ATPnovel Chapter 325 You think too highly of yourself
Chapter 325 You think too highly of yourself
That evening, at the General's Mansion.
Lin Chen leaned back on the newly decorated soft couch in the main room, crossed his legs, and slowly sipped his wine.
Lan Fenghuang sat beside him, peeling oranges for him and feeding him segment by segment.
Yao Yao was leaning against the window looking at the moon, chattering away, while Lin Chen responded half-heartedly.
Liu Shengxue was in the middle of the living room, gracefully wielding her sword.
Liu Sheng Piaopiao stood at the door, her small hands clutching the hem of her skirt, her face slightly flushed, wanting to come in but not daring to.
Lin Chen saw her and waved, "Come in, what are you doing standing at the door?"
Liu Sheng Piaopiao walked in with her head down, her voice barely audible: "Brother-in-law, I...I've come to pay my respects."
Lin Chen smiled: "No need for formalities, please sit down."
Liu Sheng Piaopiao sat down next to him, sitting upright with her hands on her knees, not daring to breathe loudly.
Yao Yao hopped over from the window and grabbed her hand: "Piaopiao, what were you doing inside just now?"
Liu Sheng Piaopiao whispered, "I...I'm reading a book."
"What books are you reading?"
"The Geography of the Great Expansion"
Yao Yao sniffed: "Why are you looking at that?"
Liu Sheng Piaopiao lowered her head: "I...I want to learn more about Dayan. I'm going to live here in the future."
Lin Chen chuckled inwardly; this girl was quite perceptive.
He winked at Yagyu Yuki.
Yagyu Yuki appeared completely absorbed in the sword dance, but her eyes rolled upwards.
Lan Fenghuang peeled another segment of orange and stuffed it into Lin Chen's mouth, chuckling in a low voice:
"My lord, this girl probably wants to be your wife."
Lin Chen coughed lightly: "Don't talk nonsense."
Blue Phoenix chuckled and fell silent.
They chatted until midnight, and the women got up one after another to go back to their rooms.
Lan Fenghuang led Yao Yao to the door, then turned back and winked at Lin Chen with a meaningful look.
Liu Shengxue was the last to get up. She walked to the door, suddenly stopped, and looked back at Lin Chen.
That glance was somewhat complicated.
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow: "What's wrong?"
Liu Shengxue didn't speak, but glanced to the side.
Lin Chen followed her gaze.
In the corner, Liu Sheng Piaopiao was secretly looking back at him when she was discovered. Her face turned red, and she quickly turned and ran away.
Liu Shengxue withdrew her gaze and said calmly, "Piao Piao hasn't had a good night's sleep these past few nights."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Lin Chen muttered to himself: Can you blame me for this? It's not...
He shook his head, put down his wine glass, and lay down on the bed.
The moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the entire room in a silvery glow.
Looking at the moon outside the window, Lin Chen suddenly remembered Liu Sheng Piaopiao's rosy cheeks.
Sixteen years old is indeed still young.
Let's raise it for another two years.
He turned over and closed his eyes.
Tonight will probably be another sleepless night.
……
The next morning, just as dawn broke, Lin Chen was awakened by footsteps outside.
He opened his eyes and scanned the area with his divine sense; it was Yanda University.
"Come in."
Yan Da pushed open the door and came in, dressed in full armor, covered in dust, clearly having been busy all night.
"My lord, the investigation is complete."
Lin Chen sat up, took the file handed to him, glanced at it, and his face gradually darkened.
Zheng Zhitong was the garrison commander of Xijing, serving for eight years.
They falsely reported military pay of eight million taels, while the actual number of troops garrisoning Xijing was only over fifty thousand.
Zheng Zhitong resold all the surplus military equipment to neighboring countries and bandits.
In addition, they colluded with 19 bandit gangs to rob merchant caravans 123 times.
The most ruthless thing was that he also secretly kept three thousand private soldiers, which were hidden in a valley thirty miles outside the city.
Lin Chen closed the file and smiled.
"Eight years, eight million taels of silver, this guy really dares to embezzle."
Yan Da nodded and continued:
"He already knows that the lord is investigating him. According to reports from his scouts, he mobilized the troops stationed outside the city overnight and assembled them at the drill ground north of the city."
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow: "What? Trying to rebel?"
Yan Da paused for a moment, then said, "We can't rule out that possibility."
Lin Chen stood up, stretched his neck, and his joints cracked.
"Alright, then let's go and meet him. Send someone to summon him and tell them that I wish to see him."
Yan Da clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes."
……
Half an hour later.
Zheng Zhitong has arrived.
He didn't come alone.
He led three hundred personal guards, riding from the north of the city, their armor gleaming and their weapons like a forest.
The horses' hooves thundered on the bluestone slabs, making the whole street tremble.
The people on the street were so frightened that they scattered in all directions, and shops closed one after another.
Lin Chen stood at the entrance of the General's Mansion, watching the procession get closer and closer, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Zheng Zhitong, on horseback, looked down at Lin Chen.
They neither dismounted nor bowed.
The scar on his face looked particularly menacing in the morning light.
"Your Highness, I heard you wanted to see me?"
Lin Chen looked at him and laughed: "General Zheng, what do you mean by this? Bringing troops to see me, the king?"
Zheng Zhitong also laughed, a sinister laugh: "Your Highness, please don't misunderstand, this humble general was merely... protecting himself."
"Self-preservation?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "Do you think I'd eat you?"
Zheng Zhitong's smile vanished, and he said coldly:
"Your Highness has killed countless people along the way, and I am well aware of that. I have been in Xijing for eight years and my hands are indeed not clean, but I am not one to sit idly by and wait for my death."
He paused, then suddenly raised his hand.
From the north of the city came the deafening sound of horses' hooves.
A dense mass of cavalrymen poured out from the end of the street, a dark, overwhelming number of at least twenty or thirty thousand.
They lined up behind Zheng Zhitong, their swords and spears drawn, exuding a murderous aura.
Zheng Zhitong looked at Lin Chen and said, word by word:
"Your Highness, I have 30,000 elite troops, while you only have 1,300. Even if your cultivation is high enough to kill a hundred or a thousand, can you kill 30,000?"
He paused, then said:
"This humble general has no intention of opposing Your Highness. As long as Your Highness turns a blind eye, this humble general guarantees that Xijing will forever belong to Dayan."
Every year, the tax revenue is paid in full; whatever the prince desires, this humble general will provide.
Lin Chen looked at Zheng Zhitong and suddenly sneered:
"Zheng Zhitong, do you know what your biggest problem is?"
Zheng Zhitong frowned.
Lin Chen said calmly, "You take yourself too seriously."
As he spoke, Lin Chen took a step forward.
Just one step.
But once that step was taken, his entire demeanor changed dramatically.
He was a lazy young master just a moment ago, but now he's like a sword drawn from its sheath.
Zheng Zhitong's expression changed, and he subconsciously took half a step back.
Lin Chen looked at him and laughed, "Thirty thousand elite troops? Are you sure they'll all listen to you?"
Zheng Zhitong sneered: "Your Highness, your attempts to sow discord are useless. These people have followed me for many years and are utterly loyal."
Lin Chen nodded: "Then let's give it a try."
He raised his hand.
Zheng Zhitong's pupils contracted, and he abruptly waved his hand: "Form ranks, fire the arrows!"
The archers behind him raised their bows in unison, and arrows rained down on Lin Chen like locusts, carrying the power to pierce through the air.
Lin Chen stood still, motionless.
The arrows flew to within three zhang (approximately 10 meters) and then suddenly stopped.
It was like hitting an invisible wall, leaving me suspended in mid-air, completely still.
Zheng Zhitong looked on incredulously.
Lin Chen looked at Zheng Zhitong and smiled.
Then he raised his hand and waved it gently.
The arrows turned around and flew back at an even faster speed.
"Pop—puff puff puff—"
The formation was broken instantly, followed by splattering blood. The soldiers in the front row fell one after another, their screams and the neighing of horses blending together.
Zheng Zhitong's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly reined in his horse, shouting, "All troops, attack! Kill him!"
Thirty thousand cavalrymen moved at the same time.
The sound of horses' hooves thundered, and the earth trembled.
A dark mass of cavalry surged in like a tidal wave, their blades flashing, their killing intent soaring to the heavens.