Catching Monsters

Chapter 363 Old Stories (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Leader Penglai Ten Immortals)

secret?

Jiang Yun's gaze naturally fell on Xu Suwen.

Xu Suwen frowned, clearly indicating that she didn't even want to mention Zhang Yuhu's name.

Then, she slowly said, "The conflict between our Duke Zhenguo's Mansion and Zhang Yuhu started a long time ago."

Zhang Yuhu's background can be considered that of a powerful figure in the capital. He is the son of the Marquis of Jing'an, but he is born out of wedlock and has no right to inherit the title.

Logically speaking, with such a background, it would be extremely difficult to achieve anything significant in the capital. However, the key event was the struggle for the throne twenty-eight years ago.

Zhang Yuhu's older brother, Zhang Yuran, was selected into the Crown Prince's faction and was highly valued by the then Crown Prince Xiao Yubang.

then……

The crown prince suddenly fell seriously ill and died. Even his elder brother, Zhang Yuran, suddenly fell seriously ill, with several sharp arrows sticking out of his body, and died from his illness...

At that time, Marquis Jing'an had only two sons.

Zhang Yuhu naturally became the new Marquis of Jing'an, and immediately after taking office, he pledged his loyalty to Xiao Yuzheng, telling everyone that his elder brother had been seriously ill for many years.

He died from a serious illness.

In short, Zhang Yuhu was given an important position, and as a promising young talent that Xiao Yuzheng greatly admired, he was soon promoted to a key role in the army.

The initial conflict with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion occurred during the great battle against the Northern Hu, which made Duke Xu Dingwu famous.

At that time, although Xu Dingwu commanded troops in Zhenchi Army, he was still relatively unknown.

They can be considered the main core force resisting the Northern Hu.

Zhang Yuhu, on the other hand, led 20,000 men to support various factions in the northern border.

Before that great battle, Xu Dingwu arranged for Zhang Yuhu to arrive at a certain place within seven days to set up an ambush.

As a result, Zhang Yuhu led his troops and arrived late, a day late, missing the opportunity to win the battle.

Xu Dingwu was furious. That was the enemy's route of retreat. If Zhang Yuhu had arrived on time, none of the fleeing soldiers would have escaped.

Because of Zhang Yuhu's mistake, the 50,000 Hu troops escaped, giving them a chance to regroup.

The hot-blooded young Xu Dingwu originally intended to enforce military law and behead Zhang Yuhu in the military camp as a warning to others.

But Zhang Yuhu was a nobleman of the Zhou state, a marquis, and not someone Xu Dingwu could kill so easily.

In the end, Xu Dingwu, in front of thousands of soldiers in the military camp, tied Zhang Yuhu up and gave him thirty lashes with a military whip. He made sure everyone watched that anyone who missed a battle opportunity, even a marquis, would be whipped thirty times.

A single lash of a military whip can tear a person's skin and flesh.

Thirty lashes from the military whip forced Zhang Yuhu to return to Beijing and remain bedridden for a full year.

Zhang Yuhu was also a young man at the time, and he believed that his skills were no less than Xu Dingwu's.

I was late for a day because of the continuous heavy rain and muddy roads. What does that have to do with me?
At that time, Xu Dingwu had defeated the Northern Hu and was at the height of his power, the most sought-after rising star in the entire Zhou court.

He should have had such a life, but because Xu Dingwu deliberately used an excuse to beat him, he wasted a year.

If I were in the northern border, wouldn't I be able to defeat the Northern Barbarians as well?

Therefore, Zhang Yuhu always felt that Xu Dingwu, that bastard, had stolen his life.

The more I think about it, the angrier I get, and the angrier I get, the more I think about it.

It wasn't until the ninth year of the Zhengde reign that Zhang Yuhu's chance for revenge came. At that time, the Ministry of Revenue discovered that someone in the army had embezzled 100,000 taels of silver, which caused a sensation in the capital. The Embroidered Uniform Guard was also investigating.

Zhang Yuhu, however, directly reported that Duke Zhenguo Xu Dingwu was suspected of embezzlement and bribery.

In those days, in the Zhou state's officialdom, which high-ranking official could withstand a thorough investigation by the Embroidered Uniform Guard?
Moreover, Xu Dingwu led hundreds of thousands of Zhenchi troops in the remote northern region, far from the emperor's reach.

When Zhang Yuhu came forward to report the case, the Embroidered Uniform Guard naturally took it very seriously, and Xiao Yuzheng also ordered a thorough investigation.

After a thorough investigation, it was confirmed that Xu Dingwu had indeed embezzled funds.

The amount embezzled was not small, a full 50,000 taels of silver.

The government and the public were furious.

Well done, Duke Zhenguo! Go ahead and be corrupt, but don't get caught. This is putting the court in a very difficult position.

Unexpectedly, Xu Dingwu returned to the imperial court with a bill in hand and slammed it onto Xiao Yuzheng's desk.

He did indeed embezzle 50,000 taels of military pay.

However, the 50,000 taels of military pay did not go into his own pocket, but was given to the retired soldiers of Zhenchi Army who were living in poverty and in dire straits.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and countless veterans.

Fifty thousand taels of military pay is a considerable sum, but when it is distributed among each person, it amounts to only a few strings of cured meat and rice or flour.

This left everyone in the court speechless.

On the contrary, Xu Dingwu was young and impetuous.

They immediately found Zhang Yuhu and, in broad daylight, gave him a brutal beating on the street.

Zhang Yuhu was beaten until his head was bleeding profusely, and he couldn't take it anymore, so he knelt down and begged for mercy.

Zhang Yuhu hated Xu Dingwu to death, he hated that bastard to death.

He completely ruined his own reputation.

Now, many years later, their hatred has not diminished at all. On the contrary, whenever they meet, they stare at each other with wide eyes, and sometimes even roll up their sleeves as if they want to fight.

The two often met at the brothel and would always end up fighting.

The two of them often caused chaos and disorder in the music and dance academy.

Now that he's older, Zhang Yuhu is gradually losing his strength and rarely goes to brothels anymore, which is why the Jiaofangsi (a type of entertainment venue) has been quiet for a few years.

After listening to Xu Suwen finish speaking, Jiang Yun was also dumbfounded. He never expected that there was such a long-ago story involved.

"Sounding like this, Zhang Yuhu's abilities aren't that great. Why would His Majesty appoint him as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Jiang Yun asked, somewhat puzzled.

Xu Suwen rolled her eyes at Jiang Yun and said, "He's just ashamed of himself compared to my father. Zhang Yuhu definitely has the ability."

"It's his own fault for always picking on my dad, letting him bully me for half my life..."

At this moment, Qi Da also said to Jiang Yun, "Commander Jiang, I am loyal to you. If you are transferred to another department, I, Qi Da, will follow you!"

Everyone in the Eastern Garrison Command knew that they were Jiang Yun's most trusted confidant.

General Zhang Yuhu was notoriously vengeful...

If Jiang Yun is transferred and he doesn't leave, who knows when he'll be subjected to all sorts of unfair treatment.

"Alright, let's see how things go first." Jiang Yun quickly finished the food in his bowl, clapped his hands, and said to Xu Suwen, "Suwen, I'll go to the Eastern Garrison Command first and see what's going on."

"to make."

Jiang Yun and Qi Da quickly headed towards the Eastern Garrison Command. Upon arriving at the Eastern Garrison Command, they found it to be quite lively.

Most of the centurions and captains are here, discussing the replacement of the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Many people who knew about Zhang Yuhu and the secrets of the Eastern Garrison Command would occasionally glance at Jiang Yun.

Not long after Jiang Yun arrived, someone came to inform him.

"All those with more than one hundred households in the Eastern Garrison Command should go to the Northern Garrison Command."

"Commander Zhang Yuhu has taken up his post and requests to see all those with a rank of one hundred or above."

Soon, everyone, dressed in flying fish costumes befitting their respective identities, hurriedly set off.

The main hall of the Northern Garrison Command was furnished with many chairs.

After the men from the Eastern Garrison arrived, they each chose a chair and sat down.

Many people whispered among themselves, discussing Commander Zhang Yuhu. As the saying goes, a new broom sweeps clean, and he was probably about to establish his authority.

I just hope I won't be the unlucky one used to establish authority.

(End of this chapter)