"Replying to the General, the young lady said she had important matters to discuss with you. She waited here for you, and eventually fell asleep. As a servant, I didn’t dare to make a decision to take her away without permission."

"Yes, General, you were busy, so..."

The lieutenant hurriedly explained as well.

"In the future, when the young lady comes, don’t stop her. Let her in directly."

"Yes, General."

The lieutenant took a sharp breath, meaning the young lady now had the freedom to roam the study as she pleased.

"Come, let me carry her." Xia Guangcheng stretched out his hand to pick up the child, and Panpan immediately opened her eyes.

"Father."

The little person jumped down quickly, stood upright, and saluted Xia Guangcheng: "Panpan greets Father."

"Our Panpan has learned her manners very well." Xia Guangcheng quickly picked her up: "However, there’s no need for such formalities when seeing Father in the future. We are father and daughter, not strangers. I should be the one showing more formality."

"That’s not possible, etiquette should not be abandoned."

Panpan solemnly succeeded in making Xia Guangcheng laugh.

This child, at such a young age, speaks and acts with great seriousness.

"Father, Panpan has something to discuss with you."

Panpan got up and said immediately: "Father, Panpan wants to go into the study to tell you."

"Alright, let’s talk in the study."

After listening to Panpan, Xia Guangcheng was shocked.

"Panpan..."

"Father, you have to believe Panpan, it really involves warfare."

"Alright, Father believes in Panpan, Father will make complete preparations."

The advisors who were halfway on their way were invited back into the study by the General.

Unlike before, a small person was sitting next to the General: the young lady Panpan.

The little one neither cried nor made any noise, just stared wide-eyed at the group of men discussing serious matters.

"General, what do you mean by this?" an advisor was very shocked: "For a long time, although the barbarians have eyed our border covetously, they have never dared to attempt an invasion."

Why would the General suddenly inquire about battle strategies in case of war?

Could it be that he had received more intelligence, and there really would be warfare?

"After you gentlemen left, I returned to the study and thought it over. I realized we’ve prepared for everything except the main task at the border, which is to defend the territory. Since it’s about defense, we must be prepared for an attack."

"Precisely because the barbarians have eyed our border covetously for many years, we must take preventive measures against any eventuality. What if they attack while we are unprepared?"

Everyone was taken aback, the General’s words made sense.

So everyone began to focus on the sand table on the table, analyzing: if they were the barbarians, from which direction would they attack? What time would they choose to attack?

If the barbarians invade, how should it be countered? What about the supply of rations?

In a war, there will be casualties, countless wounded soldiers, and medical staff needs. How can those be sufficiently supplied?

Case by case, item by item, with each having their own reasoned opinions, everyone got red-faced from the heated debate.

Panpan tilted her head, watching one and then the other, not saying a word, just listening to them argue.

Xia Guangcheng, like his good daughter, just watched without speaking.

After arguing for about half an hour, General Xia spoke.

"Gentlemen, thank you for your hard work, please go back and rest for now."

The advisors... wasn’t there no conclusion yet?

But they also knew Xia Guangcheng’s temper, he was someone who never changed his decisions. Since he was letting them go, it meant he already had it figured out.

The reason he could be a General was that he was more resourceful than them.

After the advisors left, Xia Guangcheng looked at Panpan, who was leaning over the sand table.

"Panpan, if the barbarians were to invade, from where would they start their campaign?"

After asking, Xia Guangcheng nearly laughed at himself: Had he gone crazy? Asking such a question to a few-year-old child, what was he thinking?

"Due to the shortage of fodder, the population of the barbarians is also decreasing. Raiding becomes their only way to survive." Panpan pointed to a place on the sand table: "Father, they will come from here."

The direction Panpan pointed to was a small town on the border, over two hundred and sixty miles from a place he guarded.

Normally, that place wouldn’t be chosen.

But Panpan was very sure it would be from that small town.

This left Xia Guangcheng quite surprised.

"There will be heavy snow, freezing many of them. Then they will migrate to that small town, and then launch a surprise attack from there."

Panpan gestured and said, "Father, you must do it like this, like this..."

It sounded like sheer fantasy, but Panpan spoke with such seriousness. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

This made Xia Guangcheng not dare to take it lightly; he wrote it all down.

"Panpan, how do you know these things?"

Finally, he couldn’t resist asking this question.

"I dreamt it, Panpan dreamt about it, that’s how the war happened."

Xia Guangcheng patted her head: The Wu family was really foolish to send away such a smart and blessed child.

No, I should thank the Wu family, because of their heartlessness I had the opportunity to welcome Yu’er and her daughter into the Xia family’s doors.

"Our Panpan truly is a little lucky star."

"Father, you’re right, Panpan is indeed a little lucky star."

Panpan was so happy, finally, someone recognized her worth, she truly was a little lucky star.

Having resolved the border issue, Xia Guangcheng, feeling joyful, held Panpan’s hand and went to find Xiao Chunyu.

In the end, the old woman in the courtyard informed him: the Madam is in the main kitchen.

Father and daughter went to the main kitchen entrance and were astonished to see the bustle inside.

"Are we hosting guests for a feast?"

Pots and stoves lined up, emitting steam and an enticing aroma.

In all the years of attending feasts, none had smelled this good before.

"Greetings to the General, greetings to the young lady."

Some servants saw Xia Guangcheng and quickly saluted, also shocked: The General actually came to the kitchen, a place he wasn’t supposed to be.

"Continue with your work, where is the Madam?"

Oh right, the Madam is right here.

The General is indeed good to the Madam.

"The Madam is in the inner room."

Immediately, a servant went inside to inform Xiao Chunyu.

Xiao Chunyu came out.

"Husband, Panpan."

She still held two pieces of meat in her hand, putting a piece in each of their mouths.

This was something she wouldn’t have done before.

But now, she lived more freely, doing whatever she wanted.

"What is this?"

Faced with the sudden feeding, Xia Guangcheng didn’t react like a usual man who would resist, but accepted it, even licking Xiao Chunyu’s fingers.

This caught Xiao Chunyu off guard, she blushed, and glanced shyly at this childish man.

Meanwhile, their child Panpan had already focused on the meat in the pot.

"Mother, Panpan wants more, it smells so good."

"Alright, eat, eat it all, Nanny Wu, tonight the whole mansion will eat this meat."

The aroma was truly rich, no one could resist it.

"Tomorrow, ask Steward to buy a few hundred catties more to make."

"What is Madam planning to do?"

Xia Guangcheng was still at a loss.