The Imperial Study was silent.

Each person in the hall had their own thoughts regarding Wen Yuesheng’s words.

The first to break the silence was Duke Zhongyong.

He stepped forward and said in a low voice, “What Princess Sining said makes sense.”

Under the complex gazes of those around him, Duke Zhongyong’s face remained cold. “Haozhou’s ambitions are clear. Even if today, the Great Hui retreats, in the future, they will surely come back again.”

“These repeated retreats will only demoralize the army, causing Great Hui to waste years of resources. If more concessions are made, it will only further embolden Haozhou.”

“Lord Duke is right,” an official on the side said, adding, “But the situation on the border is clear to everyone. In terms of military strength, we are far behind Haozhou. If we rashly engage in battle, it will only lead to unnecessary casualties among our soldiers.”

“Whether through marriage or seeking a temporary peace, the essence of both is to buy more time, allowing Great Hui to catch its breath and train more and stronger soldiers.”

The official’s words made sense.

It was common knowledge that in situations of such a vast power disparity, direct confrontation would only lead to more casualties.

The border forces were only about two hundred thousand strong.

Even if the court sent reinforcements from other regions, the total force would reach around five hundred thousand.

However, this five hundred thousand was not the same as Haozhou’s five hundred thousand.

Haozhou’s army was strong and well-trained.

In past encounters, they had often defeated Great Hui with smaller numbers.

In one extreme case, they had won with just a few thousand soldiers against over ten thousand of Great Hui’s forces.

The disparity in strength was huge.

If a war broke out, it would only highlight their decline.

“But how strong is strong enough?” After a moment of silence, Duke Zhen Guo spoke directly, “Have any of you thought about what Great Hui will have to give up if we seek peace now?”

“Although it might not go as far as Princess Sining’s suggestion of ceding land and paying reparations, at the very least, we will have to pay a considerable amount of silver.”

Duke Zhongyong glanced at Duke Zhen Guo.

He hadn’t expected the Prince of Yong’an’s faction to be the war party.

But upon reflection, there were only two princes in the court—Prince Jingkang and Prince Yong’an, so it was inevitable they would not align with each other.

“All the silver given to Haozhou will become their bargaining chip in the future,” Duke Zhen Guo’s words silenced the pro-war officials.

“Your Majesty,” the Minister of Revenue said after a pause, “This year’s harvest has been poor, and many regions were struck by snow disasters, depleting the treasury.”

“If we go to war now, the expenses will be enormous.” He paused and then continued, “But if we seek peace…”

“According to previous cases, Haozhou will demand no less than several million taels of silver.”

When the figure was mentioned, everyone in the Imperial Study, including the Emperor sitting in the middle, looked grim.

“Fortunately,” the Minister of Revenue continued, “Since Princess Sining arrived at the court, many corrupt officials have been executed. This is the result of the officials’ homes being inspected under the orders of the court.”

The Minister of Revenue, aged 58, had only recently been promoted to his current position, having served for just three years.

He had previously been an official in the provinces but was promoted due to his exceptional work in the Ministry of Personnel.

Though usually quiet, when it came to a crucial moment, he was decisive.

He presented a thick account book, which the Emperor glanced at.

His expression immediately changed.

Seeing the ministers around him glance over, the Minister of Revenue spoke directly, “From the first corrupt official caught at the beginning of the year, to the recent rebellion by the Crown Prince and Duke Xu, all the corrupt officials combined yielded a total of 2.17 million taels of silver.”

The entire hall fell silent.

Many of the officials were stunned after hearing this figure.

Over two million taels!

How could they have dared to do this?

In the worst year of Great Hui’s war, when there were countless casualties, and the nation fought for nearly a year, the total military expenditure was only 1.4 million taels.

Yet now, they had seized this much silver just from raiding a few corrupt officials!

The Emperor’s voice was low and angry: “This is outrageous!”

The Minister of Revenue lowered his head and said softly, “The largest amount of silver seized was from the Crown Prince’s(Prince Heng Guang) and Duke Xu’s households. In total, 900,000 taels were seized from the Crown Prince’s residence, along with countless gold.”

Since Xiao Rui’s rebellion, few had dared to mention him in the Emperor’s presence.

The Emperor’s response to his rebellion, especially after the death of the Empress Dowager, had been rather muted.

The royal family’s emotions were distant, and once Xiao Rui and Duke Xu conspired with the Empress Dowager for the rebellion, the Emperor no longer felt any affection for them.

Hearing such a vast sum of money now, the Emperor was seething with anger.

“In addition, due to the distance, the residences of the officials in Fuzhou have not yet been raided,” the Minister of Revenue said, glancing at Wen Yue. “All of this money came from the execution of corrupt officials.”

“This money has been hard-earned, and I believe it should not be given to Haozhou.”

“Prince Jingkang said that Haozhou has been attacking for years because they are facing a difficult year, and their treasury is empty. Therefore, they keep sending troops. If that is the case, we should not use Great Hui’s silver to support Haozhou’s army.”

“In times of national crisis, we should use all our resources to protect our country, especially when we already have this money at hand.”

The Minister of Revenue bowed deeply. “In this battle, Great Hui must not retreat!”

His words were powerful in the stillness of the hall.

After him, a number of officials, including those from the Hanlin Academy and the Cabinet, walked out slowly, “Your Majesty, please issue an edict. Great Hui must not retreat!”

There were still some more conservative officials, who believed in fortifying their forces and preparing for the future.

They argued that the two thousand soldiers sent by Haozhou were likely just a vanguard, testing Great Hui’s resolve.

Thus, the Emperor did not make a decision immediately.

However, this year’s New Year festival was overshadowed by the threat of war.

The Lu family’s three generals were unable to return to the capital for the celebrations, and the city was filled with an atmosphere of impending conflict.

The New Year’s mood was subdued, and even the New Year’s Eve banquet ended early.

After the New Year, the imperial examinations would begin.

Because of the looming war, the people were on edge.

This atmosphere remained until after the spring examination started, when the tension eased slightly.

On the day of the exams, there were many anxious students standing outside the exam halls.

The spring examination, known as the “hui-shi,” required candidates to stay in the examination halls for seven to nine days.

Therefore, strict checks were conducted before entering.

For the first time, the chief examiner for this year’s spring examination was…

She sat quietly in the examination hall, dressed in a greenish-blue gown and holding a jade Buddha bead.

Every candidate who passed the body inspection would walk past her.

No one knew exactly who started it, but every scholar entering the examination hall would bow to her.

They weren’t only paying respects to the noble Princess Sinning, but also to the hard-earned fairness she represented.

When Qi Fang arrived, he gave her a deep bow and couldn’t rise immediately.

Wen Yuesheng had no significant expression on her face. As Qi Fang entered the hall, he turned back to look in her direction.

He engraved the serene profile of the woman and the emotionless look in her eyes into his heart, before slowly stepping into the hall.

The doors of the hall slowly closed behind him with a creak.

The spring examination was held once every three years.

This year, with all the changes and the replacement of several examiners, many believed that the candidates would be affected.

However, no one expected this to be the most exciting imperial exam since the emperor’s ascension.

Many had excelled in literature, governance, and self-cultivation, showing talents in all three aspects.

The top ten who advanced to the palace exam were considered the best in years, even surpassing the results of the year when Yan Ling participated in the imperial exam.

That year, it was Yan Ling alone who stood out, and his essay and strategies would certainly have made him the top scorer in this year’s exam as well.

Except for him, the rest of the candidates were mediocre.

But this year’s batch truly showed brilliance everywhere.

Among them, the emperor’s chosen top candidate, Qi Fang, performed excellently and was recognized by the Cabinet and the Hanlin Academy.

The second and third place also displayed remarkable talent and answered wisely.

Their specialties varied, but one common feature was that they all came from humble backgrounds.

Qi Fang, in particular, had been remembered by officials when Kong Rui stepped down.

The other top candidates had all been unsuccessful candidates in previous exams, but in this fair environment, they rose above all and secured second and third places.

Not only these three, but there were also two or three others entering the palace exam who were impressive.

Such a situation was entirely unexpected for many.

As Lu Ge said, the fresh blood entering the imperial court replaced the rotting corpses embedded in power, bringing a new vitality.

After the spring exams ended, with some fresh talents added and the chaotic situation in the border regions, the imperial court had to show its stance.

The emperor finally issued an edict.

Princess Sinning Wen Yuesheng was appointed as the Second-Rank General of the Army, with Zhong Yonghou as the Third-Rank General of Huaihua, and her subordinates Zhang Yulin as Yunwei General and Li Qingyuan as Zhongwu General.

They would lead an army of 100,000 directly to the border.

The army was excited when the decree was issued.

That day, Wen Yuesheng returned to the Princess Mansion to prepare for the journey to the border.

This mission was different from the past, where she had quelled rebellions in Fuzhou.

This time, it was uncertain when she would return.

Therefore, she left Zhao Mama and Xia Zhi in the mansion.

Her companions on this journey would be Zhou Manniang, Lu Hongying, and Ye Qiuyun.

Jiang Lu had to remain in the capital to continue managing the family business and act as Wen Yue Sheng’s eyes, ensuring the smooth flow of information.

Yan Ling would also go with her.

Late at night, the spring chill lingered, and the wind carried the lingering coldness of late winter.

Wen Yuesheng stood by the quiet pavilion, gazing down at the rippling water in the pond, where countless lights flickered.

Standing beside her was Yan Ling, wearing a snow-white robe.

It was rare that no one else was present.

Since there was much to prepare for the expedition, everyone was busy packing.

Wen Yuesheng stood by the cold pond, her gaze on the frigid water, while the person beside her merely looked at her.

“This battle at the border will be a tough one,” Yan Ling said, his gaze falling on the red mark on the back of her neck.

In the capital, including Yan Ling, no one knew the true extent of Wen Yuesheng’s strength.

Most knew she could easily slay dozens of death warriors.

But at the border, the opponents were not just a few or dozens of death warriors—they were thousands of soldiers.

Yan Ling paused for a moment and then said, “Before Princess’s victorious return, Yan Ling will guard the rear.”

Wen Yuesheng looked up at him.

His serious tone continued, “But please, Princess, keep your promise and return without injury.”

Before Wen Yuesheng could speak, he added, “Yan Ling has been abandoned by his parents, and left by his family. But now…”

“I don’t want to be abandoned by the Princess.”

Tonight had no stars, but the moonlight was particularly beautiful.

Beneath the moon’s soft glow, Yan Ling seemed to enter a painting, his beauty stunning.

And in his eyes, the aloofness and indifference faded, replaced by a passionate gaze.

Unlike his previous obsession or the predatory nature of the new emperor, Yushu, Yan Ling’s gaze was intense but unmistakably earnest.

He spoke solemnly, “In autumn, the red maple leaves in the capital were like endless red light from the countryside.”

“Before autumn, Yan Ling will await Princess’s triumphant return.”

Wen Yuesheng looked into the distance, where the dark mountains lay hidden under the night. She spoke softly, “Alright.”

The next morning, the army was fully prepared.

Wen Yuesheng rode a pure black horse and stood at the front of the army.

Behind her, the banner of the Great Hui fluttered in the fierce late winter wind.

When the drumbeats sounded, Wen Yuesheng urged her horse forward.

Behind her, a sea of soldiers in black extended far into the distance.

The journey from the capital to the border would take quite some time.

The border had already fallen into chaos, and several major border cities had been invaded by the Haoshuo army.

When they arrived at the border, Wen Yuesheng divided the soldiers into four groups, with herself, Zhong Yong Hou, Zhang Yulin, and Li Qingyuan each leading a portion of the troops to assist different cities.

Wen Yuesheng headed for a border city named Luo City.

Luo City had originally been guarded by Lu Tingyu, one of the three generals of the Lu family.

However, due to an impending invasion of the border’s main city, Lu Tingyu had already led his troops to Luo City for reinforcement.