"On whose orders?" Cheng Muyun scoffed, his eyes full of mockery. "Secretary Lan, are you implying that I instructed all of this?"
Lan Qingyi was so shrewd; how could he easily give him a handle to use against her?
He immediately softened his tone and waved his hand: "Young Marshal Cheng, you're exaggerating. I didn't say that. It's just that the newspapers outside have been writing about this all over the place, and the people above are getting anxious. That's why they specially sent me to check on the situation and give the public an explanation."
Cheng Muyun turned to look at Zhang Qi, who was standing to the side, and gave him a wink.
Zhang Qi understood immediately, nodded silently, and quietly left, closing the office door behind him.
"Secretary Lan, please speak frankly." Cheng Muyun turned his gaze back to Lan Qingyi, his tone calm and even. "A while ago, someone from above came to me about conscription. So, Secretary Lan, you're not here this time for conscription as well?"
Lan Qingyi clearly hadn't expected Cheng Muyun to be so frank, directly breaking through that barrier.
He rubbed his fingers together somewhat awkwardly, remained silent for a moment, as if considering his words.
"Actually..." He paused, then slowly began, "The message from above is quite simple: it's best if the Dongzhou Army doesn't break away from central control. To be honest, Young Marshal Cheng doesn't need to force himself to do it. It's much easier for the higher-ups to pay the soldiers' salaries and allocate supplies on time than forcing himself to support so many soldiers, isn't it?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Muyun couldn't help but snort coldly, his eyes full of disdain: "Secretary Lan has been in Nanjing for too long, and I'm afraid she doesn't know the situation below. Paying soldiers on time? In this world, which place can soldiers receive their full amount of military supplies on time? After layers of skimming, it's good if the soldiers have a few coins left. Rather than relying on those funds that are embezzled, it's more practical for me to find a way myself."
Lan Qingyi was speechless for a moment and fell silent.
Cheng Muyun was telling the truth; how could he not know?
Corruption was rampant in the military supply departments across the country, and even the Nanjing headquarters was not immune, let alone those places far from the central government.
Nowadays, it has long been an open secret that warlords maintain their own armies.
“But Young Marshal Cheng,” Lan Qingyi took a deep breath, raised her hand and gently touched her forehead, her tone somewhat persuasive, “that being said, having the Central Committee’s authority is better than nothing. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, and it’s good to have a big tree to lean on for shade, you can’t be unaware of that, can you?”
Cheng Muyun slowly shook his head. "The Dongzhou Army will never submit again, not only because of the corrupt government, but also because I don't want to see my soldiers become the lackeys of foreigners again."
Lan Qingyi's expression suddenly changed. The current government was just a crumbling facade, deliberately cooperating with foreigners and manipulating its subordinates to give them preferential treatment, thus absconding with a huge amount of property.
But no one dared to say it to his face.
Lan Qingyi's face turned pale. "Young Marshal Cheng means he wants to go it alone."
Cheng Muyun said, "It's not impossible."
Lan Qingyi suddenly stood up and said sternly, "Cheng Muyun, you'd better think this through. Surrendering is the right path, but going it alone makes you a reactionary and will be purged!"
Cheng Muyun also stood up. His tall figure enveloped Lan Qingyi's entire body. He exuded a chilling aura of oppression. Looking into Lan Qingyi's eyes, he said, word by word, "Purge? What a joke. What kind of army can defeat the Dongzhou Army? Secretary Lan, report the truth. I'll be waiting here for... the 'purge' army."
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