Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 230 Zhang Biao: I really want to shoot you! [Bonus Chapter 31 for Monthly Tickets]

Geng Zhong's original plan was to use Lan Long's connection to invite Liang Guogong Lan Yu over.

After hearing Lan Long's explanation, he suddenly realized that Lan Yu was not as reckless as the legends suggested!
However, even though Lan Yu didn't come, it's the same if Lan Long does.

In any case, Lan Yu treats his adopted sons as his own, so as long as he guides them a little, he is not afraid that they will not get involved in this mess.

Having figured this out, Geng Zhong immediately became enthusiastic towards Lan Long.

"Brother Lan, it's been so many years! I've missed you terribly! I never imagined we'd meet again here today. We must have a good drink together!"

Geng Zhong personally poured wine for Lan Long, his expression excited, his eyes even a little red, as if he was truly immersed in the joy of reuniting with his sworn brother.

Seeing Geng Zhong's genuine emotions, Lan Long was deeply moved and raised his glass:

"Brother Geng, I often think back to the days when we fought the bandits side by side! So many years have passed in the blink of an eye, and you've become a commander in your own right! I salute you!"

The two clinked glasses and reminisced about their glorious past, creating a lively atmosphere.

After a few rounds of drinks, Geng Zhong sighed seemingly unintentionally, his joy fading and replaced by a look of sorrow.

Seeing this, Lanlong put down his wine cup: "Brother, why are you sighing? Is there something troubling you?"

Geng Zhong hesitated, then shook his head with a wry smile:

"It's nothing, nothing... just some official business that's bothering me. I don't want to disturb your enjoyment, my dear brother."

The more he acted this way, the more Blue Dragon pressed for answers:

"Brother, what are you saying! We're brothers, speak freely! Is it some troublemaker in the camp who's giving you trouble? I'll take care of it for you!"

Geng Zhong shook his head with a wry smile and lowered his voice:

"If it's something within the camp, that's simple. It's that an 'imperial envoy' named Zhang Biao has arrived from the capital."

You mean Zhang Biao?!

Blue Dragon's expression changed, and he frowned deeply: "How did this plague god end up here?"

"Brother Lan knows this person?" Geng Zhong was slightly surprised, seemingly not expecting this situation.

But the blue dragon nodded solemnly:
"This guy is a notorious madman in the capital. It is said that he caused quite a stir in the capital not long ago, relying on the emperor's favor. Even my godfather is quite wary of him!"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Geng Zhong and asked in confusion, "How did you, brother, offend this person?"

"Hey!"

Geng Zhong sighed. Although he was somewhat shocked that Lan Yu was wary of Zhang Biao, he still continued his act: "It wasn't me who provoked him! It was clearly him who caused trouble for your older brother!"

“Brother Lan, you don’t know that a few days ago, he caused a great disturbance in Jiujiang Garrison with a copy of the ‘Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty’. As if that wasn’t enough, he incited the people around him and caused harm to several garrisons in succession.”

"But my Raozhou Guard, because he refused to submit, he personally led his men here."

"They claimed to be conducting an inspection, but they came in a very aggressive manner, carrying that copy of 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty' and trying to force their way into the warehouse to demand some kind of non-existent secret account."

Geng Zhong said with a look of helplessness and indignation:

"As per the rules, I asked him to show me the documents from the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions, but he accused me of 'disobeying ancestral precepts'!"

"Yesterday, they even allowed a group of troublemakers to cause trouble outside the gate, tear up the 'Ancestral Instructions,' and falsely accused my soldiers of doing it!"

"I had no choice but to invite him into the garrison and let him review the accounts according to the regulations."

At this point, he slammed his fist heavily on the table, making the dishes rattle loudly.
"But this madman, unable to find any clear accounting issues, resorts to sophistry and insists that I, your brother, have been aiding and abetting the enemy!"

"Brother, tell me, isn't this... this a trumped-up charge?!"

"I, Geng Zhong, swear to Heaven that if I utter even the slightest lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

His half-truthful complaints, coupled with his poisonous oath, instantly ignited the anger in Blue Dragon's heart.

Lanlong already harbored extreme resentment towards Zhang Biao, and upon hearing that his sworn brother had suffered such an 'injustice,' both old and new grudges surged into his heart.

"Damn it! This madman is getting more and more lawless! It's not enough that he's causing trouble in the capital, he's actually coming to the provinces to bully the border generals!"

Blue Dragon suddenly stood up, his scarred face contorted, exuding a murderous aura:

"Don't worry, brother! With us brothers here, we won't allow this madman to run rampant!"

"The people of my Liang State Duke's Mansion are not to be bullied by a pedantic censor!"

Geng Zhong was secretly delighted, but on the surface he pretended to be worried:

“Brother, I appreciate your kindness! But he is an imperial envoy, so you must not act rashly, lest you cause trouble for the Duke of Liang…”

"So what if he's an imperial envoy?!"

Blue Dragon stuck out his neck:

"He's slandering the border general without any evidence, and I just can't stand it!"

"Come on, brother, take me to meet him! Let's see if he dares to spout nonsense in front of me again!"

After saying that, without further ado, she pulled Geng Zhong and walked towards the door.

Meanwhile, Zhang Biao brought Song Zhong and others to find Geng Zhong, hoping to meet the 'nobleman' from the Duke of Liang's mansion, but they were stopped outside by Geng Zhong's personal guards.

"Imperial Censor Zhang, please wait. The Commander is entertaining distinguished guests and has instructed that no one should disturb him."

The head guard remained expressionless, but his hand remained firmly on the hilt of his sword.

Song Zhong said in a low voice, "My lord, it seems that Geng Zhong is determined to take advantage of the Duke of Liang's influence. It is not appropriate for us to force our way in."

Zhang Biao narrowed his eyes, about to speak, when he heard a series of noisy footsteps and commotion coming from the other end of the corridor.

Geng Zhong and Lan Long came side by side, followed by a group of Lan Long's personal guards.

Geng Zhong had a hint of helplessness on his face, while Lan Long's face was gloomy, his gaze sweeping over like a hawk, instantly locking onto Zhang Biao, who was wearing the official robes of an imperial censor.

That gaze was filled with undisguised hostility, scrutiny, and a condescending contempt.

Geng Zhong spoke first, forcing a troubled smile: "Imperial Censor Zhang, what brings you here? It's all my fault for being so eager to see you, brother. How about we postpone the accounts for a couple of days?"

His words, though seemingly polite, were actually a way of confirming to Lan Long that Zhang Biao was 'making trouble' and coming to provoke them.

Before Zhang Biao could answer, Lan Long strode forward and stopped a few steps away. Arms crossed, he gave Zhang Biao a scrutinizing look, the kind of look a soldier gives a civil official, and snorted.
"Heh, so your name is Zhang Biao?"

His tone was full of provocation and disdain:

"That crazy censor who's been causing chaos and making a ruckus in the capital?"

Geng Zhong, seizing the opportune moment, added fuel to the fire, whispering, "Brother, be careful what you say. After all, Imperial Censor Zhang is an imperial envoy..."

"What happened to the imperial envoy?"

Blue Dragon raised his voice, deliberately making sure everyone could hear:
"Does an imperial envoy have the right to disregard the rules? Does he have the right to slander someone's innocence out of thin air? My brother Geng has been guarding this region with great merit and hard work; how can you allow him to humiliate me like this!"

He pointed at Zhang Biao, his tone becoming increasingly aggressive:

"I heard you've been using the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty' as a weapon, killing people everywhere? And you even accused my elder brother of aiding the enemy and harboring bandits? Where's the evidence?! If you can't produce it, you'll have to kowtow to my elder brother and apologize today!"

The guards from the Liang State Duke's mansion behind him also burst into laughter, their eyes full of mockery, as if they were watching a monkey show.

Song Zhonghe's veteran soldiers were furious, but they could only suppress their anger because of the other party's status.

Faced with this overwhelming malice and provocation, Zhang Biao showed no anger on his face. Instead, he seemed to have seen something amusing and chuckled softly.

This smile startled both Lanlong and Geng Zhong.

"What are you laughing at?" Lanlong frowned.

Zhang Biao didn't answer, but instead looked at Lanlong with great interest. His gaze was so calm that it made Lanlong feel uncomfortable, as if he were the one being scrutinized.

"General Lan."

Zhang Biao finally spoke, his tone calm, yet carrying a strange penetrating power:

"I was ordered to investigate the military equipment accounts of Raozhou Guard. How can this be considered an insult? On the contrary, Commander Geng avoided answering key questions and refused to cooperate. I have not yet questioned him about his disrespect for the imperial envoy."

"Fuck your mother's fart!"

Lan Long cursed, "What key point of doubt? Isn't it just that you couldn't produce the documents and seals and tried to force your way into the warehouse but failed?! Let me tell you, the military has its own rules!"

"Without the permission of the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions, not even the Minister of War has the authority to forcibly search the garrison warehouses! This is an ironclad rule!"

He stepped forward, almost face to face with Zhang Biao, a strong smell of alcohol and murderous intent emanating from him:

"You can't find the problem, so you're trying to pin the blame on my brother Geng? I'm telling you right now!"

"With me here, you won't lay a finger on Brother Geng! Take your men and get out of Raozhou Garrison right now! Otherwise, don't blame me for not recognizing any damn imperial envoy!"

The guards behind him simultaneously drew their swords half an inch, their blades gleaming coldly.

Song Zhong and two other veterans immediately stepped forward to protect Zhang Biao, and the atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.

Geng Zhong stood to the side, head down, with a slight, barely suppressed smile playing on his lips.

Despite facing Lan Long's aggressive demeanor and almost palpable killing intent, Zhang Biao remained completely calm.

He knew that reasoning with the incited Blue Dragon was useless, and that a hardline confrontation would only fall into Geng Zhong's trap.

He chuckled softly again, a sound that seemed even more jarring in the tense atmosphere.

"What are you laughing at now?!"

The blue dragon glared angrily.

Zhang Biao ignored him, instead looking past him to Geng Zhong's face, his tone carrying a peculiar mix of regret and mockery:
"Commander Geng, what a brilliant scheme. Knowing that General Lan is a man of strong character and deep loyalty, you used this brotherly bond to lure him into taking the blow for you."

He paused, then his voice suddenly turned cold, like an icicle piercing Geng Zhong:

"But have you ever considered what would happen to your 'good brother' Lan Long, and even the Liang State Duke's Mansion behind him, if you let him forcibly obstruct the imperial envoy from handling the case, even at the cost of weapons?!"

"You're talking utter nonsense!"

Geng Zhong's expression changed, and he hurriedly retorted:

"When did I ever ask my brother to stop the imperial envoy! My brother was just speaking up for justice because he couldn't stand your humiliation of the border general!"

"Speaking out for justice?"

Zhang Biao chuckled, finally turning his gaze back to the blue dragon, whose expression had slightly changed:
"General Lan, ask yourself honestly, are you here today shouting for war and bloodshed truly for the sake of so-called 'righteousness'? Or is it because... someone deliberately exaggerated my 'arrogance' to you, stirring up your old grudges against me and the Auditor?"

He stepped forward, ignoring the blade so close at hand, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing straight into the blue dragon's heart:
"If I am 'scared away' by you today, you, Blue Dragon, will have gained prestige and avenged your brother Geng. But then what?"

"Then I will report the truth: Lan Long, the adopted son of the Duke of Liang, disregarded the imperial decree, interfered with the imperial envoy's handling of the case, and used force to threaten Geng Zhong, the commander of Raozhou Guard, who may have serious problems!"

"At that time, how will the Emperor view the Duke of Liang? How will the civil and military officials in the court discuss the Duke of Liang's mansion? Are you helping your brother Geng, or are you pushing your adoptive father and the entire Duke of Liang's mansion into a fire pit?!"

Zhang Biao's voice grew louder and sharper with each word, like a heavy hammer striking Lan Long's heart.

Lan Long's angry expression froze, and he sobered up considerably in an instant. He wasn't afraid of trouble, but he absolutely dared not cause trouble for his adoptive father, Lan Yu.

Zhang Biao's words were like a bucket of ice water, waking him from his drunken and indignant state.

Yes, if I really did something to Zhang Biao here, or forcibly drove him away, the matter would not be easily resolved!
This madman's memorial will definitely reach the ears of the heavens!

He had only thought about standing up for his elder brother and venting his dissatisfaction with Zhang Biao, but he forgot to consider whether he and the Duke of Liang's mansion could afford the consequences!
Seeing the change in Lan Long's eyes, Geng Zhong knew something was wrong and hurriedly said:
"Brother, don't listen to his attempts to sow discord! He can't find the problem, so he's trying to drive a wedge between us brothers!"

But at this moment, looking at Geng Zhong's anxious eyes and recalling his words when he complained earlier, Lan Long felt a sliver of doubt for the first time.

[Big brother... is he really just suffering from injustice?]

Why was he so eager to drag me into this? Could it be...?

Lan Long glanced at Geng Zhong with a complicated expression, then looked at Zhang Biao, who stood firm and had a cold look in his eyes. He tightened and loosened his grip on the knife repeatedly.

Finally, the soaring anger and murderous aura slowly subsided.

He snorted coldly, but instead of shouting for violence, he said to Zhang Biao in a hard voice:

"Zhang Biao, stop trying to pin this on me! I know what I'm doing!"

He then turned to Geng Zhong, his tone no longer as unreserved as before:

"Brother, since he's the imperial envoy, let him investigate! The innocent will clear themselves!"

"If he dares to slander you without any evidence, I, your brother, will be the first to object and will accompany you to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor!"

This still sounds like a brotherly statement, but the attitude has changed from forceful intervention to 'let him investigate' and pursuing the matter afterward.

This subtle shift made Geng Zhong's heart sink.

After Lan Long finished speaking, he immediately stepped aside to make way, then glared fiercely at Zhang Biao and said:
"Zhang Biao! I'll remember you!"

"You're investigating a case, right? Okay! Go ahead and investigate!"

Zhang Biao smiled slightly, as if ignoring his threat, then slowly walked up to Geng Zhong. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable pressure:
"Commander Geng, it seems that your backer is no longer reliable."

"Now, only you can decide your own fate."

"Should we hand over these secret accounts from Raozhou Guard, or not?"

Geng Zhong's expression turned extremely ugly the moment Lan Long's attitude subtly changed.

He knew that although the enraged tiger Lanlong was temporarily intimidated by Zhang Biao's "consequences theory," his trust in him, his "good older brother," remained.

If I appear too weak or guilty at this moment, it will only confirm Zhang Biao's provocation.

His expression shifted between light and shadow for a moment.

Finally, as if making a decision, he gritted his teeth, looked up to meet Zhang Biao's piercing gaze, and revealed an expression of grief and indignation, as if he had suffered a great injustice:

"Very well! Very well! Imperial Censor Zhang! If you insist on investigating, I will let you investigate thoroughly!"

"I only hope that after your investigation, you can clear the name of everyone in Raozhou Guard and speak a fair word for us border soldiers before the Emperor!"

His actions made him appear like a loyal minister who had been cornered and had no choice but to prove his innocence in order to resist tyranny.

Immediately afterwards, he turned around and sternly addressed his trusted confidants:
"Issue the order! Open the Jia-class warehouse and the Yi-class accounting office! All files, documents, and vouchers are open to Imperial Censor Zhang for inspection! No one is allowed to obstruct him!"

"Boss!"

The deputy general next to him seemed to want to dissuade him.

"Open--!"

Geng Zhong roared, appearing almost frantic:
"Let the Imperial Envoy see clearly! Am I, Geng Zhong, and Raozhou Wei, not the parasites of the nation he speaks of?!"

The order was given, and the heavy warehouse door slowly opened with a creak.

Zhang Biao narrowed his eyes, vaguely sensing that something was amiss, but he still led Song Zhong and several capable subordinates quickly inside.

Although Lanlong stood a little distance away and watched coldly, his eyes followed Zhang Biao closely. He wanted to see with his own eyes how Zhang Biao would 'reveal his true form'.

Inside the warehouse, all kinds of military equipment were stored in an orderly manner, and the account books and files were categorized and neatly stacked.

Zhang Biao's men immediately began an intense investigation, comparing the physical goods with the accounts, checking the inbound and outbound records, and verifying the verification documents...

Time passed slowly, and the only sounds in the storeroom were the turning of pages and hushed conversations.

However, the result made Zhang Biao and the others' hearts sink little by little.

So clean.

Just like the official accounts, the physical items in the warehouse matched the records perfectly.

All the allocation, loss, and replenishment of military equipment were recorded in a clear and compliant manner, with no obvious flaws found.

Those potentially problematic traces of the 'beast tokens' seemed to have never appeared in Raozhouwei.

"Sir, all accounts, vouchers, and contracts have been checked three times... Indeed, there are no problems."

Old Qian walked up to Zhang Biao, lowered his voice, and spoke with resentment and confusion.

Song Zhong also shook his head slightly, indicating that he had not found anything.

Zhang Biao frowned, his sharp gaze sweeping over every corner of the warehouse.

Finally, the spotlight fell on Geng Zhong, who stood ramrod straight at the warehouse entrance, his face bearing a tragic air mixed with a hint of mockery.

This seasoned veteran...he's been too shrewd!

Either they received advance warning and erased all traces, or the problem wasn't even in these visible warehouses!

Just then, the blue dragon, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, strode over.

He witnessed the entire verification process firsthand and saw that Zhang Biao and the others had found nothing. His previously suppressed anger and shame at being 'played' instantly overwhelmed his brief rationality!

"Finished the investigation?!"

Blue Dragon's voice boomed like thunder, echoing throughout the warehouse.

He shoved Song Zhong aside, who was blocking his way, and forced his way to Zhang Biao, his scarred face contorted with rage.
"Zhang Biao! What else do you have to say?! Is my Brother Geng's warehouse clean? Are the accounts clear?!"

His spittle almost landed on Zhang Biao's face:
"You slandered the border general without any evidence, causing my brothers no peace! Now you can't find a single clue, are you satisfied?!"

Zhang Biao took a deep breath, suppressing the surging killing intent in his heart, and calmly said:

"General Lan, just because the warehouse appears to be fine doesn't mean there aren't problems underneath. The loss of weapons is being handled covertly..."

"Go to hell with your secrets!"

Lan Long abruptly interrupted him, drawing his sword sharply from his waist. The gleaming tip of the blade was almost touching Zhang Biao's nose, and a strong killing intent swept over him.

"I can tell you're the type who won't learn until you're faced with certain death! Now! Take your men and get out of Raozhouwei!"

"If you dare utter another word, I don't care if you're an imperial envoy or not, I'll chop you up first!"

His personal guards also drew their swords at the same time, surrounding Zhang Biao and his men with murderous intent.

With Geng Zhong's tacit approval, the soldiers of Raozhou Guard also began to subtly gather around.

The situation has taken a turn for the worse!

Song Zhong and his men, along with the veterans, immediately shielded Zhang Biao. Their swords were already drawn, but facing a border army that far outnumbered their own and had the support of Lan Yu's adopted son, the situation was extremely precarious.

"Blue Dragon! Do you want to rebel?!"

Song Zhong shouted sharply, but his voice sounded somewhat weak in the face of the opponent's absolute strength and aura.

"Rebellion? I'm 'purging the court of corrupt officials'! I'm eliminating treacherous ministers like you who frame loyal ministers!"

The blue dragon grinned maliciously, pressing closer with each step.

Looking at the gleaming blade before him and Lan Long's ferocious face, blinded by rage and a sense of 'justice,' Zhang Biao knew that reasoning was useless at this moment.

If they stubbornly resist, he and his men might really die on the spot.

Geng Zhongzheng couldn't be happier to use Lan Long as a tool to get rid of himself!

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh. A violent killing intent surged within him, and he wanted to draw his gun immediately and kill this troublesome brute!
But his remaining rationality told him, no!

Once he made a move, he would have completely fallen into Geng Zhong's trap, giving him the perfect excuse to kill him!

A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.

Zhang Biao forcibly suppressed his raging anger. His facial muscles twitched a few times before finally settling into a cold calm.

He slowly raised his hand and pressed down on Song Zhong's arm holding the knife.

"let's go."

These three short words, seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, carried a sense of humiliation and resolve.

Song Zhong looked at Zhang Biao in astonishment. He saw that Zhang Biao's face was ashen, but his eyes were unusually calm, even with a kind of unsettling depth.

Seeing Zhang Biao back down, Lan Long snorted smugly and then sheathed his sword.

But he still escorted Zhang Biao and his entourage out of the garrison gate with his personal guards, just like escorting prisoners, amidst the indifferent or mocking gazes of countless Raozhou garrison soldiers.

Only after they had 'politely escorted' them several hundred paces outside the gate did Lan Long stop with his men, spitting fiercely at Zhang Biao's retreating figure:

"Pah! What a piece of trash! I thought this madman was all that capable, but he's just a coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong!"

After saying this, he led his men away and returned to the garrison.

Outside the gate, the wind blew across the open fields, carrying a hint of coolness.

Zhang Biao stopped and turned to look at the imposing Raozhou Guard fortress, his eyes as cold as ice.

Song Zhong walked to his side, his tone heavy:

"My lord, we've been wronged. This blue dragon... sigh, what do we do now?"

Zhang Biao did not answer. His gaze seemed to penetrate the high wall and see the smug Geng Zhong and the self-righteous Lan Long who was being used as a pawn.

[Geng Zhong... Raozhou Guard... There's definitely something wrong with him!]

The warehouse being too clean is itself the biggest suspicious point!

[And that Blue Dragon... a reckless fool, not worth worrying about, but the Duke of Liang behind him...]

"Could this blue jade be related to the mastermind behind everything?"

Zhang Biao's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly recalled the whole story of "The Story of Lan Yu'an".

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(End of this chapter)