Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket

Chapter 572 - 504: Not Your Prisoner

After Ting Zheng led the defeated remnants around the mountain paths to escape back to the Hu Kingdom, he learned that their kingdom had already been massacred by the great army of Great Liang, with only a few children narrowly surviving.

Their monarch was dead, the national treasury had been emptied by the Great Liang soldiers, and what they couldn’t take, was set ablaze by the Liang people. Despite feeling utterly exhausted, Ting Zheng gritted his teeth and assumed the throne.

Upon becoming the monarch, the first thing Ting Zheng did was investigate where the Liang army that suddenly attacked their capital came from. Before launching the war, they had thoroughly probed all Liang military forces in Linzhou. How could the Liang army suddenly increase by more than ten thousand men?

If this ten thousand soldiers were not apparent, then they must be hidden. Ting Zheng believed he had uncovered the great secret of the Linzhou King and naturally wanted to report this to Jun Tingye. Whether he could claim credit was secondary; avenging the blood feud of his people was paramount.

Although they initiated the war, they were only looting goods, not killing indiscriminately. This personal army of the Linzhou King was too ruthless; they intended to annihilate them!

Ting Zheng waited hundreds of days and nights, finally awaiting the envoy from Great Liang, only to be immediately surrounded at their first meeting.

Ting Zheng’s heart trembled, but he forced himself to remain calm.

"What does this mean, Imperial Envoy?" The Hu Kingdom had no one left to send, so this time Ting Zheng handled the talks himself.

Lv Maolin didn’t mince words, "Hand over the other half of your national treasure, or none of you will return alive today!"

"We come with sincerity, your country..." Ting Zheng tried to persuade Lv Maolin to discuss things calmly.

Lv Maolin, having already conspired with Jun Mobai, had no intention of listening to Ting Zheng’s arguments. He interrupted, "Hand over the national treasure and you may live!"

Ting Zheng, coming to negotiate, naturally didn’t bring the national treasure with him, as it was his last resort.

Fortunately, the hiding place for the treasure was secretive and hadn’t been discovered by Jun Mobai’s private soldiers, leaving him still with negotiation leverage with the Emperor of Great Liang.

Seeing Lv Maolin’s attitude, Ting Zheng realized that this person was in cahoots with the Linzhou King, wondering how the Emperor of Great Liang could send such a person.

However, now surrounded by the Liang army, he might become a prisoner at any moment. Ting Zheng set aside other thoughts and quickly said, "Our country offered half of our national treasure to your new emperor, who promised peace between our nations for three years. Is your country planning to break this pact before these three years are even up?"

Lv Maolin stood upon his carriage, looking at Ting Zheng from a distance.

After hearing Ting Zheng’s words, Lv Maolin sneered, "If I recall correctly, it was you who first provoked the war. What? Are you allowed to strike us and we’re not allowed to retaliate?"

Ting Zheng said indignantly, "We were only defending ourselves! The Linzhou King repeatedly captured our Hu citizens, forcing them to serve at that blasted cement factory. We tried many times to discuss with the Linzhou King but were always refused. It was the Linzhou King who deliberately provoked the conflict."

Lv Maolin, with his hands behind his back, smirked, "The Linzhou King said your people were unruly, trespassing on our lands. Keeping them in the cement factory for labor was just a lesson for them!"

Ting Zheng, enraged, clutched the whip tight in his hand and coldly declared, "I see it now, you and the Linzhou King are birds of a feather. I won’t negotiate with you.

To be honest, I have already sent someone to your Great Liang’s Fengyuan City. As soon as I inform your emperor about the Linzhou King’s private soldiers and his plans to rebel, I believe he’ll know what to do!"

"The Linzhou King has private soldiers? Did you dream this up? Do you have any evidence?

Caring too much perhaps? I’d say, worry more about your own fate. Think hard about whether you’ll return alive today." Lv Maolin laughed heartily.

Since Ting Zheng dared to come, he wasn’t going to be easily overpowered. The Hu people were born and bred in the saddle. Breaking through a mere siege of a thousand men was possible.

However, if they had to battle again, their people would be further diminished.

Or perhaps, they could no longer even be called a ’nation’ in the future.

Ting Zheng led his men and broke through the siege, escaping.

Or you could say it was Jun Mobai and Lv Maolin who deliberately let him escape.

As long as the bait was there, bigger fish could be lured out.

After Lv Maolin and Jun Mobai temporarily settled in Linzhou, Fu Dong hurriedly came to report to Jun Mobai that Fu Qionglin had gone to Yangcheng.

Jun Mobai and Fu Dong diligently gathered information about Fu Qionglin’s actions in Yangcheng. Upon learning that Fu Qionglin had talked with Su Jingchen and his wife for nearly half the night, Jun Mobai started to feel uneasy.

If Su Jingchen truly stood with them, he should avoid Fu Qionglin as much as possible.

"Could it be that he believes Fu Qionglin’s glib tongue, thinking he’s on our side because he’s Prince Jin’s father-in-law?" Lv Maolin frowned.

Jun Mobai furrowed his brow, "Su Jingchen has assured me that he won’t mention anything about the ten thousand private soldiers to anyone.

Regarding other matters, he is unaware, and I doubt Fu Qionglin can glean much from him."

Lv Maolin quickly added, "Luckily you didn’t tell him everything, otherwise, this young kid might have revealed everything to Fu Qionglin with just a few words."

What puzzled Jun Mobai was what could have led Su Jingchen and Fu Qionglin to conspiratorially talk through half the night?

Could it be that Su Jingchen was not as reliable as he seemed?

Sensing a hint of suspicion, Jun Mobai could no longer sit still, and the next day, hurried with Lv Maolin to Yangcheng.

Su Jingchen knew that Jun Mobai was having him watched closely, and Fu Qionglin was aware of this too. They had already prepared a story to handle Jun Mobai.

Why did they talk for so long? It was about this year’s Autumn Examination questions.

Because Fu Yi had already started preparing for the Autumn Examination, upon learning that his son was coming to Yangcheng, he sent Fu Qionglin to ask Yu Xiaolian for some new types of exam questions.

Now that Yu Xiaolian was married, she naturally couldn’t discuss with Fu Qionglin alone, so Su Jingchen had to accompany her.

Although this reason was reasonable, leaving Jun Mobai unable to find any faults, he still harbored a bit of suspicion in his heart while scrutinizing Su Jingchen and Fu Qionglin.

Jun Mobai looked at Fu Qionglin, "Why do I feel like there’s a close aide missing by your side, Lord Fu?"

Fu Qionglin glared at Jun Mobai, "My daughter is in Bohai City; I had to send someone to make sure she is safe and sound. What, does the Linzhou King even want to interfere with this?

Don’t forget, Linzhou King, I am an Imperial Envoy appointed by the Emperor, not your prisoner!"