After her transformation and rebirth, she manipulates the innocent and ruthless to overthrow the wor

Chapter 304 Poplar County

(Two years later)

In the warm spring of March, Huyang County was blocked by heavy snow. The soldiers were working together to shovel snow, but the snowfall was so heavy that they had to take turns resting and working in shifts.

One soldier, however, hadn't rested for several rounds. Her hair was tied up high, and beneath her heavy armor, she tirelessly shoveled snow. After a long while, when the snow in front of her was almost completely cleared, she finally wiped the sweat from her forehead.

She sat down on a wooden stool and took a sip of the local specialty, hot milk wine. A warm feeling instantly filled her body.

"Miss Ran, a letter for you has arrived in the capital."

A boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old ran from a distance. His face was dark, and the locals called him Little Black.

"Give it to me." Xiao Ran put down the wine bag and slowly opened the letter.

It was a letter sent by Chen Zijin.

The letter mentioned some recent events in the imperial court, as well as rumors circulating in the marketplace.

She had roughly calculated all of this, so she wasn't too surprised. The only thing that surprised her was...

He Wan is getting married.

The new husband is not Nangong Ming, but the fourth prince Ruixuan.

Seeing Xiao Ran's unfriendly expression, Xiao Hei swallowed and asked, "...Miss Ran, has something happened in the capital?"

Xiao Ran folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and then burned it in the fire.

“No.” She shook her head. “Everything is normal.”

Perhaps due to disappointment, Xiao Hei's cheeks immediately flushed red. The redness on his dark cheeks gave him a somewhat childlike appearance.

"I don't think the emperor has any intention of letting us go back at all!"

"Be careful what you say." Xiao Ran glanced at him. "The border is in constant turmoil, and Father should guard the border for the country."

Xiao Hei was disappointed. He sat down next to Xiao Ran, picked up a wine bag, and took a sip in silence.

Xiao Ran stood up and tossed a shovel over: "Alright, if you're so eager to go home, you might as well come and shovel snow with me. As long as General Xiao is trapped in the mountains, neither of us can go home."

"understood."

……

As evening approached, Huyang County opened a small passage, barely enough for a few people to walk side by side.

Xiao Ran tossed the shovel into the makeshift shed, took the pancake Xiao Hei handed her, and took a bite.

The north wind howled, and the temperature plummeted at night, even causing hot water that had just been boiled to freeze.

Xiao Hei handed over the milk wine again: "Miss Ran, it's too cold here. Why don't you go back to the city first? We brothers can keep watch over things here."

Xiao Ran shook her head: "Father should be back today. If anything unexpected happens, I can lend a hand."

Xiao Hei remained silent, knowing how formidable this girl was.

Two years ago, when he and his brothers saw a delicate-looking young woman arrive, they thought General Xiao was joking with them.

However, whenever war broke out during those two years, this young woman would always offer some unconventional suggestions, but each time they were incisive and saved the lives of many soldiers.

Moreover, this girl also knows medicine; it was Miss Ran who personally saved Xiao Hei.

The night was already past midnight when only a few scattered lights appeared in the distance.

Xiao Ran hurriedly looked over and saw Xiao Mu riding a horse and carrying a torch. Fortunately, there weren't many people and horses, so it didn't cause any commotion.

As soon as Xiao Mu arrived, she smelled a faint scent of blood. She hurriedly asked what was wrong, and only after Xiao Mu assured her that he was alright did she feel relieved.

Xiao Mu sent a few people to carry a stretcher and carried a person into the shed.

"Ran'er, go quickly and check on your Uncle Duan. He's been shot with an arrow, and I'm afraid the arrow was poisoned..."

Xiao Ran nodded and went to treat the arrow wound.

A moment later, Xiao Ran had just stepped out of the shed when she was startled by the loud arguing of several people.

"Damn it! Now that we've discovered the granary, why don't we just raid it and burn it down!"

"No! Deputy General Duan was just injured; they'll definitely be on guard! If we go there then, we'll be like lambs to the slaughter!"

"This won't do, that won't do! Did my father suffer that arrow for nothing?!"

The person who spoke had a bad temper and did not inherit Duan Yuan's gentleness at all.

Xiao Ran walked over and said, "Uncle Duan is fine. It was just an ordinary arrow. I have already applied medicine to him. Fortunately, it did not hit any vital organs, and he will recover in a few days."

Duan Rong turned around, and upon seeing her, his face instantly fell.

"Thank you, Miss Ran..."

Xiao Mu, who was in the middle of the room, also had a headache from the noise. Hearing that Xiao Ran had arrived, he felt a little better.

"Ran'er, tell me, what should we do now that things are like this?"

"Father, don't worry."

Xiao Ran sat down next to Xiao Mu, and by the firelight, she picked up a twig and began to draw on the sand.