When one is hungry, there is no room for shame.

Yuan Ruan clung to the wet nurse and drank happily, gulp after gulp, until she let out a tiny milk burp, reflecting inwardly:

[General Wu Yi isn’t so bad after all.]

She lifted her eyes to glance at Wu Yi, who had been watching her from a distance, and remarked to the system:
[But why is he staring this way?]

System: [Maybe he likes the wet nurse. Generals are known to have peculiar tastes.]

Wu Yi stumbled slightly.

Who was this “system,” and why was it filling the mind of an infant with such nonsense?

Wu Yi stood guard, unmoving, listening intently, but all he could hear were trivial comments.

Just then, a guard strode in quickly, saluting:
“General, Captain Chen is injured and currently in the medical barracks. For now, Deputy Li has taken over drills in the vanguard camp.”

Wu Yi furrowed his brow. Captain Chen’s sudden leave? Could it really be true that he was a spy?

Yuan Ruan’s attention was also drawn to this, and she muttered inwardly:
[System, Captain Chen must have a lot of dirt on him as a spy. It’s boring here, so spill the tea.]

System: [I wish I could! But he’s not within my range. If we see him in person, I can definitely dig up some juicy gossip.]

Wu Yi: …

After some thought, he scooped Yuan Ruan into his arms and strode out of the room, mounting his horse in one swift movement.

The Medical Barracks

The sound of galloping hooves filled the air, alerting the soldiers, who gripped their weapons, their eyes fixed on the approaching cloud of dust.

When the lead rider came into view, they relaxed and saluted in unison:
“Greetings to the General!”

“Stand down,” Wu Yi commanded with a wave, dismounting with Yuan Ruan still in his arms.

He faced a hurrying guard, who reported, “General, Captain Chen’s leg was injured. The medics say it’s a tendon injury and will take a hundred days to heal. Luckily, no permanent damage.”

Wu Yi was about to inquire further when Yuan Ruan’s internal voice interjected:

System: [Hey, Ruan Ruan, he’s now within my range. Guess what? I’ve found some dirt on Captain Chen, and it’s related to Wu Yi.]

[Really? Spill!]

System: [Captain Chen did injure his leg—but he did it to himself. He even arranged for a stand-in who suffered the same injury. His real plan is to frame Wu Yi for treason. He’s already written the report, and after a staged conflict, he plans to burn his “stand-in” alive to make it seem like Wu Yi killed him in a mutiny.]

Wu Yi’s face twisted briefly with rage, but he suppressed it.

The guard, confused by the General’s expression, asked hesitantly, “General?”

“Did you hear anything?” Wu Yi asked abruptly.

The guard shook his head, bewildered.

Saying nothing more, Wu Yi handed Yuan Ruan to a trusted aide and walked into the barracks.

Inside, the medical barracks were simple but clean. Yuan Ruan peeked out from the arms of the guard, spotting a handsome young man struggling to rise and salute.

[Wow, this guy is really good-looking.]

System: [Exactly! No wonder General Wu Yi trusted him so much.]

[Wait, that sounded suspicious. What are you implying?]

System: [Well, you know what some ancient attendants were for, right? No women in the military…]

Wu Yi coughed loudly, interrupting their conversation.

Captain Chen, noticing Wu Yi’s odd expression, hobbled forward with concern but stopped when Wu Yi abruptly stepped back.

“General?” Captain Chen asked, his voice tinged with hurt. He knelt, pressing his case passionately:
“General, I want to follow the general all my life and have no intention of escaping from the battlefield. General, my loyalty is as clear as the moonlight above.”

[Yikes.]

[No way! Could the system’s implication be true…?]

Wu Yi felt a chill down his spine and sidestepped Captain Chen’s outstretched hand, barking:
“Arrest this foreign spy who stole the tiger tally!”

Everyone froze.

Captain Chen dropped to the ground, shouting, “General, this is slander! Who is spreading such lies? Let me confront them face-to-face! My loyalty to the nation is unwavering!”

[Yes! Let’s see them fight! Drama time!]

Wu Yi shot a sharp glance at Yuan Ruan.

System: [Control yourself, Ruan Ruan! Babies don’t smirk like that.]

[Whatever. Early death, early reincarnation. I fear no second life!]

Though Wu Yi heard every word, he attributed her thoughts to divine intervention. Was she a divine oracle capable of revealing secrets and guiding fates?

He decided to test the situation further. After all, a charge of espionage warranted utmost caution.

Despite Captain Chen’s pleas, Wu Yi coldly ordered his men to drag him away.

Shortly after, the soldiers discovered both the stolen tiger tally and the disguised stand-in beneath Captain Chen’s quarters.

The soldiers erupted in fury.

“This traitor dared to frame the General for treason!”

“General Wu Yi treated him like a son, and this is how he repays us?”

“Break his legs! Let’s see him fake being crippled again!”

Wu Yi watched the chaos unfold, his expression unreadable. After ensuring Captain Chen was secured for interrogation, he returned to Yuan Ruan’s side.

[System, with Captain Chen exposed, am I safe now?]

System: [You wish! The rebels still have a backup plan to assassinate the Emperor, and you’re still the decoy.]

Wu Yi froze, his mind racing. If the Emperor was killed and Captain Chen’s plot had succeeded, it would have implicated him, leading to the downfall of his family.

He clenched his jaw, issuing a cold command:
“Investigate Captain Chen’s entire network and apprehend everyone connected to him.”

“Yes, General!”

Satisfied, Wu Yi turned back to Yuan Ruan. Her soft, internal voice echoed again:

[I’m so sleepy… and a little cold.]

System: [Don’t fall asleep yet! Cry a little—maybe they’ll wrap you up in something warm.]

Without a word, Wu Yi removed his crimson cloak, bundling Yuan Ruan tightly. Then, he mounted his horse, paused, dismounted, and called for a carriage.

[Aww, Male Mother is so thoughtful!]

Wu Yi’s ears reddened faintly as he curtly ordered his men:
“Is the Emperor still in the main camp?”

“Yes, General!”

“Good. Let’s go.”

Pulling the cloak tighter around Yuan Ruan, Wu Yi resolved to protect the child at all costs. He would ensure they survived this ordeal together.