After finishing speaking about Jingrong’s life and death.

One general said: “This time we must annihilate Houliao and avenge His Highness.”

Someone continued: “But we absolutely cannot be careless. Houliao was able to swallow even the increasingly powerful Yuedan—clearly their power is considerable. We’re not just fighting one Houliao tribe, but also other tribes on the grasslands. Moreover, they’re extremely familiar with these grasslands, giving them an advantage over us.”

“But after Houliao’s battle with Yuedan, they’ve already suffered heavy losses. How could they still have the strength to contend with us?”

“True.”

“Still, it’s better to be cautious.”

“War requires speed and precision.”

…

Everyone debated with passionate fervor.

As Chu Chengyu listened, his brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

He tapped the map and reprimanded: “Before we’ve even deployed troops, you’re already arguing so fiercely. Are you planning to fight among yourselves once you reach the battlefield?”

Everyone immediately fell silent.

Standing there quietly.

Just as Chu Chengyu was about to speak—

A voice came from the doorway: “We cannot deploy troops!”

Hmm?

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw Ji Yunshu enter from outside, her eyes bright red.

She walked before Chu Chengyu: “His Highness said that without his order, no one may deploy troops against Houliao.”

Everyone exchanged glances!

One person said: “His Highness has met with disaster now—how can he give orders?”

“In any case, without His Highness’s personal order, these troops cannot be deployed.”

“Miss Ji, His Highness has fallen from a cliff now. He might already be…” Dead!

“Silence!” Chu Chengyu rose abruptly, cutting off the man’s words.

The man also realized his words were inappropriate. Looking at Ji Yunshu, he quickly said: “Miss Ji, that’s not what I meant. His Highness’s body hasn’t been found yet—perhaps nothing happened at all. Please don’t… misunderstand. But regardless, we must still prepare for the worst and consider the bigger picture!”

He pleaded earnestly with his advice.

Ji Yunshu clenched her hands tightly, her gaze resolute, completely ignoring his words: “I’ll say it again—unless His Highness personally gives the order, not a single soldier may be deployed.”

Aren’t you being unreasonable?

The man is dead—how can he give orders?

If he really did give an order, wouldn’t that frighten people to death?

Of course, the man didn’t say this aloud.

Chu Chengyu frowned and instructed the soldiers: “You all may leave first.”

“Yes!”

After those men withdrew, Chu Chengyu walked around the desk before him to Ji Yunshu’s side. At the same time, he took out the command token and said: “Miss Ji should recognize His Highness’s token, shouldn’t you?”

Of course she recognized it!

Ji Yunshu looked at the token in his hand and took it.

Moreover, Jingrong never separated from this token.

At that moment, tears welled up in her eyes, her fingertips tightening slightly.

Chu Chengyu said: “Seeing the token is like seeing His Highness. Now that His Highness has met with disaster, and was persecuted by Houliao people no less, we cannot possibly continue sitting and waiting for death. They killed our Great Lin’s prince—how could we not deploy troops to destroy them?”

Ji Yunshu bit her teeth, forcibly suppressing her emotions.

“It’s impossible!”

“I know Miss Ji is unwilling to accept all this, but the facts are undeniable—Prince Rong truly has fallen from the cliff. As for whether he’s alive or dead… it’s still unknown. But I hope Miss Ji can prioritize the bigger picture and not put me in a difficult position, nor put those tens of thousands of soldiers outside in a difficult position.”

She: “…”

“We cannot continue delaying. Today, these troops must deploy!”

“General Chu,” Ji Yunshu said, “whether His Highness is alive or dead remains unknown, but I’m certain the Houliao people would not ambush His Highness. We should first clarify the situation—it won’t be too late to deploy troops afterward.”

Chu Chengyu’s face turned pale with anger as he told her: “This was reported by someone General Ji sent—how could there be any mistake? Moreover… General Ji narrowly escaped and is now gravely wounded.”

Ji Huan was injured too?

Could it be… Third Master and the others truly had murderous intent?

Ji Yunshu still refused to believe it.

She had stayed in Houliao for so long—she understood Muzha’er’s character, and even more so Third Master’s character. They would absolutely never send people to harm a single hair on Jingrong’s head, much less employ such underhanded tactics. Moreover, Jingrong had helped them win against Yuedan—he was Houliao’s benefactor.

At this moment—

Outside, horn blasts sounded once more.

Time to deploy troops!

Chu Chengyu said: “Miss Ji, this is military affairs, not your case investigation. Therefore, forgive me for not being able to consider too much or delay any longer. You may rest easy in the city—I will certainly sever the Houliao leader’s head to avenge His Highness.”

He turned to leave.

“Wait!” Ji Yunshu called out to stop him.

Chu Chengyu’s footsteps halted.

He turned to look at her.

Ji Yunshu stood with her back to him, not speaking. Her gaze fell on the map laid out there.

Many places on it were marked with pen strokes—strategic points for encircling Houliao. Judging by the ink’s color, it didn’t look like it had been planned just now or even recently.

Chu Chengyu waited a long time without hearing her speak.

“Miss Ji?”

Ji Yunshu picked up the map, her tone low as she asked: “General Chu, regardless of whether His Highness gave the order or not, or whether His Highness met with disaster, you had already prepared to deploy troops long ago, hadn’t you?”

Eh!

Chu Chengyu’s eyes flickered with panic.

“What makes Miss Ji say such a thing?”

Ji Yunshu turned to face him, holding up the map: “You had planned this long ago.”

Seeing that map, the guilt in Chu Chengyu’s eyes flashed briefly.

“Miss is joking!”

“General Chu, you cannot deceive me.”

With her statement, Chu Chengyu’s eyes immediately turned somewhat sinister, the corners of his mouth curving slightly, revealing a malevolent air: “Since that’s the case, Miss Ji, then I must greatly offend you.”

“…”

Ji Yunshu involuntarily retreated several steps. He said: “Before you all arrived, I had indeed already made preparations to wage war with Houliao, because as long as I win against Houliao, I can return to the capital. I’ve been stationed here for nearly seven years! The late emperor in his fury banished me here and never considered letting me return to the capital. But now His Majesty has decreed that as long as I win when Houliao and Great Lin go to war, he’ll let me return to the capital. And at the time of war, you were to be sent back to the capital.”

Eh!

Ji Yunshu was dumbstruck: “You’re saying… His Majesty had calculated long ago to raise troops against Houliao? The so-called submission was nothing but a pretense.”

“Exactly!”

How naive she was!

So naive as to have walked right into this.

Chu Chengyu pressed closer to her: “I follow His Majesty’s orders and must carry out his affairs. Regardless of whether His Highness met with disaster or not, this battle must be fought.”

Ji Yunshu retreated several more steps.

The map in her hand also fell to the ground.

“Someone!” Chu Chengyu shouted.

Several soldiers entered from outside.

“Take Miss Ji away. Watch her carefully. Tomorrow morning at first light, escort her back to the capital.”

“Yes!”

The soldiers received their orders and quickly moved to seize Ji Yunshu.

But before they could even touch her, Shi Ziran had already rushed in. In just a few moves, he threw those men to the ground.