Recruiting Soldiers, If I Live in Your Heart

Nine Provinces Treasure Map!

Prince Nolan got the last two fragments of the Nine Provinces Treasure Map from Lady Min. Back then, he’d already dropped hints about Lady Min’s ties to the Former Dynasty, but Serena had been too swept up in excitement over the map to catch it—and now, the shock hit her full force.

Or rather, she never could have imagined that Eastlyn’s Min Consort—posthumously honored as Saint-Min Empress—was actually a princess of the Former Dynasty. It was almost inconceivable.

There was no point asking anything else—Prince Nolan knew just as little as she did.

“Your mother… what are you going to do?” Serena Feng let go of her questioning, concern etched on her face as she looked at Prince Nolan.

His parents were sworn enemies. Prince Nolan, trapped between them, had it worse than anyone.

Prince Nolan knew Serena Feng was overthinking because of his words—he wanted her to overthink, and he got exactly what he wanted.

“Who she is doesn’t matter. My father is Eastlyn’s founding emperor—the sworn enemy of the Former Dynasty.” Prince Nolan spoke each word softly, but every syllable landed heavy as a stone.

Before, he hadn’t understood why people from the Former Dynasty kept calling him one of their own, only to abandon him at the crucial moment. He was never truly theirs. Only when his mother’s true identity surfaced did he finally understand…

He is Eastlyn’s founding emperor’s son—a sworn enemy of the Former Dynasty.

It was precisely because he understood this that Prince Nolan acted decisively against Lady Min—without a shred of hesitation.

Prince Nolan’s words made it clear—he would never stand with the Former Dynasty. That meant the feud between the Phoenixfield Clan and the Former Dynasty no longer implicated him.

But outsiders wouldn’t see it that way. The emperors of the Four Kingdoms, if they ever found out, would never let Prince Nolan escape their grasp.

“The Four Kingdoms’ emperors won’t let the two of us go.” With her doubts about Prince Nolan gone, Serena Feng shifted to the real danger.

“Silly…” Prince Nolan tapped Serena on the head. “Compared to the Former Dynasty Imperial Hoard, what are we? Besides, you can’t hide these things forever. Rather than letting them become someone else’s leverage against us, just toss it all out there. Whether outsiders believe it or not—what does it matter to us?”

Every word Prince Nolan spoke carried deep meaning. Bit by bit, he eased the unease in Serena Feng’s heart and silenced her doubts.

Looking at Prince Nolan’s frank and open attitude, Serena Feng felt a twinge of embarrassment. He didn’t care about his mother’s identity, but she couldn’t stop overthinking.

Feeling awkward, Serena Feng nodded and agreed with Prince Nolan: “You’re right. There’s no such thing as a wall that doesn’t leak. What you’re doing is best for both of us.”

Serena Feng smiled, then changed the topic: “By the way, the Grand Empress Dowager saw me not long after you left for the campaign. She said you’d lied to me and asked if I wanted to know what you’d lied about.”

“What did I lie to you about?” Prince Nolan arched an eyebrow, unfazed.

“How would I know what you lied about? You tell me—what did I lie to you about?” Serena Feng wasn’t really interrogating him; she was just teasing, her tone playful.

Now that her doubts about Prince Nolan were gone, Serena Feng didn’t care much anymore. But after confirming Lady Min’s true identity, she grew even more guarded—Former Dynasty princesses were never simple. Better to keep her distance, lest she end up sold off and still thanking the seller.

“What could I possibly lie to you about? If I lied, it was only about my heart—and I lost mine to you, too.” Prince Nolan’s tone danced between teasing and sincerity, elegant and slow, like the most beautiful music. Serena Feng’s heart skipped a beat; her cheeks flushed hot, her whole body tingling…

Serena Feng’s shy, girlish demeanor made Prince Nolan’s heart stir. He gently tapped her nose. “Silly girl, don’t ever meet her alone. She’s not simple—I don’t want you sold off by her.”

“As you command, Your Highness.” Serena Feng snapped off a crisp military salute, and Prince Nolan couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“I’m tired. Let’s rest early.” Prince Nolan took Serena Feng’s hand; his calloused palm brushed against hers, sending sparks up her arm. Serena shivered, her mouth suddenly dry, her legs going weak…

Oh no, she’d messed up. She was such an idiot, delivering herself right to his door. Would a wolf ever turn away a lamb that came knocking?

The answer was obvious—of course not.

That night, the lotus-draped bed was warm with spring passion; the night was far too short, and morning came all too soon…

In the heat of passion, Serena Feng vaguely heard Prince Nolan sigh: “Qingchen, if I hold a place in your heart, what do rumors matter?”

Serena Feng was half-awake and dazed, her mind a fog. She wasn’t sure if she’d heard him right. When she opened her eyes at dawn, Prince Nolan was already gone. The bed was cool, but the faint scent of ink bamboo lingered on the sheets—proof he hadn’t left long ago…

With the war over, Prince Nolan couldn’t just hand off his duties and go home to await his reward like the other generals. He had to meet with the ministers to discuss how to honor the officers who’d distinguished themselves in this campaign.

As for Dorian Owen, he was sure to rise swiftly—Eastlyn’s first young commander with no background, climbing straight to the top. He was the envy of all.

Though the Black Riders were the main force behind the capture of Chu City, they couldn’t be revealed publicly—so Dorian Owen received the credit.

Dominic Zhai was another—Prince Nolan would promote him, and his military merits would be recognized as well.

Then there was Colin Si—even though he hadn’t fought on the battlefield, his presence kept the Southlyn and Eastlyn border stable. He deserved recognition, too.

When Prince Nolan’s list of honorees was released, everyone in court knew he intended to promote young talent—not just young officials, but young military officers as well.

“Next year, let my son take the military exam—the world is still in turmoil, and military merit is the best path forward.” Seeing so many newly promoted young commanders, anyone with foresight knew they had to seize this chance.

“Go to the barracks—joining the army is the only way now.” Ordinary people, seeing the thick list of rewards and the detailed pensions posted publicly, felt their blood stir. Any able-bodied man was eager to sign up.

The old saying went, ‘A good man doesn’t become a soldier, good iron isn’t made into nails,’ but now the court valued military officers, the pay was fair, supplies were ample, and even those wounded in battle wouldn’t be cast aside. They’d get monthly stipends—not enough for riches, but enough to survive.

If a soldier died on the battlefield, his wife, children, and parents would be cared for by the court until the children came of age.

“For poor families like ours, there’s no other path—just our strength. If not the army, what else can we do?” Ordinary folk couldn’t afford to send their children to be scholars, and even if they could, there was no guarantee of success. Better to gamble on the battlefield than chase officialdom…

Maybe, just maybe, they could become the next General Owen—an orphan with no family background, who rose to general by merit alone.

Throughout the court and the land, everyone’s spirits were stirred—they wished they’d been on the battlefields of Northlyn and Chu City, their names engraved on those medals of honor.

And just at that moment, Eastlyn issued its recruitment order…