CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 101: PRESTIGE (PART 2)

Half a day later, Li Tie’s personal soldiers rode swiftly into Wan County and found Chief Historian Chen’s figure in front of the Taiping Grain Warehouse.

Chen Zhuo and Wen An, along with their group, had been in Wan County for five or six days, meticulously inspecting every grain warehouse. County Magistrate Wu, trembling with fear, felt immensely relieved.

That day, the Commandery Princess led troops to Li County to eliminate bandits, wiping out two bandit’s camps in Li County. There were as many as five hundred headless corpses hung outside the camp to dry.

Once this news spread, all the affiliated counties of Nanyang County were shaken! The common people cheered with joy. The county magistrates, however, felt the chilling sensation at their necks.

Shortly afterward, County Magistrate Cai was furiously dismissed by the Commandery Princess. A Scholar’s Steward, favored by the Commandery Princess, was particularly promoted to act as County Magistrate.

This news shocked the county magistrates even more than the last!

After all, it’s understandable to be ruthless when dealing with bandits. Therefore, severely punishing a legitimate Imperial Examination graduate County Magistrate was an undeniable political signal, and an unspoken deterrent from the Commandery Princess to all the county magistrates.

All of the Commandery Princess’s orders must be taken seriously and handled with utmost care.

County Magistrate Wu of Wan County quickly flipped through the Prince Mansion’s documents from the past few days, urgently purchasing grain and filling the existing Taiping Grain Warehouse.

Fortunately, County Magistrate Wu acted promptly, just in time to finish before Chief Historian Chen and Chief Clerk Wen came to inspect. Over these few days of inspection, County Magistrate Wu could not be more relieved. In the meantime, he also privately wrote several letters to the county magistrates in nearby county cities, reminding them to be prepared in time.

The personal soldiers dismounted and went forward to see Chief Historian Chen, whispering their intentions.

Chen Zhuo remained composed, nodding slightly. He turned his head and gave orders to invite someone to set up tables and chairs, grind ink, and prepare paper. With a swift stroke, he wrote, "Take this back and have General Li copy it once."

The personal soldiers breathed a sigh of relief and took the letter back to the military camp immediately.

Li Tie personally transcribed it once. Among the military generals, including Yu Chong and others, a total of fifteen signed it jointly. That night, the memorial was urgently sent to the Capital City at a pace of 800 miles a day.

When Zuo Zhen learned of this, it was already the next morning.

The bluish bruises on Zuo Zhen’s face had faded, leaving almost no marks. His waist and abdomen still ached faintly, forcing him to rest on the couch.

Upon hearing about the incident, Zuo Zhen burst into a rage, jumping off the bed and ignoring the pain that tugged at his waist and abdomen: "Someone calls that scoundrel Li Tie here for me."

A moment later, Li Tie arrived.

Together with him were several military generals.

Zuo Zhen’s furious expression had not fully formed yet when he saw the military generals swiftly line up in two ranks after entering the camp, with Li Tie and Yu Chong standing first on either side.

A small, beautiful girl in a red martial outfit strolled in leisurely: "Has Left General’s injury healed yet?"

Zuo Zhen: "..."

The nearly healed face suddenly began to throb in pain. The pain in his waist and abdomen started to twitch again.

The Commandery Princess patiently waited for a moment, and then smiled as she inquired once more: "Can Left General get off the bed and walk?"

Zuo Zhen gritted his teeth and responded with a cold smile: "Instead of being concerned about me, the Commandery Princess might as well think about how to deal with the court’s censure!"

Jiang Shaohua smiled leisurely: "I, the Commandery Princess, eradicated evil for the people of Li County. When the Emperor and Empress Dowager know, they’ll praise me; how could they possibly blame me?"

"Even if the court does censure, I, the Commandery Princess, will write a memorial admitting my fault, and it will pass. After all, I, the Commandery Princess, am still a young, capricious child."

"However, Left General, you’ve committed notorious evil deeds in the military camp. The soldiers are full of grievances, and the military generals, afraid of the strength backing the Left General, dare not speak. Now, with General Li summoning the courage to write a memorial impeaching Left General, and everyone signing jointly, it shows the unity among them."

"Left General might as well write a plea for forgiveness and send it to the Capital City. Seeking forgiveness yourself might preserve a bit of final dignity."

Saying so, with a face full of sympathetic regret: "To end up like this, isolated and deserted, with no one but the personal soldiers of the Zuo Family standing by your side, it’s truly a failure."

Zuo Zhen’s facial muscles twitched continuously.

Like an enraged beast wanting to pounce and fight, but facing a beast of immense power that cannot be shaken.

"The Commandery Princess bullies too much!" Zuo Zhen, at the peak of his anger, forced out a few words through gritted teeth.

Jiang Shaohua nodded approvingly: "You’re right, I, the Commandery Princess, am indeed using power to suppress people. This is what Left General used to do. Now that you’re infuriated, it’s merely because you’ve become the oppressed."

"Maybe, before long, the court will send word, and Prime Minister Wang will protect Left General. By then, it’ll be I, the Commandery Princess, who will be unable to express my anger."

Zuo Zhen snorted heavily.

Jiang Shaohua sat down on a chair, dusting off her clean sleeves: "Left General summoned Li Tie and the others here, surely there is something important. Please speak freely; don’t worry about I, the Commandery Princess."

Unable to fight back, unable to outtalk. Using power to suppress wouldn’t work.

Furious with rage, Zuo Zhen glared fiercely at Li Tie and the others without concealing: "Li Tie, aren’t you afraid of Prime Minister Wang’s retribution?"

When Li Tie heard the words "Prime Minister Wang," his body reflexively cringed for a moment.

Beside him, Yu Chong spoke with a cold smile: "Prime Minister Wang is too busy with the affairs of state to bother with us generals in the distant Nanyang Army Camp. As for Left General, you’ve let down Prime Minister Wang’s high expectations. If Prime Minister Wang is indeed going to hold someone accountable, the first person he’d reproach would be you, Left General."

"Left General should think about how to plea to Prime Minister Wang."

Li Tie’s previously bent back straightened again, and he spoke firmly: "We are the Nanyang Garrison, supported by the taxes of Nanyang County’s people. Prime Minister Wang cannot dispose of us without reason."

"The deeds of Left General within the military camp have been written, one by one, into the memorial. Not a single word is falsely accused. Should the court not believe, they are welcome to send an imperial envoy to manage it. Left General, your attempt to cover the sky with one hand will not succeed!"

Having spoken to this point where masks were dropped, there’s no need to say more.

Zuo Zhen’s face contorted with rage, and he pointed to the door: "Get out!"

Li Tie did not immediately leave but cupped his fists toward the Commandery Princess: "Commandery Princess, your humble subordinate takes his leave now."

The Commandery Princess nodded in approval.

The remaining military generals also left one by one.

After all the generals had left, Jiang Shaohua slowly stood up: "I, the Commandery Princess, am going to the Martial Arts Training Ground to watch the soldiers train, and I might as well practice a bit myself. Left General, would you like to come along?"

Left General’s eyes sparked with anger, and he squeezed out: "Your humble subordinate’s injuries haven’t healed properly; it’s inconvenient to accompany."

Jiang Shaohua was very considerate: "Then wait until your injuries are healed to practice."

With a radiant smile, she gracefully left.

Leaving Zuo Zhen, who was nearly cross-eyed with rage, helplessly screaming in anger, kicking a chair flying. The sturdy wooden chair was kicked into the air and landed heavily on the ground, accompanied by a sharp cry: "Ah!"

"What happened to the General?"

"Quick, call the military doctor; the General’s toe got broken from the kick!"