Chapter 249: Peaceful, but it's just too peaceful

She wrote me a letter!

She hasn't forgotten me!

Great! She told me to take care of myself!

She still cares whether I live or die, right? That must be it! Hahahaha……

Meng Chengping held the letter, spinning around drunk with joy as he read, like a big moth.

Amid his wild laughter, Mu Nan Zhao silently looked at the thing in his hand, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

Usage, dosage……

A mountain breeze swept by, and another slip of paper slid out of the envelope.

Mu Nan Zhao reached out and caught it, lifted it to look, and his brows gradually furrowed.

A pair of pine door panels, dimensions…… appraisal…… subtract depreciation…… compensation?

Meng Chengping, unbeknownst when, had moved behind Mu Nan Zhao, craning his neck to read them out one by one.

He asked with a foolish smile, "What is this?"

Mu Nan Zhao suddenly balled up the slip of paper and clenched it tightly.

He slapped the letter, covered in writing, onto Meng Chengping with a cold face, "Take it to the military doctor!"

The letter fluttered down in the wind, and Meng Chengping hurriedly caught it, "What is this again?"

He lowered his head and glanced at it, "Isn't this a letter from Boss Gu?"

Meng Chengping lifted his head to watch Mu Nan Zhao's retreating back, sighing sympathetically.

He turned and walked toward the medical tent, watching He Jinglan write her own letter, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.

She also said I'm an old friend, hehe……

Being friends for now is fine; anyway, it's definitely better than Brother Mu.

He initially entered Boss Gu's household, hardly different from a son-in-law, yet now he's not as good as me; Boss Gu has sent things and letters to the camp several times, yet he ignores him completely.

Sigh, just thinking about it is miserable; I'll have to tell the General later and find a chance to comfort Brother Mu.

Mu Nan Zhao returned to his own tent.

He picked up the cup to drink water, furrowed his brows, and set it down heavily.

Lukewarm, it's undrinkable!

He picked up another book, realized it wasn't the one he'd been reading lately, vexed, he tossed it aside, then reached to open the inkbox, and for some reason, ink splattered out.

The half-written military strategy on the desk was contaminated by ink, so it had to be rewritten.

Mu Nan Zhao stared at the desktop with a look that could kill.

The orderly had intended to come in to change the water kettle, but seeing this, he was frightened and immediately wanted to retreat the way he came.

Mu Nan Zhao suddenly stood up, his expression grim, marching away.

The orderly trembled as he held the water kettle, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Sir, I—I was just… getting water, oh no, changing the pot, uh, changing the water kettle."

However, Mu Nan Zhao simply walked past the orderly's side and left the tent on his own.

Inside the commander's tent, Huo Jiang had just finished discussing matters with several generals.

Mu Nan Zhao entered, looked at Huo Jiang, and said, "I want to return to Huachi Du Cun."

"What did you say?" Huo Jiang felt his head hurt even more, his ears buzzing.

Mu Nan Zhao said, "From here to the capital, the army needs at least three days to cross the mountains."

Then passing through Jin City, Feng City, and Zhen County, taking Jin City is easy; besieging it and then entering to pacify and reorganize would take at most five.

But Feng City has a hundred-year-old wall guarding it, so besieging it isn't that easy.

Even if we could take it, the cost and time would not be what we want.

Huo Jiang puzzled, just now you said you'd leave, why are you talking about official business now?

He nodded, "Yeah, so you'd better not think of leaving."

Wasn't it agreed earlier that you have some acquaintance with the Feng City governor, and you could go persuade him to surrender, which would be twice as effective?

Mu Nan Zhao said, "So whether I'm present for the next few days doesn't matter."

I'll ride fast there and back; when your troops reach Feng City, I will certainly return.

"No, no, no!" Huo Jiang said with a bitter face, waving his hands repeatedly.

How do I know you'll definitely come back? Can you guarantee it yourself?

Mu Nan Zhao said, "Haven't I already guaranteed it?"

Huo Jiang choked.

After a moment, he adjusted his posture, maintaining dignity, and said, "Reason? You ought to give me a proper reason."

Mu Nan Zhao thought, it seems Meng Chengping's loudmouth hasn't come over yet.

He stared at Huo Jiang with a wooden face, "Being repeatedly ignored, even my house faced forced demolition; if I don't go back once more, I might have nowhere to stand—is this reason enough?"

Huo Jiang was already bursting with laughter inside, but his face showed nothing, "Oh, it's a family matter."

This really is a big problem; with unrest behind you, you can't do anything up front.

"No," Mu Nan Zhao said calmly, "I actually feel the rear is especially peaceful."

"Peaceful……" he clenched his teeth slightly, "It's almost erasing my very existence."

Huo Jiang finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

But he quickly put on a straight face again, saying, "There's actually no problem at all; it seems more serious than other families' squabbles."

Mu Nan Zhao said nothing.

Huo Jiang cleared his throat, "Then go on, pick the fastest horse."

But you little brat, remember, our heads are now bound together—if you dare to let me down and don't come back when the time comes, even before I die I'll have to dig up your Mu family ancestral grave!!

Mu Nan Zhao gave a light snort, took it as an answer, and turned to leave.

Huachi Du Cun.

It started raining as soon as I got up; after several days of continuous heat, it finally became a bit cool.

Gu Xixi likes this kind of weather, standing under the eaves to watch the rain.

He Jinglan was holding a basin of freshly steamed vegetable dumplings; just as she stepped out of the kitchen, she heard Gu Xixi sneeze.

She asked concernedly, 'Did you catch a chill from last night's shower? Hurry inside, be careful not to catch dampness again.'

Gu Xixi smiled, 'It's nothing, just my nose is a little itchy.'

Besides, I just saw my master, and he didn't say I was sick.

He Jinglan looked her over, seeing she wasn't lacking in spirit, and temporarily put her mind at ease, 'Then that's good.'

She looked around, seeing no one, and whispered, 'I woke up this morning with my eyelid twitching twice, and I've been wondering if something might happen.'

Could it be the Northwest Army, or something happened in the capital?

Gu Xixi reassured her, 'Things happen all the time—big or small, good or bad—don't keep scaring yourself.'

He Jinglan nodded with a smile, 'That's true.'

She was about to go inside when someone outside the gate shouted:

'Is Elder Sister Zhang at home?'

He Jinglan hastily unlatched the lattice door and whispered, 'Just as we were talking about something happening, it really happened!'

Outside the door stood a woman about the same age as Zhang Shen; her husband's surname is Wu, she lives at the eastern end of the village, and people call her Madame Wu.

Gu Xixi recognized her, though they had hardly ever interacted.

She glanced at He Jinglan in puzzlement, not knowing why she had said something would happen.

Madame Wu saw someone in the courtyard and, without waiting for the host's invitation, stepped inside.

'Oh dear, what a coincidence, Gu Xixi is home!'

'Well, this piece of good news, I might as well tell you directly.'

He Jinglan leaned close to Gu Xixi's cheek, moving her lips, 'I advise you not to listen.'

Gu Xixi was about to respond when Zhang Shen suddenly walked out of the kitchen.

She slammed the door shut, giving a false smile to Madame Wu, 'Didn't we make it clear already? Why are you coming to my house?'