Xu Xiaomeng was truly, not too shocked upon receiving the report of the recent attacks.

Sitting in her study, she was eating a bowl of noodles while Xiao Xi was silently watching.

Eating a bowl of noodles is completely normal for an average human, yet Xu Xiaomeng can survive without food. Li Ming, when she had inhabited Xu Xiaomeng’s body, did not eat any meals, while Xu Xiaomeng similarly followed Li Ming’s behaviour after the assassination.

Thus, this is the first time food had appeared in this room since it’s a takeover by Li Ming.

The noodle itself was filled with chill, to such a degree that it had overpowered Xiao Xi’s nose, turning it slightly red and Xu Xiaomeng’s eyes turned slightly teary as she angry consumed it.

This sort of noodle was particularly popular in Changtian province, particularly due to its low cost for production. Thus, Xu Xiaomeng, who had been largely neglected by the Xu family, had this bowl of noodles at least once a week.

“This matter shows a divide within the revolution,” Xu Xiaomeng said, though her voice was quite entertaining, as her capacity of speech was affected by the spice.

“The bulk of the army around the border was caught off guard, many of them had been captured, while the rest was pushed further back,” Xiao Xi said.

“How many of our weapons were captured?” Xu Xiaomeng asked, her head was facing down, as she was still eating.

“As Lady Xu has instructed, the majority of them were destroyed before it could be seized, though some undoubtedly landed into their hands,” Xiao Xi replied.

Xu Xiaomeng gave off a sound of affirmation, before asking,” Any other significant matter that occurred during the assaults?”

“A number of fortifications that had been erected had been captured by the Yao Dynasty, while a new ship clad in iron that the Yao Dynasty had acquired managed to sail through much of Hejiang river, only stopping at an unimportant fort after the Yao soldiers had failed to capture it,” Xiao Xi replied. Naturally, this fort was the one Liu Two had been in.

“I see,” Xu Xiaomeng said,” The conflict shows that Empress Wunan’s soldiers have acquired much of our military intelligence, either through a traitor or espionage, that is not acceptable.”

“Lady Xu, if it is fine with you, could I be in charge of countering these matters, perhaps I could even be in command of spying on the Yao Dynasty as well?” Xiao Xi suddenly asked.

Xu Xiaomeng paused for a moment, before placing down her chopsticks onto the bowl, though her mouth was still lightly stained with the spice, she still spoke in a rather serious manner.

“These matters, you should propose to the court, not to me,” Xu Xiaomeng said.

Xiao Xi took a piece of paper from her coat, presenting it to Xu Xiaomeng.

It was a petition that had already been signed by much of the court, including the signature of Liu One, Chen Ju, Hong Wang, Ling Ping, Galina Ivanov, though Ma Wen was not included.

Xu Xiaomeng gave Xiao Xi a glance, before saying.

“Go ask Ma Wen to aid you in this, I am not good in such fields,” Xu Xiaomeng returned to eating her bowl of noodles, though her reaction was not as strong as before, soon enough, Xu Xiaomeng had finished the bowl of noodles.

Xiao Xi afterwards, left the room, bring the empty bowl along with her.

“Sir Ma, how do you propose we solve such matters?” Xiao Xi said, her hands still slightly wet from washing the bowl, it was quite clear that she had been rather rushed.

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“Lady Xiao, for now, we mustn’t be too ambitious, our movement’s roots are not as deep as the Yao or Yun, thus we should at least focus such actions within Dongan and Bingjiang,” Ma Wen said.

“The sixth corp should be converted into the new role that you described, along with the training of an intelligence team, sailors and a strike team. Furthermore, as there is currently no manner of law enforcement in our territories, they should also fight against criminal activities,” Ma Wen said.

“It could also be utilised to instigate revolts and strikes against Empress Wunan and Xu Jin’s populous along with suppressing sabotage and anti-revolutionary activities, such as the recent leak of our information to the Yao Dynasty,” Ma Wen said.

“Lady Xu requested us to not be too harsh on such people, what does punishment does Sir Ma suggest would be fit to deal with counter-revolutionaries?” Xiao Xi asked.

“Currently, much of the food distributed among the urban population is through rations, we could strip them of that. For those that are above them, the confiscation of their property could be applied, while for treasonous acts, we can publish them on a public list, naming them as enemies of the state,” Ma Wen said, though his face was slightly downcasted.

“Why don’t we simply kill the traitors?” Xiao Xi asked.

“All man are born the same, only through their upbringing do they become good or evil,” Ma Wen said as he began to fan himself,” Thus these traitors can also be educated to be rediverted into the right path.”

(Confucianism)

Xiao Xi does not understand the classics Ma Wen had learned so much only nod in agreement.

“Then how does Sir Ma think we should do with Hu Caochang?” Xu Xiaomeng offhandedly mentioned.

“Lady Xu had already asked us to only deal with him after gathering sufficient evidence, in this regard, we should convince Hu Qingyuan to aid us in such acts, as the two are siblings, it should be relatively simple,” Ma Wen said, continuing to fan himself.

Xiao Xi wondered how Ma Wen was to convince this girl to betray her own brother but did not ask anything. Before long, she and Ma Wen left the room, after grouping with the sixth corp, Ma Wen left for the Northern trenches.

“Lady Hu Qingyuan, your medical exploits is quite well known, many soldiers that came back praise your actions,” Ma Wen praised before jumping off his horse, his scholarly robe appeared to be in quite a bad shape, causing him to look quite pathetic.

“This gentleman need not praise me, I am merely doing what I believe is right,” Hu Qingyuan said in an aloof tone and did not take her eyes off her medical tools.

Ma Wen did not mind this and helped her clean the apparatus, revealing that his hands were actually full of calculus, slightly surprising Hu Qingyuan, though she did not express this.

“Lady, may I ask why you have joined the army as a medic, could you not have been travelling doctor like many others?” Ma Wen abruptly asked.

Hu Qingyuan did not answer this strange man and continued sterilising her medical equipment.

Ma Wen gave a chuckle, before focusing once more on sterilising, remaining silent until they have finished all the medical equipment.

“Lady, may I borrow your house to live for the night,” Ma Wen asked as he reached for his horse rein.

After Li Ming had taken over, seeing soldiers stay in the houses of commoner became a rather common thing, so Hu Qingyuan agreed after a brief period of thought.

Ma Wen said a few lines of thanks and followed Hu Qingyuan, eventually arriving at a very ordinary house.

The house appeared quite old, though it was well maintained and quite clean. Entering the room, there was only one chair, so Ma Wen chose to kneel on a mat,

Hu Qingyuan ignored him, leaving the room through a small side door. As the door opened, a strong smell of medicine entered Ma Wen’s nose, though he quite admired such a fragrance.

“Is lady not afraid that I may steal your recipe?” Ma Wen asked, remaining in his kneeling position.

“The more the recipe is used, the more lives it will save, if sir desires, I may give you a list of instructions for this concoction,” Hu Qingyuan said from within the room before the sound of grinding could be heard.

“Lady, could this one help you then?” Ma Wen asked.

Hu Qingyuan gave a sound of affirmation, before continuing to grind the herps.

Ma Wen stood up and soon entered the room.

As he pounded the medicine with a mortar, he once more surprised Hu Qingyuan with his proficiency at the level of expertise he demonstrated, though once more she did not express it.

“Lady, from what I have heard, do you not have two siblings?” Ma Wen asked in a casual manner, not bothering to stop crushing with mortar and pestle.

“Those two are born of the main wife, while I am born of a concubine when my father decided to leave for the Far East, their religious practices forbade multiple wives, so my mother and I remained here,” Hu Qingyuan replied, her words and actions similarly casual as Ma Wen.

Ma Wen ‘hmmed’, before continuing crushing the various herbs within the mortar.

“Lady, then why have you chosen to specialise in medicine?” Ma Wen asked.

“When my sister and brother were in the Far East, I had been responsible for journeying to the mountain to collect herbs for the village, as I advance in age, I naturally fit into that role,” Hu Qingyuan replied, seemingly slightly absent-minded.

“When they had returned from the Far East, they brought with them many medical theories originating from there, so I became better than among my fellow practitioners,” Hu Qingyuan said.

“Then Lady must have been able to make quite a fortune,” Ma Wen said, though it was in a rather joking manner.

Hu Qingyuan shook her head, before pointing to her ordinary house.

Ma Wen gave a chuckle in return, as Hu Qingyuan took it too literally.

“Lady, did you join the army along with your older brother?” Ma Wen asked in a friendly manner.

“He had returned from the Far East upon receiving the news that the Sui Dynasty was being overthrown, and had joined Li Ming’s forces, at that time, my younger sister had joined him as well,” Hu Qingyuan replied.

“Then why did Lady join the army instead of being a foot doctor?” Ma Wen asked the same question once more.

Hu Qingyuan though for some time, before saying,” I simply want to help others, even if they come from different nations.”