Duke Xu’s estate.
Xu Zhaoyue was reviewing military dispatches from the camp in her boudoir, her brows tightly furrowed as she muttered to herself.
“What is the Ministry of Revenue doing? It’s already Minor Heat, and our Flying Flower Army’s military funds still haven’t been paid out.”
Among the dynasty’s seven armies, the Flying Flower Army was the least favored. Delays in military funds were nothing new. In the past, though, they were usually only delayed by a month or two. The Flying Flower Army was united in spirit and knew that Xu Zhaoyue, as a female Young Commander, had it hard too, so they had never complained.
But this time, the delay was far too long.
A full seven months.
Their dynasty’s military funds were issued four times a year in peacetime, within one month after each season ended.
Now it was already Minor Heat, but the military funds for last winter were still being withheld by the Ministry of Revenue.
The soldiers were anxious, and she was even more anxious.
A month ago, she had made a special trip to the Ministry of Revenue to see the old Minister, and his answer had been only two words: “Don’t worry.” Two hundred thousand soldiers were waiting to eat… how could she not be anxious?
But Xu Zhaoyue had no choice. His Majesty was a martial emperor who cared deeply for the troops. After inheriting the throne, he had issued an iron decree that military funds could not be delayed for more than one month.
If she went to see His Majesty, the problem could indeed be solved, but Xu Zhaoyue understood officialdom very well. Going to His Majesty over military funds would amount to bypassing the chain of command, and she would inevitably offend King Xuan and the half-retired old Minister of Revenue.
But waiting aimlessly like this was not a solution either.
Just as Xu Zhaoyue was struggling for an answer, Xu Zhaoxing burst through the door in a flurry. “Sis, Chen Chu hasn’t learned his lesson… he’s gone to Heavenly Palace again!”
Xu Zhaoyue lifted her eyes, her gaze light and cool. “Didn’t you say you’d let go of the Ninth Prince? Why are you still keeping such close tabs on him?”
Xu Zhaoxing said indignantly, “Even if I’ve let go of him, he’s still my future brother-in-law! Sis, I’m keeping an eye on him for you! You two aren’t even married yet and he’s already going to Heavenly Palace every day. What will happen after you’re married? Sis, let’s go catch him in the act!”
“Pfft!”
Xu Zhaoyue had been leisurely sipping tea, and one mouthful shot out uncontrollably, spraying Xu Zhaoxing’s face.
Xu Zhaoxing was stunned.
“Sis, and you can still laugh? Your fiancé is hanging around a brothel! Do you even understand that?”
Xu Zhaoxing hadn’t wanted to put it so bluntly and harshly, but she really couldn’t hold it in anymore.
Xu Zhaoyue sighed with a wry smile. “Zhaoxing, lechery is a man’s nature. Among His Majesty’s princes, aside from the Sixth Prince, who doesn’t dare to fool around, which one doesn’t have three wives and four concubines? I’ve even heard that at Grandson Manor there is a courtyard where more than twenty beautiful concubines are kept, barely dressed, living in complete debauchery.”
“For the Ninth Prince to go visit Heavenly Palace, that’s perfectly normal.”
Xu Zhaoxing said in a sour tone, “You really are understanding!”
Xu Zhaoyue shook her head. “It’s not that I’m understanding. I just know where the limits are. Enough, if there’s nothing else, go out for now. I’m already annoyed enough!”
Xu Zhaoxing glanced at the military dispatches on the table and immediately knew her sister was worrying about the military funds. She couldn’t help cursing, “King Xuan is just bullying us because the Flying Flower Army has no one backing it. Only you can endure this. If it were me, I’d take it straight to Taiji Hall and see how he explains it to His Majesty!”
Xu Zhaoyue smiled bitterly. “It’s not as simple as you think. If I take it to His Majesty, we may get the military funds, but I’ll definitely offend King Xuan. Besides, since King Xuan dares to withhold this money, he’s not afraid of His Highness finding out. He’s already prepared his excuses.”
“Then what do we do? If he can withhold it for a year, are our Flying Flower Army soldiers supposed to starve for a year?” Xu Zhaoxing was furious.
“It shouldn’t come to that.”
If the Ministry of Revenue really dared to withhold the Flying Flower Army’s military funds for a whole year, then she would have no choice but to go see His Majesty.
Xu Zhaoxing had a sudden idea. “Sis, go find Chen Chu! He’s incredibly capable… he’ll definitely find a way to get the funds!”
Xu Zhaoyue’s eyes lit up at that. That was indeed an idea.
Besides, they were about to be married, so it wouldn’t count as owing someone a favor. And stepping back a bit, wasn’t His Majesty having Chen Chu marry her precisely for the purpose of taking over the Flying Flower Army?
But that thought had only just arisen when Xu Zhaoyue immediately rejected it.
She was not afraid that the Ninth Prince couldn’t get the funds, and she was not afraid that he would refuse. What she feared was that, for the sake of the funds, the Ninth Prince would stir up some huge incident that would shake the imperial city.
Aside from his habit of visiting Heavenly Palace, a minor flaw, the Ninth Prince was close to perfect. But when he acted, he was far too domineering and autocratic.
Just as the sisters were talking, a loud, rough voice rang out.
“Xu Zhaoyue, get out here for your Second Uncle and Third Uncle!”
Xu Zhaoxing rolled her eyes. “Big Beard and Cross-Eyes are back!”
In the Xu family’s meeting hall.
Xu Bainian, the court’s current Old Duke, sat in the seat of honor. On his left sat two middle-aged men. One was burly and covered in a full beard, while the other was thin as a rail, his eyes so small they were almost cherry-sized, making for a rather comical sight.
These two were Xu Wei and Xu Yong, Xu Bainian’s second and third sons. They served as marshals in the Flying Flower Army, and their status was second only to Xu Zhaoyue.
They were the Big Beard and Cross-Eyes that Xu Zhaoxing referred to.
“Grandfather, Second Uncle, Third Uncle!”
As soon as Xu Zhaoyue entered the hall, Xu Wei smashed a tea stool to pieces and stood up to question her. “Xu Zhaoyue, the other six armies have already received this spring’s military funds, but the Flying Flower Army still hasn’t seen last winter’s funds. How are you even doing your job as Young Commander? Or are you about to get married and have completely forgotten the soldiers under your command?!”
Xu Yong said nothing, but his small eyes stared at the ceiling, his expression extremely dark.
“Xu Wei, you’re being insolent!”
Xu Bainian did not indulge him at all and immediately launched into a harsh reprimand.
But this time, Xu Wei was unlike before, when he would fall silent as soon as his father lost his temper. Instead, he looked over and said, “Father, it’s not that your son wants to make trouble. It’s that the soldiers in the camp are about to go berserk! Otherwise, we wouldn’t have dared abandon our posts and return to the imperial city!”
Xu Wei curled his lips and continued, “Besides, when the soldiers heard that Zhaoyue is going to marry the Ninth Prince, who has half a wasteland bloodline, they were extremely unhappy! They said… Third Brother, what did they say?”
Xu Yong immediately added, “They said that if Xu Zhaoyue is going to marry a wasteland man, then they won’t recognize this Young Commander!”
Xu Wei picked right up, seamlessly continuing, “Father, you heard that. It’s not that your son wants to cause trouble… it’s that this is almost impossible to suppress!”
Xu Zhaoyue finally understood and sneered. “Second Uncle and Third Uncle have said so much. You want me to give up the position of Young Commander, don’t you?”
Xu Wei said arrogantly, “I never said that. But our Flying Flower Army really has never had a precedent of a woman serving as commander. Father let you be Young Commander for eight years, and your Second and Third Uncles treated it like a child’s game and said nothing. If you were marrying the Imperial Grandson, your Second and Third Uncles would let it slide. But the man you’re marrying is the son of the Sacred Lord of the Longevity Sect, and you still want to use the Flying Flower Army as a dowry. Not only will we not agree, the two hundred thousand soldiers of the Flying Flower Army won’t agree either…”
“Our Xu family’s ancestors won’t agree either!”
So their purpose in returning without warning was to force the issue!
Xu Wei still hadn’t forgotten that Xu Bainian was the head of the family. He turned his head and asked, “Father, what do you think?”