weaving

Chapter 1476 Royal Items
After the banquet, everyone dispersed, except for Earl Yongning Zhang Cheng, who remained by the side of the envoy Wang Chengen.

With no one around, Marquis Zhang Cheng of Yongning spoke up: "Your Highness, when we repelled the bandit Li this time, our army captured some valuables. Among them were some items that appeared to be royal possessions, which we dared not keep. Now, we can borrow Your Highness's help to hand them over to His Majesty for disposal."

Wang Chengen forced a smile and said, "This is a small matter. Let me ask you, why is Yongqing staying in Kaifeng instead of supervising the battle at the Xuzhou front?"

"I want to inform you, Your Highness, that General Bian is stationed in Kaifeng for a very important matter..." Zhang Cheng held Wang Chengen's hand and continued, "Although the rebel leader has retreated, large tracts of land still need to be cultivated by the people. General Bian's presence in Kaifeng will make it easier to coordinate agricultural tools, oxen, and other supplies, which is very important for stabilizing the current situation in Henan."

With the endorsement of Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng, Wang Chengen could not press the matter further. He could only smile and say, "Marquis Zhang, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart. If these people from the palace are useless, just tell me, and I will report to the Emperor and make a decision for you!"

Zhang Cheng understood the weight of those words; he almost knelt down, but Wang Chengen helped him up in time.

"Zhang Cheng will never forget the great kindness shown by the prince."

He continued, "So that Your Highness may know, although Director Bian has a particular fondness for jewelry and jade, he is still loyal to the Emperor and will serve the King faithfully without any hesitation."

Wang Chengen smiled and said, "I hope the Earl of Yongning will live up to His Majesty's expectations!"

"Your Highness, please rest assured, Zhang Cheng will certainly live up to His Majesty's expectations, devoting himself wholeheartedly to serving the country!"

Wang Chengen suddenly grabbed Zhang Cheng's hand and said, "Earl of Yongning, I only hope that you will stay true to your original aspirations, be true to your word, and dedicate yourself to the country!"

Zhang Cheng was taken aback, and replied, "Your Excellency, what are you saying? Do you not know what I am thinking?"

Wang Chengen smiled but didn't say much. He simply said, "Earl of Yongning, take care of yourself. Just be worthy of His Majesty!"

As they spoke, they arrived at the villa where Wang Chengen was staying. Zhang Cheng stopped and said softly, "Your Highness, please rest assured, Zhang Cheng's heart is only for the Emperor!"

"I hope so." Wang Chengen smiled again and said, "Earl Yongning has also drunk quite a bit tonight, so go back and rest early."

Taking advantage of the implication in Wang Chengen's words, Zhang Cheng took his leave and turned to depart...

…………

Inside the command tent, several military officers, including Chen Zheng, Chen Zhong, He Zhenxiong, Lin Fangping, and Hu Zichen, as well as three advisors, including Sun Shixiang, Hu Yiwen, and Liu Chengzhu, did not go back to rest. They all waited here for the arrival of the Earl of Yongning.

As soon as Zhang Cheng stepped into the commander's tent, he saw all the civil and military officials kneeling on the ground, loudly congratulating him: "Congratulations, Commander-in-Chief!"

Seeing that everyone was speechless, the Earl of Yongning moved behind the desk and said to them, "Get up, everyone."

Chen Zheng was the first to speak: "It is truly a cause for celebration that Your Excellency has been transformed from a commoner to a respected figure."

"Hmm." Zhang Cheng said with a slightly cold expression, "If you all fight bravely on the battlefield, the day of your ennoblement will be just around the corner!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Zheng's expression tightened, and he hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Commander-in-Chief, Chen Zheng has no such intention. No matter how great the imperial reward, it is not as good as a word of praise from you. Chen Zheng would rather forgo the imperial reward and be buried in the 'Temple of Loyalty and Honor.' I would rather be a lowly soldier under your command than a count of the imperial court!"

The Earl of Yongning glanced at Chen Zheng, nodded in satisfaction, and said gently to him, "Alright. I didn't ask you to swear an oath, so get up and speak now."

Only after receiving permission from the Marquis of Yongning did Chen Zheng dare to get up.

Sun Shixiang then spoke up, saying, "Commander-in-Chief, does Wang Chengen have any other purpose in coming here?"

Zhang Cheng smiled slightly and said, "I've known Prince Wang for a long time. Although we're not exactly inseparable, it doesn't bother us at all."

"That's good." Sun Shixiang then pressed on, "Did the Prince mention the Emperor's attitude towards military settlements?" "Just do good deeds and don't worry about the future!"

Zhang Cheng's expression suddenly turned cold, and he continued, "The situation in Henan is on the verge of collapse. Only decisive measures can reverse its downward trend."

"Having received the Emperor's decree to oversee the military affairs of the seven garrisons and command all matters related to suppressing bandits in the Central Plains, I naturally bear this inescapable responsibility. Even if I am condemned for all time, I can only blame my own incompetence."

Chen Zheng immediately knelt down, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "If the ruler is disgraced, the subject shall die. If the commander-in-chief is humiliated, Chen Zheng will not live on alone!"

"Chen Zheng, stand up."

The Earl of Yongning roared angrily, "What kind of talk is this? Do you think I am someone who can be easily humiliated!"

His cold gaze swept over everyone, and he said in a deep voice, "I have long been one with the Yongyi Army. If I am humiliated, it is no different from the humiliation of tens of thousands of soldiers of the Yongyi Army. Even if you can bear it, I cannot!"

Chen Zhong, He Zhenxiong, Lin Fangping, and Hu Zichen immediately knelt down and shouted, "We will never allow our commander to be humiliated! Even if it costs us our lives, we will fight for our commander's honor!"

The Earl of Yongning looked at the people kneeling on the ground with a calm expression. He took a breath and said, "Alright, get up."

“I know very well how loyal you are to me, and I believe you will not allow me to be humiliated.”

Looking at the officers below, the Earl of Yongning continued, "It's getting late, you should all go back and rest."

"Yes."

…………

The next day, early in the morning, Wang Chengen, the imperial envoy, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the Commander of the Imperial Guard, who had come to deliver the imperial decree, was about to take his leave and return to the capital.

Although Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng tried his best to persuade him to stay, he could not stop Wang Chengen from returning to the capital to report for duty. He then led Wang Chengen to a camp where, apart from the guards, there were only two large wooden boxes.

After the guards and eunuchs withdrew, Zhang Cheng personally opened a large wooden box and said, "Your Highness, this box contains items that I am presenting to you."

"Alas, what does the Earl of Yongning mean by this?"

Wang Chengen declined slightly, saying, "We are both working for the Emperor, why are you being so polite!"

Zhang Cheng smiled and said, "It's just a small token of my appreciation. Your Highness, there's no need to be so polite."

Wang Chengen smiled and then said nothing more.

Then, Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, opened a second large wooden box, which was filled with various ritual objects, such as jade tablets, jade discs, jade bamboo trays, jade sacrificial vessels, as well as jade swords, jade axes, and other items.

While Wang Chengen was hesitating, he heard the Earl of Yongning, Zhang Cheng, speak up: "Your Excellency, the contents of this box were all looted from the Fengyang Imperial Mausoleum by the rebel Li Zicheng. I seized them when I raided and destroyed the rebel army camp at Zhuxian Town. I am now entrusting Your Excellency to present them to His Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chengen immediately took two steps forward, picked up a piece of jade, and began to examine it...

After a moment, he looked up at Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, and said, "Judging from its shape and workmanship, it is indeed an item used by the royal family."

"Exactly."

The Earl of Yongning said with a solemn expression, "Royal property naturally belongs to His Majesty!"