Li Xuan had intended to bring Qi Zhenzhuo to offer a sincere apology to Chen Ji, but seeing the empty inn lobby at that moment, he was at a loss for what to do.

Qi Zhenzhuo mumbled quietly, “What if they just don’t come back?”

Li Xuan raised an eyebrow. “That’s unlikely.”

Qi Zhenzhuo quietly analyzed, “Brother-in-law, Chen Ji can’t possibly find food every day, can he? If he were to find another few dozen catties of grain, it would last the four of them a long time, but once it’s distributed among our Imperial Guards, there won’t be much left. If I were him, I’d hide and eat it myself, and not come back.”

“Oh no,” Li Xuan quickly ran to the backyard. Only when he saw Zaobao still in the stable did he let out a long sigh of relief. “The horse is still here; they’ll be back.”

Li Xuan turned back and saw Qi Zhenzhuo still standing there dumbfounded. He impatiently urged, “What are you staring at? Go call all our men to find food. Remember, when Chen Ji returns, you must apologize to him sincerely. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you.”

“Don’t worry, Brother-in-law. If Chen Ji can find food, it means there are definitely people hiding provisions in this city. If he can find it, I can certainly find it for you too.” Qi Zhenzhuo then ran to rouse the Imperial Guards from their bunk beds in the communal room and led the large group out to search for food.

The inn fell silent again. Li Xuan sat by the octagonal table, his brow deeply furrowed.

After *Chenshi* (7-9 AM), Chen Liqin came downstairs with Lady Liang, Chen Wenzong, Chen Wenxiao, Wang Gui, and Dongzhi. He politely greeted Li Xuan, “Good morning, Lord Li.”

Li Xuan weakly cupped his hands in a salute. “Good morning, Lord Chen.”

Chen Liqin’s gaze swept across the empty lobby. Puzzled, he asked, “Why is Lord Li sitting here alone? Where are the others?”

Li Xuan explained, “They all went out to look for food.”

Wang Gui asked with a fawning smile, “Lord Li, do the Imperial Guards still have any stored provisions? My master, madam, and young masters haven’t had breakfast yet.”

Li Xuan shook his head. “No, there’s nothing left. The Imperial Guards only kept five days’ worth of rations for His Highness; that cannot be touched.”

Wang Gui paused slightly, then grew anxious. “Then what about the five catties of cornmeal my Chen family provided yesterday?”

Li Xuan glanced at him. “It was all cooked in last night’s porridge. Didn’t you have any?”

Wang Gui, his face flushed, demanded, “It’s all cooked? Do you Imperial Guards even know how to manage resources? Who doesn’t keep at least some provisions in reserve!”

Li Xuan stated gravely, “The Imperial Guards worked hard searching for food all day. What if their health fails because they couldn’t even get a bowl of porridge?”

Wang Gui was about to retort further when Chen Liqin snapped, “Enough! How dare a mere servant question Lord Li’s decision?”

Wang Gui drew his neck back and fell silent.

Li Xuan also softened his tone. “Lord Chen, Lady Chen, please don’t be anxious. Qi Zhenzhuo has already led men out to find food. They should be able to bring back at least some. Even if it’s not as much as yesterday, it won’t be enough to starve everyone.”

Just as he finished speaking, the cotton curtain was pulled open, and Qi Zhenzhuo ducked inside, brushing dust from his clothes.

Li Xuan quickly asked, “Did you find any food?”

Qi Zhenzhuo shook his head. “No, we didn’t. Last night, the local bandits in Gu Yuan led their men to raid several districts, taking all the remaining food.”

Li Xuan was startled. “Not a single bit? This morning you swore that if Chen Ji could find it, you certainly could too. What about now?”

Qi Zhenzhuo awkwardly admitted, “Indeed, there’s absolutely nothing left…”

Li Xuan asked in a stern voice, “If you haven’t found any food, why are you back? Since you know you don’t have Chen Ji’s capability, you should have been more restrained last night and not angered him away!”

“I don’t have capability?” Qi Zhenzhuo flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Li Xuan! Don’t forget how you got your official position! If it weren’t for my sister…”

“Qi Zhenzhuo!” Li Xuan suddenly stood up and said coldly, “My Li family’s standing comes from our inherited path in officialdom. Back then, I was supposed to enter the Three Imperial Guards camps. It was your grandfather who cut off my prospects and forced me to marry into your Qi family, not me crying and begging to join your Qi family!”

Qi Zhenzhuo’s face turned red. “You were able to reach the Seeker Realm at thirty, wasn’t that because of the cultivation resources provided by my Qi family? Ginseng was given to you by the root, and bright green jade was bought for you piece by piece. If you had gone to the Three Camps, who would have given you those cultivation resources? Isn’t your current Seeker Realm entirely thanks to my sister’s dowry?”

Li Xuan was speechless for a long moment. Finally, he weakly waved his hand. “I can’t control you. Go do whatever you want.”

Chen Wenzong, standing nearby, quietly said, “When arguing, do not speak hurtful words. Some things, once said, cannot be taken back.”

After the argument, Qi Zhenzhuo felt some regret, but he couldn’t bring himself to apologize.

Li Xuan took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and then looked at Chen Wenzong. Cupping his hands, he said, “Young Master Chen, I know Chen Ji respects you. If he returns later, I hope you can speak on our behalf. The matter of finding food cannot be delayed.”

Chen Wenzong shook his head. “I’m sorry, I cannot say anything.”

Li Xuan froze.

Chen Wenzong said earnestly, “Lord Li, although I am also hungry, the injustice my younger brother suffered yesterday cannot simply be dismissed. Whether he chooses to forgive someone or not, as his elder brother, I cannot make that decision for him, nor can I be an accomplice to his wrongful treatment. If he were to compromise out of consideration for me, my conscience would not be at ease.”

Li Xuan sighed heavily. “I understand what you mean, virtuous brother Wenzong, but…”

Chen Wenzong cupped his hands. “Lord Li, there’s no need to say more. I’m also going out to look for food.”

With that, he lifted the curtain and walked out of the inn.

Chen Wenxiao, standing by Lady Liang, suddenly said, “Lord Li, you don’t need to worry. When Chen Ji returns later, I’ll have my father speak with him.”

Li Xuan glanced at Chen Wenxiao but ignored him.

In this room, only Chen Wenzong held any sway with Chen Ji. As for Chen Liqin? Chen Liqin himself wouldn’t dare boast that he could persuade Chen Ji.

Everyone in the lobby waited anxiously until noon. The Imperial Guards gradually returned, all empty-handed except for a few who had found a few coarse grain cakes.

Those few coarse grain cakes weren’t even enough for everyone to have a single lick.

By *Youshi* (5-7 PM) in the evening, Chen Wenxiao and the others were so hungry their eyes were glazed over. Every time someone lifted the curtain, hope would surge within them, only to vanish instantly.

There was no food left in Gu Yuan; truly none.

The cotton curtain was lifted again. The orange evening sun shone in from outside, casting a golden glow around the edges of the newcomer’s body.

Li Xuan recognized the person and stood up. “Chen Ji?”

Everyone’s eyes were fixed intently on the doorway.

Chen Ji, carrying Wuyun, stepped over the threshold and calmly surveyed the dense crowd in the lobby. “Everyone’s here?”

Li Xuan disregarded everything else, stepped forward two paces, and eagerly asked, “Chen Ji, did you find any food today?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “No, I didn’t. Today, all the wealthy merchants in Gu Yuan City were robbed. Only a few extremely rich merchants, who had officials stationed at their homes, managed to protect their assets. Gu Yuan City is already in chaos; the border army can’t manage it.”

Chen Wenxiao stood up and demanded, “You didn’t find any food at all?”

Chen Ji hummed in affirmation, and silence once again fell over the lobby.

In this silence, Xiaoman suddenly let out a loud burp.

Chen Ji: “…”

Li Xuan: “…”

Everyone looked towards Xiaoman, who covered her mouth with her hands in fright, then looked at Zhang Xia for help.

Zhang Xia smiled. “What’s there to be afraid of? We haven’t done anything wrong. Some people weren’t willing to eat the food we got honestly, and we didn’t force them. If we brought food back today and were falsely accused again, wouldn’t we just be inviting trouble? Right, Xiaoman?”

Xiaoman nodded vigorously. “Sister A-Xia is right!”

Her eyes darted around. “But Sister A-Xia, what about those who have no food? They’re so pitiful.”

Zhang Xia, smiling, played along, “Let them suffer. This is only the second day of the siege; there’s much more hardship to come.”

Chen Wenxiao angrily pointed at the two of them. “You two!”

Zhang Xia’s face suddenly turned cold. “Us? Chen Wenxiao, don’t think I don’t know how you got your *Ya Kuai* title. If you dare point fingers at us again, or badmouth Chen Ji behind his back, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

Zhang Zheng chimed in, “Exactly!”

The young woman in red stood upright in the center of the lobby, facing dozens of Imperial Guards without a trace of fear. Xiaoman looked up slightly at Zhang Xia’s profile, her eyes sparkling.

Li Xuan shot Qi Zhenzhuo a look, his voice squeezed through gritted teeth. “Apologize!”

Qi Zhenzhuo reluctantly stood up, but before he could apologize, the inn’s curtain was lifted again.

Everyone looked over to see a border army guard enter, asking loudly, “Which one is Young Master Chen?”

Chen Wenxiao replied, “I am.”

The border army guard glanced at him. “May I ask if you are Young Master Chen Ji?”

Chen Wenxiao choked.

Chen Ji turned around and asked curiously, “I am Chen Ji. What are your orders, General?”

The border army guard said expressionlessly, “Young Master Chen, my General Hu requests your presence.”

Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo immediately exchanged glances. What did Hu Junxian want with Chen Ji?