"Sixteen, Sixteen, what have you been busy with lately, coming and going like a ghost, without helping out your brothers!"

Gu Shiba frowned and looked at the sky, feeling quite melancholic.

When Sixteen was around, it was fine, but in his absence, it felt like something was missing at heart.

But emotions aside, the tasks still needed to be done.

Without delaying too long, Gu Shiba went to seek out people to inquire about news.

These days are not like the past; information flowing to the Marquis Mansion was continuous—some useless, some repetitive, some contradictory, some half-true, half-false... How to swiftly sift and discern was a tough task.

Gu Shiba wished he could split into countless parts, each with three heads and six arms.

Alas, he couldn’t.

When frustrated to the extreme, the only way to ease the worry was to go to the outer courtyard to see if the Marquis and Sixteen had returned.

When Gu Shiba despondently passed by again, Sixth Master Gu, who was leaning by the window gazing afar, couldn’t help but call out to him: "Shiba, what’s the matter with you? I’ve seen you come over four or five times, looking troubled and sighing."

Gu Shiba complained: "Sixth Master, Sixteen is always coming and going mysteriously, and I don’t know what significant task the Marquis arranged for him. Alone, I am doing the work of two people and struggling a bit."

Sixth Master Gu got interested and asked, "What work?"

Gu Shiba felt a bit embarrassed.

"We’re not lacking news now, but there’s too much of it, and I find it hard to discern."

Sixth Master Gu, a bit tired of drawing and wanting to do something different for relaxation, said, "Bring it over, and we can analyze it together. If we can’t figure it out, we can seek advice from Mr. Songshan. How about that?"

"Of course, that sounds good," Gu Shiba was delighted.

Mr. Songshan was also pleased.

He was feeling quite idle, so he readily obliged when Sixth Master Gu and Gu Shiba came to consult him, and even advised Sixth Master Gu: "As the saying goes, every detail holds the universe. We shouldn’t underestimate these bits of information. We need to scrutinize them carefully. Even the wisest generals can lose a battle due to misinformation gathered by scouts. We are now practically managing the Marquis Mansion’s scouts, so we can’t be too diligent."

Gu Shiba disagreed: "Not quite, this is much harder than scouting. I have been on the battlefield; scouts observe enemy camp details such as troop distribution, terrain, and supplies. This is much more complex."

Sixth Master Gu rubbed his hands together, excitement rising, "Let’s start right away then."

His third brother was about to clash with the Crown Prince, and the ally Prince Qi couldn’t be entirely trusted. It was time to showcase brotherly solidarity.

Gu Shiba happily agreed; he understood the art of sharing — it’s better to be anxious together than alone.

The three of them set to work, meticulously sorting through the accumulated news, discussing what they didn’t understand, sometimes even debating.

Before they knew it, an hour had passed.

Sixth Master Gu stretched and moved his arms and legs, glancing out the window, exclaiming: "How fast time flies."

Immersed in the chaotic and tangled information, time indeed flew by.

He couldn’t help but sigh: "It truly contained the universe, as Mr. Songshan said. In just this short while, I have gained so much knowledge."

Mr. Songshan chuckled: "These messages are detailed and complex, encompassing all aspects indeed, even beyond my expectations. Just these moments have broadened my understanding more than spending ten days in the theater. The lady truly is a genius, coming up with such a method. Of course, it’s also because the Marquis’s orders are carried out effectively, with talented people under him, achieving this within such a short time."

Sixth Master Gu lifted his chin: "Naturally, otherwise how could my third brother be a War God."

This statement was irrefutable.

Gu Shiba, having wandered outside for a while, came in and asked, "Shall we eat before continuing?"

"I am indeed a bit hungry," Mr. Songshan touched his stomach and craned his neck to look behind Gu Shiba: "What good food does the kitchen have today?"

Gu Shiba chuckled twice, waving his hand: "You’ll know when it arrives. Brother Qi has already taken people to fetch it, and I’ve managed to benefit from this and ordered more meat dishes."

Dining with the two young masters surely meant a more sumptuous meal than his allocated portion.

Today was truly lucky, not only did he have help with work, but he also got a good meal.

Gu Shiba was really happy.

If there were braised beef, he would be even happier.

Soon Brother Qi and the servant of Sixth Master brought the meal, with his eyes glued to the food boxes, he barely paid attention to others.

As the boxes were opened one by one, enticing aromas wafted around, making Gu Shiba’s smile grow bigger.

Seeing this, Mr. Songshan skipped the formalities, lifted his bowl, gestured, "Let’s eat, everyone, please."

Only then did everyone start eating.

Gu Shiba, being a martial man, ate quickly and in large quantities. At first, he restrained himself a bit, but once the two finished, he swept through the remainder like a whirlwind, finally letting out a contented burp.

Sixth Master Gu held his tea cup, nodded with a smile: "You eat just like my third brother usually does. Is it typical for those who stayed in the military camp?"

Gu Shiba felt a bit embarrassed: "Naturally, in the military, we eat from large pots, so eating faster is better. Plus, the Yelv people often raided, so it was common for us to chase them on horseback for days, nibbling on dry rations and drinking water, or better times having some jerky and wine. Rarely do we chew slowly."

Mr. Songshan, leaning against his chair back, sighed: "I’ve heard the battles at the Northern Border are tough, but I didn’t realize it was this tough."

Gu Shiba said: "It was really not easy, but that was years ago. Later, we seriously farmed and raised cattle and sheep there, conducting some trade with the border people when not fighting. Even if the Ministry of War withheld supplies, we didn’t worry; we had enough furs for winter. The Yelv people kept suffering losses and gradually dared not to come, with us chasing them instead."

Mr. Songshan was quite moved.

"The Marquis is truly talented and ambitious; otherwise, he couldn’t have achieved such accomplishments."

"Our Marquis says it’s the methods honed by the Gu Family ancestors over generations. Our victory isn’t just due to good luck, wise ancestors, but also because of unity."

Mr. Songshan laughed heartily: "The Marquis is too modest. The hardest thing in this world is unity. Many dynasties fell with courtiers and armies intact, but once hearts were scattered, when the strength was gone, nothing remained."

Gu Shiba thought for a moment and said: "This, I understand. The Yelv people were eventually defeated by us until their hearts scattered, resulting in severe infighting, and eventually, even the Northern Border couldn’t hold them, forcing them to hide in the far mountains."

"Hmm," Mr. Songshan’s eyes gleamed, "I see you, young man, are quite extraordinary; you understand the hardest concepts but miss the simplest."

Gu Shiba didn’t know if this was a compliment or not, but he followed what Gu Shiliu usually taught him, smiling foolishly: "Much appreciated, much appreciated. Is our task now completed? How should I reply to the lady?"

Mr. Songshan chuckled: "Please trouble you to go to Wutong Garden first, saying that we have some matters to discuss further, and perhaps it’s best to consult with the Marquis tomorrow, how about that?"