Chapter 426

Upon receiving the news, Western Liang was indeed overjoyed and immediately felt the time was ripe.

Cui Yan was still a bit hesitant: "Military Advisor, wouldn't it be too early at this moment?"

Actually, it was not that Cui Yan was timid, but he felt that being too impatient might have the opposite effect.

Si Wushuang shook his head: "The timing is about right. If Luo Feng has no ulterior motives, then persisting for a while longer is meaningless! If Luo Feng has ulterior motives, this is the best time."

Since Si Wushuang had said so, Cui Yan naturally did not persist and hurriedly wrote a letter to pass on to Dou Wen.

After receiving the secret order from Luoyang, Dou Wen summoned Fu Qingshuang late at night and entrusted her with the final step: "The time has come!

Tomorrow, you must go to the Luo residence in person and, under the pretext of 'worrying about the General's future,' speak directly of Western Liang's intention to recruit him.

Promise him eternal rule over Guanzhong and protection for his descendants! This is a merit of a thousand years, and it all depends on you!"

Fu Qingshuang lowered her eyes and agreed, her fingertips digging into her palms inside her sleeves.

She knew clearly that this was the Dou family's ultimatum to her, and also her only chance.

Dou Wen did not notice Fu Qingshuang's abnormality; he was currently immersed in the fantasy of the great merit of supporting a new ruler.

Late at night in Chang'an, Luo Feng sat alone in his study, with Wang Hou's latest secret report on his desk.

The elite troops of Murong Ke's division in Western Liang had quietly disappeared from Tongguan, Tufa Yan's cavalry was frequently moving at Chencang, and the raids by the Feiting division on Shangluo had suddenly intensified... all signs indicated that Western Liang was truly poised for action.

"General, Miss Fu is here to see you."

The soldier's voice sounded outside the door, carrying a hint of imperceptible tension.

A late-night visit was already unusual.

Luo Feng raised an eyebrow, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes.

"Invite her in."

The door opened slightly, and Fu Qingshuang stepped in, wrapped in a plain cloak; the candlelight reflected on her pale cheeks, making her figure appear thin.

She wore no makeup, her hair was slightly disheveled, and her breath carried the coldness of the night dew, as if she had hurried all the way here.

"Forgive me for disturbing you late at night, General." Her voice was slightly hoarse, and her posture of bowing carried solemnity.

Luo Feng gestured for her to sit, scrutinizing every subtle expression of hers.

"Miss Fu, you must have an important matter to come here?" His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Fu Qingshuang took a deep breath and straightened her back.

She did not sit, but instead took a step forward, looking straight into Luo Feng's eyes, her voice gradually becoming clear, word by word.

"Does the General know? The Western Liang iron cavalry has reached Chencang, and Tufa Yan's twenty thousand elite troops are hidden in Qishan!

The Dou family is contacting the six great clans of Guanzhong to rise up in three days in the name of 'clearing the ruler's side'! When the time comes, there will be internal chaos in Chang'an; if the General does not open the city gates, it will be mutual destruction!"

She spoke very quickly, laying out Western Liang's plan, and at the end, her voice rose, carrying the temptation of Western Liang's promise: "But if the General is willing to open the pass and welcome them, the King of Western Liang can promise you eternal rule over Guanzhong, hereditary marquis status for your descendants, and you can decide on land and private soldiers yourself!"

This was exactly the defection speech carefully designed by Dou Wen and Si Wushuang, with every word striking at the preset "pain points."

The air in the study seemed to freeze; Luo Feng's expression was gloomy. He did not expect Western Liang to be so unable to restrain their temper and prepare to act so quickly?

But that was fine; he was not good at pretending anyway, and it would be better to have a real fight with real blades and guns.

He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze no longer as gentle as before, but looking at Fu Qingshuang with killing intent.

Just in this suffocating silence, Fu Qingshuang suddenly took another step forward!

Tears sparkled in her eyes, and her voice trembled slightly from excitement.

"But these are all lies!"

This exclamation was earth-shattering!

She ignored Luo Feng's gaze filled with killing intent and spoke even faster.

"What I just said, every word was taught by Dou Wen! It is a poisonous scheme set by Si Wushuang of Western Liang! Qingshuang came here today not for Western Liang, but for survival!"

She knelt on the ground with a "thud," but her back remained straight, and she looked up directly at Luo Feng.

"First, Western Liang views me as a discarded pawn! If they succeed, I will be nothing more than a plaything, rewarded to the likes of Tufa Yan! If they fail, I will be the culprit; the Dou family and the Fu family will be the first to push me out to take the blame to protect themselves! Western Liang is far away in Luoyang, how could they care if I live or die?"

"Second!"

Her voice became lower: "I knew long ago that the General was acting! That day at Daci'en Temple, when you stood by and watched, there was no ripple in your eyes; it was definitely not the hesitation that a person who intervenes in a righteous cause should have.

When discussing politics at the bookstore, the 'confusion' and 'resonance' when you answered seemed natural, but were actually deliberate; the timing and depth of your answers were not the state of someone truly troubled!"

"The General's fatigue is real, and your feelings about the difficulties of implementing the new policies might also be real, but that 'wavering' and 'resentment' were performed for the Dou family and for Western Liang to see! In the General's heart, you have never truly turned away from the Bright King!"

Once these words were spoken, Luo Feng's pupils suddenly contracted!

He considered his disguise to be seamless, and even the people sent by Dou Wen were deeply convinced; yet, he had been seen through from the subtle details by this seemingly weak woman before him?

The standing by at Daci'en Temple... she had observed so meticulously!

Fu Qingshuang panted, took out a blood-stained cloth from her bosom, and held it high above her head with both hands, offering it to Luo Feng.

The edges of the cloth were dark red, shocking to the eye.

"Third!"

Her voice was hoarse: "Qingshuang is betting my life today to stand with Beijiang, only because I have seen clearly... Western Liang condones the annexation of land by powerful families and views the common people as grass! While the Beijiang new policies are harsh, they are cutting off the malignant tumor and giving a way to live to the thousands of commoners!"

"If the General does not believe me..."

She gave a miserable smile, her eyes filled with frankness: "You can kill me immediately to sacrifice to the flag! Use my head to appease the Dou family's suspicions, or perhaps you can lure the snake out of the hole again! Qingshuang... has no regrets even in death!"

The study fell into a deathly silence; the blood-stained cloth trembled slightly in her hands. She had bet everything, staking her life, family, and future entirely on Luo Feng's single thought.

Luo Feng stared at her, his gaze very complex. This woman was indeed sharp-minded, but what if... this was also something the other side was performing?

Everything had come too suddenly, yet it seemed to be within reason.

He remembered her saying "keep that scale in your heart" while boating, and her insights about the new policies being "urgent rather than harsh" that differed from the Dou family's expectations.

It turned out that at that time, this woman had already prepared to betray Western Liang.

He slowly stood up, walked to Fu Qingshuang, and did not immediately take the cloth, but looked down at her.

"I have long known about Western Liang's layout, and the strategy of playing along with their scheme was also carried out by me personally."

Luo Feng admitted the disguise, but his gaze did not leave Fu Qingshuang's eyes. "Dou Wen and Si Wushuang think they have succeeded, but they do not know that the claws they reached into Chang'an have already entered my trap."

These words were also said by Luo Feng to probe Fu Qingshuang; he wanted to see if he told her that Beijiang had long been prepared, would this woman be happy or worried!!

The next moment, Fu Qingshuang was indeed overjoyed; she had really bet correctly, Beijiang had long been prepared for this!

Seeing this, Luo Feng reached out his hand, but not to help her up; instead, he took the blood-stained cloth.