On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Under the combined care of the imperial physician and Lin Zhen's internal energy, Murong Yan's health has improved significantly. Although she is still unable to leave her bed to attend to affairs, her complexion has become much rosier, and her eyes have regained their former sharpness.

However, Lin Zhen's nerves were on edge even more.

The longer the situation drags on, the further away Jin Shunzhe and his gang, who are entrenched in Langya Mountain, may escape, or they may plot an even more vicious counterattack.

Inside the study of the imperial palace, candlelight shone brightly.

Lin Zhen dismissed his attendants and stood alone in front of the huge map of the Andong Protectorate, his gaze fixed on the continuous mountain range north of Anzhou City marked with cinnabar, representing Langya Mountain.

The information the Black Witch Village chief revealed before his death regarding the location of the stronghold, the approximate number of people, and the weaknesses in its defenses was rapidly pieced together and deduced in his mind like fragments.

"Shadow One," Lin Zhen whispered without turning his head.

A dark figure emerged silently from the shadows of the wall and knelt on one knee: "Your Highness."

"The terrain of Langya Mountain is complex, and Jin Shunzhe is a local strongman, so he must have many hidden sentries. If we surround and suppress him with a large army, it will be too commotion and easily alert him. If he is allowed to escape into the deep mountains again, there will be endless troubles in the future."

Lin Zhen's voice was calm and decisive: "Personally select the best mountain stealth and reconnaissance members from 'Night Owl' to form an elite team. Set off immediately to infiltrate Langya Mountain, confirm the exact location of the stronghold, its defenses, and whether Jin Shunzhe is still there."

"Yes! I understand!" Ying Yi accepted the order, and with a flicker, he disappeared into the night outside the study.

However, even after sending out his most capable subordinates, Lin Zhen's anxiety did not lessen.

He paced back and forth in the study, Murong Yan's pale and weak face and Jin Shunzhe's sinister eyes flashing alternately in his mind.

Waiting is the most agonizing thing.

He was worried that Yingyi and the others might encounter misfortune, and even more worried that during this waiting period, something else might happen in Anzhou City or to Murong Yan.

Two days later.

There was a gentle knock on the study door.

Lin Zhen suddenly looked up and saw Ying Yi enter, looking travel-worn, still carrying the scent of mountain dew and a faint smell of blood.

"How is the situation?" Lin Zhen strode forward, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tension.

Yingyi's expression was grave: "Your Highness, the location of the stronghold has been confirmed, and it is basically consistent with what the chieftain said. It is located in a group of natural caves at the foot of Eagle's Beak Cliff, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Our subordinates have sneaked up close to observe and found that there are many sentries, both visible and hidden, at the cave entrance. The defense is extremely tight, far beyond that of ordinary bandits. Moreover..."

He paused, his tone growing even lower, "I risked capturing an outsider to interrogate him, and learned that Jin Shunzhe may have secretly left Langya Mountain with a few core confidants two days ago, shortly after we interrogated the chieftain!"

"What?!" Lin Zhen's pupils contracted sharply, and he slammed his fist on the table with a dull thud! "He still got away?!"

A surge of anger at being mocked, coupled with a deeper sense of unease, welled up within him. Kim Soon-cheol's vigilance and cunning had exceeded his expectations.

This proves that there are likely still spies of them lurking in Anzhou City, and even around the imperial palace!

Otherwise, the message could not have been transmitted so quickly!

"Do you know which direction he fled in?" Lin Zhen forced himself to calm down and asked.

“The level of Tongue is too low. He only knows that Kim Soon-cheol left, but his specific destination is unknown. However, according to his description, Kim Soon-cheol left in a hurry, which does not seem to be simply to avoid our cleanup, but rather that he has a more important plan,” Shadow One replied.

A more important scheme?

Lin Zhen's heart sank. Considering the unusual activity of the Japanese delegation recently, and the furtive movements of the Japanese merchant Taira no Sadamori, an even more terrifying possibility formed in his mind.

Could Kim Soon-cheol have gone to meet with the Japanese? Have they really colluded?

We can't wait any longer! We must act immediately!

Even if we can't catch Kim Soon-cheol, we must destroy this stronghold, sever his roots in the Anju area, and seize any evidence that he may be colluding with Japan!

"Send the order!" Lin Zhen's eyes flashed with cold light as he made a decision instantly. "Gather three hundred elite 'Xuanjia Guards' and lead them personally. Set off immediately to raid Langya Mountain! At the same time, order the Anzhou garrison to block all access routes to Langya Mountain. They are allowed to enter but not leave! Shadow One, you take Night Owl ahead and clear out the sentry posts along the way and around the strongholds to clear the way for the main force!"

"Your Highness! You're going yourself? It's too dangerous! Let me lead the team!" Yingyi hurriedly dissuaded him. The prince is of paramount importance and is the pillar of Her Majesty the Empress. If anything were to happen to him, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"No need for further words!" Lin Zhen said decisively. "Kim Soon-cheol is cunning, and this battle is of paramount importance. I must personally command the operation to adapt to changing circumstances! Go and prepare!"

"Yes!" Yingyi knew that Lin Zhen had made up his mind, so he didn't say anything more and left to carry out his orders.

Lin Zhen strode towards the bedchamber. Murong Yan hadn't gone to sleep yet; she was leaning against the couch reading a book when she saw Lin Zhen enter in a sharp outfit, his face filled with murderous intent. She already understood most of what was going on.

"Husband, are you going in person?" Murong Yan put down her book, her phoenix eyes revealing worry.

"Yes, Jin Shunzhe may have already escaped, but the stronghold at Langya Mountain must be eliminated. I can only feel at ease if I go in person." Lin Zhen walked to the bedside and held her hand. "Yan'er, take good care of yourself. I'll be right back."

Murong Yan knew she couldn't stop him, and she also knew the importance of this matter. She gripped his hand tightly, her gaze resolute: "Alright! Husband, be careful! You must return safely! I'll be waiting for you!"

"Don't worry." Lin Zhen lowered his head and planted a deep kiss on her lips, then resolutely turned around, his cloak drawing a sharp arc behind him.

At midnight, Lin Zhen personally led three hundred elite Xuanjia soldiers, men gagged and horses hoofless, like ghosts in the dark, silently sneaking to the outer perimeter of the cave complex where the stronghold was located along the safe path cleared by Ying Yi and the others.

At the entrance to the cave, firelight flickered, and several guards, armed with weapons, leaned against the stone wall and dozed off.

The figures of sentries could be vaguely seen on the surrounding mountain walls.

Lin Zhen made a hand gesture. Several Xuanjia Guards crawled forward like cheetahs, using rocks and bushes as cover, and quickly eliminated the visible and hidden sentries on the perimeter without making a sound.

"Charge!" Seeing that the time was ripe, Lin Zhen drew his longsword and shouted in a low voice!

Three hundred Xuanjia guards surged toward the cave entrance like a flood bursting its banks!

The shouts of battle instantly shattered the silence of the mountain night!

The rebels inside the cave clearly hadn't expected the attack to be so sudden and fierce!

They were caught off guard and, despite their resistance due to the terrain, were quickly routed by the well-trained and well-equipped Xuanjia Guards.

The battle was almost entirely a one-sided massacre.

Lin Zhen led the charge, his sword flashing like a dragon, invincible in all directions.

While directing the battle, he kept an eye out for any secret chambers or passages that might exist inside the cave.

The battle lasted less than half an hour before the resistance inside the cave was completely wiped out.

After taking stock of the battlefield, more than a hundred rebels were killed, dozens were captured, and a quantity of weapons, armor, and provisions were seized.

"Your Highness, a secret room has been discovered!" Shadow One reported.

Lin Zhen strode into the secret chamber located at the deepest part of the cave.

The room was simply furnished, containing only a stone bed and a stone table. Some papers were scattered on the table, and several boxes were piled in the corner.

Lin Zhen picked up the papers on the table and quickly flipped through them.

Most of them were unimportant instructions and lists, but one crumpled note caught his attention.

Several seemingly random place names and dates are written in Chinese characters on it, but the arrangement is rather strange.

"Is this the password?" Lin Zhen frowned. He ordered all the papers and boxes to be packed up and taken back for careful study.

He then had his men thoroughly search every inch of the walls and floor of the secret chamber, and sure enough, they found a narrow passage under the stone bed that could only accommodate one person at a time!

The secret passage leads to the back of the mountain, and the exit is extremely well hidden.

"Kim Soon-cheol really did run away from here." Lin Zhen stood at the exit of the secret passage, looking at the vast night below the mountain, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

Even the Black Witch Chieftain didn't know about this secret passage, which shows Jin Shunzhe's caution and suspicious nature.

Although the stronghold was destroyed and some supplies were seized, the main culprit, Kim Soon-cheol, is still at large and may be colluding with Japan, which undoubtedly leaves a huge hidden danger.

That coded note has become the only clue that might point to Kim Soon-cheol's whereabouts and the conspiracy.

"Clean up the battlefield, escort the prisoners, and return to Anzhou immediately!" Lin Zhen ordered.

He had to return as soon as possible, partly to reassure Murong Yan, and partly to concentrate all his efforts on deciphering the coded note and strengthening surveillance of the coastal areas and the Japanese delegation.

At dawn, Lin Zhen led his troops, escorting prisoners and spoils, on their way back to Anzhou.

Although the trip yielded some gains, it did not achieve complete success. Instead, he sensed an even larger and more insidious undercurrent quietly brewing within him.

The key to all of this may very well lie hidden in that seemingly ordinary piece of paper.