The Road to Glory

Chapter 94: Traitor

After leaving the banquet hall with the Shadow Guard, Li Xun arrived at a secluded rock garden of artificial hills. A figure emerged from the shadows and presented a confidential letter.

Li Xun opened it, and upon reading its contents, his expression changed drastically. He immediately instructed the Shadow Guard accompanying him, "Summon Fan Yuan at once."

Wen Yu had just returned to her quarters and rested briefly when she heard Zhao Bai hurriedly enter the outer chamber. It seemed he had urgent news to report. His hand brushed against the bead curtain separating the inner and outer rooms, causing a faint rustling sound, but he hesitated to part the beads, uncertain whether he should disturb her rest.

Wen Yu opened her eyes and asked, "What is it?"

Seeing that she was awake, Zhao Bai finally drew aside the curtain and entered. "There is news regarding the Yongzhou Manor Guard you previously ordered me to locate," he reported.

The weariness on Wen Yu’s face lessened slightly.

Shortly after, Tong Que and Cen An were brought in. Both were travel-worn and weary, clearly having endured considerable hardship along the way.

At the sight of Wen Yu, Tong Que was already weeping with joy. As she and Cen An knelt to pay their respects, she repeatedly wiped her tears.

Having experienced so much, Wen Yu’s heart was filled with complex emotions upon seeing them again. She stepped forward to help them rise. "There is no need for such formalities. Ever since arriving in Pingzhou, I have had people searching for you, but we received no news…"

Mid-sentence, she noticed the empty sleeve hanging from Cen An’s left arm and paused. "Guard Cen’s arm…"

Tong Que lowered her head, her eyes red. "Brother Cen lost his arm protecting me."

Wen Yu had them seated and inquired about what happened after they diverted the pursuers. She learned that, like Xiao Li, Cen An had abandoned his horse and taken Tong Que to escape via small paths. However, Tong Que had been struck by an arrow in the leg and could not walk, forcing Cen An to carry her.

Given the urgency of the situation, there was no time to treat Tong Que’s leg wound. After the pursuers caught up with the lone horse and realized they had been tricked, they turned back and searched along the route. Following the trail of blood on the ground, they soon caught up with the pair. Outnumbered, Cen An ultimately lost an arm while shielding Tong Que.

Tong Que said with deep remorse, "After the pursuers realized I was not you, most of them turned back to chase you and Martyr Xiao. Brother Cen and I barely escaped with our lives, but our injuries were too severe to continue searching for you and Martyr Xiao. We had no choice but to hide in a village to recover. By the time we were well enough to travel, we heard that Pingzhou and Meng Province, as well as Xinzhou and Yizhou, were at war, and the southern routes were completely cut off. We could only wait for an opportunity while attempting to contact other surviving Zhou Manor Guards. Unexpectedly, we had to wait until the blockade of Xinzhou and Yizhou was lifted before we could finally enter Pingzhou."

Shortly after Wen Yu captured Meng Province, Pei Song abandoned Yizhou. To conceal the fact that he had obtained an empty city, Wei Qishan sealed off the southern routes from Xinzhou and Yizhou. Consequently, Tong Que and Cen An, like many other refugees, were trapped within the city.

Wen Yu said, "You have suffered greatly."

Tong Que quickly shook her head. "It was our duty. We are ashamed that we failed to escort you safely to Pingzhou. Fortunately, Martyr Xiao’s courage and righteousness ensured your safety. Otherwise, even if we had died by the blades of Pei Song’s Hawk Hounds, we would have had no face to meet Lord Zhou."Wen Yu had just been conferred the title of princess today, and Tong Que hadn't yet grown accustomed to it, still instinctively addressing her as "Princess" when she spoke. But at this moment, no one paid attention to the slip in address.

When Wen Yu heard her mention Xiao Li, her gaze dimmed slightly, but she showed no intention of elaborating. She only said, "If not for the two of you diverting the pursuers that day, I might not have escaped from the Hawk Hounds. The injuries you sustained were no minor wounds, and with all the hiding and fleeing along the way, I doubt you've had proper time to recuperate. For now, settle in the main courtyard."

As she spoke, Wen Yu looked at Zhao Bai: "Later, have the manor physician examine them and prescribe some restorative medicine."

Zhao Bai nodded in acknowledgment.

"Princess! Official Li Yao has urgent matters to report!" A maid's voice suddenly called from outside the door.

Wen Yu seemed to frown slightly, but knowing her teacher would seek her out at such an hour meant it was undoubtedly important. After dismissing the maid, she said to Zhao Bai, "Take them to get settled first."

Zhao Bai accepted the order and led Tong Que and Cen An out. As they descended the stone steps, they happened to see Li Yao striding hurriedly toward them from the other end of the wooden corridor.

Cen An and Tong Que knew little about the current situation in Pingzhou and didn't recognize Li Yao, but they could guess this white-haired elder must be an important official under Wen Yu's command. Regarding political affairs, both tactfully refrained from asking too many questions.

Zhao Bai glanced at Li Yao's figure and subtly furrowed his brow.

Cen An suddenly asked, "By the way, I heard General Xiao has been achieving repeated merits in Pingzhou. With the banquet at the manor today, is he present? We haven't seen him since we parted ways outside Tongzhou. If convenient, we'd like to catch up with him briefly."

Having served in the Zhou manor for many years, Cen An was adept at handling situations. Asking about such matters was partly out of genuine desire to see Xiao Li, and partly to find conversation topics to help Tong Que and the surviving Zhou manor guards who had luckily reached Pingzhou integrate into this new place quickly.

From the moment Zhou Jing'an assigned them to Wen Yu, they had become her people.

Having risked their lives protecting Wen Yu during the journey south, she remembered their contributions. But now that the situation in Pingzhou had stabilized, Wen Yu wasn't short of personnel.

Unless they intended to retire completely, if they wanted to continue following Wen Yu, they would inevitably need to interact with the current Pingzhou manor guards.

They were all blades in Wen Yu's hands, but which blade would be more handy to the master depended not only on the blade's sharpness but also on its ability to discern the master's intentions.

Furthermore, it depended on how the blades coexisted.

No master wanted to see their own blades turning against each other, so whether dealing with superiors or subordinates, there were nuances in speech and conduct.

Zhao Bai was pondering whether Li Yao's visit concerned Xiao Li's resignation and departure when he heard Cen An's question. He answered expressionlessly, "Banditry in the surrounding areas is severe. General Xiao entered the mountains days ago to suppress the bandits and hasn't returned yet."

Having witnessed the banditry that arose after the war during their journey, Cen An and Tong Que didn't doubt this response.

When Li Yao entered the study Wen Yu had set up in the main courtyard, the servants had already brought fresh tea.

Wen Yu personally lifted the teapot to pour him a cup, but before she could invite him to sit, Li Yao directly bowed and said, "I implore Your Highness to order the immediate arrest of Bandit Pei's spy, Xiao Li!"

Wen Yu's wrist paused, the clear stream from the purple clay pot retracting. She frowned, "What do you mean by this, Teacher?"Li Yao placed the letter sent from Mozhou on the low table, his agitation boiling over as he exclaimed, "The Crown Princess has written, personally identifying Xiao Li as a spy planted by Pei Song!"

Wen Heng had been posthumously honored as Crown Prince Chengjia, so the Crown Princess Li Yao referred to was none other than Jiang Yichu.

Previously, all secret correspondence with Jiang Yichu had been personally reviewed by Wen Yu. However, with her impending marriage to Southern Chen, any urgent messages from Jiang Yichu would need to be sent to the royal court for her review before she could issue orders to Pingzhou—a process that would undoubtedly cause delays.

Therefore, when transferring administrative duties recently, Wen Yu had also handed over the authority to handle these secret letters to Li Yao. He would make emergency decisions first, then have them swiftly delivered to Southern Chen for her follow-up deployment.

Hearing Li Yao's furious words, Wen Yu raised the corners of her eyes, almost instinctively refuting, "That's impossible."

Noticing Wen Yu's protective stance toward Xiao Li, Li Yao's expression darkened further. "I know this young man has shown you kindness and repeatedly achieved great merits, resolving Pingzhou's crises. It's difficult for you to believe he is a spy, but I implore you to read the letter before drawing conclusions."

Detecting something unusual in Li Yao's tone, Wen Yu picked up the letter from the table and carefully unfolded it to read.

As her eyes scanned line after line of the handwriting, her expression remained unchanged, though her gaze grew increasingly profound.

Li Yao seethed with resentment. "That Pei dog has set up a masterful scheme! First, he used the vengeance for his mother's death to infiltrate your side without raising suspicion, then dispatched Hawk Hounds to feign pursuit, having him risk his life to protect you and earn your trust. It's also my fault for being an old fool—when I saw his military tactics resembled Qin Yi's, I should have sensed something amiss! He is Qin Yi's disciple, lurking by your side to covet the three provinces and one commandery under your control in one fell swoop!"

Wen Yu set down the letter. "There are many suspicious aspects to this letter. I once received kindness from his mother and stayed at his home for a period, but never observed any interactions between him and Pei Song. On the contrary, it was because he thwarted the plans of Huo Kun, the deputy general of Yongzhou who defected to Pei Song, that his entire family was massacred."

Li Yao retorted sharply, "What if Huo Kun's attempt to kill him was also an act?"

Wen Yu countered, "If Huo Kun had controlled Lord Zhou, all of Yongzhou would have been in Pei Song's grasp. If Xiao Li were Pei Song's man, why would Pei Song have them stage such a drama, resulting in Huo Kun's death in Yongzhou and ultimately forcing Lord Zhou to hang himself in surrender?"

Li Yao argued, "That Pei brat has always been perverse. He might have discarded a petty man like Huo Kun simply because he despised Huo Kun's eagerness to switch allegiances like a rat. Having those two put on an act was likely to force you into the open! Zhou Jing'an's suicide was truly an unforeseen variable that disrupted his calculations, temporarily stalling his advance into Yongzhou. Princess, do not let past favors blind you!"

Remembering that he had instructed Fan Yuan to first detain Xiao Li, only to learn that Xiao Li had suddenly resigned and left Pingzhou two days prior, Li Yao grew even more anxious. He urged vehemently, "I ordered Fan Yuan to apprehend this young man, but was informed that he had already relinquished his military post and departed Pingzhou. Isn't this a clear case of fleeing upon hearing the news to avoid punishment? I heard you were aware of this, Princess, and I do not know why you did not pursue it earlier. But I beg you to prioritize the greater situation and immediately order his arrest! He knows many of Pingzhou's secrets. If he escapes back to Pei Song's side, it will be greatly detrimental to Great Liang!""He is not a spy." Wen Yu spoke again, her tone still calm and resolute, explaining: "His siblings died in the chaos when Huo Kun seized Yongzhou, and his mother nearly met with disaster as well. Who would go to such lengths in their act? Moreover, if this scheme were to force me to reveal myself, they could simply capture and torture me if they suspected me—why go through such elaborate measures? After confirming my identity, there were plenty of opportunities to take my life—why would they need to risk their lives to escort me south?"

Seeing that Wen Yu remained obstinate, Li Yao grew both anxious and angry. Pointing at the letter sent by Jiang Yichu, he asked: "If he is not a spy, does Your Highness mean to say that the Crown Princess’s letter is forged? That scoundrel and Bandit Pei initially conspired to gain Your Highness’s trust, waiting for an opportunity to join forces with the bandit and seize Pingzhou in one fell swoop. Naturally, they would be ruthless enough to stage a few acts of self-sacrifice. Your Highness must not be deceived by him!"

The letter had been presented after the secret emblem and patterns on the envelope were verified by subordinates. Even the handwriting on the letter was unmistakably familiar to Wen Yu—it was indeed her sister-in-law’s own writing.

She said: "Do not be angry, Master. Just as I allowed Yan Que to pass false information to Pei Song before his execution, I fear this may also be one of Pei Song’s treacherous schemes. The secret emblem and handwriting are flawless, but if Pei Song already knew that my sister-in-law was secretly in contact with me and deliberately set this trap, we would be walking right into his hands by falling for it."

Li Yao was well aware of Wen Yu’s temperament. This disciple, whom he had taken under his wing in his twilight years, had always satisfied him with her methods and resolve. Yet today, she had repeatedly defended a traitorous general with ironclad evidence and even suppressed news of his resignation and disappearance.

The suspicion he had previously suppressed now resurfaced, burning like a fierce flame in his heart, searing his very organs with pain.

He absolutely would not allow the royal princess he supported to be ruined by such vile, manipulative tactics!

Li Yao looked sternly at Wen Yu and demanded: "The mere fact that he studied under Qin Yi is already irrefutable proof! Your Highness repeatedly makes excuses for that Xiao scoundrel. This old minister dares to ask: What regard does Your Highness hold for the lives of the subjects in the three provinces and one commandery? And what does Your Highness consider the cause of vengeance to be?"

Wen Yu raised her eyes to meet Li Yao’s gaze, her expression sharp as lightning: "Master, I act this way for my own considerations. In his later years, Ming Chengdi grew muddled and paranoid—how many loyal ministers and capable generals were wrongfully killed? The foundation of Great Liang began to crumble step by step from that time. Now, upholding the legacy of my father and brother, I have endured countless hardships to reach this point. Does Master expect me to rather kill the innocent than spare the guilty based solely on a secret letter? Whether Xiao Li studied under Qin Yi cannot be verified beyond this letter and the military tactics he displayed. Whether his mother is truly dead or held captive by Pei Song is also unknown. With so many unresolved doubts, how can I brand a meritorious subject as a traitor?"

Li Yao stared at Wen Yu, refusing to yield an inch: "If Your Highness wishes to be a virtuous ruler, this old minister has nothing to say. But now that Xiao Li is suspected of being a spy and has suddenly resigned and disappeared without a trace, this old minister dare not gamble with the foundation of Great Liang and the lives of hundreds of thousands of subjects!"

Wen Yu’s fingertips turned white from clenching: "I was aware of his resignation. It was not because he heard rumors and fled. After the posthumous honors ceremony, we still need to discuss the tripartite alliance with Chen and Northern Wei. I suppressed the news to avoid complications."

Li Yao pressed relentlessly: "May I ask why he resigned?"Wen Yu closed her eyes. "Sir, this is General Xiao's private matter."

These words undoubtedly strengthened the suspicion in Li Yao's heart. His anger grew even more intense. After uttering three consecutive "good"s, he directly swept his robe aside and knelt before Wen Yu, leaning on his cane. "Even if Xiao Li's status as a spy remains debatable, this matter concerns the foundation of Great Liang and the lives of the subjects in three provinces and one county! This old minister implores Your Highness to first dispatch the Azure Guard to bring this man back to Pingzhou for further deliberation!"

He gazed at Wen Yu, his voice resolute and solemn: "If this old minister has wronged him, once everything is investigated, I am willing to kneel and kowtow to apologize to him!"

This was essentially coercion.

The Azure Guard was precisely the Shadow Guard that currently served Wen Yu in secret.

The wind sweeping through the hall stirred Wen Yu's hair and robes. Looking at the elder kneeling before her, she suddenly understood in that moment what it meant to be "lonely at the top."

The further she walked on this path, the less she remained herself—she was merely the Princess of Great Liang, with no room for error.

In that instant, she couldn't discern whether her heart felt melancholy or bewildered. In the end, she only uttered one clear, deep word: "Granted.""