The Inside Story

Wen Chan: "Indeed. I provided both people and effort, repeatedly advised him not to court death, and in the end, because my words weren't pleasant enough, I earned General Lu's dislike. What kind of world is this."

The chill in her words was like the blade of a snow-forged knife, indiscriminately sweeping across the back of everyone's necks. Everyone simultaneously sucked in a cold breath, collectively casting Lu Shuo glances that said, 'You're on your own.'

Wen Chan leisurely glanced at the stupefied Lu Shuo. "Still not satisfied? What, do you need me to kneel and beg you not to die?"

Pei Rusong silently shut his mouth tight, retreated behind the Princess, and wholeheartedly pretended he was a hired thug just there to stand guard.

Lu Shuo: "..."

He took a deep breath, suppressing the dull, surging pain in his chest, and said with lowered eyes and a submissive air, "Perhaps this subordinate should just continue kneeling."

Compared to how some people show weakness, his attempt was as subtle as a solid club, and Wen Chan wasn't buying it at all. "No need. In case my ancestors visit me in my dreams, saying I humiliated a loyal official, I couldn't bear the responsibility." She said coolly, "Let's talk business."

Lu Shuo was different from the traditional scions of military families. Unlike those who grew up in military camps, accompanied by long spears and spirited horses, looking up to see vast lands and boundless territories, he had been brought into the palace to be raised since he was a child, studying and practicing martial arts alongside the various princes. He thrived on schemes and intrigues, and the first things he learned were not loyalty and righteousness, but rather "hiding one's capabilities and biding one's time" and "enduring without acting."

As the sole remaining heir of the Lu Clan, it was expected that he would grow up safely. But if he grew too strong, inadvertently outshining someone or attracting unwanted attention, it was feared some unexpected accidents might occur.

He found it difficult to fully trust others; this was true for his own subordinates, and it was also true for the Princess who had recruited him. Although he had agreed to join Deep Forest, his initial plan was merely to use the Princess's power to gain a foothold in Wuyuan and build up his own influence—how could he have known that the Wuyuan Commandery was a bottomless sewer? Forget gaining a foothold; he was fortunate enough not to have his boat capsize and drown.

"Previously, Your Highness said that Xiao Dingfang and the King of Chuohan, Jian Yuduo, were secretly in collusion, and might also be involved in corruption and bribery. After I arrived in Wuyuan, I did indeed face considerable obstruction. Wuyuan was like an impenetrable fortress, extremely hostile to outsiders. It was difficult for me to integrate, and almost impossible to access confidential military intelligence. Every day, I could only follow orders and drill."

"Over the past year, I secretly searched for evidence of Xiao Dingfang's dealings with the Chuohan Tribe and discovered they were doing something deadly."

Wen Chan waited for him to continue, her expression unchanged. She was already aware of Xiao Dingfang's crimes from her past life: colluding with foreign tribes, letting bandits run rampant to increase his own importance, and embezzling military funds... Although they all sounded deadly, the Emperor, considering his countless merits in his early years and the fact that Virtuous Consort Xiao had borne him a son, ultimately let his merits offset his demerits, demoting him to a remote place without actually taking his life.

But then she heard Lu Shuo say, "There are iron mines in the You Mountain range of Wuyuan Commandery. Xiao Dingfang and his men are secretly mining and smelting it, smuggling ironware to the Chuohan Tribe, which then flows from the Chuohan to the Tongluo, in exchange for large amounts of gold and silver..."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Wen Chan and Pei Rusong both choked at the same time. Lu Shuo was bewildered, "What's wrong?"

The two exchanged a shocked glance. Wen Chan pinched the bridge of her nose, forced herself to calm down, and gestured for him to continue. "It's nothing. You're just too capable..."

In her past life, they couldn't investigate Xiao Dingfang with such foreknowledge. At first, no one knew if the Military Governor of Wuyuan was good or bad; they were all crossing the river by feeling for stones. It wasn't until two or three years after Lu Shuo arrived in Wuyuan that he gradually uncovered the man's true colors. Wen Chan had thought those few crimes were the whole story, but she never expected the waters of Wuyuan Commandery to be so much deeper than they appeared, with an earth-shattering secret hidden beneath.

Lu Shuo didn't hear the sincerity in her praise and thought the Princess was being sarcastic again. He couldn't help but feel a little stifled. "Xiao Dingfang must have sensed that I was secretly investigating him. He tried to win me over a few times, but I managed to put him off. When he saw I wouldn't join him, he's been trying to find a way to eliminate me ever since."

"In this battle at Gaolong River, Xiao Dingfang sent me as the vanguard to engage the Tongluo army first, but he delayed sending reinforcements. He only sent his troops out to take advantage of the situation after all the men I led were wiped out." Lu Shuo looked at He Lanzhi and gave him a slight nod. "Although I was prepared, the situation amidst the chaotic battle was extremely perilous. Thanks to Your Highness arranging for Peacock to provide support, I was able to luckily preserve my life and return to Pingjing alive."

For Xiao Dingfang to eliminate a figure like Lu Shuo, who was favored by the Emperor, he needed a reasonable justification. A careless "unnatural death" would certainly arouse the Emperor's suspicion, and it would be even more troublesome if he sent people to investigate. Therefore, using the opportunity of the Tongluo Khan drilling his troops on the border, he meticulously designed a grand, heroic drama for Lu Shuo—for a military general, what better way to die is there than "sacrificing oneself for the country"?

Wen Chan's expression softened slightly. "The great victory at Wuyuan was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but upon learning that your whereabouts were unknown, His Majesty was deeply grieved. When you appear before him alive and well, he would be willing to cut down ten Xiao Dingfangs, let alone one, to vent your anger."

"Your Highness."

There was not a trace of joy on Lu Shuo's face. He watched her quietly and said in a hoarse voice, "There was no great victory at Wuyuan."

Wen Chan's heart suddenly sank. "What do you mean?"

"The literal meaning," Lu Shuo said. "Xiao Dingfang was perhaps planning to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, sacrificing my unit in exchange for an opportunity for the main army to charge. But the Tongluo army was tougher than he imagined. His plan failed, the Wuyuan defenders were defeated, and there was no great victory at all."

For a moment, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Silence pressed down in the middle of the room like a giant boulder. After a long while, Wen Chan stood up and said, "I understand. Rest and recuperate well. The most urgent task is to recover from your injuries. Don't worry about anything else for now."

"Your Highness!"

Lu Shuo propped himself up from the bed, pressing the wound on his right chest, and pleaded with difficulty, "Let me see His Majesty."

Wen Chan stopped in her tracks. "The palace has many eyes and ears. Once you show your face, the news of your faked death can no longer be hidden. Xiao Dingfang will soon find out and erase all traces before the imperial envoy arrives. Moreover, if the imperial envoy is bribed by him and turns around to bite you back, all the hardships you've suffered on your journey will have been for nothing."

Lu Shuo knew all too well the palace's style of feigning compliance while acting in defiance, and he knew in his heart that what Wen Chan said was not without reason. But he had already come ninety-nine percent of the way; only the final step remained. It was truly hard to accept. "I understand Your Highness's concerns. However, things have come to this point, and there is no room for retreat. I can only stake everything on one final effort, and I hope Your Highness will assist me."

Wen Chan's gaze shifted back to Lu Shuo, her tone unable to hide a slight mockery. "When you were acting willfully, Your Highness couldn't even hold you back, and now you remember 'Your Highness' again? Since General Lu's words are so effective, why don't you just become my superior?"

Lu Shuo: 'Why am I being scolded again?'

However, Lu Shuo had one praiseworthy trait: once he was back under the Emperor's nose, he would automatically restrain his rebellious spirit, swiftly softening and becoming adaptable. "I wouldn't dare. It's just that this subordinate has no foundation in the court, and besides Your Highness, there is no one else I can rely on."

"You are a member of 'Deep Forest'. Although you may not fully acknowledge it in your heart, since I have recruited you, I will honor my promise."

Wen Chan's expression was calm. Her gaze swept lightly over Lu Shuo; it wasn't piercing, but it carried the deterrence of Mount Tai crashing down. "But I'm afraid you've long forgotten what I said, haven't you?"

Without giving Lu Shuo another chance to explain, she left with her entourage, flicking her sleeves.

Lu Shuo pressed his wound and slowly lay back on the bed, pondering the meaning of her last sentence. Suddenly, a memory from last year at Ciyun Temple surfaced in his mind—Wen Chan had, contrary to her usual self, been solemn for a moment—

"You carry many burdens, but beneath all of them, the most important thing is yourself."

"You must first have a future to be able to say 'the future is long.'"

It was a pleasant thing to say, but Lu Shuo didn't dare take it seriously. If he cherished himself too much, he would fall into the bottomless pit of self-pity and self-harm long before being defeated by the enemy. Wen Chan blamed him for acting willfully, and he also knew that putting himself in harm's way was not the best strategy. But how can you catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's den? Under those circumstances, he had no better way.

However, if "Deep Forest" hadn't intervened in time, his life would likely have been completely lost amidst the chaotic battle. Afterwards, escaping from Wuyuan, returning to Pingjing, and even presenting his case before His Majesty in the future—all of it relied on the power of "Deep Forest."

The very thing he didn't trust, didn't acknowledge, and held no hope for was what supported him to the very end.

"I've boarded a pirate ship, haven't I..."

He covered his eyes with one hand. After finally resigning himself to his fate, the days of anxiety and the exhaustion from his travels burst forth like a breaking dam, completely emptying his chaotic mind. Without even realizing it himself, he quickly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.