The Eastern Victory side left Bian Weiying at the entrance, and the Northern Ju side left Situ Zhen there. The reason was not hard to guess: the two women would inevitably have to play their part, both pressured into coming to sound out Shi Chun for information. Shi Chun understood their helplessness, but he himself did not need their understanding.
No matter what, he simply would not talk. Whatever pressure they were under, he would not budge. They could reminisce, they could talk about love and affection, but on matters he had long planned for, he would never relent.
No matter what pressure they were under, whoever came, it was no use. Because he had no way to retreat. If he retreated, years of painstaking effort would come to nothing—and this was not his effort alone.
Retreating once would lead to retreating again and again. In the end, being forced to hide in the Netherworld might be the lightest consequence. In other regards, however, things were easy to discuss.
For instance, Wei Mo had Bian Weiying come over to borrow some lumber. As time dragged on with no end in sight, staying out in the open under the blazing sun every day was not practical. Digging a hole in the flat ground made it hard to observe Shi Chun’s movements.