Let’s Squander A Billion First!

Chapter 540 -540: Difficult to be a Hostage (35)

Chapter 540 -540: Difficult to be a Hostage (35)

Lian Qiong spent two months recapturing all the cities, nearly driving Wei Country to withdraw its troops.

Unexpectedly, trouble arose as the grain and fodder convoy on its way was intercepted by Wei Country’s forces, with more than half destroyed.

Grain and fodder were key.

Following this incident, messengers were immediately dispatched to request reinforcements.

But after a month, there was no news at all.

It was only when their own supplies were almost depleted that news finally came, yet it wasn’t good.

The people behind them were actually asking them to stall.

With so many soldiers on the front lines fighting valiantly and now facing the crisis of starvation.

Chuzheng came down from the battlefield and saw several generals running frantically out of a tent, each looking as if they had just survived a catastrophe.

“What happened?”

Chuzheng stopped one of them and asked.

Chuzheng was fierce in battle and, although a hostage of Wei Country, her disregard for national affiliations earned everyone’s favor.

“It’s about the grain,” the general said indignantly, “I don’t know what happened, but they just keep delaying the supply.” He continued, “So many people are waiting to fill their bellies, and yet those behind this have done such a thing. If it were me, I’d be furious too.”

“Is there not enough grain?”

“We’ve been short for a while now,” replied the general. “We can hold out for at most another week, but the soldiers can only drink watered-down gruel; that certainly isn’t enough to fill their stomachs!”

Chuzheng’s meals had always been prepared by Lian Qiong, so she hadn’t noticed the shortage.

“Those people sit comfortably; do they really not understand, or do they want to kill us?”

“Wei Country probably caught wind of our situation. Their attacks have intensified these last few days.”

Chuzheng: “…”

Bastard, this dog thing!!

After cursing the King’s Account, Chuzheng took out a silver note to give to them, “Go buy grain from nearby cities first.”

“!!”

This hostage of Wei Country… Where did she get so many silver notes?

One of the generals swallowed hard. “Prince… this… won’t solve the crucial issue.”

Even if they went to buy now, the quantity they needed was entirely insufficient.

“Someone will be delivering more shortly; buy what you can to get by for now,” Chuzheng said calmly, as if to say, trust me.

The generals looked at each other.

“Prince, who will be sending the supplies?”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

Chuzheng headed towards the tent.

Lian Qiong sat alone at his desk in complete disarray, with many items scattered on the floor.

Chuzheng picked up the fallen objects and placed them back on the desk.

“Someone wants me to lose here,” Lian Qiong said.

His deeds here must have certainly reached back home by now.

The issue with the grain was clearly someone causing trouble intentionally.

“With me here, you won’t lose,” Chuzheng remarked casually, as if she were merely lending him a couple pieces of silver.

“I need to find a solution for the grain issue,” said Lian Qiong as he stood up. “You go to sleep; I…”

Chuzheng pushed him back down into the chair. Lian Qiong fell back and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s you who should rest,” Chuzheng said with an indifferent face.

“I…”

Chuzheng pressed him back into the chair, signaling him to stay silent.

She pulled out a sheet of paper from the side and dipped her brush in the ink.

It was difficult to write while standing, so Chuzheng simply sat on Lian Qiong’s lap and leaned over to write.

Her warm and soft presence seemed to draw out all the weariness from Lian Qiong’s body. He leaned against Chuzheng, watching her write.

Chuzheng wrote with neat, brushstrokes, each one as if carved from a mold.

Lian Qiong watched, somewhat mesmerized.

After Chuzheng finished writing, Lian Qiong had already fallen asleep against her.

Chuzheng sealed the letter carefully, got up gently, and moved Lian Qiong to a nearby couch.

No sooner had Chuzheng laid him down than Lian Qiong woke up.

Chuzheng leaned down to kiss him and whispered soothingly, “Sleep.”

Lian Qiong slowly closed his eyes. Chuzheng waited for his breathing to stabilize before taking the letter out to have Chen Fei deliver it urgently.

–

“General Lin, General Lin…”

“Are you summoning spirits? I’m not dead yet! What is it, has Wei Country’s bunch of grandsons attacked again?” Lin Zhou came out brandishing his large saber, fierce as ever.

“General Lin, there are people here to deliver grain!” the messenger gasped for air. “A great amount!”

Grain!

Lin Zhou’s eyes lit up upon hearing that.

Lately, everyone had been worried about grain.

The Wei Country’s Proton had provided money for them to purchase supplies from nearby cities, but it was far from enough.

Indeed, money couldn’t buy everything.

“Is it from the Imperial Court?”

“…I don’t think so,” the messenger hesitated.

“Not likely?” Not from the Imperial Court?

Brimming with questions, Lin Zhou ran to the outside of the military camp.

The setting sun hung at the horizon, and a magnificent procession was approaching.

“The supplies have arrived!!”

“The supplies have arrived!!”

The soldiers’ voices carried their surprise and joy from afar.

However, Lin Zhou was puzzled; these people didn’t seem like they were from the Imperial Court but rather resembled… bandits that rob on the road.

Lin Zhou chastised the group of excited soldiers and ordered someone to bring a horse; he wanted to have a look himself.

“Who are you people?”

Lin Zhou blocked the procession.

The leading assassin raised an eyebrow, “The assassin who brings you food.”

The assassin that brings food?

Food and an assassin?

What kind of combination is this?

Lin Zhou instantly became vigilant.

However, the assassin waved a hand dismissively, “My lord… the Prince of Wei Country sent me here, look at you, a grand general, so easily frightened.”

Lin Zhou: “…”

–

The army camp, which had been subdued, once again erupted in excitement, certain that the food supplies had indeed arrived.

The assassin scurried off to see Chuzheng—to ask for money.

For this deal, he had pulled many favors to find such skilled protectors for the escort.

Otherwise, they would have been robbed long before reaching this far.

“The price must be raised!!”

Chuzheng had nothing but money.

So she agreed rather appreciatively to the assassin’s request for more money.

She liked this forthright approach.

“My lord, did you buy these in advance for today?”

Chuzheng: “…”

Believe it or not, she did not.

But Chuzheng kept silent, needing to maintain her boss status.

“You, a Prince of Wei Country, why help Jin Country fight against your own?” the assassin muttered to himself, bewildered.

“Is everything alright now?”

“Ah? Yes… yes, everything is alright.”

“Then you can go.”

“…” To cross the river and demolish the bridge! The assassin left with his silver note.

Lian Qiong encountered him outside, and as the assassin looked at him, he ran away swift as the wind.

Lian Qiong frowned, “Who was that?”

Chen Fei explained, “He was the one who brought the supplies just now.”

Lian Qiong’s frown deepened.

She had been with such a pretty boy without her knowledge?! How infuriating!!

Lian Qiong stormed in furiously.

“Who was that man just now?”

Chuzheng blankly asked, “Who?”

“The one who just went out!!”

Chuzheng: “…”

This is a bit awkward for poor little me.

I honestly have no idea what that assassin’s name is.

“What did he do to you?”

Lian Qiong angrily said, “You were with him.”

“Hmm? So what?” What did I do to upset you?!

Lian Qiong: “…”

You’ve annoyed me in every possible way!!