Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Walking Against the Wind

Liang Wan looked up. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on her—except for the man standing in the center.

Though there was no loud discussion, a low buzz of whispers rippled through the crowd. Someone nearby snapped out of their daze and kicked the instigator squarely in the backside.

"Zheng Si, have you lost your damn mind? How can you bite the hand that feeds you the moment you set your bowl down? Did you forget who brought us rations?"

Zheng Si was knocked to the ground. He scrambled up, panting heavily, his face flushed with anger.

Another soldier nudged him with an elbow. "Stop sprouting nonsense. How could it be Madam? What reason would she have?"

Zheng Si shoved the man away.

"Yes, yes, yes, she brought us grain, but that was issued by the imperial court!" He caught his breath before continuing. "Let’s put the rations aside for a moment and focus on the facts. Before she arrived, the Zhou Army had besieged the city for ages without success. Why is it that the moment she gets here, they launch a sneak attack—and it goes so flawlessly? Don’t forget, they were already showing signs of retreating!

"And yesterday, why did she suddenly insist on improving our meals? Think about it carefully—was that food really safe? The moment we ate what she prepared, the sneak attack followed right on its heels. If those two things aren’t connected, you can chop my head off!"

Having spat all this out in one breath, he whirled around, pointed a trembling finger at Liang Wan, and roared, "Do you dare swear to the heavens, facing all the people in this city you’ve killed and everyone here who’s been injured because of you? Do you dare say this has nothing to do with you?"

Under the burning gazes of the crowd, the harsh interrogation lashed at her like a merciless whip, striking her so hard she could barely stand steady.

Liang Wan felt cold—a bone-deep chill that froze her from the inside out. Her loose hair and plain white skirt whipped violently in the strong wind. If the gusts grew even a fraction stronger, she feared she would be blown over. The wind in this season shouldn’t have been this cold.

She raised her head, her pale lips trembling slightly. "I—"

"This has nothing to do with her. It was... me."

The man who had remained silent for so long finally spoke. His deep voice sounded somewhat thin, scattered by the howling wind.

"What?"

An uproar immediately erupted across the crowd.

Liang Wan’s heart twisted with agonizing pain. Yet, the man standing in the center never once looked at her. He knew she had done it. Her eyes stung. Taking a deep breath, she forced her tears back down.

"Great General, what are you saying?!"

"That’s right! How could it possibly be you!"

A cacophony of voices rose in disbelief. Seeing the escalating chaos, a nearby vice general stepped forward to quell the murmurs. He cupped his fists toward Lu Xiu and spoke with utmost earnestness, "Great General, you need not blame yourself for the fall of Pingzhou. In my view, the reasons for our defeat still require a thorough investigation. But right now, our most pressing priority is to mobilize the troops for a counterattack. Once we retake Pingzhou, we can uncover the truth. Now is not the time to suspect one another!"

"Yes, Vice General Chen is right! Please bring out the Tiger Talisman and deploy the troops! If we delay any longer, it will be too late!" someone else echoed loudly in agreement.

As everyone earnestly pleaded with him, a sudden sneer cut through the air. It sounded incredibly out of place amidst the frantic chorus of anxious voices.

"What a joke! How could a traitor who colludes with the enemy still possess the Tiger Talisman?"

The crowd turned around in astonishment. A man with powdered skin and extravagant clothing stepped forward from the back of the throng, surrounded by an entourage. It was none other than Lou Shixun, Wang Tingyue, Xiao Wu, and their group.

Everyone was taken aback.

"Who are you people? This isn’t a place for you to roam around. Leave at once!" A soldier who didn’t recognize them glared fiercely and barked orders to drive them away.

Someone beside the soldier kindly held him back, whispering a quick reminder of their identities.

Lou Shixun covered his nose and sidestepped them, his eyes filled with sheer disgust and his tone dripping with arrogance. "As of today, I, Lou Shixun, am the true Great General of Daqi. Open your damn eyes and look closely!"

As he spoke, he lightly raised his hand. An attendant beside him immediately presented a Tiger Talisman for all to see.

"The Tiger Talisman?"

"How is there another Tiger Talisman?"

The crowd erupted into a boiling frenzy, talking all at once. Expressions of shock, confusion, and disbelief wove into a chaotic symphony. The soldiers looked at Lu Xiu, then turned to stare at Lou Shixun, their gazes darting back and forth between the two men.

"Great General, what is going on here? Why does he have a Tiger Talisman? Where is yours?" Several vice generals, their eyes red with anxiety, crowded closer and fired off questions.

Lu Xiu narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze drifting over the crowd toward the distant horizon.

Lou Shixun shouted at the top of his lungs, "Why haven’t you seized the traitor Lu Xiu yet!"

A traitor? The soldiers were utterly incredulous, their faces etched with deep confusion.

Seeing that no one moved, Lou Shixun flew into a rage. "Are you all deaf? The Tiger Talisman is right here, yet you dare disobey my orders?"

Wang Tingyue turned a deaf ear to the shouting. Frowning, he stared at the slender figure standing behind the crowd. Dressed in white with her raven hair loose, she swayed precariously in the wind. Ever since they appeared, she hadn’t cast a single glance their way. Her eyes were fixed entirely on the man amidst the soldiers.

"Wang Tingyue, bring out the secret edict! What are you dawdling for!" Lou Shixun snapped in exasperation, completely forgetting the poise expected of a scholarly family.

Wang Tingyue turned his head to look at him, hesitating slightly, before his gaze drifted back to Liang Wan. When Awan had Xiao Wu deliver the Tiger Talisman, he had assumed she and Lu Xiu had already escaped together. He never imagined they would still be here. Once the edict was read aloud, it would be too late to turn back.

He looked at Liang Wan, but Liang Wan was looking at Lu Xiu, and Lu Xiu was staring at something unseen, perhaps lost in his own thoughts.

The secret edict clenched in Wang Tingyue’s hand suddenly felt scorching hot.

Lou Shixun knitted his brows and glared at him, his tone turning hostile. "Wang Tingyue, what are you waiting for?"

Perhaps his voice had been too loud, as it startled the figure in white. With the wind billowing into her wide sleeves, she looked like a butterfly struggling to fly against a gale as she painstakingly made her way toward him. Her hair was unkempt, and her clothes were far too thin for the weather. Looking over, Lu Xiu appeared to be in a similar state.

Wang Tingyue strode forward to meet Liang Wan.

"Wang Tingyue, what the hell are you doing?" Lou Shixun exclaimed from behind him, but Wang Tingyue ignored him completely.

The woman before him was deathly pale and unsteady on her feet. Wang Tingyue reached out to support her, his brows locked in a tight frown. "What exactly is going on?"

As he spoke, he unfastened his cloak, intending to drape it over her, but then decided against it, feeling it would be inappropriate.

Liang Wan offered him a soft smile. "I’m fine. The Great General asked you for the secret edict—why won’t you give it to him?"

Her eyes curved into crescents, yet the corners were tinged with red, making it painfully obvious that she had been crying.

Wang Tingyue looked at her in dismay. "What is going on with the two of you?"

Liang Wan looked at him with an amused expression. "What do you mean?"

Without waiting for an answer or paying him any further mind, she plucked the secret edict from his grasp and walked straight toward Lou Shixun.

Everyone present was utterly dumbfounded.

Lou Shixun scrutinized Liang Wan coldly. He raised an eyebrow in disdain. "Do you think snatching the edict will change anything for Lu Xiu? Do you even know—"

He stopped mid-sentence and froze as the secret edict was suddenly thrust right in front of his face.

Liang Wan smiled faintly. "Read it."

Lou Shixun furrowed his brow, as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. "What did you say?"

Liang Wan let out a scoff. She reached into her Pouch, withdrew a golden hairpin, and held it high for all to see.

"The Emperor personally bestowed this Golden Dragon Hairpin. Seeing this object is akin to seeing the Emperor himself! Why haven’t you all knelt to receive the edict?"

The expressions of the soldiers changed drastically, and they cast hesitant glances toward Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu remained exactly as before—expressionless and silent.

One by one, the soldiers sporadically fell to their knees.

Liang Wan tossed the secret edict back to Wang Tingyue. "Read it!"

Meeting her resolute gaze, he finally unfurled the scroll.

"Commanders, heed this order. From this day forth, Lou Shixun shall hold the Tiger Talisman and command the three armies. Seize the traitor Lu Xiu immediately and escort him back to Jinye to await trial!"

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