Ning Chen narrowed his eyes at him. "Assassins came into an army camp and walked through it as though there were nobody in it, and not one man noticed anything wrong."

"And Yan Hongxin was raised up by your own hand, and last night, of all nights, you happened not to be in camp. It has the look of a man clearing himself... Fourth Prince, are you telling me I should not suspect you?"

"I— I..." The Fourth Prince was so agitated that sweat came out on his forehead, and he did not know how to explain it. All he could do was raise a hand. "Ning Chen, I swear by heaven, it absolutely was not me."

"If I put men up to killing you, let heaven strike me down with lightning and let me die a bad death."

"And another thing. Why would I have you killed? Breaking Linxuan City was your achievement, true, but we came away with a share of the credit ourselves."

"Ning Chen, I swear to you, it really was not me!"

Ning Chen stared at him a while, then said, smiling, "I'm messing with you. I don't suspect you!"

"If I died on the western frontier, you would pay a terrible price for it, prince of the blood or not... You're not that stupid."

"Still, the discipline of the Western Frontier Army needs putting back in order. Discipline slack, commanders dealing with the enemy, soldiers who might as well be blind... This time it was me they came for. Next time it might be you. Would you get out of the way in time?"

The Fourth Prince's face changed completely.

Ning Chen rode up close and dropped his voice. "The Fourth Prince must see it. I came out of it unhurt, but it happened in your camp, and a commander you raised with your own hand has admitted to dealing with the enemy... Once this reaches His Majesty, you are finished as commander in chief of the western frontier."

The Fourth Prince's face went white, and sweat stood on his forehead.

Ning Chen went…