Whether or not the court ministers privately sided with Wen Yu, they were all now wailing in grief. The Empress Dowager collapsed in the old nanny’s arms. Grief and fury attacked her heart. For a moment, she could barely breathe, much less speak.

Tongque made a decisive judgment and shouted: “His Majesty consumed too many elixirs, causing a mineral toxicity outbreak that confused his mind. Quickly summon the imperial physicians!”

The Chen King’s entire neck was covered in blood. The gushing blood had long since pooled beneath him into a small puddle.

After Tongque’s shout, some Yulin Guards finally mustered the courage to step forward and cover the wound on his neck. Other Yulin Guards brought a stretcher to carry the Chen King.

But the Chen King’s pupils had already begun to dilate. Clearly, there was no saving him.

Before long, the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau hurried over to examine the Chen King and the ministers injured by him.

The Empress Dowager, due to excessive shock and grief, couldn’t stand. She was arranged to rest temporarily in a side hall of Zhanghua Palace, awaiting the physicians’ results from treating the Chen King.

After entrusting A’Li to the strict protection of the Azure Cloud Guard, Tongque also rushed to Zhanghua Palace. From afar, she saw the ministers all standing outside the hall with panicked expressions.

Tongque didn’t personally approach but instead stood aside under the corridor. Palace maids carried out basin after basin of blood-stained water from the hall. When passing under the corridor, they all curtsied to her.

Tongque nodded, signaling the palace servants to leave. The last palace maid, when passing by Tongque’s side, looked up at her once and imperceptibly shook her head.

Imperial Physician Fang was also among the physicians treating the Chen King. This palace maid was one of their own people planted inside, conveying Imperial Physician Fang’s message.

Tongque then knew the Chen King was completely beyond saving.

She didn’t linger any longer and turned to head to the side hall.

The palace servants guarding the side hall heard Tongque report she wished to see the Empress Dowager. Respectfully but distantly, they asked her to wait a moment while they went inside to announce her.

Tongque’s face remained calm. After nodding her thanks, she stood waiting outside the courtyard, but the palms of her clasped hands slowly grew sweaty.

Earlier, she had attributed all of the Chen King’s crazy actions today to his consumption of elixirs containing Five Mineral Powder, causing mental confusion after a mineral toxicity outbreak.

Only this way could all those absurd words the Chen King spoke be covered up.

But the Empress Dowager had witnessed her son’s death with her own eyes. Before committing suicide, the Chen King had said those words that stabbed at the Empress Dowager’s heart. She wasn’t sure whether the Empress Dowager would still stand on the same side as them.

If the Empress Dowager, due to grief over losing her son, was unwilling to add more infamy to her son and refused to confirm to the ministers the lie that the Chen King had consumed too many elixirs in his quest for immortality, leading to mental confusion—

Then based solely on the Chen King’s suicide today, A’Li’s background would inevitably be questioned in the future.

Only if the Empress Dowager maintained the previous story, insisting the Chen King had gone mad seeking longevity, with Consort Jiang and her child’s “deaths” as evidence, could the hidden danger regarding A’Li’s background be completely eliminated.

Before making the worst preparations, Tongque still wanted to personally confirm the Empress Dowager’s thoughts. If possible, she naturally hoped to persuade the Empress Dowager to continue sailing the same boat with them.

After all, Chenguo currently faced internal and external troubles. It was entirely reliant on Wen Yu and Great Liang’s support to avoid triggering riots.

As long as the Empress Dowager could still consider the overall situation, she would know how to choose.

A’Li was the only link connecting Chenguo and Great Liang. Only by ensuring A’Li’s safety could Chenguo’s subjects and ministers return together to Liang territory.

At this time, if she still couldn’t see clearly and fantasized about selecting a new crown prince from among Chenguo’s royal clan members, that would be tantamount to digging her own grave.

Moreover, the Empress Dowager had always wanted “Jiang family bloodline” to inherit the throne. Consort Jiang and her child were nominally already “dead.” Consort Jiang’s child had also personally had his little finger severed on the Empress Dowager’s orders. Even if found, he absolutely couldn’t be established as crown prince.

All hope still rested on A’Li.

—

Side hall of Zhanghua Palace.

The Empress Dowager seemed to have a severe headache. She lay with eyes closed on a soft couch, a plain white cotton cloth draped across her forehead. On her usually dignified face, exhaustion and haggardness that couldn’t be concealed showed through.

After a palace servant standing below reported Tongque’s request for an audience, the Empress Dowager still made no sound with her eyes closed.

The old nanny serving at her side wrung out a fresh cloth from the water basin held by a palace maid, glanced at that palace servant and said: “You may leave.”

Having announced what needed to be announced, the palace servant, receiving these words, didn’t dare linger. She curtsied and withdrew.

The old nanny replaced the fresh cloth on the Empress Dowager’s forehead. Only then did the Empress Dowager say with eyes closed: “His Majesty hates this Dowager.”

Seeing the Empress Dowager like this, the old nanny’s heart also felt uncomfortable. She consoled: “After His Majesty was injured that year, his temperament became extreme. Everything Your Highness has done has been for His Majesty! All these years, how could His Majesty not understand Your Highness’s painstaking efforts…”

Amidst grief and fury, the Empress Dowager either smiled bitterly or coldly: “He wanted to pain this Dowager’s heart?”

“This Dowager simply won’t comply!”

She removed the cloth from her forehead and made to rise. The old nanny hastily stepped forward to support her.

The Empress Dowager said while gasping for breath: “Back then, Consort Shu enjoyed great favor. To conceive that rebel, this Dowager sought doctors and medicines, secretly consulted countless famous physicians—how much suffering did this Dowager endure? When giving birth to that rebel, if not for Elder Brother defying great taboo by entering the palace and personally standing guard outside the palace gates, this Dowager nearly lost her life at that poisonous woman Consort Shu’s hands!

“His talents were mediocre. He never received a single word of praise from the late King. It was also this Dowager and Elder Brother who gave up all face, using forceful authority to pressure the retired former Imperial Academy Chancellor to take him as a student, paving the way for him at court and building momentum!

“This Dowager and the Jiang family staked our entire clan’s lives on him. Yet he still resented this Dowager for controlling him too strictly. All these years, accomplishing nothing in civil or military affairs—if not for this Dowager and the Jiang family fighting for him, he would have died countless times in the crown prince succession struggle!

“Even so, he still hated this Dowager, hated the Jiang family!”

The Empress Dowager probably felt it ironic. She couldn’t help but curl her lips in a smile, yet tears still fell from the corners of her wrinkled eyes: “He became a cripple. This Dowager and Elder Brother schemed to use Yu’er’s bloodline to impersonate royal heir—wasn’t that also for him! Otherwise, how could he sit firmly on this throne!”

The old nanny called out sorrowfully: “Your Highness…”

The Empress Dowager seemed not to hear the old nanny’s consolation, continuing on her own: “But in the end, this Dowager and the Jiang family, in his eyes, were only villains wanting to usurp his Chen family’s throne!”

The Empress Dowager used her fingertips to wipe away the remaining tear stains at her eye corners. All the grief, pain, and disappointment on her face, when this self-mocking smile faded, were concealed beneath that dignity weathered by years. Her expression became stern once again.

She said: “Go personally relay a message to that servant woman at Zhaohua Palace. The young mistress of her Zhaohua Palace is this Dowager’s granddaughter.”

The old nanny knew these words meant the Empress Dowager would protect A’Li’s identity before the court ministers. She curtsied and left the hall.

—

Tongque had been waiting outside the hall for two quarter-hours, growing restless, when the side hall door finally opened.

Seeing the old nanny who served at the Empress Dowager’s side personally step out, Tongque became more serious.

Before she could speak, the old nanny said straightforwardly: “The Empress Dowager knows what matter the young lady has come for. You may rest assured and return. His Majesty suffered an outbreak of mineral toxicity that confused his mind, which led to today’s many absurd actions.”

With the old nanny’s words, Tongque’s heart immediately settled back into her belly. She nodded and bowed: “This servant thanks the Empress Dowager on behalf of our Princess.”

The old nanny said nothing more and returned inside the hall.

—

That night, after the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau risked their heads to declare the Chen King beyond saving, the Empress Dowager dragged her sick body to personally attend the Chen King’s final moments.

When the Chen King drew his last breath and a eunuch stepped outside the hall to announce the King’s death, the ministers outside wailed in unison.

The Empress Dowager summoned several key ministers into the hall. Looking at the Chen King lying behind pearl curtains and bed canopies with a white cloth covering his face, her expression was numb, as if unable to show joy or sorrow. She said: “His Majesty, seeking longevity and devoted to alchemy, consumed countless elixirs these past two years. His dragon body has been ailing for a long time. Earlier, believing slanderous words, he took his own child’s blood to refine elixirs, causing the death of the royal heir. Today, with confused mind, he injured court ministers and took his own life. This is truly a scandal for the imperial family.

“The front-line battle situation is critical. To prevent military morale from wavering when news spreads and adding panic within the court, the matter of His Majesty’s death should be suppressed for now.”

The ministers led by Qi Simiao all nodded in agreement.

Tongque stood to the side listening throughout. The heavy stone hanging over her heart finally settled completely.

Near dawn when returning to Zhaohua Palace, she immediately took up her brush to write two letters, informing both Wen Yu far away at Gele City and the ministers in Liang territory of all the palace changes in Chenguo.

—

Liang territory.

As soon as the letter Wen Yu had ordered the Azure Cloud Guard to send to Liang territory before leaving the Royal Court arrived, the entire Liang camp exploded.

Li Xun said in distress: “The Princess and the Lord Marquis’s actions are truly risky! When those Western Ling barbarians learn the Princess is at Gele City, how could they let it rest! With just those few ten thousand troops in young General Gu’s hands, how can they protect the Princess after the city breaks!”

Other ministers were also so anxious blisters were forming on their mouths: “Tiger Gorge Pass also likely faces more danger than fortune! If Pei Song was truly released from the pass by Yang Shuo, this internal traitor must have long since submitted to that traitorous rebel! The Lord Marquis going there is tantamount to throwing eggs at stones. Without the natural barrier of Jiashi Mountains, once Western Ling barbarians enter our borders, the entire western frontier will fall!”

Chen Wei said: “Earlier, to encircle the Pei bandit, Old Fan led troops to the western frontier but was blocked by cold barriers. After Lord Xiao left the pass, Old Fan, worried about anomalies at Tiger Gorge Pass, has already led the soldiers to continue toward Tiger Gorge Pass first.”

He thought quickly: “If Western Ling barbarians enter our borders, the troops in Old Fan’s hands can temporarily resist them. When Xiao Camp receives the news, to save their lord, they will certainly also send troops to aid the western frontier!”

At this point, he hastily said to Grand Tutor Yu: “Grand Tutor, I will personally lead thirty thousand troops to rescue the Princess. The matter of forming an alliance with Xiao Camp to aid the western frontier, I’ll entrust to the Grand Tutor!”

Grand Tutor Yu’s beard and hair were white, his withered frame slightly hunched. Yet at this moment, he still nodded calmly, as if even if the sky fell, there were still his old bones to hold it up. He said to Chen Wei: “Go. This old man is still here for everything within the pass!”

Chen Wei only had time to hastily clasp his fists before hurrying outside.

Zhou Sui saluted urgently: “I will go together with Minister Chen!”

Grand Tutor Yu nodded, approving both.

Zhou Sui also turned and quickly strode outside.

Li Xun looked at the gloomy sky outside the wide-open doors and windows, foreboding a coming storm. He couldn’t help but grieve, his eyes reddening as he lamented: “Our Great Liang… why must we face such continuous calamities!”

Grand Tutor Yu, supporting himself on the desk, rose tremblingly. Though his form was hunched, he was also as majestic as mountains. Like Li Xun, he looked toward the window: “The Princess and Lord Xiao entered this game with their own bodies, thus buying Great Liang this brief respite. Now is not the time for lamentations. We ministers can only exhaust our efforts to protect Great Liang until the final moment—only then will we not fail the Princess!”

Li Xun forcibly suppressed his grief and assented.

Just then, an attendant from outside hurried to announce: “Grand Tutor, Master Zhang Huai, military advisor of Xiao Camp, requests an audience.”

Grand Tutor Yu’s eyes, slightly clouded with age, lifted slightly. Then he said: “Quickly admit him.”

—

Before long, Zhang Huai in scholarly robes entered hurriedly. He saluted the Grand Tutor seated above: “This junior Zhang Huai pays respects to the Grand Tutor.”

Grand Tutor Yu gestured for attendants to offer a seat: “Young friend comes at an opportune time. This old man was just about to send a letter to Xiao Camp, wanting to discuss with young friend the matter of forming an alliance to send troops to the western frontier.”

After taking his seat, Zhang Huai said: “To be honest with the Grand Tutor, Huai has come precisely for this matter.”

The situation was urgent. Grand Tutor Yu didn’t want to beat around the bush. He asked: “I’ve long heard young friend excels at extraordinary strategies. Have you already devised a good plan?”

Zhang Huai’s refined face showed some gravity as he said: “It is a last resort strategy.”

A map of the entire Great Liang territory was spread out on the long table. He pointed to the western frontier region: “Huai wishes to build a Great Wall along the western frontier border to block Western Ling cavalry from advancing eastward.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

After who knows how long, Li Xun finally jumped up in shock: “Absurd! This would have our Great Liang abandon the entire western frontier!”

Zhang Huai said: “After Tiger Gorge Pass falls, this is the only method that can still preserve the Central Plains.”

Li Xun was the first to address Grand Tutor Yu: “Grand Tutor, this humble official does not agree with this method! The Princess and Lord Marquis risked their own lives to protect the western frontier people. Now you want us to build a wall and abandon the western frontier—this humble official cannot do it! If the Princess were here, she would absolutely never agree to this method!”

The other Liang ministers present also all discussed among themselves, but slowly, the voices that arose were undoubtedly all in disagreement with this method.

Some even said indignantly: “This Zhang surname person must not want to save their lord—that’s why he proposes this poisonous plan!”

Grand Tutor Yu listened to the discussion below without speaking. After staring at the Great Wall route Zhang Huai had drawn on the map with charcoal for a moment, he asked: “Young friend’s claim of ‘only’—what is your reasoning?”

Zhang Huai’s gaze fell on the map outside Tiger Gorge Pass. He said: “The Lord Marquis, with several thousand Wolf Cavalry, blocks Western Ling’s thirty thousand troops—extremely dangerous. If Tiger Gorge Pass commander Yang Shuo has already submitted to Pei Song…”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes: “With tens of thousands of troops and natural barrier advantages, the Lord Marquis cannot enter Tiger Gorge Pass.

“If Western Ling’s great army occupies the pass and continues east, there are no more natural barriers or fortified cities within the entire western frontier to stop them. Reinforcements entering the frontier still need time to adapt to the cold barriers on the frozen plains. Against Western Ling troops, they have almost no chance of victory—it would only be sending lives to waste.”

Zhang Huai raised his eyes, staring at everyone without half a trace of yielding: “Therefore, Huai believes the only method to break this situation and preserve the Central Plains is to use the western frontier as boundary to build a Great Wall, allowing our soldiers to await the exhausted enemy at ease from within the wall and annihilate incoming enemies.”

Li Xun said emotionally: “Your lord went to block Western Ling’s army for Great Liang’s common people. Are you disregarding your lord’s life or death?”

Zhang Huai said calmly: “If we can save the Lord Marquis, even exhausting all of the northern territory’s strength, Huai would spare nothing.

“But already knowing the outcome is futile, to let soldiers all enter the frontier to die in vain out of momentary pride would be Huai failing the Lord Marquis’s trust.”

Li Xun shouted: “The Princess at Gele City uses herself as bait, holding back Western Ling’s follow-up troops bound for Tiger Gorge Pass. Our Liang camp’s troops that previously entered the frontier are now also rushing to Tiger Gorge Pass with full force. As long as we recapture Tiger Gorge Pass before Western Ling’s next wave of troops arrives there, this great threat can be resolved. What talk of dying in vain!”

Zhang Huai asked in return: “How long can tiny Gele City withstand Western Ling’s fierce assault? After the city breaks, Western Ling will certainly divide more troops to continue dispatching toward Tiger Gorge Pass. Tiger Gorge Pass currently has twenty thousand defending troops. If they have all submitted to Pei Song with Yang Shuo, just these twenty thousand defending troops alone can make the Liang troops that previously entered the frontier go without return! Much less considering the Western Ling army now rushing to Tiger Gorge Pass numbers a full thirty thousand!”

These words successfully silenced the ministers who had been arguing incessantly.

Everyone’s expressions were unprecedentedly grave.

How long Gele City could hold back Western Ling’s troops depended on how long Wen Yu could defend there.

If Wen Yu left early, with Western Ling losing her, this most important bait, they would inevitably still dispatch troops to Tiger Gorge Pass ahead of schedule. Then the pressure on Xiao Li and Tiger Gorge Pass would multiply, and all previous efforts would be wasted.

But if Wen Yu held until the city broke, with Western Ling’s great army pressing in full force, they absolutely wouldn’t give her any possibility of escaping alive.

In the letter Wen Yu had ordered sent back to Liang territory, she had long since arranged all her final affairs.

It’s just that all the ministers tacitly ignored that almost inevitable outcome, self-deceptively continuing to make deployments to hold the western frontier and rescue Wen Yu.

Li Xun was the first to awkwardly turn his face away, unwilling to let others see the redness in his eyes he couldn’t suppress. Many ministers also raised their sleeves to secretly wipe their eyes.

Zhang Huai looked toward Grand Tutor Yu and said: “The line of Prince Changlian deserves the phrase ‘The Son of Heaven guards the nation’s gates, the sovereign dies for the state.’

“But what my lord has done is also not inferior by half.”

When saying this, Zhang Huai’s jawbone tensed slightly, as if also struggling to restrain some emotion.

“Huai is a strategist. I should make this final plan for my lord. If the western frontier cannot be held, Huai will defend the Central Plains for my lord. The infamy for ten thousand generations of abandoning the western frontier—Huai is willing to bear it alone. I only ask the Grand Tutor to lend troops to Huai to jointly build the Great Wall!”