Chapter 17 — On the day of the big wedding, the main concubine was changed, I still refused to kneel down

I will show you what the Co family's daughter will look like after standing up. Father's war report comes every three days. The battle in the North was extremely difficult. The Mac Bac armored cavalry was eighty thousand, plus twenty thousand infantry reinforcements behind, the total force was one hundred thousand, my father's Northern Realm army was fully staffed with thirty thousand, but in reality less than fifteen thousand elites could be mobilized - the rest were scattered in different passes, unable to concentrate. The first line of defense held for ten days, then was broken. The second line of defense is currently engaged in fierce fighting. Herbs and winter clothes have compensated for seven parts, but three parts are still missing. The fourth prince's second batch of grain is on the way, but the speed is extremely slow. I personally took the pen, quickly wrote a secret letter, and gave it to Bich Nhi.

"You immediately order the cavalry, move along the road, at a speed of eight hundred miles... take this letter straight to Jiangnan."

I stopped for a moment, my voice lowered.

"You must hand it over to the Fourth Prince, there must be no mistakes."

“What is written in the letter?”

“Write a sentence: ‘If food and grass do not arrive within seven days, the Northern Realm army will be defeated, and Your Royal Highness will no longer have the royal position.’”

Bich Nhi held the letter and ran like flying. Three days later. Herbal medicine has arrived. Four days earlier than expected. When Ta Truong An came to "check his pulse", there was a faint smile on his face.

“Your letter has worked.”

“It's not the letter that's effective, it's the situation.”

I put down the war alarm in my hand.

"The fourth prince is not a fool. He knows that the Northern realm cannot be lost, but he deliberately delayed the food and grass, wanting to make the court worry. Then he appeared in a rescue posture, thereby competing for greater credit."

“My letter is just to tell him - every little calculation of yours, I see everything clearly, stop playing around, just work honestly.”

Ta Truong An looked at me, an emotion appeared in his eyes that I could not see through.

“Co Cam Dao.”

“The fourth prince's bracelet… haven't you worn it yet?”

“How do you know?”

"Guess." He stood up and walked to the window.

Turn your back to me.

"There are a few words that I shouldn't have said. But before I left, your father asked me to convey them, so I had to say them."

“General Gu said ——”

Ta Truong An's voice was very soft.

"The matter of Dao Nhi's marriage is for her to decide for herself. But if anyone dares to make her unhappy, whether it's the Crown Prince or the Fourth Prince, I, Co Kinh Thuong, will return from the Northern Realm and find him to settle the matter."

I was stunned. Then the bridge of my nose suddenly became sour.

“General Gu still said ——” Ta Truong An turned back.

Moonlight shined in from outside the window, falling on half of his face.

"You said, this kid Ta Truong An is not bad. It's just... his face is a little white."

My tears almost fell. But we hold back. The Co family's daughter did not cry. Early May. The Northern scene brings great victory. My father's Northern Police ambushed the second defense line at Nhan Bac Quan, took advantage of the weakness of Mac Bac's armored cavalry, advanced too quickly, used 20,000 light cavalry from the flank to attack, and destroyed 30,000 Mac Bac vanguards in one attack. The main force of Mac Bac was forced to retreat fifty miles. News of the victory spread to the capital, and the whole city rejoiced party. The Queen Mother held a banquet at Tho An palace and summoned civil and military mandarins to congratulate. Dinh Quoc Vuong had tears streaming down his face.

"Old Co fought this battle well! Compared to the Nhan Bac Quan battle twenty years ago, it was even better!"

Literature and martial arts in the court took turns offering congratulations. Those who were still hesitant after the Crown Prince was deposed, their attitude was as ambiguous as grass on the wall, now each one is shouting louder than the other.

“The late general's great achievements!”

“It is the pillar of our Dai Thinh!”

“The title should be conferred, to show off the victory!”

The Queen Mother sat in the highest position, with a faint smile on her face.

"As for family matters, let's wait until Your Majesty finishes taking care of his body before we can discuss it. Right now we have to finish this battle first."

“Miss Gu.”

“Goddess is present.”

"Your father won the battle, and you were not idle in the capital. These two months, organizing the army, coordinating food and herbs, inspecting the hospital... you did very well."

The Queen Mother looked at me, her eyes both appreciative and somewhat complicated.

"Ai family has lived for seventy-two years and has met many people. A girl like you ——"

She stopped for a moment. “Not much.” After the banquet ended, I stood alone in the garden for a while. Bich Nhi is not here, she has gone to change the food for the Queen Mother's cat.

“Alone?” Ta Truong An appeared from nowhere.

In his hand he held a bottle of wine and two cups.

“Celebration wine.”

“I don't drink alcohol.”

“Then sit with me for a while.”

He sat down on the stone bench and poured himself a cup. The moonlight is very beautiful.