CHAPTER 47: CHAPTER 46: SUDDENLY INTERESTED

"I don’t know what relationship Li Ming has with you, to the point where you’re helping him deal with us, a group of powerless people. At this point, all I can say is that I know where your grain and salary are."

"If you agree to my conditions, I’ll take you to find the things you want. With those supplies, you can openly escort them to the border, not only to return with merit but also to help comrades struggling on the front line."

"This deal is not a loss for you."

Ruan Mian negotiated with neither arrogance nor inferiority, speaking each word with utmost seriousness.

"You think I’ll easily trust the nonsense of a woman like you?"

"I have so many family members here. If I deceive you, you can just kill me! Besides, as you said, I’m a woman; how could I outmaneuver you?"

She made a reasonable point; the man thought she wouldn’t dare to play tricks.

"Since you have the guts, I’ll give you a chance. Tell me, where’s the grain?"

Ruan Mian glanced behind the screen: "I’ll take you to find it now, but first, release my family and let them warm up in your camp, waiting for my return. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise, what can you do?"

Ruan Mian retrieved her dagger and then produced a Jade Pendant.

Just as she was about to speak, the man, recognizing the value, was surprised.

"How do you have the Prime Minister’s..."

Thus, sparing Ruan Mian the explanation.

"You recognize Mr. Xie’s token? That’s great. The Prime Minister and I are on very good terms. If no one were backing me, how could an exile possess so many supplies and even have a carriage to ride? Moreover, you’ve seen how polite those government officers are to me. It’s not normal for an exile to receive such treatment."

Ruan Mian secretly thanked Xie Huai’an in her heart.

In the worldly affairs, sometimes one has to use the name of his official hat.

This Jade Pendant... was something she once took on a whim.

It was a last resort, just in case.

Should there be another chance to meet in the future, she would be sure to thank him properly!

However, on further thought, along the way she had also given Xie Huai’an quite a few benefits.

Thinking this, Ruan Mian no longer felt guilty.

Seeing this, the man believed Ruan Mian and called people to the camp, first settling everyone properly, then leaving the camp with Ruan Mian.

Ruan Mian led him into the woods. The man was wary, especially when Ruan Mian told him that the supplies were nearby, he began to suspect and warned her.

"If you dare play tricks, none of your group will live! You know, we’ve been pushed to the brink. Killing one is killing, and killing a group is also killing!"

Ruan Mian smiled calmly: "I’m just a weak woman, what are you worried about?"

After they left, the Manager in the camp, following the man’s arrangements, gathered everyone in one place. When Li Ming was prepared to enjoy himself in the tent, he noticed the strange setup.

He puzzledly asked: "Where’s Chen? Didn’t he say he’d let me have my turn after him?"

Seeing no sign of Ruan Mian either, the Manager said: "Chen went to handle some matters, and Mr. Huang was asked to wait here until he returns. As for these people, no one can touch them for now."

Li Ming immediately frowned, sensing something off: "What do you mean? Why didn’t Chen tell me?"

The Manager sneered: "Does our Chen need to report his business to you?! You just wait quietly."

Li Ming wanted to rage, but knowing these extraordinary soldiers, he dared not act rashly.

Pan Chen was a former classmate of his elder brother. Later, when he joined the army, they lost contact.

Until recently, when Li Ming was exiled, he sought connections, surprisingly contacting Pan Chen.

At that time, Li Ming offered everything of value to bribe an informant to send a message to Pan Chen, who, out of respect for his deceased brother, agreed to save his family and to teach the Ruan Mansion a lesson on the way.

If he disrespected them, he could easily be beheaded by these deserters.

So Li Ming could only hold back his temper and stay put.

Ruan Mian and Pan Chen reached a dense forest; the snowy night obscured their vision somewhat.

She found a small rising slope and said: "Go ahead and dig the snow in front, I’ll look around here."

The heavy snow had covered many places. Pan Chen stared meaningfully at her, and Ruan Mian eased her tension.

"Lord, if I may, I’d really like to know your name. After all, delivering these supplies to you makes me something of a benefactor."

The man grunted, "I never change my name: Pan Chen."

Hearing this, Ruan Mian paused briefly.

This... is the Great General Pan Chen from the original book, who played a meritorious role in the rescue during Xie Huai’an’s reversal of King Yan’s rebellion?

Little did she expect that he would become a deserter, almost going astray.

Indeed, the events she’s experiencing are closely related to the original story.

Yet with her presence, many plots have changed. But the outcome? Will it change as well?

Ruan Mian fell into contemplation but was quickly interrupted by Pan Chen’s shout: "How could the supplies be here? Are you deceiving me?"

She returned to her thoughts, only to say: "How dare I cheat you? Haven’t you seen the orders for the grain depot? Keep looking."

With that, she turned and entered a thicket of man-height.

Taking advantage of the moment, she placed the Jade Bracelet on them and released the supplies belonging to their army from the space.

It was another form of returning things to their rightful owners.

Following the sound, Pan Chen came to see scattered supplies in the snowy underbrush, overjoyed!

"You really didn’t lie to me!"

Ruan Mian saw the dignified man embrace the supplies with tears of joy, feeling touched.

"You don’t know how many brothers starved or froze to death just for this bit of food!"

A thousand words couldn’t form a sentence.

The immediate task was to quickly escort the supplies back to the border, to save as many as they could.

Nonetheless, just then, Ruan Mian suddenly bowed to him.

"Lord! I trust you to be a gentleman, to keep your word. But I daren’t ask for one more thing; I hope for the sake of these lifesaving supplies, you grant it."

Pan Chen hurriedly helped her up and politely said, "I will surely honor my word. Do speak freely."

"I want Li Ming’s life."

As soon as he arrived, he wanted the lives of the entire Ruan Mansion.

Such grand ambitions! They made Ruan Mian lose any interest in keeping him for torture.

Meanwhile, Li Ming, growing impatient from the wait, snapped angrily,

"Why hasn’t Chen returned? What on earth is he doing?"