Wen Xun’s expression darkened as he said in a low voice, “Has she made up her mind? Today, His Majesty showed mercy, allowing me to come and fetch her. Yet she behaves like this—does she plan to live in the National Temple for the rest of her life?”

Zhao Mama, who stood by, understood the implications well. A few days at the temple were tolerable, but a prolonged stay would signify to the world that their princess had been abandoned.

It would jeopardize not just her engagement to Prince Yong’an but perhaps even the validity of her title as princess.

But Wen Yue did not seem to care, and Zhao Mama dared not defy her.

“Master,” she replied cautiously, “the princess said that the temple is tranquil, and she feels quite at peace here. If you have any requests, she suggests you make offerings and light incense instead.”

As the standoff continued, Gu Yu, another servant of the princess, approached and spoke even more bluntly than Zhao Mama. “This servant takes her leave.”

Wen Xun’s cold gaze fell on the maid. Having served Wen Yuesheng for some time, her boldness had grown.

Fine.

Wen Yuesheng was determined to hold her ground, but Wen Xun was just as determined to see how long she could endure living in the temple.

With a flick of his sleeve, he stormed off.

Leaving the National Temple, he didn’t return home but instead headed directly to the hunting grounds.

The emperor, seated high on a viewing platform, glanced aside when he heard Wen Xun approach.

“Where is Si Ning?”

Wen Xun’s face was grim as he lowered his voice. “Your servant has failed.”

The emperor snorted coldly at the response.

“I indulged her too much in the past, spoiled her until she became reckless. Does she not realize that the woman she poisoned is the legitimate daughter of an important court official? How could I not punish her? How would I explain myself to the court?”

“She has been given a chance, yet she refuses to cherish it,” the emperor said, his expression growing colder. “If that’s the case, let her stay in the temple for as long as she likes—until she’s had her fill.”

Contrary to Wen Xun’s expectations, the emperor did not erupt in anger.

Wen Xun hesitated briefly.

Earlier that morning, the emperor’s mood had been especially foul.

Yet now, even after hearing about Wen Yue, he remained calm.

Wen Xun glanced around and noticed that the atmosphere in the hunting grounds was entirely different from earlier.

Even the generals under the Duke, who had been tense in the morning, now appeared at ease.

Sensing something amiss, Wen Xun scanned the hunting grounds and soon spotted a figure riding swiftly on horseback.

The emperor’s improved mood had spread to those around him, lifting the tension in the air.

One minister praised, “The Lu family truly lives up to its reputation—three generations of distinguished generals.”

The Lu family?

Wen Xun froze.

On horseback, a young general clad in silver armor turned his head, revealing a strikingly handsome face that stood out even more amidst the chaos of the hunt.

Wen Xun was shocked. “Lu Tingyu?”

For years, the Haozhou Kingdom had posed a constant threat on the borders, and it was the Duke of State Defense and his two sons who had been defending the frontier.

The man before him was none other than Lu Tingyu, the Duke’s eldest son and the elder brother of Lu Hongying.

No wonder the emperor’s mood had improved—he had summoned Lu Tingyu back to the capital.

The Lu family had not been able to return to the capital for nearly three years due to ongoing border conflicts.

Yet despite their absence, their household remained highly esteemed.

Lu Hongying, despite lacking the protection of her father and brothers, could still move freely in and out of the palace due to her family’s unparalleled contributions.

After all, it was the Lu family who safeguarded the empire’s borders.

Now that the war had ended and peace negotiations were underway, Lu Tingyu’s return was no surprise.

What puzzled Wen Xun was that no one had mentioned Lu Tingyu’s arrival, even during the humiliating defeats of recent days.

The secrecy had been maintained so effectively that not even the morning’s setbacks hinted at his presence. The opposing side was caught completely off guard.

The situation on the hunting grounds had shifted entirely in favor of the empire.

The Haozhou generals, who had been flaunting their strength earlier, now hung their heads in defeat, retreating in disgrace.

The court ministers cheered loudly, relishing this opportunity to avenge their earlier humiliation.

In contrast, the atmosphere among the Haozhou delegation was somber.

In recent days, they had been utterly defeated in literary contests and had relied on martial competitions to maintain some semblance of pride.

But with Lu Tingyu’s arrival, even that was taken from them.

What made the situation more concerning was that many of the Haozhou generals present were seasoned opponents of the Lu family on the battlefield.

They knew all too well that Lu Tingyu had an equally formidable younger brother, Lu Qinghuai.

With the border now at peace, most Haozhou generals had accompanied their crown prince to the empire.

Who was to say whether the emperor had also summoned Lu Qinghuai back?

Amid this tense atmosphere, only one person remained unfazed: Haozhou’s crown prince, Yu Shun.

Dressed in black, with a white jade thumb ring on his right hand, Yu Shun idly turned the ring as he listened to his attendant whisper by his side.

“Master Wen did not bring the princess.”

Yu Shun paused briefly, then chuckled softly. “It seems the empire has already prepared its countermeasures against Haozhou’s generals.”

He waved his hand, signaling his attendants to withdraw.

At that moment, the outcome of the hunting ground had been decided.

Lu Tingyu and the fourth son of the Great Hui Emperor, Xiao Jin, joined forces and achieved a resounding victory.

The great hall no longer carried the silence of the morning.

“In the ranks of Great Hui’s warriors, we too have individuals capable of taking on four opponents at once.”

“General Lu, though young, is unparalleled in martial prowess. Despite the exhaustion of long journeys, he managed to decisively defeat the fierce generals of Haozhou. Surely, he must be regarded as the greatest warrior of Great Hui.”

“I wonder if General Lu’s younger brother also came along. When it comes to martial arts, the younger Lu is no less skilled than his elder brother.”

At last, the Great Hui Emperor displayed his first smile of the day, summoning Lu Tingyu to the high platform for an audience.

Lu Tingyu disarmed his sword at the base of the platform.

Still in his armor, he followed a few palace attendants and walked into the hall at a measured pace.

As soon as he entered, his gaze met Yu Shun’s, who was seated to the side of the Emperor at the head of the hall.

Lu Tingyu paused briefly but remained expressionless, shifting his focus to the Emperor seated above.

“Your subject, Lu Tingyu, greets Your Majesty.”

“There is no need for excessive formality, Lord Lu,” the Emperor said, smiling faintly with a deep look in his eyes. “You have defended the border for many years. Today, your first day back in the capital, you face the warriors of Haozhou once again.”

Hearing the mention of the border, Yu Shun’s expression remained unchanged, though he offered a mild smile. “General Lu is unmatched in courage. On the battlefield, his name has long been celebrated.”

“This time, General Lu’s arrival is truly timely.” He paused deliberately, his gaze filled with meaning. “Tomorrow is the final day of the martial contest, the most critical battle. I have already agreed with His Majesty on a wager: the losing side will gift the other 3,000 warhorses.”

For both nations, the 3,000 warhorses were not the crux of the matter.

What mattered was that the losing side must deliver the horses personally to the opponent’s capital, essentially announcing their defeat in the martial contest to all their people.

This would signify a loss of face and put them at a disadvantage in the forthcoming marriage alliance negotiations.

The stakes were high, involving the dignity of both nations and the specifics of the marriage treaty.

Everyone understood the importance of the coming battle.

But Yu Shun wasn’t finished.

He glanced at Lu Tingyu and suddenly said, “I just recalled that earlier this year, during a minor border conflict, the matter between General Lu and me was left unresolved.”

“In that case, I look forward to tomorrow.”

The tension in the hall thickened instantly.

It was the first time the usually composed and elegant Crown Prince of Haozhou had made such a provocative remark since arriving in the Great Hui capital.

Many people felt their hearts tighten.

Lu Tingyu’s expression didn’t waver as he replied, “Naturally.”

The Emperor, seated high on the throne, narrowed his eyes slightly at this exchange.

After the palace banquet, Lu Tingyu, along with several princes and senior ministers, was summoned to the palace.

This included Yan Ling, who had been absent from the recent banquets due to claiming illness.

Although Yan Ling had been excused on the grounds of sickness for several days, he appeared entirely normal today, showing no signs of discomfort.

The Emperor did not press further and instead turned to Lu Tingyu with a solemn expression. “Do you have confidence in tomorrow’s battle?”

Lu Tingyu was silent for a moment before shaking his head. “Qinghuai’s injuries have not healed. He cannot fight tomorrow. With only myself and my deputy general, it is certain that we will lose.”

The Emperor’s face darkened.

Haozhou’s sudden agreement to a marriage alliance had caused Great Hui to leave their border defenses intact as a precaution.

After Yu Shun proposed the martial contest, the Emperor summoned the Lu brothers back to the capital.

However, the court was unaware that Lu Qinghuai had been seriously injured in a battle months earlier and had not fully recovered despite prolonged care.

Though he returned to the capital with Lu Tingyu, his condition prevented him from appearing, and thus it was officially claimed that only Lu Tingyu was summoned.

The Lu family consisted of only three men, and it was impossible to summon their father as well.

With the marriage alliance unresolved, border defenses could not be relaxed.

Lu Tingyu’s father, though older, was still in better health than the incapacitated Lu Qinghuai.

Wei Yangwang pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps General Lu is unaware that not all of Haozhou’s warriors can fight either. Their fiercest general, Nu Lie, has already been severely injured, perhaps even worse than Lu Qinghuai.”

Lu Tingyu replied, “I am aware.”

Wei Yangwang: ?

“Your Majesty,” Lu Tingyu said solemnly, “under the Crown Prince of Haozhou, there are five great generals, all of whom have accompanied him to the capital.”

“Besides Nu Lie, there are four other generals.”

“The ones I faced today were merely two of them, and they did not fight with their full strength.”

Among everyone in the hall, Lu Tingyu was the most familiar with Haozhou’s generals.

Therefore, when he claimed they had held back, the others looked grim.

“Does this mean that the Haozhou Crown Prince was conserving his strength?” Duke Zhenguo said angrily. “Does he take Great Hui for fools?”

“Not entirely,” Xiao Jin said, looking at Lu Tingyu. “When General Lu appeared, he was visibly surprised.”

This indicated that the secret recall of Lu Tingyu had some effect.

But the unexpected development of Lu Qinghuai’s injury made the outcome of tomorrow’s match uncertain.

As for the secret recall of Lu Tingyu, aside from the Emperor, only Yan Ling was aware.

“This is not the time to discuss such matters,” Marquis Zhongyong said. “General Lu, do you truly have no confidence against those four?”

Lu Tingyu replied, “I do.”

Marquis Zhongyong: ?

One moment he said defeat was inevitable, and the next he claimed to have confidence.

The contradiction left the Marquis thoroughly confused.

Lu Tingyu explained, “If it’s just those four, with the combined strength of myself, Yong’an Wang, and several generals, victory is not difficult.”

“But…” he continued gravely, “Haozhou has another individual whose martial skills surpass even Nu Lie, who specializes in wrestling and close combat.”

“Who?” Wei Yang Wang asked, shocked.

“The Crown Prince of Haozhou.”

Wei Yangwang was stunned.

After a long pause, he finally reacted.

The one with unparalleled martial skill was the seemingly scholarly and refined Crown Prince of Haozhou?

“Yu Shun?” Xiao Jin’s expression also shifted.

Lu Tingyu replied firmly, “Yes.”

“If he leads tomorrow, with the four generals by his side, we have almost no chance of victory.”

The hall fell into dead silence.

“Unless…” Lu Tingyu’s tone shifted. “We can enlist the help of Princess Si Ning.”