Li Renyu was so terrified that his teeth chattered with cold.

The territory within a hundred li radius of the county city was filled with defensive troops. Ever since Chi Shu had personally arrived, the several roads leading to this place had become even more heavily guarded, and ordinary people were already forbidden from entering or leaving.

When two armies were at war, who could have imagined that the Wei army’s female commander would risk breaking through the defenses to arrive here at such a time?

He had only made such a bold guess earlier because of her extraordinary bearing that no ordinary person could possess, combined with her female identity and the current situation. After speaking those words, even he felt it was unlikely, yet unexpectedly, it turned out to be true.

His complexion changed drastically, and he unconsciously retreated several steps in succession. When he turned to call for help, he saw her watching him with cold eyes, still sitting upright without moving a muscle, showing no intention of stopping him. Suddenly coming to his senses and remembering his son, he looked up sharply: “Where is my son!”

“Your son is doing very well. I have a request to make of the Right Minister—how could I neglect him?”

Li Renyu had arrived at the Di court years ago as a minister of a fallen state and had risen to his current official position—how could he not understand the implications behind her words? Thinking that this place was right under Chi Shu’s nose, and that even if she had supernatural powers, she wouldn’t dare to make things too difficult for him, he finally calmed down. He slowly walked to the position she had indicated earlier and sat down, watching as the Wei female commander across from him picked up the wine pot, took a cup, and poured wine for him to calm his nerves.

“May I ask what the General has summoned me here for today?” he asked in a lowered voice. Though he tried his best to appear composed, the trailing notes of his words still carried a slight tremor.

Jiang Hanyuan pushed the poured wine toward him: “I hear that your former state is about to be restored. What is this matter with Huang Furong about?”

When Li Renyu heard it was about this, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. Soon, he said matter-of-factly, “The young prince was born different from ordinary people. In his childhood, a sage examined his bones and declared he possessed the countenance of a sage. When Luoyang fell that day, he fled with the imperial seal, his whereabouts unknown. He is the only remaining bloodline of the Jin imperial house, and he is the sign of our Jin house’s revival, the hope of all people. You should know Lu Kang—he is his maternal uncle, and has been secretly searching for him all these years. Finally, Heaven did not disappoint the dedicated. He discovered that he was Wu Sheng from Jialan Temple in Luoyang several years ago. After he traveled west and returned, having endured countless hardships, he finally found him and welcomed him here not long ago…”

As he spoke, he noticed that the Wei female commander’s expression gradually turned cold. She casually picked up a pair of rosewood chopsticks from the table and suddenly snapped them with two fingers.

Accompanied by a crisp crack of splitting wood, the pair of hard wooden chopsticks broke in her fingers.

As if his neck were being snapped, Li Renyu’s voice came to an abrupt halt.

“I’ve been here for several days now, and I’ve heard nothing but curses against me throughout the city. During the day at the street corner, what a coincidence—I happened to see your son inciting the people against me in the street. Your son is not only handsome but also quick with words, born with a silver tongue. Upon meeting the Right Minister, I understood—scholarly family traditions, like father, like son.”

Li Renyu knew she didn’t believe his words, though he didn’t know where things had gone wrong. Staring at the broken chopsticks on the table, his heart filled with unease, he forced a smile and said: “I have told the General everything I know without daring to conceal anything… Everything was done by Lu Kang, I merely followed along…”

“It seems you’ve been living quite well. After fleeing here, you not only gained the Di people’s favor but now have restoration in sight, holding high office. In the future, wealth and glory will be within easy reach.”

Li Renyu said awkwardly: “Please don’t mock me, General…”

“How would I dare mock the Right Minister? I merely wanted to remind you—you should know the fate of Huang Xiu, the defender of Anlong Pass.”

Li Renyu could no longer maintain even his forced smile and fell silent.

Jiang Hanyuan looked at him coldly.

“My Great Wei has ended the chaos of war, with the nine tripods unified. Yet looking north from Yanmen, the golden territory remains incomplete—this was handed over by your former lord. Even if it were a barren wasteland, we should not yield an inch, let alone the northern gateway of Great Wei. The current Regent Prince possesses inspiring ambition and exceptional ability. Inheriting the late lord’s will, he vows to mend the crack in heaven and eternally secure the crimson throne. My great army has already pressed the border—you should know its fighting strength. The Di people will inevitably retreat north in a few days, returning to their ancestral lands! This great trend cannot be reversed!”

“Li Renyu, I might as well speak plainly with you—you are luckier than your old acquaintance Huang Xiu. At least today, I have given you an opportunity.”

Li Renyu had been secretly sweating profusely, but suddenly felt her tone become somewhat gentler, as if there might be a turning point. His heart leaped secretly as he raised his eyes to meet her gaze.

“Though you have lost your integrity by serving the Di people, I have also heard that over these years, you have not committed unforgivable crimes as their accomplice. If you were to recognize your errors and return, I would not only guarantee your safety in the future, but even allowing you to continue as an official would not be impossible.”

“Naturally, if you persist in your delusions and insist on being an enemy of my Great Wei, choosing to be a man without country or home, willingly following the Di people in another northern flight, never to return for life, to be buried in foreign soil after death—I won’t force you either. Each person has their aspirations. This time I won’t harm a hair on you or your son’s head.”

Li Renyu never dreamed that this female commander of Wei would speak such words. Every word and sentence struck like a heavy hammer, hitting directly at the hidden worries in his heart.

When he fled north in former years, he still considered himself a loyal minister. Now with graying temples, he had long lost his former resolve.

What difference was there for him between being a minister of the Jin house and being a minister of Great Wei? He had even submitted to serve the Di people. His only concern was that the Wei court would not forgive someone like him. Now, even this last concern no longer exists.

This woman held a position of great importance—not only commanding Great Wei’s armies, but also being the princess consort of Wei’s current Regent Prince.

If even her words couldn’t be trusted, then it would be Heaven’s will that he should perish.

With hardly any difficulty in choosing, after wavering in his heart for only a moment, he made his decision. Rising from his seat, he bowed to the woman across from him: “I am merely a homeless man, mediocre and incompetent, having preserved my life until now. Whenever I think of being unable to return to my homeland, I often cannot sleep at night. Now that the General thinks well of me and gives me this opportunity, Li is infinitely grateful.”

He respectfully kowtowed, and after rising, without waiting for Jiang Hanyuan to ask again, he voluntarily revealed the inside story of the so-called Jin prince. The monk should already be dead—Chi Shu had somehow found a monk of similar age to impersonate him. Though he had no imperial seal in hand, if he claimed to be the prince, who would dare question it? As for the common people below, they believed it completely. Thus, the fake monk transformed himself, and like a monkey wearing a crown, under Chi Shu’s manipulation, the farce of restoration was put on the agenda.

As long as it wasn’t the real Wu Sheng, that was good enough!

Jiang Hanyuan breathed a long sigh of relief in her heart, then asked about the current Left Chang Prince Muda, who was stationed with troops at Luan Pass.

Li Renyu had made up his mind to defect to her and only regretted not being able to present a powerful token of allegiance. Hearing her ask about the Left Chang Prince, he naturally spoke without reservation, saying that in the Di court, below the emperor, the four people with the highest status and greatest power were the Left and Right Chang Princes and the Left and Right Guang Princes. Among them, the Left Guang Prince had already died in the battle when Great Wei attacked Guangning Tianguan Pass, while the Right Guang Prince had died even earlier due to conflicts with Chi Shu—he was killed on the very day Chi Shu launched his palace coup.

Now below Chi Shu, there remained the Left Chang Prince and Right Chang Prince, who were his left and right arms. The Di court honored the left position, so Left Chang Prince Muda’s status was somewhat higher than the Right Chang Prince.

“However, not only do these two compete with each other, with the Right Chang Prince refusing to submit to Muda, but even Chi Shu and he are no longer as close as before.”

“Why? Isn’t the Left Chang Prince Chi Shu’s uncle? I heard that originally Chi Shu was able to seize the throne because of his support.” Jiang Hanyuan asked.

Li Renyu, seeing that she seemed quite interested, immediately became energetic: “The General doesn’t know. The Right Chang Prince also has extremely great power with many followers, and the Left Chang Prince has always been quite wary of him. His support for Chi Shu’s usurpation was not without the intention of using Chi Shu to suppress the Right Chang Prince. Last time, after the Left Guang Prince died at Tianguan Pass, his remaining subordinates split in half, with many people only serving Muda and secretly defecting to him. General, think about it—how could Chi Shu not become suspicious?”

Jiang Hanyuan nodded: “Correct, this information is very valuable.”

Li Renyu, praised by her, was very pleased and eagerly showed his loyalty: “As long as I can serve the General, even if it’s the smallest use, it wouldn’t be in vain for my years of enduring humiliation in the Di court.”

Jiang Hanyuan smiled and asked again: “I hear that in three days, this imposter prince will hold a heaven-worshipping ceremony in the outskirts of the city?”

This news had already spread throughout the city. When Li Renyu heard her ask now, he felt deeply ashamed. After answering that he would be the officiating priest, he reminded her: “Chi Shu will also go. Security will be doubled both inside and outside the city. If the General hasn’t left yet, please be extremely careful.”

After Li Renyu finished speaking, she said nothing more, gazing at the street scene outside the window as if thinking about something. He didn’t dare disturb her with sound, nor did he dare presumptuously sit back down, only standing to one side, waiting. Unexpectedly, after a moment, he saw her turn back and say: “I will go at that time. You think of a way to let me get closer.”

Li Renyu was shocked and hurriedly tried to dissuade her: “The General’s status is precious—you absolutely must not take such risks again!”

“You just think of a way. I have my plans for the rest.”

Her tone was not aggressive, yet it brooked no disobedience.

Li Renyu could only agree, asked about the method of contact, and then hurriedly departed.