Chapter 36: Passing It On as a Gift

Across the vast expanse of the Great Qian Dynasty, there are countless families like this one. Each is concerned only with fattening its own coffers, never sparing a thought for the fate of the empire.

Take Qingyuan County, for instance. It is impossible to count how many refugees have gathered there; when winter comes, how many will freeze or starve to death on the streets, left without a place to call home?

Though he had secured a massive haul of spoils, Ning Ye felt no joy. He knew he could not keep this hot potato; keeping it would inevitably lead to disaster. Yet, throwing it away would be a colossal waste. After much deliberation, he finally decided where to send the goods.

He glanced at the laborers who had not attempted to flee and said, "I have no desire to harm any of you. I need you to do me a favor; once we reach our destination, I will grant you your freedom."

The laborers looked up, one after another. Though they could not be sure if Ning Ye’s words were true, they had no choice but to trust him.

The massive caravan set off once more. Had it been up to Ning Ye and his men alone, they could never have managed it, but with the help of these laborers, everything became much simpler.

A few days later, at the border pass, a vast caravan suddenly appeared. The sentries were momentarily bewildered, unable to fathom the purpose of such a convoy.

Just as they prepared to investigate, a man rode up to the gate on horseback. "Our master says that you soldiers guarding the pass have had a difficult time. The supplies on these carts are for you. Please accept them as a token of our master’s goodwill."

The soldier was left stunned, and before he could react, the man had already turned his horse and ridden away. As for the caravan, it remained where it was, and the rest of the men vanished.

Unsure of how to handle the situation, the soldier could only report the incident to Li Ruochen.

Li Ruochen, who had been reading, was taken aback upon hearing the news. Even she suspected the soldier might be playing a joke on her. After all, the border pass was usually starved of supplies—how could someone suddenly arrive with such a generous gift?

Li Ruochen set down her book and decided to see for herself. Since the goods had come from her own territory, she had to ensure it wasn't a ruse by the barbarians to bypass her defenses and launch a surprise attack.

She remained entirely confident in her position. Upon arriving at the caravan and opening a sack of grain, she found it filled with high-quality polished rice. Combined with the iron ore, it was truly a fortune in supplies.

The soldiers guarding the pass were wide-eyed with greed. They had never tasted such fine rice, and there was enough to last them for a long time.

Li Ruochen was naturally delighted, a smile gracing her beautiful face. "Men, inspect these thoroughly, then move them inside. It seems we have truly encountered a benefactor this time."

The soldiers immediately began their inspection. Once they confirmed there were no hidden dangers or poisons, the goods were transported into the warehouse.

A middle-aged man hurried over. "My Lady, you aren't wearing your veil."

Li Ruochen instinctively touched her face. "Never mind. I should be used to it by now; if I don't wear it, I don't wear it."

Who would have guessed that the great general guarding the frontier was a woman? Yet, across her beautiful face ran a deep, jagged scar—like an ugly crack marring a piece of fine porcelain.

"My Lady, urgent news: the barbarians have begun to assemble. In less than half a month, I fear they will strike."

Li Ruochen’s eyes narrowed. "It seems the last lesson didn't teach them enough. They want to take advantage of the summer harvest to plunder once again. This time, we shall ensure they learn their lesson properly."

The lands beyond the pass were part of the Great Qian Dynasty, and many people lived there. Every summer, however, the barbarians would descend to raid, leaving the region in misery.

Two years ago, when Li Ruochen first arrived, she led her troops into several fierce battles to break the barbarians' arrogance. That was how she earned the scar on her face, but she had also successfully driven the tribes back.

She never expected them to return after only two years. Li Ruochen was determined not to let the commoners beyond the pass fall back into such suffering.

"Third Uncle, continue to track their movements. Report any developments to me at once. I shall meet these barbarians again."

Li Jiangong nodded. "Rest assured, these barbarians will not escape your Third Uncle’s eyes. But this time, you must not lead the troops into battle yourself. If something were to happen to you, how could I answer to your father?"

Li Ruochen smiled faintly. "Third Uncle, if I had feared dying on the battlefield, I would never have come here. This was my choice, and there is no need for you to persuade me otherwise."

Li Jiangong knew his niece’s temperament well. Her coming to the border to serve as a general had been a sensational event for the Li family.

Yet, Li Ruochen had proven to everyone that women were no less capable than men. A woman could guard the frontier just as well, keeping the barbarians from daring to strike.

Meanwhile, Ning Ye was preparing to return home. As for the laborers, he could only leave them to their own devices.

After a few days of traveling, Ning Ye finally arrived back at his estate. But no sooner had he stepped through the door than he found Zhang Zihe packing his bags, preparing to leave.

Ning Ye immediately dismounted and hurried over to block his path. "Master Zhang, why are you leaving without a word of farewell?"

Zhang Zihe looked distressed. "Young Master Ning, it is not that I wished to leave without saying goodbye. I have already informed the mistress. I am only dealing with some private matters today, and I beg you to believe that I shall return soon."

Ning Ye pressed his hand onto Zhang Zihe’s shoulder. "I know what these 'private matters' are. You should not face this alone. I am coming with you."

"Young Master, this has nothing to do with you. You have already helped me enough; you must not intervene further."

Ning Ye insisted, "Since you work for me, your affairs are my affairs. To keep them from me is to treat me like a stranger. Besides, this is not something you can handle on your own."

Ning Ye’s grip tightened, making it clear that unless Zhang Zihe agreed, he would not be allowed to leave.

Zhang Zihe sighed. "Then, I thank you for your concern, Young Master."