"It seems this transmigration wasn't random selection," Blue Five noted, leaning her chin on her hand as she shifted into researcher-analysis mode. "Think about it, Captain. You became Chu Zhaoning, burdened with the blood debt of the Chu family. And I, a scientist, ended up as Situ Jing, perfectly positioned to save Yuning. This logic... it's as if someone wrote a script and forced us into this game."
Xiao Zhan let out a light cough, breaking Blue Five's deduction. He looked at Chu Yuning, his expression gentle yet solemn. "Third Brother, there is something I must tell you. The Emperor has decreed me Prince of Zhan and ordered me to head to my fief, Zhanchuan, immediately after the wedding. Currently... Zhaoning and I are married."
He deliberately avoided the royal "This King" (Ben Wang), using the etiquette of equals, clearly treating Chu Yuning as a proper brother-in-law.
"Oh?" Blue Five's eyes lit up with mischief as she shot a mock-resentful look at Crimson Nine. "Captain, you married this handsome guy? Not bad! How long has it been since you landed, and you're already off the market? Back at the base, we were force-fed 'dog food' by couples every day. I didn't expect to escape one dimension only to get hit by it in another."
"A marriage in name only—essentially, an alliance," Crimson Nine interrupted coldly, her tone devoid of emotion. "The Emperor of Great Qi only issued the decree to pacify the people and the military after believing the Chu men had all 'died for the country.'"
The smile on Xiao Zhan's face stiffened. It felt as if his heart had been momentarily squeezed. He looked at Crimson Nine's profile as she calmly analyzed the situation, a deeply hidden sense of self-deprecation and loss flickering in his eyes. So, in her heart, that grand wedding that shook the capital was merely a contract signed for the sake of the board?
Blue Five watched Crimson Nine's "business-as-usual" face and then glanced at Xiao Zhan's heartbroken expression. She rolled her eyes internally. Tsk. One is an emotionally stunted combat machine, the other is a pure-hearted, unsuspecting yandere Prince. This cross-temporal romance is going to be a nightmare to debug.
Upon hearing the word "married," Chu Yuning's hand, which was reaching for the wooden tablet, froze in mid-air. He slowly turned his head, his gaze darting between Xiao Zhan and Crimson Nine. The air in the study seemed to solidify.
"Third Brother," Xiao Zhan straightened his back, allowing the other man's razor-sharp gaze to scrutinize him without flinching.
After a long silence, Chu Yuning let out a long sigh and pulled the wooden tablet back into his palm. "In the past, if my sister were to receive such treatment from a Prince, my father and brothers would have prepared a hundred-mile red dowry to see her off. But now, the Chu gates are desolate. This marriage..." He paused, a bitter, self-mocking smile touching his lips. "...has become the final shield protecting her life. For this favor, I, Chu Yuning, thank you on my father's behalf."
He then turned to the expressionless Crimson Nine, his eyes reflecting a complex depth of meaning.
"Since you say this is merely an 'alliance,' then as a member of the Chu family, I demand a promise from the Prince. Before this alliance concludes, you must ensure her safety at all costs. If she suffers even the slightest grievance, even if I am the last man of the Chu Army standing, I will settle the score for her."
These words were powerful—both a test for Xiao Zhan and a form of recognition and protection for this "new" younger sister.
Blue Five raised an eyebrow, whispering to herself, "Spoken like a true big brother. That protective aura is exactly like our old base instructors."
Xiao Zhan didn't take offense. Instead, he bowed solemnly to Chu Yuning, his words clear and resonant: "Rest assured, Third Brother. The journey to the fief is long and perilous, but as long as I, Xiao Zhan, have a breath left in me, I will never let her fall into danger. This is not just an alliance—it is my, Xiao Zhan's, personal selfish desire."
Listening to this exchange of heartfelt promises, Crimson Nine instinctively traced the rim of her teacup. This feeling of being surrounded, of having "family" and a "husband" competing to protect her, felt strangely alien and suffocating to a woman who had spent her life as a cold-blooded special agent captain.
"Captain, what's the plan now?" Blue Five asked, dropping her playful demeanor as her fingers tapped the table.
Crimson Nine pondered for a moment. "Yellow Seven is in Southern Tang; we must eventually go there. But before that, we need to lose the 'tails' following us. I intend to follow the Prince to the Zhanchuan fief first to consolidate our power and plan our next move."
She paused, her eyes burning like torches as she looked at Yuning. "The main force of the Thirty-Seven Stockades is rooted in the Zhanchuan area. That is the Chu family's foundation and our only trump card. Only when we reach Zhanchuan can we truly turn the tide from passive to active."
Xiao Zhan's expression flickered with complexity before turning into resolve. "Zhanchuan is remote, but it is a natural fortress. Once we are there, it is my domain. I can keep you safe."
Crimson Nine turned to Blue Five. "The development of new weapons can wait. Your special talents must not be exposed to the Preceptor or the Fourth Prince. Will you come with us to Zhanchuan first, or do you have other ideas?"
Blue Five smirked. "Since the Captain's 'base of operations' is there, of course I'm going. Ancient labs are primitive, but as long as I have materials, I'll show those tails what 'modern technology' looks like."
[The Situ Manor • Main Hall]
Situ Jing (Blue Five) returned to the hall, putting on the mask of an obedient yet shrewd daughter. She poured tea for her father and slowly revealed her "plan."
"Father, Mother, I've been watching our old furnaces and iron-smelting methods for six months, and I've had a thought." She affectionately took her mother's hand and introduced the guests. "This is Master Xiao. He has extensive connections in the Zhanchuan region. If he leads the way, our family's ironware business can take root there."
Xiao Zhan took the cue, shedding his royal aura and bowing humbly to the old mine owner. "I am but a merchant traveling between regions. Miss Situ is exceptionally brilliant; it is my honor to cooperate with your esteemed manor."
The old mine owner, a veteran of the business world, felt that Master Xiao's steady aura was unusually refined, but seeing that Chu Yuning was also respectful toward him, he lowered his guard.
Blue Five struck while the iron was hot, pulling her father aside. "Father, you know our mine's output is stable but always limited by government procurement. The people in Zhanchuan are rugged and have a high demand for durable tools and hunting gear. If we can bypass the government's cut and open a market there, our legacy can truly endure."
Her words hit home. In ancient times, mining was a sensitive business; one wrong move could lead to charges of "private weapon manufacturing." Having Situ Jing, the "daughter," go out to scout the market looked like nothing more than a rich girl's whim—the perfect camouflage.
"Fine. Since you have the heart for it, and Yuning is protecting you..." The old mine owner sighed, patting her hand. "Away from home, business is secondary. Your life is what matters. Zhanchuan is a chaotic place; you must listen to Yuning in everything."
Blue Five smiled and agreed, but her mind was already racing. With the excuse of "expanding trade routes," she could openly transport crates of saltpeter, oil, and semi-finished steel pipes—her "cargo"—straight to Zhanchuan without raising a single eyebrow.