Chapter 493 : Imperial Envoys (7)

After Xu Chen and Jiang Bin realised Feng Dajun’s identity, their faces became unsightly. Yun Qing had even disregarded the Imperial Envoys, which was too arrogant of him. However, considering that Yun Qing even dared to swallow millions of silver, it wasn’t surprising that he would do such a thing.

Cao De showed no expression. Instead, he was strictly businesslike as he asked Feng Dajun a series of questions. He queried him carefully and seriously from the moment Feng Dajun entered the Xu family until he left.

At first, Feng Dajun patiently answered a few questions. But as he listened, he heard some problems, especially when Cao De asked him why they left for Yu City in the middle of the night. Since he didn’t know these people had malicious intentions, he immediately scolded Cao De: “If we didn’t leave in the middle of the night, do you expect us to wait for the people of Xinping City to send us off with gongs and drums? Do you know that many things are waiting for the General to handle in Yu City, and the northern barbarians could attack at any time?” After saying that, he sneered at Cao De and Jiang Bin. “I hope you all won’t wet your pants when the northern barbarians come.”

Jiang Bin was furious and wanted to curse Feng Dajun, but Cao De gave him a cold look. Jiang Bin immediately broke into a cold sweat and dared not act rashly.

Cao De soothed Feng Dajun: “Please don’t be angry, Battalion Commander Feng. We also want to understand the specific situation at that time.”

Feng Dajun looked rough, but there was finesse in his roughness. He did not accept Cao De’s words and said, “I’ve said everything that needs to be said, and I don’t know what else Imperial Commissioner Daren1 wants to know in the end. Or do you want me to make something up?” As soon as Feng Dajun arrived in Xinping City, he was immediately invited over by Cao De, unaware that rumours had spread in Xinping City that Yun Qing had embezzled millions of silver from the Xu family. Had Feng Dajun known, he would not have been so accommodating.

Cao De looked at Feng Dajun. If even a small subordinate were so difficult to deal with, Yun Qing would be even more so. Coupled with a supposedly cunning Han Shi, this mission was even more troublesome than he had imagined. “Battalion Commander Feng, you’ve been thinking too much. We just want to understand the process so that we can report back to the Crown Prince.”

Feng Dajun said, “If there’s nothing else, I still have to go back and train my troops!” Feng Dajun had only brought a few men from his battalion with him!

Cao De handed Feng Dajun a piece of paper and said, “This is what you just said. I hope Battalion Commander Feng can put your fingerprint on it.”

Huo Changqing’s group of adopted sons were all literate. Feng Dajun took the paper and read it carefully before putting his fingerprint on it. “If there’s nothing else, this Feng will take his leave.”

Cao De was very accommodating as he nodded. “We are only trying to understand what happened back then. Since Battalion Commander Feng has clarified everything, it’s only natural for Battalion Commander Feng to return.” Anyway, this was just a formality, and Yu City was the main venue.

Looking at the natural and unrestrained back view of Feng Dajun walking away, Jiang Bin asked: “Cao Daren1, are you letting him go just like that? Isn’t he an accomplice?”

Cao De replied, “If you touch him, it will be like beating the grass to frighten the snakes2.” Yun Qing was the big fish he wanted to catch! He didn’t even pay much attention to Feng Dajun.

Xu Chen understood immediately. “Does Daren1 mean that we still have to go to Yu City? Doesn’t that mean we’re entering the tiger’s mouth3?” He was extremely reluctant to go to Yu City.

Cao De coldly glanced at Xu Chen and said, “Xu Daren1 doesn’t have to go if he doesn’t want to.” These two people were utterly burdensome. However, Cao De was also aware that they were acting as someone’s eyes and ears, watching his every move.

No matter how afraid of death Xu Chen was, he did not dare not to follow Cao De. Otherwise, he would lose his official position when returning to the capital.

Feng Dajun didn’t return to Yu City right away but went to meet Yu Cong first. After arriving in Xinping City, it was inexcusable not to meet his good brother! Seeing Yu Cong’s gloomy face, Feng Dajun smiled and asked: ”What’s wrong? I thought you were having a good time at the Prefect’s yamen4! Why have you lost so much weight?”

Yu Cong was furious at this time, exclaiming, “Having a good time? While the General’s reputation is more or less ruined?” Now, everyone in Xinping City was saying that his General had embezzled millions of taels of silver from the Xu family. When he heard this rumour, he almost lost his temper.

The smile on Feng Dajun’s face immediately disappeared as he angrily asked, “Who is framing the General??” Several million taels of silver! Darn it! All the things they had brought back were junk; only those children could use them. Otherwise, he would have burned them all.

Yu Cong said, “Who else could it be? It’s that dog Cao. I don’t want to reminisce with you today. Hurry back and tell the General that this dog Cao is insidious and cunning. Tell the General to be even more careful.”

Feng Dajun also lost the mood to reminisce with Yu Cong. “Brother, I’m going back then, and you’ll still have to deal with all the trouble here.” Before he came, he was ready to chat with Yu Cong, but now he didn’t have time to do so.

Yu Cong said, “Be careful on the road.”

Feng Dajun laughed heartily. “I really wish someone was waiting on the road just for me to have a good time killing them.” He was holding back a ball of fire! Darn it. He knew that this Imperial Commissioner was not a good person. As expected, he was trying to plot against his General. He was simply looking for death.

The next day, Cao De led a group of over 200 followers to Yu City. Tan Tuo escorted them to the city gate and turned back.

Tan Ming was somewhat worried and asked, “Daren1, what if Yun Qing is no match for Cao De?” If the General were to be replaced, Daren1’s life would not be easy.

Tan Tuo said, “I don’t think so.” Although he had confidence in Yun Qing and Yuxi, Cao De was not a good person either, and he still had some worries in his heart.

Things weren’t peaceful on the Yu City side either. No one knew who had spread the rumour that Yun Qing had swallowed up all the ten million taels of silver the Xu family had hidden in the secret room.

When Mama Xi returned from visiting the children at the Charity Home, she told Yuxi the news. “Madam, these people are so despicable to slander the General in this way. Madam, we must find out who is behind spreading these rumours, and when we catch them, we must punish them severely.”

Yuxi didn’t take it to heart and said, “Ten million silver? It would be a good thing if there were that much silver. At least the military expenses in Yu City would no longer be a concern.” Why should Yuxi be anxious when the one who spread the rumour was her? Instead of waiting for Cao De to take action, it would have been better if she had acted first.

Mama Xi felt that Yuxi had a big heart. “If it continues like this, it will be bad for the General’s reputation!” If everyone believed that Yun Qing had embezzled that huge sum of money, there would be no way to convince them otherwise.

Yuxi replied to Mama Xi with these words, “Those who are clear are certainly clear.” Seeing Mama Xi’s tangled face, Yuxi smiled and said, “Go about your business. The General will take care of these things.”

After Mama Xi left the study, she went to Mother Lan and urged, “Mama, please advise Madam too! This is not a trivial matter. Madam must take it into consideration.”

Mama Lan smiled. ”Tens of millions of silver can be piled up into a small hill, which would take a thousand boxes to pack. With that much silver, can the General do magic to make it disappear? I don’t know who is spreading such a ridiculous rumour.”

Mama Xi smiled as she thought about it and said, “I was wondering why Madam wasn’t worried, so here’s the reason!” The boxes that were taken to Yu City totalled more than 900 boxes. Many people had seen these boxes. If there had been gold and silver inside, people would have talked about it then, not now.

The rumour had spread so widely that practically everyone in Yu City had heard of it. Zhao Zhuo asked General Zhao, “Dad, I don’t think this rumour is necessarily unfounded. Dad, do you remember the sixty or so large boxes sent to the military headquarters? Could those sixty or so large boxes be the missing massive sum of money? If those sixty or so large boxes were all gold, at ten thousand per box, that would be more than six hundred thousand taels of gold, and since one tael of gold was equal to ten taels of silver, that would be more than six million taels of silver.

After a pause, Zhao Zhuo continued: “Speaking of which, Yun Qing can really be so calm, keeping the news so tight.”

General Zhao replied in a deep voice, “A few days ago, Yun Qing suddenly changed his guards, and all the guards at the military headquarters are now from the Dingbei Army. A few days later, there were movements at the military headquarters at night.” General Zhao felt it was unusual for Yun Qing to do something so conspicuous at this critical moment.

Zhao Zhuo was startled. “Dad, do you mean that Yun Qing heard the news and took out the gold and silver hidden in the military headquarters?” Zhao Zhuo felt that Yun Qing had a lot of nerve.

General Zhao shook his head. “I’m not sure about that, but the side of the military department is indeed not quite normal these days. As for those boxes you mentioned, although the people who moved them at the time said they were heavy, no one had opened them, and no one knew for sure what was inside. It could be gold and silver, or it could be something else.” The Zhao family had been operating in Yu City for so many years that very few things could be hidden from him. However, Yun Qing’s actions this time left him completely confused.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Zhuo asked, “Dad, the Imperial Envoys will be arriving soon. What should we do?” Whether they would take advantage of the opportunity to take down Yun Qing or watch from the sidelines required careful consideration.

General Zhao said, ”Don’t act rashly. We don’t know the details of the Imperial Envoys, but we know exactly how Yun Qing and Han Shi are doing. It won’t be easy for the Imperial Envoys to use this matter to overthrow Yun Qing.”

Speaking of Han Yuxi, Zhao Zhuo couldn’t help but sigh. “That woman has guts! How dare she buy all of the Xu family’s fields and still not completely pay up.” Not to mention that his wife didn’t have the guts, and neither did he.

General Zhao said: “She bought these fields, and no one said anything bad about her, even when she was in debt. Do you have that ability?” Yuxi did not put all of the more than 20,000 mu5 of land in her name when she bought it, of which 5,000 mu5 was put in the name of the Children Charity Home and 5,000 mu5 in the name of Qingming Hall. Yuxi put the remaining 10,000 mu5 in her name, which she had now paid in full. Only 20,000 taels had been paid for both the Salesian Hospital and Qingming Hall properties, and Yuxi said the rest would be paid by the end of the year.

Zhao Zhuo shook his head. “I don’t have that ability.”

General Zhao said: “So this time, we will not help each other.” In other words, the Zhao family would be on the sidelines this time.

Zhao Zhuo nodded. “Dad, I know what to do.”