Yan Zhao.
Chu Ruoyan silently repeated the name twice in her mind...
If the man from last night was indeed him, then his secret visit to the Yan Family to see Wenjing, as well as those phoenix eyes identical to Yan Zheng's, would all make sense.
But if he was alive, why hadn’t he returned to the Yan Family?
Was it because of the Princess’s recognition of him as her son, or was there some other reason?
"Nanny Zhou, tomorrow find a way to go out. Go to the Yan Family and tell Steward Fang that I have an urgent matter. If the Marquis returns, he must find a way to see me!"
Nanny Zhou rarely saw her so serious and nodded in agreement.
Chu Ruoyan stared at the military report in her hand, her expression grave.
No matter the reason he hadn’t returned to the Yan Family, this man—who was very likely Yan Zhao—was still being hunted by the Southern Barbarians.
His situation was far too dangerous. Yan Zheng needed to find him first!
The next day, Nanny Zhou went out and relayed the message to Steward Fang.
But two days passed, and Yan Zheng still hadn’t come!
Not only Yan Zheng—even Chu Huaishan hadn’t returned home. The streets were nearly empty, yet patrols had multiplied several times over.
"County Princess, I’ve found out!" Yulu rushed back, panting. "The Eldest Miss said Lord Cao entered the palace a few days ago and hasn’t returned. Censor Wang, the father of Lady Cao, the Fourth Wife, is also missing. All officials of the second rank or higher in the capital haven’t returned home these past few days!"
Chu Ruoyan finally realized the situation at the border must be truly dire.
Since Yan Zheng wouldn’t come, she had to take matters into her own hands.
"Nanny Zhou, find another way to deliver two letters for me. One to the Bai Xiao Pavilion—tell them I’ll pay ten thousand taels of silver for a piece of information. If they assist, the entire Yan Family will be eternally grateful!"
Nanny Zhou agreed. "And the other letter?"
"The other one..." Chu Ruoyan pressed her lips together, hesitating briefly.
Young Master Lang wasn’t in the capital, and without his orders, the Bai Xiao Pavilion’s people might not act. If she couldn’t get the information, she needed a backup plan.
"Send the other to the Shuntian Prefecture, to Magistrate Su Tingyun. Since he’s not of the second rank, he shouldn’t be in the palace. Tell him it’s a personal request from me, and include another ten thousand taels in silver notes."
Yulu gasped. "That’s twenty thousand taels in total!" An astronomical sum!
Ignoring her shock, Chu Ruoyan quickly wrote both letters.
Half a day later, Nanny Zhou returned shaking her head.
"The Tianyi Tavern said the Pavilion Master isn’t here. They can’t sell any information without his approval."
Chu Ruoyan cursed inwardly—how long would that take?!
Young Master Lang had vanished without a trace after receiving news from Lord Cao. By the time they got an answer, it might be too late!
"And Magistrate Su?"
"Magistrate Su..." Nanny Zhou’s expression turned odd. "He refused the silver notes."
Chu Ruoyan frowned. "He won’t help?"
Nanny Zhou hesitated before replying, "He... he is willing to help, but he insists on speaking with you in person..."
Meanwhile, in the Hall of Heavenly Purity.
The ministers looked exhausted. Duke Zou of the Ministry of War and Chu Huaishan, representing the civil officials, were arguing fiercely.
"Utter nonsense! Just because Marquis Yan says the Southern Barbarians will attack Tiger Prison Pass, it must be true? Does the Ministry of War’s tireless analysis mean nothing compared to a cri—to him?"
Chu Huaishan scoffed. "That’s hard to say. In the past, the Ministry of War slept soundly only because the Grand General commanded the armies. But now? Hmph."
Duke Zou flushed red. "Your Majesty! This old fool Chu is clearly biased toward his former son-in-law! Amuze has already stationed a hundred thousand troops below Xiao Pass. Mei Sheng has sent urgent requests for reinforcements. If we delay any longer, Xiao Pass will fall! We must not blindly trust the words of Marquis Yan!"
The Emperor wavered, torn between decisions.
He had already ordered reinforcements from Yuzhou and other regions, but they wouldn’t reach Xiao Pass for at least ten days—far too slow to be of use.
Mei Sheng’s urgent reports kept coming. The quickest solution was to divert troops from Tiger Prison Pass.
Yet Yan Zheng had insisted two days ago that no troops should be moved. The Princess, though uninvolved in court affairs, had also urged the Emperor to consider his words.
Strangest of all, the civil officials unanimously supported Yan Zheng—Chu Huaishan, Grand Tutor Rong, and even Cao Yang, newly appointed to the Grand Secretariat, all insisted Tiger Prison Pass must not be weakened.
The Emperor took a deep breath and turned to Yan Zheng, the only official below the second rank present.
"Marquis Yan, you’ve fought Amuze alongside the Grand General. How certain are you that this is a diversion?"
Yan Zheng didn’t even lift his eyes. "Absolutely certain."
The hall erupted in murmurs. Duke Zou nearly laughed in disbelief. "Even the Grand General never claimed to predict the enemy’s moves with perfect accuracy. Marquis Yan, you overestimate yourself!"
Yan Zheng ignored him, his hawk-like gaze fixed on the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, Meng Ze employs unorthodox tactics and thrives on risk. If I were him, I’d feign an attack on Xiao Pass and strike Tiger Prison instead. Though both passes are vital to Great Xia, Tiger Prison is the heartland’s central gate. Once breached, he could march south unopposed!"
His words silenced the court.
Cao Yang stepped forward. "Your Majesty, Marquis Yan is the Yan Family’s only remaining general and has faced the Southern Barbarians before. Please heed his counsel—order Mei Sheng to hold Xiao Pass at all costs!"
"Your Majesty, this must not happen!" Duke Zou protested.
Before he could finish, a frantic eunuch’s voice echoed from the hall’s entrance.
"Your Majesty! An urgent report—the Southern Barbarians are attacking again! General Mei says without reinforcements, he and his son can only defend to the death!"
The Emperor shuddered, his resolve hardening. "Send the order! Divert fifty thousand troops from Tiger Prison Pass to reinforce Xiao Pass at once!"
Yan Zheng’s brows furrowed deeply.
Chu Huaishan and the civil officials tried to protest, but the Emperor waved them off. "My decision is final. No more arguments!"
Duke Zou rejoiced, and the exhausted ministers dispersed—all except Yan Zheng, who remained motionless in his wheelchair.
Chu Huaishan shook his head and left. Cao Yang approached. "Marquis Yan, you still have more to say, don’t you?"
Yan Zheng glanced up, his gaze icy. "What’s the point now?"
Cao Yang sighed and departed. The Emperor, too cautious, couldn’t bear to lose a single city.
Only after he left did Yan Zheng mutter, coldly, "The fools in the Ministry of War have doomed Great Xia."
Outside the Hall of Heavenly Purity, the sun blazed.
To Yan Zheng, its light was harsh.
He looked down at his useless legs. If not for them, he would have volunteered to lead this battle himself—to avenge his father, his brothers, and the Yan Family’s hundred thousand fallen souls against Meng Ze.
Just then, Meng Yang hurried over. "Young Master, Steward Fang is waiting at the palace gates. He says the Young Madam has an urgent matter!"
At the thought of her delicate face, Yan Zheng’s expression softened slightly.
But when he reached the gates, Steward Fang looked uneasy. "Marquis, Nanny Zhou came again with a message... The Young Madam couldn’t wait and has gone to Shuntian Prefecture..."
Yan Zheng’s entire demeanor darkened. "She went to see Su Tingyun?"
