Chapter 270.1: Hello Chang'an
Chapter 270.1: Frightening Herself
“If I win this wager,” said Chang Suining, “then General Xiao must promise me one request—how about that?”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Min instinctively wanted to reply, ‘If Young Miss Chang ever needs my help, she has but to ask — there’s no need for a wager.’
But when the words reached his lips, he merely smiled and followed her lead.
“And what request might Young Miss Chang have in mind?”
Chang Suining pretended to think for a moment before saying, “I haven’t thought of it yet. May I tell you when I do?”
Xiao Min agreed readily.
A young lady who always acted with restraint and propriety — what troublesome request could she possibly make?
At the side, Chang Kuo could only sigh inwardly — young, still too young.
The “too young” General Xiao smiled and asked, “Then what if Young Miss Chang loses the wager?”
“The same rule applies,” Chang Suining replied with a smile. “Beyond official duties, I too shall agree to one request from General Xiao.”
“Is Young Miss Chang not afraid I might make an excessive request?” Xiao Min asked.
The moment the words left his mouth and he met the amused gazes of the father and daughter, he immediately realized how unnecessary that question was.
If he truly dared to overstep, the one who ought to be afraid would be himself.
After all, a person’s safety and dignity often depend on their own sense of boundaries.
The young woman’s answer, however, granted him immense grace.
“If I dare wager with General Xiao, then it is because I believe General Xiao to be a man of principle and restraint.”
“Young Miss Chang flatters me…”
Xiao Min bitterly struck out a thought that had flashed across his mind — ‘If I win, perhaps I could ask Young Miss Chang to teach me the late Crown Prince’s spear techniques.’
No — that would be far too greedy, far too shameless. He couldn’t betray the trust behind her compliment.
Sigh… sometimes having too good a reputation is a burden in itself.
So be it.
Even the Grand General himself had been unable to master the essence of those techniques — how could he hope to?
Consoling himself, General Xiao settled for a humbler request.
“If I win, then may I ask Young Miss Chang to instruct me in the blade, even just a little?”
On New Year’s Eve, during that sparring match, what Young Miss Chang had displayed — besides her flawless spearwork — was a blade technique so refined it made others yearn for more.
In the martial path, the strong command respect.
Before such a rare prodigy, Xiao Min felt no shame in asking sincerely.
Chang Suining nodded. “Of course you may.”
Delighted, Xiao Min sighed with a laugh.
“Then for the sake of improving my blade technique, I suppose I should pray in secret that Xu Zhengye does not change course toward Luoyang!”
After a few light-hearted remarks, they returned to official matters.
Once Xiao Min departed, he went to check on the repairs of the warships.
His deputy, surnamed Dong, who had often served by his side since Xiao Min assumed command, asked curiously,
“General, why are we suddenly gathering so many warships? Are we going to attack Xu Zhengye from the water route?”
Xiao Min neither confirmed nor denied it.
“Just a precaution — better to be prepared.”
Deputy Dong pressed further.
“Then when will we march? The soldiers below are eager for battle — they’ve been waiting to face Xu Zhengye head-on and reclaim Yangzhou!”
Xiao Min nodded.
“Indeed. Morale is high — proof that Young Miss Chang’s training has been most effective. She truly deserves her position as Chief Instructor.”
Deputy Dong fell silent.
After a pause, Xiao Min added,
“As for when we march against Xu Zhengye, we must await the Grand General’s orders. There’s no need to rush.”
“But General,” said Deputy Dong, frowning, “now that morale is soaring, this is the perfect time to strike! If we delay, we’ll only give Xu Zhengye time to recover and strengthen his forces.”
Xiao Min’s tone was cautious.
“Grand General Chang and General Ningyuan have both said it — Yangzhou and Jiangning are protected by natural defenses. They are easy to defend, difficult to attack. If we charge recklessly, the casualties will be immense… We must plan carefully.”
Deputy Dong still looked uneasy.
“But the Court is pressing to reclaim Yangzhou. If we lose this golden opportunity, and the Court grows dissatisfied or suspicious, won’t the Holy Emperor lay the blame upon you?”
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes,” Xiao Min sighed helplessly.
At that moment, a soldier arrived with a report, and Xiao Min went off to handle other matters.
Deputy Dong stood where he was, saluting as his commander left — a faint unease flickering in his eyes.
A few paces away, Xiao Min’s own gaze grew sharp — vigilant, thoughtful.
Elsewhere, Yuan Xiang, Chang Ren, and Old Kang arrived at Chang Kuo’s main tent.
All had been summoned by Chang Suining.
“What orders does the Young Lady have?” asked Chang Ren respectfully.
Chang Suining had just set down her brush after writing a reply letter — there were too many letters to answer, and she could only make time between tasks.
She looked toward Yuan Xiang and the others.
“I need you to find some people for me in the nearby prefectures.”
Then she clearly listed her conditions.
“There must be commoners and runners, merchants both great and small, scholars and poets, county officials and gentry — and also beggars and refugees displaced by war.”
“Understood,” said Chang Ren. “How should we bring them — the usual way?”
Xi’er hesitated slightly, glancing toward her mistress.
There were many people to find this time… Would her sack be enough? Could she draw from the military stores instead?
“…Not this time,” Chang Suining corrected. “Invite them properly.”
The men nodded.
“There’s one more thing to watch for,” Chang Suining added thoughtfully.
“Among those people — anyone especially sharp-tongued, gossiping, or malicious in speech…”
Yuan Xiang and the others listened carefully — did she mean such people shouldn’t be chosen?
“The more of them, the better,” said Chang Suining.
“…?”
They blinked in surprise — then quickly answered in unison, “Yes, Young Lady!”
After giving several more detailed instructions, Chang Suining dismissed them to make arrangements.
Outside the tent, Yuan Xiang, ever eager to learn, asked,
“Brother Ren, earlier you mentioned the ‘usual way.’ What’s that, exactly?”
“Oh, that?” said Chang Ren, very straightforwardly. “Knock them out, stuff them in a sack, and carry them back.”
“…I see,” said Yuan Xiang.
He had learned something new again.
Before long, word spread that Xu Zhengye had summoned all his forces to gather at Yangzhou.
Rumors abounded — that Xu Zhengye was uniting his armies to launch a full assault on Huainan Route; that he had already recruited over two hundred thousand men and was brimming with confidence.
The news quickly spread throughout Jiangnan, throwing officials and common folk alike into panic.
When Xiao Min returned and met with the Chang father and daughter, he brought up this matter.
Before he could even finish, Chang Suining, still writing at her desk, said calmly,
“General Xiao need not worry. It’s true Xu Zhengye is gathering troops — but the rest of those reports are mere rumors.”
“But what if they’re true?” Xiao Min asked.
“They’re not,” she replied without pausing her pen.
“Because I was the one who ordered those rumors spread.”
“?” Xiao Min blinked. “Young Miss Chang… why would you do that?”
“To frighten myself,” said Chang Suining.
Her brush paused mid-stroke. She pondered the line she’d just written, frowned, and crossed it out.
Xiao Min: …Spreading rumors to frighten herself?
He had long since stopped questioning the young lady’s sanity — his trust in her was that absolute.
So he followed her reasoning, no matter how absurd it first sounded. What would be the benefit of doing this?
After a moment’s thought, Xiao Min’s eyes brightened.
“I understand now!”
Chang Kuo observed quietly from the side.
Her Highness always left half her words unspoken — not to be cryptic, but to sharpen Xiao Min’s intuition for military matters.
She was patient with those worth teaching; in the old days, the entire Xuanzhe Command had been united and fearless precisely because the one they served not only loved talent but also cultivated it.
Genius is born — talent is taught.
The former are few; the latter, under careful guidance, can become many.
Seeing that Xiao Min had understood, Chang Suining said,
“Then I must trouble General Xiao to order all checkpoints along each route to strengthen defenses and make full battle preparations.”
Xiao Min nodded solemnly, confirmed several details with Chang Kuo, and immediately left to see it done.
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