淫欲的代价

The left prime minister spent less and less time at the Cao mansion as he was always called for impromptu court meetings at the imperial palace where the emperor and ministers could discuss the situation at the borders.

The nation\'s coffers were almost empty because the output of grains and rice this year was abysmal. General Shang had been situated at the Northern border and reinforcements had been called from the Western border.

The capital was right in the middle so the soldiers from the West would have go through there on their way to the North. The plan was for the soldiers to pick up supplies from the vassal states and villages along the way but with the low crop output, things were looking bad.

Very bad.

The emperor had been receiving correspondence from the soldiers at the North who were trying to hold off the enemy. The general going missing had weakened their morale and the lack of supplies had further beaten them down. They wouldn\'t hold on for more than three months.

Less even, if the enemy were persistent.

It would take one month for the reinforcement to get to the capital and another month for them to get to the Western border. They were running out of time! Out of all the borders, the Western border was the hardest to defend.

If the enemy broke through, it would become progressively harder to drive them back and they would lose a lot of their villages and even the trading port Southwest would be easily captured by them.

Whilst the ministers were all wrought with worry, good news finally cast a bright light on their weary hearts. Cao Long had received news from two of his farming settlements. Their crop output was massive and he was willing to offer it to aid the soldiers.

The crop output would only last the soldiers three months but this was more than enough time. If they added the grains from the coffers and from various vassal states, they could increase the time to six months.

Farmers all around were already planting fast yielding crops. They would be able to make it. Cao Long received high praise from his fellow ministers and even the emperor expressed his goodwill. The people were more vocal about it and praised the left prime minister to the high heavens.

When Cao Long got back that day, he went straight to his study, ready to send out letters of instructions to those farming settlements of his.

Cao Luomei wasted no time in rushing up to her father\'s study and He Yuan, who had been keeping an eye out, contemplated a bit before following after.

When he got closer to the study, he heard Cao Long\'s strained voice. "Luomei, that\'s a war zone. Your safety isn\'t guaranteed. I don\'t think I can let you supervise the transfer of resources."

He Yuan raised a brow and walked closer, immediately the guards tried to stop him, he sprinkled some paralysis dust on them and watched as they plopped to the ground. He did not have time for their whining.

He stood before the door and listened. Cao Long\'s and Cao Luomei\'s voices weren\'t loud but he\'d been practicing the [Strongest Martial Arts] diligently for two years so this body had undergone minor improvements and his hearing was much sharper.

"You know someone from our family has to go with the Cao family seal. How else would the workers release the grains to the soldiers? You\'re needed in court and Cao Feng is your heir and he just started attending court, he can\'t leave too. Who else is there?"

Cao Luomei argued. She had been inexplicably saddened by the news of the general going missing. The man was a hero admired by all. She felt a strong need to go there and even after ignoring it, the urge only became stronger. She needed to go to the Northern border, she needed to be there for him.

He Yuan rolled his eyes. If anything happened to Cao Feng, Cao Xiwang was there to inherit the title but it seemed in Cao Luomei\'s eyes, her half siblings weren\'t part of the family.

He pushed the door open and came to a stop before their bewildered figures. "I\'ll go."

Cao Long didn\'t even think twice before nodding. "Alright."

He Yuan had to hold back a choke. Cao Long had been vehemently against Cao Luomei going in fear for her wellbeing but he had no qualms sending Cao Yuemei, who was also his own daughter, to the war zone. Wasn\'t this man\'s double standards a little bit... Too high?!

"Father!" Cao Luomei exclaimed and eyed He Yuan disdainfully. "Were you eavesdropping? What an undignified thing to do!" She looked back to Cao Long. "Father, are you really going to let such a person handle such an important matter? What if she brings disgrace to our Cao family?!"

Cao Long massaged his forehead. "Luomei, there\'s no other option. If I could send you, you know I would."

"So you don\'t trust me, is that it? You don\'t think I\'m reliable enough?" Cao Luomei\'s eyes turned red as she pressed on.

"I lost your mother and I would not lose you too!" Cao Long shouted and Cao Luomei froze. Even He Yuan\'s eyes widened. Wow. Just wow.

The old man had never shouted at Cao Luomei before. He must really mean business this time. But to show so much care for one daughter whilst you send the other daughter to the same situation you\'re protecting the first one from. Tsk.

He Yuan curtsied. "I beg to take my leave father. I need to go and prepare for the upcoming journey." He smiled secretly at Cao Luomei as he continued to speak to Cao Long, "Now that you have found me reliable enough and entrusted this task upon me, I can\'t fail you."

Cao Luomei burst into tears and ran out of the study before Cao Long could stop her. The prime minister turned to glare at He Yuan but He Yuan\'s smile only increased as he walked out of the study.

He Yuan spent the next few weeks gathering medicinal ingredients and refining as much medicine as he could. He had never been to a war zone but he didn\'t need to to know that it was a place rife with sorrow and fatal wounds.

The more medicine he had, the more secure his life would be.

"Big sis~"

Cao Xiwang had been pestering him for weeks. The ten year old had burst into tears at first and refused to let him leave, thinking he was going to die.

He Yuan had placated him with food and soft words. In fact, there was no need for the kid to worry too much. He would be staying at the rear of the camp where it was safest. The soldiers would not let any harm come to him.

Even if Cao Long did not like Cao Yuemei much, she was still part of the Cao family and they would not dare offend the Cao family by letting a Cao family child lose her life under their care.

"Hmm?" He Yuan answered as he sorted some medicinal ingredients. Whatever he couldn\'t refine into medicine, he planned to pack in airtight bags.

"Can I come with you then?" Cao Xiwang said with puppy eyes.

He Yuan placed a palm over the boy\'s eyes and said ruthlessly, "No." How could he take Xiwang with him? Even if he was on hard drugs, he still wouldn\'t have the guts to risk the little boy\'s life.

"But why? You said it was safe!" Cao Xiwang pushed He Yuan\'s hand away and eyed him distrustfully. "Did you lie to me?"

He Yuan sighed. "No. You\'re still quite young that\'s why. Father wouldn\'t let you."

Cao Xiwang snorted. "I\'m pretty sure if I go with you, he wouldn\'t notice until the day we return."

He Yuan had nothing to say to that. As sad as it was, the boy\'s words were actually true but he still would not take him. This was a child he personally raised! How could he let him anywhere near a possibility of harm?

"I\'m really sorry, Xiwang. I just can\'t take you." When the boy opened his mouth to continue to argue, He Yuan picked up a meat bun and stuffed in his mouth.

Time flied and the soldiers finally arrived at the capital and He Yuan packed up his stuff to go with them. When he went to Cao Long\'s study to get the Cao family seal, he met a proud looking Cao Luomei and a tired Cao Long.

"I\'ve finally decided to let Cao Luomei go to the frontline. She is the first daughter after all so she would handle the Cao family seal. The both of you would need to look after each other."

He Yuan said nothing and just nodded. He\'d been eager to go to the frontline in Cao Luomei\'s place in order to keep her from meeting the genius doctor. Looks like his efforts were wasted.

Cao Long mobilized a quarter of the Cao family\'s bodyguards and even twenty secret guards. He Yuan rolled his eyes. The old man had been planning on leaving him in the care of the soldiers.

But now that Cao Luomei was coming, he mobilized a part of the Cao family\'s forces. What a great father. He Yuan wasn\'t too disgruntled by this fact though. He had practiced martial arts for two years but he was nowhere near the level of hardened soldiers.

Extra protection would hurt no one. His hand went to the whip at his waist, he\'d had it made a year ago and had been practicing with it ever since. He was reassured by the fact that he could, at least, defend himself a little if he ran into enemy soldiers.

He Yuan and Cao Luomei boarded a carriage in front of the reinforcement. The soldiers numbered a total of ten thousand men and the procession was imposing.

They soon got on their way to the frontline. The farm settlements belonging to the Cao family were on the way there.