Time rewinds to 30 minutes earlier.
Upon hearing that Zhang Hei had gone to Red Flower Camp to demand accountability, Liu Er immediately knew something was amiss and quickly stepped out of the tent.
He first used his Divine Sense to contact Guan Hong, informed him of the matter, and instructed his second brother to carefully hold the military camp.
Then, Liu Er hurriedly mounted his horse and galloped out of his own military camp.
At the entrance of the main camp, he ran into Ning Zhuo, who was just returning.
"The military strategist has returned!" Liu Er's face showed surprise, but it was soon covered by an anxious expression.
"Strategist, the situation is dire. I must rush to Red Flower Camp. If I'm late, my younger brother might suffer." Liu Er spoke urgently.
Ning Zhuo was taken aback: "What happened?"
Through the swift transmission of Divine Sense, within a breath or two, Ning Zhuo understood the whole situation.
Ning Zhuo immediately grabbed the reins of Liu Er's mount: "General, do not panic! If you rush there in such haste, I'm afraid you won't be able to help General Zhang Hei."
"Does General Liu intend to join forces with General Zhang to knock down General Mu Lan?"
Liu Er was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and pondered, "General Mu Lan's archery skills are formidable, capable of severely injuring Lord Long. Unless my second and third brothers and I join forces, there might be a chance to confront her."
"That's why I am extremely worried about my third brother."
Ning Zhuo continued: "General, since you do not wish to confront General Mu Lan physically, it means you want to reason with her."
"Rushing over empty-handed and unprepared, you might just end up being humiliated."
Liu Er was stunned again, then quickly said, "Strategist, the situation is urgent, stop beating around the bush. Just speak your mind, I'll follow your advice."
Ning Zhuo then suggested, "General, why not bring our gravely injured soldiers on stretchers to Red Flower Camp together with us? It's best if the injured could just barely hang on without needing further treatment."
Liu Er realized: "Let's do as the strategist says!"
He immediately issued the command.
The severely injured were loaded onto the horse cart, and Liu Er rode at the forefront.
"I have quite a friendship with Doctor Zhang Zhongyi of Red Flower Camp. Perhaps we could use this relation to ease the tension between our forces and Red Flower Camp." Ning Zhuo also joined.
Liu Er was extremely anxious, and Ning Zhuo advised, "Considering General Zhang's abilities, even if he can't oppose the enemy, he should be able to hold on for quite a while and won't be defeated quickly."
"And even if he has already lost to Mu Lan, General Mu Lan would not be so foolish as to fatally strike a fellow soldier."
"She is now in a precarious situation, hardly able to protect herself!"
Liu Er then curiously asked, "Why is that?"
Ning Zhuo took the opportunity to share his experience of having breakfast with Shuangjing that morning.
Hearing that Ning Zhuo had outright rejected Shuangjing, Liu Er was so excited that he almost jumped down from his mount to grab and shake Ning Zhuo's hands.
Liu Er's impression of Ning Zhuo greatly improved, praising him, "The strategist is noble and loyal. That Shuangjing, who disrespects the Monarch and sabotages colleagues, is truly a bane to Liangzhu Country!"
Ning Zhuo nodded, sighing, "After this incident, I have come to see clearly what kind of person Shuangjing is. I never thought that he, with a royal surname, would engage in such schemes and trickery."
"Alas, perhaps this is why the old ancestor at home allowed me to travel far and wide."
"Meeting you and the other two generals, witnessing your sworn brotherhood and fighting side by side, I've also seen the parasites of the state who plot against their comrades."
"I'm not leaving."
"Staying in Three Generals Camp is much more comfortable than in White Jade Camp."
Liu Er heard this, his heart racing with joy: "I too feel fortunate to have met the strategist in Canglin Immortal City!"
This joyful sentiment greatly alleviated the anxiety in Liu Er's heart.
When they arrived near the entrance of Red Flower Camp, they saw Zhang Hei and Mu Lan had already begun dueling in the sky.
"Ah! They have started fighting. What should we do now?" Liu Er asked Ning Zhuo for advice.
Ning Zhuo spread his hands: "Since they've started, let them continue. What's done is done."
After watching the battle for a moment, they saw Mu Lan being pushed back, pulling out her Red Phoenix Bow and fitting the Fiery Heart Arrow, even activating the Red Heart Arrow Divine Skill!
Liu Er exclaimed in shock: "Not good! My younger brother is in danger."
He wanted to intervene, but it was too late, only to see the arrow shoot out.
It veered off course, streaking through the sky, disappearing into the clouds.
Pff.
After shooting the arrow, Mu Lan spat out blood, her eyes turned dark, and she fainted, falling straight from the sky.
Fortunately, she was unconscious for only a short while and regained consciousness midway through her fall, making adjustments immediately.
Boom.
She still crashed to the ground, stirring up a blast of air and dust.
As the dust settled, Mu Lan was half-kneeling in a deep pit, motionless.
Seeing that something was wrong, Zhang Zhongyi quickly ran over and saw Mu Lan's face pale with a golden-purple hue. Additionally, the wound on her forearm had reopened, continuously bleeding!
"As expected!"
Zhang Zhongyi's heart sank in an instant: "Mu Lan forcefully cultivated the Xuanjin Armor Breaking Technique, the backlash has been accumulating and has finally erupted, alas, this is big trouble!"
Mu Lan was unable to stand up and urgently transmitted through Divine Sense: "Uncle Zhang, I am extremely weak, unable to stand on my own. Please help me up quickly!"
Mu Lan urged.
Zhang Zhongyi quickly assisted Mu Lan to her feet.
Seeing Mu Lan stand up again, her body straight as a spear, the previously silent Red Flower Camp burst into cheers.
"General is fine, the injuries must not be serious!"
"How could it be, the General actually lost?!"
"If General Mu were here, he'd have flattened that black thief on the ground with a few moves!"
The soldiers of the Red Flower Camp broke into a noisy clamor, their morale shaken.
Mu Lan heard these voices, felt dizzy, nearly fainting on the spot.
It was then that Ning Zhuo's voice suddenly resounded through the camp: "Much gratitude to Lord Mu Lan for showing mercy! To spare our General Zhang's life, he deliberately missed, thus bearing a huge backlash."
"Throughout this duel, the lord had always been holding back. With such magnanimity, truly worthy of being the heir of the Upper General Mansion!"
The soldiers of the Red Flower Camp were stunned at first, then realization dawned.
"So that's why!"
"I knew it! How could my General ever lose?"
"Hmph, that black rascal is unreasonable, just a bumpkin! How could he match the stature of my General!"
Morale was thus stabilized.
Ning Zhuo..." Mu Lan mulled over this name, his feelings about Ning Zhuo growing more complex.
Zhang Hei, hanging in the air, heard this and glared, wanting to loudly refute Ning Zhuo — this was all wrong.
But then, he received a divine sense message from Liu Er.
Zhang Hei choked up, unable to argue, intensely frustrated as he descended and met with Liu Er.
"Big brother, why…" Zhang Hei sent through divine sense, full of confusion.
Liu Er replied via divine sense: "Shut up, you brute, being so impulsive, you almost caused a huge disaster. Listen more to the strategist, cooperate more with him, stop blabbering."
"Okay, okay." Zhang Hei had no choice but to bow his head, extremely frustrated, not disputing Liu Er's words.
Next, Ning Zhuo acted as a mediator, facilitating communication between the two parties.
With Liu Er keeping Zhang Hei in check, he could only watch helplessly.
Mu Lan, injured and unable to fight, and having a good impression of Ning Zhuo, did not make things difficult.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ning Zhuo organized the stakeholders for a confrontation. He easily identified any falsehoods or incomplete truths in the soldiers' statements from both sides.
In less than half an hour, Ning Zhuo had clarified the causes and reinstated the facts.
Seeing that it was indeed their own soldiers who provoked first, even spitting on a Red Flower Camp soldier's face, Liu Er took the initiative to apologize to Mu Lan.
Mu Lan also expressed his apologies for the excessive force used by his side.
Thus, a conflict was settled.
Before leaving, Zhang Zhongyi extended his divine sense to Ning Zhuo: "Young friend Ning Zhuo, please stay behind, there is something important to discuss."
Ning Zhuo responded: "Doctor Zhang, please forgive me, under these circumstances, it's really difficult to stay behind right now."
"I need to return to camp with Generals Liu and Zhang."
"If Doctor Zhang has any matters, please feel free to visit the Three Generals Camp later, this junior will surely welcome you!"
Zhang Zhongyi sighed and agreed: "Alright."
Not long after Liu Er, Zhang Hei, and Ning Zhuo left, Shuangjing received this intelligence.
"Hahaha." He laughed triumphantly.
"Who would have thought that Mu Lan would actually lose to Zhang Hei!"
"Good that he lost."
"This conflict has come at just the right time, a truly god-given opportunity. I should seize it!"
Thinking this, Shuangjing decided to act.
But someone was faster than him.
Red Flower Camp.
As Mu Lan, who was being treated by Zhang Zhongyi, suddenly shouted, "Who's there!? Get out!"
Sun Gan materialized, a faint smile on his face: "Indeed, General Mu Lan, there must be a malfunction with your family's Xuanjin Armor Breaking Technique. Otherwise, with your prowess, how could you possibly have been defeated today?"
Mu Lan stood up straight, her face frosty: "General Sun, you entered the camp without notice, violating military regulations! I could execute you right now as a spy."
Sun Gan sneered, hands behind his back, strolled up to Mu Lan: "Golden Core Stage little girl, I held you when you were just born. Intimidate me?"
He found a chair and sat down leisurely: "You're right, military regulations are indeed thus."
"But with your current state and the current state of the Red Flower Camp, can you really execute me?"
He softened his tone: "I am here to help you, there's no need to be so tense."
Mu Lan scoffed: "Why would I need your help?"
Sun Gan: "If you don't need help, the Red Flower Camp will eventually fall, and then the prestigious Upper General Mansion will be utterly diminished."
Mu Lan's expression shifted.
Zhang Zhongyi took a deep breath: "General Sun, whatever you're thinking, just say it."
Sun Gan said: "Girl Mu Lan, you need strong reinforcements, the Red Flower Camp needs help, and the Upper General Mansion must be supported by someone. Look at me... how about it?"
Zhang Zhongyi exclaimed: "What?!"
Mu Lan's expression darkened further.
Sun Gan looked at the red-robed female general before him and bluntly said: "You and I, undergoing Dual Cultivation and becoming husband and wife. From then on, I will take over the Upper General Mansion. With my capabilities, I can surely restore the former glory of the Upper General Mansion!"