Years turn into wind

A few days later, the atmosphere in the mansion seemed to have returned to calm, but the undercurrent had not completely subsided. Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian knew that the forces behind this turmoil had not yet revealed their full potential; the enemy was merely hiding temporarily, hoping to strike back.

Since the capture of the spy posing as a merchant, Ling Xiaotian has become more cautious, placing tighter security in his mansion. Meanwhile, Cheng Yuwei continues to secretly develop new medications, honing her medical skills while also preparing for potential crises.

One morning a month later, a secret letter quietly arrived in Ling Xiaotian's hands. The letter's contents were simple yet shocking, revealing that a high-ranking military official was considering defecting to a hostile force, and that a trusted maidservant of Cheng Yuwei might be the culprit. This news shocked Ling Xiaotian greatly, as the maidservant had been Cheng Yuwei's most trusted aide since arriving at the Marshal's Mansion. She was usually well-behaved and attentive, never betraying any signs of abnormality.

To be cautious, Ling Xiaotian decided not to alert the enemy and instead observe from the shadows. Although Cheng Yuwei trusted her maid, she also knew that in these turbulent times, any negligence could have irreversible consequences. Therefore, she delegated some sensitive matters to others to prevent leaks.

One night a few days later, Cheng Yuwei quietly came to the study and discussed with Ling Xiaotian how to test the maid. Cheng Yuwei felt mixed emotions. She didn't want to believe that the maid would betray her, but she also knew that she was in the center of the storm and had to put the overall situation first.

"Xiaotian, how about this? Since she trusts me, I might as well take the initiative to release some false news and see if she will react." Cheng Yuwei pondered for a moment and told her plan.

Ling Xiaotian nodded slightly: "This is a good idea, but we must be careful not to let her notice anything."

Cheng Yuwei nodded in agreement. Then, she deliberately expressed anxiety in front of the maid, even unintentionally revealing the location of a document. The document, meticulously forged by Ling Xiaotian, contained a false arrangement for the transfer of military supplies. Cheng Yuwei believed that if the maid was truly an insider, she would surely spread the news.

Sure enough, a few days later, when Cheng Yuwei was away, the maid sneaked into the study, rummaged through the so-called "documents," and then quietly took the documents away. Cheng Yuwei secretly observed all this, feeling both disappointed and calm, and immediately reported the situation to Ling Xiaotian.

That night, Ling Xiaotian arranged for his men to closely monitor the maid's movements. Sure enough, she brought the documents to a secluded residence in the city, where she met with a strange man. Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei quietly followed. Seeing the man flipping through the documents, he smiled and said, "It's truly effortless! With the information on the movement of these military supplies, we can defeat Ling Xiaotian in one fell swoop."

The maid lowered her head slightly, with an uneasy look on her face, but she still said firmly: "You promised me that as long as I do as you said, my family will be safe."

The man sneered and said, "Don't worry, as long as you continue to help us find out information from the army, we will protect your family."

When Ling Xiaotian heard this, his face suddenly turned cold. Just as he was about to step forward to arrest them, Cheng Yuwei gently pulled his hand and whispered, "Let her go. This will be more conducive to our counterattack against the enemy."

Ling Xiaotian pondered for a moment, then understood Cheng Yuwei's intentions. He nodded and sent the maid back home, secretly plotting how to use her to his advantage.

The next day, Ling Xiaotian gathered his men and secretly conveyed a false order to transfer military supplies to the maid's "superior." He also deployed additional troops to the designated location and set an ambush. Three days later, the enemy troops arrived at the ambush site as predicted, only to be ambushed by Ling Xiaotian's forces. They suffered heavy losses, and several high-ranking enemy officers were captured alive.

The enemy was defeated again. This victory not only shocked the enemy but also boosted the morale of the soldiers in Ling Xiaotian's mansion. However, Cheng Yuwei's maid disappeared without a trace afterwards. It seems that she had realized that she was being used and secretly escaped.

When Cheng Yuwei learned that her maid was missing, she felt a sense of reluctance, but more of a sense of relief and relief. She knew that in such a turbulent time, any personal feelings must give way to the overall situation.

At this moment, Ling Xiaotian received an urgent letter from a covert informant with shocking details. The letter revealed that the shadowy forces had begun planning a larger operation, aligning with several warlords to launch a general attack against Ling Xiaotian. These hostile forces, united in various directions, intended to gather their forces in Chaoyang City within a few days and launch an unprecedented surprise attack.

Cheng Yuwei's expression was heavy after hearing this: "Chaoyang City has always been our strategic location. Once it is lost, our rear will be completely exposed, and the consequences will be disastrous."

Ling Xiaotian was silent for a moment, then his eyes became firm: "Since they have chosen to launch their general attack in Chaoyang City, then we will give them a head-on blow there."

Cheng Yuwei nodded and made a suggestion: "Since the enemy is so powerful, why don't we pretend to retreat and lure the enemy into the city? When they are off guard, we can launch a counterattack and defeat them one by one."

After hearing this, Ling Xiaotian nodded in appreciation: "Good idea! Let's give the enemy a taste of sweetness first, and then annihilate them in one fell swoop."

A few days later, the enemy launched a massive attack, and Chaoyang City was filled with smoke. Ling Xiaotian deliberately showed weakness and commanded his men to retreat step by step, luring the enemy into the city. Just as the enemy was triumphant, Ling Xiaotian quietly ambushed a large number of elite troops in the city, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

That night, the enemy occupied most of the city, basking in the joy of victory. Just then, Ling Xiaotian personally led an elite force to launch a surprise attack from all sides, trapping the enemy in the narrow streets. Cheng Yuwei, working from behind, prepared a solution, using her own "tear gas powder" to confuse the enemy and throw them into chaos.

The enemy was caught off guard, unable to fight back, and forced to retreat hastily. Ling Xiaotian seized the opportunity to pursue and completely drive the enemy out of the city. This battle not only severely damaged the enemy's vitality, but also greatly consolidated Ling Xiaotian's sphere of influence.

After the battle, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei stood on the Chaoyang City Wall, overlooking the scene of victory. He turned to look at Cheng Yuwei, a gentle smile in his eyes: "Thanks to your wisdom, I was able to avoid a tough battle this time."

Cheng Yuwei smiled and said softly, "We are partners fighting side by side. I feel at ease knowing that I can go through every danger with you."

Ling Xiaotian looked at her with deep affection in his eyes: "Yuwei, no matter what the future holds, I only wish to live and die with you, and walk through the wind and rain hand in hand with you."

Cheng Yuwei's heart warmed, and she leaned gently on his shoulder, gazing up at the starry night sky, a surge of infinite warmth and resilience in her heart. In this turbulent and chaotic world, their destinies were closely linked, and they faced every future storm together.

However, somewhere far away in the enemy camp, a man looked coldly at the map in front of him and whispered with gritted teeth, "Ling Xiaotian, this failure is nothing. One day, I will make you pay the price!"