332: Chapter 332 I am ashamed

After the court session, the ministers were somewhat puzzled by Lin Xiao's memorial.

Although a general of Lin Xiao's rank did have the authority to submit reports directly to the Emperor from the provinces.

But the problem was, your timing is just too perfect!

Even average officials felt something was fishy, let alone the old foxes of the Grand Secretariat.

“Chancellor Yang, doesn't this memorial from the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor seem to have arrived a bit too opportunely? Don't you find it strange?”

On the way to the Grand Secretariat, Minister of Revenue Wang Qirui leaned toward Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong and asked meaningfully.

Yang Gengzhong glanced at him sideways. “Does Minister Wang think that the memorial wasn't written by Lin Xiao?”

“I wouldn't go that far, I just find it strange. Cang Province is so far from the capital, yet this memorial arrived so precisely...”

Yang Gengzhong interrupted, “I also believe there's a high probability it wasn't Lin Xiao's doing.”

“Oh?”

Wang Qirui looked surprised, and Official Xie Tong, who was listening silently from the side, also frowned.

Yang Gengzhong said, “Given Lin Xiao's temperament, it's impossible for him to say such things. This memorial was likely the work of Zhao Yunting and the others.”

“Zhao Yunting is meticulous and has years of experience assisting the Prince of Yan; he knows exactly how to plan ahead.”

“Now that his daughter is Lin Xiao's concubine, they are tied together for better or worse.”

“Most likely, Zhao Yunting, as the father-in-law, used Lin Xiao's name to smooth things over for his son-in-law.”

Wang Qirui's eyes lit up. “Right! That makes sense! It would be simple for Yong Province to pass the memorial up!”

“If that's the case, wouldn't it be considered 'deceiving the Emperor'?” Minister of War Wei Mingzhuang asked with a frown.

Yang Gengzhong chuckled. “That's hard to say. Whether it's 'deceiving the Emperor' depends on what His Majesty thinks.”

“Does Chancellor Yang mean... His Majesty already knows there's a problem with the memorial?” Wang Qirui was stunned.

Yang Gengzhong remained silent and said no more.

At the same time.

In the Imperial Study.

Emperor Hong slammed Lin Xiao's memorial heavily onto the floor.

“Absurd! Have you found out who forged this memorial!?”

Zheng Yangwei said with a terrified expression, “This old servant is incompetent. The trail for this memorial went cold once it reached the courier station in Yong Province.”

“Heh... It's not that you're incompetent, it's that a group of old fogies are helping Lin Xiao fool me!”

Emperor Hong gritted his teeth. “They're gambling. They're gambling that I won't dare do anything to Lin Xiao. With this memorial, they think I'll stop investigating his unauthorized deployment of troops.”

Zheng Yangwei said worriedly, “Lin Xiao is so audacious. Should we cancel the trip to Cang Province for now?”

“What, do you think Lin Xiao truly dares to rebel?”

Emperor Hong said coldly, “Or do you think I'm afraid of him and should hide from him for the rest of my life?”

“This old servant wouldn't dare! I have a big mouth!” Zheng Yangwei hastily knelt and slapped his own face.

Emperor Hong snorted coldly. “Even though this memorial definitely didn't come from that brat Lin Xiao, since it was sent up, it shows that his people don't dare to fully break ties with me yet.”

“Furthermore, although Lin Xiao is guilty, if he can expand the territory of Great Gan by leading troops against the Northern Barbarians, it counts as a merit.”

“Before I meet him in person, I cannot simply label him a traitorous rebel. If I did, how would I be any different from a mindless tyrant?”

Zheng Yangwei quickly said with reverence, “Your Majesty is wise. It is Lin Xiao's blessing to have met such an enlightened ruler as you...”

“Speaking of which, I feel guilty. When Prince Bai cut off the supplies to the border, I couldn't do anything for them.”

“Lin Xiao comes from the Border Army. It's only natural for him to harbor resentment and misunderstandings toward me and the imperial court.”

Emperor Hong lamented for a moment, then changed the subject. “Prepare for me. Tomorrow, I will go to the Imperial Tombs to pay my respects.”

“I will ask the ancestors of the imperial family to bless our Great Gan soldiers so that they may surely crush the Northern Barbarians and expand our territory this time!”

The Imperial Tombs?

Zheng Yangwei thought to himself, 'Is it really just to pray for blessings? Perhaps not...'

Ultimately, in His Majesty's heart, he could tolerate a General of the North, but he could not tolerate a 'Prince of Zhenbei.'

If he really managed to persuade *that person* to come out of retirement, then Lin Xiao... would likely follow in General Mu Tiexin's footsteps.

Zheng Yangwei's mind whirled with a hundred schemes, but his face showed nothing as he respectfully replied, “As you command.”

Far away on the northern grasslands.

Warhorses galloped over the snow. The five thousand iron cavalry led by Lin Xiao had already been inside Northern Barbarian territory for several days.

By relying on two horses per man and switching between them without stopping, the army could travel hundreds of miles every day.

The deeper they went, the more they saw scenery that was vastly different from the Central Plains.

Watering horses beneath icy mountains, where the sky is high and birds fly free.

Although spring had not yet arrived and the ground was frozen, the vast grasslands still made the soldiers feel as if their hearts were broadening.

How could such magnificent scenery be enjoyed by the barbarians alone?

A surge of lofty pride rose in the soldiers' chests. They would conquer this grassland so that future generations could also gallop freely here!

By then, their names would also be remembered for eternity!

With a clearer goal, everyone's fighting spirit soared even higher.

However, the great battle they had imagined did not happen.

The only two Northern Barbarian cavalry units they encountered were less than a thousand men strong. Lin Xiao didn't even have to act before Zhao Caiwei and Wanying led their men to crush them.

The army fought while scavenging for supplies, encountering almost no resistance.

“In two more days, we will enter the Tengger Grassland.”

Princess Meng Xi, acting as the guide, knew their basic location by looking at the distant snow-capped mountains.

“Let's get there quickly. What kind of enemies have we met on this road? They run the moment they see us; they don't seem like barbarians at all.”

Wanying was somewhat disappointed. Fighting a bunch of guys who only knew how to run made her feel like a bandit.

“It's normal. In previous years, the Barbarian Army that harassed the Great Gan border were carefully selected warriors from each tribe.”

“And those troops have either followed Marshal Suhe to our Western Qiang or are stationed at Tengger. They won't be wandering around out here.”

Princess Meng Xi sighed. “In truth, the peoples of our grasslands don't want to fight either. Most are peace-loving, it's just... to survive, there must be sacrifices.”

“If there isn't enough to eat or wear, one should learn technology and develop productivity, not think about plundering.”

Lin Xiao smiled. “Don't worry. Once our Zhenbei Army is permanently stationed on the grasslands, your lives will get better.”

Princess Meng Xi gave a forced smile. 'It's exactly because you want to station troops here that I'm even more worried!'

Thinking about those treaty terms over the past few days gave her nightmares. She had no idea what the future would hold.

But she had already acted as the guide and brought the Zhenbei Army here; there was no turning back.

As they were speaking, a scout ran back from the front, looking excited.

“General Lin! There are at least five thousand barbarian troops ahead, charging toward us!”

The members of the Zhenbei Army were invigorated. Was a big fish finally coming?

“Brothers! It's time for a good meal!! Everyone, stay sharp!!”

Lin Xiao shouted, “Bring out the gear we prepared!!”

As the orders were passed down, the soldiers entered a state of combat readiness, and their formations quickly shifted.

Princess Meng Xi was puzzled as to what the 'gear' Lin Xiao mentioned was, but she didn't have time to think much about it.

Because very soon, the sound of rhythmic hoofbeats could be heard from the distance!

“Form up! Prepare the crossbows!”

Wanying and Zhao Caiwei each galloped to the sides, leading a thousand cavalry to extend the two wings.

Meanwhile, General Wu Jinzhe, Li Xu, and others took the remaining cavalry and formed a large crossbow array around Lin Xiao.