Qian Xiaofu was stunned for a moment, but quickly recovered and replied, "Reporting to the General, my name is Qian Xiaofu."
Li Man'er seemed pleased with the name, "Xiaofu? Truly fortunate. I heard you were the first to spot the barbarians on the city wall?"
"Yes!"
"Did you see clearly how many people they were and what they were wearing?"
Qian Xiaofu shook his head blankly and said, "The fog was too thick; I couldn't see anything."
"Then how did you know the barbarians were coming?" Li Man'er, although she knew from Zhang Jingfeng that Qian Xiaofu had a keen sense of smell, still wanted to hear it from Qian Xiaofu himself.
"My nose is sensitive; I smelled the barbarians' body odor and a faint scent of alcohol, which is why I alerted everyone," Qian Xiaofu said shyly. "My nose has been exceptionally sensitive since childhood. No scent can escape it. They all say I have a dog's nose."
"That is your skill."
Qian Xiaofu smiled foolishly, "Yes, our General also says so, General Han."
Li Man'er knew he was referring to Qi Yihan. She then asked, "You've performed a great service. Did your General reward you?"
"Yes, yes, yes. The General promoted me to Second Lieutenant."
"Only a promotion, no fortune?"
Qian Xiaofu looked a little embarrassed, "Being promoted is already excellent. Even if I had money, I wouldn't be able to spend it."
Li Man'er couldn't help but chuckle, then took a plain money pouch from the table and gave it to him, "This is for you."
Qian Xiaofu repeatedly waved his hands, "No, no, no. Our General has already rewarded me. I dare not accept."
"Take it, you must take it!" Li Man'er said, "I've always been generous. You are young, and you will need to marry and have children in the future. You'll have many expenses. With just your meager salary, when will you be able to get married?"
Qian Xiaofu felt a bit shy at her words, but Zhang Jingfeng nudged him. He then stepped forward, took Li Man'er's money pouch, and said with his head down, "Thank you, General."
As Li Man'er placed the pouch in his hand, she couldn't help but ask, "Your accent suggests you're not from around here. How did you end up joining the army here?"
"Reporting to the General, I am from Da Rao. Three years ago, my father and elder brother fled here due to hardship. Sadly, my father and brother succumbed to exhaustion from the journey and passed away one after another. I had no choice but to beg for a living. I was also bullied and beaten half to death. Later, some brothers from the camp rescued me as they passed by. That's how I joined the army."
Li Man'er's demeanor remained unchanged, "You were quite young then."
"Actually, I wasn't that young. In my hometown, many people get married at this age. If I hadn't joined the army, I would still be bullied. So, I decided not to think about it anymore."
Li Man'er nodded, "You've had a hard life, but it seems your luck is changing. As long as you work hard, a brighter future awaits you."
Qian Xiaofu smiled foolishly, "I hope you're right."
"Alright, you can go back and rest."
Qian Xiaofu, holding the money pouch, bowed slightly to Li Man'er and turned to leave.
After Qian Xiaofu left, Li Man'er's expression turned grim.
Zhang Jingfeng didn't notice and turned to leave the military tent. Only Ah Si saw that Li Man'er seemed to be in a heavy mood.
"Miss, what's wrong?"
Her mistress seemed very unhappy today. It had been evident earlier in the courtyard of the yamen, and now she looked even more displeased.
"Ah Si, this Qian Xiaofu has a problem." She finished speaking, looking somewhat weary, and sighed before continuing, "You need to find a way to inform them. This person's identity is likely not simple, and he absolutely cannot be kept."
This was a serious matter. Could this person also be a spy for the barbarians?
"Miss, how did you notice?" Ah Si had been standing nearby the whole time but felt as blind as a bat, unable to understand anything.
"When he came to collect the money, I noticed his nails were cut very cleanly, and the lines on his hands were faint. There was no dirt under his nails, and the edges were neatly trimmed. Ordinary commoners don't have such habits." Especially considering he claimed to be a refugee!
Life as a refugee was harsh, with insufficient food and clothing. Who would have the mind to groom themselves? Moreover, Qian Xiaofu's every move and expression seemed deliberate, as if his demeanor and actions had been rehearsed beforehand, not natural personal habits.
Why would he hide his true self?
"I hope I'm overthinking it, but I still have to mention it," Li Man'er said tiredly. "The lines on his palms are very shallow. He only has two calluses, one on the tiger's mouth area and one on the palm. Both are common for people who have practiced with swords and sabers for a long time."
"Miss, Qian Xiaofu practices martial arts in the army. It's not surprising he has calluses on his hands, is it?"
Li Man'er poured herself a cup of water and then spread her palm.
Li Man'er's palm had fine, smooth lines, and the few calluses were also from practicing martial arts and swordplay. Those calluses looked out of place, as if they were taken from someone else and forcibly placed on her hand.
"Now look at your hand."
"Mine?" Ah Si was confused and spread her palm to compare it with Li Man'er's.
Although Li Man'er had calluses, her hands were fair and smooth, clearly belonging to someone pampered and not accustomed to manual labor.
In contrast, Ah Si, despite also practicing martial arts, did manual labor, so her finger joints were somewhat large, the lines on her palm were deeper, and she even had some small scars from accidental nicks while working.
"Miss, I understand."
Qian Xiaofu's hands were like Li Man'er's. Therefore, they could not possibly belong to a refugee. The men in the army were all tough and weathered. Even if their faces were fair and wouldn't tan, their hands would definitely become rough.
So, Qian Xiaofu was suspicious.
"I'll go now."
Li Man'er said, "It's not too late to go later. Be steady."
"Yes."
Ah Si's admiration for Li Man'er grew immensely.
After another half hour, Ah Si quietly went to find Wu Daqiao.
They arranged to meet in a secluded spot. As soon as Wu Daqiao saw Ah Si, he grinned and couldn't help but whisper, "Wife."
"Keep your voice down."
"What? Am I not allowed to call my own wife?"
"Enough!" Ah Si said, "I don't have time to chat. I have something important to tell you."
Wu Daqiao also said, "Coincidentally, I have something to tell you too."
They were mere conduits, relaying messages for those behind them, so they both took each other's news seriously.
"You go first."
"Alright!" Ah Si recounted Li Man'er's suspicions and told Wu Daqiao, "Report back quickly."
Wu Daqiao's teeth itched with frustration, but he didn't forget to relay Qi Yihan's message for Li Man'er to Ah Si.
Ah Si returned to the Iron Blood Camp in a daze. She glanced at Li Man'er and thought, "Did Miss already know?"
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Miss, the message has been delivered, but the other party also has words for you."