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

Chapter 233 Lan Yu: This Imperial Censor, how come he's even more ruthless than the old killer in the army?! [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Just as Geng Zhong was desperate and about to take a gamble, the shout of "The Duke of Liang is here!" rang out like a thunderclap!

From the direction of the official road, a troop of elite cavalry, escorting a general, galloped towards them.

The general was tall and imposing, with a resolute face and sharp eyes like an eagle. Although he was not fully armored, his fierce and courageous aura, honed by his long-standing position of power, was overwhelming. He was none other than Lan Yu, the Duke of Liang.

He was eventually persuaded by Mr. Liu, and worried that Lan Long would cause uncontrollable trouble in Raozhouwei, so he decided to come and check it out in person.

Unexpectedly, they encountered such a scene as soon as they arrived outside the garrison.

Lan Yu's arrival was like a stabilizing force, but also like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

The moment Geng Zhong saw Lan Yu, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes vanished completely, replaced by boundless despair.

He knew it was all over, completely over.

With the Duke of Liang arriving in person, all his schemes will be exposed.

His survival instinct led him to make one last wrong decision—

【run! 】

He shoved aside a guard beside him and tried to mount his horse and escape back to the garrison for a final desperate struggle, even if it meant destroying some crucial evidence.

However, just as he stepped into the stirrup and his body was suspended in mid-air—

A sudden change occurred!

The trusted soldier who had been following him closely the previous night, who had been ordered by him to set up false evidence, suddenly flashed a resolute and ruthless glint in his eyes.

Suddenly, he drew his waist knife and, with lightning speed, stabbed Geng Zhong in the waist from behind.

"Ugh—!"

Geng Zhong let out an extremely shrill scream, his body suddenly stiffened, and he turned around in disbelief to look at that familiar yet utterly unfamiliar face.

"Why...why..."

Before he could finish speaking, the guard twisted his wrist violently, ripping apart his internal organs, and then ruthlessly pulled out his waist knife.

Geng Zhong fell from his horse like a broken sack, his blood instantly staining the soil red. He twitched a few times and then fell silent.

This sudden change shocked everyone.

Zhang Biao, Song Zhong, Lan Yu, and all the soldiers on both sides were stunned on the spot.

No one expected that Geng Zhong would die at the hands of his most trusted confidant.

After killing Geng Zhong, the guard revealed a sinister grin.

He slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd and locking onto Zhang Biao. His voice was hoarse, yet carried a chilling undertone:

"Imperial Censor Zhang...we...we truly underestimated you!"

However, this may be the last time we meet.

Before he finished speaking, he turned around and held the blood-stained knife to his neck, intending to commit suicide.

"Want to die? It's not that easy!"

A cold shout rang out!
Beside Lan Yu, a young general with a stern face and a strong bow in hand, had already drawn his bow and nocked an arrow!
"Whoosh-!"

The arrow flew like a meteor, striking the guard's wrist with perfect accuracy!
"Pfft!"

Blood spurts out!
The guard screamed in pain as his waist knife clattered to the ground.

"Take him down! Alive!"

Lan Yu gave the order in a furious voice, his voice booming like a bell.

His cavalry pounced like wolves and tigers, instantly pinning down the soldier who was trying to commit suicide and binding him.

Seeing that their commander was dead and that their greatest "reliance," the Duke of Liang, was present, the other confidants of Geng Zhong dared not resist. They all threw down their weapons and knelt down to beg for mercy.

The situation was completely under control the moment Lan Yu appeared.

Lan Yu didn't even dismount. He rode slowly into the arena, his gaze first sweeping over Geng Zhong's still-warm corpse on the ground. His eyes were cold and devoid of any emotion.

Immediately, his sharp, hawk-like gaze fell on Zhang Biao, filled with scrutiny, inquiry, and a hint of indescribable complexity.

He ignored the imperial edict in Zhang Biao's hand, and didn't inquire about the dramatic autopsy and confrontation. Instead, he looked directly at Geng Zhong's trusted confidants who were kneeling in surrender, his voice carrying an undeniable authority and suppressed anger:

"Where is my adopted son now?!"

One of Geng Zhong's trusted confidants, kneeling on the ground, trembled with fear and quickly pointed deep into the garrison, answering tremblingly:

"Reporting to the Duke... General Lan... is... in the cellar of the Commander's rear office..."

"cellar?!"

A chilling glint flashed in Lan Yu's eyes as he roared in fury, "You scoundrels! How dare you insult the Liang State Duke's Mansion like this!"

In a fit of rage, he drew his sword with a clang, ready to kill the loyal confidant before him.

"My lord, spare my life!"

Geng Zhong's trusted confidant was so frightened that he was terrified and burst into tears.

At this critical moment——

"Fire! The commander's rear office is on fire!"

A piercing scream came from inside the garrison.

Everyone looked up sharply and saw a thick plume of smoke rising into the sky behind the commander's office. Immediately afterward, orange flames leaped up and illuminated half the sky.

Zhang Biao's pupils suddenly contracted.

[Murder to silence witnesses! Destroy evidence!]

He instantly understood the meaning of the fire.

Although Geng Zhong is dead, the mastermind behind him is still alive.

This fire was meant to burn the blue dragon, who might know the inside story, to death, and also to burn away the real evidence that hadn't yet been dealt with.

"Lord Lan!"

Zhang Biao, disregarding Lan Yu's attitude towards him, abruptly turned to look at him, his tone urgent and firm:
"Now is not the time to investigate! Save people first! Save General Blue Dragon! Saving the evidence is the most important thing!"

Lan Yu, a seasoned veteran, instantly discerned the priorities.

He glared fiercely at Geng Zhong's trusted confidant, sheathed his sword, and roared at his cavalrymen:

"Quickly! Fire! People! Control all entrances and exits, don't let anyone escape!"

"Blue Sparrow! Take a team of men and follow me to the cellar in the back office!"

Having said that, he didn't hesitate any longer, spurred his horse, and charged ahead towards the direction of the fire.

Zhang Biao immediately gave Song Zhong the following order:

"Old Song! Take our men and assist in putting out the fire and controlling the scene! Focus your search on documents, ledgers, and the warehouse! We absolutely cannot let the evidence be destroyed!"

"Yes!"

In an instant, the two sides, who were originally at loggerheads, temporarily put aside their antagonism in the face of the sudden fire and joined forces to fight the fire and search and rescue operations.

The blazing firelight illuminated Zhang Biao's solemn and resolute face.

He knew that the battle with the mastermind behind the scenes had entered its most intense and dangerous phase.

The other party is doing everything in its power to erase all traces.

He must seize the most crucial witnesses and physical evidence in this race against time.

The sky above Raozhouwei was shrouded in flames and thick smoke, as a fierce battle concerning life and death and the truth unfolded amidst the raging flames.

However, despite the valiant efforts of Lan Yu's cavalry and Zhang Biao's men to put out the fire, the fire in the commander's rear office broke out suddenly and fiercely, clearly indicating that someone had poured oil or other flammable substances on it beforehand.

When the fire was finally extinguished, several rooms and the area near the cellar entrance, which may have contained crucial evidence, were reduced to charred ruins.

When Lanlong was rescued from the cellar, although he was alive, he had inhaled too much smoke and may have been given some nerve-damaging drugs. His eyes were glazed, he was drooling, and he was unresponsive to external stimuli. He was practically a cripple.

Seeing his once arrogant adopted son reduced to this state, Lan Yu's face turned ashen, his chest heaved violently, and his knuckles turned white from gripping the sword hilt so tightly.

He turned his head sharply, his gaze piercing Zhang Biao like a knife, his eyes filled with the pain of losing his son and his anger at Zhang Biao for dragging Lan Long into this matter.

"Zhang Biao—!"

Lan Yu's voice was like the low growl of a wounded beast:
"If you hadn't stirred up trouble here, my son wouldn't have suffered such a calamity! You must give me an explanation for what happened in Raozhou Guard!"

Facing Lan Yu's furious glare that seemed to spit fire and her aggressive questioning, Zhang Biao showed no fear on his face, but instead let out a cold laugh.

"Explain?"

He met Lan Yu's gaze without flinching, even taking a step forward and raising the imperial edict in his hand once more:

"Duke of Liang must be mistaken! I am here on imperial orders to inspect military affairs, why should I need to explain myself to you?"

After he finished speaking, his tone turned cold, sharp and merciless:
"As for the Duke of Liang, shouldn't he properly discipline his adopted sons?"

"Lanlong, without distinguishing right from wrong, listened to Geng Zhong's one-sided account and forcibly interfered with the imperial envoy's handling of the case, even intending to resort to force!"

"How is their behavior any different from obstructing investigations and protecting criminals?!"

"I haven't even investigated his crimes of obstructing official business and offending the imperial envoy, yet the Duke of Liang is already interrogating me?!"

With each word he spoke, Lan Yu's face grew even more somber.

Especially when Zhang Biao clearly listed Lan Long's reckless behavior one by one, Lan Yu was speechless.

He had vaguely heard Mr. Liu analyze these things on the way here, and now that Zhang Biao had revealed them to everyone, it further confirmed Lan Long's stupidity and that he had been used.

"you……"

Lan Yu was so angry that he trembled all over, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

He had never been so defied by a mere seventh-rank censor.
But Zhang Biao held the imperial edict, had the moral high ground, and everything he said was true, so he couldn't find any words to refute him!
Seeing this, Mr. Liu quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Zhang Biao, and spoke in a sincere tone that also seemed to be trying to appease him:
"Imperial Censor Zhang, please calm down! The Duke is only concerned for his son and acted rashly in the heat of the moment. If his words were offensive, I hope the Imperial Censor will forgive him."

"General Lanlong is young and impetuous, and has indeed made some mistakes due to being misled by treacherous people. However, my Duke has absolutely nothing to do with this matter, and his loyalty to the court and the Emperor is beyond question!"

"We are deeply grateful to Imperial Censor Zhang for his keen insight, which prevented a greater misunderstanding from occurring this time."

Mr. Liu's words not only gave Lan Yu a way out, but also distanced himself from any connection between the Liang State Duke's Mansion and the crimes of Raozhou Guard, showing an extremely humble attitude.

Zhang Biao glanced at Mr. Liu, knowing that he was a sensible man and did not want to completely break ties with Lan Yu at this moment, so he snorted coldly and said no more.

Lan Yu stared intently at Zhang Biao, his chest heaving for a long while, before finally squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth:
"Good! Well done, Zhang Biao! I'll remember this!"

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and abruptly waved his hand: "Let's go!"

The cavalrymen of the Liang State Duke's Mansion lifted the dazed and foolish Blue Dragon, gathered up the several corpses that were difficult to distinguish as real or fake, and just as they had come, they quickly left this messy place in a cloud of dust.

Before leaving, Mr. Liu politely cupped his hands in a salute to Zhang Biao, then turned and followed him.

In the blink of an eye, only Zhang Biao and his group remained outside Raozhou Garrison, along with the bewildered and leaderless garrison soldiers.

Zhang Biao did not immediately pay attention to the soldiers.

He stood alone before the charred and smoking ruins of the former government office, his brow furrowed, lost in thought.

The timing of the fire was too perfect... Geng Zhong had just died, and the person behind it immediately moved to silence him and destroy evidence. The reaction was so swift, and the methods so ruthless...

There must be spies within Raozhou Guard, and possibly more than one!

[Lan Yu... He certainly seemed angry, but was he truly completely unaware? Or had some of his subordinates been infiltrated?]

The trail seems to have gone cold again... but is it really dead?

He always felt that he had overlooked something.

Geng Zhong went to such great lengths, even imprisoning Lan Long and killing Jinyiwei, to cover it up.

What he needs to protect is far more than just the missing military equipment that has already been discovered.

There must be a deeper, more deadly secret behind this. Just as he was deep in thought, Song Zhong strode over, followed by a middle-aged man dressed in ordinary garrison uniform, but with exceptionally sharp and capable eyes.

"grown ups."

Song Zhong said in a low voice, while gesturing to the man behind him.

The man immediately stepped forward, respectfully saluted Zhang Biao, and then lowered his voice to say:
"This humble officer, Zhao Hu, a junior officer of the Infiltrator Battalion, has been ordered to infiltrate Raozhou Guard and report directly to His Majesty."

It turned out to be an informant planted by Zhu Yuanzhang in Raozhou Guard.

Zhang Biao's spirits lifted, and he immediately asked:

"Zhao Xiaoqi, has anything unusual happened at the garrison since last night? Especially before and after the fire?"

Zhao Hu's expression was solemn, and he said in a low voice:

"Your Excellency, about a quarter of an hour before the fire, I saw a man sneaking out of the back gate of the yamen in a hurry, heading towards the west stables."

"Because he was wearing a regular sergeant's uniform, I didn't pay much attention at the time. Now that I think about it, it's quite suspicious!"

"What did this person look like? Do you remember him?" Zhang Biao pressed.

"It was already dark, so I couldn't see very clearly, but the man was short and stocky, his left eyebrow seemed to be broken off, and his right shoulder slumped slightly when he walked."

Zhao Hu tried hard to recall.

“A broken eyebrow…right shoulder drooping…”

Zhang Biao silently noted down these two characteristics; they might be an important clue.

"Anything else? About Geng Zhong, or any unusual dealings within the garrison?"

Zhao Hu thought for a moment, then said:

"Geng Zhong appears rough and unrefined, but he is actually very meticulous."

"He had a close relationship with a minor leader of the canal gang known as 'Water Monkey,' but their meetings were always very secretive, usually taking place at night outside the garrison."

"In addition, about half a month ago, a batch of timber was transported under the guise of 'repairing barracks,' but I secretly inspected it and found that the timber had been hollowed out, as if something had been hidden inside."

[Water monkey... hollowed-out wood...]

A glint of light flashed in Zhang Biao's eyes.

Although the core evidence may have been destroyed in the fire, these fragmented clues, like scattered pearls, can be pieced together again as long as the thread is found.

"well-done."

Zhang Biao nodded to Zhao Hu:
"Continue to lie low and keep an eye on any movement within the garrison, especially anything related to the 'water monkeys' and suspicious supplies. Report to me through Lord Song immediately."

"Yes! I understand!"

Zhao Hu bowed and accepted the order, then quietly withdrew and disappeared back into the chaotic crowd of the garrison.

Zhang Biao watched his retreating figure, then looked at the scorched earth, a cold smile slowly curving his lips.

Burning? Can burning inanimate objects erase clues from the mouths of the living?

Geng Zhong is dead, Lan Long is crippled, but 'Water Monkey' is still around. The source of the timber where the items were hidden can be traced, and the arson suspect with the broken eyebrow and sloping shoulder can't have gone far!

[And Black Wind Pass, those two Imperial Guards must have uncovered some crucial clues to be silenced!]

Thinking of this, his gaze sharpened, and he immediately gave the order to Song Zhong:
"Old Song!"

"exist!"

"Four things! Write them down!"

Zhang Biao said in a deep voice:
"First, you must personally interrogate Geng Zhong's personal guards and do everything in your power to get them to talk!"

"Second, take full control of Raozhou Garrison, inventory all personnel, and verify the identity of the soldier with the 'severed eyebrow and drooping right shoulder.' Furthermore, mobilize all available resources to find that canal gang leader known as 'Water Monkey'!"

"Third, thoroughly investigate the source and final destination of that batch of 'repair timber' from half a month ago!"

"fourth!"

Zhang Biao paused, then looked in the direction Lan Yu and the others had left, and said in a deep voice:

"Send more men to Black Wind Pass and conduct a thorough search to see if there are any new clues!"

"This time, we're going to follow the trail and pull out every single one of the grasshoppers on this line!"

"Yes!"

Song Zhong immediately accepted the order and then turned and left.

the other side.

The Duke of Liang's entourage left Raozhou Guard and traveled on the official road back to the post station.

The atmosphere was as oppressive as an impending storm.

Lan Yu remained seated on horseback, his face still ashen, his lips pressed tightly together, saying nothing.

The scene from just now kept replaying in his mind.

The betrayal and tragic death of Geng Zhong's confidant, Lan Long's idiocy, and Zhang Biao's unwavering, even mocking, gaze and words.

Mr. Liu rode alongside him, observing his expression, and sighed inwardly, knowing that this Duke was currently tormented by a mixture of anger, humiliation, and heartache.

He carefully considered his words, then spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching Lan Yu's ears:

"My lord, today's events...were extremely dangerous!"

Lan Yu snorted coldly and didn't reply.

Mr. Liu continued, "I find it terrifying to think about. Geng Zhong used his brotherhood with Sixth Master to lure him into a trap. The person behind him has something far more sinister in mind."

"They clearly want to use Sixth Master's hand, or even... your power, Duke, to cause a conflict with Zhang Biao!"

His tone became serious:
"My lord, please consider this: if you had arrived a step earlier today and heard that Sixth Master had been 'murdered,' you would have been enraged and clashed with Zhang Biao, who was holding the imperial edict and was equally unyielding, and even resorted to violence... What would have been the consequences?"

Lan Yu's eyebrows twitched suddenly.

He wasn't stupid; he had just been driven by his emotions. But now, after Mr. Liu's words, he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Although Zhang Biao is not of high rank, judging from the Emperor's edict, in addition to reprimanding him, he was also granted the power to thoroughly investigate military affairs and mobilize the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which shows that he is highly favored by the Emperor!"

Mr. Liu analyzed, "He is like a knife that the emperor himself sharpened, used to cut down those evil spirits and monsters that cannot see the light of day."

"If the Duke clashes with him today, regardless of who is right or wrong, in the Emperor's eyes, it will be seen as obstructing the investigation, and he may even be suspected of being involved in major cases such as 'raising bandits' and 'loss of military equipment'!"

"At that time, the Duke of Liang's mansion... will be in grave danger!"

Lan Yu tightened her grip on the reins, her knuckles turning white.

He had to admit that Mr. Liu was right.

The emperor's tolerance and heavy reliance on Zhang Biao was beyond reason.

This madman is like a hornet's nest; whoever touches him is doomed.

"This pool of water in Yingtian Prefecture..."

Mr. Liu gazed towards the direction of the capital, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"It's deeper and more complicated than we imagined. Someone is playing a very big game. My lord, we must not be used as pawns and dragged into the center of this vortex before the situation is clear!"

He looked at Lan Yu and said earnestly, "Your Highness, I implore you, although today's events are infuriating, you must... be careful with your words and actions!"

"Upon returning to the post station, we should immediately write down everything we saw and heard today, especially the facts of Geng Zhong's execution, his confidant's attempt to commit suicide after killing someone to silence him, the mysterious fire at the commander's rear office, and the fact that Sixth Master was already incoherent when he was rescued. We should write this down in detail in a secret report and submit it to the Emperor immediately!"

"On the one hand, we must distance ourselves from the crimes committed by the Duke of Liang and the Raozhou Guard, and make our position clear."

"On the other hand, we must also report Zhang Biao's investigation results. As for whether the process was outrageous, that is up to the Emperor to decide."

Lan Yu listened in silence, his chest heaving violently a few times. Finally, he let out a long, pent-up sigh.

Reason gradually prevailed over anger.

“What you say makes sense.”

His voice was hoarse, tinged with weariness and helplessness: "It was I... who almost fell into the trap of the villains."

He admitted that Mr. Liu's judgment was correct.

But despite admitting it, the thought of Zhang Biao's face still made his anger rise again.

"That Zhang Biao... a mere seventh-rank censor, how dare he be so arrogant?! In front of so many people, he dared to contradict the Duke! Does he even have any respect for hierarchy?!"

"My lord, in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken."

Mr. Liu smiled wryly:

"Perhaps it is precisely because of this 'madness' and 'unconventionality' that Zhang Biao has been able to tear open one crack after another in the turbulent political situation."

"This person... is indeed a formidable character, ruthless and meticulous, and cannot be regarded as an ordinary civil official."

"Impressive? Hmph!"

Lan Yu snorted coldly, but her tone had lost its pure anger and gained a hint of bewilderment:
"How could a scholar know all the intricacies of autopsy? Even the veteran coroner was stunned by him. What makes him seem like an imperial censor? He's even more sinister than us old military executioners!"

This is indeed what Lan Yu finds most perplexing.

Zhang Biao's performance completely overturned his understanding of civil officials.

Mr. Liu pondered and said, "This person acts very differently from ordinary people. Perhaps... he really has a reliance that we don't know about."

After saying that, he looked at Lan Yu and said earnestly, "My lord, even if we don't befriend this person, we must never make him our enemy again."

Lan Yu grunted, offering no rebuttal, which was taken as tacit agreement.

After this incident, his feelings towards Zhang Biao became extremely complicated. He still disliked him, but his fear of him had deepened.

Finally, his thoughts returned to the blue dragon, and an indescribable pain and anger surged into his heart once again.

"And that idiot Blue Dragon!"

Lan Yu scolded him with exasperation:

"He was sold out and he's still counting the money for the seller! What kind of sworn brotherhood is this? Decades of friendship couldn't withstand someone else's scheming, turning him into this mess! Useless!"

He cursed fiercely, but a barely perceptible trace of sorrow flashed in his eyes.

No matter how useless Lanlong is, he is still his adopted son. How could he feel good about him now that he has become so stupid?

Seeing this, Mr. Liu could only sigh inwardly and said no more.

The procession moved forward in silence, with only the sound of horses' hooves and wheels rolling.

Lan Yu gazed into the distance, her eyes deep and thoughtful.

On this trip to Raozhouwei, he lost an adopted son, witnessed a mad opponent, and glimpsed the chilling undercurrents beneath the surface.

He knew Mr. Liu was right; he had to immediately report everything to the emperor and distance himself from the situation.

However, at the same time, he, Duke Lan Yu of Liang, was not a pushover!

He noted this down.

Whether it's the mastermind behind it all, or that madman Zhang Biao...

"Boost!"

Lan Yu ordered in a deep voice: "Return to the post station as soon as possible and prepare to return to the capital!"

He needed to write immediately, one to the emperor, and another… to his adopted sons and former subordinates scattered throughout the land.

A storm is brewing, and he must prepare early.

……

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(End of this chapter)