Chapter 94: Flames of war rise on the frontier, and the heroine devises a plan to break the deadlock

Your Majesty, I am willing to accompany you to the Ministry of War to discuss our response.

Murong Fu looked at her for a long moment and nodded. He knew Lin Shiya’s brilliance; at a time like this, she could indeed be of great help.

Within the Ministry of War, the atmosphere was so grave it seemed water could have dripped from it. Candle flames flickered, casting restless light over every face and making the tension and anxiety in the room even sharper.

Lin Shiya entered the chamber in official robes, her steps steady and calm, instantly drawing every eye. There was scrutiny in those looks, expectation, and also doubt. After all, she was a woman, and one who had only recently become the champion of the imperial examinations; she had never truly tasted the smoke and fire of war.

Minister He, the aged head of the Ministry of War, was the first to break the silence.

“Your Majesty, I believe the urgent matter before us is to sue for peace.” His face was lined with worry, his voice trembling slightly. “Once war erupts at the border, the people will suffer, households will be shattered, and innocents will be driven from their homes. This is a wound upon the realm itself!”

His words found immediate echo among those court officials who favored peace. One after another they voiced their agreement, and for a moment the hall rang with calls for negotiation.

The advocates of war all went dark with anger. They clenched their fists, yet, mindful of the emperor’s presence and Minister He’s authority, none dared speak out in rebuttal.

General Yang, a veteran who had spent years on the battlefield, was especially anxious. His face flushed red, his lips trembled as though he had something to say, yet he forced himself to hold back.

The atmosphere in the hall grew taut as a drawn bow, the tension so severe it seemed a quarrel might erupt at any instant.

Lin Shiya listened in silence, her keen gaze sweeping across everyone present, taking in every expression and reaction.

Her slender fingers tapped lightly against the table, the crisp sound strangely stark in the oppressive quiet.

“What Minister He says is not without reason...” Lin Shiya began slowly, her voice cool and composed, yet carrying a force no one could ignore.

The moment she spoke, the noisy chamber fell silent. Every gaze turned to her.

She paused, then continued, “And yet the enemy harbors wolfish ambition and boundless greed. This invasion is not about peace; it is aimed at seizing our borders. If we seek peace now, it would be the same as releasing a tiger back into the mountains. It would only embolden them and make them even more reckless.”

Her words were measured and forceful, each one falling like a hammer upon the hearts of the ministers.

Minister He’s face turned several shades, green to white and back again. He opened his mouth, but found no words to answer.

He had thought that Lin Shiya, a young woman fresh from her rise to prominence, would be easily suppressed by the old foxes of court. He had not expected her to be so sharp-tongued, striking straight at the vital point with every sentence.

The officials who favored war all nodded in approval, secretly admiring Lin Shiya’s courage and intelligence.

“Lord Lin speaks truly!” General Yang cried as he stepped forward, his rough voice echoing through the chamber. “The enemy has repeatedly violated our borders, burning, killing, and plundering without restraint! If we do not strike back hard, they will only become more lawless!” He slammed a fist on the table, jolting the teacups so that they clattered sharply.

“General Yang, that is not correct!” a shrill voice came from the corner. Everyone turned toward it and saw Deputy General Li rise with an air of disdain. “The enemy outnumbers us. To charge in rashly would only sacrifice the lives of our soldiers in vain. In my view, we should hold the line and wait for reinforcements.”

“Deputy General Li, what do you mean by that? Are you saying this general does not understand military strategy?” General Yang’s eyes widened in rage, and even his thick beard seemed to tremble with him, like an enraged lion.

“I would not dare. I am merely speaking to the matter at hand.” Deputy General Li shot him an unflinching glare, his tone laced with provocation.

“You...” General Yang trembled with fury, his pointing finger shaking uncontrollably.

The hostility between them grew heavier by the second, and it seemed they were on the verge of a public shouting match.

Minister He hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. “Generals, please calm yourselves. We face a formidable enemy now. We should be of one mind and unite against the foe.”

But his attempt at mediation had no effect whatsoever. General Yang and Deputy General Li still refused to yield, and the argument continued unabated.

The mood in the hall tightened once more. The officials glanced at one another, uncertain what to do.

Lin Shiya’s eyes moved back and forth between General Yang and Deputy General Li, her brows drawn tight.

She knew the friction between the border commanders had existed for a long time, and if it were not resolved in time, it would surely affect the outcome of the war.

She drew a deep breath, just about to speak, when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.

A frightened guard burst in, dropping to one knee and crying out at the top of his voice, “Report! An emergency dispatch from eight hundred li away! The border is in dire straits!”

Lin Shiya sprang to her feet, her heart sinking. “The fighting... has begun ahead of schedule?”

She forced herself to calm down at once, then swept a sharp gaze across the room.

Quickly unfolding the map in her hands, she spread it over the long table in the chamber. The terrain of the border and the deployment of troops were marked in careful detail.

Candlelight fell across the map, casting mottled shadows that made the tension in the room even more palpable.

“Ladies and gentlemen, though the enemy comes in force, our army is not without a chance.” Lin Shiya’s voice was cool and steady, every syllable carrying unquestionable authority. “From the intelligence I have gathered, the enemy is numerous, but their front is overextended, and their supply lines are highly unstable.”

She tapped a point on the map and continued, “This is the enemy’s most important supply route. If we lay an ambush here and sever their logistics, their ranks will descend into chaos. At the same time, General Yang and Deputy General Li should each lead a force and support one another, striking with a surprise attack to form a pincer, so the enemy cannot concentrate their strength in response.”

General Yang and Deputy General Li both froze, then General Yang nodded in admiration, his face full of respect. “Lord Lin’s insight is remarkable. This plan is excellent. I will arrange men and prepare at once.”

Deputy General Li, too, showed a look of admiration and cupped his hands. “Lord Lin’s strategy is indeed brilliant. I am willing to obey the command and fight the enemy together.” The conflict between the two of them seemed to ease at that very moment.

The ministers in the hall also nodded one after another. Although Minister He still had doubts in his heart, he had to admit that Lin Shiya’s strategy was truly ingenious.

He let out a long sigh and cupped his hands. “Lord Lin, if this plan can truly be carried out, it will certainly relieve the crisis at our border. This old minister is willing to cooperate fully and offer every support.”

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded again outside the door. Another guard rushed in in a panic, fell to his knees, and shouted, “Report! Rumors have spread through the capital claiming that our army is losing ground at the border. The people are terrified, and the streets and markets are rife with the tale!”

Lin Shiya’s heart sank, and her expression changed.

She rose swiftly, her gaze sweeping every person in the chamber, and said in a firm, even tone, “These rumors must have been spread by a spy working in the shadows. We must trace their source immediately, or public sentiment will become unstable, the court will be thrown into turmoil, and the consequences would be unthinkable.”

Murong Fu’s brows tightened, a glint of determination in his eyes as he slowly nodded. “Lord Lin speaks truly. Send people at once to trace the source of the rumors. We must root it out completely!”

Lin Shiya inclined her head slightly, preparing to issue orders, when a low laugh suddenly drifted in from outside the hall. The sound was sinister, as though it came from all directions at once, chilling the blood.

Everyone tensed and turned toward the doorway together. In the darkness, a shadow flickered briefly into view before vanishing again.

“Who is stirring trouble from the shadows?” Lin Shiya’s voice echoed through the chamber, resolute and unshakable.

With her meticulous mind, Lin Shiya immediately arranged for trusted aides to investigate the path by which the rumors were being spread.

She walked through streets and alleys, observing carefully, and discovered that several seemingly ordinary shops were the most active in disseminating the false news.

On the surface, these shops sold silk and tea, but in secret they spread stories harmful to the war effort, inciting panic among the people.

Lin Shiya noticed that goods were moving in and out of these shops with unusual frequency, and that many of the items came from the north.

A thought flashed through her mind: enemy spies.

She immediately sent people to keep those shops under covert surveillance, and sure enough, they discovered that the owner of one of them, a merchant claiming to be Manager Liu, was secretly meeting a suspicious figure late at night.

Lin Shiya personally led a raid on the shop and captured both Manager Liu and the mysterious man on the spot.

During the search, they found large quantities of Northern Yan currency and secret letters. The evidence was ironclad; Manager Liu’s true identity was that of an enemy agent.

The next day, Lin Shiya escorted the spy to a busy street in the capital and exposed his crimes before the crowd.

The people, who had been uneasy and fearful, now saw the truth laid bare. They were filled with righteous anger and denounced the spy’s vile deeds.

With the plot of the enemy agent completely shattered, the people were reassured, and the dignity of the court was preserved as well.

When the news reached the camp of the Northern Yan Chanyu, he flew into a towering rage and overturned the wine cup on the table.

Wine splashed everywhere, like the fury roiling within him.

“Useless fools! All of you are useless fools!” he roared, his voice echoing through the tent with a murderous chill.

Before the Chanyu’s bellow had even faded, a figure appeared silently at the entrance to the tent.

He wore a long black robe, and his face was hidden in shadow so that his features could not be seen. Only a pair of deep, cold eyes were visible, as though they could peer straight into a person’s heart.

“Chanyu, please calm your anger,” the man said in a low, hoarse voice, carrying an unsettling air.

“Advisor Wang, your arrival is timely!” The Chanyu’s tone softened slightly, though it still carried suppressed fury. “The spy’s scheme has failed, and the Southern court’s people are now stable. What should we do next?”

Advisor Wang walked slowly toward the Chanyu, a cold smile curling at the corners of his mouth. “The Chanyu need not worry. Victory and defeat are common matters in war. The failure of the spy is only a small setback. I have already made other arrangements. They will surely help the Chanyu and break through the border of the Southern court.”

He drew a map from his sleeve, spread it out before the Chanyu, and pointed to a certain spot, his voice low and coaxing. “Please look here, Chanyu...” He leaned close to the Chanyu’s ear and whispered a few words.

The Chanyu’s expression changed from dark to clear, and excitement gradually lit his eyes.

“A brilliant plan! A brilliant plan indeed!” he praised, clapping his hands, greed flashing in his gaze. “Advisor Wang is truly wise and resourceful. I shall follow your strategy!”

Inside the tent, candlelight flickered over the Chanyu’s and Advisor Wang’s sinister smiles, while a suffocating air of oppression hung heavy in the darkness...

Advisor Wang’s voice sounded again, low and cold. “However, this matter still requires the cooperation of one crucial person...”