"Oh dear, please forgive me, Uncle, for my careless words. I shouldn't have repeated those baseless rumors," Cheng Mo, unsure if his apology would suffice, anxiously signaled to Xiang Bei for help.
"Uncle, you should be secretly pleased! You not only have such a remarkable nephew-in-law, but people still call you a 'butterfly,' showing how envious they are of your charm, youth, and handsomeness. Flowers represent beauty, and butterflies signify grace and elegance, admired by social elites," Xiang Bei, knowing Cheng Mo wasn't skilled in conversation, took over and playfully addressed Huo Changlin.
"Exactly, they're just jealous and slandering me. Xiang Bei, you're the smartest. Uncle cares for you deeply. When you come to the capital, stick with me," Huo Changlin, now appeased, responded affectionately.
This incident was settled, but Cheng Mo couldn't help but wonder what "stick with me" meant. He watched the playful interaction between Xiang Bei and Huo Changlin with some concern. Was this the same man who had frightened him for days? Did people truly slander him?
"Master, Madam, do you want to go take a look?"
"Young Master, Young Madam, that letter home might cause quite a stir!"
Cheng Dian burst in, followed by Yun, Yu, and Lei, all shouting excitedly. Upon seeing the people inside and outside the tent, they stopped and respectfully greeted, "Your Highness, Miss Bei."
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be working at the fort?" Cheng Mo asked them casually.
"Things are going smoothly there. We came to report to Your Highness and have a few questions to ask Miss Bei directly," Thunder One, Lei Yi, replied.
"Perfect timing. Let me introduce you. This is my uncle, General Huo. Uncle, these are the four commanders of the Cheng family guards: Cloud Yun, Rain Yu, Thunder Lei, and Lightning Dian."
"Greetings, Uncle!" they all said in unison, standing and bowing with clasped fists.
There are quite a few nephews in the army, Huo Changlin thought, amused by the unusual greeting.
"By the way, Cheng Dian, go find my brother Ming Cheng. He's the cavalry captain and the future leader of the Huo family army here in Dongbin. He was just distributing letters with Hai Yi. Tell him to inform the soldiers that volunteers will join each group for tonight's bonfire party and stay in the various tents. Those who want to write letters home have the whole day to think about it, and we'll collect the letters before dinner tomorrow," Xiang Bei remembered something important.
"That was Ming Cheng? We just saw him wandering around the camps with Uncle Mt. Shan. I'll go find him. Oh, and did you say there's a bonfire party tonight?" Cheng Dian, always the talkative one, asked eagerly, a habit everyone was used to by now.
Seeing the other three's eyes gleaming with excitement, Xiang Bei didn't keep them in suspense. "Yes, you're in for a treat. Tonight, your prince has prepared a feast with roasted beef and lamb, marinated poultry eggs, bamboo rice, and sugarcane wine. It's a grand feast for ten thousand! Inform everyone to bathe and wash their hands thoroughly after the drill, using plenty of soap. Anyone with dirty hands won't be allowed to eat the meat."
"Your Highness is truly generous. With this announcement from Miss Bei, I doubt anyone will want to continue training. I think the prince should give them the afternoon off and let them help with the preparations," Huo Changlin, feeling for his soldiers and knowing their time together was short, eagerly suggested.
"Uncle is right. Everyone working together will make the atmosphere livelier and the preparations more thorough. Cheng Dian, go and inform Brother Ming Cheng," Cheng Mo, equally excited about Xiang Bei's idea for the grand feast, agreed.
As the few of them cheered and rushed out like the wind, Huo Changlin also quickly excused himself to find his old friends. Cheng Mo, finally having a moment, stepped up and hugged the young girl he hadn't seen for days. "Xiao Bei, my army has arrived. Father really gave me the military seal of command."
"Wasn't that decided long ago? You should try to resolve the knot in your heart and see your father with an open mind. Think about it, isn't he like all fathers in the world, loving you in the smallest ways but never saying it out loud?" Xiang Bei gently pushed Cheng Mo away a little and looked at him seriously. "With twenty thousand soldiers in your hands, that's the responsibility of twenty thousand families on your shoulders. Ah Mo, you must not only protect their lives but also safeguard their hopes and futures. You are their commander."
"Yes, and I'll take good care of myself because I need to protect Xiao Bei's hopes and future too."
"Thank you, Ah Mo. You are my strongest support in this world. I will always be by your side, becoming the person they trust and follow the most."
"Xiao Bei, with so many people at the feast, do we have enough hands? Should we ask Uncle Zhong to bring some help from Fuhai Restaurant?"
"Don't worry about that. We have twenty thousand helpers now. I've written the task list. I'll give it to Brother Ming Cheng. Now, come with me to the warehouse at the front post?" Xiang Bei quickly wrote down the task list and handed it to Cheng Mo.
"Did you plan this all along? But the decision to stop training was just made," Cheng Mo said, looking at the clear and organized task list. He realized he still had a lot to learn to keep up with his fiancée.
"I just thought of it. Just give this to Brother Ming Cheng."
"I'd better copy it down."
"It's just a simple Gantt chart, no big deal."
Cheng Mo started copying the list and gave her a resigned look. No big deal? She really didn't understand that such a straightforward chart was beyond what a typical village girl would know.
As Cheng Mo called someone to deliver the list and relay the orders, and as they walked to the post, the soldiers were already enthusiastically carrying out their tasks.