Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 625 - 623

Chapter 625: 623

Madam Li’s being saved and returned to General Li was a good thing - the Li family had made their fortunes through military accomplishments, and three generations had fallen on the battlefield. Perhaps it was the battlefield that was their ultimate fate, the emperor thought to himself.

The emperor and Shangguan Xuanyi retired to the study, where they pulled out a map to discuss the matters at hand.

General Li had already begun to mobilize his troops. An urgent report had come through a few days prior, saying that the first city in the northwest had been successfully seized by him.

Li Ming Jun was captured, Madam Li and Mrs. Li were being hunted near and far. General Li couldn’t wait any longer.

In fact, from the moment Li Ming Jun began privately mining iron ores, General Li knew their family was walking a path of no return.

However, at the time, he didn’t think of rebelling. Mingfang was married to the Third Prince, and it was impossible for General Li not to support his own daughter. Hence, knowing what Li Ming Jun was doing, he did not stop it – he only wished to assist his son-in-law.

He did not expect things to spiral so out of control afterward.

The Third Prince even killed Mingfang to marry the princess of the Eastern Jin Dynasty!

Although there wasn’t any proof that the Third Prince murdered her, General Li wasn’t a fool - if he decided in his heart that the prince was guilty, that was the end of it!

His daughter had died, and his family was at the mercy of the Third Prince. Yet, he was still able to joyfully marry the princess of the Eastern Jin Dynasty while his own military power was diminished. How could he endure this!

As the saying goes, when officials provoke the civilians to rebel, the civilians have no choice but to revolt! This was truly intolerable!

Although the mobilization of his troops was somewhat hasty, it didn’t necessarily mean he would lose. Given the circumstances, his only option was to fight to the death! He had also successfully captured his first city.

The emperor had already expected General Li to seize the first city.

General Di’s army had already received a secret edict and had secretly dispatched some troops to lay an ambush on the essential paths between the first and second cities in the northwest.

Di Shaowei, Zhao Youwei and Zhao Youhe also received orders to lead sixty thousand troops to suppress the rebellion.

The war began once more, and the civilians in the northwest were suffering greatly. Some people took up their hoes to assist General Li in resisting the Imperial Court’s troops.

Some people helped the Imperial Court resist General Li’s troops.

Some simply packed their belongings to escape from the flames of war.

"General Li led his sixty thousand troops to siege the city, leaving his fifty thousand new troops inactive. Yi’er, how do you think he will utilize these fifty thousand new troops?" The emperor stroked his beard as he looked at the map.

"General Li has a military strategist under his command who is known for his novel, unexpected strategies. All the surprising victories General Li had against Xiyue Country were his ideas. This batch of new troops disappeared ten days ago and their whereabouts are unknown." Shangguan Xuanyi mused, eyes on the map.

The two of them discussed in the study how General Li might move his troops.

Xiao’er took two children to the bamboo forest to dig for winter bamboo shoots to eat.

Generally, after the start of autumn, shoots would begin to grow from the lateral buds on moso bamboo’s underground rhizomes. Since winter had now begun, and small snow was approaching, it was the best time to enjoy the tenderest winter bamboo shoots.

Xiao’er took a hoe, sweeping aside the bamboo leaves on the ground with it while searching for bamboo shoots.

You could usually find winter bamboo shoots under the loose or cracked earth, where the ground felt soft underfoot.

Xiao’er quickly found some, raising her small hoe to excavate the shoots.

"Sister Xiao’er, how do we eat this bamboo? It’s so hard," the Seventh Prince furrowed his brow and touched the side of one bamboo shoot with his chubby hand, asking.

"Brother Yao, my sister said we are supposed to eat bamboo shoots, not bamboo. Have you never tried winter bamboo shoots? No, didn’t you eat stewed deer meat with winter bamboo shoots when you had dinner at my house last year?"

"That’s a winter bamboo shoot?!" The Seventh Prince lowered his head at this remark, pretending to search for bamboo shoots. Last year, he was a meat-eating animal who didn’t like vegetables at all. He hadn’t touched those winter bamboo shoots then. Or else, how could he have maintained such a robust figure?

Seeing him like this, Xi’er knew about his habits. Looking at his chubby figure, she kindly kept quiet. He was recently into dieting, and looked pained about wanting but not daring to eat. Seeing his conflicted expression, she couldn’t help but feel a little pity for him.

Thank goodness her mother gave her a metabolism that allows her to eat and not gain weight. Otherwise, with her love for food and beauty, if she ever became like him, she’d likely cry herself to death!

"Sister said that eating winter bamboo shoots can help you lose weight. You can eat more of them! You won’t have to starve yourself to lose weight then." Xi’er recently kept hearing someone’s stomach grumbling mightily and couldn’t help but comfort him.

"Really?" The Seventh Prince looked at Xiao’er with hopeful eyes.

Xiao’er nodded, "Yes. If you exercise more and burn off calories faster, you’ll also burn off your body fat. Then, you won’t have to diet to lose weight."

For a foodie, dieting is torturous! It’s better to eat more and burn more!

Of the six princes raised by the Emperor, the one who liked to eat the most without doing much exercise was the Seventh Prince. Hence, filled with a wide array of exotic foods, his body swelled up like a stuffed duck!

Upon hearing these words, the Seventh Prince frowned. He hated practicing martial arts the most because he didn’t like the sweaty feeling.

Remembering the Emperor’s request, Xiao’er decided she needed to take a stronger approach. She couldn’t bear the thought of a handsome man ruining his looks by gaining too much weight!

"Xi’er, do you practice martial arts?"

"No! Practicing martial arts makes you sweat. I don’t like the smell." Xi’er quickly shook her head.

Upon hearing this, the Seventh Prince nodded. Just because Xi’er disliked the smell of sweat, he worked even harder to keep himself clean.

"If you don’t practice martial arts, what will you do if bad guys come after you?"

"I’ve thought about it. I can learn medical skills and poisons! If anyone tries to catch me, I can just poison them!" Xi’er said confidently.

"You don’t know martial arts. If someone immobilizes you from afar, and you can’t move your body to use the poison, what will you do then?"

"Sister, older brother, won’t you both be there to protect me?" As long as someone capable of martial arts is by her side, she’d be okay.

"Once you’re married, we won’t be at your side anymore."

"Then I’ll just marry someone proficient in martial arts!" After all, she really doesn’t love practicing martial arts!

The Seventh Prince’s face stiffened at these words. Marry someone proficient in martial arts?

"Aren’t you afraid he’ll smell sweaty after martial arts practice?"

"I’m not scared. I certainly won’t marry someone who doesn’t know martial arts! A man who doesn’t know martial arts isn’t even considered a man! Even father, at his age, practices martial arts every day to protect us!" Xi’er passionately stated.

Father, at his age? Xiao’er fell silent. She wondered whether Shen Chengyao would be reduced to tears upon hearing such words! Isn’t it said that men become more appealing at forty?

A man who doesn’t know martial arts isn’t really a man? The Seventh Prince felt unwell upon hearing these words! He’s got to practice martial arts now! He not only wants to become proficient, but he also wants to be the top martial artist, to protect Xi’er in the future.

"Xi’er, if you don’t want to practice, that’s okay! I’ll protect you in the future."

"Do you know martial arts?" Xi’er asked skeptically.

"I’ll start practicing it from tomorrow."

"We’ll talk about it after you’ve actually learned it." Xi’er commented dismissively.

"A deal it is!"

Seeing this, Xiao’er couldn’t help but laugh. She knew the influence Xi’er had on the Seventh Prince was profound. The initially reluctant prince had now become eager with her persuasions.

She had managed to fulfill her duty to the Emperor!