“It’s precisely because I want everyone to know and see that it’s good.” Song Chuyi smiled somewhat like the little fox that Uncle Zhang had just hunted home a few days ago, her eyes curved into crescents as she tilted her head to look at Nanny Xu. “Anyway, bring enough people, make a big commotion, and bring back as many things as possible.”

Since some unknown time, Song Chuyi’s words had basically never been wrong. Although Nanny Xu still had some doubts, she did not generate any opposing thoughts. She pressed her lips together and withdrew to consult with Uncle Zhang.

Nanny Xu was reliable in handling matters. Song Chuyi temporarily set aside this end of affairs and concentrated wholeheartedly on dipping her brush in ink to carefully write a letter.

She wondered what Li Shi in the capital was doing now?

Had she already received news of the Tartar violent soldiers and was coldly smiling while waiting for her to die? Or was she preparing to send people to fish in troubled waters to see if they could take the opportunity to have her die at the hands of the “violent soldiers”?

Li Ruqi had operated in the court for many years, with peaches and plums planted everywhere under heaven. It would be extremely easy for him to extract some inside information. She wondered if he would disclose a little to his daughter?

She remembered Old Madam Li’s ill-intentioned provocations, the deliberate coldness and suppression during festivals and holidays, and also recalled Song Yan’s repeatedly hurt eyes and uncomfortable smile. Her lips pressed tightly together.

After the letter was written, she carefully checked it over and over again before sealing it with wax.

Qing Tao had already returned after completing her task, bringing some trepidation to tell Song Chuyi that the centurion had immediately set off to find Ye Jingchuan. Then she caught sight at a glance of another letter in Song Chuyi’s hand and asked somewhat surprised, “Miss, are you sending another letter home?”

No, of course not.

She was sending a letter home, but not to the Song family, rather to the Cui family.

Thinking of her maternal grandmother, uncle, and aunt, Song Chuyi’s tightly tense expression relaxed slightly, and she even bent the corners of her mouth with good humor. “No, this letter still requires your father’s assistance.”

Qing Tao was slightly stunned, unconsciously repeating, “My father?”

Song Chuyi stepped forward and grasped Qing Tao’s hand, her words earnest and her expression solemn. “Qing Tao, the people I can trust around me now are only Uncle Zhang and your father. But Uncle Zhang is the estate manager and cannot leave, so this matter can only be done by your father.”

But now with the chaos of war and soldiers everywhere, one might encounter Tartar violent soldiers just by going out.

Qing Tao was frightened pale, her mind in great confusion as she looked at Song Chuyi and shook her head directly. “Miss, I still have my grandmother and younger siblings. If something happens to my father, the family will fall apart.”

“Rest assured.” Song Chuyi stared into her eyes. “Since I’m asking your father to go, of course I won’t have him go alone. I will borrow ten soldiers from Ye Jingchuan to accompany him and give him sufficient travel funds.”

If there were these soldiers accompanying him, then it would be somewhat better. Qing Tao’s complexion improved slightly, but she still hesitated somewhat. “But the current situation is not good, it’s not that I don’t want to help you…”

“Wait until after tonight to leave.” Song Chuyi patted her shoulder. “After tonight passes, after the Tartar violent soldiers west of Tongzhou are all killed, then leave.”

Song Chuyi had already spoken to this extent. Qing Tao understood that refusing was no longer possible. She gritted her teeth and hardened her heart to nod, then asked Song Chuyi, “Do you want to send the letter to Jinzhong?”

“Yes.” Song Chuyi nodded, her expression solemn. “This letter is extremely important, so there can be no mistakes. As long as your father handles this matter well, the Cui family will not shortchange him, and neither will I.”

Qing Tao had already roughly guessed the letter’s contents and knew how important this letter was to Song Chuyi. She solemnly agreed, “Miss, rest assured. I will definitely have my father protect this letter with his life.”

Song Chuyi breathed a sigh of relief. After all, no matter what, she could not threaten people into doing things they were unwilling to do. With Qing Tao appearing to persuade them, presumably her parents would agree.

At the hour of Wei, Nanny Xu led a large contingent parading through the streets, transporting the last queue of large carts loaded with brightly displayed boxes of gold, silver, and jewels into the villa.

With the manpower suddenly reduced by half but gold, silver, and treasures increased considerably, they were obviously fat meat placed on a chopping board waiting to be slaughtered. The Earl Manor’s guards were extremely worried.

The last bit of sunset on the horizon fell away, the fire clouds were gradually covered by dark clouds, night gradually descended. Not only did the patrolling guards in the manor feel uneasy, but even the soldiers standing guard outside were somewhat anxious and unsettled.

Nanny Xu sat with Song Chuyi in the main hall, the strings in her heart pulled taut.

“Extinguish the lights.” At Song Chuyi’s command, all the large and small lanterns hanging in the manor were extinguished. Only one candle was lit in the hall, and under the dim yellow candlelight one could not see her expression clearly at this moment.

At the hour of Hai, unusual movements finally appeared outside.

“Miss!” Nanny Xu immediately jumped up, grasping Song Chuyi’s hand. “You must quickly go hide in your room…”

But Song Chuyi was not the least bit flustered. She even had the leisure to laugh lowly, this laugh carrying composure as well as some satisfaction.

“Admirable, admirable.” Ye Jingchuan led several people out from the side hall, also bringing long-absent light—his subordinates all carried brightly burning torches.

“Light the lamps.” Song Chuyi’s smile was leisurely. After lights everywhere were lit, she walked with light steps to the window and pushed it open with one motion.

Those dozens of Tartar men who had slipped in from the back mountain were now charging about wildly in the center of the granary where the treasures were stored, trying to break through and escape.

Unfortunately, Ye Jingchuan had brought enough manpower, surrounding them in a circle—they could probably trample them to death just by stepping on them. They were trapped in the center, just like homeless dogs with nowhere to turn.

Ye Jingchuan had somehow already walked to her side to observe the battle, his facial expression somewhat complex as he looked at this little girl. He suddenly sighed, “If you were a man…”

The Tartar violent soldiers’ physical strength was still somewhat better than Great Zhou’s soldiers, and their willpower was extremely strong. Standing back to back in a circle, thrusting left and defending right, the Great Zhou soldiers momentarily could not prevail against them.

“These people are probably not running here to burn, kill, and plunder on a whim.” Song Chuyi watched the scene in the field, not turning her head back as she spoke. “They’re clearly well-trained cavalry.”

Ye Jingchuan’s whole body shook, and he looked at Song Chuyi with even more shock in his expression.

After reacting, he understood that Song Chuyi had deliberately said this for him to hear. He asked with some guilt and bewilderment, “Is there a distinction between the two?”

“The garrison commander of Zijing Pass will at the very least receive a charge of failing to defend the city properly. If it’s serious…” Song Chuyi looked at him thoughtfully. “If it’s serious, he might even be accused by others of colluding with the Tartars, harboring treasonous intentions.”

This was also the reason he had been thinking all along not to alarm those above. Ye Jingchuan was now completely convinced. He coughed uncomfortably. “Then in your view, if one wanted to escape this charge, is there a method?”

He was not stupid either. Although he might truly not be as clever as this little girl before him, he could still hear the implication in her words.