The Final Vote

By the time the short note reached Lu Yuan, night had already fallen.

The person who returned to the city with the Second Prince was the Empire's Marshal, Ge Long.

Several garrisons at the Northern Border had recently been rotating their deployments. The supply route, which should have lasted another half month, had suddenly run into trouble. Ge Long returned to Tiangou early with the first military report. Upon receiving the news, the Second Prince personally went Outside the City to meet him, then accompanied him all the way into the palace.

Not long after the news reached the First Prince's Residence, a summons from the palace arrived as well.

By the time Xue Qinghe reached the Imperial Study, several people were already seated inside. Xue Ye sat at the head, with Ning Fengzhi on the left. Ge Long had clearly only just returned from the Northern Border; he had not even had time to change out of his armor, merely throwing a dark cloak over it.

The Second Prince stood on the other side. When he saw her enter, he voluntarily stepped half a pace aside.

After Xue Qinghe paid her respects, Xue Ye did not waste words. He had an attendant spread out the map on the table. "Three Northern Border battalions are rotating their deployments, and one battalion's provisions have run into trouble. The original supply route was washed away by a mountain flood. Only these two routes remain passable. Take a look."

The two routes marked on the map were one near and one far.

The shorter route passed through two noble estates and could save four days. The longer route went around a vast stretch of hills, but most of the way was lined with relay stations and supply cities directly under imperial control.

After