Looking back, King Cheng was once a valiant general who could ride his horse freely and slay enemy generals.
He was known for his bravery and skill in battle from a young age, and he made many outstanding contributions on the frontier. His soldiers all respected him.
At that time, he was full of vigor and ambition, as if the world was vast and there was nowhere he could not go and no battle he could not win.
However, this period of good fortune did not last long. After the new emperor—Lu Jingze's father—ascended the throne, he became wary of his younger brother, who had made great military achievements, fearing that his achievements would overshadow his own and threaten his throne.
The late emperor acted decisively and ruthlessly, and his control over power bordered on obsession.
Thus, an imperial edict was issued, and King Cheng was forcibly recalled from the army to the capital, thus being far removed from the battlefield and never having the opportunity to lead troops into battle again.
Even when it came to granting fiefdoms later, he almost without thinking, bestowing the most barren and desolate Cangzhou upon King Cheng.
Cangzhou is located in a remote area with barren land and a harsh climate, and the people live in poverty, which is in stark contrast to the former glory of King Cheng.
This move was undoubtedly an insult and a blow to King Cheng.
Since then, although there have never been any fierce disputes or conflicts between the two sides, a seed of dissatisfaction has been planted deep in King Cheng's heart.
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Three days later, Ye Lanfeng, dragging his weary body, met Lu Jingze again.
At this moment, his eyes were lifeless, his face was haggard, and he seemed to have been completely drained of energy.
In the past few days, he has racked his brains and exhausted all his efforts to "pry" the 100,000 taels of silver out of Minister Liu of the Ministry of Revenue.
However, Lord Liu lived up to his reputation as a notorious miser in the court, and no matter how much Ye Lanfeng pleaded and begged, he refused to budge.
Looking at Lu Jingze again, he was radiant and walked with a light step.
Upon comparing the two, Ye Lanfeng immediately felt a sense of imbalance, and a surge of resentment welled up within him.
He stormed up to Lu Jingze and demanded, "Jingze! Have you gone to see the Third Prince? I've been chasing after Lord Liu for days! It's starting to look promising, so don't you dare sabotage me!"
Lu Jingze replied calmly, "Don't worry, Third Imperial Uncle has already agreed to our request. He will fully cooperate regarding the matter of Cangzhou."
Upon hearing this, Ye Lanfeng was filled with disbelief and exclaimed, "What! This is impossible! You can't be making fun of me about something so important!"
Lu Jingze raised an eyebrow. "Who's joking with you? The Third Imperial Uncle's seal has already been handed over to me."
As he spoke, he took out an exquisite seal from his sleeve, waved it in front of Ye Lanfeng, and then gave him a slightly disdainful look. "You still haven't gotten the money from Lord Liu?"
Ye Lanfeng stared at the seal for a long time, gritted his teeth, and said with a forced smile, "I...I...I'll be there soon too! You wait, I'll get the money in less than three days!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Jingze glanced at Ye Lanfeng with a half-smile, "Oh? Is that so? Then I'll have to wait and see?"
Provoked by Lu Jingze's words, Ye Lanfeng suddenly became energetic and full of vigor.
Without saying a word, he turned around and rushed towards Lord Liu, who had just finished court and was about to board his carriage to leave.
When Lord Liu saw Ye Lanfeng rushing towards him menacingly from afar, his face changed in fright, and he quickened his pace, wanting to escape.
As he ran, he muttered to himself, "Why is that little rascal from the Ye family here again! He's like a persistent ghost!"
Ye Lanfeng was not about to let him go and relentlessly pursued him.
The two of them ran desperately ahead and chased relentlessly behind, staging a fierce chase outside the palace gates.
The surrounding officials and guards all turned to look, but no one dared to step forward to stop them.
In the end, Lord Liu was so exhausted that he could no longer run.
He leaned against the carriage, panting heavily, "Young Master Ye... why... why are you doing this? This old minister... this old minister is truly powerless to help!"
Ye Lanfeng seized the opportunity to grab the hem of his clothes and refused to let go.
He stood with his hands on his hips, his tone laced with threat: "Lord Liu, if you don't agree, I'll come and wait for you every day! You decide what to do!"
Lord Liu sighed helplessly, his face contorted with resentment: "Fine, fine, this old minister concedes! Young Master Ye, please let go first, and we can talk slowly in the carriage, shall we?"
Ye Lanfeng then released his grip with satisfaction, smiling broadly, "That's more like it! Lord Liu, wouldn't it have been better if you had agreed so readily earlier?"
Lord Liu shook his head helplessly and reluctantly boarded the carriage with this troublesome little devil.
The carriage slowly drove away from the palace gate. Ye Lanfeng sat inside, a victorious smile on his face, thinking to himself, "Lu Jingze, Lu Jingze, once I get the money, let's see if you still dare to look down on me!"
Meanwhile, Lu Jingze stood at the palace gate, watching the carriage disappear into the distance, a particularly wicked smile on his face.
"Evil people will be punished by other evil people."
He turned and walked toward the palace, pondering his upcoming trip to Cangzhou.
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