The red gate of the Festival Hall slowly opened.

The armored soldiers raised their long spears and retreated to the sides, resembling a black tidal wave parting to reveal the dark interior of the Western Capital Road Marshal Mansion.

Zhang Xia strolled leisurely up the stone steps.

But she did not rush to cross the threshold and instead turned back to look behind her.

The girl stood like a treasured sword under the Marshal Mansion's lights, quietly watching the pursuing Marquis, expressionless as she said, "Is this how the Western Capital Road treats envoys? How can the Heavenly Family's envoys be met with axes and blades?"

The scholar inside the gate pondered for a moment and silently waved his hand.

Hundreds of Marquises wielding broadswords retreated like a receding tide, vanishing without a trace into the alleys. Only then did Zhang Xia turn around and proceed into the Festival Hall.

The scholar smiled slightly and said, "It's been a long time since we've seen a Shangjing envoy with such presence, and I didn't expect it to be a woman. Please. At this moment, the Commander is discussing military affairs in the White Tiger Festival Hall. Please follow me to a side hall to rest for a while."

The scholar placed his hands inside his sleeves, leading the way in front, guiding Zhang Xia through the long corridor of green bricks and black tiles.

The Festival Hall's pavilions all had hip roofs, with black copper bells hanging from the eaves, ringing softly when the wind blew. Perched on the eaves were eave beasts, dark and indistinct in shape.

Walking within the Festival Hall felt like walking into a vast, empty temple.

Simplicity, restraint, and cold austerity.

The little monk walked slower and slower in the Festival Hall, distancing himself from the scholar.

Zhang Xia turned her head to him and asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

The scholar was already more than ten steps away, yet the little monk hesitated several times, wanting to speak but stopping.

Zhang Xia smiled and comforted, "If you don't want to speak, you don't have to. Chen Ji told me your master instructed you not to reveal what you see through others' eyes. In truth, you needn't have come; there's no need to put yourself at risk, nor to involve yourself in cause and effect."

The little monk suddenly whispered, "But Xiao Man also said that to never involve oneself in cause and effect means to not enter the world, and thus one cannot transcend tribulations, and without transcending tribulations, one cannot resolve cause and effect."

Zhang Xia smiled, "She was just fooling you."

The little monk shook his head, "I've thought for a long time and believe Xiao Man is right. I've been away from Yunzhou for a long time, always feeling there's a veil between me and the tumultuous world—close enough to touch yet unable to enter. I think it's because I never willingly involve myself in cause and effect... Master, Yuan Xiang's envoy arrived before us."

This was what the little monk saw in the scholar's eyes just now.

The little monk eventually betrayed his master's instruction and used Telepathy to enter the world.

And hearing his words, Zhang Xia felt her heart sink.

Yuan Xiang had been restrained by Yuan Cheng for over twenty years, and at present, was the least hoping for Yuan Cheng to return to the Jing Dynasty. The purpose of sending an envoy to Baidadan City was obvious; he must have brought Jiang Xianzong an offer he could not refuse.

Zhang Xia quietly asked the little monk, "What offer did Yuan Xiang give Jiang Xianzong?"

The little monk shook his head, "Didn't see it."

Zhang Xia pondered to herself, there were two possibilities for not seeing it: either the scholar didn't have those thoughts in his mind when the little monk used Telepathy on him, or Jiang Xianzong and Yuan Xiang's envoy were secretly negotiating without his involvement...

But if she didn't know what offer Yuan Xiang made, she couldn't negotiate with Jiang Xianzong.

Suddenly, Zhang Xia asked, "Where is Yuan Xiang's envoy?"

The little monk whispered, "Still in the Festival Hall. When this scholar came out to meet us, the envoy had just entered the White Tiger Festival Hall."

Zhang Xia suddenly looked up, surveying the layout of the Festival Hall, judging the direction of the White Tiger Festival Hall.

The next moment, she seized the opportunity when the guiding scholar wasn't paying attention, pulling the little monk and sprinting toward the brightest part of the north.

The scholar had walked a few more steps when the lookout on the building tapped the copper bell at the eaves in warning. Then he noticed something amiss, turning sharply to find Zhang Xia and the little monk no longer behind him.

The scholar looked up to see the lookout already drawing a bow aimed at Zhang Xia's back, his expression changing, raising his hands in a fist above his head: Do not act rashly!

If the Shangjing envoy entered the Festival Hall under watchful eyes and didn't leave alive, there would be bloodshed on the court once more.

The scholar chased after Zhang Xia's retreating figure, "Envoy, please halt. The Commander is discussing military affairs and cannot be disturbed in the White Tiger Festival Hall!"

Zhang Xia ignored him, only pulling the little monk and dashing forward. She was gambling that the hidden guards in the Festival Hall wouldn't dare to kill her openly.

At the courtyard outside the White Tiger Festival Hall, the scholar saw Zhang Xia about to force her way in and promptly signaled to the shadows on either side. A dozen armored soldiers emerged from the shadows, holding halberds to block Zhang Xia's path.

Zhang Xia glanced sideways at them, unhurriedly, "An envoy of the Heavenly Family is like the Holy One's presence; how could even the Military Governor not see them?"

In the Jing Dynasty, the Emperor was not often addressed as Your Majesty but as the Holy One.

The scholar stood in front of Zhang Xia, politely explaining, "Please forgive us, Envoy. The Commander is not refusing to see you, just asking you to wait a moment..."

At that moment, the eight red gates of the White Tiger Festival Hall swung open, and the lamp light shone out from within.

Zhang Xia looked up to see a middle-aged man in a red robe walking out of the White Tiger Festival Hall, escorted by several armored soldiers.

The little monk whispered, "That's Yuan Xiang's envoy."

The middle-aged man strode forward, his expression arrogant.

The scholar leading Zhang Xia silently stepped aside, making way and bowing. The middle-aged man walked past him, not finding anything amiss, as if he was used to such respect from others.

However, Zhang Xia stood firmly in the center of the road, showing no intention of yielding.

The middle-aged man came up to Zhang Xia and said coldly, "Move aside."

Zhang Xia replied calmly, "I am the envoy to Shangjing, holding the Imperial Banner, and I will not yield."

The middle-aged man sneered, "I only know the envoy is Jiang Xiansheng, and the Imperial Banner was bestowed upon him. Who are you?"

Zhang Xia took out his waist tag, staring directly into the man's eyes: "In the eleventh year of the Longevity Era, the Khans of the vassal state in the Western Regions trespassed borders. Su Yue went with the envoy group to Chagatai Khan to mobilize troops to quell the rebellion. On the way, the chief envoy and vice envoy both died of disease, and Su Yue held the banner, arrived at Chagatai Khan, borrowed five thousand cavalry as an envoy, and defeated the Khan."

The middle-aged man said solemnly, "It has been over two hundred years, why bring this up?"

Having said that, he raised his hand to push Zhang Xia aside.

But as soon as he raised his hand, Zhang Xia continued, "After Su Yue returned to the court, the Imperial Censorate accused him of acting on his own and overstepping his position. The Sage replied, in urgent situations, one must act within power; if the chief envoy is absent, the vice envoy takes over; if neither the chief nor vice envoy is present, the bearer of the banner substitutes. With the banner, with the person, with the national prestige, as if the Sage were present; transgressing against the envoy is akin to deceiving the Emperor."

The middle-aged man's hand hovered over Zhang Xia's shoulder, but ultimately he didn't dare to push Zhang Xia aside.

The White Tiger Festival Hall was brightly lit, Jiang Xianzong, clad in armor, sat behind the desk, looking afar, observing coldly; outside the White Tiger Festival Hall, Yuan Xiang's envoy and Zhang Xia were deadlocked; although the Yuan Xiang envoy was taller than Zhang Xia by half a head, his momentum was somewhat weaker.

After a brief pause, the middle-aged man silently stepped aside, giving way.

Zhang Xia walked past him without glancing sideways, leading the little monk straight toward the White Tiger Festival Hall. This time, the scholar also remained outside the White Tiger Festival Hall, not taking another step forward.

As they were about to step into the White Tiger Festival Hall, Zhang Xia looked up and saw a plaque hanging above the hall "Maintain Stillness and Yield Softness."

The upper line wrote "Observe the winds and know the world's state, Listen quietly to the copper bell and think of smooth rains," the lower line wrote "The jade rings with benevolence, Leisurely watching the halberds arrayed waiting for a bountiful year."

Zhang Xia looked towards the White Tiger Festival Hall and asked the little monk nonchalantly, "What conditions did Yuan Xiang offer?"

The little monk lowered his voice and said, "To stop Yuan Cheng from returning to court, and to appoint Jiang Xianzong to replace Yuan Cheng as Council Chief Executive Officer, to control the Central Twelve Forbidden Armies."

Zhang Xia knew what was going on, he immediately stepped into the White Tiger Festival Hall, clasped his fists, and said, "Zhang Xiguang from Liaoyang Prefecture, representative of Shangjing, pays respects to the West Capital Road Jiedu Envoy."

Jiang Xianzong, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, had folds of time worn around the corners of his eyes.

This West Capital Road Commander, wearing black armor, even in his own White Tiger Festival Hall, had a sword hanging at his waist.

He commanded respect without anger.

Before he spoke, a thunderous noise came from behind Zhang Xia, someone closed the eight red gates of the White Tiger Festival Hall, isolating the sounds within.

Jiang Xianzong sat behind the desk, his expression was indifferent: "The envoy from Shangjing is so imposing that even the candle flames of my White Tiger Festival Hall are subdued."

Zhang Xia smiled slightly, calmly found a chair and sat down: "I serve as the Imperial Inspection, naturally I cannot diminish the majesty of the Heavenly Family. Of course, I could come to see the Commander with more humility, but doing so would also show the Commander…"

Jiang Xianzong's expression shifted: "Show what?"

Zhang Xia replied calmly, "To show the Commander that a minister is ultimately a minister."

Zhang Xia was not the true envoy, logically he should be more discreet.

But since entering the Military Governor's Mansion, he never yielded to anyone, even when facing Yuan Xiang's envoy he did not give way.

Jiang Xianzong was swaying between "imperial power" and Yuan Xiang's "ministerial power"; she wanted to prove to him that imperial power is ultimately imperial power.

The envoy of the Heavenly Family will always be a head above Yuan Xiang's envoy, this is courtesy and righteousness.

Although Yuan Xiang's power is overwhelming in the court, he ultimately is not the Emperor.

Jiang Xianzong's body slowly sat upright behind the desk, finally showing the dignity and solemnity of a regional lord: "I haven't returned to Shangjing for twelve years, and didn't know such a person has emerged from there. But as far as I know, there's no such person in the envoy group, you know impersonating an envoy is a capital crime."

Zhang Xia avoided the topic, smiled lightly: "Doesn't the Commander ask why I came?"

Jiang Xianzong placed the sword across his lap, lowered his head, and casually stroked the sword scabbard: "Speak. If you say it wrong, I will immediately chop your head off and send it to Shangjing."

Zhang Xia stated sincerely: "I came to save the Commander."

Jiang Xianzong laughed loudly: "Save me? Such words of great audacity."

Zhang Xia stood up and pointed outside the festival hall: "I guess Yuan Xiang's envoy promised the Commander, if only you hinder Yuan Cheng's return to court, then you could replace Yuan Cheng as the Council Chief Executive Officer, and control the Central Twelve Forbidden Armies... Commander, is my guess accurate?"

Jiang Xianzong slowly restrained his laughter: "Continue."

Zhang Xia sincerely stated again: "That position should not be occupied."

Jiang Xianzong said expressionlessly: "Yuan Cheng occupied it, why can't I?"

Zhang Xia did not act cleverly nor speculate recklessly, but with deep meaning said: "The Commander actually knows why it shouldn't be occupied, you needn't ask me."