Chang’an, nightfall descended.

Wind rushed in through the study window, causing the candle flames to flicker, bright then dim, illuminating several reports placed on the desk.

The first one, Shu Shenhui, had received the earliest. Great victory from the central route. Jiang Hanyuan and the old general had coordinated perfectly, breaking through the difficult stalemate and taking control of Yan territory.

When he received this victory report, Shu Shenhui felt immensely proud.

He could not personally rush to the battlefield, nor did he have the fortune to fight alongside her, sharing the same uniform and brotherhood, but even from the capital, surrounded by walls like ramparts, he could close his eyes and imagine her at that moment drawing her sword and charging forth with unparalleled heroic bearing, as if he had experienced it himself.

She made him deeply feel honored. She was realizing her aspirations, which brought him great comfort. It made him feel that everything he had done was worthwhile.

However, before he could savor this subtle yet profound joy deep in his heart, the second report was delivered to Chang’an.

Yunluo had betrayed Great Wei, and Xiguan Pass was in urgent danger.

The court had invested great effort in managing Xiguan Pass, considering it impregnable as metal and stone. In one night, it completely collapsed.

What this meant was self-evident, and the impact was unprecedented.

The entire court was shocked. Jiang Zuwang bore the brunt of it. Voices questioning and censuring him swept like an overwhelming tide. The rhetoric of “Chang’an in danger” also rose to great heights.

The storm not only swept through the court but also spread outside the palace. In streets and alleys, people discussed it extensively. Soon, news came that Xiguan Pass had been breached, the Beidi army was attacking Chang’an’s northern gate at Xiaoguan Pass, Xiaoguan’s defenses were insufficient, the pass was about to fall, and the Beidi’s murderous cavalry would march south to Chang’an.

Rumors spread rapidly. It was said that initially, someone had seen the Grand Princess quietly move out of her Deer Garden, located in the northern part of the city. This action served as a fuse—nearby wealthy households followed suit, packing their belongings and precious items, preparing carriages to flee Chang’an. This further confirmed the rumors. Within a few days, roads leading out of the city were filled with carriages and horses, even causing traffic jams. Later, even ordinary small households couldn’t live in peace, inquiring about news everywhere. Subsequently, the Bureau of Celestial Surveillance stepped forward to refute the rumors and strictly prohibit them, finally suppressing the spread of rumors, but people’s hearts remained unsettled and difficult to calm.

Later, the third, fourth, and more reports about the situation’s progress flew in like snowflakes.

Jiang Zuwang made decisive decisions, taking the most reasonable responses he could make in his position.

The subsequent results also proved the timeliness and effectiveness of his countermeasures.

Jiang Hanyuan quelled the Yunluo rebellion, resolved the crisis, and brought Xiguan Pass back under Great Wei’s control.

The rhetoric of “Chang’an in danger” finally stopped, but this couldn’t explain much.

This was merely remediation, remediation they had to accomplish, which couldn’t reduce the guilt they had to bear in the slightest.

Someone had to be responsible for Yunluo’s betrayal and the enormous losses and negative impacts it caused.

The criticism initially pointed at Jiang Zuwang, who bore inescapable natural responsibility. Then, gradually, later on, at some unknown point, it also quietly began pointing at the current Regent Prince.

It was he who, despite numerous ministers’ admonitions, insisted on heavily employing Jiang Zuwang and sending troops to Yanmen, leading to such terrible consequences with lasting negative effects.

This sentiment was not only secretly brewed in the court but also spread outside.

Unlike the court, where no one dared truly speak against him due to deep taboos, outside, such discussions had fewer scruples.

If previously in the eyes of the people he had been the perfect, flawless Regent Prince—the late emperor’s right-hand man assisting the young ruler—now he had inevitably fallen from his pedestal.

The people whose daily lives were affected by Yunluo’s betrayal remained shaken, and their emotions needed an outlet. Perhaps there was also covert guidance involved. Public opinion quickly brewed, fermented in the brewing, then exploded.

Soon, he became the target of displaced anger. He was no longer the former minister entrusted by the late emperor. However bright and noble he had been before, he now appeared equally scheming and sinister. However much the common people had looked up to him, praised him, and even regarded him as divine, they now equally lamented knowing a person’s face but not their heart.

Having pushed down the idol with their hands, their feet naturally wouldn’t be soft either.

The halo above his head faded. He seemed to have betrayed the late emperor’s trust, becoming a deeply scheming, power-wielding grand minister. The crown of “deceiving the world and stealing fame” was vaguely placed upon his head. His true purpose for insisting on war despite opposition also became clear, no longer possible to conceal.

Rumor had it that to reach the summit, he was only one step away. This war was the final stepping stone he had premeditated. The Xiguan Pass incident was heaven’s intended obstruction. His evil was to be borne collectively by all under heaven.

Thus, folk speculation about previous stellar anomalies and earthquakes began to resurface.

Since auspicious signs had appeared at the High Ancestor’s mausoleum, proving the current young emperor’s dragon lineage inheritance was heaven’s mandate, then astronomical phenomena like westward comets and Mars guarding the heart, which predicted disasters for rulers, naturally proved the existence of calamities around the young emperor.

Who was the calamity?

Self-evident.

As it spread, that young emperor in the imperial palace, who had previously been criticized and whom everyone hoped would abdicate for someone worthier, became a pitiful puppet without autonomy.

Rumor had it he was under the Regent Prince’s surveillance and oppression, his every word and action against his own will, including the current costly northern war, which was also not his intention.

Throughout the court, facing the Regent Prince’s authority, no one could resist.

Naturally, these were all folk rumors from outside the palace.

Within the court, ministers and officials certainly wouldn’t be like the common people outside who, due to naturally limited perspectives, were destined to only touch parts of the elephant while speaking in others’ voices, led by the nose.

However, having reached today’s state, while the Regent Prince and young emperor appeared harmonious on the surface, they were growing increasingly distant—this point had caught everyone’s attention.

During this period, due to the Xiguan Pass incident, ministers who had originally firmly supported the war, such as Fang Qing and others, even the Worthy Prince, faced with surging voices of questioning and censure, had to fall silent.

In stark contrast, those who had been silent after the war began became active again, actively working behind the scenes.

There was another group who originally didn’t want to—or rather, didn’t dare—take either side, such as those represented by Grand Tutor Ding. Now, they were ultimately involuntarily drawn in. They all felt anxious and confused.

Which side to stand on had now surpassed everything else, becoming the urgent choice they needed to make.

Amidst the undercurrents, such emotions reached their peak three days ago.

Three days ago, the court received the latest memorial from Yanmen.

When Xiguan Pass was in crisis, the northern frontier at Yanmen had also fallen into an unprecedented crisis.

Chi Shu seized the opportunity when Yanmen’s forces were depleted and reinforcements hadn’t yet returned, quickly gathering all the forces he could assemble in the vicinity—over a hundred thousand troops—to frantically attack Yanmen.

Facing Beidi cavalry several times their number, Jiang Zuwang arranged defenses and retreated to defend Qingmu Plain. He donned armor and led from the front, leading his soldiers in bloody battle. With fewer than thirty thousand troops, he managed to withstand wave after wave of enemy offensives, firmly holding Qingmu Plain without retreating a single step, until the returning central army arrived. After reuniting forces, they drove the Beidi army back again, once more pushing them back to the Heng Prefecture area.

This Battle of Yanmen Defense truly established Jiang Zuwang’s reputation as a war god.

Over all these years, though warfare at Yanmen occurred frequently, it was mostly local conflicts that often ended before he needed to personally take action. Everyone in the army knew he had earned the title of war god in his youth, but that was all.

Only this time did everyone witness firsthand what it meant to enter and exit battlefields as if in an uninhabited realm. He had repeatedly broken through enemy lines when battles were deadlocked and unfavorable, his divine might unstoppable, taking enemy generals’ heads among ten thousand troops, thus turning the tide and reversing battle situations. By the end, wherever his commander’s banner went, Beidi forces scattered at the sight, taking detours, none daring to face him in battle.

However, despite having the strength to capture tigers and bind dragons, he was still human.

Just when Yanmen was safe and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, he couldn’t hold on and collapsed.

It was said that the battle had just ended. The victory was hard-won, the field filled with cheers of rebirth after disaster, but only the great general was nowhere to be seen. When his subordinates finally found him, they discovered him alone in his tent, collapsed on the ground. Only then did everyone learn that on the day news from Xiguan Pass arrived, his old injuries had relapsed, but he had been suppressing them without showing any sign.

By then, his injuries were extremely severe, vomiting blood continuously, and losing consciousness repeatedly.

This memorial was dictated during his brief moment of clarity afterward, written by his secretary.

He took responsibility for poor judgment in personnel, apologized to the court for the Xiguan Pass incident, and felt deeply guilty for being unable to continue leading this northern campaign and disappointing His Majesty’s trust. To avoid delaying front-line matters, he had temporarily authorized General Changning to manage military affairs in his place and continue commanding the army.

Finally, in his memorial, he said this was not a suggestion based on nepotism—regarding matters of national war, he would never dare do so. Similarly, it was precisely for the war’s sake that he couldn’t abandon capable people to avoid suspicion. This was not only his recommendation but also the result of unanimous support from the entire army, so he boldly requested the court’s consideration for appointment.

Three days ago, when the court received this memorial, Gao He was the first to voice opposition.

His reasoning was sound. Even if Jiang Zuwang accepted responsibility, based solely on General Changning’s qualifications and age, having her bear such heavy responsibility was like child’s play and couldn’t convince the masses. Now that Xiguan Pass had luckily remained safe, whether this Yanmen campaign needed to continue was debatable. Even if war was necessary, they should choose someone more suitable and reliable, rather than letting those military men at Yanmen disregard the court and make their own decisions.

His view represented the concerns of quite a few people. Even people like Fang Qing felt somewhat hesitant. As for the centrists, not speaking up immediately was only due to fear of the Regent Prince.

Everyone thought the Regent Prince would immediately refute this. Unexpectedly, he casually said this matter would be discussed at the great court session three days later.

This seemingly casual remark, many people later gathered privately to analyze carefully, finally unanimously determining this meant the Regent Prince wanted to force the originally centrist faction to make a choice that day.

Giving three days was to let everyone think clearly about the consequences of opposing him.

Although Liu Xiang had left and the Imperial Guard general was now the young emperor’s man, his concession was interpreted as appeasement toward the young emperor, a gesture for others to see.

He still firmly held Chen Lun’s forces in his hands. Not to mention the elite troops from across the realm now assembled at Yanmen.

How could this not make people feel anxious and uneasy?

Tonight was the last night before that court session arrived.