The tent was just an ordinary commander’s tent. Chu Zhao did not maintain the ceremonial pomp of an Empress in the military camp, eating and living just like the soldiers.

“The food is from the best restaurant in the prefecture,” Chu Zhao said, pointing at the table, then raised her eyebrows with a smile. “After all, we’ve already taken Zhongshan Prefecture. As the Empress, I should be able to enjoy something nice.”

Mu Mian Hong watched the girl’s arched eyebrows in the lamplight. It seemed that being invited to this late-night meal was due to that young master Xie.

Mu Mian Hong smiled as she sat down, picking up her chopsticks and examining the dishes.

“Xiao Man likes salty and fragrant flavors,” Chu Zhao said, pointing to a plate of fried fish. “She can eat a whole plate of these small yellow fish in one go.”

Mu Mian Hong picked up one and said, “Me too. In our stronghold, most of our food is roasted or fried meat.”

Chu Zhao made a sound of acknowledgment, then pointed elsewhere: “She also likes these lotus leaf wraps. Chief, try some.”

Mu Mian Hong replied, “We rarely eat these. I’ve never seen them before.” She picked one up.

It was quiet for a moment as they both ate. In the tent, only the sound of burning candles could be heard.

Chu Zhao didn’t let them lapse into silence for too long.

“I invited the Chief here to discuss a matter,” she said.

Mu Mian Hong didn’t put down her chopsticks, only saying, “Please speak, Your Majesty.” She used the serving chopsticks to place some food on Chu Zhao’s plate, adding, “You eat too.”

Chu Zhao didn’t refuse her gesture of reciprocity, nor did she comment on it. She said, “The King of Zhongshan has surrendered one hundred thousand troops. The court will assign these troops to the border army, but I want to give fifty thousand of them to you, Chief.”

Mu Mian Hong chewed slowly, looking up at her, appearing to ponder. She asked, “Do you want them to be soldiers or bandits?”

Chu Zhao said, “These troops were originally raised by the King of Zhongshan. Although the officers have been removed, the soldiers come from complex backgrounds. According to the court’s wishes, these soldiers should be dispersed among the border army, but I think this approach would waste the fighting potential of these one hundred thousand troops, and also affect the combat effectiveness of the border army.”

Mu Mian Hong looked at her, distracted for a moment. She seemed to glimpse that young general again—

In a room at night, he had removed his armor, carrying the fresh scent of a bath, with sleeves rolled up, pointing at a map with his slender fingers, turning his head to call her.

“A-Mian, come look, if we move these troops like this—”

Mu Mian Hong asked, “So what do you want me to do?”

“Tame them,” Chu Zhao said, tapping the table lightly with the back of her chopsticks. “Break up these fifty thousand troops, then turn them into your people.”

Mu Mian Hong took another bite of food, looking at her chopsticks, and nodded: “This way, it won’t affect the border army, and we gain additional support.” Then she shook her head, “But to accomplish this goal will take time.” She looked up at Chu Zhao. “Your Majesty, you’ll need patience.”

Chu Zhao raised her eyebrows with a smile: “Not patience, but confidence. I’m confident that even without these fifty thousand troops, Western Liang won’t be able to break through the border prefecture.”

Mu Mian Hong smiled and placed more food on her plate: “Your Majesty is formidable. Since there’s no rush, it will be easier to handle.”

Chu Zhao pushed the command token to Mu Mian Hong: “I’ll speak with Uncle Zhong. When the time comes, he’ll send his people to receive the troops, and under the pretext of training, he’ll give fifty thousand to you.”

Mu Mian Hong acknowledged this, taking the command token and examining it in her hand. She smiled again: “I never imagined that one day I would hold a command token for the imperial troops.”

She was originally a bandit.

The target of the imperial army’s extermination.

Chu Zhao was silent for a moment, then said, “I know this may seem heartless, but I still cannot bestow official honors on you at this time.”

Mu Mian Hong looked at her.

“This is also my selfishness,” Chu Zhao said, not avoiding her gaze. “I am now the Empress, and revealing your identity would not benefit me.”

She spoke very plainly. Having a bandit as a mother was indeed not something an Empress could be proud of.

Mu Mian Hong’s face showed no trace of resentment. She made a sound of acknowledgment: “Not only would it be disadvantageous for you, but also the General. Since he has passed away, let him rest in peace without disturbance.”

Chu Zhao looked at her and said, “Also, making your identity public wouldn’t be good for you either.”

Mu Mian Hong looked at the girl, a flash of light in her eyes.

She was very beautiful. Although time had left its mark on her, when light flashed in her eyes, her whole being was like moonlight, making people lower their guard, making them want to look at her a moment longer—was this how father had fallen for her? Chu Zhao averted her gaze, picking up her tea and taking a sip.

“You should know the circumstances under which I became Empress. Since becoming Empress, the country has faced many difficulties. Though I appear to be in a position of glory, in reality, I face obstacles at every turn. My relatives are exploited, threatened, or turn against me, or are harmed because of me,” she said softly. “If your identity became known, you would certainly become a target. I know you are formidable, with martial skills and troops, but the scheming in this world is too dangerous.”

She looked at Mu Mian Hong.

“You would face danger because of me, and I would be put in a difficult position because of you.”

“So, remaining unknown is the safest option for both of us.”

Mu Mian Hong smiled: “I understand. Your Majesty, please be at ease.” She ate a few more bites and drank some soup, “This tastes very good too. I assume Xiao Man also likes it?”

Chu Zhao nodded. This meal had been specially prepared according to Xiao Man’s tastes. She didn’t know Mu Mian Hong well, but thought their preferences might be similar.

“Your Majesty,” Mu Mian Hong set down her chopsticks and stood up. “I’ll go prepare right away.”

Chu Zhao also stood up: “In a few days, I will return to the capital with Ding Dachui and the remaining Dragon Guard. You will wait here for Uncle Zhong’s people to take over the troops, then accompany them back to Yunzhong Prefecture.”

Mu Mian Hong acknowledged this with a “yes,” gave her another look, then turned and left.

Chu Zhao stood in place and let out a gentle sigh.

It turned out that getting along with her wasn’t so difficult after all.

…

…

“How did it go?”

“Chief, what did she say?”

As soon as Mu Mian Hong returned to her tent, several men eagerly surrounded her, asking with excited and hopeful expressions.

“Did she acknowledge you?”

“Did she call you mother?”

Mu Mian Hong looked at everyone and smiled: “No.” Before they could react, she took out the command token and waved it, “But she’s giving us fifty thousand troops that the King of Zhongshan surrendered.”

The men were stunned, seemingly not understanding.

“Fifty thousand,” Mu Mian Hong emphasized again. “What bandit in the world has so many troops? We’ll truly be the number one bandits in the world from now on.”

She laughed as she spoke. Two of the men laughed with her, but another man came to his senses.

“What’s this, Sister Hong?” he said. “This is a difficult task. How easy would it be to manage fifty thousand troops?”

Especially since they were rebel troops raised by the King of Zhongshan.

This was asking them to tame these troops.

The other two men also realized the situation.

“Chief, this is making us work again!”

“After all you’ve done for her, she won’t even call you mother!”

“She doesn’t call you mother, but still makes you work for her. What does this mean?”

“Her surname is Chu, she’s the spawn of Chu Yi, of course, she’s cold-blooded and ruthless.”

“Both father and daughter are no good, they just exploit you.”

The complaints came one after another. After the last one blurted out, he was nudged by the man next to him, and he awkwardly stopped, looking at Mu Mian Hong.

“Chief, I, I didn’t,” he stammered, trying to explain. “I wasn’t complaining about you.”

“Chief, we’ll do anything you ask,” the previous man said. “We’re not afraid of anything, we’re just worried you’re being taken advantage of.”

The third man also nodded, his expression frustrated: “That’s right, she can’t treat people like this.”

Mu Mian Hong looked at the three men and smiled: “I understand how you all feel, but don’t worry. She’s not exploiting me, nor is she mistreating me. She’s doing this for our benefit.”

She didn’t hide anything from her brothers and told them what Chu Zhao had said.

The expressions of the three men improved considerably.

“Being an Empress isn’t easy either, huh,” one man muttered.

Mu Mian Hong said: “Nothing is easy. Being an Empress, being the highest-ranking person in the world, means bearing the greatest suffering in the world.”

Another man hesitated, but still couldn’t help saying: “But even if she doesn’t acknowledge you publicly, she should acknowledge you privately.”

Mu Mian Hong was silent for a moment.

“She dares to look at me now, not avoiding me,” she said with a smile. “In her heart, she’s already accepting me. There’s no rush.”

She sighed lightly and looked up at the night sky.

“Although I acknowledge her and think of her, I don’t know if I’m truly doing it for her.”

The three men exchanged glances. What did that mean? If not truly for her, then for what?

“I consider her my daughter because I gave birth to her. A mother should, must, care for her daughter,” Mu Mian Hong said. “But, I, I don’t know whether it’s me who cares for her, or just a mother’s role.”

This was even more confusing. The three men stared at each other, bewildered.

Seeing their expressions, Mu Mian Hong laughed herself, unable to explain clearly.

“However, just now, watching her eat in front of me, talking to me, I suddenly understood,” she said softly. “It’s me who cares for her, it’s me who is happy to have a daughter, it’s me who regrets abandoning her back then, I—”

As she spoke, she lowered her head, hiding her suddenly tear-filled eyes.

The three men exchanged glances. Although the Chief appeared delicate in public and private, she was someone who killed without blinking an eye and fought without hesitation—tears were something they rarely saw from her—

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Mu Mian Hong raised her head and smiled. “Just know that you don’t need to worry. I’m fine, I’m happy.”

They could see that. The three men nodded, not saying more: “Then, Chief, we’ll leave you to your business.”

Watching Mu Mian Hong enter the tent, the three men exchanged glances.

“But you know,” one man said in a low voice, “I think Chu Zhao is just like Chu Yi, all flowery words and a black heart. Look how she’s bewitched the Chief with just a few words—”

The other two men kicked him, “Keep your mouth shut.”

The three men walked away laughing into the night, while at that moment, the “black-hearted” Chu Zhao sat in her tent staring at the bowl in front of her.

In the bowl were a braised chicken foot and a radish ball.

These were what Mu Mian Hong had reciprocally placed in her bowl earlier.

How coincidental—these two were her favorites, specially ordered by A-Le from the restaurant.

Mu Mian Hong knew her tastes.

She didn’t know Mu Mian Hong’s preferences and had entertained her according to Xiao Man’s tastes. She was very familiar with Xiao Man, and Xiao Man had always been with Mu Mian Hong.

Mu Mian Hong had never been with her before, except during these days of marching, fighting, and eating simply with milk tea and dry biscuits—hardly an occasion to discuss flavor preferences.

How did she know?