The couple had flirted with each other for a while. After Shen Youjia had come, Wei Changying found an excuse to leave so that Shen Cangfeng could discuss military affairs with Shen Youjia alone.

Over the next few days, Shen Youjia kept going to Shen Cangfeng's room. Sometimes, he went with his assistants, and even Deng Zongqi was invited to go to their meetings a few times.

Wei Changying guessed that they must have something important to discuss. However, remembering her aunts' advice, she thought that as Shen Cangfeng didn't tell her on his own initiative, it was better for her not to ask. Since she shouldn't worry about military affairs, she got on with her own work properly. She seized the opportunity to reorganize things in Mingpei Hall, warning the disrespectful ones and rewarding the obedient. As Shen Youjia was close to Shen Cangfeng and his brother Shen Youyi had a good relationship with his elder brother, he obeyed Wei Changying's every word after having taken over Mingpei Hall.

Wei Changying made many changes in the name of Shen Youyi. She also greatly changed the positions of the servants who had grown up in the family. She almost turned the whole of Mingpei Hall inside out. There were people who tried to protest during the process. However, from the seniors to the servants, no one could shake Shen Cangfeng's resolution to establish the authority of his wife. With Shen Cangfeng's support, although Shen Canghui was a soft touch, he didn't dare to disobey his cousin. Three people were unanimous. Intimidated by the powerful lineal branch, all the people were helpless.

So, when New Year's Eve came, nobody dared to ignore the invitations that had been sent out in the name of Wei Changying, Shen Cangfeng, and her brother-in-law, Shen Canghui.

However, while the guests were trying their best to think about how they should behave at the banquet, something happened in the host family. When Wei Changying heard the sudden request made by her husband, her face turned pale, saying, "Your wounds are not yet fully healed. You can't ride a horse yet, but you want to go to East River Town. Are you joking?"

Shen Cangfeng explained, "Youjia will lead the army at the front. I will take care of the provisions for him at the back. I will not personally go onto the battlefield."

"Youjia has been the Lieutenant General of Western Liang for a long time. He probably has a suitable quartermaster! Why do you have to go there yourself? Moreover, the first time you were injured was in East River Town. Clearly, it was dangerous there. You say you won't go onto the battlefield, but will you do nothing when you see your enemies?" Wei Changying disagreed, "His Majesty has given you three years. You have already done a good job of drawing Muxiuer into a desperate situation. This should probably be a part of your contribution. Although you won't get much credit because you don't go onto the battlefield, it will be better than having more wounds over your old ones!"

"I'm not doing it for the credit." Shen Cangfeng sighed, "Ziming and the other two didn't benefit from the battle last time. This is an unspoken gesture from me to give credit to them." He lowered his voice, "I'm just worried about Youjia. Last time, he didn't capture Muxiuer even though he had a really good chance. If I don't go this time and he makes a mistake again, he will ruin the whole plan!"

Wei Changying frowned, asking "If you are worried about him, why do you still use him?"

His wife's naive words about the military made Shen Cangfeng laugh, but he still explained, "Although Youjia is a bit sloppy, he is capable. It's just that Muxiuer is very important. I will worry if I am not personally watching over the situation. It's not that Youjia is really useless. Otherwise, as he is from a collateral branch and isn't senior, he wouldn't have become the Lieutenant General of Western Liang."

Although a lieutenant general was not a general, it was the highest-ranking position for a military official in Western Liang.

In fact, he would be in charge of the entire army of Western Liang.

Apparently, the "Thorn Hedge" was not part of it.

However, it could clearly prove that Shen Youjia had abilities. He was being tested by the western tribes to see if he was qualified to take the position.

Her husband was speaking gently, but he was determined to go to East River Town. Wei Changying was so annoyed that she stood up and walked around the room, saying emotionally, "No matter what you say, I won't let you go! If you had almost recovered by now, I wouldn't have wanted to stop you from killing enemies and serving your country because I am not like those foolish shortsighted women! However, your wounds have not even healed. If it is a bumpy ride, they will certainly be torn open again. East River Town is so dangerous. If you went and something happened to you... How should Shuguang and I live on our own? You worry about capturing Muxiuer and worry about the border, but don't you worry about me and Shuguang?"

She bit her lip, her eyes filled with tears, saying, "Shuguang is still so young. Soon after New Year's Eve, he will be one-year-old, but as his father, you have not even seen him! You would risk yourself to capture Muxiuer, but why couldn't you think about your lineal firstborn son and me?"

Coming to her side, Shen Cangfeng reached out his hand to stroke her hair, saying softly, "I am going there for your sake."

Seeing how Wei Changying frowned and was about to argue, Shen Cangfeng slid his finger down to her lips, suggesting her not to say anything first. He said gently, "You know how wary His Majesty is of us, the gentlefolks. Now my father-in-law is getting well and Ruiyu Hall is going to revive, which is obviously good for us. Nevertheless, as for His Majesty, he will think that our two families are so powerful that we will endanger his throne. Luckily, His Majesty is not an ambitious person. Decades of dissipated living have worn down his will. Unless he is truly desperate, His Majesty won't dare to make any sudden move!"

"The thing you need to be concerned about is the current situation." Shen Cangfeng sighed and said, "In the past, on the way from Fengzhou to the capital, you must have seen that it isn't peaceful now in our Great Vi! Honestly, although there aren't wars in the country, there are bandits in rich places like Jiangnan, let alone the other places. Oppressive governments in some places have driven the people to rebellion and everything is in a mess! His Majesty doesn't like to hear such news, so all the families have agreed to just focus on governing the capital properly. In terms of the reports about bandits elsewhere, they have stopped them from going further."

Wei Changying pushed his hand away and frowned, saying, "But it's the Royal Family, that Shen Family's world. Why does it have anything to do with us? Do you want to quickly settle the border conflicts and demand to be sent to a rural area to govern? This is something come up with by His Majesty who doesn't really care about governing the country for many years. How is it possible for a single official to improve everything?" It was not that she didn't sympathize with the commoners who couldn't even make a living. However, compared with those people's lives, she valued her husband's safety more.

"I mean the world is already in chaos and the Great Vi..." Shen Cangfeng hesitated for a moment before lowering his head towards her ear. He was almost silent, saying word by word, "The country is on the wane!"

Although Wei Changying was not very optimistic about the future of the Great Vi either, having heard his words, she was shocked for a moment. She unconsciously squeezed the handkerchief in her hand, and it took a while before she said, "Has it... Has it really come to that point?"

It was obvious to see that the Great Vi was in decline, but saying that the country was on the wane... There were bandits in places all over the country, but they were not serious, not so serious that people rebelled in several states or counties under the same name. The Royal Shen Family had inherited a great fortune from the ancestors, and the most prosperous era of the Great Vi had only been a few decades ago. Since the First Emperor of the Great Vi had ascended to the throne, the Great Vi had been in power for more than two hundred years!

Was the Great Vi going to be finished by the Royal Shen Family?

Shen Cangfeng laughed silently and said, "His Majesty doesn't govern the country. There were many small issues in this country. However, after decades, they have all become the biggest headaches. Even if the Crown Prince were wise and smart, to root out the problems, despite being capable, he would also need some luck. But do you think the Crown Prince has anything to do with wisdom and capability? In fact, he is more useless than His Majesty! Even if the Crown Prince couldn't inherit the throne, there is no one else because the most filial Eldest Prince, the smart Fourth Prince and the Sixth Prince are dead. Among all the princes, there are virtuous and filial ones, but in terms of saving the country, there is no one who can do it!"

He smiled faintly, saying, "It is said that among the grandsons in the Royal Family, the Crown Prince's son, Shen Lin, is young and intelligent, but how old do you think Shen Lin is? His Majesty has many descendants. If the Crown Prince made a mistake, why would it be his son's turn to take the throne? Even if he ascended to the throne... If a ruler is too young, the people of the country will have doubts and will be fearful. No matter how smart Shen Lin is, he is just a child! How can he manage all the problems? It will only put the Great Vi into an even more unstable situation!"

Shen Cangfeng sighed, "Look at the sons and grandsons of the Royal Family. There is no one within three generations who could revive the country. Changying, the people in this country have nothing to eat and no clothes to wear. They can't even wait for three days but go into the mountains to join the bandits to make a living. How could they wait for three generations long? Will there definitely be a rare genius in the fourth generation of the Shen Family who could reverse the declining tendency of this misery?"

His gaze was as deep as a long dark night. He was slowly shaking his head, "Even I, a person who is from the gentlefolks living a luxurious life, can't believe it, let alone commoners who live from hand to mouth! There are doubts amongst the people and the Great Vi is in great danger. Additionally, there are northern tribes in the north and the western tribes in the west. There are domestic troubles and foreign invasions. If the Great Vi is not on the wane, what is it?"

Wei Changying instinctively asked, "What do you mean?"

"There will be turmoil in the country within ten years." Shen Cangfeng said in a deep voice, "We, the gentlefolks, have properties all over the country and hundreds and thousands of people, so it's impossible to sit back and watch! I must seize every opportunity to attack the western tribes. I'm not saying that we will seek to wipe them out. At least, we will force them to stay away from the desert, making them unable to invade within these ten years, to ensure the peace of Western Liang!"

He exhaled and said as quietly as he could, "In this way, I can advance in the court with my achievements and take control of the military. This will also bring our Shen Family's hometown peace, leaving no worries to our rear, so I can free my hands to concentrate on this great war!"

Wei Changying was thinking rapidly, not making a sound.

Shen Cangfeng gently stroked his wife's hair, saying softly, "That's why I can't let go of Muxiuer. This man is of bold vision and ambition. He is really a serious problem! If we couldn't kill him, even if the western tribes stayed far away from the desert, I couldn't rest assured!"

"In a chaotic world, human life is worth nothing. The titles we get when things are peaceful don't mean much. If I have no power or status, how can I protect you and Shuguang?" Shen Cangfeng said gently, "Changying, don't stop me. Let me go!"

Wei Changying held onto his hand in her confusion, asking, "But we are gentlefolks! Isn't our family powerful enough now?"

"Have you seen that not all of the seniors truly respect our lineal branch?" Shen Cangfeng reached out his finger and stroked her eyebrows, whispering, "Now they have no chance and have to bow down! But if the world is in chaos, how would they not have other thoughts? There shouldn't be anything inappropriate in the lineal branch of the clan. However, it is possible to change a branch to have the Family Head's position, a title that will never be taken away and will be passed on to their children!"

He looked cold, "This is also why I agreed for you to reorganize so many things in Mingpei Hall as soon as you came. We don't have much time now! You and I are young! Father, Mother, and Uncle are all in their prime. If we were in a time of peace, we would have nothing to worry about as our elders would have nurtured us carefully and steadily. However, the situation is bad. We must be prepared for that chaotic world. After all, when the time comes, the elders may not have time to look after us. Which branch does not want the Family Head's position of the Shen Family?"

Wei Changying was silent for a long time and then whispered, "Then..."

She paused again before speaking difficultly, "Then you should take Xinmiao with you, just in case."

"How can I do this?" Shen Cangfeng, feeling strong love and worry in her tone, lowered his head and kissed her cheek. He smiled gently, saying, "East River Town is poor and dangerous. The Eighth Miss of the Duanmu Family is not our servant, either. We must ask her wishes when we ask her to go somewhere. If she does not want to go, are you going to kidnap her? She is a woman. Women are not allowed to be in the army unless they are prostitutes, not to mention by my side."

Wei Changying's mind was in a whirl at the moment, not knowing what to say. Only after hearing her husband's words did she realize that what she had said was a bit presumptuous. She was upset and paused for a moment before saying, "Then take all the medicine with you. Don't forget anything. Tell Shen Die to be more careful and make the medicine for you on time. You should also drink it on time. Don't complain about the bitterness of the medicine."

Shen Cangfeng smiled and said yes this time. He reached out his fingers to pinch the tip of her nose, smiling, "Complaining about the bitterness? When have I ever complained about the medicine being bitter? I'm not a three-year-old child. Does Shen Die have to comfort me when I drink the medicine?" He deliberately said this to ease the atmosphere. However, as Wei Changying couldn't stop him from going to East River Town after hearing his reasoning, she was extremely worried, so she was in no mood to joke with him.

"I'll ask Xinmiao later about what medicines might be of use." Wei Changying murmured, squeezing her handkerchief hard a few times after she had been frozen for a moment.

Her mind kept spinning with ideas of how to make preparations for Shen Cangfeng, but she couldn't find anything else to say. She couldn't help but blurt out, "How about I go with you?"

The smile on Shen Cangfeng's face disappeared. He said, "Women are not allowed to be in the army..."

"I'm not going with your army. I'll go to East River Town to meet you." Wei Changying said seriously, "Weren't Shen Chu and his wife sent there before? Since there are ordinary people from our family living there, I will find a place there to stay with you. At least, I will not enter your camp."

"You have never been to East River Town." Thinking of that ragged frontier county where there were only a few houses that had intact roofs due to the ceaseless war, Shen Cangfeng sighed and said, "No. If we both go to East River Town, what about Mingpei Hall, not to mention a suitable place for you to live in?"

Wei Changying said, "Shen Youyi and his wife are good."

"If you aren't here, they won't be able to do anything well." Shen Cangfeng smiled and reminded her, "They are the ones you promoted. Your influence is not so strong that people in Mingpei Hall will obey your rules and respect your people when you are not in Western Liang City! Besides, you have sent out the invitations for the New Year's Eve banquet. If I'm absent, I can still ask Canghui to represent me, but what will it be like if you are absent as well?"

Wei Changying had no desire to think about the New Year's Eve banquet. All those people together were not as important as her husband's little finger! She said unthinkingly, "I don't care about them! Either we tell Shen Youyi's wife to take care of them, or let them do things as they please! They are nothing compared with you!"

"I like what you have said." Shen Cangfeng touched her face, speaking gently and firmly, "But you still can't go. You need to keep an eye on the place here in case there is something we miss while I am busy with the war. Most importantly…" He said softly, "In case something happens to me, there should be one of us to look after Shuguang!"