The candlelight in the imperial study burned quietly, casting long, long shadows of the two figures nestled together.
The air was thick with the solemnity of an impending storm.
The "arson map" brought from Kunning Palace was laid flat on the large imperial desk. The shocking vermilion lines on it, illuminated by candlelight, seemed to flow with ominous blood, foreshadowing an impending catastrophe.
Lin Wanwan and Xiao Che had been talking in secret about this map for two whole hours.
This was the eve of the decisive battle, their last and most serious strategic briefing.
"...So, the Regent's real trump card is this fire." Lin Wanwan's voice was cold and calm, and it sounded particularly clear in the silent palace. "The assassins he planted were not the main force, but were used to create chaos and block all exits after the fire started."
Xiao Che's gaze slowly moved across the map, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. He had long since calmed down from his initial rage; now, he was a meticulous commander, scrutinizing the battlefield that concerned the fate of the nation.
"What a 'mutual destruction' scheme." He sneered, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Uncle Wang has calculated this perfectly. Even if he fails, I would never abandon the entire court and the imperial family to escape alone."
“That’s right.” Lin Wanwan nodded. “He wants to use a huge fire to wipe out the entire power core of Daliang. No matter who wins or loses in the end, what will be left for the other side will be a mess of chaos with no leaders and complete paralysis.”
This plan can only be described as ruthless.
However, no matter how cunning a plan is, it will be full of loopholes once it is discovered in advance.
“Since he has prepared a grave for us, then we will put on a good show for him in this grave.” Xiao Che’s finger pressed heavily on the only path to survival on the map.
Over the next hour, the two devised a plan, devising a series of incredibly detailed countermeasures based on the "arson map."
“This secret passage is the key to breaking the deadlock,” Xiao Che said in a deep voice. “Before the palace banquet begins tomorrow, De Shun will use the pretext of practicing a fire drill to secretly transfer all the royal family members and several of our core loyal ministers to a safe area near the entrance of the secret passage. At that time, as soon as the fire starts, they can evacuate immediately.”
“Okay,” Lin Wanwan replied, “but simply moving people isn’t enough. Some of the flammable materials inside the hall must be disposed of, otherwise, once the fire starts, even a god couldn’t save it.”
“I have already made up my mind.” A glint of light flashed in Xiao Che’s eyes. “Tomorrow morning, you will use the excuse that ‘the weather is dry and we need to personally inspect fire prevention’ to inspect the main hall. At that time, I will arrange a group of absolutely reliable craftsmen, disguised as people from the Imperial Household Department, to be at your command. They will replace the ‘oil-soaked hemp’ placed on the key beams and pillars with similar substitutes that have been prepared in advance and soaked in fire-retardant alum water.”
"In this way, although we cannot completely stop the fire, we can buy ourselves the most precious time to evacuate."
"As for outside..." Lin Wanwan's gaze shifted beyond the map, as if she could already see the imperial city about to be engulfed in flames and blood. "It's time to move Shen Ce's capital camp."
"I have already sent him a secret order." Xiao Che's voice was calm and composed, as if he had a plan in hand. "The moment the palace banquet begins tomorrow, he will lead 30,000 iron cavalry, under the pretext of 'purging the court of corrupt officials and punishing traitors,' to seal off the nine gates of the imperial city and form a counter-encirclement of the residences of all the Regent's supporters. His uncle thinks he is trapping them in the palace, but little does he know, he himself has already become a sitting duck for me!"
One plan after another was calmly proposed, refined, and finalized.
A flawless counterattack was quietly woven by the young emperor and empress in the still of the night.
After all the plans were finalized, a long silence fell over the Imperial Study.
Outside the window, the moon had already set in the west, and a faint glimmer of dawn was appearing on the horizon. The deepest darkness was about to pass, but this moment before dawn was also the most unsettling.
In tomorrow's battle, they seem to have gained a significant advantage.
But on the battlefield, things change in an instant. Swords have no eyes, and fire is merciless. No one can guarantee that they will emerge unscathed from that inferno of blood and fire.
Their fate is uncertain.
After a long silence, Xiao Che suddenly sighed softly.
He uttered no more boastful words of "certain victory," nor did he glance once more at the map that would determine the fate of countless people. He simply walked slowly out from behind his desk, step by step, until he stood before Lin Wanwan.
He reached out, his movements gentle yet with an irresistible force, and pulled her tightly into his arms.
This embrace contained not a trace of lust, but only the purest, deepest-rooted longing and unease. He buried his head deeply in the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling the comforting scent emanating from her. At that moment, his tall frame trembled slightly.
"Wanwan..."
His voice came from the hollow of her shoulder, terribly hoarse, carrying a vulnerability and fear that came from shedding all the pretense of an emperor.
"Promise me, no matter what happens, you must live on."
"We must survive."
At this moment, he was not the strategist and decisive emperor; he was just an ordinary man afraid of losing his beloved. He could face thousands of troops and talk about life and death with a smile, but he could not imagine how he would face the impending ruins if the warmth in this embrace disappeared.
Lin Wanwan's heart trembled suddenly, then was filled with a huge mix of sorrow and tenderness.
She could feel the strength of his embrace, a force that seemed to be melting her into her very bones, and she could also sense the deep-seated fear in his voice.
She didn't speak, but slowly raised her arms and hugged him back. Her hand patted his back gently but firmly, as if comforting a frightened child.
"If we're going to live, we'll live together."
She raised her head, looked up at him, and spoke clearly and firmly, word by word.
This is not a promise, it is a declaration.
It was a pact between them that transcended life and death.
Xiao Che's body stiffened, and then he hugged her even tighter.
Lin Wanwan looked up at him. At that moment, she habitually looked at the area above his head that only she could see.
Tonight, there is no longer the scheming of [strategy].gif, nor the pretense of [killing intent].gif.
There, there was only one incredibly clear and incredibly warm scene.
The image shows two cartoon figures embracing tightly, with a raging fire burning in the background, seemingly about to devour everything.
Above the raging flames and the figures embracing, two lines of gentle yet firm text slowly emerged.
One line reads: "[Don't be afraid, I'm here for you.gif]".
The other line reads: "【Make sure to protect yourself.gif】".
Upon seeing this scene, Lin Wanwan's eyes instantly welled up with tears. All the tension, fear, and unease were washed away by a powerful surge of warmth at that moment.
She knew that tomorrow, whether she faced a mountain of knives or a sea of fire, she would not be alone.
She smiled, but a tear slid down her cheek.
She tiptoed and placed a gentle yet solemn kiss on his lips.
It's a deal.
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