Seeing this, Su Huaiyue took a graceful step forward with lotus steps, a smile as gentle as the warm spring sun on her face, and her voice was soft but revealed an unquestionable firmness.

"Your Excellency, war will only bring endless suffering and disaster, and the people of both countries will suffer greatly. Look at the southwest border. Because of the war, countless families have been destroyed and displaced."

Having said this, she paused slightly, a trace of pity flashed in her eyes, as if she saw the tragic scenes of those suffering people.

"We seek peace not because we fear war, but so that the people of both countries can live a stable life."

Her voice trembled slightly, filled with a desire for peace and sympathy for the people.

A hint of emotion flashed in the messenger's eyes. He lowered his head slightly, as if thinking about Su Huaiyue's words.

But soon, he raised his head again, his expression still firm: "I can't make the decision on this matter on my own. I need to report it to my king."

As he spoke, he paced back and forth, rubbing his hands together, revealing his inner struggle.

The atmosphere in the tent was deadlocked for a moment, as if time had stopped.

At this moment, Yun Yiming could no longer suppress his rage. Like an enraged lion, he strode forward, his eyebrows raised, his eyes wide as bells, and roared, "Why are you arguing with them? The Third Prince is in our hands. Force them to retreat. Otherwise, we will kill him and attack Xizhao Kingdom!"

As he spoke, he waved his fists, and the armor on his body made a "cracking" sound with his movements.

Wei Che hurried forward, firmly pressing Yun Yiming's shoulders with both hands. His expression was serious, and his eyes revealed a brotherly concern and rebuke: "Don't be impulsive! If war breaks out, the people of both countries will suffer. Our goal is peace, not bloodshed."

As he spoke, he stared into Yun Yiming's eyes, hoping that he could calm down.

At this moment, Lian Shuo suddenly walked in from outside the tent, his face bearing the vicissitudes of life and the traces of war. His voice was low and powerful: "Deputy General Yun, General Wei is absolutely right. We cannot ruin this hard-earned opportunity for peace because of a momentary impulse."

The messenger was also incredulous when he saw Lian Shuo: "You, you are not..."

Lian Shuo saw through his thoughts and sneered, "You're not poisoned, are you?"

The messenger's face darkened. "What do you mean by poisoned? I don't understand."

"You and I both know how I was poisoned. For the sake of the people living on the border, I will not argue with you. You only need to tell me who the traitor is. After the contract is concluded, I will pretend that this incident never happened and has nothing to do with you, Xizhao."

The envoy's eyes flickered for a moment. He subconsciously took a half step back, his gaze wandering, not daring to look directly into Lian Shuo's eyes. He feigned composure and snorted coldly, "General Lian, this is strange. The Xizhao Kingdom has always acted openly and honestly. How could they be involved in such a conspiracy? I'm afraid you've misunderstood."

Lian Shuo stepped forward, exuding the dignity of a veteran. His gaze was like a torch, locking onto the messenger. He said coldly, "You still want to quibble now? I, Lian Shuo, have fought on this battlefield for many years and have seen everything. Don't think you can fool me with your little tricks."

"If it weren't for the sake of the people of both countries, I would definitely ask you to give me an explanation today!"

Lian Shuo's voice was low but powerful, and every word seemed to carry the smell of gunpowder from the battlefield.

Wei Che saw the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, so he stepped forward and said, "Your Excellency, there is a rebellion in Xizhao Country right now, and the situation is turbulent. The Southwestern Army is willing to lend a hand. This is for the sake of peace between the two countries."

"We also hope to resolve the grievances General Lian has suffered, but at this moment, quelling the rebellion and signing a truce are our top priorities. As long as you are honest with us, we will forgive the past and continue to maintain friendly exchanges between our two countries."

Wei Che's voice was calm and sincere, neither humble nor arrogant, making it impossible to refuse.

A conflicted look appeared on the messenger's face, and he was having a fierce struggle in his heart.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his hands unconsciously clenched the corners of his clothes.

After a moment's silence, the envoy slowly spoke, "General Lian, General Wei, this matter is of grave importance, and I need to consider it carefully. But I can assure you that the Western Zhao Kingdom is sincere in its commitment to this peace negotiation."

At this moment, the Third Prince Mingyu suddenly spoke up: "Emissary, at this point, what is there to hide? Didn't Father send you here in the hope of resolving the issue and quelling the war?"

Mingyu was arrogant and unruly by nature, and had never suffered such injustice. He was imprisoned here and lost his freedom.

Moreover, he had no intention of this war. It was the pro-war faction headed by the Left Prime Minister in the court who tried their best to advise his father, so he had to come to the border.

At this moment he was also eager to make peace.

The messenger looked at the Third Prince, then at Lian Shuo and Wei Che, and sighed. "Well, since the Third Prince has said so, I won't hide it anymore. The traitor is Lieutenant General Li. He's colluding with a faction within the country, attempting to provoke a war between the two countries and seek personal gain."

Lian Shuo's eyes flashed with anger: "It really is him! I've always treated him well, but I never thought he would do such a thing!"

Wei Che thought quickly that the forces that Lieutenant General Li was colluding with were most likely Cheng Lao's gang.

The plague in the southwest is most likely their work.

"In that case, let's work together to quell the rebellion in Xizhao Kingdom first, and then deal with this traitor. My Lord Envoy, please contact the King of Xizhao Kingdom as soon as possible."

The messenger nodded. "Alright, I'll go back and make preparations. Third Prince, take care of yourself. I'll come back to take you back once the situation is resolved."

The messenger left in a hurry with complicated thoughts in his mind. Inside the tent, the candlelight danced restlessly in the breeze, illuminating the faces of Wei Che and Su Huaiyue in flickering light.

Wei Che's brows were tightly furrowed, and the expression on his face seemed to be engraved with the hardships of the battlefield and the heaviness of the moment. He was the first to break the silence in the tent, his voice low but full of unquestionable firmness.

"Deputy General Li is the thread that unravels this tangled mess and the key to unmasking Elder Cheng. The conspiracy behind this is like a tangled web, with every link tightly connected. If we're not careful, all our previous efforts will be wasted."

Su Huaiyue nodded slightly and said softly, "You are right. Since Lieutenant General Li dared to collude with Cheng Lao and his gang during such a sensitive period between the two countries, they must have been planning this for a long time and have a set of tight and covert plans and communication methods."

The two men fell into a brief contemplation, and for a moment the only sound in the tent was the slight crackling of the burning candle.