weaving

Chapter 1432 Questioning the Heart
"Commander, the outcome of this battle against the rebel leader is no longer in doubt."

He Biao brought a cup of tea to the Earl of Yongning and said to him, “Commander, although we lost many soldiers in this battle, we also subdued the two great bandits Yuan Shizhong and Luo Rucai. For our Yongyi Army, our strength has not only not weakened, but has actually increased significantly.”

Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng took the teacup, held it in his hand, and did not drink it directly. He smiled and said, "Yuan Shizhong's troops have been training in Wu'an for several months. All of their battalion officers were selected by my Yongyi Army, and the deputy battalion commanders and deputy centurions were also selected from various battalions of the Yongyi Army."

In addition, there was a garrison officer dispatched by Benbo to supervise and restrain Xiao Yuan's camp. While he didn't have actual control over Xiao Yuan's camp, at least he wasn't afraid that Xiao Yuan would cause Benbo any trouble.

"Besides, the money and food supplies for Xiao Yuan's camp are now entirely allocated by my Yongyi Army, and they are paid on time every month. If they can be soldiers with peace of mind, who would want to be a thief?"

Zhang Cheng then picked up his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and continued, "However, it is indeed a bit difficult to settle things with Luo Rucai."

"At worst, we can leave a battalion of men to garrison Kaifeng. This will allow us to control Henan, deter the villains, monitor Cao Cao's camp to prevent them from making any moves, and also intimidate the rebel Li Zicheng to prevent him from growing stronger."

"Hehe..." Zhang Cheng revealed a wicked smile: "Old He, you're really wasted on being a garrison commander!"

"Commander, please don't make fun of my blockhead."

He Biao glanced sideways at Zhang Mingyuan, who was five steps away, and suddenly lowered his voice with a serious expression, asking, "Commander-in-Chief, after this great victory in Kaifeng, the name of our Brave and Resolute Army will surely resound throughout the world, and your prestige will undoubtedly be even greater. I fear that no army under heaven will be able to shake the might of our Brave and Resolute Army..."

Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng maintained his smile, but casually said, "Old He, it's just the two of us here. Mingyuan is my adopted son, so you can rest assured. Just speak your mind."

"The court is corrupt, the gentry are disaffected, the emperor is incompetent, and the imperial family is rampant. Chaos is already beginning to emerge. Commander-in-Chief, are you willing to take over?"

Upon hearing He Biao's words, the smile on Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng's face instantly froze...

…………

Although Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng had already guessed what He Biao wanted to say, he never expected that he would ask so directly!
In an instant, a myriad of thoughts rushed into Zhang Cheng's mind, and he was at a loss for how to respond to He Biao's inquiry...

What exactly was he trying to achieve by saying these words?

Is he showing his loyalty to himself?
Or is it a chance to test myself here?

As is customary, it is an ancient practice for subordinates to express their loyalty by urging the emperor to take the throne; there are countless examples of this.

Zhang Cheng might have been able to accept it if other military officers or generals had acted this way, but He Biao was somewhat different…

In his usual style, he was always meticulous and almost never overstepped the line. He always strictly adhered to the rules, and even court etiquette was strictly followed by him. Therefore, he often reprimanded Zhang Cheng in public.

How come... you're acting like a completely different person today, suddenly uttering such treasonous words?
The Earl of Yongning did not answer him directly. Instead, he picked up the empty teacup he had just finished drinking from and slowly walked towards his desk. Zhang Cheng's steps were slow, but his mind was racing with thoughts...

If Emperor Chongzhen in the capital knew about He Biao's words, even when facing two powerful enemies, the bandits and the Jurchens, he would probably still spare no effort to mobilize the entire nation's troops to wipe out Zhang Cheng's Yongyi Army.

Of course... Zhang Cheng was not afraid of the possibility of the imperial court launching a siege.

With the current strength of the Yongyi Army, it cannot be said that they can easily cope with the encirclement and suppression by the Ming Dynasty's official army, but they can certainly remain invincible.

What Zhang Cheng is currently uneasy about is the loyalty of his soldiers!

Don't be fooled by the fact that the generals and soldiers of each camp are very loyal to him. To a large extent, this is because Zhang Cheng holds the legitimacy of the imperial court. Once he loses this legitimacy, it's hard to say whether everyone will still be willing to follow him as a rebel.

It should be understood that the people of this era had been ruled by the Ming Dynasty for more than two hundred years. From birth, they were taught to be good citizens of the Ming Dynasty and to be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

The phrase "Having mastered both literary and martial arts, one can serve the emperor" is not just a simple saying in the lyrics; it represents a deeply ingrained ideology!
Throughout history, there are countless examples of those who, as their prestige grew and their ambitions became apparent, abandoned their principles and committed treason, only to be abandoned by their loyal soldiers, ultimately failing and suffering a brutal massacre.

Therefore, Zhang Cheng had to be very careful in responding to He Biao's question.

…………

Zhang Cheng placed the empty teacup on the general's desk before speaking, "The world is in chaos, and the people are suffering. This is not what I wanted."

He Biao remained silent, but gently picked up the teapot and refilled the empty teacup that the Earl of Yongning had put down with fresh tea. He then said, "The court is corrupt, politics are stagnant, and the royal family has become too powerful to control. Even if a genius were to be sent down, I fear it would be difficult to turn the tide."

Seeing that Zhang Cheng remained silent, he continued, "In this world, only by changing dynasties and fully employing new people can we completely eliminate the deep-rooted problems, restore a stable world to the people, and enable everyone to live a peaceful and harmonious life."

"Commander, hesitation will only lead to chaos!"

Zhang Cheng suddenly turned his head and stared at He Biao, asking him word by word, "Old He, what exactly do you mean by uttering such treasonous words again and again?"

Although the Earl of Yongning spoke softly, his voice was incredibly authoritative, and a hint of murderous intent flickered in his eyes.

The atmosphere inside the command tent was extremely tense. Even Zhang Mingyuan, who was standing ten paces away, could feel the unusual atmosphere. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and walked toward the command table, but was stopped by Yongning Earl's secret wave.

“Lord, since He Biao began following you, his loyalty has been as clear as day and as consistent as the sun and moon, and has never changed in the slightest.”

Standing beside Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng, He Biao bowed and replied softly, "What I value is the laws and regulations of our dynasty, not the rule of the Zhu Ming dynasty alone."

Seeing that the expression on the Earl of Yongning's face had softened slightly, he continued softly, "The reason why Biao is so impartial is to uphold the dignity of the Earl and the dignity of the Earl in the army. He has no ulterior motives. I hope the Earl can see this clearly."

Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng's expression had returned to normal. He didn't say much, but only whispered, "Old He, don't mention what you just said again!"

"Yes. He Biao has noted it down." He Biao bowed and made a gesture of taking his leave: "Lord, please rest early, there are military affairs to attend to tomorrow."

"Alright. You may go now."

"Yes, He Biao takes his leave."

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After He Biao left the command tent, the central officer Zhang Mingyuan came to the side of the Earl of Yongning and stood there waiting for instructions.

"Commander He, have you had any contact with any suspicious persons recently?"

"Reporting to Father Commander, Commander He is busy in the camp all day long, and he is in contact with the commanders and soldiers of each camp. He has not seen anyone suspicious."

"Yes. Arrange for people to keep an eye on things, and also have the garrison commanders of each battalion keep an eye on things. Report to me immediately if anything seems suspicious."

Zhang Mingyuan hadn't clearly heard the specific content of their conversation, but judging from the changes in their expressions and the tense atmosphere, He Biao seemed to have said something he shouldn't have, but he didn't know the seriousness of it.

At this moment, upon hearing the Earl of Yongning order him to strengthen surveillance over He Biao and the various garrison commanders, he was puzzled as to why He Biao, a veteran of the Yongyi Army, had offended his adoptive father to this extent with his words.

But he still loudly accepted the order: "Yes, sir!"