Years turn into wind

After that night, Ling Xiaotian and Cheng Yuwei both knew that the enemy might not just be probing them secretly, but had already infiltrated their ranks. Cheng Yuwei lay awake all night, recalling every detail of the man who had surrendered, trying to find any clues.

The next morning, Ling Xiaotian summoned all his trusted associates and recounted the details of the ambush. His expression was solemn as he spoke: "Although the enemy has retreated this time, there is definitely more than one spy lurking. I want you to conduct a thorough investigation in your respective areas. Any suspects suspected of ties to the enemy must be carefully identified."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Rui, the most trusted adjutant in the camp, stepped forward and whispered, "Marshal, I suspect one of the clues may be related to the enemy's spy network."

Lin Rui presented a coded letter, densely written with coded characters. Cheng Yuwei took a closer look. It appeared to be a log of everyday goods, but a closer look revealed hidden messages. She exchanged a glance with Ling Xiaotian, and they understood: the enemy's spy network might be well-established, even using the city's merchants as cover.

Ling Xiaotian immediately ordered Lin Rui to lead his men to the city for an undercover investigation, while Cheng Yuwei set a trap in the mansion to lure out the possible suspects one by one.

A few days later, Lin Rui brought back a merchant from the city. Although he appeared calm, he couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. Ling Xiaotian stared at him coldly and asked, "If you confess the truth, I might be able to spare your life."

The merchant knelt on the ground, his face pale, and trembling, he said, "General, please spare me! I am just a merchant, and I was forced to communicate with the enemy."

Cheng Yuwei stepped forward, her expression stern: "In that case, then you must explain all the information clearly."

The merchant lowered his head and shrank back, and after a moment he said, "The enemy has already set up several intelligence bases in the city, and sends people to collect information every few days. They have a set of encrypted symbols that can transmit information through ordinary account transactions." The merchant explained the decryption method of this set of symbols one by one.

After hearing this, Ling Xiaotian sneered, "Since they like to convey information through symbols, then we should give them a taste of their own medicine."

Soon after, Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian conspired to use the decrypted code to forge several false intelligence reports, deliberately letting the enemy receive them, misleading them into believing Ling Xiaotian's troops were being transferred elsewhere. At the same time, Cheng Yuwei personally selected a group of elite soldiers, disguised as ordinary people, and set up an ambush on the enemy's route.

That night, Cheng Yuwei sat in her study, feeling a surge of anxiety. She couldn't help but worry about the success or failure of this operation. After all, if it failed, the enemy would surely return, and it might even expose Ling Xiaotian's true whereabouts.

Ling Xiaotian seemed to sense her nervousness. He walked gently to her side, patted her shoulder tenderly, and said softly, "Yuwei, don't worry. I'm here for you."

Cheng Yuwei looked up at him, her eyes flickering slightly, and she said softly, "Xiaotian, this operation is of great importance. I'm afraid... afraid that something might go wrong."

Ling Xiaotian gently embraced her in his arms and whispered comfortingly, "Yuwei, you've tried your best. If the enemy dares to act rashly, I will let them know what it means to seek their own death."

The two hugged each other for a moment, and their hearts calmed down a little, feeling that they relied on each other.

The next morning, spies from the city reported back: the enemy had indeed fallen for Ling Xiaotian's trick and sent a small team into the ambush circle, trying to find his fictitious "important stronghold." The ambushing soldiers captured the enemy spies in one fell swoop and found a more detailed list of spies among them.

The list contained dozens of names, covering key figures from all walks of life in the city, and even several of them were old acquaintances close to Ling Xiaotian. Cheng Yuwei looked at the names on the list and was surprised to find that the people on the list were so hidden that she had hardly noticed them on a normal day.

Ling Xiaotian scanned the list coldly, his eyes stern: "No matter how deeply these people hide, as long as they dare to betray us, we will not tolerate them."

Cheng Yuwei was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "We must eradicate them as soon as possible, otherwise there will be endless troubles."

A purge operation quietly unfolded within the Grand Marshal's Mansion. Ling Xiaotian personally presided over the operation, dispatching elite troops to investigate the suspects on the list one by one and eliminate the hidden enemies one by one. Cheng Yuwei assisted him in screening out the truly loyal ones and avoiding killing innocent people.

After several days of investigation, Ling Xiaotian finally eradicated the hidden spy network, and the atmosphere in the mansion gradually returned to calm. However, both of them knew that the enemy would not give up easily. This calm was only a temporary buffer, and the real storm might still be brewing.

Late at night, Cheng Yuwei stood by the window, gazing at the night sky in the distance, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Ling Xiaotian walked over to her, silently took her hand, and whispered, "Yuwei, no matter how dangerous the road ahead is, I will walk side by side with you."

Cheng Yuwei looked at him with a firm look in her eyes and nodded gently: "Xiaotian, with you by my side, I have nothing to fear."

They smiled at each other, as if at this moment, their feelings for each other became closer.