Chapter 193
"It could easily be a trap," Wei Xiang agreed, handing the scroll back to Wang. "What do you think we should do?"
Wang looked toward the distant mountains. "If Cassian wanted to launch a surprise attack on us, he would not need to invite us to a meeting first."
Elder Mu nodded slowly. "That much is true. But why would he ask for this meeting right now?"
No one answered immediately. Finally, Wang spoke his mind. "Because neither side truly wants this war to begin."
The words surprised several of the elders. One of them frowned. "If he does not want a war, then why did he take Lady Lin away from us in the first place?"
Wang’s eyes remained calm and resolute. "That is the exact question I intend to ask him tomorrow."
Wei Xiang’s expression hardened. "And what if he refuses to give you a straight answer?"
"Then we will simply leave the meeting," Wang replied.
"And what about the war?" Wei Xiang asked.
Wang looked down at the folded scroll in his hand. "The war can wait for one more day."
Silence settled over the tent once more.
Elder Mu finally asked, "Will you go to this meeting alone, Patriarch?"
"No," Wang answered. "I will take a small, trusted escort with me."
Wei Xiang spoke up immediately, his voice firm. "I am coming with you."
Several elders turned to look at the young commander. Wang met his eyes steadily. "I expected you to say that, Wei Xiang."
Wei Xiang did not smile. "I wasn’t asking for permission, Patriarch. I am going."
A faint smile appeared on Wang’s face. "I know."
Elder Mu let out a soft sigh. "Then I will remain behind to command the main camp while you are away."
Wang nodded in agreement. "If anything goes wrong during the meeting, you must withdraw the army immediately."
The old elder frowned. "And leave you behind in enemy territory?"
"If it is necessary to save the clan, yes," Wang commanded.
"No," Elder Mu answered firmly. "I have followed you for too many years to leave you behind to die, Patriarch."
A few nearby officers nodded their heads in deep agreement with the elder. Wang looked at the familiar, loyal faces surrounding him. He understood their deep loyalty to him, just as they understood his dedication to them.
He finally let out a quiet sigh. "Very well. Let us ensure we all return together."
——————
Far away, inside the stone walls of the Supreme Citadel, the High Council had already gathered. The large council hall was unusually quiet and tense. At the head of the long table sat Cassian on his throne.
On his right side stood General Rurik, the fierce commander of the northern legions. Beside him was Shen Luo, the stealthy captain of the Shadow Guards. Several elderly ministers occupied the remaining stone seats.
General Rurik broke the heavy silence first. "Your Majesty, the official invitation has already been sent to the enemy camp by our messenger."
Cassian nodded once. "When exactly will they receive the message?"
"They should receive it before sunset tonight," the general replied.
Shen Luo stepped forward to report. "If Patriarch Wang accepts the terms, the meeting can take place tomorrow afternoon."
One of the elderly ministers frowned, looking uneasy. "Are we truly allowing the enemy leaders to come this close to our fortress walls?"
Cassian looked toward the minister, his voice cold. "They are already close, Minister. They are simply choosing not to launch an attack yet."
Another elder spoke up. "And what if this meeting is only a trick for them to learn our physical defenses?"
Cassian answered calmly, "They already know enough about our defenses to make a move if they wanted to."
General Rurik rested both of his large hands on the table. "I have already chosen the location for the meeting, sire."
Cassian looked at him. "Where?"
"The Frozen Spring Pavilion," General Rurik stated.
Shen Luo nodded in approval. "The pavilion lies exactly halfway between both of our territories. There are no hidden arrays or formations there. No soldiers from either side will be allowed within five hundred steps of the building."
The council members quietly nodded in agreement with the choice. It was completely neutral ground, meaning neither side would have a sudden tactical advantage.
Cassian spoke again, his voice commanding. "The enemy warriors will be thoroughly searched for hidden weapons before entering the pavilion."
General Rurik nodded. "Yes, sire. And they will search our men as well. The rules apply to both sides."
The room became silent once again as the details were finalized. Finally, one elderly minister cleared his throat nervously. "There is one more delicate matter to discuss, Your Majesty."
Cassian looked toward him. "Speak your mind."
The old minister hesitated for a second. "Will Lady Lin be present during this meeting?"
Several heads turned quickly toward the King, waiting for his response. Cassian did not answer immediately. His long fingers tapped lightly against the golden armrest of his throne.
Finally, he spoke clearly. "Yes. She will be there."
The council members looked shocked by the decision. General Rurik frowned slightly.
"Your Majesty, are you absolutely certain about this? It could be dangerous for her."
Cassian met the general’s gaze with an unyielding look. "She is the sole reason this war exists in the first place. If there is any real chance to end this conflict without bloodshed, she deserves to be there to hear every single word."
No one argued with him after that, because deep down in their hearts, everyone knew the King was entirely right.
Cassian slowly stood up from his throne, signaling that the meeting was officially over. As the other ministers and generals bowed and left the grand hall, Shen Luo remained behind in the shadows.
"My King," the captain spoke softly.
Cassian stopped walking. "What is it, Shen Luo?"
Shen Luo lowered his voice. "Should I go and inform Lady Lin about the meeting tonight?"
Cassian looked out the large palace windows. Beyond the glass, the distant tower where Lin Wan lived stood quietly beneath the dark evening sky.
"No," Cassian decided quietly. "I will tell her the news myself."
He turned and walked out of the council hall with steady steps. Tomorrow, after many long months of painful separation, Lin Wan and Wang would finally stand before each other again. Neither of them knew that a single look at each other would hurt far more than any sharp blade ever could.
The atmosphere inside the quiet study remained perfectly still after Cassian finished reading the military report. General Rurik stood before the large wooden desk with Captain Darius by his side, and neither man spoke a word. Cassian folded the scroll with slow, deliberate movements before placing it gently on the table.
"How is the city?" Cassian asked.
Rurik answered immediately, his voice steady. "The civilians have already begun storing food, Your Majesty. There is no widespread panic yet, but everyone is well aware that the Silver Leopard army is drawing closer to our borders."
Cassian nodded slowly, processing the information. "And the gates?"
"They have been heavily reinforced with extra iron bars," Rurik replied.
"The defensive arrays?"
"The elders finished inspecting the magical seals early this morning," Rurik confirmed.
Cassian leaned back slightly against his throne. "And what about the palace itself?"
Captain Darius finally spoke up. "There is absolutely no suspicious movement inside the walls, sire."
Cassian tapped one finger lightly against the smooth wooden surface of his desk. "What about Lady Lin? What has she been doing?"
The two commanders exchanged a quick, meaningful glance before Rurik answered carefully. "She spent most of the afternoon inside the courtyard with Sister Yun. She spent quite a bit of time talking to the palace gardeners."
Cassian raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "The gardeners? What exactly did she ask them?"
Rurik looked slightly embarrassed by his own report. "She simply wanted to know the specific names of our winter flowers, Your Majesty."
For the first time that morning, a look of genuine surprise crossed Cassian’s face. "The flowers?"
"Yes, sire," Rurik confirmed.
Silence settled over the room once again. Then Captain Darius added another detail. "She also asked Old Master Chen how he manages to keep the pine trees alive and healthy during such heavy snowstorms."
Cassian stared at his captain, waiting for more. "That is all she asked?"
"That is all, sire," Darius replied.
A faint smile almost appeared on Cassian’s face before it vanished completely. "Interesting."
Neither commander truly understood why such a simple answer seemed to please their king so much.
Cassian stood up from his chair. "You may both leave now."
Both men saluted respectfully before quietly walking out of the room, leaving the study completely silent once more. Cassian walked over to the large glass window that overlooked the sprawling palace grounds.
Snow continued to fall steadily over the roofs, and he watched the white flakes drift down for a very long time.
A soft, polite knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter," Cassian called out.