In the army camp — especially Jun Beiyue’s camp — military discipline was extraordinarily strict. From generals down to the lowliest soldiers, every single person had clearly defined duties, and there was never any excuse for abandoning one’s post or interfering in another’s responsibilities.

Here, aside from Jun Beiyue himself, who could freely come and go from any tent, any storehouse, any armory, any cook-fire, there was only one exception — and that was Han Ziqing.

Since Han Ziqing had left, there had been no more exceptions in the camp.

And yet, Bai Mengmeng had always been a special case.

Because, long ago — even before the White Tiger Army had properly been formed — Bai Mengmeng had already been special. And that special status had continued unbroken to this day; no one paid it much mind anymore, and everyone had simply come to accept it.

But this time, given the sensitivity of the grain store fire, the officers and soldiers suddenly realized there really was another exceptional woman in the camp.

Unlike other locations, the grain store had dedicated guards and dedicated staff for management. Even the cook-fire staff who needed grain couldn’t enter the storehouse themselves to retrieve it — someone specifically assigned had to go in and bring it out.

All of this had long ago been authorized by Jun Beiyue to General White Tiger’s management. The guards stationed there were an entirely dedicated elite unit, their skill rivaling even Jun Beiyue’s own shadow guards.

If outsiders tried to sneak into the grain store, it would be nearly impossible. And the staff specifically responsible for tallying, counting, and delivering the grain were also a group personally appointed by General White Tiger — men he trusted absolutely.

Bai Mengmeng was not among either of these two groups!

Prince Yao had ordered that everyone who had been to the grain store report to him — and she was going along too, which meant she had indeed been there today.

Although she was an exception, although she had special privileges — what exactly had she gone to the grain store for, with no reason at all?

The path from the grain store to Jun Beiyue’s central camp was fairly long, and Bai Mengmeng seemed to be doing it on purpose — making no attempt to hide, deliberately walking at the very back, letting the soldiers get a clear, unobstructed look at her.

Though military discipline was strict and no one openly discussed it or gathered to gawk, everyone watching from a distance had their own private thoughts.

And those thoughts — whether about this incident itself, or about how Jun Beiyue would handle it — were the very pulse of the army’s morale.

The whole way there was silent, only the sound of footsteps. Everyone kept their thoughts to themselves. Jun Beiyue, walking at the very front, hadn’t yet noticed Bai Mengmeng walking at the back, and had even less idea that in that silence, she had already stirred up waves in the hearts of the soldiers.

Of course, it wasn’t long before a guard caught up to report, “My lord, Bai Mengmeng is at the back of the group!”

Jun Beiyue stopped dead. “Bai Mengmeng?”

For a moment he didn’t quite place who that was — or rather, he’d simply forgotten there was such a person at all.

“General White Tiger’s adopted daughter, my lord. She grew up in the army from childhood — she’s been here over a decade now,” the guard reminded him quietly.

Only then did Jun Beiyue recall this person. His gaze flickered, a trace of mild surprise crossing his face.

This woman — though he’d never made a deliberate effort to remember her, he did know of her.

Why would she go to the grain store?

“My lord, she has no reason to go to the grain store. She’s never gone there before, either,” the guard said anxiously. Though Jun Beiyue showed no outward reaction, the guard could tell this matter was not going to be simple.

Jun Beiyue glanced back once, then looked over the surrounding soldiers, and without saying anything further, strode quickly into his tent.

Soon, everyone had gathered inside.

This was Bai Mengmeng’s first time entering the tent. No one knew — not even her true master, the Empress of Eastern Qin herself — just how long, how very long, she had dreamed of this day.

It was Jun Beiyue’s custom that no matter whether it was a large camp or a small one, his main tent was always erected at the very center, known as the central tent.

The tent was enormous, divided into three sections, each separated by hanging curtains. The outermost was the war council hall, the middle was Jun Beiyue’s study, and the innermost was the bedchamber.

Before Han Ziqing had appeared, she had been the only woman in the entire camp with special privileges — not because she kept a low profile, but because everyone had simply grown used to it.

But no matter how immense her privileges, she had never once been granted any exception here, in Jun Beiyue’s own domain.

Across every camp, large and small, in the northern frontier, there was nowhere she couldn’t enter — except for one place: Jun Beiyue’s own tent!

Today, she had finally set foot here.

And yet, she wasn’t satisfied. What she wanted wasn’t this outer hall, nor the study in the middle — what she wanted was the privilege of that bedchamber.

Looking at the man ahead of her — handsome, composed, dressed in black combat attire, exuding an iron-blooded coldness — Bai Mengmeng couldn’t stop herself from imagining what it would feel like, being tangled up with this ruthless, fierce man in a bedchamber lined wall to wall with tiger pelts.

She wasn’t from Da Zhou — she came from the northern frontier of Eastern Qin, with the wild nature of a wolf running through her very bones, and a man like Jun Beiyue, dangerously lethal as he was, was exactly the kind of prey she most looked forward to.

After lurking undercover for so many years, how could she possibly be willing to submit to the Empress of Eastern Qin? She wasn’t the Empress’s puppet. She was doing this for… herself!

No one knew just how long she had waited for this opportunity.

The Empress had given the order, Han Ziqing was gone — what a perfect coincidence!

The moment Bai Mengmeng walked through the entrance, Jun Beiyue noticed her. If he hadn’t known her identity, he probably wouldn’t have paid her any particular attention even if she’d walked right past him.

Because in that suit of armor, with her hair pulled up high and tight, it was almost impossible to tell she was a woman at all.

With Jun Beiyue’s sharp perceptiveness, he naturally understood — if there truly was an inside traitor, the problem was almost certainly Bai Mengmeng. He was never a man who believed in coincidences.

Even so, he betrayed nothing, questioning the guards one by one.

Every one of these guards had sufficient reason to be near the grain store. And yet, at the moment the fire broke out, none of them had actually been there.

Finally, it was Bai Mengmeng’s turn. She lifted her chin, straightened her back, and stared straight at Jun Beiyue, taking three steps forward.

It had to be said — this was the first time she’d ever been this close to him. The love and longing in her heart, the yearning to possess him, grew all the more uncontrollable.

Even as General White Tiger’s adopted daughter, opportunities to see Jun Beiyue were few and far between.

Her adoptive father had given her privileges, but even he didn’t dare take liberties in front of Jun Beiyue.

This man never mingled casually with his officers and soldiers — even at banquets, he always kept a careful distance.

Only during military strategy discussions did she ever have a chance to be near him — and even then, she couldn’t get close.

“Which camp do you belong to?” Jun Beiyue asked flatly, his gaze turning three degrees colder.

“General White Tiger’s personal guard camp.” Bai Mengmeng answered truthfully, showing no fear of his coldness, staring directly into his striking eyes.

“Who authorized you to enter the grain store?” Jun Beiyue asked again.

“General White Tiger.” Bai Mengmeng answered without the slightest hesitation. If she hadn’t planned this out so carefully, would she really have acted so recklessly?

“For what reason?” Jun Beiyue asked once more — not because he was being patient, but because the grain store fire was a serious matter, and Bai Mengmeng’s identity was a delicate one. If this were mishandled, the consequences could be even worse than the burned grain itself.

…