A short while later, a slightly overweight general with a mustache, who was about fifty years old, came out of the military headquarters. He was Pang Da's superior, one of the four deputy generals under General Lin, and Deputy General He.

He was followed by four subordinates, one of whom looked to be of some status and was dressed in the same style as Ponta.

Upon seeing Qiao Lian'er, Deputy General He seemed displeased and made no attempt to hide his emotions.

"Your Highness, are you saying that my subordinate, Lieutenant Pang, deliberately sabotaged the examination?" He stood in front of Qiao Lian'er, looking down at her with a stern air.

Qiao Lian'er remained expressionless. She said quietly, "It's not that I'm saying this, but there are witnesses, and I saw it with my own eyes."

Then, she recounted everything she had seen, along with the soldiers' testimonies.

Actually, the soldier was initially unwilling to reveal the truth no matter what. Usually, the lives of people who do such things are in the hands of the mastermind behind the scenes. It was she who used the red pill that Pei Shijiu gave him, which made him confess in a daze. She promised to protect his family's lives and had already arranged for their safety.

Seeing that she didn't seem to be joking, Lieutenant He pondered for a while and then said, "Lieutenant Xiang, go and relieve Lieutenant Pang. Tell Lieutenant Pang to come back quickly; I need to question him."

"Yes." The lieutenant immediately went to gather men, and soon set off with a team.

“Please come to the office, Your Highness. Once he returns, I will interrogate him carefully and give you an explanation,” said Deputy General He.

Looking in from here, the numerous doors create an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Qiao Lian'er said, "No need to trouble yourself. This case is simple. I'll just wait here."

"There's no interrogation yet, and no conclusion yet. How can it be simple? What if there's something else going on?" Deputy General He said with a half-smile.

"If the county princess is going to stand at the door and waste time, does she expect me to accompany her? That would be disgraceful."

Qiao Lian'er felt a chill in her heart. This Deputy General He might not be involved, but he seemed to be protecting Pang Da. This matter would probably end without resolution, and she might even be in danger.

Seeing that she remained silent, Vice General He said with a mocking tone, "Or is it that the County Princess is worried that the Inner Army Command will be detrimental to you? This is a sacred place that guards the capital and is deeply trusted by the Emperor. What, does the County Princess not trust the Emperor?"

This immediately labeled Qiao Lian'er as a traitor.

As expected of a general from the capital, he is very familiar with this kind of thing.

Qiao Lian'er's eyes turned cold. She raised her face and looked at Deputy General He with a piercing gaze.

“My loyalty to the Emperor is evident to the entire capital. The Emperor’s kindness and trust in me cannot be swayed by a few words. Since Vice General He is going to the inner hall to investigate, I am naturally willing to cooperate so that all the talented people in the country can take the exam with peace of mind.”

She nodded and stepped inside.

As for her people, they were left outside.

The military headquarters was very large, consisting of a series of courtyards that extended to a spacious training ground at the back. Some of these courtyards were armories, some were archives, some were clothing stores, and there were also courtrooms and execution halls.

The courtroom was at the very back. Passing through layers of vermilion gates, one could hear the agonizing screams of someone being tortured, undisguised, trembling and shrill.

In some courtyards, cooks were preparing dishes and chopping meat, their knives constantly striking the cutting board, which made one feel slightly uneasy.

A faint smell of blood wafted from Qiao Lian'er's nose, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to have become stronger, causing her to frown.

Deputy General He, with his hand on his sword, strode forward.