“I know you all have doubts about my elder brother.”
Yuan Zheng was in the first place, Cen Yelan sat beside him, and below him were the generals of Hanzhou, including Zhao Yiqing, Guo Rong, and other veterans.
Qi Ming held the account book brought back from Beicang Pass in his hand and presented a copy to everyone.
Cen Yelan calmly said, “This is the account book details of Beicang Pass. I asked someone to make several copies. Since half a year ago, saltpeter, sulfur, and other goods have been flowing into Beicang Pass. The amount is much larger than in previous years. These things were finally collected in the fireworks shop to conceal their tracks.”
“But according to the investigation.” Cen Yelan looked around and said, “The two fireworks shops on Zhuque Street and the three in the east of the city all changed hands in various ways half a year ago.”
“You have lived on the northern border for a long time, so you must know that in our Dayan, only the imperial guards in the capital use a lot of gunpowder. The border troops, whether in the northern border or Hedong, do not use gunpowder.”
There were many deputy generals in the room, and their faces were a little solemn for a moment. Guo Rong closed the account book with force and said with his neck stiff, “What does this have to do with the General!”
“These are just your speculations!”
Even though Cen Yi admitted that he had collaborated with the enemy in public, but he was the General of the Cen family and the Marquis Wangbei. The two armies were facing each other when the incident occurred, and it happened abruptly. They still couldn’t believe that Cen Yi would really do such a thing.
Cen Yelan was calm and continued, “In November, a teahouse on Zhuque Street suddenly collapsed, killing five people and injuring twenty, so a large-scale repair began, including silk shops, teahouses, wine shops, etc., with Zhuque Street being the main focus. If you don’t believe these things, you can go and check them out.”
“The gunpowder explosion at Beicang Pass was centered on Zhuque Street.”
“At first glance, these things seem unrelated.” Cen Yelan raised his eyes and said indifferently, “But everyone, are they really unrelated?”
Everyone fell silent, you looked at me, and I looked at you.
After a moment, Guo Rong said with difficulty, “But why is the General doing this?”
Cen Yelan fell silent. He said, “No matter what Big Brother—Cen Yi wants, there is solid evidence that he collaborated with the enemy and committed treason. I know it is hard for you to accept, but my grief is no less than anyone else’s here. Cen Yi is my closest relative and even more so my brother. Before Adoptive Father died, he asked me to do two things: one was to take good care of Cen Yi, and two was to guard the northern border.”
When Cen Xi was mentioned, the faces of several deputy generals were touched. Although Cen Xi had passed away for many years, in their hearts, he was far superior to Cen Yelan and Cen Yi. They also remembered that the man in front of them was the one chosen by Cen Xi. Some even thought that Cen Xi had expected this day to come when he did not hand over the northern border to Cen Yi. For a moment, they were all a little shaken.
“Cen Yi made this big mistake today, I can’t shirk my responsibility.”
“But the Northern Territory—” Cen Yelan said in a deep voice, “The Northern Territory is now facing the most difficult battle in the past ten years. The Hu people are waiting outside the city, trying to break through Hanzhou in one fell swoop and invade our territory.”
“Which is more important, I believe you all have your own considerations.”
The atmosphere in the study suddenly became heavy. Cen Yelan did not speak again and just looked at the deputy generals in the room.
After a while, one person stood up first. He was a general in Hanzhou City. He was promoted by Cen Yelan. He immediately bowed and said, “The humble general will obey the General’s orders!”
Someone expressed his opinion, and others stood up one after another. Cen Yelan had already controlled the northern border for ten years, and Cen Yi’s treason was a foregone conclusion. Some old people were still dissatisfied. Outside the city, Yan Le’s army was approaching. In addition to Cen Yelan, the Cen family only had a three-year-old child left.
Only Cen Yelan can stir up the vast northern border.
Cen Yelan looked around, only Guo Rong and the other two generals looked unhappy and did not move. Cen Yelan did not speak, just looked at Guo Rong quietly. After a long stalemate, Guo Rong finally took a step back. He stood up and leaned down reluctantly, and the armor collided and made a sound.
Cen Yelan said, “We are facing a powerful enemy. We should work together to drive them out. Cen Yi’s matter ends here. I hope you all will consider the overall situation.” He paused, his tone calm but with a hint of coldness and murderousness, “If anyone neglects the war and disrupts the morale of our army because of this, they will be—killed!”
Soon, all the generals in the study retreated. Yuan Zheng watched from the sidelines, frowning slightly.
There are many aristocratic families in the capital, and the border troops are the same, such as the Cen family in the north and the Si family in the east.
They have been rooted in the border for a long time, and their roots are intertwined. Over the past hundred years, most of the high-ranking generals are from aristocratic families or their confidants promoted by aristocratic families. There are very few generals from humble families.
As for the younger generation in the army, for example, Li Jingchuo, Yuan Zheng had heard from Fang Jing that this person had great talent in marching and fighting. Although he looked young, but he had been in the army for ten years and had made countless military achievements, yet he was only a sixth-rank military official.
Even though Cen Yelan was the adopted son of the Cen family, but he was born into a poor family after all. In the eyes of people like Guo Rong, he was far inferior to Cen Yi.
Yuan Zheng tapped the table with his fingers. His eyes fell on Cen Yelan. He saw him frowning and carefully rubbing his shoulders. Suddenly, the thoughts that came up disappeared without a trace.
Yuan Zheng said, “Does the wound hurt?”
Cen Yelan put down his hand and said, “No problem.”
Yuan Zheng said, “Let me take a look.” Cen Yelan was wearing casual clothes today, so he came over and stretched out his hand to pull Cen Yelan’s collar.
Cen Yelan stepped back and said, “What is there to see—”
“It’s just new flesh, it’s a little itchy.” He felt a little uncomfortable, but Yuan Zheng smiled. The two of them were close, and he stroked Cen Yelan’s collarbone, flirting, and said, “Then don’t scratch it, it hurts if you scratch it. Let me see what it looks like now.”
Cen Yelan glanced at him, pursed his lips tightly, and then heard Yuan Zheng say with a smile, “General Cen, are you shy?”
The young man’s voice was filled with intimacy and warmth, and Cen Yelan’s ears felt strangely hot. He said indifferently, “What’s so good about scars and flesh? Your Highness, why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror?”
Yuan Zheng laughed, “What’s the point of looking at myself? I just want to see what it looks like on the General’s body.”
He whispered in Cen Yelan’s ear, “Be good and don’t move.”
Yuan Zheng pulled down Cen Yelan’s collar, remembering the wounds on his body, and gently exposed most of his shoulders and back. Yuan Zheng took a breath at first sight. Su Chenzhao’s medical skills were excellent. The bloody and rotten flesh had been scraped off. He doesn’t know what ointment he had used, but new flesh had grown, and it looked hideous.
When Yuan Zheng reached out to touch him, Cen Yelan shuddered, pushed Yuan Zheng’s hand away, pulled up his clothes, and said, “Alright.”
Unconsciously, Yuan Zheng rubbed his fingers, which still felt warm from Cen Yelan’s body and spoke absentmindedly, “The Imperial Medical has scar removal ointment. I’ll have someone send some over later.”
Cen Yelan looked at Yuan Zheng and said, “No need. I’m a man, and leaving a few scars is not a big deal.”
Yuan Zheng said, “How can this be possible?”
“Our body and hair are given by our parents. If General Cen doesn’t treat it well and doesn’t feel sorry for it, I feel sorry for it.”
Cen Yelan was stunned, staring at Yuan Zheng in a daze. Yuan Zheng was staring at him too, and their eyes met, and his heart beat faster. He licked his lips and was about to say something, but Cen Yelan suddenly stood up and said, “Shu Dan is dead. Given Hu Khan’s preference for Shu Dan, he will definitely hold Yan Le accountable. I guess Yan Le will attack the city in the next two days.”
Yuan Zheng looked at Cen Yelan, who could hardly bear the young man’s fiery and frank gaze. He said vaguely, “I have something else to do. Your Highness, please feel free to do as you please.”
After that, he left in a hurry.
Yuan Zheng looked at his back and thought, Why are you dodging? Can you dodge?
But when he thought that the one who fled was Cen Yelan, the person who was unstoppable, cold, and serious, but now showed this helpless attitude that was more immature than a teenager, Yuan Zheng wanted to laugh, and the uncontrollable tenderness in his heart was sweet again.
For a moment, Yuan Zheng even felt that Cen Yelan was not completely indifferent to him?
