Not long after Pei Jue returned to camp, Tan Dajin set out to buy grain.
But in these times of chaos and war, those who could flee had already done so. Crops turned into wild grass, and granaries starved mice to death. With nine out of ten households empty, finding grain and fodder was even harder than finding money and wealth.
Since Pei Jue refused to allow Feng Yun to serve as her advisor, she shifted her approach.
She instructed Ao Qi to lead people up the mountain to dig up the red taro along with the stalks and the tubers buried in the ground.
It took several days for a group of people to dig up the taro that covered the mountains.
The kitchen staff didn't know how to use it, so Feng Yun taught them hand by hand.
After boiling the taro stalks, they were blanched and pickled to make dishes. Anything uneaten was cut into pieces and dried for later use—crispy and delicious. The skins of taro and its tubers were thoroughly scraped off before being steamed until fragrant, soft, and glutinous, tasty and satisfying.
Taro and wild boar alone couldn't completely solve the food shortage, but they addressed Feng Yun's immediate concern—Pei Jue no longer required Feng Yun to attend his bed.
His words that day seemed to vanish like a fleeting cloud.
This minor achievement allowed Feng Yun to have her own small tent again, with Ao Qi giving her permission to live with her four maidservants.
Having dodged a bullet, Feng Yun cheerfully taught the kitchen soldiers how to make food, fulfilling her promise to "serve others with her talents."
The kitchen staff slaughtered the wild boar, partly curing it as Feng Yun had instructed. What needed to be stored was stored. What needed to be cooked was cooked. They made soups and roasted meat. Usually, the cooks would hastily prepare the food only caring for satiety without minding the flavor. Under Feng Yun's guidance, they discovered that the same food could taste vastly different.
Suddenly, the entire camp was filled with delicious aromas.
With her true skills, Feng Yun gained the soldiers' attention.
"The Feng lady is beautiful and has skillful hands, truly a remarkable person."
"The Fengs are from Qi Country, could they be harboring ulterior motives?"
"What's there to fear? The Great General ate it himself, would he get poisoned and die?"
"Hey! After the war, I'll also take a bride from Qi Country back with me..."
"I heard that the Feng lady is betrothed to the third son of the Xiao Family from Lanling, the one with the title of Prince of Jingling... If the Great General hadn't come along, she probably would already be married..."
"Hee hee, once the Great General tires of her, we'll take her for ourselves, and then we'd be sleeping with Xiao San's wife..."
From Nanqi, the Xiao Family alone produced three outstanding sons. That Xiao Cheng was exceptionally learned and well-known, and even these rough soldiers had heard of him. The legitimate son of an esteemed century-old family, a born noble.
A few soldiers squatted down to eat, their chatter becoming more animated, each one vying to be the fastest talker.
All of a sudden, a kick flew in from behind.
Bang! The bowl dropped and rolled away unceasingly, while the man tumbled over, landing on all fours.
"Which son of a—"*
His roar was stuck in his throat.
The man looked into Ao Qi's angry eyes and lethargically picked up his bowl.
"We were just talking. Guard Ao, always following her around, have you never harbored any thoughts? You protect the Feng lady so much; it would be better if the Great General rewarded you."
Ao Qi's breath hitched, his face turning as red as a monkey's butt, so angry that he gritted his teeth and drew his sword.
"You dare to run your mouths about the Great General's person? Do you have a death wish?"
The few soldiers broke out in a cold sweat.
—
Ao Qi picked up a few pig bones collected from the kitchen and tossed them into Alou's bamboo basket.
"Lucky for you."
Alou sniffed at them, then disdainfully turned away and licked his paws.
"It's not a dog; it doesn't gnaw on bones." Feng Yun picked up the pig bones, cured them with salt, and placed them as usual in her little donkey cart.
Ao Qi stretched his neck to peek inside, curious about the treasures it might hold.
Feng Yun dropped the curtain and suddenly stuffed something into his hands.
Ao Qi looked down.
Good gracious, it was a slab of beef the size of a palm.
It smelled so deliciously spicy that his mouth watered uncontrollably.
"I will present this to the Great General!"
Feng Yun: ...
Such a spineless creature. He hadn't changed at all, still treating Pei Jue as a god to be revered.
Watching Ao Qi stroll away happily, Shao Xueqing, Lin E, and Huan Jiao, among other ladies, dared to step out of the tent to inquire with Feng Yun.
"Shi'er Niang, when you presented us in front of the Great General, how did he respond?"
Shao Xueqing's voice was soft and coy, but her eyes were filled with anticipation.
Feng Yun was expressionless, "The Great General did not respond."
The ladies exchanged glances and became more enthusiastic.
"Shi'er Niang, we too are women from Qi."
"We are all consorts of the generals, and we should look out for one another."
"If we sisters unite and gain the Great General's favor, that is our way out..."
"The Great General is truly a paragon among men. If I win his affection, I will surely take care of my sisters in the future..."
"So will I."
"And I..."
As she listened to the ladies eagerly express their desires, Feng Yun's gaze became complicated.
What paragon among men? Behind closed doors, he was nothing but an unrestrained wild bull who would be content only after running a person into the ground. If they knew that, they likely wouldn't be saying such things...
"Shi'er Niang, the next time you meet the General, could you take me with you?"
It was Shao Xueqing who boldly made the request.
Among the twenty beauties, she held the highest status as the fourth lady of the Andu County Magistrate's family. Although she was born of a concubine, she believed that, apart from the women of the Feng Family, she was the most qualified to serve the Great General.
However, because the Great General had not summoned them, and other officers dared not ask for them, their status in the camp was awkward. They were unable to maintain composure like Feng Yun, and every moment was filled with worry...
Days of waiting for the dust to settle were even more torturous than being in the midst of the dust.
"Shi'er Niang, please think of a solution for us?"
Suddenly, Feng Yun bent over and dragged a bloody young pheasant out of a small donkey cart.
"Who knows how to pluck feathers?"
The group of beauties was astonished, and no one responded for a long while.
Dealing with dead chickens and plucking feathers, wasn't that the job of a servant? They were delicate beauties with striking looks, how could they perform such rough work?
"No one knows how to do it?" Feng Yun asked again.
"..."
The group of beauties stared at her, wondering what she was up to.
Feng Yun handed the pheasant to Xiaoman.
"Clean it up nicely and stew it so that your sister can bring it to the Great General."
The group of beauties: ...
Feng Yun did not react to their expressions and instructed Daman to get the pot going, slice some ginger, and, after cleaning and chopping the chicken, to stew it on a low heat. When it was almost done, she tossed in a few mushrooms foraged from the hills to enrich the broth, making it precious and delicious. Only then did she lift it out, putting it into the white glazed lotus seed jar she had brought with her...
Xiaoman was only fourteen, and Daman sixteen.
The two sisters looked alike, but their personalities were vastly different.
Xiaoman was innocent and straightforward, while Daman had her own schemes.
In her previous life, she had truly admired Pei Jue, even betraying her to the point of reporting her letter-writing to Xiao Ziceng, resulting in her letters being intercepted and hard punishment from Pei Jue several times...
Since they had a servant-master relationship, she might as well fulfill Daman's wishes.
At least Daman was willing to serve Pei Jue, so she wouldn't be acting unjustly.
Of course, there was also the important reason that Daman bore some resemblance to her between the brows. When General Pei was fully satisfied, that would be the best time to speak to him...
"Everyone, please go back."
Seeing the women staring at her expectantly, Feng Yun tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"I gave you an opportunity, but you didn't take it."
The group of beauties felt both angry and regretful.
If they had known that Shi'er Niang harbored such thoughts, they would be willing to pluck chicken feathers or even bite a live chicken with gritted teeth...
"Shi'er Niang."
"Good sister..."
Lin E approached her ingratiatingly, attempting to touch Feng Yun.
The moment Feng Yun frowned, Ao Qi briskly leapt up, growling as he pounced towards her, a fierce little yellow shadow.
There was a ripping sound, and Lin E's garment tore.
Before her scream could subside, several people were frightened enough to run back to their tents.
Feng Yun, smiling, picked up Ao Qi and held him in her arms, giving him a loving kiss.
"Don't be afraid! Your sister will surely protect you, but remember, you must not harm people at will, understand?"
Ao Qi's little head rubbed against her gently, looking very docile.
As if he had not just been the intimidating beast moments ago.
·
That evening, when Daman went to deliver chicken soup to the Central Military Tent, she did not return.
Xiaoman sat restlessly, her eyes flooding with tears in her anxiety.
Everyone knew of General Pei's bloodthirsty and murderous reputation. When enraged, he was capable of cruelty. She didn't know whether her sister had stayed to serve the General, or had been beaten to death...
There was no news from inside the camp, and Xiaoman cried until her eyes were red.
"What should I do? Shi'er Niang, could the General have eaten my sister..."
Feng Yun said, "It would be good if he did eat her, the problem would be if he didn't."
Xiaoman looked at her in horror.
Alou also looked up in shock.
The atmosphere became utterly bizarre.
They had heard people say in the mansion...
Since her childhood, Shi'er Niang was not normal, and in a fit of madness, she would not even recognize her own family...
Could it be that she was having an episode again?
"Shi'er Niang..."
Before Alou could say anything, Lin E came running over, crying and wailing, and knelt on the ground.
"Save me, please save me..."
Feng Yun did not reply, and Lin E sobbed as she explained the situation.
Just now, she and Huan Jiao had seduced and bribed the guards to sneak in, intending to offer themselves to the Great General, but this angered him.
"The General executed four of the guards... and intends to send all of us concubines to the main camp as a reward for the six armies..."