Years turn into wind

A few days of peace allowed Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian to temporarily let down their guard. However, they both knew that Lu Sheng would never give up easily. He was insidious and cunning, with many tricks, and he was always waiting for a new opportunity.

That day, Ling Xiaotian received urgent news from the front lines. The northern garrison had been suddenly attacked, resulting in heavy losses. Upon hearing this news, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei both realized it was a sign of Lu Sheng's return.

"It seems that he has no intention of letting us live an easy life." Cheng Yuwei put down the military newspaper in her hand, frowned slightly, and felt heavy in her heart.

Ling Xiaotian narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold and stern: "Lu Sheng's counterattack is indeed fierce, but no matter how cunning he is this time, I will never let him succeed so easily."

Cheng Yuwei thought for a moment, then gently held Ling Xiaotian's hand, her tone firm: "Xiaotian, if that's the case, why don't we take the initiative to attack, break his defenses, and completely crush his arrogance."

Ling Xiaotian smiled slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "Sure enough, you are the person I have my eyes on. You really think further than I thought."

Cheng Yuwei blushed slightly when she heard his praise, but she still analyzed calmly: "The location of this raid is a weak point in our defense line. Obviously, someone inside leaked the information."

Ling Xiaotian nodded, his eyes darkening: "It seems that there is indeed a traitor lurking in the mansion."

Cheng Yuwei's heart tightened. After thinking for a moment, she said, "We can use false information to lure the snake out of its hole and see if we can follow the clues and catch the traitor in one fell swoop."

Ling Xiaotian's eyes flashed with admiration when he heard this. He looked at Cheng Yuwei before him, and his heart was once again reassured of this woman's determination and wisdom.

A few days later, Cheng Yuwei, as planned, spread a false intelligence report within the mansion, claiming that Ling Xiaotian was secretly moving troops north to attack Lu Sheng's base from the flank. Soon, this "intelligence" reached Lu Sheng, who, as expected, fell for it. He deployed troops to strengthen the defense and even mobilized a large number of elite troops for an ambush.

During this time, Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian launched a joint investigation to identify the traitor. Several generals and close associates in the palace became the focus of their observation, especially an adjutant named Li Chen, who kept a low profile but often appeared at critical moments.

Cheng Yuwei noticed something unusual about Li Chen and decided to test him further. That night, she deliberately discussed the next "action plan" with Ling Xiaotian in the corridor and arranged for someone to observe Li Chen's movements from the shadows. Sure enough, within the first night, Li Chen sneaked out of the mansion under cover of darkness and headed straight for a secluded teahouse.

Cheng Yuwei then led her men to follow quietly, and indeed saw Li Chen meeting with a mysterious man in the back room of the teahouse. Through the cracks in the window, she vaguely heard the two of them whispering about how to pass on more military intelligence.

She immediately ordered her men to surround the teahouse and capture the two men. Seeing them captured, Li Chen's face turned pale, but he still refused to confess easily. Cheng Yuwei looked at him coldly, holding the secret letter he had failed to send, her eyes like a sharp knife piercing his heart.

"Li Chen, you dare to betray Marshal Ling, have you ever thought about what will happen to you?" Cheng Yuwei said coldly, her eyes sharp and fierce.

Li Chen finally showed signs of panic, knowing his situation was hopeless. He bowed his head and confessed. It turned out that Lu Sheng had planted numerous undercover agents within Ling Xiaotian's camp, and Li Chen was one of them. After several rounds of interrogation, he revealed all of Lu Sheng's spy bases.

When Ling Xiaotian learned the truth, he quickly sent troops to clear out these strongholds and successfully dismantled Lu Sheng's secret forces.

A few days later, after a series of cleanups and appeasements, the situation in the palace finally stabilized. Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei stood side by side on the city wall, overlooking the vast landscape, their hearts filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment.

As the night deepened and a cool breeze blew, Ling Xiaotian gently placed his cloak on Cheng Yuwei's shoulders and looked at her affectionately: "Yuwei, I'm so grateful for you these days. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have been thrown off balance by Lu Sheng's conspiracy long ago."

Cheng Yuwei looked up at him and shook her head gently: "Xiaotian, this is what I should do. You and I are on the same path, and I will not let anyone shake your position."

Ling Xiaotian's eyes flashed with a complex emotion, as if he wanted to say something, but hesitated. He finally slowly approached her, gently held her hand, and whispered, "Yuwei, having you by my side is the greatest blessing of my life."

Cheng Yuwei was slightly startled, then smiled softly and said softly: "No matter if there are mountains of swords and seas of fire ahead, I will accompany you all the way."

Ling Xiaotian looked at her, his eyes filled with tenderness. He slowly lowered his head and gently placed his forehead against hers, his gaze focused and gentle. As the two of them stared at each other in silence, the stars in the night sky seemed to twinkle for them, casting a warm glow.

At this moment, a confidant hurried over, breaking the silence: "General, Lu Sheng sent an envoy, saying that he wants to discuss reconciliation with you."

Ling Xiaotian's face darkened, and he suppressed his tenderness. He said in a cold voice, "Lu Sheng's sudden desire to reconcile is definitely not a change of heart."

Cheng Yuwei also immediately became alert: "This is probably a delaying tactic, or there may be other intentions."

Ling Xiaotian nodded and calmly analyzed: "Since he has taken the initiative to come to us, let's meet him and see what he wants to do."

The next day, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei met with Lu Sheng's envoy in the lobby. The envoy was all smiles and flattering words, trying to show that Lu Sheng "desired peace" and was willing to sign an alliance with Ling Xiaotian to stop the dispute.

Ling Xiaotian looked at the envoy coldly and asked expressionlessly, "Since Lu Sheng wanted to negotiate peace, why did he suddenly attack our camp?"

The envoy looked embarrassed and forced a smile. "Your Excellency, it's just a misunderstanding. General Lu is also in a difficult situation and hopes to join hands with you to defeat the enemy."

Cheng Yuwei sneered and looked at the messenger with a sharp gaze: "Your 'sincerity' is really hard to believe. If you tell even a single lie, I'm afraid you won't have a chance to leave here alive."

The envoy's face changed, and he broke out in a cold sweat. He had to take his leave in a hurry. Cheng Yuwei looked at his departing figure, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes. She vaguely felt that behind this "peace talk", there must be a bigger conspiracy hidden.

Late at night, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei sat in their study, intensely discussing countermeasures. Ling Xiaotian said calmly, "Since Lu Sheng has sent people to negotiate peace, he must have some ulterior motive. We must not take it lightly."

Cheng Yuwei nodded, a determined glint in her eyes. "In that case, why don't we do the opposite? Since he wants to reconcile, let's give him a taste of 'peace', hold him back, and when our army is strengthened, we'll give him a fatal blow."

After hearing this, Ling Xiaotian smiled approvingly: "Yuwei, you are becoming more and more strategic. With you by my side, I have nothing to worry about."

Cheng Yuwei smiled faintly, but a sense of unease remained. She knew Lu Sheng was ruthless and would never give up easily. The two exchanged glances. Although they depended on each other for survival, they both knew in their hearts that the current peace was just an illusion, and the real storm might not yet come.