How come I'm invincible?

Chapter 124 This general always leaves a glimmer of hope when handling affairs, but failing to seize that glimmer of hope means certain death.

The wedding banquet ended, and the guests gradually left.

No one knew what Lin Fan said to His Majesty, but everyone noticed that His Majesty left with a big smile on his face and looked very cheerful.

When the general escorted His Majesty to the door, they all saw His Majesty holding the general's hand, seemingly with a thousand words to say, which ultimately turned into three light pats on the shoulder.

Such intimate behavior between the ruler and his subject.

The officials present saw it all.

They knew that the Divine Martial General was not someone they could afford to offend. They might have had the idea of ​​impeaching him in the past, but now, those thoughts had long since vanished.

His only thought was to try his best to survive in the imperial court under the tyrannical power of the Divine General.

Did they attend the wedding because they wanted to attend someone else's wedding?

Obviously not.

They dare not offend them.

The general might not remember who attended, but he certainly remembered who didn't attend better than anyone else.

……

The next day.

Mansion, courtyard.

Lin Fan leisurely cultivated in the courtyard, absorbing the earth's energy from the ground into his body, feeling the changes in his internal organs after they were tempered.

He seemed to have vaguely grasped the essence of cultivation.

But that's just the basics.

Three officials stood to the side, waiting obediently and respectfully.

If other officials were present, they would definitely exclaim in surprise: the three ministers of the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of War are all here! What big event is going to happen?

A moment later, the cultivation session ended.

Ning Yu handed him a handkerchief. Lin Fan never sweats during cultivation, but wiping himself with it showed how hard he had just worked.

"My lords, I hope I didn't disturb your rest by calling you here so early in the morning?" Lin Fan asked with a smile.

"No, the General must have summoned us for important business, how could we dare to delay?" the Minister of Revenue hurriedly replied.

Lin Fan said, "Please, gentlemen, move aside and let's talk inside the hall."

The three ministers exchanged glances.

He readily agreed, not daring to entertain any dissenting thoughts.

inside the hall.

Four cups of fragrant tea were placed in front of them. Lin Fan picked up a teacup, took a sip, and nodded in satisfaction. On the other hand, the three ministers sat there as if they were sitting on pins and needles, not moving an inch, and not even touching the tea in front of them.

"What? Do the three of you think the tea here is of too low quality and are unwilling to drink it?" Lin Fan asked with a smile.

The three ministers quickly picked up their teacups.

"What wonderful tea!!!"

"This tea is a hundred times better than the tea I drink."

All three were shrewd officials, but their behavior in front of Lin Fan was incredibly naive and fake.

In the Central Plains dynasties, the six ministers were all second-rank officials, considered the elite in the court. Only the Grand Tutor, Grand Preceptor, Grand Protector, and Duke were first-rank officials, with higher official positions than them.

But when it comes to power, they really can't compare.

"Alright, stop bragging. It's just street vendor stuff, worthless." Lin Fan downed his tea in one gulp, put down his teacup, and looked at the three of them.

The three ministers were very embarrassed.

General, can't you act like a human being for once?

You're the one who wanted us to have tea, aren't you?

We tasted it, and you accused us of bragging and called it street vendor stuff. You just have to seize any opportunity to torment us.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I'm not one to beat around the bush. Let's get straight to the point. I called you three here simply because I wanted to have a good chat with you all," Lin Fan said.

The three ministers straightened up and sat up straight.

"General, please speak. We are all ears."

“The three of you are all veteran officials in the court, pillars of the state. The fact that the court can operate without major problems is largely due to your contributions,” Lin Fan said.

These words left the three ministers completely bewildered.

Could this really be something the Divine Martial General would say?

no……

Perhaps we're still asleep?
Can you recall who was it that berated us so harshly in court a while ago?
"General, we dare not accept such a statement; it is all thanks to His Majesty's wisdom." The Minister of Revenue still hadn't figured out Lin Fan's intentions.

There are some things he dares not directly accept.

Lin Fan nodded and said, "His Majesty is indeed wise; otherwise, he wouldn't have tolerated you all until now."

The three ministers' expressions changed drastically.

There was murderous intent in those words.

"General, what do you mean by that?" the Minister of Revenue asked.

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Minister of Revenue, this has little to do with you, but I would like to ask the Minister of Works and the Minister of War, whose people are you working for?"

The Ministers of Works and War exchanged a glance, and without thinking, said, "Of course we are His Majesty's subjects."

"Is that so?" Lin Fan said, "Since you are His Majesty's people, why have I heard that you are Qin Li's people?"

The two ministers stood up abruptly, their beards bristling and eyes wide with anger. "Who said that? Who is trying to frame us? We are His Majesty's subjects, how could we possibly listen to Qin Li's words?"

In the past, no one would have dared to say such a thing.

But now they are facing a fearless and mighty general.

The impact of those words on gender perception would be incredibly explosive.

Lin Fan said calmly, "It doesn't matter who said it, but I just want the three of you to understand that your ability to wield power in the court is given to you by the court. Don't be fooled by a few words and lose your sense of direction. Even if the country is destroyed, the mountains and rivers may remain, but the power His Majesty has given you will be gone."

His words were very direct.

All three ministers were sensible men.

They clearly see the current situation in the court: the Grand Tutor, who held absolute power, has fallen, and the Second Prince's status has risen considerably.

Without the Grand Tutor's checks and balances, the power of the Six Ministries was unleashed.

The Minister of Revenue looked at the other two ministers, and he knew very well that they were very close to Qin Li. Most of the military officers had an extraordinary relationship with Qin Li.

To become a military general, one needed to pay homage to a powerful faction.

And this hill is Qin Li.

The Minister of Works said, "General, as your subjects, how could we not know this principle? We are not stupid."

"Not stupid?" Lin Fan laughed. "Then did you know that Qin Li had attempted a rebellion?"

"what?"

The three ministers gaped in astonishment.

Qin Li's control of the military is indeed excessive, but it seems unlikely that he would rebel. His actions would be illegitimate and unjustified, and if he were to actually rebel, he would be infamous for eternity.

Do they really dare to be so shameless and disrespectful?

Lin Fan made no attempt to hide anything, saying, "I will not hide anything from you either. I will take back Qin Li's military power on behalf of His Majesty. After taking back his military power, what I will do is expand our territory. Whether you want to be infamous for eternity or leave a strong mark in the history books is up to you to choose."

"The only guarantee I can give you is... as long as you don't go too far, I can let you enjoy your old age in peace."

These words were spoken very bluntly.

The three ministers were restless. If the Divine Martial General really wanted to deal with them, it would be easy, without needing to use many methods.

During this period, the Divine Martial Division arrested many officials from the Six Ministries, causing widespread panic.

The authority of the Divine Warrior Division is too great.

The power of the police prefecture has been compressed to the extreme, and there are even signs that it could be replaced at any time.

The three ministers were deep in thought.

No one spoke.

The Minister of Revenue stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "General, this old minister is willing to do his utmost to cooperate with you in all subsequent matters. I only hope that you will leave me with some dignity in the end."

At this moment, the Minister of Revenue knew what the wisest choice was.

If you don't know Lin Fan, you'll just think of him as a reckless warrior.

But after witnessing so many things...

How can this be considered a brute?

This is clearly the honorary vice emperor of the Central Plains dynasty. Everything that His Majesty didn't do, he did for one person.

Lin Fan smiled and said, "How could you have such thoughts, Minister? The court cannot do without you, and you still have to solve His Majesty's problems."

The network of relationships among the old officials in the imperial court is extremely complex, with one layer after another, extending all the way to the bottom. Once it is truly uprooted, it will fall into chaos on its own, even without external invasion.

Military campaigns require a great deal of resources, including silver, provisions, and weapons, all of which require the coordination and deployment of others.

Do you really think Lin Fan has three heads and six arms and can handle everything?
That's just a dream.

The Minister of Revenue said, "General, you may be a bit domineering in your dealings with others, but you have always been reasonable. Although I have some conflicts with you, I will do my best to help you in matters of state, as long as you are right."

The two ministers of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War also stood up and stated their position, "We are also willing to cooperate with the General."

They could not possibly participate in a rebellion.

Even if it means death, I cannot participate.

This is something that scholars cannot accept.

"Very well, I am very pleased that the three ministers have given their full support to this general. Then I will trouble the three of you to actively mobilize resources during this period. Once I regain military power from Qin Li and the others, I will set out on the expedition. At that time, I will have to trouble you all." Lin Fan said with a smile.

The three ministers figured it out.

Lin Fan's plan to deal with Qin Li is not something that can be accomplished overnight. In the past, when they didn't know Lin Fan well, they would never have believed that anyone could touch Qin Li.

But now... they know that among the Central Plains dynasties, only he can influence Qin Li.

"Don't worry, General, we know what to do."

The three ministers replied.

Lin Fan said, "It's getting early, so I won't keep the three of you for lunch."

The three ministers left.

Lin Fan watched the three ministers leave. They were all intelligent people who knew what to do and what the best and wisest choice was.

outside.

When the three ministers arrived outside the Lin residence, they all breathed a sigh of relief. They exchanged glances, nodded to each other, and then each boarded their carriage and went their separate ways.

It didn't take long.

Commander Li of the Imperial Guards arrived in haste, mainly to deliver a list of military officers from Qin Li's faction.

"Commander Li, you've worked hard," Lin Fan said.

Commander Li said, "General, you flatter me. This is a matter of great importance, and I dare not delay it."

Lin Fan unfolded the list, which was densely packed with names. Most of them were located in different places, with some commanding thousands of soldiers and others commanding tens of thousands.

Individually, this might not seem like much, but if all the soldiers here were gathered together, it would be an unimaginable army.

Commander Li pointed to one of the names, his expression grave: "General, this person is the most crucial. He is Chen Liang, the General Commander of Liaodong, who commands 50,000 elite cavalry. Because Liaodong is located on the frontier, the situation is special, and the court has very little power to control him. He is a confidant whom Qin Li promoted. If he hears that Qin Li has changed his mind, he will undoubtedly rebel. Therefore, if we want to take down Qin Li, we must first take down Chen Liang."

Lin Fan said, "What exactly is going on with this management of military power? Didn't the court arrange for civil officials to supervise the military and eunuchs to oversee the army, thus separating military power? By allowing military officers to directly control the army, aren't they afraid of cultivating local warlords?"

I didn't understand the system of military power in the Central Plains dynasties.

Commander Li said helplessly, "General, you may not know this, but there was really no other way. Back then, the barbarians from various places invaded the Central Plains, and the border defenses suffered terribly. Deploying troops and commanding troops required the court's permission, but this was too much of a delay in military operations. So Qin Li proposed that the local border generals could be directly mobilized. His Majesty also felt that it was too much of a delay, so he agreed. Who would have thought that once he agreed, it would be so difficult to change it back?"

Lin Fan waved his hand, "Forget it, let's not talk about it anymore. Leave the rest to me."

Commander Li was well aware of the General's abilities.

However, taking military power from Chen Liang is only slightly easier than taking it from Qin Li.

Chen Liang had deep roots in Liaodong and had formed a powerful family.

Throughout history, it has always been extremely difficult for the imperial court to get generals who control military power to obediently relinquish it.

If handled properly, everyone will be happy.

However, if not handled properly, it can easily trigger a mutiny.

In Lin Fan's limited knowledge of history, the successful example was the "releasing military power over a cup of wine" incident.

The failure was the An Lushan Rebellion.

Of course, the imperial court also had its own methods, such as promotions in name only but demotions in reality, but these were too time-consuming. Lin Fan was just bored and didn't want to play politics with a bunch of weak and powerless generals. Did he really have nothing better to do?
……

a few days later.

Liaodong, Guangning.

Lin Fan led thirty iron cavalrymen to the city gate. The soldiers guarding the gate dared not stop them when they saw such a formation and greeted them respectfully.

This place is Chen Liang's main base. Half of the local tax revenue is handed over to the imperial court, while the other half is kept here as military pay. The imperial court also has to send some military pay here every year.

It can be said that Guangning was Chen Liang's territory, and he was the emperor there.

Upon entering the city, they soon arrived at the Chen residence.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the soldiers at the gate immediately stepped forward and asked, "May I ask who this general is looking for?"

Lin Fan said, "Chen Liang."

The soldier said, "Please wait a moment, General, while I go in to report."

One of the accompanying cavalrymen angrily shouted, "Insolence! This is the Imperial General Shenwu! How dare Chen Liang be disrespectful? Tell him to come out and greet the Emperor at once!"

This statement came out.

The soldiers were suddenly startled. The reputation of the Divine Martial General was so great that it was known far and wide.

Lin Fan raised his hand. "It's alright. Go and inform them. I'll be waiting here."

While waiting, Lin Fan looked at the historian Wang and said with a smile, "Lord Wang, why did you insist on coming with me? You must be exhausted from the journey."

The historian said, “General, I came here willingly. I have no motivation to record the affairs of the court. The matter you are about to do is of great importance. How can I be absent?”

Although no one had told him what was going on, he could guess some things.

The General has come to Liaodong this time.

They must be here to seize military power.

Taking away military power has always been a very sensitive matter in all dynasties; a slight misstep could lead to major disasters.

Lin Fan smiled.

at this time.

Inside the mansion.

General Chen Liang of Liaodong was drinking tea in the living room when suddenly, the Chen family steward rushed in.

"My lord, the Imperial General Shenwu has arrived with thirty iron cavalry."

Hear this.

Chen Liang put down his teacup, his brows furrowed.

Divine Martial General?
He naturally knew Lin Fan, but he had no connection with Lin Fan and had never even met him. What did Lin Fan mean by coming here?
outside the house.

"I am deeply sorry for not being able to greet you properly, General. Please forgive me." Chen Liang strode out and, upon seeing Lin Fan on horseback, quickly put on a smile.

Lin Fan dismounted and looked at the general with graying temples in front of him, smiling as he said, "General Chen, you are too kind. I came uninvited this time. I hope I haven't disturbed you."

"General, you are too kind. How could I dare to say such a thing?" General Chen was unaware of Lin Fan's purpose, so he had to feign a smile. "General, please come in."

"Okay." Lin Fan nodded and looked at the accompanying cavalry. "You all wait outside."

"Yes, General."

Chen Liang glanced at the group of cavalry, but didn't take them seriously. This was his territory, and he wasn't afraid at all. However, his gaze fell on the historian, Wang.

"General, who is this?" Chen Liang asked in confusion.

Lin Fan said, "Historian Wang, Lord Wang."

"Oh, hello Lord Wang." Chen Liang was a little confused. What was going on? Why had the historian come along? But he didn't think too much about it. Once inside, he would naturally find out everything.

inside the hall.

Chen Liang instructed his servants to quickly serve tea. After the tea was served, he waved for the servants to leave, then clasped his hands in a fist and asked, "May I ask what brings the General here today?"

"Military power," Lin Fan uttered.

"what?"

Chen Liang was stunned, staring wide-eyed, even wondering if he had misheard.

What did this mighty general just say?
Military...military power?
This was the thing Chen Liang could not tolerate the most, and something he would never hand over even if it meant death. Not to mention, Governor Qin had told him that the military power in Liaodong could not be handed over and must be firmly held in his hands.

"General, is this matter of military power perhaps His Majesty's intention?" Chen Liang asked tentatively.

Lin Fan said, "That's right, it's His Majesty's intention. Nowadays, most of the military power in the court is scattered in the hands of various generals. His Majesty can only mobilize a handful of troops. General Chen has made great contributions in guarding Liaodong for the country. His Majesty hopes that General Chen can hand over his military power."

"Of course, His Majesty will not treat General Chen unfairly. Guangning will still be under General Chen's management, and the tax revenue will not need to be handed over to the court; it can be kept for self-sufficiency."

The conditions Lin Fan stated were also His Majesty's wishes.

Ultimately, His Majesty was too soft-hearted, offering them a generous price to secure enough money for them to relinquish their military power.

Chen Liang did not answer, but instead took a sip of his tea and put it down, saying, "General, the situation in Liaodong is quite complicated. The soldiers have followed me for a long time. If I hand over military power, I'm afraid they will be dissatisfied."

"Oh? General Chen means that these soldiers only recognize General Chen, not His Majesty?"

Lin Fan asked with a half-smile.

Chen Liang waved his hands repeatedly and said, "General, you misunderstand. That's not what I meant at all. It's just that this matter is of great importance, and I can't make the decision myself. I wonder if you could give me some time to consider it?" Lin Fan stood up and looked at Chen Liang. "Even General Chen needs time to consider His Majesty's decree. It seems that General Chen already has a plan. In that case, I won't say anything more. General Chen, take care of yourself."

"Hey, hey, this humble general is seeing off the great general."

"No need, you stay here."

As Chen Liang watched Lin Fan stride away, the smile on his face gradually faded. He hadn't expected that the other party had actually come to take away his military power. Now that he, Chen Liang, controlled Liaodong and held military power, asking him to hand over his military power was simply a pipe dream.

"The Divine Martial General? What a stupid dog."

Chen Liang scoffed dismissively.

But what he needed to do now was to quickly send a message to Governor Qin, informing him of the situation and that the imperial court was about to take action against him.

Fortunately, Liaodong needed his troops to garrison it, so the imperial court did not dare to be too harsh on him.

The door of the house.

Lin Fan did not step out the threshold, but looked at the iron cavalry outside without saying a word. The iron cavalry dismounted one after another.

Lin Fan then reached out and closed the mansion gate from the inside.

"General, what is this?" the historian asked, puzzled.

The Chen family steward escorted Lin Fan to the door and noticed that his master hadn't seen him out. The quick-witted steward immediately realized what had happened—they must have failed to reach an agreement.

He had complete trust in his master's position.

In Liaodong, that was a supreme and unapproachable position.

As for the title of "Divine Martial General" or not, he didn't care. In this world, having military power is what truly matters. Even if the current emperor came, an emperor without military power would be nothing more than a paper tiger with its teeth pulled out.

"General, aren't you leaving?" the steward asked.

Sonorous!

puff!

A cold glint appeared.

Lin Fan drew his goose-feather saber, swiftly slashed it, and cut the butler's throat in one stroke. The butler stared wide-eyed, his face full of disbelief, and then collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"General, what are you trying to do?" The historian Wang was so frightened by Lin Fan's sudden attack that he stood there dumbfounded for a long time.

The ground was stained red with blood.

Blood was still dripping from the blade of the goose-feather sword.

Lin Fan's expression remained unchanged, his gaze calm. "I have already given him a chance, but he did not cherish it. His Majesty's decree still requires him to think for several days. His Majesty trusts him and has granted him military power, but how can our General Chen bear to let such a lovely old man always be unable to eat or sleep?"

"He's willing to part with it, but I, the general, am not."

"Lord Wang, you are the historian. Since you are here, then take a good look and remember carefully. I often leave a way out when I do things, but if you miss the chance, it is death."

The words have fallen!

Lin Fan strode towards the Chen residence with his goose-feather saber in hand. Every servant and servant he encountered along the way was killed with a single blow, which terrified the historian Wang.

"Who are you, and how dare you commit such a heinous act in the Chen residence?" An old man appeared, and upon seeing Lin Fan approaching with a knife, he was horrified and shouted angrily.

Lin Fan remained expressionless, brandishing his sword as he strode past, leaving several corpses lying behind him in the blink of an eye.

The court historian looked at the corpses scattered all over the ground.

Although he had witnessed the general's ruthless killing, the indiscriminate slaughter within the mansion was truly terrifying.

“General, there may be innocent servants in the manor. Why can’t we give them a chance to live?” The historian Wang felt a pang of pity. He had just seen a boy in his teens dressed as a servant. Before he could even speak, Lin Fan had taken his life with a single blow.

There was absolutely no hesitation.

Lin Fan said in a deep voice, "Lord Wang, do you think this is child's play? Military power must be taken back. If the 50,000 elite troops were to rebel, the consequences would cause suffering to countless people. In the face of the greater good, personal interests are not important."

The historian Wang gazed at the general's retreating figure.

Finally, he let out a soft sigh.

All my thoughts vanished with that one sigh.

After a while.

When Lin Fan appeared at the entrance of the living room carrying the goose feather knife, Chen Liang was slightly stunned. When he saw blood dripping from the knife in the other's hand, a bad premonition welled up in his heart.

"you you."

Chen Liang pointed at Lin Fan, about to speak, when Lin Fan suddenly appeared in front of him and stabbed him through the chest with a knife.

Gurgling!

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Chen Liang gripped Lin Fan's arm tightly, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape, pleading, "Spare...spare my child..."

He died before he could finish speaking.

……

barracks.

Chen Liang's subordinates all received news that they were to gather at Chen's residence, as the emperor's decree had arrived, which made them think about all sorts of things.

They followed Chen Liang to Liaodong, and their thoughts had already begun to change.

They were aware of the current situation in the court. The emperor's military power was limited to some troops near the capital, which was far less than that of the elite soldiers they had trained to guard the borders year after year.

These elite soldiers were all veterans of battle.

They were far superior to those Beijing soldiers.

When they arrived at the gate of the Chen residence, they saw a group of iron cavalry surrounding the residence. There were not many of them, but there were still twenty or thirty of them.

"Brother Zhang, has something happened?" The speaker was a lieutenant general, and the person he was asking was Zhang, the deputy commander-in-chief, who was second only to Chen Liang in Liaodong.

Deputy Commander Zhang shook his head, but his expression changed when he looked at the flags held by the cavalry.

"Shenwu, could His Majesty have sent General Shenwu, Lin Fan?"

Although they were stationed in Liaodong, the name of the Divine Martial General was truly legendary. He was the most powerful figure at the time and had made outstanding military achievements.

Those military achievements were, in their eyes, something that no human could accomplish.

"My lords, my general is already waiting inside the mansion. Please come in," said the attendant, Iron Cavalry.

A total of eight people came this time.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General, Deputy General, Captain.

The cavalry opened the gates of the mansion and stood upright to one side.

The officials exchanged glances and walked into the mansion with trepidation. As they entered, the iron cavalry closed the mansion gates again.

At this moment, they hadn't gone far when they smelled the stench of blood in the air and found bloodstains on the ground. Just as they stood there in a daze, a voice came from afar.

"Now that you have arrived, please come in. I have been waiting for you for a long time."

They nervously swallowed, some even placing their hands on the hilts of their swords, but the moment they touched them, the voice of the Divine General echoed softly once more.

"Don't be nervous. You are all meritorious generals who guard the border. I have no ill intentions towards you."

The eight adults took a deep breath, and the moment they stood at the entrance of the hall, their eyes widened in shock as they saw dozens of corpses neatly arranged on the floor inside.

Instantly, everyone felt a chill envelop them, and the hairs on their bodies stood on end.

They saw it.

On the ground, there was a corpse that was none other than General Chen Liang.

When they looked up, the valiant general they had never met before was sitting upright in a grand chair, drinking tea, with a still-dripping blood-stained goose-feather dagger on the tea table beside him.

"What are you doing standing still?"

"Come in."

The eight generals suppressed their fear and scanned the corpses on the ground. They all recognized them as General Chen's entire family.

This mighty general killed General Chen's entire family.

As the eight generals took their seats.

Lin Fan glanced at them and discerned their official ranks from their clothing and tokens. He had already thoroughly investigated the situation within the Liaodong Camp before he arrived.

"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to meet you. Although you may be unfamiliar with me, I am quite familiar with you. This must be Deputy Commander Zhang. He has served in the army for twenty years and was promoted by His Majesty fifteen years ago and transferred here to serve as Deputy Commander," Lin Fan said with a smile.

The deputy commander-in-chief, who had just sat down, quickly stood up and said, "This humble officer greets the general."

Lin Fan raised his hand to interrupt, "No need for formalities. You don't need to be so reserved in front of me. I am here on His Majesty's orders to talk to General Chen about regaining military power."

"But I am very dissatisfied with General Chen's reply. His Majesty's decree has arrived, yet he says he needs to consider it. What do you think is the meaning of this?"

Lin Fan smiled faintly, his gaze lingering on each of their faces.

The eight men lowered their heads, none daring to answer.

Lin Fan didn't continue speaking. Instead, he casually picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip. The atmosphere in the hall was quiet and eerie. The corpses scattered all over the floor were a huge shock to them.

It was as if a voice was telling them.

Such are the consequences of disobeying the sacred command.

Are you all stubborn? Does that mean your whole family is incredibly stubborn?
"Deputy Commander Zhang, tell me, what exactly does Commander Chen mean by this?" Lin Fan asked.

Deputy Commander Zhang said nervously, "Reporting to the General, Chen Liang's behavior is a contempt for His Majesty. His Majesty trusts him to control the military power in Liaodong, but now he is trying to seize control of the military power, which is a treasonous act."

"Yes, that hits the nail on the head." Lin Fan nodded. "You are all veterans who have followed General Chen. You must know about Qin Li and his situation. Why don't you tell me if you have any thoughts of starting a rebellion? It's alright, just speak your mind. I know you haven't participated."

They are still needed to guard this place in Liaodong.

What he is doing now is deterrence.

Deputy Commander Zhang dared not answer the question. They all knew that Chen Liang and Qin Li had an extraordinary relationship and there were indeed signs of rebellion. Qin Li had once visited Liaodong.

During a private banquet, Chen Liang, drunk, jokingly remarked that when Governor Qin would add a new layer of clothing, the brothers would like to move over to a slightly different spot.

They were terrified when they heard that.

If this gets out, it will be a truly heinous crime, punishable by the execution of the entire family.

Just tell the truth.

At that moment, they felt a strange flutter in their hearts, for reasons they didn't know.

"Deputy Commander Zhang, what is it?" Lin Fan asked.

Pfft!
Deputy Commander Zhang knelt down and said, "General, I don't know how to say this. I really don't know."

"You don't know, or you don't dare to say it?"

"Your subordinate... Your subordinate."

Deputy Commander Zhang trembled, his voice shaking.

Lin Fan chuckled, "From this moment on, you are the General Commander of Liaodong."

As soon as these words came out.

Deputy Commander Zhang suddenly looked up, staring at Lin Fan in astonishment.

Lin Fan said, "When I came here, His Majesty specifically mentioned you to me. He said that you were just a captain in the Beijing Garrison, but you were studious and studied military strategy diligently. He felt that keeping you in the Beijing Garrison was a waste of your talents, so he promoted you to Liaodong as the deputy commander-in-chief, saying that with you there, he would feel at ease about the border defense."

"So many years have passed, and His Majesty still remembers you, which is enough to show how much His Majesty trusts you."

Lin Fan sighed, but these words filled Deputy Commander Zhang with remorse and extreme guilt.

"This humble servant has made a mistake, this humble servant has failed the Emperor's grace!" Deputy Commander Zhang wept bitterly, wailing loudly.

Lin Fan said, "If you have failed the Emperor's grace, it is because of a problem with your thinking. But it is not too late to change now. His Majesty said that the situation in Liaodong is complicated. If you can admit your mistakes, you will be given a chance to reform."

“You have been promoted to general, and you have all been promoted one rank. Now I just want to ask you, whose soldiers are the soldiers in Liaodong?”

Deputy Commander Zhang cried out, “They are His Majesty’s soldiers. I have failed His Majesty’s grace and deserve to die a thousand deaths. However, thanks to His Majesty’s kindness, I am willing to go through fire and water for His Majesty and die a thousand deaths.”

The other seven people knelt down, filled with fear and trepidation.

Deputy Commander Zhang said, "General, Qin Li has rebellious intentions, and Chen Liang is the main force behind Qin Li's rebellion. Over the years, armored soldiers and fine horses have been continuously sent here. Liaodong is said to have 50,000 iron cavalry, but in reality, it has reached as many as 70,000."

Lin Fan frowned and asked, "Are they all heavily armored cavalry?"

Deputy Commander Zhang shook his head and said, "No, Liaodong can only equip itself with heavy armor and at most 10,000 fine cavalry. The rest only have armor but no fine horses. This would cost too much, and Liaodong cannot afford it."

"This is also why Chen Liang has not made a move; he is still buying fine horses from various places and training soldiers."

Lin Fan nodded. It really was 70,000 heavily armored cavalry, fully armed. He didn't know how other countries fought against them.

But 10,000 is still quite terrifying.

Even so, it should not be underestimated.

In his understanding, the fact that several thousand Xuanjia soldiers of the Tang Dynasty could defeat 100,000 soldiers was enough to demonstrate how terrifying elite heavy armor cavalry was.

Men are armored, horses are armored.

On the battlefield, unless exhausted, they are truly invincible.

Lin Fan said, "Alright, remember this: military power in Liaodong is not something that can be controlled by a private individual. Now that Chen Liang is dead, you need to keep this matter to yourselves. When you return to your camp, if anyone asks, just say that Chen Liang returned to the capital to meet the emperor."

"If anyone in the military camp is disobedient, kill him."

"Your Liaodong camp is of great importance. Once I capture Qin Li, it will be time for the expedition. At that time, your opportunity to make meritorious contributions will come."

After he said those words.

Everyone present was slightly taken aback.

Clearly, no one expected that the Divine Martial General would take action against Qin Li. It seems that His Majesty has reached the limit of his tolerance for Qin Li.

General Zhang replied, "Yes, General, I understand. I will certainly keep a close watch on the Liaodong camp for His Majesty and will never allow the Chen-Liang incident to happen."

Lin Fan stood up and said, "Well, then I'll leave this place to you. I still need to go to Qin Li's place."

After saying that, he turned and left.

The royal historian followed behind.

inside the hall.

After Lin Fan left, the eight people slumped into their chairs, staring at the corpses scattered on the ground. No one knew what they were thinking.

But deep down I was truly terrified.

They were all terrified by the general's methods.

After a while.

General Zhang slowly said, "Those who heard this understand, right? This is our only chance. If His Majesty doesn't pursue the matter, we will have a new choice. You should also understand the General's meaning. Return to your camps. Arrest those who should be arrested and kill those who should be killed. Remember, this must be done in secret. Do not cause any disturbances."

"Yes, General."

Everyone responded.

This was their first time seeing the Divine Martial General, and the oppressive aura emanating from him was so powerful that it made them feel as if they were in a sea of ​​blood and a mountain of corpses.

He wasn't angry at all; in fact, his tone of voice sounded quite calm.

But that's the feeling they get.

……

a few days later.

A secret letter was delivered to the Imperial Study.

When the emperor opened it, he was filled with heavy thoughts. He had not expected the situation in Liaodong to be so dangerous, but fortunately, his beloved minister had resolved it.

In the letter, Lin Fan briefly mentioned what he had done.

To the emperor, these are all trivial matters. He approves of the decisions his beloved minister has made, but to be honest, he is now quite worried about his journey to Qin Li's place.

At this moment, Eunuch Wang said, "Your Majesty, General Qin requests an audience with you."

"Let him in," the emperor said.

Soon, Qin Xiang entered the imperial study and knelt down with a thud. "Your subject, Qin Xiang, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Minister Qin, what brings you here?" the emperor asked.

Qin Xiang lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, I...I beg Your Majesty to spare my father's life."

"Why do you say that?" The emperor remained expressionless, but he was also startled. How did he know that Minister Lin was going to take action against Qin Li?

Qin Xiang said, "Your Majesty, General Lin has been away from the capital for several days. I have a feeling that the only thing that could get General Lin to personally take action is my father's side."

The emperor was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Minister Qin, I have high hopes for you."

"I understand, sir."

The emperor threw the secret letter in front of Qin Xiang, saying, "Read it for yourself."

Qin Xiang took the secret letter with a sense of unease. As he read its contents, his face turned deathly pale. The letter contained details of the matter between his father and Chen Liang.

They privately stockpiled armor and purchased fine horses to build a heavily armored cavalry.

This is tantamount to rebellion without the court's permission.

Qin Xiang's hand holding the secret letter trembled uncontrollably, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

The dilemma of balancing loyalty to the emperor and filial piety has existed since ancient times.

At this very moment, it was laid bare before him.

All of this was taught to him by his father: to serve the court, to be loyal to the emperor and love the country. But now, what his father is doing has completely confused Qin Xiang.

His father, whom he considered a towering figure and a god of war, had actually colluded with Chen Liang of the Liaodong Camp to prepare for a rebellion.

This...this.

"Your Majesty, I deserve to die."

The emperor waved his hand without saying a word. Eunuch Wang walked to Qin Xiang's side and said softly, "General Qin, His Majesty is tired."

at this time.

Coastal border defense.

After reading the letter in his hand, Qin Li gripped it tightly.

This news came from the capital.

Lin Fan led thirty iron cavalrymen away from the capital, their whereabouts unknown.

(End of this chapter)