In the past, Zhou Buren might have looked down on Gu Qingwan a little, but now, as her reputation grew, Zhou Buren, although still disapproving of her pretended arrogance, couldn’t help but admire her.

After all, she had genuinely contributed a lot to Suzhou.

Now that she was a princess, he could only look up to her.

“I heard that the head of the Zhou family is planning to leave Suzhou city to seek refuge?” Gu Qingwan glanced at Zhou Buren with a slightly amused expression, making him feel uneasy.

“Not at all. Business has been poor recently, so I plan to take my family back to Jiangcheng for a short stay to relax and recuperate,” Zhou Buren quickly explained.

Leaving now wouldn’t be very honorable, so he was naturally reluctant to admit it.

“In that case, it’s indeed not appropriate for Young Master Zhou to participate in the conscription,” Gu Qingwan said as she glanced at Zhou Jiabao.

Her meaning was clear; she wasn’t planning to recruit him.

“No, I must participate. If you’re leaving, then go, but I won’t leave. What’s the difference between leaving now and being a deserter? I don’t want to be laughed at by that brat Jin Zhengyang when I return!” Zhou Jiabao was used to being unruly at home and always spoke his mind, so Zhou Buren couldn’t control him.

Gu Qingwan looked at Zhou Jiabao and asked, “Do you know why we’re conscripting militia this time?”

Zhou Jiabao nodded, his slightly arrogant manner much more likable than his father’s. “Of course, it’s to resist the Northern Rong army and protect our homes from being destroyed.”

Gu Qingwan nodded. “Yes, our goal is to protect Suzhou city, to defend our homes, and drive the Northern Rong people away. But war isn’t just about charging into battle.”

“As you just said, we need supplies, weapons, and many other things. Supporting those who charge into battle is also part of the war effort. The people in the front are important, but those who silently provide support in the back are even more important.”

“You are the only son of the Zhou family. If you go to the battlefield, it’s like asking for your parents’ lives. Since your parents don’t allow you to fight on the front lines, it’s just as important for you to stay behind and do what you can.”

Zhou Buren thought at first that Gu Qingwan was trying to persuade his son, but the more he listened, the more he felt something was off.

Zhou Jiabao, however, excitedly nodded. “Sister Gu is right. My family has grain—lots of it. I can supply food for you. We also have money, so I’ll take care of the militia’s uniforms. After they win, I should get a share of the credit too.”

“You brat, what nonsense are you talking? What do you know? You think you can handle it?” Zhou Buren quickly tried to shut his son up.

But Zhou Jiabao, for once, looked at his father seriously and said, “Father, I know you’ve always loved money, and everything the Zhou family has is because of your hard work. But the teacher once said, ‘First comes the country, then comes the family.’ If the country falls, can our family’s wealth be preserved?”

“Even if we hide in another town, can you guarantee our safety? I don’t want to leave. I want to live or die with Suzhou city. You don’t want me to fight on the front lines, then you should support me in doing something to help with the war. A true man should be a hero in life, and a hero in death. I don’t want to be called a coward or a weakling.”

Zhou Buren looked at his son, unable to believe these words were coming from his rebellious child.

Tears welled up in his eyes, deeply moved.

He should support his son for having such a noble heart.

“Zhou family head, your son is much more likable than you,” Gu Qingwan patted Zhou Jiabao on the shoulder, quite impressed with him.

“Good boy, if you can say such words, even if I lose all my wealth, it will be worth it. Go ahead, I’ll back you up. If we lose the money, I can earn it again, but if we lose our home, we lose everything. We’re not leaving, we’ll live or die with Suzhou city.”

Zhou Buren gritted his teeth and said these words.

After bidding Gu Qingwan farewell, he took his son home.

Once back, Zhou Buren cried loudly.

The thought of losing his silver hurt him deeply.

It was like being forced to give up something precious, something that felt like cutting off his own flesh.

In just one day, Gu Qingwan had recruited over 4,000 militia members, nearly 4,000 men and 300 to 400 women.

Though there were only a few hundred women, they were role models for the women of Suzhou city and the entire Great Xia.

By stepping forward to enlist, they had already outdone most women.

In this ancient time, where strict codes of conduct bound women, it was particularly difficult for them to take such a stand.

Those who dared to break free from societal expectations and step forward were true heroes.

At first, very few women in Suzhou city were willing to join the militia. After all, women were naturally weaker in strength.

They could embroider, but handling weapons was beyond them.

In the end, it was the daughter of a butcher who stepped forward first.

The girl was naturally fierce, and she wielded two butcher’s knives with impressive skill.

She was the first, and soon, other women followed suit.

Some of the women were widows or had lost their families on the road.

They joined with the resolve to die.

They thought that if they could kill an enemy soldier before dying, at least it would be a meaningful death.

In Dahe village, weapons were being made day and night.

The men chopped bamboo and made arrows, while the women cooked and made bowstrings.

The blacksmiths were constantly forging the necessary weapons for crossbows.

When Gu Qingwan arrived at Yanzhou city, all the nearby villages and towns had already been ransacked.

The elderly and children were killed, and the women and able-bodied workers were taken as slaves.

Northern Rong was a people of horseback warriors, strong and battle-hardened, known for their brutality.

The King of Northern Rong had repeatedly tried to invade Great Xia, coveting its fertile land.

Most of Northern Rong’s land was sandy, and the rest was vast grasslands.

They primarily lived by herding cattle and sheep, and were not skilled in farming.

They envied Great Xia’s ability to grow food, so they sought to conquer it.

Unfortunately, the forces of Northern Rong and Great Xia were evenly matched, and conquering Great Xia was no easy task.

However, with the help of Western Yue, they were attacking from both sides, making it difficult for Great Xia to hold on.

Yanzhou city was now closed tight. When Gu Qingwan arrived, the soldiers guarding the city were stunned.

The Northern Rong army could attack at any time—how dared the Su’an Princess come to Yanzhou?

Although they were confused, after reporting to Beichen Yuan, Gu Qingwan was allowed entry.

However, Gu Qingwan never expected that Beichen Yuan had been severely injured at this moment.

His arm had a gaping wound, and his back was gruesomely pierced. But he still managed to sit there, unflinching, as he spoke with her.