All Are Culprits

Compared to the journey from North River City to Dawn City, the route eastward from Dawn City to Twin Rivers City was more than twice as long.

Coupled with the terrain shifting from flat plains to rugged mountains crisscrossed with ravines, their speed inevitably slowed down.

When the first ray of dawn broke, dispersing the thick veil of night, the silhouette of Twin Rivers City was still nowhere to be seen.

"Find a place to rest, then summon everyone at the commander level and above for a meeting."

Gu Chengyin's voice, carrying a hint of exhaustion, came from behind Shangguan Yunying.

"...Mhm."

Shangguan Yunying replied with only a brief, even somewhat cold syllable, but her actions in relaying the orders remained swift and precise.

After that thrilling yet extremely awkward moment when they leaped over the ravine last night, a heavy silence had fallen between them.

It hadn't been the time to argue about right and wrong anyway, so that accidental contact in the blink of an eye was tacitly set aside by both parties.

Once the military order was given, the massive troop began to decelerate and disperse like a precision instrument, eventually slipping quietly into a densely vegetated mountain hollow.

Hidden sentries scattered to the surrounding high points like silent ghosts, instantly casting a web of vigilance.

Meanwhile, in the tent at the center of the temporary camp, 'Fake Luo Zhao' sat upright in the seat of honor. Her eyes were slightly closed, her expression detached.

It was as if all military discussions had nothing to do with her. This transcendent posture was precisely the most direct manifestation of her delegation of power to Gu Chengyin.

Gu Chengyin and Shangguan Yunying sat on her left and right, respectively, with the latest military map spread out before them.

The tent flap fluttered as Chen Busha led several high-ranking commanders inside in single file, still carrying the scent of night dew and travel dust.

Seeing Chen Busha enter, Gu Chengyin spoke first. His tone was calm but cut straight to the core:

"General Chen, how is the true qi consumption of the soldiers? How much longer can they hold out?"

Chen Busha cupped his fists, his voice ringing like a grand bell: "Reporting to... Your Highness."

His gaze quickly swept over Her Highness with closed eyes in the main seat, and he swiftly adjusted his form of address, clearly having accepted Gu Chengyin's status as her spokesperson.

"The ones with the highest true qi consumption have depleted about seventy percent of their reserves. However, taking a rest now is just the right time to recover and replenish it. Please rest assured, Your Highness, this absolutely will not affect the rest of our journey!"

"That is good."

Gu Chengyin nodded, then turned to the main seat and bowed slightly.

"Your Highness, everyone is here. Shall we begin?"

'Fake Luo Zhao' slowly opened her eyes. Her cold gaze swept lightly over the faces of everyone in the tent, and she uttered only a single, perfectly calm word:

"Granted."

With Her Highness's personal approval, the atmosphere in the tent instantly turned solemn, and all eyes immediately focused on Gu Chengyin.

"According to the latest intelligence."

Gu Chengyin lightly tapped the map with his finger. "The two rebel armies from Twin Rivers and Yellow Bell, totaling eighty thousand troops, have been confirmed to have completed their change of direction and will soon arrive at the walls of Dawn City."

He paused briefly, his voice suddenly growing heavier. "Furthermore, it is highly probable that they have discovered the tracks we left when we turned east and are coming in pursuit."

"What?!"

As soon as Gu Chengyin finished speaking, Shangguan Yunying abruptly stood up. The color drained slightly from her face, and her voice was urgent:

"If that is the case, then what are we delaying for? We should set off immediately and advance at full speed! Her Highness's safety cannot be compromised!"

"Look at you, getting anxious again."

Gu Chengyin's expression remained unchanged as he raised a hand to gently press down in the air.

"We need to rest, but don't the rebels need to rest too?"

"They are humans too, not tireless puppets. Sit down, Yunying."

Shangguan Yunying was choked by his unhurried attitude. She opened her mouth, wanting to say a few more words.

But when she saw Gu Chengyin's calm face, certain untimely fragments of memory quietly surfaced.

She bit her lower lip and ultimately sat back down without a word.

This scene fell into the eyes of the several high-ranking commanders, carrying profound implications.

Who was Shangguan Yunying?

The Chief Female Officer of the Internal Affairs Department, a Foundation Establishment expert, a person who only had Her Highness in her eyes and never gave others the time of day.

Yet now, she had been persuaded to sit down by Gu Chengyin in just a few words, even showing a faint hint of submission?

Thoughts raced through the minds of the high-ranking commanders. To be able to sit in their current positions within the Golden Feather Guard...

They were all dragons and phoenixes among men, possessing indispensable backgrounds, abilities, and foresight.

Following Her Highness this time was originally an earth-shattering gamble, betting on the merit of supporting the true ruler, and the lives of their entire families.

But now, a favored person like Gu Chengyin, who was deeply trusted, had suddenly appeared by Her Highness's side.

And he seemed to faintly surpass even Shangguan Yunying... This inevitably gave rise to an indescribable complexity in their hearts.

"Proper rest is not only to recover physical strength and true qi but also to better travel the road ahead."

Gu Chengyin's voice pulled everyone's thoughts back.

"The reason for summoning you is very simple. During this night of forced marching, Her Highness has heard many rumors that have deeply pained her."

"Of course, these rumors are not born of disloyalty, but of misunderstanding. Therefore, Her Highness has ordered me to answer on her behalf here."

His gaze slowly swept over the face of every general in the tent, his tone becoming grave:

"Regarding this change of direction, some feel that we soldiers should judge heroes by our swords and decide the fate of the world through bloody battles."

"They think that avoiding battle and merely running away is not the conduct of true men, and even damages the dignity of the Golden Feather Guard."

"But what Her Highness wants to tell you all is this: A good general is one who judges the hour and sizes up the situation. A true man is one who can bend and stretch."

"The courage of a brute, even if fueled by momentary hot blood, what happens if you win? And what happens if you lose?"

Gu Chengyin's voice suddenly rose.

"If you win, then congratulations, you are still alive."

"But what if you lose? Doesn't that mean your life is gone?"

"Have you ever thought about the fact that you are all Her Highness's carefully selected right-hand men! You are the confidants she relies on the most."

"Your names, your talents, your loyalty, have long been engraved in Her Highness's heart!"

"No matter who is lost, to Her Highness, it is not a cold number, but a visceral pain, an irreplaceable loss!"

The tent was completely silent, save for the occasional crackle of the torches. The commanders looked shaken, complex expressions revealing themselves on their faces.

They were accustomed to loyalty and sacrifice. Facing death without flinching was a creed almost branded into their bones, yet no one had ever spoken to them from this perspective.

"Why is Her Highness pained? Not because you are disloyal, but because you do not know how to cherish your own lives."

"You do not understand that the value of your lives is far greater than a meaningless march to your deaths!"

Gu Chengyin's voice carried a heavy emotional weight.

"Therefore, what you must do now is not think about how to risk your lives, but how to survive!"

"Think about how to return to the Divine Capital intact, using your swords, your loyalty, and everything you have learned in your lives."

"To back up Her Highness, to intimidate the demons and monsters in the imperial court for her, and to sweep away the unseen treacherous villains for her!"

Gu Chengyin's voice rose again, sounding like the beating of war drums:

"The real battlefield is in the Divine Capital!"

"That is where you will establish peerless merit and leave your names in history! Not here, making meaningless sacrifices in the wild mountains and ravines of Luoshui Commandery!"

"I ask you all."

Gu Chengyin took a deep breath, his lightning-like gaze sweeping across every moved face:

"If Her Highness were to return to the Divine Capital after enduring countless hardships and dangers, only to find no one by her side..."

"When he was left alone to face a royal court full of treacherous wolves..."

"Where were you?"

A deathly silence filled the tent, broken only by the intertwining sounds of heavy breathing and crackling torches.

"And so."

Gu Chengyin's voice returned to a steady calm, yet it carried an overwhelming weight. Each word was sharply articulated, landing with undeniable force:

"His Highness gave everything he had to ensure your survival. Heaven and earth can bear witness to his heart and his resolve."

"But if you, out of a moment of impulsive pride and lingering doubt, betray his devotion and speak so lightly of throwing your lives away!"

He paused for a brief moment, allowing the silent, suffocating pressure to spread through the tent, before enunciating each word with absolute clarity:

"Then that is sheer ingratitude, repaying his profound kindness with malice!"

"All of you..."

"Are nothing but guilty subjects!"