"The wife of the Governor, Ye Yingnan, was already worried about being denied entry at Ye Shouguan’s gates. And she thought that with the Emperor of Xiliang in Zhou’s hands, Xiliang was likely at its end, so she decided to take a gamble by turning back to Suining City... hoping to use her identity as Ye Shouguan’s sister to persuade him to surrender or to steal the token to open the city gates, offering her daughter in marriage to Zhou’s imperial family." Bai Qingyan gently caressed her abdomen and paced slowly: "But the Zhou imperial family is not foolish enough to be easily deceived by Ye Yingnan. They won’t act without concrete evidence, and Ye Yingnan, out of greed, was captured just like Li Tianfu... leading to her sending a servant with the token to plead for assistance. Only by getting hold of the token could the servant temporarily safeguard Li Tianfu and the Governor and his wife’s lives. If he couldn’t obtain the token and open the city gates, then... when Zhou attacks the city, we’ll use the Emperor of Xiliang Li Tianfu, the Governor, and his wife as shields to advance!" Bai Qingyan knew clearly that stealing the token wasn’t that simple. The token controls the opening and closing of the city gates, which concerns the fate of the entire city. How would Ye Shouguan easily let someone steal it? "Ye Yingnan’s daughter knows well that her mother failed when confronting Zhou. She’s also afraid that Ye Shouguan might use the accumulated grievances against the Governor’s wife, Ye Yingnan, over the years as a chance to eliminate her mother, kill Li Tianfu, and claim the mountain for himself, seeking the servant’s help!" "As long as Ye Shoucheng’s general’s servant, being a Xiliang native, is not worried about harming their Emperor, as a long-time admirer of the Governor’s wife, he won’t fear hurting someone dear to him, he can disregard Li Tianfu and Ye Yingnan’s fate!" Bai Qingyan’s voice was slow and measured, quickly sorting out and defining the whole incident. The incident is a mix of truths and falsehoods. If even one or two matters align, it would greatly enhance the credibility of the whole affair. For instance, the Governor and his wife, Ye Yingnan, returning midway to Suining City could surely be known by the Xiliang people who escaped into Ye Shouguan, thus... Ye Shouguan querying them slightly could learn this truth, greatly increasing the credibility of other matters. Hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, Bai Qingjue said: "Does Eldest Young Lady mean to lessen the servant’s guilt, making him feel that stealing the token is not only to save his beloved but also to save the Emperor of Xiliang, hence fulfilling his duty..." "Moreover, Ye Shouguan might have doubts about Li Tianfu being in Zhou’s hands, suspecting how Ye Yingnan’s daughter managed to pass through the layers of guards to reach Ye Shoucheng!" Bai Qingyan’s gaze carried a hint of a smile, "If any mistake occurs in this, only if the servant is caught while or after stealing the token might he reveal the information of Li Tianfu in Zhou’s camp, and the threat of killing Li Tianfu and Suining’s Governor and wife if the token isn’t stolen to open the city gates..." "Eldest Young Lady intends to use this method to make Ye Shouguan believe Li Tianfu is in our hands?" Bai Jinzhao frowned, "But... will that work?" Bai Qingyan shook her head with a smile. "The whole affair isn’t intended to make Ye Shouguan believe, but to make the soldiers of Ye Shouguan firmly convinced of the news that Li Tianfu is in our hands! Therefore, the bigger the commotion, the better... letting more soldiers of Ye Shouguan believe Li Tianfu is with us, thus... when we present the fake Li Tianfu, if Ye Shouguan says it’s fake, the soldiers will doubt him." Bai Qingyan smiled faintly at Bai Jinse, who proposed the idea, "Meanwhile, we act as Xiao Qi said, getting the soldiers pre-positioned to use ’Li Tianfu’ to draw Ye Shouguan out to fight!" Bai Qingqi nodded: "Dispatch an insider into the city, engage enemy head-on, Huying Camp soldiers enter Ye Shouguan! Apply all three strategies... success is sure!" "Eldest Young Lady’s plan is brilliant! I said with Eldest Young Lady here, we’re sure to win!" Bai Jinhua said excitedly after Bai Qingyan finished, as if victory was already secured. "The plan was Xiao Qi’s idea. I just refined it a bit." Bai Qingyan raised her hand, gently stroking Bai Jinse’s head, "This time... in the frontline expedition, Xiao Qi will stay by my side!" "Yes!" Bai Jinse responded with a salute. "Then let’s have Miss Sima set off for Ye Shouguan tonight, and our army will depart tomorrow morning! Even if we don’t attack the city... it will frighten those Xiliang soldiers!" Bai Jinzhao said, clenching his fist. That night, after observing Ye Yingnan’s family for a long time, Sima Ruodan departed overnight, boarding a carriage towards Ye Shouguan. Although she was nervous about messing up the significant tasks of the Emperor and the Bai army, the Emperor not only sent someone to protect her but also said that if things didn’t go well, her safety came first, and she should adapt to the situation. The Emperor also told her that before the Zhou army sets off for Ye Shouguan at dawn, if she genuinely couldn’t avoid Ye Shouguan’s people, she wouldn’t need to avoid them on purpose, but just break free and find the servant to act according to the plan, even if it meant Ye Shouguan knew it. He wouldn’t trouble a young lady, and might even imprison or confine her on account of familial ties, which was fine, as the Zhou army would come to rescue her once they entered the city. Sima Ruodan had immense trust in Bai Qingyan. The Emperor was the very hero who once vanquished Shu and stabilized the southern and northern frontiers, undefeated in battle. In warfare... could anyone in this world match the Zhou Emperor! This was the Emperor’s first assignment to her, and she had to execute it beautifully. Seated in the bumpy carriage, Sima Ruodan tightly gripped the Jade Pendant in her hand, her eyes closed, continually mimicking the mannerisms and gestures of the Governor’s daughter in her mind, attempting impersonation for the first time without practice. She could only simulate her speech and actions mentally. Before she left, Seventh Young Lady Bai Jinse rehearsed her with the scenario. She escaped under the protection of loyal servants, hijacking a stranger’s carriage to get here, naturally needing to look disheveled to appear genuine. Therefore, her clothing was torn, and her hair stuck with wilted leaves. It’s already midnight, yet Ye Shouguan’s deputy is still patrolling atop the city walls. "General, you should rest! Zhou has just taken Suining City and is unlikely to immediately approach Ye Shouguan. Moreover, Ye Shouguan is a famously tough place to breach, not something Zhou can conquer easily!" The gatekeeper whispered, following the deputy around, "With such strong winds, you should go and rest!" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ nοvelfire.net The deputy suddenly halted, gripping the hilt of his waist sword tightly, and shouted: "Archers ready!"