Chapter 289 Yan Yanyan

Zishi.

Deep into the night.

In the Changle Palace of Jinling City, Chen Xuanji, who was deep in sleep, was awakened by a hurried knock on the door.

After all, it was the imperial palace of the Son of Heaven. Apart from the inner officials who were trusted by the Emperor, no one could come here at this time. Even if it was an inner official, knocking on the emperor's palace gate would be a calamity that would disturb the sacred carriage.

Chen Xuanji sat up from the bed and looked in the direction of the voice.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" The anxious voice of the inner court official also rang out.

Chen Xuanji did not immediately respond to the inner official's call. He stood up, put on his boots seriously and slowly, put on his golden dragon robe, and tidied up his slightly messy hair with his hand. Then, he said in a low voice towards the door, "What's the matter?"

Almost as soon as he spoke, the palace door was pushed open by the people outside.

Apparently, the people outside his room were already extremely anxious.

Two figures walked into the room one behind the other.

Walking in front was a eunuch who was over fifty years old. He had a kind expression and an anxious expression. He was called Slave. He was Queen Meng Yu's personal attendant back then. Later, when Queen Meng Yu hanged herself, he was demoted to the horse house. After Chen Xuanji ascended to the throne, he heard about this matter and called him to his side to sit down as an inner official. Behind him was a man who looked less than thirty years old. He was dressed in armor and stained with blood. His face was filled with sorrow and dust. It was obvious that he had just arrived.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This is not good!" A'nu shouted anxiously just as he entered the room. However, when he saw Chen Xuanji sitting in front of the desk in the room with a neat and tidy expression, A'nu was slightly stunned. He didn't know what to say when he reached the edge of his mouth.

"Tell me, what's going on?" Compared to A'nu's panic, Chen Xuanji's attitude was so calm that it was almost frightening. He asked indifferently.

Perhaps influenced by Chen Xuanji, who was the emperor, A'nu's panicked expression also calmed down slightly. Then, he said, "Chen Yanling, son of Chen Ping, King Fengxing, hurry up and report."

After saying that, he stepped aside and exposed the man behind him to Chen Xuanji's gaze.

That man, Chen Yanling, knelt down at that time and shouted with a sorrowful expression, "Your Majesty, please make the decision for my father!"

"Didn't Ai Qing and Prince Feng Xing resist the bandits in Changwu Pass? Why did they return to Jinling? Prince Feng Xing is a relative of our Chen Clan. Where should we start with the matter of making the decision?"

Chen Xuanji asked with a deep gaze.

"I was stationed at Changwu Pass with my father. We, father and son, are well aware that this battle concerns the survival of the Chen Kingdom. We do not dare to slack off at all. Ever since we arrived at Changwu Pass, we have been investigating the enemy's situation day and night and exploring the terrain."

"Father found out that although Cui Ting had brought 300,000 elite soldiers, he was still on an expedition, and the Great Xia was not a monolithic country. The rations Cui Ting brought from Long Zhou were far from enough to support his long-term battle, so he wanted to defend the city and drag down Cui Ting's army."

"This plan was originally quite effective. Although the battle with Cui Ting lasted for half a month, the Changwu Pass is still tightly held in our hands."

'"But this time, the leader of the troops was rushing forward. In order to speed up our journey to Changwu Pass, our army only brought five days' worth of rations. According to the rules, large quantities of grain should have been delivered ten days ago. However, Shi Mengyewen, who was in charge of this matter, delayed the delivery of grain because he did not have enough manpower for spring planting."

"Our army fought for a few days, but our supplies were poor and our morale was low. In the end, Cui Ting found a flaw and broke through the Changwu Pass. My father led the troops to fight to the death and died from exhaustion. I'm here to see His Majesty. I don't beg His Majesty to forgive me for my negligence. I only beg His Majesty to avenge my father and my 100,000 soldiers!"

Finally, Chen Yanling's face was filled with tears as she sobbed.

Chen Xuanji's eyebrows grew gloomier and gloomier. "King Fengxing is dead?"

"Dead!" Chen Yanling replied in a sad tone. "Your Majesty, please make the decision for my father!"

Chen Xuanji fell silent, and the atmosphere in the room became deathly quiet because of his silence.

After several tens of breaths of time, he finally broke the silence. "General Chen has worked hard and sacrificed his life for King Xing. Don't worry, General. We will definitely investigate this matter carefully. We will definitely avenge King Xing!"

After saying that, he looked at A'nu beside him and said, "A'nu, General Chen is tired of traveling. Send someone to treat General Chen's injuries. General Chen should rest for now. I will start to resolve this matter."

Hearing this, Chen Yanling was obviously quite unwilling, but seeing Chen Xuanji's cold expression, she did not dare to say anything else. She could only salute and retreat.

…

After Chen Yanling left, Slave A, who was over half a century old, turned to look at Chen Xuanji and was about to say something.

Bang!

With a crisp sound, the teacup placed in front of the table was crushed into pieces in Yu Chen Xuanji's hand. This time, he did not collect the slightest bit of True Essence to protect his body. As a result, his palm was pierced by a sharp weapon and was drenched in blood.

"Your Majesty, take care of your dragon body! The Changwu Pass has been broken, and the people are still counting on Your Majesty to recover the mountains and rivers for the Chen Kingdom!" A'nu hurriedly knelt down and took out a brocade cloth from his bosom. He reached out to wipe the blood stains on Chen Xuanji's hand.

"The mountains and rivers of the Chen Kingdom? Hmph! I'm afraid some people have long forgotten the surname of the mountains and rivers of the Chen Kingdom." Chen Xuanji said coldly. A'nu, who was wiping Chen Xuanji's palm, could clearly feel Chen Xuanji's body trembling.

"Send someone to preach the imperial edict and let Munch lead the troops to recapture Changwu Pass." Chen Xuanji's voice sounded again.

Hearing this, A'nu was slightly stunned and hesitated, "But isn't Prince Qin lying in bed… He…"

The candlelight in the palace gates fluttered in the night wind. Chen Xuanji's handsome sides were flickering with candlelight. He stood up and said in a deep tone, "Don't worry, the root of my uncle's illness is already dead."

A Nu's body trembled, and at that time, he seemed to have comprehended something.

"Right, call the imperial carriage. I want to leave the palace."

"Where is His Majesty going?"

"Yan Manor."

…

Yan Clan.

It was a large clan that had suddenly risen in the past ten years or so in the Chen Kingdom.

Unlike ordinary aristocratic clans, there were few officials in the Yan Clan. The Yan Clan could be said to be a pure merchant clan. However, his business was extremely large, covering almost every corner of the Chen Kingdom. Even the most remote small city could see the Yan Clan's business.

It was not an exaggeration to say that the business was so rich as to be comparable to the country. The Yan Clan was also quite tactful. Every time there was a need in the court, the Yan Clan was very cooperative. The amount of money that they had offered to the court free of charge over the years was already an extremely shocking figure.

At this moment, Chen Xuanji, who was dressed in a brocade robe, was sitting high in the front seat of the Yan Clan's room. Several guards stood on both sides of the room, while a few figures respectfully stood in the room and knelt down to Chen Xuanji with a terrified expression on their faces.

"Grassroots citizen Yan Yuming greets His Majesty."

"Maiden Yan Yanyan greets His Majesty."

…

Yan Yuming was around forty years old. He had a country-shaped face, a hooked nose, and a moustache. He gave off a sense of shrewdness that was unique to businessmen at a glance. He was also the current head of the Yan Clan in this wealthy country.

Yan Yanyan, the daughter of Yan Yuming, was famous and talented in Jinling. She was called the number one beauty of the Chen Kingdom by good people.

Even though Chen Xuanji could not name the people behind him, he knew that they were all important figures of the Yan Clan.

"Get up." He stretched out his hand faintly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The group of people led by Yan Yuming and Yan Yanyan hurriedly cupped their hands and thanked him. Only then did they dare to stand up. Their fearful attitude was like that of a docile and benevolent citizen.

"May I know why His Majesty came late at night?" Yan Yuming respectfully asked after getting up.

"Clan Master Yan's business is spread all over the Chen Kingdom. What news can you hide from Clan Master? Don't you know why I'm here today?" Chen Xuanji picked up the best tea Yan Yuming had poured for him and placed it on his lips before asking.

"Then I suppose His Majesty is here for the war at the Changwu Pass? This matter concerns the survival of the Chen Kingdom. Although our Yan Clan is only a merchant clan, we know that there is a reason for the nest to be safe. Don't worry, Your Majesty, the Yan Clan will definitely be responsible. Tomorrow, they will order us to collect money and send it to the frontline army." That Yan Yuming was quite knowledgeable about judging the situation, and he showed his attitude almost without thinking.

"It is the blessing of the Chen Kingdom that the Yan Clan's Clan Master cares so much about national affairs. However, there is no need for the Clan Master to worry. Although Cui Ting is strong, he has a hundred thousand Tiger Wolves in the hands of the Qin King. Unless he Li Yulin personally conquers the Chen Kingdom, it would be a fool's dream to annihilate our country." Chen Xuanji said this, but his tone became gloomy.

"Is that so? That's good, that's good." Yan Yuming looked relieved, but then he asked, "Then what is His Majesty here for?"

"I want the Patriarch to do me a favor?"

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"I want an army, an army that can contend against a hundred thousand Tiger Wolf Cavalry. Can Clan Head Yan do it?"

"This … Your Majesty, a hundred thousand troops is not a small number. Moreover, we have to contend against the Tiger Wolf Cavalry …"

"Patriarch Yan, there's no need to beat around the bush. You just need to tell me if you can do it."

"Of course I can, but whether it's the amount of money needed to build such an army or the expenses after that, it will require a large amount of money to support it. Although I am the head of the Yan Clan, this matter concerns the future of the Yan Clan. I dare not jump to conclusions."

"Patriarch, speak frankly. If I can give you what you want, I will definitely not be vague." Chen Xuanji clearly didn't have the mood to circle around with Yan Yuming anymore. His eyebrows turned cold and his voice became gloomy again.

"Yan Yuming is a citizen of the Chen Kingdom. Everything of the Yan Family was obtained by relying on His Majesty's heavenly might. How dare you threaten His Majesty with this?"

"However, my wife left early and died after reproducing Yan Yan. I only have such a daughter, and she has always admired His Majesty. If His Majesty compassionately cares for the grass and favors Yan Yan, I, Yan Yuming, will definitely be grateful. The Yan Family is at His Majesty's disposal!"

Liked it? Take a second to support Novels on Patreon!