The snow in Luoyang had yet to come, but the weather grew colder by the day.

Cold wind poured into the wide sleeves of the courtiers. On the long steps before Jiade Hall, the courtiers dispersing from court left in groups of two or three, their steps hurried.

Tan Jing walked in front, behind him came the laughter and conversation of the Grand Preceptor and others.

They were all courtiers of the pro-war faction.

For two consecutive court meetings, the pro-war courtiers had gathered their strength, pressing with full force for the proposal of the refugee army put forward by Princess Qinghe.

The peace faction led by Tan Jing was unwilling to show weakness and pointed out the flaws of the refugee army, refuting them on the spot.

The debate was endless.

But in the end, Emperor Mingzhao still issued the decree, deciding to implement the military policy of the refugee army.

“…The Grand Preceptor’s party comes on strong, and Princess Qinghe’s moves are hard to grasp. Lord Minister of State, your head must ache, no?”

Tan Jing glanced sideways. It was Prime Minister Xue Yun.

He looked straight ahead. “All are loyal to Great Yong. To have occasional disagreement, how could that be called a headache? This time Princess Qinghe was able to pacify Jiangzhou and resolve the rebellion at Yanshan; that is Great Yong’s fortune. What does Prime Minister Xue think?”

Xue Yun smiled silently, his fingers tapping meaningfully at him.

This old fox—how could he not know that now the Xue family was fully prepared, only waiting for an east wind to rise so they could seize the momentum and, with just cause, contend for the realm.

But Princess Qinghe, together with that bandit chief of Hongye Stronghold, had abruptly cut off that east wind.

Princess…

A princess—what is it that she wishes to do?

Xue Yun flicked his sleeves and departed.

Inside the hall, the eunuch Luo Feng came out bearing the imperial decree. Tan Jing gazed at that departing back, his eyes deep.

Emperor Mingzhao did not directly order Princess Qinghe to command the refugee army, yet granted her the power to appoint the commander of the refugee army.

Who she would choose as commander—needless to say.

Returning to his residence, Tan Jing did not hesitate. Dipping his brush in ink, he wrote three words:

[Kill Pei Zhaoye]

The courier horses were changed five times, riding through the night, delivering this letter to the Tan residence at the fastest speed.

At this moment, however, the Tan residence was already in chaos.

“…Put out the fire quickly! Move faster!”

The west wing, the east wing, the inner treasury… though the fire was not enough to burn the entire estate into a sea of flames, it still left the household flustered and in disarray, busy beyond measure.

“Where is he?”

Tan Rong grabbed the steward by the collar, eyes glaring wide, his whole body filled with menace.

“Reporting to the general… everyone is busy putting out the fire, we truly have no one to send…”

“So many people in this entire residence, and you can’t spare a hand to catch him? Yet that one man somehow found the leisure to rob the entire household clean from top to bottom—so that’s what you mean, is it?”

That thieving wretch not only stole seventy percent of the household’s gold, silver, and wealth without a trace, but even tied up Tan Xun inside the room!

Even without Tan Jing’s letter, he would have killed him!

Tan Rong panted heavily, clutching at his chest.

“The back mountain… he must have escaped through the back mountain. Go to the camp immediately and call up the troops. Search along the back mountain for me! Every cave, every cliff—leave nothing unchecked. Once you find him, there’s no need to report to me. Execute him on the spot!”

“Yes, sir!”

Tan Rong stared at the firelight beneath the night sky. In his ears seemed to echo the sound of urgent drums, mingling with the chaotic footsteps all around, as though competing with something for time.

Several adjutants received the order and went out, but just then someone came to report:

“General, Princess Qinghe has arrived.”

At the sound of that name, the veins at Tan Rong’s temple throbbed.

“What about the Princess! She must be here to demand the man. Go tell her, there’s been a fire in my residence—I have no time to receive the Princess’s honored presence. Let her wait outside!”

“That won’t do, the Princess, she—she comes under imperial edict—”

The blazing fire broke through the wooden beams with a crash, falling to the ground in splinters.

Madam Guo stood by the main gate of the front courtyard, watching the Princess approach with her retinue of several hundred.

Her gaze swept calmly over them. Though the people carried weapons and wore armor, their gear was not of official military make—she knew at once that these were the bandits of Hongye Stronghold who had plundered grain in Yixian Valley that day.

“Paying respects to Princess Qinghe.”

Lizhu looked at the woman before her bowing respectfully, her tightly pressed lips moving slightly.

“Chang Jun, proclaim the decree.”

Madam Guo said, “Your Highness, wait—tonight the residence is in flames, my husband is still fighting the fire and cannot get away. Why not wait until the fire eases a little, then my husband may personally—”

Before she could finish, Lizhu swiftly interrupted her, her words coming fast:

“The general’s wife and General Tan Rong are one body as husband and wife. I come by imperial decree to seek a man. For the wife to hear the decree is the same.”

Lizhu thought, there was no time.

They must have received the news by now. If she were Tan Rong, she would never let Pei Zhaoye leave alive.

Madam Guo lowered her head and listened to the decree.

Sure enough, Emperor Mingzhao had approved the proposal of the refugee army and had given Princess Qinghe the authority to recruit troops and select the commander of the refugee army.

“I have already sent people to the camp to inquire. Pei Zhaoye was indeed taken into the residence by General Tan and held in custody. His current whereabouts are unknown.”

Madam Guo said, “The Princess has come one step late. Pei Zhaoye set fire to the residence and escaped. His whereabouts are now unknown. My husband is already sending men to search for him.”

“Pretend, all you like!”

An angry shout came from behind Lizhu:

“You think we don’t know! You tied the mountain lord behind a horse and dragged him all the way here! The mountain lord was gravely injured, how could he get up and set fire to your house? Where exactly have you hidden him…”

“Do not be rude to the general’s wife.”

Lizhu frowned and interrupted.

Madam Guo’s expression remained calm, her brows and eyes peaceful.

Lizhu met her gaze.

Her slightly sweaty hand clenched within her sleeve, and Lizhu smiled, saying:

“The court has already decided that the commander of the refugee army shall bear the title of General Who Pacifies the North. Pei Zhaoye is the refugee commander personally appointed by me. The bandits of Hezhou Mountain and the refugees of Yanshan will all be under his command for training and deployment.”

“General Tan is a general, and General Pei is also a general. How could there be reason for one general to imprison another? Would Madam Guo not agree?”

The young princess stood amid the night snow, her skin like snow and her face like a blossom, the childishness not yet gone.

Yet her gaze was firm, and the words she spoke were like nails, each one driven deep.

Madam Guo was silent for a moment, then lowered her head and said:

“The residence is heavily guarded. Even if General Pei did set fire, the only way to escape would be through the back mountain behind the manor. We are already searching along that route. If Your Highness cannot wait, you may also send your own men to search together.”

Lizhu dared not let them find Pei Zhaoye first.

She immediately turned back and gave orders to set out toward the back mountain.

Tan Rong came out from around a corner and said to the man beside him, “Follow them. Be sure to get ahead of them.”

The night was deep, the forest leaves rustled. Two groups spread out along the mountain ridge like a fine net, slowly unfolding.

“…Your Highness, it’s too dark in the mountains. It’s hard for you to move. Leave the search to us…”

Before Gu Bing’an could finish speaking, he saw Lizhu lift her skirt and stride forward swiftly to catch up with the team.

“No. You can’t hold the scene steady. Even if you find Pei Zhaoye, they might still seize him from you. I must be there!”

“…That makes sense.”

Gu Bing’an looked at the figure ahead and suddenly remembered—this little princess, though she usually seemed delicate and frail, when it came to matters of life and death, ran faster than anyone.

At this moment, Lizhu’s heart and lungs felt as though they would leap out of her throat, yet her mind turned swiftly.

This was the Tan family’s territory. In familiarity with the terrain, the people of Hongye Stronghold could not compare. But the one who knew Pei Zhaoye best—was only her.

Pei Zhaoye was gravely injured; even if he had escaped, he must be extremely weak.

Where would he hide?

A cave?

Under a cliff?

Or at the bottom of a valley?

If he thought he was about to die, where would he go?

Lizhu stumbled over a protruding rock in the mountain path and fell headfirst into the dirty snow.

“Princess!”

Chang Jun and Danzhu, who were ahead, immediately stopped in their tracks.

Lizhu scrambled up in one motion, shaking her head to fling off the snow and mud on her face.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, don’t mind me—”

She blinked, as though something had suddenly occurred to her.

“I know now. Danzhu, you and the others go toward the mountainside. Gu Bing’an, take your men to the stream below. Chang Jun and I will go to the mountaintop.”

“The mountaintop?”

Gu Bing’an said, “The mountaintop is wide open, with nowhere to hide. How could the mountain lord possibly go—”

“Hurry! You need to draw the people behind us away! Any later and it’ll truly be too late!”

Lizhu was right.