However, Si Junlin clearly wasn't listening to what she was saying.
"Really? General Wei is truly remarkable," he said.
"Your Majesty flatters me. These battalions here mainly handle the army rations," she replied.
"Did you fight side by side with Gu Jingtian this time?"
Su Wan'er had no choice but to change her train of thought. Taking a deep breath, she answered his question. "Naturally. When the commander - in - chief leads the troops, the assistance of the deputy commander is indispensable."
"Is that so? Then it seems you've become comrades in life - and - death situations now."
Su Wan'er frowned and fell silent.
"I can tell that he likes you," Si Junlin said, seeing her silence and then going even further.
Su Wan'er still kept silent, but she was extremely angry inside.
"What about you? Do you like him?"
"Your Majesty, I believe that a military leader should have every soldier and every battle in mind," Su Wan'er said righteously.
"Is that so? But a subject should also have me, the king, in his or her heart," Si Junlin said seemingly casually but slowly approaching her.
"Yes, of course. The Su family has always been loyal. I'm sure Your Majesty knows that," Su Wan'er frowned and didn't look at him, concentrating on the map instead.
"I called you here early in the morning. You haven't seen your elder brother yet, have you? His injury is much better now."
"Of course. Thanks to Your Majesty's blessing, my elder brother is now in good health. I heard that Your Majesty sent someone to bestow superior medicine on him. I, on behalf of my elder brother, thank Your Majesty here."
Grandma often mentioned in the letter that father's injury wasn't serious, but elder brother had to lie in bed for quite some time to recover. Your Majesty often bestowed some superior medicine.
"I just want my marshal to get well soon so that he can continue to fight for me on the battlefield. Now, you, the acting marshal, don't seem to be that outstanding. It's more appropriate for you to step aside."
Si Junlin had sent imperial physicians to keep a close eye on General Su's condition. In less than three months, he estimated that General Su would fully recover. By then, he must replace Su Wan'er.
"Of course. I deeply know that I'm indeed inferior to my elder brother. I will surely yield the position of marshal and assist him when the time comes." She just wanted to have a taste of it and fulfill her childhood dream of fighting on the battlefield. But when it came to the real marshal of the Su family's army, it was undoubtedly her elder brother.
"I'm afraid General Wei won't be able to assist at that time," Si Junlin looked at the extraordinarily charming and gentle woman today. He even felt reluctant to say harsh words.
Su Wan'er was very surprised. She wasn't bad and had won several battles in a row. Why couldn't she assist?
"In half a year, it will be the imperial consort selection which is held once every three years. All eligible official's daughters have to participate," Si Junlin raised his eyebrows, looking at her proudly with a smile. "The Su family is a loyal family. Naturally, I won't treat the Su family badly. I will grant the Su family several more spots."
Su Wan'er immediately realized what Si Junlin was up to. Was he going to make her participate in the imperial consort selection?
"Then I, on behalf of the sisters in the family, thank Your Majesty," she thought that anyway she wouldn't participate. There were sisters in the family who wanted to enter the palace. She could just give the spots to them.
"Thank me for yourself first before thanking me for others. I will personally appoint you to participate in the imperial consort selection. How about that?"
"Your Majesty, please make a fair judgment," Su Wan'er immediately knelt down and saluted. "I hold an important position in the army. How can I return to the capital to participate in the imperial consort selection?"
"I'm talking about half a year later. You hold an important position now, but General Su will recover soon. By then, I won't need you," Si Junlin was very proud. Since she came in, he couldn't help looking at her. This woman was so bold that she dared to talk about the war situation in front of him dressed like this.
Su Wan'er was extremely angry and stared at him firmly. "As far as I know, the imperial consort selection chooses women who are proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and who are gentle, virtuous, and well - behaved. I'm afraid I will be eliminated in the first round and won't even get in front of Your Majesty." So what if it's an imperial consort selection? If you really make me go, I'll go. But everyone knows what kind of woman she, Su Wan'er, is. If she could be selected, the rules of the Golden Palace's harem would be a mere formality.
"As long as you have the guts to participate, I guarantee that you will be selected, and you will be the only one selected, and you will be the queen," Si Junlin stared into her eyes and said word by word, as if showing off.
"You..." Su Wan'er was at a loss for words. She was very panicked at the moment. She would never want to enter the palace again, let alone be the queen. It would be more painful than killing her.
In a hurry, Su Wan'er came up with a brilliant idea.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, my family has already arranged a marriage for me."
Si Junlin suddenly widened his eyes. "What did you say?"
"Didn't Your Majesty hear clearly? I said that the elders in my family have arranged a marriage for me."
Si Junlin gritted his teeth and shouted. "Nonsense! I'd like to see who dares!" He stood up from the dragon chair like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, walked around the table, and came in front of Su Wan'er.
"What does Your Majesty mean by this? Is there anything wrong with the elders in the family arranging a marriage for their daughter? I should thank Your Majesty for telling me about the imperial consort selection in person today. Since that's the case, I'll go back and tell Grandma that this marriage should be arranged quickly, so as to avoid any disputes during the imperial consort selection."
"How dare you! You are the wife I'm going to marry with eight sedan - chairs. Who are you arranging a marriage with?" Si Junlin felt like he wanted to devour the woman in front of him alive.
"Let's be straightforward. If Your Majesty really intends to make me participate in the imperial consort selection, then I'll get married earlier. Anyway, Grandma has been urging me all day long, afraid that I won't be able to get married."
Si Junlin suddenly sneered and then became proud again. "Of course you can't get married. Besides me, who else dares to marry you?"
"Your Majesty thinks Brother Jingtian doesn't dare?"
Su Wan'er's words were resounding. Just this one sentence left Si Junlin speechless. Anyway, in this crucial moment, she still had to use Brother Jingtian as a shield.
"If you really have something to do with him, I'll kill him immediately."
"You won't. Your Majesty is a wise king," Su Wan'er really dared to assert that Si Junlin was a wise king and would never kill a loyal subject for no reason.
Su Wan'er thought there was no need to talk about the war situation anymore. Si Junlin clearly had no intention of listening to her about the battle situation. Besides, wasn't the battle situation reported in detail in the war reports every day? So she got up and walked outside.
But Si Junlin grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.
"Do you think you can leave after saying these words to anger me? You're so naive. Do you really think you can cause trouble and then run away without any consequences?"
"Let go of me, Si Junlin. I'm warning you. This is the imperial study," she said.
This was the junction between the front court and the harem. You never knew when a minister would come to discuss state affairs. What was he doing now?