Upon hearing this, Huang Bo’s face suddenly flushed crimson with anger. “How dare you! Lady Meng serves as Assistant Director of the Privy Council. How could a mere frontier military general like you slander her this way!”

Seeing the situation, Song Zhirui hurriedly stepped between them. “We are all comrades, do not behave like this.”

Luo Bitao, who had always been rough by nature, was now also fuming with rage. “Are you suggesting that I fabricated this evidence to frame her?!” He turned to Di Nian and said: “The evidence is ironclad. It’s all up to General Di to make the decision.”

Di Nian looked at Huang Bo with furrowed brows. “Five days have now passed without the letter Lady Meng mentioned, nor have we heard detailed accounts of the situation in the Northern Jian camp. Tell us what happened so we can determine what to do.”

Huang Bo was furious but managed to say: “That day, I accompanied Lady Meng into the pass. We were met by someone named Yue Linxi. Later at the Northern Jian camp, Lady Meng discussed matters with Yue and with Zhao. No others were allowed in the tent, so I was taken aside to wait for her. After quite some time, Lady Meng emerged from the discussions and said that she had arranged for Northern Jian to petition for an increase in tribute. Then she told me what I reported to all the generals that night when I returned. That’s all there was to it. Lady Meng said she had her plan and forced me to return first.”

Song Zhirui questioned carefully: “According to what you’re saying, you were not present to personally witness what Lady Meng discussed with Northern Jian, nor did you hear it with your ears?”

Huang Bo frowned: “Lady Meng did not allow me to stay by her side. How could I dare overstep my bounds?”

Luo Bitao clutched the paper in his hand and glared: “There’s nothing more to ask! Listen to what he’s saying and look at this paper—what’s not clear? The order for our army to retreat thirty li must have been a strategy discussed between Northern Jian and Meng Tinghui in their collusion to seize Jin Gorge Pass inside and out. It’s infuriating that we trusted this fellow’s one-sided account!”

Song Zhirui furrowed his brows for a moment and said: “This matter is indeed suspicious. If Lady Meng were completely innocent, why would she only bring Huang Bo when entering the camp, and then not allow him to listen in as a witness during her discussions with Northern Jian? We were too trusting of Lady Meng and never questioned her negotiations. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be in this predicament now.”

Luo Bitao glared fiercely at Huang Bo. “There’s no need for you to cover for her anymore. I even suspect that you were involved in this matter, accepting bribes from Northern Jian alongside her, committing this treasonous act!”

Huang Bo trembled with anger. Turning toward the commander’s desk, he said: “General Di, I do not believe that Lady Meng is a traitor. Lady Meng has served at court for years, wholeheartedly serving His Majesty. How could she possibly collude with Northern Jian? My family has served in the military for three generations, each one a loyal martyr. I joined the Palace Guards at the age of fourteen and have been loyal to His Majesty for many years. Heaven and Earth bear witness to this!”

After contemplating for a long time, Di Nian finally looked coldly at the group and said: “It’s too early to say anything now. For the time being, select some troops to proceed immediately to the Northern Jian camp to investigate Lady Meng’s situation. After our troops return, we’ll make a decision.”

Huang Bo immediately stood up, urgently saying: “Let me go!”

Without a moment’s thought, Luo Bitao rejected his request: “You’re dreaming! If we let you go, how do we know you won’t secretly devise another scheme?!”

Di Nian raised his hand to stop their argument and said in a low voice: “Huang Bo will remain in my tent, and General Luo need not concern himself with this matter. General Song will select the troops and dispatch them from camp immediately.”

Song Zhirui obeyed the order and immediately turned to leave. Luo Bitao, unwilling to remain in the same tent as Huang Bo, also stormed out angrily.

Sitting there, Huang Bo’s face was completely drained of color. With furrowed brows, he asked: “General Di, do you believe me?”

Di Nian’s expression was also extremely unpleasant. “What difference does it make whether I believe you or not? When Song Zhirui’s men return, the truth will naturally become clear.”

They waited until nightfall, but still, no one returned.

Somehow, news of this matter had leaked out, causing officers and soldiers throughout the camp to whisper among themselves, debating whether Meng Tinghui might truly be a treasonous minister. Considering the current situation and recalling her previous reputation in the imperial court, even those imperial soldiers who had previously thought well of her couldn’t help but suspect the peculiarities of the situation.

Huang Bo was restless in the central command tent, not attempting to hide his anxiety.

The weather at the end of July was extremely hot. Even in the northern night, the military tent was unbearably stuffy. Though he was drenched in sweat from waiting, he was unwilling to leave even for a moment.

After the Hour of the Pig had passed, a scout finally returned with news that all the men Song Zhirui had sent to inquire about Meng Tinghui had been detained by Northern Jian, with none allowed to return.

This news immediately spread throughout the entire camp, causing Luo Bitao and others waiting in the central command tent to lose their patience.

“Damn it all,” Luo Bitao cursed loudly. “That Zhao Hui has grown leopard’s guts to dare detain our men!” He turned to Di Nian, “General Di, is there anything left to consider? Northern Jian’s previous request for peace was just a pretense. That Meng Tinghui must certainly be in collusion with Northern Jian!”

Waves of cold swept through Huang Bo’s body, but he still managed to say: “General Di, perhaps Lady Meng has also been captured by Northern Jian, which is why they’re detaining our men.”

“Shut your filthy mouth!” Luo Bitao stepped forward and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him. “Stop pretending to be innocent in front of us. Just wait to be escorted back to the capital for trial and execution!”

This time, Song Zhirui didn’t even try to mediate. He simply said in a deep voice: “Whether Lady Meng has met with misfortune or is colluding with Northern Jian, it’s clear that Northern Jian has no intention of seeking peace. A cessation of hostilities between our two armies is impossible. We must make preparations early.”

Di Nian sat alone behind the commander’s desk for a long time before finally saying with a dark expression: “Since Zhao Hui has suppressed news of our envoy and detained our men, he has already torn off the pretense and is ready for a major battle with us. Whether Meng Tinghui is a traitor or has been forcibly detained, our army’s retreat from Jin Gorge Pass was due to her. This matter must be reported to the capital by fast horse tonight, leaving everything for His Majesty to decide. Our focus should be solely on the military situation. With bloodshed between the two armies imminent, we must carefully strategize and plan.”

He looked at Song Zhirui and coldly ordered: “Tonight, issue an order to Han Peng’s front, commanding him to immediately lead troops to attack Huizhou without the slightest hesitation. I want to see whether Northern Jian will strike first, or whether we, Great Ping, will seize the initiative!”

The sun poured down scorchingly, as if the entire palace city was about to be baked through. The glazed tiles at the corners of the hall gleamed blindingly.

Brown boots strode rapidly across the brick, startling a flock of birds into flight.

At dawn, an urgent military report had arrived from the north, and the Emperor had summoned ministers from the two offices to discuss it. Now, another confidential memorial had been delivered—truly a remarkable coincidence. Although the confidential memorial had been dispatched five days earlier, it had not been marked as urgent, so it arrived later than the military report sent from the frontier just three days prior.

With sweat pouring down his forehead, the Secretary rushed up the steps, made his report, and entered the hall.

Upon entering, he saw the solemn expressions of everyone in the hall, with a pervasive chill throughout.

“Reporting to Your Majesty,” the Secretary bowed as he announced, “a confidential memorial from the northern border.”

Someone came forward to take the locked and sealed box from his hands, then walked to the side of the imperial desk and respectfully placed it before Ying Gua.

The Secretary then dutifully withdrew from the hall, glancing once more at the scene inside. Somehow, despite the scorching summer heat, a chill ran down his spine.

Long after the hall doors closed, no one spoke.

A confidential memorial from the northern border—who else could it be from but Meng Tinghui?

Yet who could have imagined that at such a time, the Emperor would still receive a memorial drafted by Meng Tinghui!

General Di’s report had arrived this morning, with news as shocking as a thunderbolt from a clear sky, leaving the ministers of both offices stunned.

Meng Tinghui had secretly communicated with Northern Jian, acting as a traitor, or perhaps had been captured by Northern Jian—it was unknown. However, with border conflicts difficult to stop and war inevitable, the imperial army’s retreat from Jin Gorge Pass was something for which Meng Tinghui bore inescapable responsibility.

After a long while, a soft sound finally came from the imperial desk.

Ying Gua reached for the box containing the memorial, unlocked it, broke the seal, and then took out the memorial, turning it over gently.

Confidential Memorial.

Your humble servant, Meng Tinghui, respectfully seeks Imperial judgment regarding matters at Jin Gorge Pass.

His eyes were like still water as his gaze quickly scanned this brief memorial. Ripples appeared in the depths of his eyes, but his expression remained calm as he raised his hand and tossed the paper aside, saying to those below: “We intend to personally lead the expedition.”