In the council hall, the two generals and commanders took their leave, leaving only the Queen, Tang Wen, and Zhou Bing in the room.
Once everyone was gone, the Queen's dignified demeanor shifted.
She stretched lazily, revealing the perfect curve of her waist.
Then, she turned and shouted to the maid, "I'm suffocating! Wine, bring me wine, where's my wine?"
Zhou Bing sighed, casting a helpless glance at Tang Wen.
Clearly, she had seen this unrefined side of the Queen before.
The maid handed over a metal wine flask, and the Queen raised it, gulping down half of it in one go.
She then let out a burp and walked over to the two of them.
"Hehe! Bing'er, so this is your little lover, huh? Quite handsome! I heard he's not even sixteen yet, hehehe, you, you!"
The Queen squinted as she examined Tang Wen, her gaze resembling that of a man idly staring at a beautiful woman on the street.
Tang Wen felt extremely uncomfortable. The Queen's carefree and unrestrained behavior gave him the feeling that his goddess had fallen from grace.
So, the wise and generous image she had just displayed was all an act?
No wonder Sister Bing always had a hesitant expression whenever she mentioned the Queen.
Zhou Bing's cheeks flushed red, "What little lover? We're completely innocent, Your Majesty!"
"Call me Auntie."
"Anyway, Auntie, don't talk nonsense."
The Queen is Sister Bing's aunt?
Tang Wen secretly observed the two of them. Although both were stunning beauties, they didn't look alike at all.
"Really, completely innocent?"
The Queen suddenly leaned in, her breath and fragrance mingling as they hit Tang Wen.
There was an indescribable allure.
Tang Wen leaned back slightly, his throat moving subtly.
I'm still here!
Zhou Bing lowered her voice, "Really, really."
Well, at least for now, they were innocent, she added in her heart.
"That's good, hehehe," the Queen stroked her chin, her laughter wicked. "I've been on the throne for years, and there's not even a ghost in my harem. Today, I see that little Tang is quite handsome."
As she spoke, her delicate, jade-like fingers reached out to touch Tang Wen's face.
He seemed stunned, not even dodging.
"No!" Zhou Bing quickly blocked her hand, stepping between them, glaring at the Queen with puffed cheeks.
"Why not? I've been working tirelessly for the camp, very hard, can't I take a male consort to play with?" The Queen's expression was exaggerated, as if saying, "This isn't allowed? Is there no justice in the world?"
Tang Wen looked at the Queen, whose beauty and figure were no less than Sister Bing's, coupled with the charm of a mature woman, and felt a tiny bit willing.
"He's mine!"
Zhou Bing, driven to desperation by the Queen's outrageous words, couldn't maintain her composure.
"Hehehe, aren't you completely innocent? You wouldn't be innocent all the way to the bed, hmm?"
Zhou Bing reached out to cover her mouth, then turned and pulled Tang Wen away.
"Heartless Bing girl, you forget your aunt when you have a lover!"
The Queen called out from behind.
Zhou Bing grabbed Tang Wen's hand and ran straight out of the palace.
Tang Wen's expression was complicated. Who would have thought that the seemingly proper Queen was actually a madwoman?
"Sister Bing, are you related to the Queen?"
The blush on Zhou Bing's face hadn't faded yet, her hair falling to cover half of her delicate face.
"When my mother was alive, they were close friends. The Queen has always been like this. She loves drinking, loves fooling around, hates trouble, and doesn't like managing affairs. But she has an incredibly high talent for cultivation."
"I see."
Since he loves to fool around, it seems that the talk of male concubines was purely a joke.
Tang Wen felt a slight disappointment.
After all, what decent man doesn't dream of living off a woman's wealth?
Turning his head, he looked at Zhou Bing's shy and delicate face, and his heart stirred: Hmm, the ice beauty is quite nice too!
What did she say earlier?
That I'm her person?
Hehe.
Looking at her curvaceous figure.
Tang Wen secretly rejoiced, thinking, isn't this the soft life I've been dreaming of?
He quietly reached out his finger and hooked it around Zhou Bing's slender hand.
She was startled, quickly turning to look at Tang Wen. Their eyes met, and she turned her head away as if shocked, her cheeks growing even redder.
"Um, um, there's something."
"What?" Tang Wen held her hand, gently kneading it.
"We two are, are the most talented people. Before becoming Awakened, we can't, can't…"
Under Tang Wen's puzzled gaze, Zhou Bing's little head almost buried itself in her chest, but she couldn't finish her sentence.
"Can't do what couples do?"
"Mhm," her voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"Huh? What if we can't break through?" Tang Wen stopped walking.
"If we don't awaken before thirty, there's no hope for life."
Tang Wen was stunned: "I'm only 15 this year, right?"
Zhou Bing quickly said, "We will definitely break through."
"Mhm!" He didn't doubt that. For the sake of happiness, they must break through!
But he didn't want to wait 15 years.
"For the development of the camp, let's set a goal, Sister Bing. One year, no, six months to break through, how about that?"
"What?"
Zhou Bing was stunned, then quickly understood, her cheeks burning. She shook off his hand and ran ahead: "Not happening! You little rascal."
"Little rascal?" Tang Wen pouted: Even the old perverts, no, the old doctors at the clinic, envy my extraordinary talent!
"Commander Zhou, welcome home!"
"Hahaha"
"Commander Tang, welcome home!"
"Ding ding ding"
Tang Tang somehow got her hands on a gong and started banging it at the door when she saw them coming home.
Her little face was all smiles, her eyes almost disappearing.
Her cheers drew the neighbors out to see what was happening.
After Tang Tang's enthusiastic announcement, they learned that the "husband-killing woman's" courtyard had produced two commanders.
The "husband-killing woman" had also become a commander.
Their previously disdainful looks immediately changed, and they began to congratulate them.
Tang Tang handed out rock sugar to the children, and after a lively moment, she closed the door and went home.
The meal was naturally already prepared.
There was wine, meat, and vegetables.
At the dinner table, Tang Wen and Zhou Bing talked about their new positions, and Tang Tang listened excitedly, drinking two bowls of sweet potato wine until her little face turned red and her head felt dizzy.
But her math skills were still sharp, as she talked about "how much silver and foxtail millet we can get each month."
The next day, Zhou Bing selected thirty soldiers from the hunting camp, planning to use them as the backbone to form the outer city hunting camp.
After a day of preparation, it was time for them to officially take up their posts.
Early in the morning, at the gate connecting the inner city to the outer city, one-armed Commander Zhang and a few subordinates were there to welcome them.
"Commander Zhang!"
"Commander Tang, Commander Zhou. Everyone!"
"Greetings, Commander Zhang!"
As Tang Wen and Zhou Bing led their team out, one of Commander Zhang's subordinates was initially puzzled, but upon hearing Tang Wen's name introduced, he was shocked.
Is this the kid who brought me the pheasant?
No, no, he's Commander Tang Wen!
Li Ge pinched himself hard, the pain jolting him to straighten up and adjust his mindset.
At the same time, he reminded himself silently that this was Commander Tang Wen, a high-ranking leader in the camp who could dismiss him with a single word!
Soon, Commander Zhang introduced Li Ge, who quickly bent forward, clasped his fists, and took a step forward:
"Commander Tang Wen, hello! I am Wang Li, you can call me Ah Li. I am mainly responsible for rent collection in the outer city. I look forward to your guidance in the future!"
His tone was sincere, with a hint of flattery.
Seeing that Li Ge clearly recognized him, Tang Wen sighed inwardly: the former Li Ge, now Ah Li.
He shook his head slightly and smiled at Commander Zhang, "Li Ge, I've dealt with him before. He's experienced and knows his limits. Commander Zhang, your subordinates are all capable and strong!"
After some pleasantries, both sides got acquainted.
Tang Wen and the other two commanders led the way to the outer city barracks.
The hunting squad followed closely behind.
Li Ge deliberately stayed at the back, his anxious heart slightly eased.
This Tang Wen, he has quite the presence!
No wonder he has risen to such a high position.
Shaking off his complex feelings, he strode forward to catch up with the group.
That evening, a banquet was held in the canteen to welcome Tang Wen, Zhou Bing, and the members of the hunting camp.
Everyone clinked glasses and drank merrily.
After taking up their positions as commanders, the two were not particularly busy.
Leaders, after all, how could they be busy?
The hunting team members Zhou Bing brought were all elites.
Out of 30 people, 10 were captains, 10 were vice-captains.
The remaining 10 were the guards.
For the formation of the new team, the selection of city guards was left to the captains themselves.
Zhou Bing also pulled in a group of Martial Apprentices from the inner city martial arts schools to join the newly established Tenth Hunting Camp.
This ensured that each newly formed squad had considerable combat strength.
Joining the hunting camp directly was also a good option for the Martial Apprentices.
The only complaint they had was that due to the massive expansion of the hunting camp, the number of members had more than doubled.
As a result, the treatment for the new hunting team members was not as good as before.
It had roughly halved.
Fortunately, the Martial Apprentices had no other choice. Complaints aside, they still had to come.
The team lined up on the training ground, and Tang Wen looked at their young faces, occasionally hearing them grumble.
Suddenly, he felt as if he were inspecting a company. All that was missing was a few motivational speeches.
Not only had the treatment decreased, but Tang Wen also noticed during meals in the canteen that meat was no longer freely supplied.
Now, each team member was only given half a bowl of food per meal. If they wanted more, they had to pay extra.
Of course, this was for the ordinary hunting team members.
For the commanders, as long as they wished, they could have unlimited refills and eat until they were full.
"Commander Zhang, isn't it too early for food rationing due to the drought and reduced harvest?"
Commander Zhang looked at the overly young face and shook his head, "You're still young and don't know how tough droughts can be."
Tang Wen was puzzled.
Commander Zhang said, "Based on past experiences and the predictions of dozens of old farmers in the camp who have farmed all their lives, the drought might last longer than we think. After all, we've had good weather for several years now. It's time for a disaster!"
"Time for a disaster?"
What kind of nonsense is that?
Tang Wen wanted to retort.
Commander Zhang shook his head, went back to his room, and brought out a yellowed notebook.
Tang Wen took it and was surprised to find that the notebook was made of sheepskin.
Such a thick sheepskin book was quite a luxury.
It seems the creator wanted to preserve the content above for a longer period.
"Take a look! It's a record of the disaster situation," Commander Zhang said as he walked away with a teacup in hand.
Tang Wen opened it and flipped through for a while, discovering that it was recorded on a yearly basis.
The earliest entry on the first page dated back 53 years.