Jiang Zhongyong looked up at Eunuch Wang, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
He knew that although the reward seemed generous, it was actually the emperor's way of weakening the Jiang family's military power.
The title of "Dragon and Tiger General" sounds nice, but it's similar to the "Mighty General" that Jiang Huai initially inherited, even in rank.
All they got was a general's mansion.
Feng Ying received no reward whatsoever, which practically erased all of her contributions.
When Jiang Huai returned to the capital in triumph, he promoted Jiang He. To outsiders, it seemed that the emperor was being incredibly kind to the Jiang family, with both brothers being promoted.
In fact, Jianghe's rank was promoted by one level, but he lost his position as commander before he could even settle in.
A promotion in name only, Jiang He was reduced to a figurehead commander, becoming the emperor's personal bodyguard.
That's quite a clever scheme.
Jiang Huai led a force of only two thousand men on their journey to Beijing.
However, even with such a small force, the emperor still harbored suspicions about him and found it difficult to completely let down his guard.
A surge of resentment welled up in Jiang He's heart. He felt that all of this was utterly boring and disappointing!
The general's household was united and loyal, even willing to offer their hearts to the emperor as a sign of loyalty. But even so, the emperor would probably still think it was nothing more than a pretentious performance.
Jiang Huai himself was also very frustrated.
His wife, Feng Ying, went through life and death with him, fighting bravely and fearlessly on the battlefield, displaying a heroic spirit that was in no way inferior to that of men.
In the end, even the imperial edict did not mention her name.
The exceptionally intelligent Feng Ying keenly sensed Jiang Huai's inner dissatisfaction.
She said softly, "Husband, don't worry. I don't care about these empty titles. We stayed in the Northwest not to pursue those vain things, right?" As she spoke, she looked tenderly at Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huai pulled Feng Ying close with heartache and hugged her tightly, saying with deep remorse, "Madam, I'm so sorry to have wronged you."
Feng Ying smiled and responded to her husband, wrapping her arms around his waist and saying affectionately, "As long as our family can live together peacefully and happily, I will feel incredibly happy."
Afterwards, Lin Muheng and Jiang Chuwei returned to the Prince's residence. Lin Muheng, who had been suppressing his emotions, could no longer hold back and finally roared, "What on earth is Father thinking? The Jiang family has been loyal for generations, making great contributions to the court, yet all we get in return is Father's endless suspicion!"
Jiang Chuwei frowned, her face showing worry, and said, "Husband, please be careful with your words! If such words get out, they may cause us a lot of trouble."
She walked to Lin Muheng's side and gently tugged at his sleeve.
They didn't just find out today that Emperor Rongsheng was petty and narrow-minded.
Lin Muheng was particularly angry today.
Jiang He was one thing, but the emperor couldn't tolerate two generals from the same family, so he downplayed his military achievements.
But what about the brother-in-law?
"Hmph! I'm just stating the facts! Which of my father-in-law's sons, whom he raised with such hardship, isn't outstanding, a dragon among men?"
"But Father Emperor is different. He needs to rely on his father-in-law's family's power and talent, yet he's constantly on guard against them."
"Take my second brother for example. The emperor transferred him to his side precisely because he valued his unwavering loyalty. Yet, even so, why is the emperor still so wary of the General's Mansion? Does he really think the Jiang family harbors rebellious intentions?"
Today was supposed to be a joyous day at the General's Mansion, but an unexpected imperial edict poured cold water over them, instantly destroying the happy and peaceful atmosphere.
Jiang Zhonghai sat in the head seat. Although he didn't utter a single complaint, anyone could clearly see the deep frustration on his weathered face.
The whole family was full of enthusiasm, wholeheartedly devoted to the country and the people, and were willing to sacrifice their lives, but in the end they ended up like this. What was the point of all this?
Could it be that all the effort and hard work only resulted in endless suspicion?
Is a fervent patriotism truly as meaningless as feeding a vicious dog?
Thinking of this, Lin Muheng's anger burned even more fiercely. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and resolutely decided to go to the palace to confront his father, the Emperor. His father had truly gone too far!
Jiang Chuwei quickly stepped forward, grabbed Lin Muheng who was about to leave, and pressed him into a chair.
She said gently, “My lord, I know you are doing this to speak out for me. However, let’s leave it at that. His Majesty’s way of doing things has been going on for a long time and is not something that has happened overnight. The thousands of people of Daqing Kingdom still need someone to protect them. If we confront His Majesty directly now, I’m afraid it will provoke my father’s displeasure. As for my sister-in-law’s achievements, they should indeed be known to the world, but the time is not yet ripe, and we must not be too hasty.”
Lin Muheng frowned, looking puzzled, and asked, "Then when would be the right time?"
Jiang Chuwei looked up at Lin Muheng, smiled slightly, but did not answer. Seeing this, a flicker of doubt crossed Lin Muheng's mind, and he blurted out, "Could it be..."
Jiang Chuwei nodded gently and slowly said, "That's right, the Emperor will pass away within the year."
Upon hearing this, Lin Muheng's eyes widened instantly, his face filled with astonishment. It took him a long time to recover, and he muttered to himself in disbelief, "How is this possible? Father has always been in good health and has a very robust body."
Jiang Chuwei said solemnly, "That's why I feel that my father's death in my previous life must have been hiding some mystery."
Upon hearing this, Lin Muheng nodded as if suddenly understanding, and then asked, "So, the reason you insisted on your elder brother's quick return was because of this inside story?"
Jiang Chuwei nodded. "We need to be prepared. Although my eldest brother only brought two thousand men back to the capital, they were all elites trained by the General's Mansion. What I didn't expect was that my second brother became the Emperor's personal bodyguard, and he lost his position before he even had a chance to settle in."
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