"How is your general now?"

"He's too badly injured and is still unconscious."

If Xie Linzhou were awake, she could go in and check on him, at least offer her some comfort. But now that he's unconscious, what's the point of going in?

She's not a doctor, so going in wouldn't have made a difference.

"Let General Xie rest well, I won't go in and disturb him."

And there are so many people watching. If she, as a commoner, were to actually enter Xie Linzhou's camp, what would others think of her?

Zhang Ping was disappointed. He had originally planned to let Miss Song go in and take a look, so that when the young master woke up, he could say something like that and his mood would naturally improve.

As soon as she left, the people next to her looked at her with suspicious expressions.

Song Ning was helpless and too lazy to explain.

The aroma soon wafted from the kitchen, and everyone rushed there to eat. Song Ning, worried, led a few of them to help guard the city wall.

"Uncle Yang, you go and guard the East Gate. Brother Liu, you go and watch the West Gate. Brother Dazhuang, go to the South Gate. Brother Liu Er and I will go to the North Gate."

Walking through Yuezhou City, one is greeted by a frontier landscape and simple, honest folk customs. However, due to the sudden war, there are not many smiles on people's faces.

On the way, I saw many people packing their things, some even dragging their families along as if they were moving.

Are these people leaving Yuezhou?

"Probably. After organizing for so long, they probably just couldn't hold back any longer."

"But there are enemy troops outside, where can they possibly go?"

Song Ning didn't say anything or pay attention, since they couldn't get out anyway.

When we arrived at the North Gate, there weren't many people there, and they all seemed rather lazy; some were even sitting there playing cards.

There weren't many people coming and going here. When Song Ning and his companion arrived, those people didn't even glance at them.

Song Ning stepped forward and asked politely, "Sir, I was sent from the military camp. I'd like to go up to the city wall to take a look."

The clattering of the dice was deafening.

"Can't you move faster? Are you even a man?!"

"Let me tell you, you're not allowed to go home until you've had your fill of fun today!"

......

After Song Ning asked her question, no one paid any attention to her for quite a while.

I walked to the side and asked the two people who were sunbathing, but no one paid any attention to me.

Song Ning simply stopped asking. She realized that even if she opened the city gates today, these people wouldn't care.

"Let's go up."

After saying that, he led Liu Er to the city wall.

The moment he stepped onto the first step, someone behind him shouted, "Halt! What are you doing? Men, seize them!"

Just a moment ago they were acting like they were going to die, but now they've suddenly united.

"Gentlemen, we have business to attend to on the city wall. We have already informed you in advance."

The leader, with a sneer, looked at them and said, "This is Yuezhou, our territory. When did you give us a heads-up? Brothers, did you hear that?"

"No!"

"With shifty eyes and sneaky behavior, he looks like a spy."

Song Ning understood the tone; it was a trap set by the police.

They deliberately ignored them at first, but now that they're about to go up to the city wall, their true colors are showing.

"Sir, we were sent by the military camp. General Zhang Ping sent us."

"General Zhang Ping? Ha, don't think I don't know. General Zhang hasn't returned yet, and you still dare to bring him up. Guards, take them away and torture them severely. What is their purpose? Who sent them?"

"Let's see who dares! This is a token personally bestowed by Her Highness the Princess!"

Song Ning showed the token given to him by Princess Jianing. Everyone around was stunned for a moment, and then a disdainful laugh was heard: "Bestowed by Her Highness the Princess? I'd rather have His Majesty bestow it. Let me tell you, even if this thing is real, it's useless on my turf."

"General Zhang returned this morning. If you don't believe me, you can check. Also, the Northern Liang army is currently eyeing the city covetously outside. You are guarding the north gate, which faces the enemy. If the enemy attacks, can you bear the consequences?"

Song Ning's face was cold and his eyes were terrifyingly deep.

It's a time of war, and the entire military camp is in a tense atmosphere. I never expected the people here to be like this.

She heard about it when she entered the city. To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, the prefect of Yuezhou had issued an order that anyone seen as suspicious should be arrested, and that anyone caught as a spy would receive a reward of five hundred coins.

She thought it was a good idea, but she didn't expect to run into it on her very first day.

In exchange for money, they set traps for innocent people and then arrested them to act as spies.

"I've been guarding this place for over a decade and nothing's ever happened. Let me tell you, in my territory, I'm the one who calls the shots. We're all just following the prefect's orders. Even if General Zhang came, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it."

Song Ning frowned. She thought that the places under Xie Linzhou's rule should be places where people lived in peace and prosperity, and where soldiers were well-trained and worked hard to protect their homes and country without any slackness. She never expected that there would be such a scoundrel.

Guarding the most important north gate, he abandoned his post and openly gambled on the street. Not only that, he also dared to disregard military discipline and use his position for personal gain.

The group exchanged glances. The leader was incredibly arrogant, ignoring Song Ning's words: "Take them away and hand them over to the prefect for severe interrogation."

"Who are you taking away?"

Zhang Ping approached with his men from a short distance away, his face cold and stern, and asked in a deep voice.

The leader, who had been arrogant, immediately put on a smile and stepped forward like a lackey: "Oh, General Zhang, when did you get back?"

"What are you trying to do?"

Upon hearing this, the man immediately pointed at Song Ning and Liu Er: "Reporting to the General, these two men were acting suspiciously, trying to climb the city wall without permission. They were discovered by your subordinates; they must be spies. General Zhang, you must..."

Snap!

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Ping swung his arm and slapped the grown man to the ground.

Song Ning stepped forward and looked at him coldly: "Didn't you say that Yuezhou is short of food? I see that you have eaten your fill and still have the energy to gamble and catch spies."

"You have no regard for the law, no respect for the emperor! I think you're the spy. Go to jail and confess!"

Zhang Ping shouted, "Men! Seize these men and take them back to the camp for severe interrogation!"

"yes."

"General, General Zhang, please spare my life! I know I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again."

Zhang Ping was even more furious than Song Ning. His young master was still bedridden because of Yuezhou, and they dared to neglect their duties like this. They deserved to die.

The rest was left to Zhang Ping. Song Ning went up to the city wall, took out his binoculars, and looked around. Everything in the area he could see was normal.

However, given the nature of the Northern Liang people, they couldn't possibly remain inactive forever; they might be harboring some wicked schemes.

Good news doesn't come true, but bad news does. As evening approached, news came from both the east and west that the Northern Liang army was marching towards Yuezhou.