As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 326 Mingchen's Purpose

Mingchen didn't care about Liu Xifeng's thoughts; he cared more about someone else.

If Liu Xifeng's visit to Mingchen caused such a great stir, even raising troops to arrest him, it would make everyone aware of it.

It doesn't matter if we can't catch Mingchen.

Then Mingchen's trip was in vain.

On the contrary, meeting secretly at night gives them a better chance.

Leaving blank space is a powerful technique, especially for overly cautious and conservative people, who automatically anticipate and guess the worst-case scenario.

Liu Xifeng has no chance anymore. No one knows what Mingchen and Liu Xifeng talked about tonight, and it's no use for Liu Xifeng to confess.

……

"What, a surrendered general from the Qian Yuan era?"

At Zhenling Pass, Deng Yingcheng, who had just sent intelligence to Qingcang City, was anxiously awaiting a reply.

Information transmission, troop deployment... all of these take time, and the transfer of power will take at least half a month to a month.

He is the supreme commander of the three passes of Qianyuan, surpassing Bai Junxin and Liu Xifeng. While possessing the highest power, he also needs to bear the greatest responsibility.

The Northern Emperor's decree instructed him to guard the three passes well; if he succeeded, it would be a great achievement for them.

However, the unpleasant things that followed were not said.

If he successfully protected the area, that would be his achievement; if problems arose, then that would also be his responsibility.

Now that one of the three passes has been lost, the appearance of monstrous figures like Mingchen and Lingyu in the Northern Territory has completely exceeded his expectations and the scope of his ability to handle the situation.

He must be extremely careful now and not make any more mistakes.

However, under these circumstances, he received some unexpected good news.

Ling Yu's killing of surrendered soldiers displeased one of Qian Yuan's generals, leading to a conflict between the two.

The general released the surrendered soldiers at night, forcing them to defect.

"A ruse? A feigned surrender?"

Despite the intelligence that came in, the reasons for everything seemed quite reasonable.

Zheng Jun and Ling Yu had a falling out, and Zheng Jun even released the surrendered soldiers. Leaving Qian Yuan behind meant certain death. With all his escape routes cut off, his only option was to defect.

However, Deng Yingcheng's first reaction was that something was amiss.

This timing is very unusual.

Why were you in such a hurry to defect at this time?

Besides, the people standing opposite him are Ling Yu and Ming Chen!
These two are so intimidating; no one knows what's real and what's fake.

A slight mishap can lead to a mistake.

It's hard to say whether the other side deliberately feigned surrender to come in and cause trouble.

Deng Yingcheng felt like a moth caught in a spider's web, not knowing when its venomous fangs would bite him.

We've already lost one of the three checkpoints; we absolutely cannot afford to make another mistake.

The most important thing he should do now is to imprison Zheng Jun.

Zheng Jun, this surrendered general, should not be dealt with by him; it should be handled by someone of a higher rank.

However... there was one seemingly insignificant piece of information that caught his attention.

Why did these surrendered soldiers and Zheng Jun not go to Libu Pass, which is closer, but instead came to him?

The reason is... Mingchen went to Libu Pass?

Why did Mingchen go to Libu Pass?
Why didn't these surrendered soldiers go to Libu Pass?

Liu Xifeng is this person...

Various pieces of information converged in his mind, and Deng Yingcheng frowned.

The three generals guarding the three passes were all quite capable in terms of talent and ability.

The Northern Emperor has no problem with personnel management.

The problem is that there are only a handful of truly unparalleled heroes in the world.

Everyone has flaws and shortcomings.

Bai Junxin, do you think he's not good?
He has a proven track record in Beilie, having fought countless battles and never been defeated. He once achieved the feat of defeating a thousand men with only three hundred.

His Majesty has praised his bravery in court, and he and Deng Yingcheng are well-rounded in both offense and defense.

That minor grudge was not within Qin Lou's consideration.

But on the other side stands a master who is a top-notch expert in calculating personality, guessing people's hearts, and seizing opportunities.

They laid numerous traps and tempted you at every turn, exploiting your weakest point to trick this brave general into losing his head.

Many brave warriors are not lacking in talent; the reason they didn't have a chance to shine was because they were outmatched and faced formidable opponents.

Similarly, after being in the industry for so long, Liu Xifeng can be considered a veteran of the current regime.

Holding the pass should be no problem.

The problem is that this person's personality... well, he's not exactly loyal. He's a seasoned veteran in officialdom, never offends anyone, and has an exceptional perspective.

When His Majesty ascended the throne, a chaotic coup occurred. He was originally a member of the opposing forces, but at the opportune moment, he jumped ship and joined the Northern Emperor's side.

It's hard to say what the outcome would be for someone like that facing a monster like Mingchen.

You've been married once already, so aren't you afraid of wearing a red veil again...

After much deliberation, he finally raised his head and addressed his trusted aide: "Summon General Zheng to my residence..."

Before he could finish speaking, he shook his head again and said, "Never mind, take me to him!"

He needs to take a first look at this person without any preparation.

……

The group that escaped from Xingtai Pass eventually made it to Zhenling Pass, into Bei Lie's territory.

After rigorous screening and interrogation, the group was eventually placed in a military tent.

"General, don't worry, I used to be General Deng's bodyguard, I'll speak up for you."

"General Zheng, don't worry. My brother-in-law serves under General Tian Hongda, and General Deng is General Tian's sworn brother. We are all of the same lineage... We will definitely not treat you unfairly."

Several surrendered Northern soldiers, their faces beaming with smiles, finally calmed down and began to offer their advice to the general in the center.

Having narrowly escaped death from Qian Yuan's forces, this bond between the men was stronger than that between blood brothers.

Within Qian Yuan's sphere of influence, Zheng Jun was a general, while these soldiers were insignificant prisoners and surrendered troops.

But once they entered the territory of Beilie, everything turned upside down.

The rest are all Northern Lie people; this is their territory.

Although they surrendered, it was out of necessity, and anyone with eyes could see that.

They fought their way out and rejoined the army; they were still great.

At least that's what they themselves think.

Zheng Jun, on the other hand, was a general of the Qian Yuan dynasty. He was surrounded by enemies and was destined to be under constant surveillance, testing, and scrutiny.

He stood there silently, his eyes vacant, seemingly somewhat dejected.

It seems he is caught in a dilemma because he betrayed his country.

After all, he didn't voluntarily 'defect'; it was all out of necessity, he was just being pushed along by fate.

His current confusion and dejection seem perfectly understandable.

However... no one could see into his heart.

In reality, it's about constantly reflecting on whether there were any oversights in what one has done along the way.

He knew that the road ahead was a bottomless abyss, and the slightest mistake would mean certain death.

"General, I understand how you feel."

The Northern Martyr, who had carried Zheng Jun all the way, patted his muscular chest and said seriously, "I'll say it again: anyone who wants to harm you will have to get past my corpse first."

"We hit it off immediately and have been through thick and thin together. How about this: let's become sworn brothers, sworn brothers of different surnames?"

"Hahaha, good, good, good! Great!"

"General Zheng, you are the eldest, you are the elder brother!"

"I, Chen Er, will be number two!"

Zheng Jun: ...

Putting aside their nationality, these generous Northern Lie soldiers who surrendered truly did not betray him.

The men were all sincere and passionate, and they treated Zheng Jun with genuine affection.

Zheng Jun, however, was always sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams, and was constantly taking advantage of them.

Zheng Jun is under some psychological pressure.

Ugh……

The task Mingchen gave him was truly not easy; it was destined to be fraught with difficulties, with both practical and mental pressures weighing heavily on him.

He was somewhat speechless.

Embracing their smiles, he forced a stiff grin and said, "Okay~"

Just as the group was swearing an oath in blood, an uninvited guest entered the room.

"General..."

The group immediately stopped what they were doing, bowed their heads, and said respectfully.

The man who had previously patted his chest and boasted that he had once served as Deng Yingcheng's bodyguard, now lowered his head, looking nervous and not daring to utter a sound.

You can boast a little when you're out in public, but when you're actually facing a high-ranking leader, can you let personal feelings influence your words?
Besides, this private affair is not worth mentioning.

"Haha, what are you all busy with?"

Deng Yingcheng wore a kind smile as he surveyed the surroundings and the actions of the people.

He was the sworn brother of General Tian Hong, and had followed him all the way to his current position, a fact he took great pride in. He felt a strange sense of sympathy for this sight.

"No rush, no rush!"
Deng Yingcheng patted one of the surrendered soldiers on the shoulder and said with a smile, "I remember you, your name is Zhuo Yong, right? You were my guard a few years ago."

Zhuo Yong raised his head, somewhat nervously: "General, I..."

Deng Yingcheng spoke with a kind face and his words were particularly appealing: "Gentlemen, there is no need to be reserved. Surrender is the inevitable trend and there is no other way."

"You escaped from the clutches of the evil Qian Yuan after going through so much hardship. No matter what, you are heroes of Bei Lie."

"I will personally report this matter to His Majesty. You are all commendable."

Look at our Beilie general, and then look at that despicable and untrustworthy Ling Yu.

The difference is so obvious.

Looking at the amiable Deng Yingcheng, the group exclaimed with excitement, "Thank you, General!"
After calming the soldiers down, Deng Yingcheng observed Zheng Jun and asked with a smile, "This must be General Zheng!"

All the information you hear is not as reliable as meeting someone in person.

Deng Yingcheng, being somewhat discerning, wanted to investigate the background of this extremely dangerous defector from Qian Yuan.

Zheng Jun had no intention of flattering Deng Yingcheng. He simply cupped his hands in greeting and said self-deprecatingly, "Zheng Jun, an unfaithful, unfilial, immoral, and talentless man, greets General Deng."

Deng Yingcheng narrowed his eyes and smiled, "General Zheng released my soldiers and made them serve our dynasty. He is a man of great love and righteousness. Please don't say such discouraging things."

Zheng Jun simply shook his head and didn't say anything more.

Deng Yingcheng then asked, "General Zheng, would you mind having a private conversation with me?"

Zheng Jun lowered his eyes, but before he could speak, Chen Er spoke first: "General Zheng, I, Chen Er, can vouch for you with my life. My elder brother is definitely not a spy for the Qian Yuan people. I hope you will not doubt him."

“We all saw him confront Ling Yu at the execution ground.”

While at Xingtai Pass, he recruited Zheng Jun.

Now that they've reached Beilie's territory, he needs to be responsible for his promise and for Zheng Jun's safety.

Zheng Jun has now betrayed Qian Yuan, and if he is not accepted by Bei Lie, he will have nowhere to go.

"Yeah yeah!"

"General Deng, you must trust us."

The others also joined in the shouting.

"Don't worry, don't worry!"

"Please don't worry, everyone."

Deng Yingcheng smiled and reassured everyone: "General Zheng has abandoned darkness for light and has done a great favor for our dynasty. I will certainly not make things difficult for him."

He then waved to Zheng Jun and said, "General Zheng, please."

"please."

The two went to a private room.

"General Zheng, you have rendered meritorious service and have come to serve our dynasty. What kind of reward do you wish to receive?"

Zheng Jun shook his head: "How could I, Zheng, ask for rewards for treasonous deeds?"

"General Deng, please do not ask Zheng about the secrets of Qian Yuan."

"I am but a fifth-rank lieutenant general, and I know nothing of important matters. If you, General, have pity on me, grant me half an acre of land, and I will leave it to fend for myself."

The more you want to reveal something, the less you should say it.

Those who take the initiative to speak are more likely to be suspected.

Let the other person guess and ask for themselves.

Confidential intelligence obtained by oneself is more likely to be trusted.

Throughout, Zheng Jun has maintained his established public image.

He was merely a general forced to defect; he did not want to do anything harmful to Qian Yuan.

Now, because of his rebellious act of defecting from the country, he cannot return home and is disheartened, wanting to withdraw from this struggle.

This would prove that he had truly defected.

This would further motivate Deng Yingcheng to pry open his mouth and obtain intelligence.

They are also more likely to believe what he says.

Deng Yingcheng waved his hand: "Hey~ you can't say that!"

"In any case, the general is a man who has rendered meritorious service to our dynasty!"

"Our Emperor is a man who rewards merit and punishes crime."

"Giving the general only half an acre of fertile land is still too little. Rest assured, you will enjoy endless wealth and honor in the future."

If this person truly surrenders sincerely, it might be considered one of his achievements.

Based on the intelligence this person possesses, it might be possible to remedy the situation and expose some of the enemy's conspiracies.

This would also be a way to atone for his crime of losing the execution platform and to redeem himself through meritorious service.

Although he remained wary of Zheng Jun, after this encounter, and with various psychological factors at play, Deng Yingcheng wanted to communicate with him more.

He wouldn't trust Zheng Jun, but it's always good to gather more information.

He will be able to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

He paused, then turned to Zheng Jun as if offering a suggestion: "Our Northern Lie is destined for greatness. General, now that you have abandoned the darkness and embraced the light, if you make more contributions, you will surely be able to be ennobled and appointed as prime minister in the future..."

Zheng Jun simply cupped his hands in thanks to Deng Yingcheng and said, "I thank General Deng."

A moment of silence.

Deng Yingcheng finally couldn't hold back any longer and took the initiative to ask Zheng Jun, "General Zheng, there is something I don't understand, and I hope you can enlighten me."

"Please speak."

"Why... when you fled Xingtai Pass, did you not go to the closer Libu Pass, but instead came to my Zhenling Pass?"

"You mean... Mingchen is there?"

There was no other way; he had to get involved in this matter.

Liu Xifeng is in charge of this checkpoint!

Mingchen is a demon. What is his purpose in going to Libu Pass?
What is Liu Xifeng's stance?
Everything is leading to one possibility.

Libu Pass is very dangerous. This traitorous general of the Qian Yuan Dynasty knew some information, so he did not go to Libu Pass, but requested to travel a longer distance to his Zhenling Pass.

Anything can happen in the presence of those two demonic stars of Qian Yuan.

So it's only natural that problems would arise when Mingchen went to Libu Pass.

In the worst-case scenario, Liu Xifeng is persuaded by Mingchen to rebel... then he can't wait for a reply from the Northern Lie court and the deployment of troops; he must take immediate action.

He now needs to confirm information with Zheng Jun.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jun paused for a moment, then pursed his lips, seemingly hesitant, under Deng Yingcheng's probing gaze.

"General Zheng, I hope you can enlighten me."

“This is very important to Mr. Deng.”

"Since you have sworn brotherhood with the other soldiers of my Northern Fierce Army, please forget about Qian Yuan and consider their situation as well, okay?"

Deng Yingcheng kept advising, "Chen Er is willing to risk his life to vouch for you... Please, don't let their sincerity go to waste."

“I, Bei Lie, am truly willing to accept the general.”

Zheng Jun hesitated for a long time, then shook his head and sighed, "General Deng, I really don't know."

“General Deng, I am just an unknown lieutenant general and have no access to much information.”

"All I know is that Lord Ming went to Libu Pass."

"Based on what I know about him, I felt that Libu Pass was somewhat dangerous, so I preferred to come here..."

Mingchen went to great lengths to stage this whole charade, throwing Zheng Jun out to defect, all so that he could convey these few words to Deng Yingcheng.

At this point, Zheng Jun's most important main quest has been completed.

Zheng Jun was not a high-ranking general; his position limited him to accessing only general information and not truly confidential information.

To explicitly tell Deng Yingcheng that Mingchen's purpose was to persuade him to surrender would be somewhat insincere.

That's all I'll say. The rest is up to Deng Yingcheng to fill in the blanks and guess.

In any case, everything Mingchen has done and said up to this point has been accomplished.

His resume is credible.

Although Zheng Jun didn't say anything in his last sentence, he said it all.

Deng Yingcheng would think about the meaning behind that sentence himself.

'I only know that Mingchen went to Libu Pass, but I don't know what he went there for.'

"But everyone has seen what Mingchen has done. He's a cunning and treacherous person, full of schemes and tricks. He always has an ulterior motive, and he succeeds in whatever he does."

What was he going to do at Libuguan?

"As my colleague, you certainly know better than I what kind of person Liu Xifeng, the garrison commander of Libu Pass, is."

'You decide for yourself.'

'Anyway, I wouldn't dare take the risk of defecting. I wonder if you, Deng Yingcheng, dare to risk turning a blind eye to this?'

'I wonder if you can bear the political losses resulting from Mingchen stealing two passes?'

Leaving blanks doesn't mean revealing all the answers.

Instead, it's all about half-concealing and leaving it to you to guess and fill in the blanks with your own imagination.

Caution is a virtue, while suspicion is a weakness of cautious people.

If it were Bai Junxin, Mingchen would never have used such a method.

Planting a seed can be fatal for an overly cautious and conservative person.

(End of this chapter)