Fan Yongyuan stared at Ning Chen in shock, his eyes churning.

He'd never expected Ning Chen to understand what he'd been thinking.

He'd believed no one under heaven would understand. If he explained himself, he was afraid it would just be taken as an excuse.

Liao Xingwen and the others were stunned too.

Liao Xingwen said, "My lord prince, this officer doesn't understand. Mixing in bran is to save more people, but why mix in sand and gravel?"

Ning Chen glanced at Fan Yongyuan, then explained, "If you were starving and someone handed you half a bowl of porridge, you'd gulp it down without even tasting it. It would be like you hadn't eaten at all—it wouldn't stop the hunger, it would only make you hungrier.

But if there's sand and gravel in it, you pick the grit out as you go. Drinking that half bowl takes as long as drinking three bowls, and that fools the stomach into feeling fuller."

Liao Xingwen muttered, "My lord prince, isn't that explanation a bit of a stretch? However long it takes, in the end it's still only half a bowl of porridge."

Yuan Long's face darkened abruptly. "General Liao, you forget yourself. How dare you doubt my lord prince's word?"

Liao Xingwen's face changed, and he dropped to one knee. "This officer knows his offense. Please punish me, my lord prince!"

Ning Chen smiled and waved him up.

Then he turned to Yuan Long. "Are you carrying any field rations?"

Yuan Long nodded. "I am!"

"Give General Liao one!"

Yuan Long took out a coarse-grain cake and handed it to Liao Xingwen.

Ning Chen smiled. "General Liao, eat that cake... And chew every bite at least thirty times."

"Yes!"

Liao Xingwen didn't understand why, but Ning Chen's word was a military order. All he had to do was follow it.

Ning Chen's gaze settled on Fan Yongyuan. "Lord Fan, was what this prince said right?"

Deeply moved, Fan Yongyuan nodded again and again. It felt like he'd found a kindred spirit.

Ning Chen asked, "Where did you learn this trick?"

Fan Yongyuan…