When Meng Tinghui came out of the Central Government Office, she saw Shen Zhili standing with her sleeves gathered under a vermilion-lacquered pillar not far away.

The night was so dark, and she had been waiting there alone for who knows how long—even the high bun at the back of her head was covered with dew. With war raging on the northern border, the officers of the Palace Guard who had previously accompanied Di Nian to reorganize the imperial troops were now all stationed in the Northern Three Routes. Because of this, people from these officers’ households could often be seen waiting through the night along Imperial Street outside the Central Government Office, hoping to see if any courier had brought reports from the north, so they could learn of the military situation as soon as possible.

Only the Di household was never seen there. As a court official, Shen Zhili naturally would not allow her servants to do such things as others did. However, with no reports from the northern front having reached the capital for more than twenty days, and with Shen Zhishu being impeached at court for executing a court-appointed official without permission at the Transport Commission of Northern Chao’an, it seemed that Shen Zhili had not been having an easy time lately. Tonight she must have been unable to bear it anymore, which was why she had come to the Central Government Office.

Meng Tinghui walked over to her and called softly, “Madam Shen.”

Hearing the voice, Shen Zhili turned around. Her face was slightly pale, but her tone was normal: “I heard people say you’ve been staying overnight at the office recently. I happened to be passing by tonight, so I came to check on you.”

Meng Tinghui smiled slightly, “The Ministry of Rites was also busy until late today, wasn’t it?”

“There weren’t many outstanding candidates in this year’s women’s imperial examination,” she replied, glancing over. “Not as urgent as your military and state affairs.”

Meng Tinghui hesitated before saying, “As you know, according to protocol, I cannot discuss these matters with you in detail. Moreover, there truly have been no messages from the north for more than twenty days—it’s not that the Emperor is deliberately keeping the outer court officials uninformed…”

Shen Zhili smiled faintly, interrupting her, “You misunderstand me. How could I be someone who doesn’t understand the rules? I didn’t come tonight to ask about these matters.”

As she spoke, she took out that thin piece of peach wood from her bosom and handed it over, saying, “Is this something unique to your Chao’an?”

Meng Tinghui immediately recognized it as something she had seen in Di Nian’s hand before and nodded.

Shen Zhili closed her palm and lowered her eyes, saying softly, “Thank you.”

This single word of thanks contained a thousand emotions, instantly making Meng Tinghui stunned and confused. After a while, she said quietly, “I… there is something I need you to understand.”

But Shen Zhili shook her head, “No need to say more.”

Meng Tinghui frowned slightly.

Shen Zhili gazed at her quietly for a moment, then suddenly said, “I’m not a fool.” She paused slightly, then continued, “Before Di Nian left for the northern border, he told me about asking you to inquire about my feelings, and that you already knew he planned to request an imperial marriage decree.”

Meng Tinghui’s chest felt unbearably bitter.

She half-turned away and added, “Some things, even if one is too anxious to think carefully at the time when looking back, one can still see some clues.”

Meng Tinghui’s eyes suddenly reddened, and she murmured, “I have wronged you.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Shen Zhili smiled. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come specially to thank you.”

Although she spoke so frankly, Meng Tinghui felt extremely distressed. Even though she could hear from Shen Zhili’s tone that she had now developed feelings for Di Nian, how could she truly forgive herself for her past actions? However, the past could not be remedied; she only hoped that in the future, she would have the chance to properly make amends to Shen Zhili.

Thinking of this, she recalled what Shen Zhili had said at the palace banquet last time, and asked, “Since General Di has been ordered to remain in the north for a long time, why don’t you request permission to go to the border and join him?”

Shen Zhili’s face dimmed. “Times have changed. Now Di Nian serves as Commissioner of the Three Routes and oversees northern affairs, commanding heavy troops and holding great power. The Emperor’s heart is so cold—private feelings have never been enough to disrupt state affairs. He will surely keep me in the capital to prevent any disturbances at Di Nian’s military front. How could I dare to ask the Emperor to let me go to the border?”

She sighed softly and continued, “Moreover, given Di Nian’s character, he would never be content to remain at headquarters while sending his subordinate generals to the front lines. He would certainly lead the troops north himself to fulfill his ambition as a man of hot blood. Even if I went to the north, I would at most be staying at the Commissioner’s Office in Fenzhou, unable to see him. What would be the point? I just hope this northern matter can be resolved soon, and that he can return safely—that would be enough to comfort my heart.”

Meng Tinghui comforted her, “Don’t worry, fortune favors the good—General Di will certainly be safe. And our Great Ping imperial troops are numerous and valiant. Even if northern Jian mobilizes their entire country to invade, they cannot gain an inch of advantage.”

Shen Zhili knew she was deliberately speaking lightly to comfort her, so she smiled and said, “The night is deep. I won’t disturb you further. Remember to take care of yourself and don’t overwork.”

Meng Tinghui was about to nod when the sound of galloping hooves came from the eastern direction of Imperial Street. The sound gradually grew from small to large, and it wasn’t until the horse galloped into the dim light that she could see the man in courier uniform on the horse.

Shen Zhili took a deep breath beside her.

Before the horse had stopped, the courier leaped down and strode toward the Central Government Office.

Without thinking, Meng Tinghui turned and hurriedly took a few steps before remembering Shen Zhili. She looked back and saw her standing there with an expectant expression. Her eyes suddenly welled up again, and she opened her mouth.

But Shen Zhili smiled lightly and waved at her: “I know this report must first be delivered to the palace for the Emperor to read. Go quickly.”

Seeing that she didn’t seem to be leaving, Meng Tinghui urged anxiously, “Go back to your residence to rest. As soon as I have a moment, I’ll send someone to the Di residence to give you news.”

Seeing Shen Zhili nod slightly, she quickly went back into the office, but turned to look back once more from a distance, only to see Shen Zhili still standing there motionless.

No one in the Central Government Office had gone to sleep, and upon hearing of the arrival of the northern report, everyone immediately became busy. By the time Meng Tinghui entered, the military report had already been sent to the Ruisi Palace, and Fang Kai and others had all risen to put on their robes, seemingly about to attend an imperial audience.

She called over the courier and asked, “How is it?”

The courier wiped the dusty sweat from his forehead and grinned, “A great victory at the northern border!”

Her heart trembled. “Really?”

Although the courier didn’t know the contents of the victory report, he still nodded with certainty, “A red-flagged military report brought by fast horses all the way from the northern border without stopping at relay stations—how could it be false!”

As they spoke, Jiang Ping had walked over. “Little Meng is truly chatty. Let’s hurry up and go!”

Meng Tinghui obediently turned to leave, quickly heading toward the Ruisi Palace with the others, her lips unable to stop curling upward along the way.

Entering the Ruisi Palace, after paying their respects to the Emperor, they received the report and read it carefully.

On the seventeenth day of the fifth month, Song Zhirui led ten thousand troops into Tingzhou; on the nineteenth, the northern Jian army besieging Tingzhou retreated to Mount Min; on the twenty-third, northern Jian reinforcements arrived, and three divisions combined forces north of Mount Min; on the twenty-seventh, Song Zhirui led troops out of Tingzhou, cutting off the enemy’s supply route at Jinxia Pass, and that night Luo Bitao led troops to attack their camp, setting fire to their granaries. On the first day of the sixth month, Han Peng from the Linhuai Road led twenty-five thousand troops north to surround Zizhou. On the fourth day of the sixth month, Di Nian’s main army attacked the enemy camp at Mount Min; the northern Jian army, without provisions and with exhausted troops and horses, surrendered with white flags; on the tenth day, Han Peng captured Zizhou. Di Nian then ordered Luo Bitao and Song Zhirui’s two divisions to advance north and occupy the east and west of Jinxia Pass, with Han Peng as the lead punitive force, ordering troops to attack Huizhou.

It truly was a great victory! Meng Tinghui’s heart smiled and her eyes brightened as she pressed her lips together, head lowered.

It had been more than three months since northern Jian had led troops to invade the border, and finally, the first victory report had been received from the north. Moreover, this victory report was of such importance that it was enough to set at ease the minds of those in the Central Government Office who had long been worried about northern affairs.

Without waiting to read further, she quietly turned back and called over a palace servant, ordering him to quickly find Shen Zhili outside Imperial Street and give her the news. When she looked back up at the hall, she saw that Ying Gua’s face showed no signs of joy at the victory. She hurriedly lowered her head, only then realizing that this was not merely a report of northern border victory. It was also a report of a great defeat in suppressing bandits on the Jiankang Road.