Princess, something terrible has happened! The prince consort has attempted suicide again!

Zhang Xiaomeng knew.

It is not surprising that Nanzhao sent envoys to negotiate since Dongling had already informed Nanzhao of Huang Cheng's crimes.

He never expected that the other party would arrive in such a hurry, choosing to ambush him in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night.

Without giving it much thought, Zhang Xiaomeng raised his voice and ordered the guards, "Bring them in."

Before long, three figures lifted the curtain and stepped into the tent.

The two men behind him, dressed in the Nanzhao style of close-fitting clothing, were accompanying guards. They stood tall and their eyes swept warily across the tent.

The leader was a refined young man who held a plain folding fan and waved it gently. His steps were slow and elegant, and a faint smile always graced his lips.

"I am Huang Yumo, the Third Prince of Nanzhao, and I greet Zhang, the Imperial Son-in-Law of Dongling." Huang Yumo bowed slightly, his posture humble.

"So it's Your Highness the Third Prince. I've heard so much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you." Zhang Xiaomeng returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

Huang Yumo looked up at him, his smile deepening, his words carrying a hint of probing flattery: "I have long heard that the Prince Consort of Dongling is both wise and brave at such a young age, and that he single-handedly subdued my second brother. Everyone in the court says that you have extraordinary bearing. Seeing it with my own eyes today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved."

"Haha! You have a keen eye, a hundred times better than your second brother." Zhang Xiaomeng laughed loudly, showing no humility whatsoever.

Huang Yumo's fingers tightened slightly as he held the folding fan, and his smile froze.

The rumors were true; this person's skin was astonishingly thick.

Even his shrewd second brother fell into his hands. This man is definitely not as rough and straightforward as he appears. He must be hiding a very deep scheme.

He suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and said in a calm tone: "Son-in-law Zhang has traveled a long way to our country and has been exposed to the elements along the way. He should not have bothered you so late at night. However, the official road that the Son-in-law has chosen is full of hidden dangers. My father specially ordered me to come and guide the way overnight, so as to show the sincerity of Nanzhao."

"Oh?"

Zhang Xiaomeng feigned ignorance, raising an eyebrow slightly. "May I ask, Your Highness, what is wrong with this road?"

Huang Yumo explained slowly and deliberately: "The mountain road ahead has been in disrepair for many years. A few days ago, a rainstorm washed away the mountainside, causing a large-scale landslide. The entire official road was blocked by rocks, making it impossible for vehicles and horses to pass. We can only take a detour to the south via a small path."

"What a coincidence!"

A subtle scrutiny flashed in Zhang Xiaomeng's eyes, but he only feigned surprise on his face.

"This is absolutely true. Our court is worried that the prince consort and his entourage may have taken a detour for nothing and delayed their journey. If the prince consort has any doubts, he may send his personal guards to check the mountain road ahead."

Huang Yumo's expression was open and honest, showing no sign of lying.

Zhang Xiaomeng pondered to himself.

There's no need for the other party to fabricate something that can be easily verified.

He immediately nodded in agreement: "Your country's good intentions are certainly trustworthy, and I, the prince consort, naturally trust you. It is getting late, so please trouble Your Highness to rest in the side tent tonight. Tomorrow morning, I will trouble Your Highness to lead the way."

He instructed his guards to make proper arrangements for Huang Yumo and his party.

After the three men left, he immediately summoned Wang Dongjian and other accompanying officials to the main camp for a meeting.

Upon learning this, Wang Dongjian was the first to step forward, his expression grave:

"This matter is too strange. The mountain road could have collapsed earlier or later, but it was blocked just when we were about to enter the Nanzhao Kingdom. It must be up to no good."

Liu Baichuan, a senior official in the Ministry of Rites who was accompanying the group and in charge of diplomatic documents and trade agreements, held a different opinion upon hearing this.

"Lord Wang is worrying too much. We bear the heavy responsibility of negotiating peace between our two countries. If Nanzhao dares to secretly attack us, it would be tantamount to provoking a conflict between our two nations, which would be a losing proposition."

After a pause, Liu Baichuan added the source of his confidence.

"Furthermore, the second prince of Nanzhao is still a hostage in our Dongling, so they would never dare to harm us rashly."

Most of the officials inside the tent nodded in agreement.

The Ministry of Rites has long been involved in diplomatic relations with various countries, and this is a common perception.

Dongling is far more powerful than Nanzhao. Since we are in the right to pursue the matter, Nanzhao has no choice but to back down and submit. There is absolutely no reason for them to take any risks.

All eyes turned to Zhang Xiaomeng in the center, awaiting his decision.

Zhang Xiaomeng smiled bitterly to himself.

If he were alone, they would be more than happy for Nanzhao to kill him.

But with dozens of officials and personal guards accompanying him, he couldn't afford to sacrifice innocent people for him.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Xiaomeng finalized the arrangements in a deep voice.

"Brother Wang, you personally lead a team to keep a close watch on Huang Yumo in shifts. If you detect any unusual activity, immediately detain them as hostages to protect yourselves."

"Liu Baichuan, you take half of the civil officials and twenty personal guards and set off overnight, secretly hiding in the villages and towns ahead to await orders."

"If we do not arrive within three days, immediately ride back to Dongling to report the news."

"yes!"

Wang Dongjian bowed and accepted the order without hesitation.

Liu Baichuan frowned and immediately voiced his opposition.

"Your Highness's actions are making a mountain out of a molehill. If it turns out that we are just overthinking things and have been running around all night for no reason, it will only make us look cowardly and timid. If word gets out, we will only be ridiculed by the officials of Nanzhao and it will damage the prestige of our great dynasty."

He had accompanied them for many days, and the daily journey had left him physically and mentally exhausted.

I wanted to rest peacefully tonight and didn't want to brave the cold wind in the middle of the night. I secretly resented Zhang Xiaomeng for being overly cautious and making a fuss over nothing.

"Are you questioning my decision?" Zhang Xiaomeng's expression suddenly darkened, his aura suppressing the noise inside the tent.

"This humble official dares not question the Imperial Son-in-Law, but is unwilling to give others cause for criticism and damage the reputation of the Eastern Mausoleum."

Liu Baichuan, with the pride of a civil official, was not afraid of his status as a son-in-law and spoke his mind frankly.

Zhang Xiaomeng did not argue with him, but turned to look around at the other officials in the tent.

"Is that what you think too?"

Most of the civil officials echoed Liu Baichuan's views, while only two or three military officers agreed with Wang Dongjian's defensive strategy.

In the eyes of these civil officials, Dongling was powerful, and Nanzhao was hesitant to act rashly. This mission was entirely justified, and there was no need to be overly alarmed.

A sense of displeasure welled up in Zhang Xiaomeng's heart.

It's rare for me to think of you all, and you don't even appreciate it. Then there's no need to waste my breath.

He no longer insisted on the original arrangement and nodded slightly: "Very well, then consider what I just said to be null and void. Everyone, please go back to your tents and rest."

Liu Baichuan breathed a sigh of relief, bowed with satisfaction, and hurried back to his tent to catch up on sleep, not wanting to waste any more energy.

Only Wang Dongjian and Feng Yi remained in the tent.

Wang Dongjian looked unwilling: "Prince Consort, you should persuade him more. As the saying goes, 'Better safe than sorry,' and it never hurts to be more cautious."

Zhang Xiaomeng pursed his lips and said casually, "They're not afraid themselves, so why should I worry about them?"

He's said everything he needed to say, so if anything goes wrong later, he won't feel guilty.

Feng Yi stepped forward slowly and suggested softly, "Just in case, let's take some people and leave first."

Wang Dongjian immediately nodded in agreement: "Lord Feng is right. If they refuse to leave, we will. I will secretly gather reliable personal guards right away."

Zhang Xiaomeng did not stop the two.

Firstly, he didn't want to see Feng Yi and Wang Dongjian in danger.

Secondly, being separated from the main force made it easier for him to escape.

The night was thick, and only a few guards carrying torches walked back and forth outside the tent.

Avoiding the watchful eyes of the sleeping civil officials, Wang Dongjian quietly summoned more than ten elite personal guards.

The group traveled light, kept a low profile, and quietly left the camp under the cover of darkness, quickly disappearing into the depths of the desolate mountain path.