Chapter 845

Pan Yun and Pan Yue had been able to slip back from Datong to Jingcheng thanks largely to Qin Zhong; when they left, the three had nearly sworn brotherhood.

But at the time, their father's life or death was unknown, so the brothers refused Qin Zhong's offer, unwilling to drag him into danger.

Though they had refused him verbally, Pan Yun had always regarded this nearly sworn brother as family in his heart.

Qin Zhong chatted with them for a while, then, once everyone's attention had shifted away from him, gave Pan Yun a subtle glance.

Pan Yun immediately rose and followed Qin Zhong out.

Tents were everywhere; fortunately, the soldiers were utterly exhausted—they had arrived in Datong the day before, barely had time to set up camp, and spent the whole day today getting settled, so most were now lying in their tents like corpses.

Qin Zhong pulled him into a small grove of trees, where no one was stationed; patrols occasionally passed by, but as long as they spoke quietly, they'd be safe.

"Thanks to the letter and the talisman you sent me—I and my men survived the last battle…"

Pan Yun froze, thoughtful: "When did you receive the letter and talisman?"

Qin Zhong: "Five days ago. Funny thing—I just got it when I received orders to join the battle."

He sighed bitterly: "We were short on troops, the enemy cavalry was too strong, our general bungled the command—we sent out men, only two-thirds came back, and half of those were wounded. With your early warning and the talisman's protection, we barely escaped disaster; some were injured, but no one died."

Five days? That meant the letter had been sent at least half a month ago. The north was at war—would even the imperial post still deliver letters? Civilian courier services were unsafe too. He'd been caught in the rain on the road back then—how could he have sent a talisman?

Let alone a warning.

He was just a lowly company commander—he knew nothing of the battle situation. It felt like someone above was hiding something from them.

But he wasn't a fool—he was in the thick of it. He knew this imperial campaign was poorly organized. If the Emperor couldn't restore morale, even with vastly superior numbers, they'd likely be doomed against the Oirats.

Only his elder brother and younger sister could have sent Qin Zhong the letter and talisman.

If his brother had sent it, he could've used his own name—they were equally known to Qin Zhong.

Only his sister—she didn't know Qin Zhong, yet had learned of him through them.

Had his sister divined something?

Pan Yun's breath quickened; he grabbed Qin Zhong's arm: "What did I write in the letter?"

Qin Zhong stared at him in astonishment: "You wrote me the letter—you don't know what you wrote?"

Pan Yun: "It wasn't me. It was my younger sister."

Qin Zhong's eyes flickered with surprise: "That little sister—the one who's been sending you money and talismans, helped clear your father's name, and got Wang Zhen thrown into the Imperial Prison with her?"

Of course, Pan Yun had told him all this.

Pan Yun scratched his head and nodded: "Yeah."

Qin Zhong pulled the letter from his chest: "To avoid implicating you if it was found, I tore off the part with your name at the end."

Pan Yun eagerly unrolled the letter, dismissive: "You kept it in your chest—who'd find it?"

"You never know," Qin Zhong said. "You don't realize how tight things are in the army now—soldiers getting in or out get searched. If I didn't have good ties with several officers in the central command, this letter would've been found long ago."

"Why?" The words had barely left his mouth when Pan Yun's eyes fell on the middle of the letter—he understood immediately. It plainly stated: "Guo Deng possesses the virtue to defend a city, but lacks the skill to intercept enemies; Guo Jing is even more cowardly and fearful of death. Datong's cavalry is no match for the Oirats. If you fight head-on, you will surely lose."

If this letter had reached the central command, not only Guo Jing, but even Guo Deng would not let it pass.

He praised Qin Zhong: "Good brother—you did right to tear it. Why not tear off the beginning too? Then if it's found, you can say you picked it up on the road and don't know who wrote it or to whom."

Qin Zhong stared at him silently: "They may not be clever, but they're not stupid. If tearing off the beginning and end could absolve you, why did you—or rather, your sister—write my name and yours at all?"

Pan Yun kept reading, and saw: "How will the Emperor punish generals who lose? Even if the Emperor is merciful and pardons them, will Guo Deng and Guo Jing believe he will? Fear of life and dread of death—only by concealing the military intelligence can they remove their terror."

"The Emperor and his ministers have come from a thousand li away, knowing nothing of Datong, utterly unprepared. If they encounter the Oirats, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"The Emperor is the lord of all under heaven. If he is trapped among the wilderness, the realm will descend into chaos. At that point, not only Datong, but the entire Great Ming will be in peril. The only course now is to quietly inform Your Majesty of the military situation. If you cannot make the Emperor know, then make the attending ministers aware—perhaps this can save the realm, and then Datong."

Afterward came a list of key imperial officials, naming who could be trusted and who could not.

Among them, the name of the Duke of Ying came first, followed by Kuang Ye, Chen Xun, and Cao Nai…

Qin Zhong leaned in to glance, then sighed: "When I received this letter, I thought—winning the military examination really does make a difference. Your insight has improved so much. I never imagined it was your little sister writing under your name."

Qin Zhong looked at Pan Yun with a complex expression.

Pan Yun: …

Qin Zhong couldn't help asking: "Pan Yue and your sister inherited your father's talent—are you more like your mother?"

Pan Yun jumped: "My mother was brilliant too!"

Qin Zhong's gaze remained complex: "Then who do you resemble?"

Pan Yun opened his mouth, then finally muttered: "I'm not bad either!"

He said it, but after reading the letter, he couldn't help feeling both proud and inferior.

Proud that his sister, even a thousand li away, had grasped the full situation—and even pointed them toward a path to survival;

Inferior because he, though right in the middle of it, only sensed danger without understanding its source.

Pan Yun suddenly realized: "If Datong is concealing military intelligence, does that mean the Oirats might cut off our retreat?"

He froze in alarm, gripping the letter tightly: "What about the Emperor? He's with the army—if anything happens, won't the realm collapse?"

Qin Zhong: "The Emperor has two hundred thousand troops guarding him—what's there to fear? Right now, I only care how many reinforcements the Emperor will send to Datong."

"Reinforcements? Right now, the Emperor is what matters—the Emperor!" Pan Yun nearly shook his head: "No—we must send the Emperor back to Jingcheng. He hasn't even fathered a Crown Prince yet."

Qin Zhong: "... So you just abandon Datong?"

Pan Yun's face turned solemn: "Brother Qin, tell me honestly—is the Datong defense line in serious trouble?"

Qin Zhong paused, then said: "I don't know…"

"You don't know?" Pan Yun's voice rose sharply.