The clingy concubine ran away, and the sickly prince lost control.

"You are not allowed to enter the court. Come back with me immediately." The old lady turned and got into the carriage.

Cui Hui didn't leave.

Xiao Jingxu was catching up.

Luo Qingyan pinched Cui Hui and whispered, "Someone wants to harm the Duke's Mansion. I have important matters to discuss."

Cui Hui became alert and followed Luo Qingyan into the carriage.

Inside the carriage.

Cui Hui learned that the emperor intended to harm the Duke's mansion.

"Therefore, Hui'er, you cannot enter the court and get involved in its murky affairs," the old lady said sternly.

Cui Hui clenched her fists. She was unwilling to accept it. After practicing so hard for so many years, was all her hard work going to go to waste?

"Miss Cui, you have so many skills, you must help the young master and the Duke's mansion, only then will you have a way out!" Luo Qingyan said earnestly when she saw that Cui Huixin was unwilling.

Without a wise ruler, how can one serve? It's better to hide in the deep mountains; isn't that what those hermits do?

She had heard similar stories before.

The Duke's Mansion and the Cui family are bound by fate, and they will definitely help the family through this difficult time.

"I understand." Cui Hui felt heartbroken that she had no place in this chaotic capital city where she could use her talents.

After the group returned to their residence...

The Empress then ordered a pile of rewards to be sent over, and the Crown Prince himself came to deliver them.

"Miss Cui, your contributions to the nation are immense, but your status as a woman is a constraint. The Empress Dowager also regrets this. I hope Miss Cui will not find this small reward too much," the Crown Prince said with a smile.

There is no woman as resolute as her in the capital. This is the first time he has ever seen one. How glorious it would be if she could become his Crown Princess.

They don't need bodyguards when they go out; they are protected by others.

No one dared to laugh at his mediocre skills anymore.

Cui Hui and the people from the Duke's mansion solemnly accepted the reward.

How could I refuse Her Majesty the Empress's kindness?

"This jade pendant is a gift I specially gave you." Xiao Jingxu tore a piece of jade pendant off his person.

Cui Hui didn't answer. It was so annoying. Wherever a woman goes, whenever she meets a man, he always thinks about love and romance.

"Your Highness, we dare not accept this," the old lady stepped forward to defuse the situation.

Xiao Jingxu still held the jade pendant suspended in mid-air, as if he had no choice but to put it away.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Luo Qingyan smiled and accepted the jade pendant, giving Xiao Jingxu an approving look.

That means she will persuade Cui Hui.

Xiao Jingxu understood and left satisfied, muttering as he went that Pei Shiyuan's concubine was truly a clever woman, very perceptive. "No one in the world dares to refuse my kindness."

Thunder and rain are both acts of imperial favor, don't you understand?

"Qingyan, why did you accept the Crown Prince's jade pendant?" the old lady asked anxiously.

Luo Qingyan smiled and said, "Madam, Miss Cui, you're both taking this too seriously. The Crown Prince just gave it to her casually. Of course, it also shows he's interested in Miss Cui."

"Then why did you accept it?" the old lady said angrily.

"The Crown Prince is the kind of person who just likes novelty, and besides, it wasn't said to be a token of love. You don't need to take it seriously. Moreover, the Heir Apparent repeatedly instructed us to go along with those people's wishes in everything." Luo Qingyan's expression turned serious at the end of her sentence.

"Qingyan is right. The Crown Prince has plenty of women, no need to take it seriously. If he dares to bother me, I'll secretly make him kowtow until he's bloodied and dizzy." Cui Hui's eyes were indifferent, but Luo Qingyan's words that she didn't need to take it seriously reminded her.

She's just too serious; she wears her likes and dislikes on her sleeve. Actually, with a little trickery, she can easily embarrass these stinky men.

I used to really treat them like people and take them seriously, it's ridiculous.

The old lady held her forehead in silence; what Luo Qingyan said made sense.

"Hui'er, why are you calling Qingyan? You should call her Aunt Luo." The old lady reminded her in time, reminding her not to forget her status and manners.

"Calling you 'Auntie' doesn't sound right. From now on, I'll call you Qingyan," Cui Hui said to Luo Qingyan with a smile.

Luo Qingyan smiled and looked back.

The old lady shook her head; she had no way to deal with them.

A few days later.

"Madam, it's time for us to set off." Luo Qingyan bid farewell to the old lady, as she was about to take the divine physician Jing Bufan to catch up with Pei Shiyuan's army.

Old Zhang, who insisted on coming along, was also with them.

They publicly claimed that Luo Qingyan was unwell and would be recuperating at the Duke's mansion.

The old lady was in charge of looking after Kangning Pavilion.

Only by having Luo Qingyan and Jing Bufan secretly follow the army could they ensure that Pei Shiyuan's feigned death was foolproof.

Go ahead! Be careful in everything you do.

"Aunt, I'm going too." Cui Hui's blood was boiling when she learned that Luo Qingyan was going to the border.

How majestic she would be if she were clad in armor, charging into battle and slaying enemies.

The battlefield, the place she had always dreamed of.

"Go! Go all of you!" The old lady had no choice but to agree. Hui'er had a dream and couldn't be stopped. It would also be good for her to stay away from the Crown Prince.

Although the Crown Prince wasn't serious, it's still best to keep your distance to avoid trouble.

Luo Qingyan traveled light and simple, and within five days she caught up with Pei Shiyuan's army.

Upon arriving at the military camp, Cui Hui was as happy as a fish in water, getting up early to practice martial arts just like the male soldiers.

"Young Miss, you are highly skilled in martial arts, why do you need to train with greenhorns?" Luo Qingyan handed Cui Hui tea during her break.

"No, although my martial arts skills are superior to theirs, I need to practice the tacit understanding of fighting alongside them. The battlefield is not a one-man affair; perfect teamwork is extremely important."

Luo Qingyan listened to Cui Hui's words with an expression of admiration.

"Keep practicing."

Pei Shiyuan arrived in a wheelchair.

"Yes," Cui Hui replied respectfully and ran away.

Luo Qingyan was shocked that Cui Hui was so subservient to Pei Shiyuan, when they used to be mortal enemies who were like needles and wheat awns.

"Your Highness, please have some tea."

"Cui Hui is not a woman; she will surely become a great general." Pei Shiyuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down, gazing ahead at the perfectly aligned army.

"Young Master, why don't you just bestow the title of Female General upon Miss Cui?" Luo Qingyan said. If she had that authority, she would bestow the title of Grand General upon Cui Hui right now, for example, "General Huiyuan."

"You should still take your medicine on time!" Pei Shiyuan rolled his eyes at Luo Qingyan.

The physician from the Jiang family instructed him to take his medicine on time.

Even if it doesn't have any effect, it still nourishes the body.

Luo Qingyan let out a soft breath: "Yes, Your Highness."

The medicine prescribed by the physician from the Jiang family was not bitter at all; she could feel that it contained a lot of nourishing ingredients, which she vaguely felt was a comfort to her.

Touched, she didn't want to expose him.

As time went by, she came to terms with it, became at peace with it, and stopped drinking it.

It's time to light the lamps.

The main tent was brightly lit.

"Your Highness, just arrange a small tent for me." Luo Qingyan noticed there was nowhere to sleep.

Cui Hui squeezed together with a group of stinky-footed men.

She came as a military doctor and logistics officer, and since there were no other women with her, where she would sleep became a problem.

"Are you special?" Pei Shiyuan asked coldly.

Luo Qingyan quickly waved her hand: "That's not what I meant, I'm a woman..."

"Stay here with me. The general is not in good health, shouldn't a medical staff stay by his side day and night?" Pei Shiyuan retorted.

Luo Qingyan glanced around and saw there was only one bed. "I'll sleep here, Your Highness."

She pointed to the empty space next to her.

Pei Shiyuan remained silent, which was tacit approval.

It's getting late.

Luo Qingyan unrolled the bedding and neatly laid it on the ground: "Young Master, let me help you change your clothes first."

Luo Qingyan reached out her hand, but Pei Shiyuan grabbed it.