Chapter 174

Dou Sixue quickly took a few steps forward and bowed respectfully to the empress.

Jiang Xiurun smiled and said, “From afar, I saw the two generals. Were you discussing military affairs?”

Dou Sixue chuckled awkwardly and replied, “I was just seeking some advice from General Bai. I still need to arrange some matters regarding military uniforms in the camp, so I won’t disturb Your Majesty’s peace. I shall take my leave now.”

After Dou Sixue left, Bai Qian accompanied Jiang Xiurun as they strolled along a shaded path beside the training grounds.

Jiang Xiurun then asked Bai Qian what Dou Sixue’s intentions were.

Bai Qian, equally puzzled, said, “For some reason, the Dou family’s second branch has been overly friendly towards me. The older one keeps sending me clothes and food, while the younger one goes out of his way to be attentive and find excuses to talk to me. It’s quite annoying!”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiurun understood.

It seemed that while the main branch of the Dou family looked down on Bai Qian, the second branch treated her like a treasure.

If not for Dou Siwu’s presence, Dou Sixue would actually be a decent young man, more refined in appearance compared to his elder brother.

Jiang Xiurun tried hard to recall Dou Sixue’s future from her past life, but since she had paid little attention to the Dou family back then, she couldn’t remember much.

She then asked Bai Qian for her thoughts.

Bai Qian frowned and whispered, “I’m already entangled with his elder brother. Why should I bother with the younger one? The Dou family looks down on me, so why should I give them more reasons to belittle me?”

Jiang Xiurun smiled faintly.

Her Bai Qian was a straightforward person, not like other women who hoped to change their fate by marrying into a good family.

If only the Dou family’s matriarch had half the insight of the second branch’s lady, she wouldn’t have missed the chance to have a daughter-in-law who could bring glory to the Dou family.

Unfortunately, despite being the main wife, her vision was clouded.

They continued walking for a while until Feng Liwu and the military officials finished their discussions and left the camp.

Feng Liwu came out of the camp personally to fetch Jiang Xiurun.

Dou Siwu, who was accompanying Feng Liwu, brightened up when he saw Bai Qian in the distance.

He eagerly wanted to find an opportunity to speak with her, but Bai Qian turned her head away, ignoring him.

The left and right vanguard battalions would take different routes.

Although they were both heading to the three counties, they wouldn’t see each other along the way.

Dou Siwu wanted to meet Bai Qian privately a few more times before departure to ease his longing, but since Bai Qian refused, there was nothing he could do.

Later, in private, Jiang Xiurun mentioned to Feng Liwu the situation of the two brothers both being infatuated with Bai Qian.

While wiping his face with a towel, Feng Liwu said, “Even the fiercest woman you’ve trained has her suitors. However, with the army about to march, we can’t let personal matters delay state affairs. When reorganizing the troops, I’ll reassign Bai Qian to oversee military supplies at Jingkou.”

Jiang Xiurun hadn’t expected her casual remark to result in Bai Qian being relegated to a logistical role.

She was quite dissatisfied with Feng Liwu’s blatant favoritism towards the Dou brothers.

Feng Liwu, however, had his reasons: “Shedding blood on the battlefield is the duty of men. With so many brave generals, why should an unmarried woman be sent to the front lines? If Bai Qian asks, just tell her it was my decision. Besides, while Bai Qian has some skills, she lacks ambition. If not for your pushing, I doubt she’d even want to join the military. Even after receiving her commission, she delayed joining the camp as long as possible.”

Reminded by Feng Liwu, Jiang Xiurun fell silent.

Back then, she had insisted on changing Bai Qian’s fate, making her her maid.

Although Bai Qian’s presence had helped Jiang Xiurun avoid several dangers, it had also left her feeling guilty.

Since then, Jiang Xiurun had been determined to guide Bai Qian onto the right path.

But now, hearing Feng Liwu’s less-than-flattering assessment of Bai Qian, which was quite different from his high regard for her in their past life, Jiang Xiurun wondered if it was because Bai Qian had once been her maid that Feng Liwu’s opinion of her had changed.

Yet, it was undeniable that Bai Qian lacked ambition…

Jiang Xiurun couldn’t help but think of the cold, ruthless female general she had known in her past life.

Every time she saw Bai Qian, her face was etched with an unyielding sternness, devoid of any warmth…

Only after carefully recalling her limited interactions with Bai Qian in her past life did Jiang Xiurun remember something.

Once, when another lady tried to arrange a marriage for Bai Qian and asked if she had any living relatives, Bai Qian had coldly replied that she was the only one left in the Bai family, with no other kin…

At the time, Jiang Xiurun had thought Bai Qian was just brushing off the lady’s persistence.

But now, recalling this, Jiang Xiurun realized how much Bai Qian valued her elder sister.

When Bai Ying had married a good man, Bai Qian had been even happier than if she herself were getting married.

Aside from the dowry Jiang Xiurun had bestowed, Bai Qian had given all her savings to her sister to help with household expenses.

When Bai Ying gave birth to a daughter, Bai Qian had been overjoyed to become an aunt.

How could she have spoken so coldly about her family?

This meant that in their past life, if Bai Qian and Bai Ying hadn’t been bought by Jiang Xiurun from the slave traders, they might have suffered a tragic fate.

Later, for some reason, Bai Ying was no longer alive, and Bai Qian, having lost all ties, became a heartless weapon for Feng Liwu, throwing herself into the military…

Thinking of this, Jiang Xiurun shuddered.

If that were the case, she would rather Bai Qian remain an unambitious woman in this life than experience such heartbreak.

From then on, Jiang Xiurun had no objections to Feng Liwu assigning Bai Qian to oversee supplies at Jingkou.

However, when the news of this appointment reached the Dou residence, the matriarch’s spirits soared.

During a tea gathering with her sisters-in-law, she smugly remarked, “I always said the emperor isn’t blind. How could a former maid be of any real use in the military? It’s laughable that some people treat her like a treasure, hoping to climb the social ladder through her.”

Madam Zhao, the second wife, knew the matriarch was subtly mocking her.

However, Madam Zhao’s interest in Bai Qian wasn’t due to her military prowess.

Bai Qian was close to the empress, and even if she did nothing, she had a bright future ahead.

Her son wasn’t the Dou family’s direct heir, so no matter how hard he worked, he would always be overshadowed by Dou Siwu.

But if he married Bai Qian, he would be aligned with the empress, and his future would be secured without her needing to worry.

Her son, Dou Sixue, shared her views and was also interested in Bai Qian.

So, despite the matriarch’s sarcasm, Madam Zhao simply smiled and remained silent.

The matriarch, annoyed by Madam Zhao’s insincere smile, gulped down her tea, feeling an inexplicable discomfort, as if someone had taken advantage of her without her realizing it.

By this time, after the three countiess had declared independence, Feng Liwu had sent vanguard troops to suppress their expansion, delaying until autumn when the harvest was complete and manpower was available without disrupting grain reserves, before announcing the army’s march.

This was the foresight of a ruler.

If they had mobilized in summer, even if they won, the disruption to the harvest could have caused famine the following year.

Knowing that this campaign might stretch into winter, Jiang Xiurun, as empress, naturally mobilized the noblewomen of Luo’an to contribute funds and efforts to sew cotton-padded jackets for the soldiers.

Having endured the bitter cold during the defense of Bo, Jiang Xiurun’s first priority for the Qi army was to ensure they stayed warm.

While others handled the general jackets, Jiang Xiurun personally sewed the inner garments for Feng Liwu.

The cotton used for these military uniforms was high-quality cotton purchased by Wenniang from the Yue state near Bo.

The cotton from the Western Regions was long, fine, pure white, and had a natural sheen, with excellent elasticity.

Clothes made from this cotton were not only lightweight but also exceptionally warm.

Seeing the quality of the cotton, Jiang Xiurun had the female officials helping her cut the fabric use some of it to stuff two cloth tigers—one for Baoli and one for the child soon to be born.

Baoli, holding a rattle, watched eagerly as his mother filled the tiger’s belly with cotton.

As the tiger grew plump, Baoli’s eyes sparkled, and he circled his mother, reaching out for the toy.

Once the tiger was sewn up, the emperor’s yellow jacket was also cut and ready.

Jiang Xiurun personally layered the cotton into the jacket.

However, when Feng Liwu heard that Jiang Xiurun had been sewing, he was immediately concerned, chiding her for not taking care of herself.

Jiang Xiurun laughed and explained that she had only layered the cotton, with most of the sewing done by the female officials.

She simply oversaw the process to feel at ease.

At this, Jiang Xiurun remembered something and said, “The jacket Her Majesty made for you was sewn stitch by stitch by her own hands. I’ve already had it packed for you to wear during inspections.”

Although Feng Liwu wouldn’t be going to the front lines of the three counties, he would be stationed at the military headquarters for long periods to avoid the delays and formalities of shuttling between the palace and the front.

The military headquarters weren’t as comfortable as the palace, and as the battle lines shifted, Feng Liwu would have to move to the rear for inspections. So, Jiang Xiurun had long prepared for his prolonged absence from the palace.

However, when she mentioned Empress Dowager Wei, Feng Liwu’s brow furrowed slightly, and he hesitantly asked, “Recently, she hasn’t been giving you a hard time, has she?”

Jiang Xiurun chuckled and replied, “Your Majesty, you told Her Majesty that I was pregnant and unwell, so I couldn’t go to pay my respects. Since we haven’t even met, how could she trouble me?”

Hearing this, Feng Liwu felt somewhat relieved and said, “Even if I’m not around, if she summons you, you don’t have to go. Your and the child’s well-being come first.”

Jiang Xiurun felt a warmth in her heart.

No matter how difficult her mother-in-law was, as long as her husband stood by her, there was nothing to fear.

Now that Feng Liwu’s relationship with the noble families was tense, the Wei family was his backbone.

Although the discord between mother and son had lasted for a long time, it couldn’t be made public.

The Wei family’s patriarch doted on his daughter, and it wouldn’t be good for them to remain at odds.

Jiang Xiurun even considered having the palace eunuchs select some tall and handsome attendants to send to the empress dowager to alleviate her boredom.

But no matter who they sent, they would still be eunuchs, unlikely to please her mother-in-law.