Chapter 100
As the Duke of Dingguo was about to leave the palace, he was called back, looking puzzled.
"You all go ahead. This old man will return and see what the Emperor has commanded."
The other dukes and generals looked at the Duke of Dingguo sympathetically.
"Surely the Emperor won't hold you accountable?"
"You just scolded the Emperor fiercely."
The Duke of Dingguo's mouth twitched slightly, especially when he saw Concubine Liu boarding a carriage in the distance, his eyelid quivered.
"So be it!" The Duke of Dingguo snorted. "This old man will admit his mistakes!"
With that, he strode back to the palace.
Led by the eunuchs to the Imperial Garden, the Duke of Dingguo's eyesight was still sharp. From afar, he saw a palace lady speaking with Xiao Yunzhou. Although he had been imposing earlier, his old face now flushed slightly.
Could this palace lady be none other than Concubine Liu, the one who designed the padded coats?
The Duke of Dingguo was seventy years old. Thinking about how he had scolded a young woman who could pass for his granddaughter that morning, and one who cared for the soldiers at that, he felt uneasy.
What a shame!
He was even wearing a padded coat made by her, how could he face her...
The Duke of Dingguo was in a dilemma, coughing to clear his throat.
With his hands behind his back, he strolled into the Imperial Garden.
"Greetings to Your Majesty."
Xiao Yunzhou raised his hand, about to excuse the Duke of Dingguo from formalities and offer him a seat.
But to his surprise, the Duke of Dingguo quickly knelt down, turned around, and with a gentle smile, nodded towards Concubine Liu.
His old face was beaming like a blossoming longevity flower, a kindly look that Xiao Yunzhou had never seen before!
"Ah, could this be the benevolent and intelligent palace lady that Your Majesty spoke of?"
"Alas, I'm old, but before my death, I never expected to meet such a heroine among women."
The Duke of Dingguo chuckled, his eyes almost disappearing in laughter.
Completely different from his stern scolding of Xiao Yunzhou that morning!
"Seeing such an extraordinary woman today, this old man can die without regrets."
"..."
Xiao Yunzhou's mouth twitched.
Was this really the same stubborn Duke of Dingguo?
Xiao Yunzhou was seeing stars.
A prestigious duke, shamelessly flattering, this was too much!
[Hahahahaha,] Xiao Chuchu giggled in Wei Zheng's embrace. [I believe it now, the Duke of Dingguo must be a brilliant military strategist!]
[The Art of War says that to subdue the enemy's forces without battle is the highest excellence. Compared to armed conflict, prevailing without bloodshed is even greater.]
[How different he is from his fierce demeanor this morning. Now he's all praises for my mother!]
Xiao Yunzhou heard his daughter's thoughts and was dazed.
Looking at Concubine Liu, she too was flustered by the Duke of Dingguo's unexpected flattery.
Concubine Liu both returned his courtesy and bashfully stated that she had done nothing much.
As Xiao Yunzhou observed the Duke of Dingguo, he realized that the glint in his eyes was not the sycophantic look of Wei Zheng's usual fawning, but a hint of calculated scheming.
Xiao Yunzhou was stunned. "Duke of Dingguo, you praise Concubine Liu with your words, but in your heart, you're actually scheming against her?"
The Duke of Dingguo was still struggling to find words to compliment Concubine Liu, this was quite taxing for the old man.
Absentmindedly, he nodded and blurted out, "A capable person must be appeased, so she'll be happy and develop more things for our soldiers to use."
Make the most of people's talents!
The Duke of Dingguo led troops in battle, and was skilled in rallying morale.
One cannot be a good general by only scolding people.
The Duke of Dingguo's words made Xiao Yunzhou and Concubine Liu both amused and enlightened.
Especially Xiao Yunzhou, who felt he had gained a little insight into how to win the devoted loyalty of followers.
"It seems I still have much to learn from the Duke."
"...?!"
The Duke of Dingguo was startled.
Damn.
He had just let it slip!
Fortunately, the thick-skinned Duke of Dingguo immediately acted as if nothing had happened. "Your Majesty summoned this old man, is it to have my old Chiyan Army troops wear the padded coats first?"
With one sentence, he was seeking benefits for his former troops.
Xiao Yunzhou learned from this as well.
"No, it's because this morning, when you spoke of military provisions, I recalled a story you told me about marching when you were teaching me horseback riding and archery."
"Back then, after a great victory, you marched for three days straight on the return journey. But when you returned to the camp, you almost starved because no one had the strength left to cook."
"After lying down for half a day, you finally mustered the energy to cook three pots of rice, saving everyone from starving to death."
The Duke of Dingguo's beard quivered. So the Emperor wasn't giving him padded coats or scolding him, he was asking him to tell stories.
Eh.
Was the Emperor sometimes wise, and sometimes foolish?
A three-year-old child, asking him to tell stories?
The Duke of Dingguo mocked inwardly, but still followed Xiao Yunzhou's words, recalling the harrowing experience of those times, and his face grew solemn.
Those who haven't experienced it can never understand the true peril.
On the first day of the return journey, they had already begun to run out of rations.
After marching for five or six days, they had devoured even the injured horses.
When they finally returned to the camp, the aftermath of the battle and the continuous marching became even more apparent. They were hungry, exhausted, and most were wounded or ill.
Many people collapsed on the ground as soon as they reached the camp, their wounds reopening.
Who would cook...even he couldn't get up.
They scraped up some raw dough and shoved it into their mouths.
It wasn't until later, after regaining some strength, that he cooked the rice, regardless of proper methods.
But there was no flavor...
It wasn't until the next day, when a few less severely injured went out and caught a few wild chickens, that everyone had a little oil and moisture in their stomachs.
The Duke of Dingguo didn't want to recall that incident.
Just thinking about it made him want to curse.
Damn it, no reinforcements when they needed them, no provisions when they needed them.
Who could have imagined that after surviving the enemy's attacks in battle, they'd almost die of starvation and exhaustion on the way back...
The Duke of Dingguo looked at Xiao Yunzhou, his expression complex.
Since that time, his personal troops always included those who could hunt and cook simple meals... who knew this kind of life, fearing not battle but dying from a lack of food.
"Well, the battlefield is ever-changing and situations are complex."
The Duke of Dingguo waved his hand. "What this old man said was just my own experience. Other generals have had their own share of perils, more or less."
"In any case, before marching, check all preparations and make sure everything is as ready as possible. Not fighting unprepared battles is best."
The Duke of Dingguo didn't want to dwell on that incident any further.
Talking about it was useless.
It could happen again to other soldiers, but each battlefield situation is different, and the soldiers themselves must adapt and maneuver!
"Ahem, back then this old Duke was lying helpless on the ground, and yet I was imagining something beautiful - if there were some fairy nymph who could prepare food in advance for my army camp, and when I led my troops back, the whole camp could feast on it. How wonderful that would be."
The Duke of Dingguo reminisced with a dreamy expression.
"But of course, that's impossible," he sighed.
As soon as he finished, Xiao Chuchu and Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up with realization.
[Wait, isn't that just instant noodles... isn't that fast food technology!]
[Military ration biscuits!]
Xiao Chuchu's eyes widened.
[The Old Duke is brilliant, his imagination is so vivid! He was just a step away from modern compressed rations and fast food technology!]
[The Old Duke is a genius!]
Hearing his daughter's words, Xiao Yunzhou knew it was the 'right moment for reasonable boasting'!
If not now, when else?
Just as the Old Duke was about to finish his story, Xiao Yunzhou suddenly clapped on a nearby peony branch.
"Old Duke, repeat what you just said, about the fairy nymph preparing food for you in advance..."
"Your words have inspired me, I think I may have found a solution!"
The Duke of Dingguo opened his mouth, confused. What?
Concubine Liu bit her lip, trying not to laugh out loud.
The Emperor was getting better and better at pretending!
"Perfect timing, the Head of the Imperial Kitchen is here. Let me discuss the preparations for the Queen Mother's birthday feast with him - just listen to my idea and see if it's feasible!"