34. They are in danger.

Night at the Military Camp

After dinner, Yue’er took the excuse of going for a walk to stroll around the military camp, though in truth she was observing for anything suspicious. She approached a tent guarded by soldiers, noticing that the number of guards there was twice that of those outside General Huan Cheng’s main tent. In her mind, Yue’er wondered: Is this where the provisions are stored, or perhaps the armory?

Knowing she couldn’t openly enter, she continued walking. Suddenly, she overheard a conversation behind her that gave her cause for suspicion.

After several rounds of drinking, Vice General Pi Li approached the very tent Yue’er had noticed. He asked a nearby sentry, “Has anyone been to this general’s tent recently?” It seemed odd that a vice general’s tent was so heavily guarded—wasn’t that unusual?

One soldier replied respectfully, “No, General. Rest assured, we are on watch and no one can sneak in unnoticed.”

But that was the biggest flaw—they seemed too conspicuous. The more Yue’er observed, the stranger it seemed. It almost felt like the true power in the camp wasn’t General Huan Cheng, but Vice General Pi Li. Yue’er was puzzled and decided to wait until later at night to sneak in and see what was inside.

But plans rarely keep pace with changes. While Yue’er was still waiting for the right moment, she suddenly heard noise at the camp entrance. Haiming raised his voice, shouting, “Top Scholar Yang! Lord Xuanyuan! Lord Xuanyuan...”

Haiming’s heart was anxious; three lives rested in his hands. If he was too late, Zhao Chengxian and the others would be in grave danger, including his own twin brother.

Just as the guards were about to report the disturbance, Yue’er arrived. Seeing Haiming, she immediately knew something was wrong on Zhao Chengxian’s side. She hurriedly commanded the soldiers, “Open the gate! He is a subordinate of Lord Xuanyuan!” When the guards hesitated, she pressed, “If you delay Lord Xuanyuan’s urgent matter, can you bear the consequences?” After a moment’s thought, the soldiers opened the gate, letting Haiming in.

Leading him toward Fei Shu’s tent, Yue’er asked, “Did you discover something?” Of course they had—if Zhao Chengxian hadn’t found something, why would Haiming have come all this way? Yue’er’s anxiety made her momentarily lose her composure.

Soon, inside Fei Shu’s tent, Fei Shu and the two chief guards of the Jun Wang Mansion, Ying Hua and Yuan Bin, were discussing their next reconnaissance target. As Haiming entered, he recounted the entire situation. He concluded, “The prince said to take soldiers from the camp to set an ambush. Bring plenty of archers. Our soldiers must rely on cunning and use fireworks as signals. We must act swiftly. The prince and his group will move after midnight!”

They all understood the stakes—if they failed to arrive in time, the consequences would be dire.

Yue’er’s heart throbbed in her throat. She said nervously, “Are they in danger?” Now more than ever, she had to keep calm. Taking deep breaths, she tried to quell her unease and think of a solution.

Fei Shu stood and said, “We should find General Huan Cheng and have him immediately dispatch troops to capture those Tatars!” But he was oversimplifying. If General Huan Cheng was colluding with the Tatars, rushing him would be walking into a trap.

Yue’er grabbed Fei Shu’s arm. “We can’t say it’s a direct operation against the Tatars. I suspect someone in the camp is colluding with them. We need a better excuse.” After hearing Haiming’s report, Yue’er’s suspicion of Pi Li only deepened.

Haiming agreed, “Yes, acting rashly will only lead to losses.” For matters requiring careful thought, Ying Hua and Yuan Bin usually stayed silent. In the prince’s mansion, guards rarely offered plans—Zhao Chengxian handled it all himself.

Impatient, Fei Shu said, “This is too troublesome. Hurry up! If we’re late, Brother Chengxian’s life will be lost!” He didn’t realize Yue’er was even more anxious—he worried about how he’d report back to Lord Xuanyuan.

Yue’er snapped at Fei Shu, “Don’t jinx it! The prince will be safe!” Everyone stared at her, thinking her reaction a bit extreme. Then she proposed an idea, “What if we say that Haiming carries an imperial edict to request soldiers from General Huan Cheng to assist the Ministry of Justice in capturing a fugitive wanted by the court? We can station troops at the mountain foot for an ambush and signal with arrows once they act. We only need the troops for tonight. Would that excuse work?”

The others nodded in agreement. Together, they went to find General Huan Cheng. Fei Shu admired Yue’er’s quick thinking in such a tense moment. He believed her title as Top Scholar was truly well-earned.