[Please read the author’s note first]

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback, even Shen Tu Tai furrowed his thick eyebrows and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, you mustn’t do this, it’s too dangerous!"

The other deputy generals quickly chimed in, "Going into Qi County alone is like a lamb entering a tiger’s den!"

"Yes, Your Highness, absolutely not."

"If anything were to happen to Your Highness, we wouldn’t be able to bear the responsibility, even in death!"

...

Just as they were all speaking at once to dissuade him, a faint fragrance, carried by the heat from the campfire, enveloped them suddenly. Yu Wenye, who was about to speak, immediately stopped. Looking up, he saw a slender and graceful figure slowly walking over. However, her steps were not as light and agile as usual, instead carrying a trace of heaviness.

The people around also instinctively looked up and immediately stood up to salute, "Princess!"

The one who walked over was Shang Ruyi.

She had just heard Yu Wenye talking about going into Qi County alone and couldn’t help but furrow her eyebrows, instinctively wanting to voice her disapproval. But the deputy generals around her reacted even quicker, immediately starting to dissuade Yu Wenye. With them speaking, she naturally didn’t need to open her mouth right away.

In this way, she calmed down instead, leaving room for thought.

At that moment she slowly walked to the campfire, and the deputy general sitting beside Yu Wenye immediately stood up to let her sit. Shang Ruyi, not standing on ceremony, merely nodded and bent down to sit. The deputy general retreated to the side and said, "Princess, you came at the right time, please advise His Highness."

Shang Ruyi did not speak immediately, she simply turned to look at Yu Wenye.

And Yu Wenye also looked at her.

Though the air was filled with the heat of the flames, the silent gazes they exchanged were surprisingly cold.

In recent days, the two of them have been like strangers, not speaking, not interacting. Shang Ruyi could even feel that Yu Wenye deliberately avoided her gaze—several times when she looked at him, she caught him turning his eyes away, and whenever he looked at her, she couldn’t help but avoid his gaze.

This deliberate distance and coldness,

He was angry.

And she was worried about Shen Wuzheng.

Even when they were together, there was a sense of divided hearts, so they might as well go their separate ways; however, the matter being discussed now was of great military importance, and since Yu Wenye intended to enter enemy territory alone, she couldn’t remain silent.

Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, then said, "Your Highness."

Yu Wenye lifted his eyes to glance at her indifferently, saying, "Are you here to dissuade me?"

"I—"

Before she could finish, Yu Wenye interrupted her in a calm tone, "You should go down and rest first."

Saying this, his gaze involuntarily drifted to her seated figure. Though she tried hard to sit upright, her legs trembled with pain when pressed together, forcing her knees to part slightly, and he couldn’t help but frown again, then looked past her to say, "Go back to your—"

Noticing an issue, he furrowed his brow, "Where is your tent?"

Shang Ruyi also glanced back.

Then, turning calmly back to Yu Wenye, she said, "I noticed Your Highness has no intention of setting up camp to rest, so I told them not to set up a tent for me either. If troops are to be used tonight, as Princess Qin, I can’t possibly stay here alone."

"..."

"But, Your Highness just said, you plan to enter Qi County alone—"

Yu Wenye narrowed his eyes slightly, "Are you going to stop me?"

Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "I want to hear Your Highness’s plan before deciding whether to dissuade you."

"..."

"After all—a son of a noble family doesn’t sit under the eaves. If you must take a risk, then the outcome of that risk must hold enough value. Otherwise, I will not stand by and watch you risk your life!"

Her words were heavy, even carrying a tone of undeniable firmness.

Yet Yu Wenye was not angered by a woman’s outspoken words in the military, instead fell into silence, deeply observing her with his dark eyes for a moment, before gently exhaling.

Then he said, "Alright."

"Then—"

"Let me ask you all, how did Wang Shaoqiu and the Western Turks conquer Taiyuan?"

Everyone exchanged glances, and it was Shen Tu Tai who spoke up, "Wang Shaoqiu’s forces infiltrated the city, cooperating from within with the Western Turks to breach Taiyuan City."

Yu Wenye said, "That’s correct. We have been marching so swiftly, nearly a hundred miles a day, to catch them off guard; yet, Taiyuan City’s defenses are strong, and even in a surprise attack, it will be hard to take by storm."

"..."

"If we fail to breach it and end up in a stalemate, our surprise attack would lose its meaning."

"..."

"Thus, we must ’up the ante’ on this surprise attack!"

"Up the ante..."

Upon hearing these words, Shang Ruyi began to understand. She looked up at him, her gaze reflecting the campfire, bright and clear, "You mean to turn their tactics against them. Using the same method Wang Shaoqiu used to take Taiyuan, we also send people to infiltrate Taiyuan City, coordinating from within and without to take it?"

Yu Wenye glanced at her.

His gaze remained as cold as if covered by a layer of frost, but at that moment, it seemed as though something had melted it. Even if unintentionally, a slight glimmer escaped through a crack in its cold surface.

After a pause, he said, "Yes."

"..."

"Coordinating internal and external forces is the best way to breach Taiyuan City."

The deputy general beside him first nodded but then frowned and said, "But Your Highness, Wang Shaoqiu already used this method to take Taiyuan City. How can he possibly allow us to disguise ourselves and enter the city again? If I were him, I would strictly defend against such an entry."

Yu Wenye said calmly, "Of course."

"..."

"That’s also why I must capture it—not attack Qi County."

Everyone was startled upon hearing this.

This time, it was Shen Tu Tai who reacted and said, "I once heard that the Duke—oh no, Your Majesty—when appointing the Shanxi Comfort Envoy and guarding Taiyuan, went to Dragon Gate to quell a rebellion, and Qi County was the grain transport route in the middle."

Yu Wenye nodded and said, "Correct."

"..."

"Also, the scouts I sent out confirmed that the grain supply for Taiyuan is transported from Qi County."

"..."

"They transport every four days. Tomorrow is their day to deliver grain!"

Shen Tu Tai said, "Your Highness wants to use the grain transport team from Qi County to enter Taiyuan?"

Yu Wenye said, "Yes."

Hearing this, it indeed seemed feasible and could enhance the surprise attack on Taiyuan. Everyone couldn’t help but exchange approving glances, but Shang Ruyi thought for a moment, her brows furrowing more deeply, and asked, "But it’s too dangerous for you to enter Qi County alone."

"..."

"What if the commanding officer in Qi County recognizes you, then they—"

"I want the commanding officer in Qi County to recognize me."

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi widened her eyes in shock, and several deputy generals around also looked at him in surprise. Yu Wenye was silent for a moment, then looked down again at the map laid at his feet, where the position of Qi County had been deeply dented by his whip several times.

Just like an unfillable gap in the human heart.

After a long silence, he hoarsely said, "The commanding officer of Qi County who surrendered to Wang Shaoqiu is named Lei Guo."

"...!"

Upon hearing this surname, Shang Ruyi immediately sensed something.

The eyes of those around flickered, seemingly understanding as well.

Left Imperial Guard General Lei Yi, more than a year ago, was ordered to Hebei to suppress a rebellion, but he betrayed the court, now serves under Liang Shide of the Da Ye Dynasty, and at the time, he took with him his only daughter, Lei Yu.

But apart from this only daughter, Lei Yi also has a nephew—his deceased brother’s child—who is Lei Guo, the defense commander of Qi County. As Da Ye Dynasty had no punitive measures for this, and given that Lei Guo was stationed in Qi County under Taiyuan’s influence, he received Yu Wenquan’s protection, so Chu Yang did not act against him.

And Lei Guo silently continued performing his duties.

Later, when Chu Yang moved southwards to Jiangdu Palace and completely abandoned Jiangbei, he also neglected this minor Lei Guo.

But unexpectedly, this silently stationed Lei Guo, who maintained Qi County even while Yu Wencheng defended Taiyuan, eventually betrayed him.

Mentioning Lei Guo inevitably brings to mind Lei Yu, recalling their rare yet deep interactions, as well as Pei Xingyuan’s unrequited affection, causing a pang of sadness in Shang Ruyi’s heart, making her eyes slightly red.

Yu Wenye looked at her, slightly furrowing his brow.

At this moment, Shen Tu Tai also frowned, speaking gravely, "I understand Your Highness’s intention. But—regardless of the past, Lei Guo ultimately surrendered."

Yu Wenye withdrew his gaze, steadied himself, and continued, "Despite his uncle and cousin defecting one after another, he remained stationed at Qi County without the slightest slackening. From this, you should also understand his character—loyal, brave, not one who fears death or curries favor."

"..."

"I suspect his surrender to Wang Shaoqiu—"

At this point, Shang Ruyi spoke, her voice slightly hoarse and tinged with wetness, "His surrender was likely not to Wang Shaoqiu but to the Western Turks."

Yu Wenye turned to look at her.

Shang Ruyi said, "The reason for his surrender might be because of Lei Yu, who has already married into the Western Turks..."

"..."

Looking at her reddened eyes, Yu Wenye was silent for a long time before finally saying, "Yes."

"..."

"So, the one who surrendered was Lei Yu’s brother."

"..."

"And the one I’m going to find is Lei Guo himself!"

"..."

Listening to these somewhat baffling words, several deputy generals were confused, Shen Tu Tai seemed to have a partial understanding, yet still frowned, not speaking immediately.

It was Shang Ruyi—

She took a deep breath, looked up at Yu Wenye again, and although her eyes were red, there was a touch of sorrow yet steadfastness, shining from the depths of her pupils.

She said, "I’ll go with you!"