Deep into the night.
In the profound darkness, the distant mountains were faintly discernible.
The night wind was cold, blowing through the entire Red Flower Camp.
Nearby, the lights of Canglin Immortal City remained brightly lit at night. The orange glow and the laughter and music faintly drifting through the wind accentuated the loneliness and desolation of the military camp.
The wounded soldiers were gathered together.
Mu Lan was inspecting the camp at night and walked into the area where the wounded soldiers were gathered, her face showing anger.
Her Divine Sense detected many wounded soldiers lying on the ground at night, shivering from the cold. Some were curled up, others were moaning in their sleep.
"What is going on? Why isn't the Array activated to warm up the tents?!" Mu Lan glared around and scolded her subordinates using her Divine Sense.
The subordinate quickly reported, "General, our Spirit Stones are running out, we had to make cuts."
"I have reported this to you before, these were your orders."
Mu Lan's expression faltered.
She quickly remembered that during the day, she dealt with military affairs, worrying about the depleted military funds.
Indeed, the subordinate had reported to her, and at that time she thought, "We must not cut short the compensation for the deceased soldiers, we must save as much as possible wherever we can!"
In Mu Lan's view, ensuring warmth in the tents was indeed something that could be reduced.
The military funds were so tight that even the expense of a few hundred Spirit Stones for one night made Mu Lan count every penny.
Mu Lan fell silent.
Now, if she were to order the replenishing of Spirit Stones to raise the temperature, she still couldn't issue that command.
The military funds were just too tight!
In silence, Mu Lan lifted the tent curtain and entered.
A pungent smell hit her face.
The smell of blood, poison, and chills...
Most of the wounded soldiers were lying on the ground, slumbering heavily on the ground.
Only about twenty or so stretchers held those who were severely injured.
A few of the wounded, in severe pain, were in a half-awake state.
Zhang Zhongyi was still treating the wounded.
He knelt next to a stretcher, scooping out Medicine Mud from a clay jar and applying it to a wounded soldier's injuries.
From time to time, he activated his Cultivation Technique to help the wounded assimilate the medicinal power.
Seeing Mu Lan, Zhang Zhongyi spared her only a glance before continuing his treatment.
However, a severely wounded soldier on the stretcher noticed Mu Lan and struggled to rise to salute.
Mu Lan came over to him, pressed him down with her hand, and said sternly, "Lie down, receive treatment."
"General!" The wounded soldier choked up.
"Once you are healed, we will fight the enemies together." Mu Lan encouraged.
"Yes, General!" The soldier became so excited that his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot.
Mu Lan: ...
Zhang Zhongyi sighed and waved his hands repeatedly at Mu Lan.
With a heavy heart, Mu Lan walked out of the tent.
Moments later, inside the Main General's tent, an exhausted Zhang Zhongyi reported to Mu Lan, "The situation is very bad."
"Our doctors are too few, and even though I work from dawn to dusk, I can't handle so many wounded."
"The conditions in the military camp are poor; we can't even maintain the temperature."
"If there are a few more cold nights like this, many of the severely injured are likely to lose their lives."
Mu Lan said solemnly, "We must do everything possible to heal them."
Zhang Zhongyi frowned deeply, "Has it already come to such a dire state? How much military funds are left?"
Zhang Zhongyi knew well that Mu Lan was neither miserly nor would she skimp on military funds.
Mu Lan forced a smile, "Uncle Zhang, although there is little left, some funds are still guaranteed. You have been working tirelessly for three days and nights; what thoughts and emotions do the wounded have?"
Zhang Zhongyi said, "Most of the wounded are veterans in the army, holding no resentment, only deeply concerned about the defeat."
"These are the true foundations of your Upper General Mansion."
"They are all elite, good soldiers. It would be too regrettable if they were to die of illness in the camp due to insufficient military funds."
"If it really comes to that..."
At this point, Zhang Zhongyi took out a Magic Treasure and handed it to Mu Lan.
"How about pawning this treasure to raise military funds!" Zhang Zhongyi said.
Mu Lan was moved, "This is a treasured Magic Treasure of yours, Uncle Zhang, how can it be used to raise money?"
"Uncle Zhang, you joined our army and contributed almost all your wealth. If now I still have to have you pawn your Lifebound Magical Treasure, how could I possibly face my father?"
"Let's not discuss this!"
Mu Lan immediately refused.
Zhang Zhongyi gave a bitter smile, "I am no longer a Nascent Soul. When I fell from the golden core, my Lifebound Magical Treasure was affected too, making it a defective product."
"Keeping it with me, it won't serve much purpose."
Mu Lan's gaze was sharp, "Absolutely not! If it were pawned, it would undoubtedly expose our army's weakness publicly. Not only would it be a devastating blow to our morale, but it would also attract enemies to swarm in."
"Currently, many of the wounded are barely supported by military power. A significant drop in morale would certainly weaken our forces, and many of the wounded would suffer, turning minor injuries into severe ones and causing the severely injured to lose their lives."
"Uncle Zhang, although our army has retreated from the battlefield, the situation is still dangerous."
Zhang Zhongyi was dumbfounded, and after a moment, he slowly nodded, his voice hoarse: "Indeed, I've been negligent."
The Upper General Mansion of General Mu has become the target of many covetous ministers and generals at the court.
This time, Mu Lan was forced to take her father's place in the army, due to their manipulation.
Once Red Flower Camp shows its vulnerability, it will be like blood from the wound of prey, inevitably attracting a group of sharks.
Zhang Zhongyi: "If we withstand by force, can we hold out?"
Mu Lan confidently said: "Of course we can. Tomorrow is the day for the distribution of military rations, with these supplies, our days will be much better, we can catch our breath."
"Uncle Zhang, I have been carefully taught by my father since I was young, you can rest assured, I have it all figured out."
Zhang Zhongyi exhaled a murky breath, his expression became much more relaxed: "That's good, that's good."
When he left, Mu Lan then furrowed her brows, her confident gaze dissipated, revealing hesitation and sorrow.
As the leader of an army, she must always maintain confidence, maintain a strong demeanor. Could morale be maintained if the Main General sighs and frowns?
Since the ambush, massive pressure has constantly weighed down on Mu Lan's heart.
She is the daughter of a military family, always having a clear judgment of her own situation.
By the candlelight at the desk, Mu Lan continues to handle military affairs.
She carefully calculated every entry, trying to save expenses from all aspects.
The shortfall on the books was so large that Mu Lan dared not hand the ledger to the Quartermaster.
Mu Lan calculated for a long time, looking at the books, feeling as if she was falling into an abyss.
"Wait for tomorrow, once we get the military rations and a few Spirit Stones, at least we can improve the soldiers' meals and sustain for a while longer."
Mu Lan sighed inwardly.
Zhang Zhongyi had been up for three days and nights without sleep, and she did the same, continuously patrolling the camp, comforting the soldiers, while also budgeting.
Accounting was neither her forte nor her preference.
She was more joyous in charging across battlefields, shooting down enemy leaders!
But there was no choice, the harsh and cold reality forced her to do so.
Overwhelmed with fatigue, the exhausted Mu Lan leaned on the desk and fell asleep.
In her drowsy state, she dreamed of her childhood.
General Mu returned victorious to the camp.
"Dad!" Young Mu Lan had already been waiting at the gate, seeing her father, she shouted joyfully and ran toward him, then threw herself into General Mu's arms impatiently.
"Hey, hey, slow down, slow down." General Mu, unable to stop her in time, could only kneel halfway, helplessly opening his arms widely and gently catching little Mu Lan.
"I haven't taken off my armor yet, did it hurt you?" General Mu asked with concern.
He had just heard a thud, it was Mu Lan's forehead hitting his breastplate.
Mu Lan looked up at her father, her eyes filled with admiration and infatuation: "Dad."
She had just started to speak when her attention was drawn to a flower.
"Huh? What is this?" Mu Lan pointed to General Mu's shoulder armor, "Dad, you have a flower growing on your shoulder."
General Mu turned his head and looked at his left shoulder, indeed seeing a vibrant red flower bud rooted in the crevice of the shoulder armor, gently swaying in the breeze.
General Mu reached out, plucked it off, and handed it to Mu Lan: "This is a Blood Spirit Flower."
"This kind of flower only grows and blooms on battlefields."
"The more intense the war, the more casualties, the more Blood Spirit Flowers blossom, and the more vibrant their color."
Mu Lan was delighted: "This flower is so beautiful, I will take good care of it."
She treasured it as a gift from her father.
Little did General Mu know, but he sternly said: "Nonsense!"
"Blood Spirit Flower is not an ordinary flower, it cannot be kept alive."
"It grows fast, and it will also wither quickly."
"It is a red flower nurtured by fresh blood and lives, and it is also where the name of our Mu Family's Red Flower Camp comes from."
"You must respect it, respect every war."
"Mu Lan, you are the only heir of the Upper General Mansion, you must understand the significance of the Blood Spirit Flower!"
"It is not a trivial matter, nor is war a game. Every war involves casualties and sacrifices. You will become the Main General of Red Flower Camp in the future, remember, minimize our army's sacrifices and use the enemy's blood to nurture the Blood Spirit Flower!"
Mu Lan looked up seriously and earnestly. She said loudly: "Dad, I remember!"
…
"General, General, wake up!" A subordinate urgently reported, waking the sleeping Mu Lan.
She looked up and saw the sunlight already streaming through the lifted door curtain, flooding the tent.
Seeing her subordinate's anxious face, a strong sense of foreboding surged in her heart.
"What happened?" Mu Lan asked in a deep voice.
The subordinate said: "We went to receive the army rations, but the officials in Immortal City said some procedures were not completed, we need to complete the procedures first before they can release the rations."
"We asked, it's the supervisor's intention!"
"What?!" Upon hearing this, Mu Lan's vision darkened.
The worst she feared had happened!
This batch of army rations was lifeline for Red Flower Camp right now.
"Zhao, Xi!" Mu Lan was furious, immediately getting her armor ready, draped a bright red cape, and called a group of subordinates, "Let's go, I will personally retrieve it, let's see who dares to stop me?!"