Chapter 77 Ji and Jing can now legitimately…
On New Year's Eve, the military was urgently assembled.
Also gathered were geological experts that Ji and Jing had invited from various places.
As dusk settled, as if ink had been melted into the darkness, the council hall of the Ningdong Army remained brightly lit.
A long table was temporarily set up in the center of the council hall, on which a map of Zhenshan River, hand-drawn and roughly annotated by Lin Qingdai, was laid out. Ji Yujing, several high-ranking military officers, and a geological expert gathered together to examine the map closely.
"Gentlemen, do these terrain features match the markings?"
A geological expert named Zhang Xianlu said: "We need to look at the map of this area for comparison."
However, comparing a map is a thousand times easier than finding a specific place in a vast country.
Zhang Xianlu: "This place is quite remote. How did you come up with this idea, General?"
The words left by Lin Qingdai on the map have been carefully cut out and preserved by Ji Yujing. Now only the hand-drawn map and annotations remain.
Ye Xiao answered him, "It wasn't my brother who thought it, it was my sister-in-law."
No one was surprised by these words.
Several high-ranking officers within the Ningdong Army were already accustomed to Lin Er's unconventional tactics, while several powerful figures had long heard of her extensive reading and top-tier knowledge in Xun Kingdom. Upon meeting her today, they realized that her reputation was well-deserved.
Such a remote location would be unimaginable to anyone who isn't familiar with maps.
It was precisely because it was Lin Qingdai's work that several powerful figures believed these annotations were valuable and immediately took action.
"Please have a seat, General. We will begin the review and comparison now."
Ji Yujing nodded slightly. "Thank you all for your hard work. If you need anything during this time, please just let me know."
"Um."
The review and comparison were destined to be a long and tedious process, but no one left. They sat around a tea table in the hall, on which lay only a pot of tea and a few cups. The results, however, were crucial for Ji Yujing, Ning Dongjun, and even the entire Xun Kingdom.
Internal strife, looming external enemies, a dysfunctional royal family, post-war reconstruction... money is absolutely essential to resolving all of this.
Time passed slowly, and nearly an hour went by.
Several geological experts finally reached a consensus, and they meticulously marked the blank areas on the map.
"General."
The geological expert named Wuhai was called Ji Yujing.
Ji and Jing immediately stood up and returned to the long table.
"How about it?"
"The lady's markings match the terrain perfectly; even the ones she didn't mark, we marked them for her."
"General, please take a look."
Ji Yujing looked down and stared intently, appearing calm, but in reality, her heart was churning with turbulent emotions.
Zhang Xianlu tapped a place name on the map. "Based on the topographical analysis, this place is at a high altitude, so the entrance is very likely here."
"Heaven is on the general's side; half of this area is within the territory of Lingdong."
In other places, controlling Mibao at this stage would not be easy.
Yu Yong, Xu Xian, and others were overjoyed to hear this.
Without Ji Yujing needing to give any instructions, Yu Yong asked Zhang Xianlu and the others, "What's the geology like here? What special tools would we need to break through to the entrance?"
“I can arrange it.”
Zhang Xianlu and others began to explain in detail to Yu Yong, making Ji Yujing seem superfluous.
He smiled at the several experts from different fields.
He thought to himself: These powerful figures have finally found a place to use their skills. If Miss Lin were here, she would definitely get along with them.
The longing came suddenly, but Ji Yujing accepted it all without hesitation.
With her not by his side, he could only draw nourishment from these thoughts of longing.
Once he had calmed down, Ji Yujing called the four generals aside, and Ye Xiao followed. "Boss, are we setting off?"
As soon as they gathered, Xu Xian asked anxiously.
He was really anxious about this matter; he wanted to reach the capital as quickly as possible and kill Song Yunmian.
The others also stared expectantly at Ji Yujing.
Ji Yujing laughed, "Are you two waiting to make a name for yourselves and get married?"
Chen Sinian: "Don't take me with you, I have a wife."
Ye Xiao nearly died laughing. "Then marry another one."
Chen Ssu-nien: "Then I dare not."
After answering, he added, "Don't even mention me, even the general wouldn't dare."
Ji Yujing: "..."
After a moment, he chuckled, "I really don't dare."
I was just given a shocking lesson.
If he angers Miss Lin, she might really abandon him.
"Stop fooling around, let's get back to the point."
"This time, the forces will split into two groups, one operating in the open and the other in the shadows, heading to different places..."
...
On the first day of the month, the emperor would hold court, where all the feudal lords and officials would pay their respects to the emperor and discuss matters of state. Many rewards and honors would also be announced at the court assembly. However, this time, all the officials were dressed exquisitely and looked very energetic. Even Lin Yansen, who had not been seen for a long time, had arrived, but the emperor was nowhere to be seen.
"What's wrong with Your Majesty?"
"It's been eight days since I last saw him."
"Yes, a few days ago Eunuch Xiao came forward to give his reasons, but why haven't we seen him today?"
...
The murmurs were faint, but they were all around Lin Yansen, and unless he was deaf, he could hear them to some extent.
He couldn't help but take two steps closer to Zhou Zhangping, "His Majesty hasn't shown his face for eight days?"
Zhou Zhangping: "Yes."
Lin Yansen: "No, I mean, how come no one told me about something this big?"
Zhou Zhangping clicked his tongue, "You're about to leave the capital, so stop getting involved."
After pausing for two breaths, no more, no less, he said again, "We should all get involved less; some of them are crazy."
The one who went mad was naturally the eldest prince.
He always had a smile on his face and a handsome, almost otherworldly appearance, but his methods were extremely ruthless. If you offended him in any way, he could wipe out your entire family in a flash.
Lin Yansen knew who Zhou Zhangping was talking about and agreed with him.
But we can't just ignore His Majesty for fear of causing trouble.
No matter what His Majesty is like, others may curse him or even try to remove him from power, but those of us who have received his favors cannot simply ignore him.
If even they abandon him, then His Majesty could die in the palace and no one would even know. Lin Yansen had already made up his mind, but before he could do anything, Xin Huai, the third-ranking official in the Directorate of Ceremonial, appeared before him, saying, "His Majesty has decreed..."
As the voices rang out, all the officials knelt, chanting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
Xin Huai announced the edict establishing the crown prince to the public, and then informed the officials, "His Majesty is unwell. From today onwards, the crown prince will be in charge of matters of state."
After handing the imperial edict to the crown prince and offering his congratulations, Xin Huai left by the same route.
The ministers had differing opinions, but they all smiled broadly and went over to congratulate Song Yunmian.
Lin Yansen watched quietly, then suddenly cried out in pain, clutching his stomach with his large hand.
Zhou Zhangping looked at him with disdain: "You have so much to do."
"Go and take care of this quickly. I'll cover for you here. Fortunately, everyone is congratulating the Crown Prince. Go and come back quickly."
Lin Yansen: "Thank you very much."
"Zhou Zhangping, you are my own brother."
After saying that, he rushed out of the hall in a hurry.
Zhou Zhangping was amused by his anxious manner, "It really is true that everyone has to go to the bathroom sometimes."
Lin Yansen ran out of the main hall and turned left.
"My lord, what's wrong?"
Lin Yansen: "I might have eaten something bad. I'm going to squat for a bit."
The soldiers on duty didn't think much of it; everyone has their moments of urgency.
"The nearest one is over there; you should know that."
"Mmm, thank you, bro."
"I will repay you."
He amused several guards.
A first-rank noble as unpretentious as Lord Lin is a rare find in the entire Xun Kingdom.
Lin Yansen continued running forward. He had been wandering around the palace since he was a child, and he knew many nooks and crannies that others did not know, not to mention His Majesty's daily routine.
His Majesty always enters and exits the council hall through a different gate, which requires him to run through a long, tree-lined corridor to reach it.
He had to hurry to have any chance of seeing Xin Huai.
Lin Yansen had never run so fast in his life, so naturally he was exhausted. When he was tired, he thought: once the situation stabilizes, he should learn some light-body skills from his son-in-law.
During that competition, Ji and Jing flew onto the stage.
If he had that ability, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state now.
Upon arrival, Lin Yansen's heart was already pounding.
He had to stop, bend over slightly, and pant heavily.
Fortunately, Xin Huai was still within his sight.
After resting for a while, Lin Yansen started running again.
He ran past Xin Huai, who was walking at a leisurely pace. Soon the two were side by side, as if they had agreed beforehand, and neither of them stopped.
Xin Huai asked, "Is the Marquis looking for me?"
Lin Yansen: "How is that person?"
Xin Huai: "This is bad. They should be thinking of the Marquis."
Lin Yansen immediately stopped.
Xin Huai did not stop, but went straight to the Directorate of Ceremonial.
The surroundings were empty, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
The general's father-in-law is truly a remarkable man.
How would he do it? He was very much looking forward to it.
...
Lin Yansen ran back quickly, running continuously until his face was flushed and his forehead was covered in sweat, even in the dead of winter. At first glance, he really did look like something was wrong.
The moment he re-entered the council hall, the eyes of the crown prince and all the ministers fell on him.
Song Yunmian: "Your Excellency, this looks very unwell. Should we summon the imperial physician to examine him?"
Lin Yansen bowed to him: "Thank you, Your Highness. I have medicine at home. I will be fully recovered after taking it for another day or two."
"Okay. If you're not feeling well, you should head back first."
Lin Yansen thanked him again, but then abruptly changed the subject.
"Your Highness, I will be leaving for the south the day after tomorrow. I came this morning specifically to wish Your Majesty a Happy New Year and to say goodbye."
"Your Majesty, I wish to see you. I hope Your Highness will grant me permission."
The relationship between Lord Lin and His Majesty was common knowledge in the court. Even after developing a fear of Ji Yujing, His Majesty was still willing to let the Lin family go to the south. Although the Lin family had given up half of their wealth, if His Majesty really wanted to, he had plenty of ways to swallow up all of the Lin family's assets and trap them in the capital.
But he didn't; he chose the gentlest approach.
His Majesty has not appeared for many days, and no one in the court dares to ask him about it, except for Lord Lin, who is facing this matter directly.
Logically, he should have agreed, but the Crown Prince simply smiled and said, "It's inconvenient today. If it weren't for the fact that Marquis Lin is staying in the capital for a few more days, I would have met with His Majesty once he was feeling better before leaving."
Lin Yansen stared at him intently, beyond the normal time limit.
Suddenly, he smiled.
Then everyone saw the Crown Prince's smile freeze, and a cold glint appear in his eyes. Although he quickly regained his composure, someone had noticed it nonetheless.
That's enough for today, everyone's out.
Even at this point, the Crown Prince had no intention of confronting Lin Yansen head-on.
Although the Lin family has no real power, its reputation is unparalleled in Xun Kingdom, not to mention its extensive network of connections.
If we take action, the consequences are hard to predict.
But Lin Yansen insisted on meeting him, saying, "Your Majesty and I have known each other for over forty years. Since I was five years old, I have paid my respects to Your Majesty on the first day of every Lunar New Year. Given our friendship, I believe that even if Your Majesty is unwell, you will not refuse my visit."
"What reason does Your Highness have for preventing me from visiting His Majesty? Could it be..."
"Lin Yansen, how dare you!"
Lin Yansen laughed: "Daring? His Majesty often scolds me like that, so it's not surprising."
"If Your Highness does not allow me to visit His Majesty at the Imperial Palace today, then I have reason to doubt the authenticity of your Crown Prince's edict..."
Before he could finish speaking, Song Yunmian ordered, "Someone, take Lord Lin to Mingle Palace. He is too emotional and needs to calm down."
Lin Yansen was taken away, and not long after, Song Yunmian also left with a cold face.
Zhou Zhangping was extremely anxious.
He told that old bastard Lin Yansen to stop making trouble, but he wouldn't listen.
What should we do now?
Zhou Zhangping, knowing his own limitations, followed Zhang Huining out of the council hall. Reaching a secluded spot, he couldn't help but say...
"What should we do? Is Lao Lin in danger? I've told him to calm down and not cause trouble, but he won't listen."
Zhang Huining was amused by his distressed appearance. Knowing it was inappropriate, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't worry, the Crown Prince wouldn't dare to go too far with Lord Lin."
This is a prestigious family that has stood atop Xun Kingdom for a century.
Being kind doesn't mean it's easy to bully.
"But you know Lin Yansen's temper; when he gets angry, he can argue with His Majesty until he's red in the face and his neck is thick."
What does the crown prince mean to him?
Hearing this, Zhang Huining became a little worried.
"I'll arrange for someone to go check on him later. Keep an eye on him, okay?"
Zhou Zhangping was finally relieved.
Zhang Huining: "I've never seen you take such good care of him before."
Zhou Zhangping: "Isn't it true that you can only see true friendship in times of hardship?"
Zhang Huining: "..."
This spoiled brat is quite the talker; he couldn't keep up with the conversation.
Once inside the Mingle Palace, Lin Yansen stopped cursing. No one would listen; why bother?
The Silver Shield Army was unwilling to make things difficult for him, and once he entered the hall, they released him from their control.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Crown Prince stepped into the hall, and the atmosphere instantly turned cold and somber.
Lin Yansen was not afraid of him and remained seated, showing no sign of wanting to stand up.
"As expected of Lord Lin, what courage!"
Lin Yansen: "Your Highness has probably already taken control of the inner court, right? You should already know that His Majesty has granted me a life-saving imperial edict?"
"If you kill me, you will be extremely unfilial. Since you are extremely unfilial, no one will be surprised if you do something to His Majesty."
Song Yunmian smiled, the curve of her lips subtle yet sharp.
"Lord Lin is right."
Song Yunmian slowly walked towards Lin Yansen, and then, without any warning, grabbed one of Lin Yansen's hands and broke two of his fingers.
hiss.
Lin Yansen was in so much pain that he burst into tears, and his whole body was trembling.
Song Yunmian released his hand and continued the previous sentence.
"But my lord, don't forget that sometimes living is more painful than dying."
"Remember this pain, and be careful with your words and actions in the future."
After saying that, he lingered for a moment on the beads of sweat on Lin Yansen's forehead before looking away.
Just as I was about to step out of the main hall, I thought, "Since Lord Lin refused my offer to send the imperial physician to him, I won't send him now."
"After two days of confinement without water or lunch, you can be released from the palace."
Not long after Song Yunmian left, Zhang Huining's men took advantage of the chaos during shift changes to enter the side hall. The man's name was Zhang Rui, a confidant of Zhang Huining, and he also had a very good relationship with Lin Yansen.
Seeing Lin Yansen's handsome face turn pale with pain, he was greatly alarmed and rushed to his side.
"My lord, why are you doing this?"
Looking at the two broken fingers, Zhang Rui knew what had happened.
Lin Yansen: "It's alright, he only dared to break two of my fingers."
What should we do now?
Just as the shift was changing, the previous guards specifically emphasized that Lord Lin should be detained for two days and that he was not allowed to call a doctor for him.
Lin Yansen forced a smile: "Tell Lao Zhang to spread the word that I had a fight with Song Yunmian in the main hall today, and that he locked me up and broke two of my fingers."
"The bigger the commotion, the better; the farther it travels, the better."
"Don't worry about the price, I'll pay."
Zhang Rui nodded, indicating that he understood.
It was at this moment that a sudden inspiration flashed into his mind.
"Lord Marquis, you did this on purpose?"
Lin Yansen didn't answer that question, but simply said, "Let's go. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it will become."
"We'll discuss the rest in detail later."
Right now is definitely not a good time to chat.
After giving a few words of advice, Zhang Rui quietly left.
Lin Yansen endured the pain and thought to himself, "Son-in-law, this is all I can do for you."
If word gets out today, everyone will know that Song Yunmian attempted to usurp the throne and treated the heads of powerful families who had contributed to Xun Kingdom so cruelly.
Disloyal and unfilial, faithless and treacherous.
Everyone can use the pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials" to attack him.
Ji and Jing can now legitimately enter the capital.
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