closed his eyes, he entered the Divine Realm.

So slow.

He glanced at his points, which were increasing, but at an extremely slow rate.

“Let’s see what Jiang Shuoye is up to,” he said.

The System immediately opened the card screen.

In an instant, roars, the clash of weapons, and screams echoed throughout the Divine Realm.

On the vast grasslands, there was no shelter whatsoever.

The soldiers on both sides, dressed in entirely different garments, roared as they battled fiercely, their bodies covered in dirt and blood. Each thrust of their spears and slash of their swords was aimed at the enemy’s vital points.

They wanted nothing other than to devour one another’s flesh and blood.

Chu Jiubian’s pupils constricted sharply.

This was a battle between the Mobei Army and the Tatars!

The camera zoomed out, revealing a battlefield teeming with people, stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions.

The soldiers were engaged in close combat. The Tatars were tall and strong, much stronger than the soldiers of Great Ning’s army. Therefore, in this close-quarters battle, it was mostly the Great Ning soldiers who suffered wounds and casualties.

Suddenly, a loud horn sounded and Chu Jiubian saw the Great Ning Army gradually split down the middle, clearing out the central area of the battlefield.

Upon seeing this, the Tatars immediately charged forward along this route.

They roared, vowing to slaughter the entire Mobei Army, to eat their flesh and drink their blood!

Fwip—

A spear pierced the sky and sank straight into the chest of one of the leading soldiers, pinning him to the ground like a flag.

A young general in silver armor rode up, pulled back his spear, and charged forward. He kicked Tatars to the ground with his horse’s hooves and sliced their necks with his spear, carving a bloody path through them.

And behind him, a cavalry contingent of nearly two hundred men followed closely on his heels.

In the distance, the thick-bearded Tatar general Muhammad sat astride a tall horse. As he watched the cavalry charge onto the battlefield, he immediately burst into laughter.

“The people of Great Ning are getting more and more interesting!”

A nearby lieutenant scoffed: “These Mobei cowards actually dare to send out cavalry. Have they forgotten how our Tatar warriors slaughtered them and made them flee in terror?”

“Mir Khan,” Muhammad said with a laugh. “Go show them what a real cavalry looks like.”

“Yes!” Lieutenant General Mir Khan immediately ordered a hundred cavalrymen to charge forward.

In his view, even just a hundred cavalrymen was more than enough to deal with the Mobei cavalry.

It should be known that the people of the Great Ning Dynasty couldn’t even ride horses properly. If their horses were startled, they would roll off and be trampled by their own mounts. Today’s battle would definitely be child’s play.

A young soldier beside him spotted something in the distance and shouted: “Lieutenant General Mir, there seems to be something on those Mobei horses!”

Mir Khan looked closer and saw that there seemed to be a layer of material wrapped around the horses, as if they had been dressed up.

Other than that, there was nothing abnormal.

“Whatever it is, all they can do is be slaughtered by us or flee!” he said.

One hundred cavalrymen charged forward swiftly, closing the distance between them and the Mobei cavalry.

Closer.

Closer still.

Mir Khan spotted Jiang Chifeng, the young general of the Mobei Army. He was one of the few people from Great Ning who was skilled at riding and had considerable martial prowess, making him a formidable opponent.

General Muhammad had told him that this man was not to be underestimated – but he had never confronted him directly, and felt that no matter how capable this man was, he was still someone from Great Ning.

In a cavalry battle, this Tatar warrior who had grown up on horseback believed that he could never lose to this pretty boy.

As they drew closer, Mir Khan drew his longsword and brought it down fiercely.

Jiang Shuoye, coming from the opposite direction, brandished his spear and thrust it straight at him.

---

T/N: I’ll never understand how these rich douchebags can never be content with what they have. What would they even do with more power and wealth when they already have access to anything money can buy? And Xiao Ruohan — just eat your soggy eggplant and enjoy living in the lap of luxury, you dingus.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 26 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 28