Years turn into wind

As the night deepened, a tense atmosphere enveloped the entire Marshal's residence. Following Ling Xiaotian's order to capture Xu Wenzhong, his trusted confidants immediately led the guards into action, silently surrounding Xu Wenzhong's residence. However, when they rushed inside, they found the house empty, save for a burnt candlestick and a torn piece of paper.

There were only a few words on the note: "It's too late."

When Ling Xiaotian received the news, he slammed his fist on the table, seething with rage. Xu Wenzhong had apparently sensed his movements and fled early. Even worse, Xu Wenzhong had taken away a significant amount of crucial military intelligence, meaning the enemy might launch an even more intense attack soon.

"Marshal, news has come from the front line that the scale of the enemy's assembly is larger than expected." The adjutant reported nervously.

Ling Xiaotian remained silent, his brow furrowed. He had already realized that the enemy's goal wasn't just to capture a single stronghold, but to completely destroy his defenses.

Meanwhile, Cheng Yuwei, upon learning of Xu Wenzhong's escape, felt a surge of unease. She knew this meant a greater crisis was imminent. Furthermore, there must be a deeper conspiracy behind Xu Wenzhong's actions.

Late at night, Cheng Yuwei sat alone in her room, constantly thinking about how to deal with the situation. Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door.

"Who?" she asked alertly.

The door opened gently, and the person who came in was Ling Xiaotian. His expression was still stern, but there was a hint of softness in his eyes.

"Yuwei, I came to see you." Ling Xiaotian said in a low voice and walked closer to her.

Cheng Yuwei nodded and asked him to sit down, feeling somewhat comforted. Although the situation was dire, at least Ling Xiaotian was still by her side.

"Xu Wenzhong escaped, and he took away a lot of our intelligence." Ling Xiaotian took a deep breath, a heavy look in his eyes. "There may be a bigger battle next, or even a war we can't predict."

Cheng Yuwei was silent for a moment, and finally said, "I'm afraid Xu Wenzhong isn't just backed by the enemy. He's trying to dismantle your power from within, so he must be deeply colluding with external forces."

Ling Xiaotian nodded: "Yes, I have been secretly investigating. But don't worry, I will handle this matter personally."

Cheng Yuwei looked at him, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She knew Ling Xiaotian had been carrying too much pressure lately. Not only did he have to face external enemies, but he also had to guard against the threats lurking around him. And although she had done her best to help him, she still felt that she hadn't done enough.

"Xiaotian," she said softly, holding his hand gently, "no matter what happens, I will face it with you."

Ling Xiaotian looked at her, a hint of tenderness in his eyes. He then leaned over and gently kissed her forehead. "As long as you are here, I won't be afraid."

However, the sudden attack the next morning plunged the Marshal's Mansion into deeper chaos.

Ling Xiaotian had just received a report from the front lines: the enemy had launched a massive attack on the southeastern defense line, and the fighting was extremely fierce. At the same time, the reconnaissance team he had sent back brought back shocking news—the enemy commander was none other than Lu Sheng.

"Lu Sheng?" Cheng Yuwei's expression changed slightly when she heard the name.

The name was familiar to her. Lu Sheng was Ling Xiaotian's old rival, an extremely cunning and dangerous warlord. The two had clashed on the battlefield several times, and Lu Sheng had always been able to accurately grasp Ling Xiaotian's weaknesses. This time, he was clearly well prepared.

"Lu Sheng is going all out this time. He's clearly aware of all our deployments." Ling Xiaotian's tone was calm and resolute. "It seems Xu Wenzhong isn't just a traitor. The forces behind him are even more powerful than we imagined."

Cheng Yuwei's heart tightened. She vaguely felt that Shen Yirong's shadow seemed to be looming in this conspiracy.

While the Marshal's Mansion was busy dealing with the battle on the front lines, Shen Yirong was secretly plotting a new plan. She knew that Ling Xiaotian had begun to suspect a traitor within the Mansion. Although Xu Wenzhong had been exposed, her other pawns remained undiscovered.

Her goal is clear - not only to overthrow Ling Xiaotian, but also to make Cheng Yuwei completely disappear from this world. As long as Cheng Yuwei is still by Ling Xiaotian's side, she will never be able to gain Ling Xiaotian's full trust and affection.

"Madam, everything has been arranged. That noble person will take action soon." Shen Yirong's personal maid reported in a low voice.

Shen Yirong sneered: "Very good. As long as Ling Xiaotian falls into chaos, we have a chance."

A vicious light flashed in her eyes. Her next action would not only target Ling Xiaotian, but also directly attack Cheng Yuwei.

Fighting raged across the front lines, with Ling Xiaotian personally directing the battle. Under his leadership, the southeastern defense line stubbornly resisted Lu Sheng's fierce attacks. However, he knew this was only the beginning of a tough battle. Lu Sheng's strategies were flexible and varied, and he always seemed to be able to predict their movements in advance.

"This battle is too precise. The enemy knows our deployment better than we do." Ling Xiaotian sat in the command room with a frown on his face.

Cheng Yuwei stood beside him, pondering how to break the impasse. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind: "Xiaotian, since the enemy can always predict our actions in advance, can we use this to our advantage and do the opposite?"

Ling Xiaotian looked up at her, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "Are you saying that we can deliberately leak some false information?"

Cheng Yuwei nodded: "Yes. Since we know there is a traitor, why not deliberately create some false intelligence to lure the enemy into the trap. This way, we will have a chance to fight back."

Ling Xiaotian pondered for a moment, a glimmer of hope gradually flashing in his eyes: "This is a good idea. We can use the intelligence channels left by Xu Wenzhong to deliberately pass some false information to the enemy."

The two quickly formulated a plan and decided to leak false information to the enemy, deliberately making Lu Sheng mistakenly believe that Ling Xiaotian's army would gather at a key stronghold, so as to launch a surprise counterattack in actual action.

In the next few days, the situation inside and outside the Marshal's Mansion remained tense, but behind the surface calm, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei were quietly laying a tight net, waiting for the enemy to take the bait.

Meanwhile, Shen Yirong was secretly plotting her scheme, intending to use a banquet to completely eliminate Cheng Yuwei. She had already arranged assassins, waiting for the moment of the banquet.

As the war continued to spread, the real crisis approached step by step, and no one realized that the turning point of fate was about to come.