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

Chapter 251 Imperial Envoy? Do You Dare to Shoot? Bang—! [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Just as Zhang Biao was harassing Wuchang Guard and searching for evidence left by Chen Qianxiang, Zhou Wenyuan, the chief secretary of the Prince of Chu, finally returned to the Prince of Chu's residence.

He had changed into clean clothes, but the fear and humiliation on his face could not be washed away.

He lay prostrate on the ground, his voice trembling with sobs and barely suppressed resentment, as he recounted, with embellishments, the events in front of the Provincial Administration Office and Zhang Biao's "falsely conveying imperial edicts" and inciting the army's morale at the Wuchang Guard training ground.

"Your Highness! Zhang Biao deserves to die!"

Zhou Wenyuan raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his voice shrill:

"He not only threw your invitation into the dust and uttered arrogant words, insulting the Prince's residence! He even dared to point that demonic gun at my head! I... I..."

The memory of that cold touch and the terror of near death sent a faint, warm sensation through Zhou Wenyuan's lower body. Overwhelmed with shame and indignation, he nearly fainted, choking back sobs:
"Such a humiliating disgrace, I...I wish I could eat his flesh and sleep on his skin!"

"Your Highness, he is not only slapping my face, but also trampling on your dignity and the honor of the Chu Prince's Mansion!"

"He even falsely conveyed an imperial edict, a heinous crime! Your Highness, this scoundrel must not be let off!"

After saying this, Zhou Wenyuan eagerly anticipated the prince's wrath and hoped that the prince would immediately mobilize troops to tear Zhang Biao to pieces.

However, King Zhu Zhen's reaction was beyond his expectations.

Zhu Zhen sat upright on the throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest. Although his face was covered with frost and his eyes were cold and piercing, he did not fly into a rage as Zhou Wenyuan had expected.

He didn't even respond immediately to Zhou Wenyuan's tearful accusations, but listened in silence, as if weighing something.

Li Liang, a trusted advisor standing to the side, frowned slightly and said after a moment's thought, "Your Highness, Zhang Biao's actions are indeed extremely arrogant and lawless. Falsely conveying imperial orders is a capital offense."

"However... I feel that there is something strange about this matter."

"Oh? What's the matter?"

Zhu Zhen finally spoke, his voice steady, revealing little emotion.

Li Liang analyzed, "Although Zhang Biao is crazy, he is not without wisdom. He dared to give false orders in front of thousands of soldiers. Isn't he afraid of being exposed and facing eternal damnation later?"

"Is his arrogance due to the Emperor's tacit approval?"

"Or... he's simply taking a gamble, deliberately escalating the situation to force certain people to step forward?"

After finishing his sentence, he paused, then continued:
"Furthermore, his choice to read the 'oral edict' at the Wuchang Guard training ground to incite the army suggests that his target was probably not just people like Wang Tong and Zhao Meng!"

"At a deeper level, perhaps they wanted to use this to test the prince, or even... shake the prince's foundation in Huguang."

"This boy has grand ambitions."

"Master Li!"

Zhou Wenyuan hurriedly interjected, "Are we just going to let him be so arrogant and domineering, bullying the Prince's Mansion, and do nothing?!"

"Even if he has the Emperor's tacit approval, does that give him the right to humiliate a prince like this? No one in the Prince's mansion can swallow this insult!"

Zhu Zhen glanced at the excited Zhou Wenyuan, his eyes indifferent, and finally made his decision.

He did not respond to Zhou Wenyuan's indignation, but instead gave the order directly, his tone calm yet unquestionable:

"Wen Yuan, take my token and set off immediately to find Commander Li Yuan, who is currently suppressing a rebellion."

Zhou Wenyuan was taken aback. Should he go and inform Li Yuan?

But then Zhu Zhen continued:
"When you see Li Yuan, just tell him one sentence: 'The enemy has already reached Li Yuan's doorstep.'"

"Apart from that, nothing more needs to be said, and you must not mention Zhang Biao's false oral order or details of the training ground. After you've said that, go back, understand?"

Zhou Wenyuan was even more confused. Just such a nonsensical sentence?
But he dared not question it and could only bow and reply, "Yes, Your Highness, I understand."

"besides!"

Zhu Zhen continued, "After you return from Li Yuan's place, you don't need to go back to the manor to report. Go directly to Wuchang Guard."

Zhou Wenyuan's face turned deathly pale instantly. Should he go see that madman Zhang Biao again?
He was extremely unwilling, but the cold muzzle of the gun and the fear of death instantly enveloped him again.

"The king...the prince..."

His voice trembled.

Zhu Zhen looked at him calmly:
"Go see him again, in my name, and act as a peacemaker. Say that I have heard of some misunderstandings within the garrison, which has caused friction between the imperial envoy and the garrison commander, and I am deeply troubled by this."

"Please ask him to consider the overall situation and leave some room for maneuver in all matters. The Prince's Mansion is willing to mediate."

This is to force him to bow his head and show weakness!
Zhou Wenyuan felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and he was filled with shame and indignation.

He was so scared that he wet his pants after Zhang Biao pointed a gun at his forehead, and now he wants to go back and act as a peacemaker?

This is simply putting his and the Zhou family's face on the ground and rubbing it repeatedly!

"Your Highness! Your subject... Your subject..."

Zhou Wenyuan still tried to struggle.

"Ok?"

Zhu Zhen simply hummed softly, his gaze slightly narrowed.

When Zhou Wenyuan met that gaze, all his resentment and humiliation were suppressed, leaving only a chilling fear.

He knew all too well the prince's methods, and that defying him would likely result in a worse fate than facing Zhang Biao's gun.

"Yes... Your subject... obeys."

Zhou Wenyuan, like a mangy dog ​​with its bones removed, slumped to obey the order and staggered out.

Watching Zhou Wenyuan's dejected figure disappear outside the hall, Li Liang couldn't help but whisper:

"Your Highness, is it too much of a burden to send Chief Clerk Zhou again? Zhang Biao probably won't give him a good look."

"Wronged?"

Zhu Zhen picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "What use is someone who can't even endure this little humiliation?"

"It's good to teach him a lesson. Besides, sending him is to show Zhang Biao, and everyone else, that the Chu Prince's Mansion is willing to reason and consider the bigger picture."

"Your Majesty!"

The words had barely left his mouth when a guard rushed into the hall and whispered his report:

"We just received news that Liu Neng, the deputy commander of Wuchang Garrison, returned to Wuchang Garrison by fast horse half an hour ago."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhen showed no surprise, but rather a meaningful smile, and gently set down his teacup.

"Oh? Liu Neng went back? It seems... Li Yuan already knew there were 'unwelcome guests' at home. He acted quickly."

Li Liang's heart stirred: "Your Highness, since Li Yuan already knows, do we still need to send someone to inform him?"

Zhu Zhen looked at Li Liang, his gaze deep: "Notify them? Why didn't you notify them?"

After speaking, he slowly stood up, walked to the window, looked in the direction of Wuchangwei, and spoke with a calm and composed tone, as if everything was under his control:

"It's one thing for Li Yuan to know, but it's quite another for me to send someone to tell him personally."

"I want him to know that while he was away, the house was in complete chaos, and I was keeping a close eye on it all along."

"More importantly, we must let him know that the one who slapped Li Yuan in the face was not from my Chu Prince's Mansion, but from Zhang Biao from the capital!"

"This fire has already reached Li Yuan's eyebrows."

"I want to see whether this commander-in-chief of the troops in Huguang will choose to swallow his anger and let Zhang Biao do whatever he wants in his territory, or... will he do something?"

Li Liang suddenly realized and bowed, saying, "Your Highness is wise! In this way, no matter how Li Yuan reacts, Your Highness will be in an invincible position."

Zhu Zhen stood with his hands behind his back, his smile unchanged, but deep within that smile lay a chilling intent colder than a blade.

the other side.

Wuchangwei, Armory.

The warehouse was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the smell of rust and tung oil.

Cao Ji, along with several selected soldiers with honest-looking faces but shrewd eyes, were 'carefully' checking the account books against the actual items.

"Wang Lao Er, take two men to count the number of crossbows in the three rows on the east side!"

"Li Yun, go and check the armor, especially the light armor and leather armor. Count them carefully!"

Cao Ji gave a decisive command, speaking loudly enough to ensure that the other clerks on duty in the warehouse could hear him.

Before long, a soldier pointed at the ledger and asked in a gruff voice, "Sir, the number of waist knives doesn't seem to match up?"

"Uh, this..."

The clerk, sweating profusely, stammered, "Perhaps it's due to losses; I haven't had time to report it yet..."

"If you haven't had time to report it yet, report it now! When Imperial Envoy Zhang arrives, you'll be in for a world of hurt!"

Cao Ji scolded impatiently.

On the surface, he deliberately created an atmosphere of grand and methodical auditing.

Secretly, he kept scanning the layout of the warehouse out of the corner of his eye, finally fixing his gaze on the stone lion statue at the entrance, which was regarded as an ordinary decoration.

He remembered Zhang Biao and Song Zhong's speculation that Chen Qianxiang might have hidden something important in a "dark place".

So, taking advantage of the lull between the soldier and the clerk, he casually strolled over to the stone lion statue.

He pretended to admire the stone carvings, but his fingers carefully explored the back, abdomen, and base of the stone lion. The texture was cold and rough, and he did not find any of the mechanisms, buttons, or loose marks that he had imagined.

Could it be that Lord Zhang and Vice Commissioner Song were wrong in their predictions?

Cao Ji's heart sank, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He searched the stone lion statue thoroughly, but still found nothing.

As time passed, he grew increasingly anxious and prepared to give up and turn to other possible hiding places.

Just then, a centurion who had been cautiously accompanying them and looked timid approached and whispered:
"Lord Cao... Lord Cao, have you discovered anything? Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Cao Ji glanced at him and saw that the other man's eyes were shifting, as if he knew something but dared not say it. So, he quickly decided to try a different approach.

"help?"

Cao Ji lowered his voice, a meaningful smile appearing on his face: "Commander Liu, how many years have you been in Wuchang Guard?"

Commander Liu hesitated for a moment, then pondered and said, "It's been about seven years! I came to Wuchangwei with Vice Magistrate Chen in the same year!"

"Oh? Then tell me, what kind of person is Magistrate Chen usually?"

"this."

Liu Baihu's face turned pale, and his lips trembled as he dared not speak.

Cao Ji snorted coldly, his tone laced with both threat and enticement: "What? Afraid to speak? Don't forget, who's investigating this case now!?"

"If you know the truth and don't report it, you're an accomplice! But if you're willing to speak... the Imperial Envoy will reward you handsomely and guarantee your future!"

Liu, the centurion, trembled. After hesitating for a moment, fear and greed ultimately prevailed.

He looked around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he said in a very low voice:
"Prefect Chen is a good man, considerate of us subordinates... but he's just too straightforward, which offended Vice Commissioner Liu..."

"Liu, the Vice Commissioner?"

Cao Ji was somewhat puzzled: "Didn't he have a falling out with Commander Zhao?"

"Hey! Commander Zhao is actually one of Vice Commander Liu's men! He offended Vice Commander Liu, that's why Commander Zhao broke with him!"

"And what about Liu, the Assistant Commissioner?"

"We're going to quell the rebellion with Commander Jin and Commander Li!"

Liu Baihu said enviously, "I reckon Liu Qianshi will get a promotion after this suppression of the rebellion. I wonder how Wang Qianshi will handle it!"

"You mean, Vice Commissioner Liu and Lord Li?"

"I can't say, I can't say, I don't know anything!"

Cao Ji smiled, then followed up with, "Since Chen Tongzhi is in charge of military equipment, he must come to this warehouse often, right?"

"this."

The centurion paused for a moment, then nodded and said:
"Yes, Magistrate Chen is extremely responsible. He comes to inspect the area almost every day to check the entry and exit."

Cao Ji then casually asked, "Where does he like to rest when he gets tired from his inspections?"

"what?"

The centurion looked at Cao Ji with a puzzled expression, clearly not understanding why he was asking these questions.

But he still subconsciously raised his hand and pointed to another stone lion statue inside the warehouse, near the shadowy corner of the wall:

"Over there... it's dark and quiet there. Sometimes, Magistrate Chen would lean against the stone beast over there to rest and think about things."

Cao Ji looked in the direction he was pointing and his heart skipped a beat.

There were two stone lion statues in the warehouse.

A statue stands prominently beside the main gate, where people come and go.

The other statue, however, is hidden in a corner and easily overlooked.

Zhang Biao and Song Zhong had both previously assumed that "the darkest place is under the lamp" referred to the one in the light.

[Oh, I see! "Darkness under the lamp" refers to location, not the object itself!]

[What Chen Qianxiang truly hid was this inconspicuous stone lion statue that he often stayed in!]

Cao Ji's lips twitched involuntarily. He raised his hand to his forehead, cursing himself for being stupid.

Without further hesitation, he strode towards the dusty stone lion in the corner.

This time, he observed carefully and quickly discovered that on the inner side of the stone lion base near the wall, there was an extremely inconspicuous depression that looked like it was formed by the wear and tear of natural stone patterns.

He tried pressing down hard with his thumb.

"Click..."

A slight click of a mechanism was heard.

Liu Baihu was utterly astonished.

He had worked in this armory for several years and had no idea that this stone lion had such a mechanism.

The heavy stone lion statue slowly and silently rotated ninety degrees in place, revealing a cleverly hidden compartment beneath its base.

Overjoyed, Cao Ji immediately bent down and took out an object wrapped tightly in thick oilcloth from a hidden compartment.

He eagerly lifted a corner of the oilcloth, revealing several booklets and some letters inside.

He quickly flipped to the top booklet, and after only a few glances, his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of his chest.

The code names and recording methods above are exactly the same as the secret ledgers seized by Raozhouwei, but the content is more detailed and in-depth.

Moreover, it has a specific target.

Found it! Finally found it!

Cao Ji was overjoyed, and immediately wrapped the oilcloth package again, holding it tightly in his arms as if it were a rare treasure.

Immediately afterwards, he stood up abruptly and roared at the soldiers who were still checking accounts in the warehouse:

"Continue checking! Be careful! I've made a crucial discovery and must report to Lord Zhang immediately!"

The soldiers were stunned by his shout and looked at him helplessly.

Cao Ji didn't have time to explain; he grabbed the package and rushed out of the warehouse.

He had only one thought in mind: to immediately hand over this crucial piece of evidence to Zhang Biao.

However, Cao Ji had barely rushed out of the armory and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when he was surrounded by a group of heavily armored soldiers with stern expressions who seemed to appear out of nowhere. Their swords were drawn, gleaming coldly, and they exuded a murderous aura.

Immediately afterwards, a middle-aged officer dressed in the uniform of a junior officer, with a cold expression, slowly emerged from the shadows, surrounded by a group of personal guards.

His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, was fixed on Cao Ji, or more precisely, on the slightly bulging area in his chest.

Commander Liu also ran out at this moment. Upon seeing this man, he was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling:

"This humble...this humble servant greets Vice Commissioner Liu!"

The visitor was none other than Liu Neng, the Vice Commander of the Wuchang Garrison.

But Liu Neng completely ignored the kneeling Liu Baihu. His icy gaze was fixed on Cao Ji, and he shouted in an unquestionable tone:

"Who are you? Trespassing on a heavily guarded military facility and stealing military secrets! Hand over what you're carrying!"

Cao Ji's heart tightened; he knew he had encountered a 'sowary'.

But he refused to yield and immediately straightened his back and declared loudly:

"I am a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard under the command of Imperial Envoy Zhang Biao! I am here on the Imperial Envoy's orders to investigate the armory case!"

"This is evidence we seized; how could we hand it over to you?!"

"Imperial envoy?"

Liu Neng's lips curled into a disdainful sneer:

"Who knows if it's true or not? Even if it is, breaking into the armory without the Commander's order is a serious crime! Arrest them!"

"Let's see who dares to do it!"

Cao Ji drew his embroidered spring knife, ready to fight back.

"call out--!"

An arrow, seemingly out of nowhere, struck Cao Ji in the thigh with perfect accuracy.

"Ugh!"

Cao Ji screamed and knelt on one knee as excruciating pain instantly swept through his body.

Several fierce soldiers immediately rushed forward, roughly snatched the oilcloth package from his arms, and respectfully handed it to Liu Neng.

Liu Neng took the package, didn't even look at it, and casually handed it to a trusted guard beside him, while giving him a meaningful look.

The guard understood immediately, nodded slightly, and then quickly retreated into the crowd with the package in hand.

Clearly, this is a task to perform 'package swapping' or 'processing'.

"Caught red-handed!"

Liu Neng then coldly ordered, "Seize this thief! Take him to the drill ground!"

"Lord Liu!"

Liu Baihu couldn't help but speak again, "Lord Cao, you were indeed sent by Imperial Envoy Zhang to investigate the case. Your actions... your actions might..."

"Could it be anything?"

Liu Neng snorted dismissively:
"Do you even know the saying 'Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake'? Besides, his men were caught red-handed stealing military secrets. What's wrong with me arresting them according to the law?"

After speaking, he paused, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes:
"However, you've reminded me. I'm on my way to the drill ground to meet this 'Zhang Qingtian'! Take this thief with you, let's go!"

With a wave of his hand, ignoring Cao Ji's bleeding leg injury, he ordered his men to roughly lift him up and, under the protection of a squad of elite soldiers, head towards the training ground with murderous intent.

On the other side, Wuchangwei, the drill ground.

Zhang Biao had just temporarily suppressed Wang Tong and Zhao Meng with swift and decisive measures and the risky move of 'falsely conveying imperial orders,' thus securing the morale of the Wuchang Guard and preparing to delve deeper into their schemes.

The thousands of soldiers below the stage were filled with fervor, and the chants of "Zhang Qingtian" had not yet subsided.

However, this newly formed momentum was abruptly interrupted by a completely different sound of footsteps, carrying the fierceness of the battlefield and a cold order.

The crowd parted involuntarily to both sides, like a tide cleaved by a sharp blade.

Then, Liu Neng, the Vice Commander of Wuchang Guard, strode in, escorted by a squad of heavily armed guards with gleaming armor and sharp, wolf-like eyes.

He wasn't particularly imposing, but the oppressive aura he exuded from the battlefield, a blend of bloodshed and power, instantly dispelled the commotion on the training ground, causing many excited soldiers to instinctively hold their breath.

What was even more alarming was that two of Liu Neng's personal guards were roughly dragging Cao Ji, who had been shot in the thigh, was covered in blood, and whose face was pale from blood loss.

At this moment, Cao Ji's embroidered spring knife had already been removed. He endured the excruciating pain, his lips biting white, but his eyes were fixed on Liu Neng, filled with unyielding spirit.

"grown ups!"

When Old Zhao saw Cao Ji's miserable state, his eyes widened in horror, and he immediately put his hand on the hilt of his knife, his whole body exuding a murderous aura.

The moment Zhang Biao saw the situation clearly, his heart sank, and a chilling anger rose from the bottom of his heart.

But his face remained calm and expressionless, only his eyes were sharp as a hawk's, fixed firmly on Liu Neng.

"Who is coming?"

Zhang Biao's eyes narrowed slightly, and a sense of vigilance immediately arose in his heart.

Liu Neng ignored him, first glancing at Wang Tong and Zhao Meng, then snorted coldly before facing the thousands of soldiers below the platform. His voice was loud and clear, carrying an undeniable authority:
"All soldiers, listen to my command! This imperial envoy, Zhang Biao, allowed his subordinates to trespass into a heavily guarded military facility and steal military secrets! He has now been caught red-handed!"

He suddenly pointed to Cao Ji, who was being held by his personal guards and had an arrow in his thigh, and the 'package' in the guard's hand:
"The evidence is here! This is a core secret recording the deployment and armament reserves of our Wuchang Garrison!"

"If this is leaked, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the guard opened a corner of the package, revealing several booklets with the word "secret" printed on the cover and some letters, looking quite serious.

"What? Stealing military secrets?"

"Did we trust him wrongly?"

The soldiers below the stage immediately erupted in uproar, and the trust that had just been forged began to crumble violently.

Military secrets are paramount; this accusation is extremely serious!

Liu Neng pressed his advantage, his gaze sharp as knives as he glared at Zhang Biao, and shouted sternly:

"Zhang Biao! What else do you have to say?!"

"You actually dared to use the Emperor's decree to order your subordinates to commit such petty theft! What is your punishment?!"

Zhang Biao sneered inwardly.

He was 100% convinced that Cao Ji had found evidence of corruption.

This so-called 'military secret' is clearly a fake prepared by Liu Neng.

But he couldn't produce a real package at the moment, so his words were just empty promises.

"I ask you, who are you, and what right do you have to make a scene here?" Zhang Biao asked calmly again.

"Humph!"

Liu Neng snorted coldly, then said firmly:

"I am Liu Neng, the Vice Commander of Wuchang Guard. I have been ordered by Commander-in-Chief Li Yuan to return to the garrison to transport military equipment to support the front line in suppressing the rebellion!"

Unexpectedly

He glanced at Wang Tong and Zhao Meng again, and said in a deep voice, "To think we've encountered such treacherous acts of collusion with the enemy and betrayal of the country!?"

He raised the level of guilt again, leaving those around him looking at each other in bewilderment.

Upon hearing his answer, Zhang Biao smiled knowingly:
"So it's Liu, the Assistant Commander of Wuchang Garrison! I thought it was the Assistant Commander-in-Chief! How come he's even more imposing than the real Assistant Commander-in-Chief, Lord Wang Tong?!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Tong's face turned extremely ugly once again.

He felt utterly humiliated today.

A mere garrison commander looked down on him, and a garrison assistant commander didn't take him seriously either, especially in front of thousands of soldiers.

He wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

However, Liu Neng was completely unconcerned about Zhang Biao's attempts to sow discord and spoke again:

"Zhang Biao, you have been caught red-handed for treason by falsely claiming imperial authority! Why don't you surrender now?"

"Anyone caught?"

Zhang Biao gave a cold laugh, then stepped forward:
"Liu Neng! Stop distorting the truth! What Cao Ji obtained is irrefutable evidence of your embezzlement of military funds and illegal sale of weapons!"

"You secretly switched the product, passing it off as the real thing, and framed me. Your intentions are truly despicable!"

"Ironclad evidence? Where is it?"

Liu Neng scoffed, pointing at the fake package:

"This is irrefutable evidence! Caught red-handed, with thousands of eyes watching! Zhang Biao, no matter how eloquent you are, you can't deny it!"

After speaking, he turned to the soldiers again, his voice inflammatory:
"This man is impersonating an imperial envoy, stealing military secrets, inciting you all, and harboring treacherous intentions! Are you still going to be deceived by him? Or are you going to follow him in rebellion?!"

The word 'rebellion' struck like a heavy hammer into the hearts of many soldiers.

Their eyes were filled with suspicion and fear as they looked at Zhang Biao, and their previous support instantly vanished.

After all, Liu Neng was their direct superior, and he had presented solid 'evidence'.

Despite the excruciating pain, Cao Ji cried out hoarsely, "My lord! He's lying! This isn't what I found! It's..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was firmly held down by the guards beside him.

Looking at the silent soldiers below the stage and the smug smirk on Liu Neng's face, Zhang Biao knew that he had fallen into a complete disadvantage in terms of 'evidence'.

The other party has both witnesses and physical evidence, while I only have suspicions but cannot verify them.

The situation reached a stalemate, the air thick with a suffocating tension.

Liu Neng's aura completely dominated the scene.

Just then, a shrill voice rang out:

"Lord Zhou Wenyuan, Chief Secretary of the Chu Prince's Palace, has arrived!"

Zhou Wenyuan returned and, surrounded by a group of guards from the Prince's Palace, entered the training ground.

His face still bore a trace of lingering fear, but more than that, it was a forced composure and a sense of superiority as a representative of the royal palace.

"His Highness heard that there was some misunderstanding within the garrison and specially ordered me to come here. He hopes that both sides will prioritize the overall situation and not damage the harmony."

Zhou Wenyuan maintained his composure, his gaze shifting between Zhang Biao and Liu Neng before finally settling on Liu Neng, at which point he gave a slight nod.

"Liu Qianshi, the Prince has already informed Lord Li. He means that he hopes this matter can be resolved properly."

These words, seemingly conciliatory, actually revealed to Liu Neng that His Highness the Prince of Chu had already communicated with the Commander-in-Chief.

Upon hearing this, Liu Neng felt much more at ease and confident, and cupped his hands in greeting to Zhou Wenyuan:
"Rest assured, Chief Clerk Zhou, this subordinate will act in accordance with the law, capture the scoundrel who stole military secrets, and maintain the stability of the garrison!"

After saying that, he pressed Zhang Biao again, his tone aggressive:

"Zhang Biao! Chief Clerk Zhou is here, and the Prince has taken notice! What excuses do you have? Surrender immediately and await your fate!"

"Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"

As he spoke, his personal guards took another step closer, their blades flashing coldly.

The soldiers below the stage, seeing that the Chu Prince's Mansion had intervened and that Commander Li Yuan also knew about the matter, dared not speak out in support of Zhang Biao anymore.

Zhang Biao was completely isolated and forced into a passive position.

Old Zhao stood protectively in front of Zhang Biao, his hand gripping the hilt of his knife tightly.

However, instead of despair, Zhang Biao showed a strange smile as he looked at Liu Neng, who was closing in on him.

That smile carried madness, disdain, and an absolute determination to look down on everything.

He didn't answer Liu Neng's question. Instead, he slowly raised the Kellogg pistol again, its dark muzzle steadily aimed at Liu Neng.

Upon seeing this, Liu Neng was first taken aback, then sneered disdainfully:
"What? Are you desperate?"

"Zhang Biao, why don't you take a closer look around?"

"You only have one broken musket! How many men do I have here? Do you dare to fire?!"

"To murder a fourth-rank official of the imperial court is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family! Do you dare?!"

"Kill the Nine Clans?"

Zhang Biao felt as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

His smile suddenly widened, but his eyes were as cold as ice: "How do you know I wouldn't dare?!"

Before he finished speaking——

"Oh!"

A deafening gunshot shattered the solemn atmosphere over the training ground.

The cold smile on Liu Neng's face froze instantly, replaced by extreme shock and excruciating pain.

He looked down in disbelief at the burst of blood on his left thigh, the excruciating pain causing him to groan and fall to his knees.

boom!
The whole place was dead silent!

Everyone was stunned by this unexpected and decisive shot!

He's really daring!
He actually shot a fourth-rank commander in front of thousands of people!
Zhang Biao blew away non-existent gunpowder smoke from the muzzle of his gun, his tone chillingly calm: "This shot is returned to Cao Ji."

“You…you’re crazy!!”

Liu Neng clutched his bleeding thigh, his forehead veins bulging with pain, and roared in agony.

Zhou Wenyuan, standing to the side, also turned deathly pale and screamed:
"Lord Zhang! Stop! How...how can you do this?! Give the Prince some face..."

"face?"

Zhang Biao abruptly turned his head to look at Zhou Wenyuan, the madness and arrogance in his eyes causing Zhou Wenyuan to swallow his next words:
"I don't like what the Emperor says, and I won't give him any face! What's the value of your Chu Prince's Mansion?!"

After saying that, he didn't give anyone time to react, and subtly adjusted the gun barrel again—

"Oh!"

The second gunshot, like a death knell, struck everyone's heart.

A cloud of blood mist burst from Liu Neng's right thigh!
He could no longer hold on, let out a shrill scream, and collapsed to the ground, both of his legs crippled!
Zhang Biao looked down at Liu Neng, who was writhing in pain on the ground, as if he were an ant. His cold voice echoed through the deathly silent training ground:

"This shot is interest I'm collecting in advance for my nine generations of relatives whose whereabouts are still unknown!"

quiet!
Deathly silence!

Only Liu Neng's suppressed groans of pain echoed.

Everyone seemed frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the figure standing on the platform, spear in hand, like a demon god.

Chief Secretary of the Chu King's Palace? The authority of a Commander-in-Chief? A crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family?
In front of this man, everything seemed like a laughable obstacle!

He boldly broke all the rules and deadlocks in his own way!

To announce it to everyone in the most insane and violent way.

Want to play with me? Be prepared to have all your teeth knocked out!

On the drill ground, Zhang Biao stood alone, gun in hand, ready to face a thousand men.

These two earth-shattering shots pushed the situation in Hubei and Hunan into an even more unpredictable abyss.

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(End of this chapter)