Chapter 13: Entangled Souls

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Seeing Zhao Zun agree, Han Lei finally moved to stand by the wall, closed her eyes, and used her spiritual awareness to open the system panel, preparing to start purchasing provisions. The way she looked was like someone quietly praying with eyes shut.

Having learned from her previous experience, Han Lei decided not to buy refined grain this time. After all, the army was large, and refined grain was too expensive. With her five hundred taels of gold, after buying medicine, the budget left for food was limited.

After some calculation, Han Lei bought twenty thousand jin of millet, thirty thousand jin of sweet potatoes and potatoes.

She planned to reserve a few thousand jin of sweet potatoes and potatoes for planting. These two crops yield abundantly, so next year, the army would no longer face food shortages.

More importantly, Han Lei also purchased ten thousand jin of frozen pork, pork lard, and salt. Since heavy snow sealed the mountains and hunting was impossible, the army hadn’t seen meat for a long time. Pork lard could be rendered into cooking oil, which could be added to meals and soups to enhance flavor and provide some nutrition.

As for the salt, it was even more precious. Since Han Lei arrived two days ago, the food had been bland and almost tasteless. It was clear that salt was a rare commodity here.

After confirming the quantities of these items, Han Lei pressed confirm to place the order.

Suddenly, Zhao Zun saw bags of grain mysteriously falling from midair, neatly stacked by the wall, and boxes of medicine dropping down, arranged tidily in the corner.

This magical scene left Zhao Zun’s mouth agape—big enough to fit a chicken egg.

“My heavens, did you ask the Bodhisattva for these?” Zhao Zun blurted out, then quickly covered his mouth, remembering Han Lei’s warning not to ask.

A small, exquisite watch landed precisely in Han Lei’s hand.

While putting on the watch, Han Lei rolled her eyes at Zhao Zun. “Nice thought! I paid for all of this. If you want more food next time, you’ll have to give me silver to buy it. I’m broke after buying all these things for you.”

“Okay, next time…” Zhao Zun nodded repeatedly. Before he could finish, a sharp alarm suddenly sounded in Han Lei’s mind.

“Beep beep beep…”

“Friendly reminder to the host: All items in the system must be purchased or exchanged using system rewards; external currency cannot be used.”

“What?” Han Lei was stunned. “What if you don’t give me rewards? Am I just supposed to starve here?”

“The host can continue completing tasks. The system’s items are sufficient for emergencies. Usually, the host earns money for daily living.”

“Damn it!” Han Lei couldn’t help but curse softly—the way she cursed was oddly charming.

Zhao Zun looked bewildered, watching Han Lei muttering to herself in midair, feeling a bit eerie. Several times he wanted to ask who she was talking to but restrained himself as agreed.

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“Can I return some of those things? I didn’t actually want all of them.” Han Lei looked at the room piled high with grain and medicine, almost in tears. Why was she so selfless? She should have kept some system reward gold for emergencies.

“No,” the system’s cold voice replied, “You do good deeds and receive rewards. You use those rewards to buy food and medicine to save people—that’s accumulating virtue and doing good. Isn’t that a good cycle?”

“I’m dizzy!” Han Lei tried bargaining with the system. “But those wounded soldiers and warriors have nothing to do with me. Even if I do good deeds, it should be within my ability, right?”

“How could they have nothing to do with you? The Buddha says: Every person you meet in this life may have been connected with you in a past life. This life is either to repay debts or to return favors.”

“Bull, bull your head!” Han Lei snapped in frustration. (Note: The word is pronounced “yue,” not the vulgar one.)

Annoyed, Han Lei abruptly shut down the system.

After a while without muttering, Zhao Zun cautiously approached.

“Are you okay? You look really angry.”

“Hmph!” Han Lei rolled her eyes. Of course she was angry! But soon her gaze returned to Zhao Zun, appraising him closely.

What did the system say about the Buddha?

She had traveled to this place, saved Zhao Zun, helped treat wounded soldiers, and solved the food supply problem. All these events revolved around Zhao Zun. The two batches of gold rewards from the system were spent entirely on him.

Could it be that in her previous life she was somehow entangled with Zhao Zun, and her reincarnation was to repay a debt?

“Sigh! I really must have owed you in a past life.” Thinking this, Han Lei glared at Zhao Zun again, leaving him puzzled.

“Don’t be angry. You gave me so much food; I’ll give you something in return.” Zhao Zun smiled faintly and took from his bosom a jade ring with a slot at the bottom, handing it to Han Lei.

“What’s this?” Han Lei was indifferent and didn’t reach out to take it.

“This is my token. Wear it around your neck, and you can come and go freely on my territory. All my servants will treat you as if they see me. Remember, always wear it on your person.”

What Zhao Zun didn’t mention was that this token came in a pair called the “Bonding Lock.” The other was with him. When worn by a man and woman together, it deepens their affection and love.

The Bonding Lock was given years ago by a wandering elder to his father. His parents each had one. Whether it truly worked, he did not know, but his parents loved each other dearly. After his father died in battle, his mother gave him one of the locks, telling him to give it to the girl he liked in the future.

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He gave the Bonding Lock to Han Lei because he felt an inexplicable and deep affection for her.

Hearing it allowed free access to the military camp, Han Lei finally took the jade ring and, without much thought, hung it around her neck. The displeasure brought by the system instantly vanished.

To Han Lei now, the jade ring was merely a key to enter and exit the camp.

As the Bonding Lock hung around Han Lei’s neck, a faint smile curved Zhao Zun’s cold face.

“May the Bodhisattva bless it. Hopefully the Bonding Lock will have a miraculous effect,” he silently prayed.

Unaware of Zhao Zun’s thoughts, Han Lei opened the burlap sacks containing potatoes and sweet potatoes and took out a few of each.

“Prince, look, these are potatoes, and these are sweet potatoes,” Han Lei explained to Zhao Zun. “Don’t eat them all. Save some for planting. They yield more than any grain you grow now.”

“Potatoes? Sweet potatoes?” Zhao Zun curiously examined them.

“Yes! These two crops have a shorter growing cycle. If you plant them, in just one year, the army won’t face food shortages anymore.”

“Is it cold enough to grow them at Beiguan?”

“Of course! Though I’m not sure if the yield will be affected.”

…

With Han Lei’s help once again, the food supply for the Beiguan garrison was resolved. Moreover, potatoes and sweet potatoes not only tasted good but were very filling.

When stewed pork with salted potatoes and steamed sweet potatoes were served to the soldiers, the entire army erupted with joy.

Since the beginning of winter, how long had it been since the soldiers had seen meat? Finally, on this day, they had a splendid meal, and even the biting cold wind of Beiguan no longer felt harsh.

On the sixth day of the winter month, the provisions dispatched by the Ministry of War finally arrived, completely solving the Beiguan garrison’s food problem.

After seven or eight days of treatment, the wounded soldiers had fully recovered, and Han Lei finally had some leisure.