knife

Chapter 415 Murderous Intention

Lin Hong picked up the seal and stamped it heavily.

The seal is made of a very special material, resembling both stone and wood, yet it produces a metallic sound when struck. Legend has it that it was a treasure dug out of the silt a thousand feet deep in a great lake, and was eventually divided into more than ten pieces to make the seal.

Lin Hong's piece is one-tenth of that.

Putting aside the special nature of this seal, the inkpad in front of us is something that most people have never even heard of. It takes two years to make and is several times more valuable than gold of the same weight. Such inkpad, when used to stamp on documents, will not fade or change color even after decades or centuries.

Sometimes, the extravagance of those wealthy and powerful families is something that ordinary people really can't see.

You might see a simple, unadorned piece of clothing that you couldn't afford with a year's income, and a pair of cloth shoes that you think are cheap might actually cost you a fortune.

Just like this box of inkpads, what's the difference between it and ordinary inkpads in the eyes of the average person?

Lin Hong personally packed the letter, sealed it with sealing wax, and then sent it out. Only then did he stand up and stretch.

There is already clear information in the court that he will soon return to the capital to serve as the Vice Minister of Revenue.

In fact, the transfer from Prefect of Yong'an to Vice Minister of Revenue is only a lateral move, but the difference in importance is vast. There is a significant difference between local officials and central government officials.

Moreover, in the Great Chu court, the ministers of various ministries hold only honorary titles and do not actually manage affairs. The ones who are truly in charge are the left and right vice ministers. And this time when I return, I will be serving as the left vice minister, which, to put it bluntly, is the head of the Ministry of Revenue.

The power of the Great Chu is now gradually concentrating towards the central government, and the importance of working under the Empress Dowager's nose is becoming increasingly apparent.

However, before leaving, Lin Hong wanted to make a deeper impression on the officials in Danyang. He planned to launch a large-scale attack on Xiangcheng and try to take it in one fell swoop.

If Xiangcheng and Fancheng fall into the hands of the Great Chu, then we will certainly have a greater advantage in negotiations with He Zudao.

Now, because He Zudao controls Xiangcheng, he still holds some sway over the Great Chu.

Regardless of whether you win or lose, as long as you don't suffer a loss, you've already gained something.

It is essential to let the officials in the court know that I am both a scholar and a warrior.

He could fight on horseback and write books on foot, and the Empress Dowager was already aware of his talent for making money; otherwise, the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue would not have fallen into his lap.

There's a bit of trouble in Yongxing, but it's nothing serious.

Sending two or three thousand cavalry would solve the problem.

Of course, the troops haven't set off yet because Lin Hong wants his younger brother Lin Rong to make enough contributions.

Since the Empress Dowager came to power, military merit has been playing an increasingly important role in the promotion system of the Great Chu. How could one refuse military merit that is offered to one's doorstep?
If Lin Rong wins this battle, I can recommend him to Yong'an County to serve as Sima and continue to control the army, without having to consider personal relationships.

It doesn't matter who becomes the prefect of Yong'an, because if the new prefect wants everything to go smoothly in Yong'an, he will have to cooperate with the Lin family.

Otherwise, making things difficult for him would be too lenient; ruining his reputation would be an easy thing to do.

The door opened softly, and a person slipped into the room.

"Prefect, something has happened!"

Lin Hong frowned slightly. The newcomer was Wang Jun, a master of the ninth rank of Xuan Yuan. He had previously served in the Great Chu army, but his rebellion failed a few years ago, and he fled the world before finally arriving here.

I was only doing this because someone asked me to, so I had no choice but to accept it.

However, we do indeed lack such talent as a ninth-grade Xuan Yuan master.

I just sent him to Yongxing on business a few days ago.

"Isn't Yongxing just a rebellion instigated by the Demonic Sect among some peasants? How big of a problem could it possibly be?"

Wang Jun shook his head and said, "Prefect, the Tianluo Inner Guard appeared in Yongxing. They went directly to the garrison captain Zhang Yuan and then captured Lin Rong and his group in one fell swoop!"

"The Heavenly Guard?" Lin Hong suddenly stood up. "How could the Imperial Guard be in Yongxing? Who's leading them?"

"He Han is leading the team!" Wang Jun took a deep breath and said, "I made some inquiries, and it is said that the young princess appeared in Yongxing, and He Han is protecting her. I don't know what got into the young princess, but she suddenly ordered the arrest of Lin Rong!"

"That spoiled little princess, the tyrant of Danyang?" Lin Hong asked. "It should be. Didn't she go to Luoyang with Jiang Shiyuan a while ago? As a result, Jiang Shiyuan died, Han Zheng was injured, and this little princess went missing!" Wang Jun said, "It seems that He Han rescued her!"

"They only arrested Lin Rong?"

Wang Jun shook his head and said, "But the Imperial Guards surrounded the Lin family's ancestral home that very night and ransacked the house! It was when I saw this that I realized something was wrong. Prefect, there are many things stored in your ancestral home that you absolutely cannot let fall into the hands of the imperial court!"

Lin Hong paced back and forth in the room, somewhat agitated.

"Lin Rong is not shrewd enough. If he falls into the hands of the Tianluo Inner Guard, he might be easily intimidated and tricked into confessing how many times he had nocturnal emissions in his youth!"

“Those things should have been destroyed long ago!” Wang Jun said. “Now we’re in big trouble. If they fall into the hands of the Empress Dowager, I’m afraid the prefect will not only lose his position as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but his life will also be in danger. What the Empress Dowager fears most now is the collusion between local officials and the imperial family.”

"I have no connection with the royal family; it's just some ordinary dealings!" Lin Hong said, somewhat annoyed. "The old general is my mentor!"

Wang Jun remained silent, only looking at Lin Hong.

Lin Hong shook his head, saying that all of this was meaningless.

In such political struggles, there is no room for human sentiment; it is a matter of life and death.

Two years ago, the young emperor's biological father raised an army in rebellion, and Danyang was ravaged by bloodshed. Since then, Chief Minister Xiong and General Xiang, who were already in semi-retirement, have fallen silent.

But does losing your voice mean you can't do anything?

After all, they were the two most powerful people in the Great Chu Dynasty.

Therefore, the Empress Dowager's fear of them was genuine.

If you discover your own secret dealings with them, you're in big trouble.

"Are you sure the Imperial Guards weren't personally sent by the Empress Dowager to investigate me?" Lin Hong asked.

"What's the difference?" Wang Jun looked at Lin Hong in confusion. "Those things are definitely in Lin Hong's hands now. That little princess must have seen them too. There's no way to hide it now. Prefect, that little princess probably saw the peasant rebellion and was a little curious. After inquiring, she probably found out that the Lin family was quite domineering in Yongxing. Then, under the gossip of some people, she didn't care about anything else and had the inner guards arrest Lin Rong first. Lin Rong was so frightened by the inner guards that he told her everything! You know, Tianluo is best at fabricating cases. They can make trouble out of nothing, let alone now that there is indeed trouble."

Lin Hong suddenly stopped, staring intently at Wang Jun.

Wang Jun's heart skipped a beat. "Prefect."

"Lin Han, commander of the Tianluo Inner Guard, a trusted subordinate of the Empress Dowager, with a cultivation level of the ninth rank of the Xuan Yuan realm!" Lin Hong said, enunciating each word clearly, "Such a person is not invincible!"

Wang Jun immediately understood Lin Hong's choice and whispered, "Prefect, Lin Hong wants to protect the young princess, so he can't escape and can only fight us to the death. It's indeed easy for us to take his life. But what about the young princess?"

"The young princess was injured by those rioters, and I, Lin, failed to protect her properly, which is indeed a crime. However, in this riot, hundreds of my clansmen in Yongxing, as well as my father who is over seventy years old, all perished. Even if the Empress Dowager is angry, she can't say anything more to me, can she?" Lin Hong said, emphasizing each word. "Moreover, besides the young princess Jiang Ping, the Jiang family also has several other children, so she is not that indispensable, is she?"

Wang Jun gasped, looking at Lin Hong, and felt goosebumps rise all over his body.

Lin Hong's intention is not only to kill He Han and Princess Jiang Ping, but also to have all the members of the Lin family in Yongxing buried with him. This is indeed a good way to appease the Empress Dowager and leave the court speechless. But is it really not against the will of Heaven to do this?

"Wang Jun, do you think I'm too heartless?" Lin Hong asked, looking at Wang Jun's expression.

Wang Jun did not answer, but looking at Lin Hong's expression, he was certain of it.

"I had no other choice," Lin Hong sighed. "Who would have thought that the little princess would go to a small place like Yongxing? And how could we have imagined that she would suddenly run into a mob? It's such a coincidence that Qiaoqiao's mother gave birth to Qiaoqiao. If we don't do this, those things will fall into the hands of the Empress Dowager, and our Lin family will be wiped out, not just the Yongxing branch. It will also involve General Xiang, and how many people is General Xiang involved with?"

At this point, Wang Jun finally became emotional.

“The Prefect is right. If this involves the old general, the Empress Dowager, who has been searching for a good excuse, can openly cause him trouble. That will inevitably lead to another bloodbath; enough people have already died!” Wang Jun suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Lin Hong: “I thank you on behalf of the old general!”

“You are the general’s subordinate, and I am also the general’s protégé.” Lin Hong waved his hand and said, “It’s just that the general trend is now, and the Empress Dowager’s rule is a foregone conclusion. Moreover, Wang Jun, you have seen it yourself. Under the Empress Dowager’s leadership, the Great Chu is indeed thriving. So be it! Sometimes you have to give up something to gain something. My father and Lin Rong, knowing that they died for the glory of the family, will rest in peace.”

Wang Jun nodded silently: "Then I will set off first to lie in ambush in Yongxing. When the main force arrives, I will take advantage of the chaos to launch a surprise attack."

"Take more people with you!" Lin Hong said. "He Han shouldn't leave the young princess, but there will definitely be other guards. If we fail in our first strike and they escape, it won't just be a problem later, it will be the end for us."

"Rest assured, Prefect! I will go with my men. If any problems arise, you will not be implicated in the slightest."

(End of this chapter)