Chapter 262: General Hu Requests

Li Xuan originally thought to bring Qi Jianzhe to sincerely apologize to Chen Ji, but looking at the empty main hall of the inn at this moment, he didn't know what to do for a moment.

Qi Jianzhe whispered, "What if they just don't come back?"

Li Xuan raised his eyebrows, "It won't come to that."

Qi Jianzhe whispered his analysis, "Brother-in-law, it's impossible for him, Chen Ji, to find food every day. If he finds another few dozen *jin* of food, it would be enough for just the four of them to eat for a long time, but there wouldn't be much left to share with our Yulin Army. If I were him, I'd also hide and eat it myself, and not come back."

"That won't do," Li Xuan quickly ran to the backyard. It wasn't until he saw Zaozao still in the stable that he finally let out a long sigh of relief. "The horse is still here, they will come back."

Li Xuan turned back and saw Qi Jianzhe still standing there in a daze. He immediately urged impatiently, "What are you still standing there for? Go wake up everyone to find food. Remember, when Chen Ji comes back, you must sincerely apologize to him and absolutely do not act on impulse."

"Brother-in-law, don't worry. The fact that Chen Ji can find food means there are definitely still people hiding food in this city. If he can find it, I can certainly find it for you too," Qi Jianzhe ran to the shared room where the Yulin Army was sleeping and woke them up, then led the large group out the door to find food.

The inn regained its quiet. Li Xuan sat at the eight immortals table, his brows furrowed.

After the *chen* hour, Chen Liqin came downstairs with the Liang family, Chen Wenzong, Chen Wenxiao, Wang Gui, and Dongzhi. He politely greeted Li Xuan, "Good morning, Officer Li."

Li Xuan perfunctorily cupped his hands, "Good morning, Officer Chen."

Chen Liqin's gaze swept around the empty main hall. He asked doubtfully, "Why is Officer Li sitting here alone? Where are the others?"

Li Xuan explained, "They all went out to find food."

Wang Gui asked with a smile, "Officer Li, I wonder if the Yulin Army still has any stored food? My master, madam, and young master haven't eaten breakfast yet."

Li Xuan shook his head, "It's gone. The Yulin Army only has five days of rations left for the prince, which absolutely cannot be touched."

Wang Gui was slightly startled, then became anxious. "Then where is the five *jin* of yellow flour my Chen family took out yesterday?"

Li Xuan glanced at him. "It was all cooked into porridge last night. Didn't you drink it?"

Wang Gui asked anxiously with a red face, "It was all cooked? The Yulin Army can't possibly not have any stored food left!"

Li Xuan said in a low voice, "It was already hard for the Yulin Army to search for food outside all day. If they can't even drink a bowl of porridge, what will happen if their bodies collapse?"

Wang Gui still wanted to retort, but he heard Chen Liqin angrily shout, "Enough! How dare a servant question Officer Li's decision!"

Wang Gui shrank his neck and stopped talking.

Li Xuan also softened his tone. "Officer Chen, Madam Chen, please calm down. Qi Jianzhe has already led people out to find food. They should be able to find some back. Even if it's not as much as yesterday, it won't come to the point of everyone starving to death."

Just as he finished speaking, the cotton cloth curtain was lifted, and Qi Jianzhe ducked into the room, brushing the windblown sand from his body.

Li Xuan quickly asked, "Did you find food?"

Qi Jianzhe shook his head. "No, the local strongmen of Guyuan brought people to loot several neighborhoods last night, and the little food that was left was all taken."

Li Xuan was startled. "You didn't find even a little? This morning when you went out, you swore that since Chen Ji could find it, you could certainly find it too. Now what?"

Qi Jianzhe said awkwardly, "There really isn't even a little left..."

Li Xuan asked in a serious voice, "You didn't find food, and you still came back? Since you knew you weren't as capable as Chen Ji, you should have been more restrained last night and not angered him away!"

"I'm not capable?" Qi Jianzhe was annoyed and ashamed. "Li Xuan! Don't forget how you got this position. If it weren't for my sister..."

"Qi Jianzhe!" Li Xuan suddenly stood up and said coldly, "My Li family relies on an inherited official path. That year, I was originally going to enter the imperial front's three great camps. It was your grandfather who ruined my future and forced me to marry into your Qi family, not me crying and begging to enter your Qi family!"

Qi Jianzhe's face turned red. "You were able to be promoted to the Xun Dao realm at thirty years old, didn't you rely on my Qi family giving you cultivation resources, ginseng one by one to eat, and Yangqing jade one by one to buy? If you had gone to the three great camps, who would have given you these cultivation resources? Your current Xun Dao realm, isn't it all thanks to my sister's dowry?"

Li Xuan was speechless for a long time. Finally, he weakly waved his hand. "I can't control you. Do whatever you want."

Beside them, Chen Wenzong said lightly, "When you quarrel, don't say hurtful words. Some words, once spoken, cannot be taken back."

Qi Jianzhe also felt some regret after the quarrel, but the apology still couldn't be said.

Li Xuan took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and looked at Chen Wenzong. He cupped his fists and said, "Young Master Chen, I know Chen Ji respects you. If he comes back later, I hope you can say a few words for us. The matter of finding food cannot be delayed."

Chen Wenzong shook his head. "Sorry, I can't say it."

Li Xuan was stunned.

Chen Wenzong said seriously, "Officer Li, although I am also hungry, my younger brother suffered an undeserved grievance yesterday, and I cannot just let it go. He is willing to forgive whom and not willing to forgive whom, I, as his elder brother, cannot decide for him, nor can I be the one who wrongs him. If he chooses to compromise for my sake, I will be uneasy in my heart."

Li Xuan let out a heavy sigh. "I understand the meaning of Brother Wenzong's wisdom, but..."

Chen Wenzong cupped his hands. "Officer Li, there is no need to say more. I will also go out to find food."

Saying this, he lifted the door curtain and walked out of the inn.

Chen Wenxiao, who was next to the Liang family, suddenly said, "Officer Li, there's no need to worry. When Chen Ji comes back, I'll let my father talk to him."

Li Xuan glanced at Chen Wenxiao but didn't pay attention.

In this room now, only Chen Wenzong still had some influence with Chen Ji. As for Chen Liqin, Chen Liqin himself didn't dare to boast that he could advise Chen Ji.

Everyone in the main hall kept eagerly waiting until noon. The Yulin Army returned one by one. Except for a few people who found a few pieces of mixed grain cakes, everyone returned empty-handed.

These few pieces of mixed grain cakes were not even enough for one person to lick a mouthful.

By the *you* hour in the evening, Chen Wenxiao and the others were so hungry their eyes were straight. Every time someone lifted the door curtain, their hearts would rise with anticipation, but this anticipation would instantly fall flat again.

There was no food left in Guyuan, really none.

The cotton cloth curtain was lifted again. The orange sunset of the evening shone in from outside, plating a layer of gold on the edge of the person who entered.

Li Xuan clearly saw the person and stood up. "Chen Ji!"

Everyone's eyes were burning, staring straight at the door.

Chen Ji, holding Wuyun, crossed the threshold. He expressionlessly surveyed the crowd in the main hall. "Everyone's here, huh?"

Li Xuan couldn't care about anything else. He stepped forward two steps and urgently asked, "Chen Ji, did you find food today?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "No. The wealthy merchants in Guyuan city were all robbed today. Only a few wealthy merchants with official positions were able to guard their family businesses. Guyuan city is already in chaos, and the border army can't control it."

Chen Wenxiao stood up and questioned, "Didn't you find even a little food?"

Chen Ji hummed. The main hall fell silent again.

In this silence, Xiao Man suddenly let out a full burp.

Chen Ji: "..."

Li Xuan: "..."

Everyone's eyes turned to Xiao Man. Xiao Man was terrified and covered her mouth with both hands, looking at Zhang Xia for help.

Zhang Xia smiled. "What are you afraid of? We didn't do anything wrong. The food came cleanly. Some people weren't willing to eat it, and we didn't force them. If we brought food back again today and were slandered, wouldn't that be asking for trouble? Xiao Man, isn't that right?"

Xiao Man nodded heavily. "Sister A Xia is right!"

Her eyeballs rolled. "But Sister A Xia, what about those people who have nothing to eat? They are so pitiful."

Zhang Xia said with a smile, playing along, "Let them suffer. This is only the second day of the siege, there's still a lot of suffering to endure."

Chen Wenxiao angrily pointed at the two. "You!"

Zhang Xia's face suddenly turned cold. "Chen Wenxiao, don't think I don't know how you got your *Ya Kui*. If you dare to point fingers at us again, and dare to say bad things about Chen Ji behind his back, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Zhang Zheng echoed, "Exactly!"

The girl in red stood straight in the middle of the main hall, facing dozens of Yulin Army soldiers without fear. Xiao Man slightly raised her head and looked at Zhang Xia's profile, her eyes sparkling.

Li Xuan gave Qi Jianzhe a look, squeezing his voice from between his teeth. "Apologize!"

Qi Jianzhe stood up reluctantly, but before he could open his mouth to apologize, he saw the inn's door curtain being lifted again.

The crowd looked and saw a border army soldier enter the door, asking loudly, "Which one is Young Master Chen family?"

Chen Wenxiao answered, "I am."

The border army soldier glanced at him. "May I ask if you are Young Master Chen Ji?"

Chen Wenxiao was choked.

Chen Ji turned back and asked curiously, "I am Chen Ji. What instructions does this general have?"

The border army soldier said expressionlessly, "Young Master Chen, my General Hu requests your presence."

Li Xuan and Qi Jianzhe suddenly looked at each other. What did Hu Junxian want to see Chen Ji for?