The flag officer’s voice rang out like a loud bell; most of the people in the fire brigade heard the angry shout.

The cooks and women in the barracks, who were busy washing and preparing vegetables, cast surprised glances at Chunxiang.

There were looks of disdain, astonishment, and even a sense of schadenfreude.

“Pah! So that’s how she got the braised pork she brought back that day!”

The woman who had her hair grabbed and slapped by Chunxiang the previous night spat at her.

“Embezzling the general’s reward meant for Master Jiang and then coming back to act all high and mighty—how shameless!”

A few women who were on good terms with Chunxiang also looked awkward, knowing they had no face to help her at this moment.

Chunxiang had always cared about her reputation, but now she couldn’t care less about how others viewed her.

She didn’t understand the charges of embezzling the reward, but if it involved taking a life, then she definitely wouldn’t survive!

Chunxiang was being dragged away by two soldiers, struggling desperately, and crying out for help, “It’s a misunderstanding, military officer! I didn’t—”

The flag officer, who had been reprimanded by his superior this morning for failing to do his job properly, was furious.

Hearing Chunxiang, the culprit, daring to shout that she was wronged, he raised his foot and kicked her hard in the abdomen: “What are you shouting about? With your worthless bones, I’m not blind enough to mistake the wrong person!”

Chunxiang felt as if her intestines were about to rupture from the kick.

Pain twisted in her stomach, and her gut churned; she almost vomited the food from the night before, her cries instantly diminishing.

The women in the barracks had all seen the flag officer waiting outside for Chunxiang that day.

Now that the matter had come to light, they connected the dots and looked at Chunxiang with even more disdain.

Liu Cheng heard the flag officer’s loud shout from the barracks and felt something was wrong.

He stepped out just in time to see Chunxiang being taken away, and a hint of panic appeared in his eyes.

Chunxiang caught a glimpse of Liu Cheng from the corner of her eye and stretched out her hand toward him, screaming desperately, “Save me—save me—!”

Liu Cheng stepped back in fright.

Fortunately, the front of the Firehouse camp was crowded with onlookers, and he stood at the back, so no one could tell Chunxiang was calling for him.

Seeing Liu Cheng’s reaction, Chunxiang suddenly seemed to go mad, trying to rush toward him.

The soldiers escorting her almost couldn’t hold on, infuriated as they kicked her several times.

Chunxiang was kicked to the point where she could barely stand, and after enduring a few more kicks to her belly, she had no strength left to shout and was dragged away like a broken sack.

Liu Cheng watched this scene and quietly retreated from the crowd.

He went looking for Mazi, wanting to ask how things were going, but after searching the entire fire brigade, he couldn’t find Mazi anywhere.

Liu Cheng had no choice but to ask one of Mazi’s tent mates: “Zhu Lengzi, have you seen Mazi?”

The soldier he called to shook his head: “Haven’t seen him since early this morning. I don’t know where he’s gone to slack off. What’s up, Liu Ge? You looking for him for something?”

When Liu Cheng heard that Mazi hadn’t returned all night, his heart sank a little more.

He just responded half-heartedly, “Nothing, just noticed he wasn’t around and asked. Alright, you go back to your work.”

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became.

Whether Mazi had been exposed or Chunxiang was being interrogated, both could lead to his own downfall.

The only solution now was to escape before the military camp sent someone to capture him.

But escaping was a serious crime.

The defenses of the Western Province camp were tight; he feared he would be shot to pieces before he even got out.

Requesting leave from the camp also required a day’s notice.

For now, the only way to leave the camp openly was to get a pass from Head Zhao.

Head Zhao managed the procurement for the Firehouse Camp and often took people out to buy ingredients.

Carrying his pass would mean the guards at the main gate wouldn’t suspect him.

Liu Cheng immediately decided to steal Head Zhao’s pass.

Head Zhao was busy this morning coordinating supplies with the Liao Southern Army brought over by the general, leaving him stretched thin.

Liu Cheng was Chef Li’s apprentice, so Head Zhao had no defenses against him.

Using the pretext of helping, Liu Cheng easily snatched Head Zhao’s pass and slipped away, claiming there was something going on at the kitchen.

Everything was done without anyone noticing.

But Liu Cheng’s palms were still slightly sweaty.

He glanced at the slightly worn wooden token in his hand, his heart racing.

Now, he just needed to find an excuse to leave the Firehouse Camp, and he could return to get the fifty taels of silver and leave the camp directly!

At that moment, a stern voice came from behind:

“Liu Cheng!”

Liu Cheng was so scared that cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

He hurriedly tucked the playing cards into his sleeve and turned around to see that the person calling him was not Head Zhao, but Chef Li.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

He forced a smile on his face and said, “Master, did you call me?”

Chef Li’s aged face was covered with wrinkles resembling pine bark.

He usually didn’t speak much, but today he looked even stricter than usual.

He glanced at Liu Cheng and said, “Come with me. I have something to ask you.”

With that, he turned his back and left.

Liu Cheng thought Chef Li must have seen him stealing Head Zhao’s cards, and his heart nearly leapt out of his throat.

He followed Chef Li, feeling a chill down his spine and his legs growing weak.

Chef Li led him into an unattended military tent piled with grains and forage before stopping.

He sat down at a peeling table and picked up a teapot, preparing to pour tea.

Seeing this, Liu Cheng quickly stepped forward and took the teapot from him. “Master, I’ll do it.”

He poured tea for Chef Li.

Chef Li took the tea bowl but did not drink.

He looked at his disciple, who had been with him for nearly ten years, with a complex gaze filled with ambiguity. “Ever since you offered me a bowl of tea when you were twelve and became my disciple, all the tea I’ve drunk over these ten years has passed through your hands.”

“Who knows what might have been added to that tea bowl on any given day?”

Liu Cheng’s heart was already hanging in the balance, and hearing Chef Li’s insinuation made beads of sweat roll down his forehead.

He forced a smile and said, “Disciple doesn’t understand Master’s words.”

Chef Li slammed the tea bowl down heavily, his eyes sharp like hooks after decades of seeing hardship. “Ah Cheng, tell me honestly, have you done anything to betray me?”

Liu Cheng knelt on the ground, his face filled with grief. “Master, you are like my reborn parents. If I did something to let you down, wouldn’t my conscience be eaten by dogs?”

Chef Li closed his eyes to hide the disappointment in his gaze. “I wanted to give you a chance. You know I have an old problem: I can’t handle even a little bit of raw soybean powder; it makes me have an upset stomach. Besides you, even Old Zhao doesn’t know this…”

Liu Cheng crawled a couple of steps and hugged Chef Li’s leg, crying, “Master, I’m wronged! Yesterday was my mother’s birthday, and I specifically took leave to go home to make birthday noodles for her. I wasn’t even in the kitchen; how could I tamper with your tea bowl?”

Chef Li’s gaze turned completely cold. “I never mentioned it. How did you know the soybean powder was smeared on the tea bowl?”

Liu Cheng hadn’t expected to let that slip. He lowered his head, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes.

Now that it had come to this, if this old man was rushing to his own death, he couldn’t blame him!

Unaware that Liu Cheng had already developed murderous intent, Chef Li felt quite uncomfortable that his disciple of ten years had been plotting against him behind his back.

He turned his face away and said, “Our master-disciple relationship ends here. You… uh…”

Before Chef Li could finish his sentence, he was suddenly grabbed by the throat by Liu Cheng, causing the chair behind him to topple over.

Chef Li struggled desperately but was no match for Liu Cheng’s strength.

Liu Cheng tightened his grip around his throat, no longer resembling the sincere disciple he had been moments ago; his face contorted in rage as he treated Chef Li like an enemy. “You old bastard! I’ve been at your beck and call for ten years, and you haven’t taught me a shred of cooking skills. How dare you say you’ve done me a favor?”

Chef Li couldn’t utter a word, gasping for breath as his eyes rolled back, his attempts to beat Liu Cheng’s hands growing weaker.

At that moment, voices came from outside the tent.

“Not long ago, Master Li took Liu Cheng this way. We don’t know why the military officer is looking for Liu Cheng.”

Hearing the chaotic footsteps outside made Liu Cheng panic.

He loosened his grip and noticed Chef Li wasn’t moving anymore, unsure whether he had fainted or truly passed away, but he didn’t have time to check for a pulse.

He quickly found a dagger, cut through the back of the tent’s fabric, and fled in a panic.