282: Chapter 0282 What are their intentions?

When Lu Sanchuan arrived at the Generals Mansion, he was surprised to see the carriage of the imperial envoy, Official Xie Tong, also parked at the entrance.

That is right; since Official Xie Tong came to Yong Province, he must meet with Lin Xiao first to read the imperial decree.

Lu Sanchuan decided to hold back and come later.

But just as he was about to turn around, he saw Official Xie Tong and his servant being escorted out by a woman.

Lu Sanchuan had met that woman once; she was Lin Xiao's concubine, Zhao Caiwei, the daughter of Zhao Yunting.

Lu Sanchuan was puzzled, so he went forward, dismounted, and asked.

"Official Xie Tong, may I ask if you have met with Lin Xiao?"

Official Xie Tong looked up with a hint of helplessness: "I arrived too late; Lin Xiao has already departed for Cang Province."

"Back to Cang Province? Why?"

Lu Sanchuan was astonished.

"He said that as the end of the year approaches, he needs to return to Cang Province to celebrate the New Year and reunite with his friends and family."

Official Xie Tong sighed: "It seems I will have to wait until I reach Cang Province to read the imperial decree."

Returning home for the New Year!?

Lu Sanchuan was fuming. There are still two hundred thousand troops in Yong Province, and he just left?

No! There must be something wrong here!

Could it be that he is deliberately avoiding the imperial envoy, worried that Emperor Hong will revoke his military power, and is therefore dodging the meeting?

Upon this thought, Lu Sanchuan calmly cupped his hands and said:

"Thank you for your hard work, Official Xie Tong. Since that is the case, you might as well rest at the relay station first. I still have military duties to attend to, so I shall take my leave."

"Safe travels, General."

The two parted ways again.

But after waiting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lu Sanchuan circled back to the Generals Mansion.

Zhao Caiwei received Lu Sanchuan in the hall again.

"Grand Marshal Lu, what brings you here?"

"Where exactly is Lin Xiao? I have urgent matters to discuss with him!"

Zhao Caiwei responded indifferently: "My husband has already set off for Cang Province, preparing to spend the New Year in Baishui Prefecture. He departed this morning."

Lu Sanchuan frowned: "Lin Xiao really left?!"

"Grand Marshal Lu, returning home for the New Year is the most natural human sentiment. Why do you not believe it?"

Zhao Caiwei said with some displeasure: "My husband is the Earl of Cangbei, his fief is in Cang Province, and he is a native of Baishui Prefecture. What is wrong with him going home?"

"Is it just because Yong Province is prosperous that he must stay in Yong Province City for the New Year?"

"In your eyes, is my husband just a vulgar person who covets wealth and status?"

Lu Sanchuan hurriedly said: "I certainly do not mean that, but there are still two hundred thousand troops here!"

"And what of it? Is Grand Marshal Lu planning a rebellion? Or would our Zhao Family stage a mutiny? Can the Zhenbei Army fall into chaos just because my husband is away for ten days or half a month?"

Zhao Caiwei's face turned cold: "Grand Marshal Lu, you are pressing me aggressively, demanding to know my husband's whereabouts. What exactly is your motive!?"

Lu Sanchuan's face turned black, but he absolutely did not know how to refute her!

After all, the Earl of Cangbei returning to his fief and hometown for the New Year is perfectly reasonable!

When it comes down to it, the Emperor only ordered Lin Xiao to unify the troops of the Northern Territory; he never said he had to reside anywhere specific!

"What a sharp-tongued young lady of the Zhao Family. I cannot out-argue you."

Lu Sanchuan retorted: "But since Lin Xiao has left, why are you still staying here?"

Zhao Caiwei replied calmly: "I want to stay with my father for a few days. In a few days, I will naturally go to Cang Province to reunite with my husband."

Her words were flawless.

Lu Sanchuan had nothing more to say, so he had to swallow his anger and turn to leave.

After Lu Sanchuan left, Zhao Caiwei let out a long sigh of relief.

Telling lies to the commander of the world-renowned Silver Armor Army put quite a bit of psychological pressure on her.

"You worked hard, Caiwei, dealing with two cunning foxes at once."

Xiao Qingxuan walked out from behind. It was inconvenient for her to deal with these two men; after all, in the Great Gan, her background was ostensibly very humble.

And for an average person, facing these two big figures, even speaking normally would be difficult, let alone telling lies.

"Qing'er, I don't think Minister Xie or Lu Sanchuan will believe it."

"Of course they know that my husband deliberately avoided them, but as long as they cannot find any fault, they will have nothing to say."

Zhao Caiwei nodded and asked: "Then should we be leaving now?"

Xiao Qingxuan teased: "What? You've only been apart for half a day, and you already miss your husband?"

Zhao Caiwei blushed: "I am worried about my sister. She is alone at the makeshift hospital in E Prefecture treating patients, and I don't know how she is doing."

Xiao Qingxuan stopped teasing: "Alright, once I bring the files sent by Chang Youkui, we will depart immediately."

Many severe cases of land annexation by the gentry and powerful clans in Yong Province had been dug up by Chang Youkui.

Xiao Qingxuan did not have time to read them all, so she had to work on the go while on the way back to Cang Province.

Meanwhile.

Yong Province Relay Station.

Official Xie Tong received a piece of the latest intelligence from a servant.

As a key figure of the great Xie Family, he could naturally use the intelligence network of the Linyuan Marquis Mansion in the Northern Territory at will.

After reading the intelligence, Official Xie Tong narrowed his eyes.

"He really left the city early in the morning? This Lin Xiao... he sure is quick at hiding."

The old attendant on the side smiled and said: "My Lord, could it be that Lin Xiao is worried that His Majesty sent you to revoke his military power?"

"You underestimate this Lin Xiao. If he were worried about that, why would he send Lu Sanchuan to intentionally protect me?"

Official Xie Tong's eyes flickered: "In fact, I have a faint feeling that there is another group of people on the road protecting us in secret, which is likely also arranged by him."

The old attendant was puzzled: "Then why would Lin Xiao want to avoid you?"

"Who knows..."

Official Xie Tong was lost in thought.

That afternoon.

East of Yong Province.

An iron mine near a tributary of the Cang River.

Lin Xiao stood on the hillside, overlooking the crude iron-smelting furnaces, and his heart ached!

After leaving Yong Province City early in the morning, he had been inspecting the former weapon workshops and iron-smelting workshops of the White Kings Army.

When he learned from the masters that the yield rate of high-quality products was not even half that of his own Zhenbei Army factory, he was stunned!

That damned Prince Bai, wasting all that ore!!

Old Yu is truly a top-tier master craftsman; I have really found a treasure!

"Husband!"

Xiao Qingxuan and Zhao Caiwei rode over on horseback at this moment.

Lin Xiao turned back, smiling and greeting the two women: "Is everything arranged?"

"Official Xie Tong and Lu Sanchuan have both been sent away. There is still a pile of cases from Chang Youkui being investigated, which won't be finished anytime soon, so we will deal with them after the New Year."

Xiao Qingxuan walked to the front of the mound and was greatly surprised to see the mine pits below, which resembled a giant honeycomb.

"How spectacular. No wonder the White Kings Army was so strong; I have never seen such large-scale surface iron mines."

Zhao Caiwei also looked envious: "Although the Yan Region has iron mines, the soil is hard, and the difficulty of mining is not small. Yong Province is truly a blessed land."

Lin Xiao smiled: "From now on, this will be the blessed land of my Zhenbei Army!"

"With the iron mines of Western Qiang, plus the open-pit iron mines of Yong Province, our weapons and equipment will no longer be restricted by anyone!"

Xiao Qingxuan sighed with emotion: "The reason Prince Bai could become the number one among the vassal kings was because the Six Prefectures of the Northern Territory were rich in resources and had everything one could need."

"Husband, you want to build the concrete roads as quickly as possible—are you planning to move the military factory to Yong Province?"

Lin Xiao smiled: "You cannot put all your eggs in one basket. We will definitely open factories in Yong Province, but the Cang Province headquarters must be preserved."

"I have heard that Sha Prefecture and Gan Province have coal mines, and Yu Prefecture has silver and copper mines. Our 'Northern Industry' will take all these places!"