Yunjing City.
The military camp of the Zhennan Border Army.
Zhao Cheng was eating meat in the military tent when Tuo Tiewuhua sat opposite him and poured him wine.
Seeing that his cup was empty, Zhao Cheng said, "Fill your own cup too. What's the point of watching me drink?"
"Drinking alcohol is forbidden in the army; this is an ironclad rule of the Prince," Tuo Tie Wu Hua said calmly.
Zhao Cheng asked in confusion, "The Northern Border Three Guards are composed of surrendered Night Dan soldiers, Jin Ran soldiers, and Dayue soldiers. These soldiers used to drink while fighting. Now they've even changed that habit?"
Tuo Tiewuhua said, "Your Highness, you don't understand the army, let alone soldiers."
"I don't understand!" Zhao Cheng downed his drink in one gulp and said, "But I understand people's hearts. You didn't lock me up in jail, and even treated me to drinks and meat with great hospitality, isn't that just to get me drunk and make me say what you want to hear? I'll grant your wish and see if this wine can get me drunk!"
Tuo Tiewu glanced upwards with his eyes and said, "You are judging a gentleman by your own petty standards. The prince is treating you with special hospitality! You are only a suspect now, not yet convicted, so the prince will naturally not mistreat you!"
Zhao Cheng laughed.
"why are you laughing?"
“I laugh at you people from the Western Regions. No matter how long you’ve been in the Eastern Lands, you’re not good at lying.”
Zhao Cheng shook his head and said, "No wonder your acting is so bad."
"You!" Tuo Tiewuhua stood up.
"And he's easily angered." Zhao Cheng added, "Don't try to play tricks on me. I can't get drunk by myself. Go tell your prince that he either needs to come and drink with me or come over to talk business. Everyone's busy, there's no need to waste time."
"Hmph!" Tuo Tie Wuhua glared at Zhao Cheng and walked out of the military tent.
"Quite arrogant." Zhao Cheng smiled and continued drinking and eating meat, not at all like a suspect being escorted here.
After an incense stick has burned.
Zhao Cheng had eaten and drunk his fill, and lay half-reclined beside the low table, closing his eyes to rest.
Yuan Zhang and Tuo Tiewuhua entered.
Unlike that day in Yunmeng City, today Yuan Zhang was clad in light armor and combat boots. Even a few casual steps from him exuded an aura of overwhelming power.
He sat down opposite Zhao Cheng, tapped the table with the back of his hand, and said, "Stop pretending. I have established a rule that drinking is forbidden in the army, so I cannot make an exception for you. Let's get straight to the point. What exactly is your relationship with Yang Qingzhi?"
Zhao Cheng opened his eyes, but did not sit up. He remained half-lying down and said, "What will it take for Your Highness to believe that I have no connection with Yang Qingzhi?"
“That’s easy.” Yuan Zhang tore off a piece of meat and took a bite. “Once you leave Yun Jing County, I’ll pretend nothing happened.”
"So direct??"
"There are no outsiders here, so I won't beat around the bush with you. You now have the markets in Jingdong County and Jiangyang County, which can make a lot of money for the Right Prime Minister's Mansion. Let's stop here. I can't interfere in other places, but not in Yunjing County."
Zhao Cheng leaned forward, getting closer to Yuan Zhang, and said, "Your Highness, have you ever considered that after I took Jiangyang County, I continued south to Yunjing, and even His Majesty didn't stop me? That means His Majesty tacitly approved it."
"His Majesty's tacit approval is His Majesty's business."
Yuan Zhang, with an indifferent expression, said, "His Majesty didn't give me an imperial edict to assist you in doing business."
"Why are you so stubborn!" Zhao Cheng finally sat up straight.
"Who gave me the surname Yuan? Who gave you the surname Zhao?" Yuan Zhang smiled slightly.
Zhao Cheng said sternly, "This is all due to the paranoia of your Yuan family! Now that even A-Yun has married me, what else do you have to worry about regarding the Zhao family?"
Yuan Zhang said seriously, "It's not a matter of whether we're at ease or not; it's that we must be prepared for any eventuality. If you, Zhao Cheng, become incredibly wealthy and collude with the Southern Zhou, will the Great Jing still have a chance to survive?"
"I'm a Jingren!" Zhao Cheng shouted. "That sissy Yang Qingzhi, do you think I'd even look at him?!"
Yuan Zhang revealed a triumphant smile and said, "How do you know he's effeminate? Is it because you've seen him before and know he has very fair skin?"
Depend on……
Zhao Cheng sighed inwardly. He was fine when he was with other people, but he got angry too easily when he was with Yuan Zhang.
After a moment's thought, Zhao Cheng immediately said, "The people of Jingdu call Yang Qingzhi the Jade-Faced Little Commander. Since he has a jade-faced appearance, he must be fair-skinned and clean-cut. What else could he be but an effeminate man?"
Yuan Zhang continued eating his meat and said, "Just say whatever you want, and I'll just listen casually."
Zhao Cheng crossed his arms and said resolutely, "I won't admit it! I won't leave! Just keep me locked up in the military camp and wait for A-Yun and my father to come looking for me!"
"Oh, so you're starting to give up?" Yuan Zhang chuckled, personally poured Zhao Cheng a full glass of wine, and said, "There's another way to prove that you have no connection with Yang Qingzhi and haven't colluded with Southern Zhou."
Zhao Cheng said, "I said I won't leave Yunjing County. I have to keep the business here!"
Yuan Zhang said, "As long as you do this well and prove that you haven't colluded with Southern Zhou, I will let you do the business in Yun Jing County!"
"really?"
"If Yang Qingzhi hadn't sent you women, wouldn't I have already agreed to let the Yunshang Conference continue?"
Zhao Cheng thought about it and agreed, then leaned closer and asked, "What do you want me to do?"
Yuan Zhangchao gave Tuo Tiewuhua a wink, and Tuo Tiewuhua immediately took out a map and unfolded it.
Yuan Zhang pointed to the location of Hechong County in Southern Zhou on the map and said, "The Grand Commander of Southern Zhou, Yang Zhanbei, has been hiding in the rear. We haven't even been able to find the approximate location of his command tent. But Yang Qingzhi's military tent is just ahead, it's just a pity there are three of them. Two of them must be fake, or all three are real, it's just uncertain when Yang Qingzhi will go to which one."
"Zhao Cheng, if you can find out which military tent Yang Qingzhi is in and bring him back, I will believe that you have not colluded with the Southern Zhou!"
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