FBC – Chapter 327 Husband and Wife, Side by Side

Gu Hua smiled brightly. “Wrong. You are not maids—you are female guards. If you prove yourselves capable and earn merit in battle, you can even become female generals in the future.”

The tall, dark-skinned woman widened her eyes, but didn’t dare speak loudly again, afraid of startling the delicate and beautiful princess consort.

She whispered, “Princess Consort, can… can a maidservant like me really become a female general?”

Gu Hua laughed. “Wrong again. You are not a maidservant.”

The girl stuck out her tongue. “Yes, Princess Consort. This humble commoner was wrong.”

Gu Hua pointed at Zhou Zhilan with a smile. “Of course you can. Sister Zhilan once galloped across the battlefield as a female general—she will be your instructor. And let me say this again: you are not maids. You are not sold servants. You are guards.”

The group of girls all became ecstatic.

A young girl with very short hair suddenly said, “Being a maid is fine too… as long as I can follow the Princess Consort.”

Gu Hua glanced at her hair—it looked as if someone had forcibly cut it.

A woman’s hair was as important as her chastity. The girl must have suffered humiliation.

Noticing the Princess Consort looking at her hair, the girl panicked, covering her head with her hands. “M-my hair… it will grow back soon.”

Gu Hua stepped forward, gently taking her hands away. “Yes, hair grows back. So it doesn’t matter.”

The girl’s eyes reddened. She nodded hard and suddenly dropped to her knees, crying. “Princess Consort, may… may I stay at the Prince’s Manor tonight? I have no family. I don’t need to go home.”

Zhou Zhilan stepped over and lifted her up. “Come stay at my house first.”

The girl bowed while crying. “Thank you, Instructor Zhou.”

Zhou Zhilan waved at the others. “Alright, those who need to go home, go home. See you tomorrow at the Prince’s Manor.”

Gu Hua handed her silk handkerchief to the girl to wipe her tears. “Go on, follow Instructor Zhou.”

The girl trembled and answered, “Yes.”

When Gu Hua returned to the manor, she saw a large group of tall, spirited warhorses stamping excitedly at the entrance while the stable steward counted them.

She turned to a guard in surprise. “Where did these come from?”

He bowed. “Princess Consort, Dali has sent five thousand warhorses. His Highness ordered fifty of them to be delivered to you.”

Gu Hua lit up with joy. “Wonderful! It’s like he knows exactly what I’m thinking.”

Every member of her female guard unit needed to be skilled in riding and archery.

She had just been thinking about buying thirty horses for them.

“Dali sent so many—did the Mu Army purchase them?”

“Yes, Princess Consort. We’re recruiting troops and horses. The new military camp already has five thousand soldiers.”

Gu Hua nodded. “Good.”

Mu Junyan had begun moving as well. That strengthened her resolve.

She was determined to stand shoulder to shoulder with him and accomplish great things together.

When Gu Hua and Zhou Zhilan entered the manor, a maid hurried forward.

“Princess Consort, the shopkeeper of the Pei family’s Xuanhua House is here.”

Gu Hua smiled. “Delivering dividends, I suppose?”

The maid walked with her, smiling. “Yes, this month they brought one thousand taels and many gifts.”

Gu Hua clicked her tongue. “That much?”

“I’m not sure. The shopkeeper brought the ledger and said he has something to report to you in person. He’s waiting in the Lotus Hall. Sister Dong Qing is counting the silver now.”

Gu Hua entered the Lotus Hall. Shopkeeper Pei immediately stood to greet her.

The shopkeeper of Xuanhua House in Juzhou was a core member of the Pei family and now managed all their industries in the southern border.

Gu Hua had invested in these ventures, and each month the shopkeeper would bring ledgers and deliver her dividends.

“Shopkeeper Pei, no need for formalities. You’ve worked hard.”

Gu Hua invited him to sit as tea and snacks were served.

Shopkeeper Pei respectfully presented the ledger before taking a seat. “Please review, Princess Consort.”

Gu Hua handed it to Zhou Zhilan—she never liked reading these things.

Zhou Zhilan skimmed through it. “Wow, the clothing shops made a lot last month.”

The shopkeeper beamed. “Yes, and not just from the southern clothing stores. The fine kesi silk produced here brought in even more profits when resold to the Central Plains.”

Zhou Zhilan passed the ledger to Dong Qing. “Learn to read these.”

Dong Qing carefully flipped through it page by page, asking questions whenever she didn’t understand.

Gu Hua glanced at the grinning shopkeeper. “What good news has you smiling like that?”

“Nothing major—just that the Mu Army placed a huge order for military supplies and provisions with our Pei family.”

Gu Hua wasn’t surprised. Before a campaign, provisions always came first.

To carry out something that big, they needed to prepare early.

“Excellent. His Highness can trust you with the supplies.”

Shopkeeper Pei nodded. “Of course. All grain prepared by the Pei family is new grain. In fact, we already anticipated this. Last year we expanded our advance purchases, and the grain collected late last year was never sold—we kept it all for the Mu Army.”

Gu Hua studied him a moment.

He quickly added, “There is something important I must discuss with you.”

“Zhilan, take the others out.”

Zhou Zhilan gathered up the remaining ledgers and left with Dong Qing.

Gu Hua smiled. “So mysterious?”

The shopkeeper produced an envelope from his robe and presented it.

There was nothing written on it.

Gu Hua opened it. “Eh? It’s from Pei Yi? Why would his letter come to me in such a roundabout way?”

As she read, her expression grew more serious.

Pei Yi wrote that Bianjing was restless. The emperor’s life or death was uncertain. The crown prince was incompetent. The empress was ambitious. He hoped King Yong would step forward to support a wise ruler and preserve Da Liang’s peace.

At the end, he wrote that the Pei family was willing to pledge allegiance to King Yong and follow him.

Gu Hua folded the letter thoughtfully. “Is this also what your family head intends?”

“Yes. The young master already discussed it with the patriarch. Our Pei family owns two hundred shops across Da Liang. The noblewomen of almost every province are customers at our rouge houses and clothing shops. All can serve as your eyes and ears.”

Gu Hua’s heart tightened.

What Mu Junyan sought to accomplish carried life-and-death stakes. One mistake and all would be lost.

She could trust no one lightly.

She calmly replied, “What is the Pei family saying? We are living peacefully here in the south. Why would we need eyes and ears?”

Shopkeeper Pei understood immediately—she didn’t trust him.

He rose suddenly, lifting his robe and kneeling on one knee. “Princess Consort, the patriarch wanted to come personally to show our loyalty, but ever since you and His Highness supported the Pei family, we have become eyesores to many. The patriarch feared that his coming would attract suspicion and hinder things before they even begin. So he sent me instead.”

He then took out a thin wooden box and held it up.

“Princess Consort, the Pei family pledges all our wealth to King Yong. Please trust us.”

Gu Hua was stunned, though her face remained calm. She opened the box—and her heart shook.

“This… what do you mean?”

“These are the property deeds of the Pei family’s main industries. They are yours, to show our sincerity.”

Gu Hua immediately shut the box and pushed it back. “I cannot take these. Stand up.”

He tried to insist, but she stopped him again. “Stand first.”

She still wasn’t used to people kneeling to her, especially an elder like him.

He rose helplessly.

Gu Hua sighed. “Unless there is absolutely no choice, we will not take that step.”

Shopkeeper Pei nodded. “We understand. Princess Consort, you are wise—you surely know why the Pei family is betting everything. If King Yong does not act, our family will eventually be devoured. The imperial merchants’ annual evaluation is coming. The Empress’s people are restless. Our young master works in the Ministry of Revenue—many things are beyond his control. The patriarch only wishes that if King Yong intends to act, he will take us with him. We will support you with everything we have, just as we did when you led the southern campaign.”

He looked her straight in the eyes.

“From that year on, the Pei family and the Mu Army have shared the same fate.”

Gu Hua understood. She had helped raise the Pei family. With Mu Junyan away from court, many would try to pull them down. To survive long-term, siding with Mu Junyan was their only choice.

She nodded slowly. “Very well. Let me think, and then we’ll discuss details.”

His eyes brightened. He bowed deeply. “Yes. I await your orders.”

Gu Hua watched him leave, her heart unable to calm for a long time.

She never expected the Pei family to already see through the Mu Army’s intentions. Then what about the people in Bianjing?

What about the spies the Empress had planted in the southern border?

Now that she and Mu Junyan were openly recruiting troops and buying horses, and had reclaimed the mines…

They couldn’t wait any longer!

“Dong Qing, I need to see Master Min.”