Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 65: The Hearts of Soldiers Are All Dirty (Please Read On)

The letter paper was thin, but the handwriting on it was as sharp as a knife, revealing a madness and determination just like its owner.

Chen Ye held the letter in his hand, momentarily speechless.

The contents of the letter were actually very simple.

Bai Yuege ordered him to immediately take over the army after his death and stabilize the situation in the Great Liang Kingdom.

She also said that she had submitted a memorial to the court and, in her capacity as the General Who Conquers the West, recommended him as the new Military Governor of Daliang, in charge of all military and political affairs in the area.

At the end of the letter, she even thoughtfully offered advice, suggesting that he attribute all the massacres and cruel policies since the siege to her, a dead woman, in order to win over the people and quell the resentment of the Liang army and civilians.

"..."

Chen Ye remained silent for a long time.

He raised his head and looked at the palace ruins that were still emitting black smoke, with only one thought in his mind.

This woman is insane! She even planned her own death in such detail!

But would you really let me become the military governor of Daliang?

What a joke!
Chen Ye was very self-aware.

His current position was earned entirely through battle, while he has no power or influence in the imperial court and is essentially without any foundation.

You have to understand that there's a specific role for everyone. The Great Liang Kingdom is a piece of fat meat that has just been captured, and countless eyes in the Great Yong court are eyeing it with green light. How could it possibly be his turn, a nobody?
Therefore, Chen Ye considered Bai Yuege's dying wish to be utter nonsense.

He didn't think it could work at all.

He could even imagine the uproar that would ensue when Bai Yuege's memorial reached the imperial court.

Those princes, nobles, and powerful families would probably curse his ancestors for eighteen generations.

Thinking of this, Chen Ye silently put the letter away.

This won't work.

As Chen Ye had predicted, when Bai Yuege's memorial recommending Chen Ye was presented to the emperor, it immediately sparked a heated debate.

In the imperial court, voices of opposition surged forth like a tidal wave, almost lifting the roof off.

"Absurd! Utterly absurd!"

"Who is Chen Ye? He's just a lowly military man who rose from humble beginnings to become a commoner. He's only managed to achieve a few military exploits by chance. Yet he dares to dream of becoming a high-ranking official in charge of a region?"

"With the Great Liang newly established and everything in need of rebuilding, it is in dire need of experienced and wise ministers to govern it. How can we entrust it to a mere child!"

"Is General Bai perhaps bewitched by this treacherous man?"

In a short time, memorials of opposition piled up like mountains, and the spittle of the censors could almost drown a person.

Everyone thought it was impossible.

After all, the coveted territory of Daliang had already attracted the attention of various forces, so it was no chance for someone like Chen Ye, who appeared out of nowhere, to get a piece of the pie.

But at this moment, an unexpected force stepped forward and unequivocally expressed its support.

The Meng family!

When Meng Yi, who was retired and at home, used his family's influence in the court to explicitly express his support for Bai Yuege's memorial, the entire court was taken aback.

Everyone knows that Bai Yuege usurped Meng Yi's command, forcing this renowned general to retire from the battlefield.

Such a deep-seated hatred would have made anyone else an irreconcilable enemy.

Therefore, it would be considered righteous for the Meng family not to kick someone when they're down, so why would they support Bai Yuege's decision?

What exactly is going on here?

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, news also came back that Bai Yuege had sacrificed his life for his country and died with the enemy.

The court and the public were shaken, and even her memorial recommending her became heavier in weight.

That was no longer an ordinary letter of recommendation, but the last words of a great general who sacrificed his life for his country!

The situation suddenly became awkward.

After all, no one dares to openly oppose a hero's last wish, or they would be drowned in the spittle of the people of Dayong.

At this critical moment, the Meng family once again stepped in, announcing their unconditional support for Bai Yuege.

Finally, after much deliberation, the Emperor of Dayong, seated on his dragon throne, approved the request with his vermilion brush. "Granted!"

The imperial edict caused an uproar throughout the court and the public.

Countless people were green with envy, especially the powerful and wealthy, who were so angry they were pounding their chests and stamping their feet.

They couldn't understand how such a peasant could have gotten such a great deal.

However, these people soon began to comfort themselves.

It's alright, he's just a rough and uncouth soldier. He might be good at fighting, but what about governing a region?
He doesn't know anything!

Just wait and see, in less than three months, he'll slink away and quit.

Chen Ye was unaware of what was happening in the imperial court until the imperial edict was placed before him, at which point he was dumbfounded.

It actually...did it really work?

This world is so magical!
"Governor Chen, receive the imperial decree!" the eunuch who came to deliver the decree said with a forced smile.

Chen Ye received the imperial edict in a daze. Just then, Wang Xing appeared out of nowhere and warmly invited the eunuch who delivered the edict to have a meal on the side.

After the eunuch left, Chen Ye was still in a daze. Just then, another messenger from the capital quietly handed him a private letter.

There were only two words on the envelope.

Meng Yi.

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately found a quiet place to open the envelope.

The letter contained little content, but its words conveyed a familiar sense of composure.

In his letter, Meng Yi told him that his support for Chen Ye against the prevailing opinion in court was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a reflection of his belief in Chen Ye's abilities and character.

He told Chen Ye to go ahead and do it without any worries, as the Meng family would be his strongest support.

At the end of the letter, Meng Yi wrote only one sentence.

Do not disappoint me.

Chen Ye held the letter and stood silently in the tent for a long time.

A night breeze blew in from outside the tent, carrying a hint of coolness, and gradually cleared his chaotic thoughts.

He finally understood.

Meng Yi's removal from command and subsequent retirement, seemingly freeing him from the court's intrigues, was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the entire Meng family, signifying an inevitable decline in their influence.

Under these circumstances, Meng Yi would inevitably have to devise a plan.

So he set his sights on himself.

He was a nobody, someone who had once served as his personal guard and with whom he had a past relationship.

By elevating himself to the position of military governor of Daliang, he was essentially cultivating an ally for the increasingly weakened Meng family outside the imperial court.

This is a gamble, but also a long-term investment.

If they win the bet, the Meng family will reap a rich reward.

They lost the bet... but given the Meng family's current situation, it doesn't seem like things will get much worse.

At the same time, Chen Ye also figured out why Bai Yuege, that crazy woman, would choose to recommend him.

She probably saw this long ago, knowing that apart from Chen Ye, she could not gain the support of the Meng family by recommending anyone else, and without the support of the Meng family, it would be almost impossible to gain a foothold in the newly conquered land of Daliang.

That's why she chose herself.

Meng Yi clearly saw this as well, but he still did it because it would only benefit him.

Having figured all this out, Chen Ye let out a long sigh of relief.

Damn it, none of these military leaders are easy to deal with; they can practically strategize and manipulate people to the core.

With things having come to this point, Chen Ye had nothing more to say. He walked to the table, picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, wrote a few words on the paper, then sealed the envelope and handed it to the Meng family's messenger.

"Tell the general that I understand what to do."

(End of this chapter)