CHAPTER 409: CHAPTER 409: REPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS

As dusk approached.

The fiery clouds painted the entire sky.

On the spacious official road, Xie Jingchen and Xie Jingchuan galloped on horseback.

The horses ran fast, and dust swirled into the air.

From afar, wisps of smoke were visible.

That was the military camp cooking their meals.

As they rode to the front of the camp, just as Xie Jingchen was about to dismount, he heard the guards say, "Greetings to the Young Master."

Xie Jingchen, "...."

They called him Young Master.

It must be the Flying Tiger Army.

Not only the guards were from the Flying Tiger Army.

Inside the camp, every soldier called Xie Jingchen Young Master.

With each call, Xie Jingchuan’s brows furrowed.

Grandfather returned triumphantly, yet he brought with him the bandits under Marquis Dongxiang’s command?!

It wasn’t until they reached the tent of Duke Zhen that they saw two familiar faces.

They were trusted aides of Duke Zhen.

Xie Jingchen lifted the tent flap and walked in, Duke Zhen was coughing, and with each cough, his face turned a shade paler.

"Father," Old Master Xie called.

"It’s nothing," Duke Zhen waved it off.

Xie Jingchen and Xie Jingchuan stepped forward to pay their respects to Duke Zhen.

"Grandfather."

They said in unison.

Seeing his two grandsons, Duke Zhen’s stern face showed a slight smile, "Why have you come?"

Xie Jingchen stayed silent, Xie Jingchuan replied, "Grandfather and Father were halted, so I came out of concern to see why."

"We should be returning to the Capital in two or three days," Duke Zhen said.

Two or three more days?

Xie Jingchuan couldn’t understand why they needed to stay here for so long, even the Emperor was anxious, barely able to sit on the Dragon Chair.

Duke Zhen hadn’t seen Xie Jingchen for a long time, noting that he looked much healthier, his body visibly more robust than when he left.

With Xie Jingchuan present, Xie Jingchen hadn’t found the chance to speak to Duke Zhen alone.

Though nothing was said, Xie Jingchen guessed the reason Duke Zhen was stationed here.

After breakfast the next day, Xie Jingchen prepared to return to the Capital.

Xie Jingchuan was a bit surprised, "Brother, why are you in such a hurry to return? Are you worried about sister-in-law staying at the Duke Mansion?"

"Second brother doesn’t worry about mother, so why should I?" Xie Jingchen replied lightly.

Against Su Jin, the Duke Zhen Country Mansion had never gained the upper hand.

Xie Jingchen looked to Duke Zhen and said, "There are still some matters at the Ministry of Justice that need handling, I’ll head back first."

Xie Jingchen prioritizing the Ministry of Justice over all else made Duke Zhen very pleased.

Xie Jingchuan thought things weren’t so simple; he had rushed over yesterday, stayed only one night, and now was in such a hurry to get back, something must be amiss.

So, Xie Jingchuan decided to follow him back.

However, what surprised Xie Jingchuan was that after returning to the Capital, Xie Jingchen went straight to the Ministry of Justice.

He really did return for the matters of the Ministry then.

Xie Jingchuan dropped his guard and rode back home.

It was just after Xie Jingchuan left that Xie Jingchen rode out from the Ministry of Justice.

In the bustling streets, Xie Jingchen and the approaching Hidden Guard rode towards the west of the city.

On the way, the Hidden Guard asked, "I never expected Duke Chong’s Mansion to quietly aid the families of the Flying Tiger Army for so many years."

"Remarkably, after Old Duke Chong fell ill, the aid continued," Xie Jingchen replied.

"I had thought to look for some leverage on Duke Chong’s Mansion, but now I’m unsure where to begin."

The two continued onward as they conversed.

A soft palanquin moved past them silently on one side.

Inside the palanquin sat the Imperial Censorate.

The Imperial Censorate holds the responsibility to inspect all officials.

If an official performs exceptionally, they submit a report to the Emperor for commendation, setting that official as an example for others to follow.

The Flying Tiger Army had been destroyed for fifteen years.

All these years, Duke Chong’s Mansion had been silently aiding the families of the Flying Tiger Army, an act of such nobility that it inspires awe.

Just so happens, the Imperial Censorate was aligned with Duke Chong.

How could they not assist in reporting Duke Chong’s Mansion’s good deeds to the Emperor?

This was an excellent opportunity to showcase the martial prowess of Duke Chong.

Immediately, Lord Imperial Censor turned back to find other censors.

The next morning, a large iron medallion was tossed at Duke Chong.

Striking him, it injured him internally.

The entire Imperial Censorate jointly commended to the Emperor how Duke Chong had silently aided the relatives of the Flying Tiger Army for years.

If this were true, Duke Chong would be thrilled.

But it was pure fiction!

Moreover, how did the Imperial Censorate know about aiding the Flying Tiger Army, and report it to the Emperor with such unity?

Sustaining eight thousand Flying Tiger Army families singlehandedly, the Emperor was astounded.

The Emperor looked at Duke Chong and asked, "Duke Chong, is what the Imperial Censorate says true?"

Could Duke Chong deny it?

Someone aiding the relatives of the Flying Tiger Army was factual.

Though the Flying Tiger Army wasn’t under his command, it was his elder brother, the late Heir of Duke Xian, who formed it; calling it part of Duke Chong’s Mansion wouldn’t be incorrect.

If he, as the succeeding Duke Chong, didn’t uphold his brother’s legacy and aid the Flying Tiger Army, letting others do so wouldn’t sit right, would it?

This credit, given by the Imperial Censorate, Duke Chong had no choice but to accept.

For this, the Emperor praised Duke Chong greatly, rewarding him with a thousand acres of fertile land, instructing all officials to emulate him.

Amidst praise from all officials, Duke Chong thanked the Emperor for his reward.

After court, Duke Chong left the Political Discussion Hall, and the Imperial Censorate came over to curry favor.

Duke Chong, in good spirits, asked, "How did you know about the Flying Tiger Army families being aided all these years?"

The Imperial Censorate was quite candid, "We overheard the Young Master of Duke Zhen and his guard discussing it on the road."

It was the Young Master of Duke Zhen who spoke of it?

The smile froze on Duke Chong’s face, cracking slightly.

If it were anyone else, he might not think much of it, merely an accident.

But if it was Young Master Xie, then certainly not!

Yet Duke Chong couldn’t fathom why Xie Jingchen would let the Imperial Censorate be aware of this, but another disconcerting news reached him after he returned to the mansion.

As Duke Chong stepped into Duke Chong’s Mansion, barely had he set foot inside, Dark Guard Li Zhong approached quickly.

His expression was grim.

As a Dark Guard, he rarely spoke, but his face had never looked as bleak as now.

"Duke, there’s news of the Flying Tiger Army," he said.

"What news?" Duke Chong asked.

With people around, Li Zhong dared not say much.

In the study, he continued, "Duke Zhen led his troops back to the Capital, bringing Marquis Dongxiang’s Flying Tiger Army. During the journey, a woman among the march recognized her son and called out loudly."

"The woman’s husband was one of the Flying Tiger Army members fifteen years ago," the man’s voice was low.

Duke Chong glanced sharply at the man.

His face was cold as frost.

A chill ran through him.

"You mean the one aiding the relatives of the Flying Tiger Army all these years is Marquis Dongxiang?!" Duke Chong’s voice trembled.

"Impossible!"

The man said nothing.

He knew it was hard to believe.

But intuition told him, it was the truth.

Marquis Dongxiang was indeed once part of the Flying Tiger Army.

Not only had he survived by chance.

But had also trained a new Flying Tiger Army after establishing himself as a king on the mountains.

Such perseverance was admirable to the point of disbelief.

Duke Chong sat in a chair, silent for a long while.

Realizing Marquis Dongxiang might be the Second Master of Jibei Marquis Mansion, a layer of frost formed on his face.

That flamboyant nature, as well as Jibei Marquis’s protection of him, if not that Second Young Master from Jibei Marquis Mansion, Duke Chong couldn’t imagine anyone else among those eight thousand Flying Tiger Army men resembling Marquis Dongxiang in the slightest.

Those who were beaten by Jibei Marquis Mansion’s Second Young Master were all too many.

Duke Chong was one among them.

If it weren’t for the Second Young Master being unable to defeat the Late Heir of Duke Xian, how could he be tamed?

The room was so quiet a pin could be heard dropping.

Suddenly realizing something, he looked sharply at the man, "We cannot let the Old Duke remain under Marquis Dongxiang’s watch any longer!"

Duke Chong whispered a few commands.

The man said, "And the First Madam...?"

A glint of murderous intent flickered in Duke Chong’s eyes.