The conflict ended quickly.

Seeing the aggressive knights, no one dared to say another word. Or rather, most of the actors were fence-sitters to begin with; otherwise, the initial argument wouldn't have happened. Faced with the famous Meiyi, not everyone had the courage to stand up and oppose her. Now the situation had become one-sided, and Bella was directly led out of the lounge by two men.

Soon, only Carter and the members of the small town drama troupe remained in the large room.

"Thank you so much for your help," Geter and the others bowed.

"You're really... amazing! You forced her to be speechless in no time," Ailin exclaimed, holding Meiyi's hand. "And that slap, it completely stunned her!"

Then she turned to the chief knight and gave a salute, "Lord Carter, how did you end up in Longsong Stronghold?"

"I'm also curious about that," Meiyi shrugged, feeling relieved inside.

"Because of His Highness's order," Carter spread his hands. "Can I buy you a drink?"

...

"This is... where you live?" The chief knight looked around somewhat restrainedly.

"Yeah, very ordinary, right," Meiyi took out a bottle of white wine from the cabinet and poured him a small glass. "The tavern is only open at night, so this drink is on me." Ailin and her group ran off quickly, each saying they suddenly remembered something. In the end, only she and Carter were left when she returned to her residence.

"Yes, it's indeed... quite ordinary," Carter coughed twice. "I wonder about your family..."

"My mother passed away a long time ago. I found my father a job at the theater, some light chores," Meiyi said calmly. "But I think he won't be back until tonight."

This small bungalow located in a deep alley in the inner city was purchased with all her savings after she became the Star of the West. Although the house was small and old, moving out of the outer city at least allowed her to avoid harassment and unwelcome gazes.

"Uh... sorry."

"It's nothing," Meiyi poured herself a small glass as well. "His Highness sent you here to rectify the theater's order and resolve actor disputes?"

"No, of course not," Carter waved his hands repeatedly. "Tifeiko sent people to cause trouble in the Western Territory again. Roland is on the way with the main force. I arrived first on the Small Town and arranged for the Second Army to strengthen the night watch, and also told the Honeysuckle family to be vigilant to prevent someone from attacking the city gate or something."

"You shouldn't have told me these things," Meiyi was stunned for a moment, then shook her head.

"You asked, and it's not a secret operation," Carter drank the wine in one gulp. "Don't worry, I have a sense of proportion."

"Alright," she pouted. "Then how did you end up at the theater?"

"After I gave the orders, I suddenly saw the drama you were in being advertised, so I wanted to see what you would be like on a real theater stage. The result was just as I imagined—although I only saw the ending, your performance was truly wonderful," the knight praised. "So I went backstage to ask you for a drink, but I didn't know whether I should go in, so I hesitated at the door for a while until I heard the argument inside and..."

"You were already outside?" Meiyi frowned.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Carter raised his hands. "It was just an accident, I promise."

"Pfft," she couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not blaming you, you don't have to look like that."

"Really?" The knight breathed a sigh of relief, reached out to take the wine, but she slapped his hand away.

"You still have a mission tonight, right?" Meiyi shook her finger. "So you can only have a small glass, no more. But..." she smiled slightly, "After this mission is over, you can treat me properly."

After Carter left, Meiyi refilled her glass, leaned back in her chair, and sipped it slowly.

Since tasting white wine last time, she found that she had slowly come to like this fiery and mellow feeling.

As for Carter's previous invitation, she already had an answer in her heart. Some things can only be known after trying them, just like the white wine in her hand. Although it is difficult to swallow at first, the subsequent aroma is incomparable to the sweet and sour fruit wine or the light beer.

Why not return to the small town with her father after this drama is over and settle down there?

...

Roland arrived at Longsong Stronghold two days later.

Peiluo. Helmeng and the members of the five major families went out of the city to welcome His Royal Highness's team.

After the First Army was stationed in the stronghold, Roland went straight to the castle and held a brief meeting.

"I have received reliable information that Tifeiko has sent a troop to advance towards the stronghold." He sat on the main seat of the grand hall, overlooking the nobles below. "Their number and route are still unknown, but there is no doubt that they are coming for me. According to Tifeiko's consistent style, they will definitely expand their troops by looting civilians, and then force these people to launch an attack with drugs."

"Excuse me, Your Highness," Earl Aili of the Benlang family asked in confusion, "What do you mean by drugs...?"

"A wicked red pill that can give civilians stronger power than knights, but after the effect ends, the drug users can only die in helpless struggle." Except for Peiluo, the other four families did not know about the Church's secret medicine. Roland simply explained its characteristics and origins, "Tifeiko intends to continuously weaken the resistance of the Western Territory in this way. Any population he cannot use is a target for looting, and your territories are also on this list. As the Guardian of the Western Territory, I require you to transfer all family members and civilians in your territories into the city to prevent Tifeiko from expanding his troops."

"But, the grain in our warehouses and the goods we have stored..."

"Transport as much as you can," Roland interrupted decisively. "I will only give you three days, and the surrounding civilians must gather in the stronghold. After I defeat Tifeiko's troops, I will naturally let you leave."

After the meeting, the prince summoned Tiechuan into the castle.

In fact, he did not reveal the real situation he had mastered to the nobles—under the carpet search of Lightning and Maisie, the team from the royal capital had already exposed their whereabouts. Unlike the previous batch of invaders, they were sailing west along the main channel of the Chishui River on single-masted sailboats, and would enter the hinterland of the Western Territory through Willow Town.

This is a very tricky route. When the enemy crosses the bifurcation point, they can either return along the tributary to attack the south and east gates of Longsong Stronghold, or continue westward to reach Border Town directly.

In order to avoid losing sight of one thing while attending to another due to the division of troops for defense, he must take the initiative to concentrate superior forces to defeat the enemy at one point.

Obviously, the bifurcation of the Chishui River is the most suitable place for snipers.