Chapter 460: Blood Spirit Flower

Deep night.Within the deep veil of night, distant mountains cast faint shadows.The night wind blew cold, sweeping across the entire Red Flower Battalion.Not far away, the Immortal City of Canglin remained brightly lit, even at night. The orange-yellow glow and the faint sounds of laughter and music drifting on the wind only accentuated the lonely desolation of the military camp.

The wounded soldiers were gathered together.Mulan was on her nightly rounds. As she reached the area where the wounded were gathered, a look of fury appeared on her face.Her divine sense perceived many wounded soldiers, sleeping on the ground at night, shivering from the cold. Some were curled up in a ball, while others groaned in their sleep."What is the meaning of this? Why haven't the arrays been activated to make the tents warmer?!" Mulan glared about, transmitting her voice through divine sense, scolding her subordinates.Her subordinate immediately reported: "General, our supply of spirit stones is insufficient. We must cut back where we can.""I reported this to you previously. This was your order."

Mulan’s expression froze.She quickly recalled that during the day, she had been handling military affairs, worrying about the depleted military funds.Her subordinate had indeed come to report to her. At that time, her thought was: "We cannot lack provisions for the fallen soldiers. We must save where we can!"Ensuring warmth within the tents, in Mulan’s view, indeed belonged to the areas that could be reduced.The military funds were so strained that even the expenditure of a few hundred spirit stones for a single night made Mulan meticulously weigh every grain and blade of grass.

Mulan fell silent.Now, if she were to issue an order to replenish the spirit stones and raise the temperature, she still could not bring herself to do so.The military funds were truly too tight!

In silence, Mulan lifted the tent flap and entered the tent.A pungent odor assaulted her senses.The smell of blood, poison, typhoid—Most of the wounded soldiers lay on the ground, sleeping soundly.Only the mere twenty or so stretchers were occupied by the severely wounded.A few wounded were in a semi-conscious state due to intense pain.

Zhang Zhongyi was still treating the wounded.He knelt beside a stretcher, using his hand to scoop out medicinal mud from a pottery jar and apply it to the soldier's wound.From time to time, he activated his cultivation technique to help the medicine circulate within the soldier.Seeing Mulan, Zhang Zhongyi merely glanced at her and continued with his treatment.It was the severely wounded soldier on the stretcher who, upon seeing Mulan, struggled to rise and salute.Mulan approached him, placing a hand on him, her expression like iron: "Lie down and receive treatment.""General!" the wounded soldier choked out."When you are healed, we will fight the enemy together," Mulan encouraged."Yes, General!" The wounded soldier, overcome with emotion, rolled his eyes and fainted on the spot.

Mulan: ———Zhang Zhongyi sighed, repeatedly waving his hand at Mulan.

Mulan, with a heavy heart, exited the military tent.A moment later, within the main general's tent, Zhang Zhongyi, dragging his weary body, reported to Mulan: "The situation is very bad.""We have too few physicians. Even with me treating from dawn till dusk, I cannot attend to so many wounded.""The conditions in the military camp are very poor, even the temperature cannot be guaranteed.""After a few more cold nights like this, I fear many severely wounded soldiers will lose their lives."

Mulan said gravely: "We must do everything possible to heal them."Zhang Zhongyi frowned: "Has the situation become this dire? How much military funding is left?"Zhang Zhongyi knew well that Mulan was by no means stingy, nor would she ever embezzle military funds.Mulan managed a forced smile: "Uncle Zhang, although the military funds are scarce, there is still some safeguard. You have worked hard for three days and three nights. What are the thoughts and emotions of the wounded?"

Zhang Zhongyi said: "Most of the wounded are veteran soldiers. They bear no resentment, only great concern for the defeat.""These are the true assets of your Grand General's Estate.""They are all elite soldiers, good soldiers. If they are to die in the military camp due to insufficient funds and inadequate treatment, it would be too great a pity.""If it truly comes to it—"Speaking thus, Zhang Zhongyi took out a magical artifact and handed it to Mulan."Let us pawn this treasure in exchange for military funds!" Zhang Zhongyi said.

Mulan was moved: "This is your prized possession, Uncle Zhang, how can you pawn it for money?""Uncle Zhang, you came to my army, contributing almost your entire fortune. If now I must ask you to pawn your core magical artifact, how can I face my father?""Mention this no more!"Mulan immediately refused.

Zhang Zhongyi let out a bitter laugh: "I am no longer a Nascent Soul. Having fallen to the Golden Core stage, my core magical artifact was also affected and is a defective item.""It is of little use on me."Mulan's gaze was sharp: "This is absolutely impossible! If it were pawned, it would undoubtedly reveal our army's weakness to the public. Not only would it be a heavy blow to our morale, but it would also attract the enemy to swarm us.""At present, many of the wounded are barely surviving by relying on the army's strength. A significant drop in morale will inevitably weaken the army's strength, and many of the wounded will be affected, with minor injuries turning severe, and severely wounded soldiers losing their lives.""Uncle Zhang, although our army has withdrawn from the battlefield, our situation is still perilous."

Zhang Zhongyi was speechless. After a moment, he slowly nodded, his voice hoarse: "Indeed, that is so. I did not consider it fully."Old General Mu's Grand General's Estate had become a target for many civilian and military officials in the imperial court.This time, Mulan was forced to take her father's place in the army; it was their doing.Once the Red Flower Battalion exposed its weakness, like blood flowing from a prey's wound, a school of sharks would inevitably be drawn.

Zhang Zhongyi: "If we push through, can we endure?"Mulan said confidently: "Of course. Tomorrow is the day the military rations are distributed. With this batch of supplies, our days will be much better, and we can catch our breath.""Uncle Zhang, I have received meticulous teaching from my father since childhood. You can rest assured, I have everything under control."

Zhang Zhongyi exhaled a浊气 (turbid breath), his expression relaxing considerably: "That is good, that is good."After he left, Mulan finally furrowed her brow, her confident gaze dissipating, revealing hesitation and worry.As the leader of an army, she had to maintain confidence and a strong demeanor at all times. If the main general were to sigh and frown,Could morale be expected to last?Since the ambush battle ended, enormous pressure had constantly weighed on Mulan's heart.She was a general's daughter, a tigeress, and had always possessed a clear judgment of her own situation.

By the candlelight on the desk, Mulan continued to handle military affairs.She had to meticulously calculate every account, finding ways to save expenses from all aspects.The deficit on the accounts was so large that Mulan did not dare to hand the ledger to the quartermaster for handling.

Mulan calculated for a long time. Looking at the accounts, she felt as though she was falling into an abyss."Wait until tomorrow, after receiving the military rations and a small amount of spirit stones, at least the soldiers' meals can be improved, and we can maintain for a while longer," Mulan sighed bitterly in her heart.Zhang Zhongyi had not closed his eyes for three consecutive days and nights, and she was the same, constantly inspecting the military camp, comforting the soldiers, and also calculating accounts.Calculating accounts was not something she was skilled at, nor was it her preference.She was more inclined to gallop on the battlefield, shooting down enemy chiefs!But there was no other way; the cruel and cold reality forced her to do so.

A heavy drowsiness overcame her. Exhausted, Mulan lay prostrate on the desk and fell into a daze.In a semi-conscious state, she dreamt of her childhood,When Old General Mu returned victorious to the camp."Father!" The child Mulan had been waiting by the main gate for a long time. Upon seeing her father, she cried out joyfully, ran all the way, and then eagerly threw herself into Old General Mu's embrace."Hey, hey, slow down, slow down," Old General Mu cried out too late, only able to kneel on the ground, helplessly opening his arms, trying to use gentle force to catch little Mulan."I haven't taken off my armor yet, did you hurt yourself?" Old General Mu asked with concern.He had just heard a bang; it was Mulan's forehead hitting his chest armor.

Mulan looked up, gazing at her father, her eyes filled with adoration and filial piety: "Father."As she opened her mouth, her attention was drawn to a flower."What is this?" Mulan pointed to Old General Mu's shoulder armor. "Father, a flower has grown on your shoulder."

Old General Mu turned his head and looked at his left shoulder. Indeed, he saw a bright red flower bud, rooted in the crevice of his shoulder armor, gently swaying in the breeze.Old General Mu then reached out, broke it off, and handed it to Mulan: "This is a Blood Spirit Flower.""This kind of flower only grows and blooms on the battlefield.""The more intense the war, the more severe the casualties, the more Blood Spirit Flowers sprout, and the brighter their color."

Mulan was delighted: "This flower is so beautiful, I want to take good care of it."She cherished the gift from her father like a treasure.Who knew that Old General Mu would suddenly put on a stern face: "Nonsense!""The Blood Spirit Flower is not an ordinary flower; it cannot be nurtured to survive.""It grows very quickly and will wither just as quickly.""It is a red flower watered with fresh blood and lives; it is also the origin of our Mu Family's Red Flower Battalion's name.""You must respect it, respect every war.""Mulan, you are the sole heir of the Grand General's Estate, you must understand the weight of the Blood Spirit Flower!""It is not a trivial matter, nor is war a game. Every war will have casualties and sacrifices. You will become the main general of the Red Flower Battalion in the future. Remember, do your utmost to reduce our army's sacrifices, and water the Blood Spirit Flower with the enemy's blood!"

Mulan lifted her small face, filled with seriousness and solemnity. She said loudly: "Father, I remember!"

"General, General, wake up quickly!" A subordinate reported anxiously, startling Mulan from her daze.She looked up and saw the sunlight streaming into the tent through the lifted flap.Seeing her subordinate's anxious expression, a strong sense of foreboding surged in her heart."What has happened?" Mulan asked gravely.The subordinate said: "We went to collect the military rations, but the Immortal City said that some procedures have not been completed and need to be completed before the rations can be released.""We asked, and it was the intention of the Supervising General!"

"What?!" Upon hearing this, Mulan's vision went black.The most feared thing had still happened!This batch of military rations was life-saving food for the Red Flower Battalion at this moment.

"Zhao, Xi!" Mulan was furious. She immediately adjusted her armor, donned her crimson cloak, and called out to a group of subordinates, "Go,I, this General, will personally go and collect them. Let's see who dares to stop me!"