Chapter 490: Chapter 490: Military Soul!

Zhan Lan saw the person approaching on horseback, their expression grave, as they dismounted in front of her.

“Main General, have I… arrived late?”

Zhan Lan looked at Lu Youjun, who called her Main General without hesitation, as everyone in the Zhan Family Army knew an unwritten rule.

In times of war, if the former Main General hands the Tiger Talisman to the new Main General, in urgent matters, all soldiers must obey the new Main General.

Zhan Lan said with a complex expression, “General Lu, I’m afraid Vice General Pang has ulterior motives.”

Lu Youjun was puzzled, “Why does the Main General say this?”

Zhan Lan’s eyes were complicated, “If I’m not mistaken, Vice General Pang is either contacting the Western Rong or reporting the border situation to His Majesty. General Lu, wait a moment and you’ll know.”

Hearing this, Lu Youjun seemed to understand something.

The letter Zhan Lan wrote to him stated: Zhan Beicang encountered an ambush at the Western Regions campsite, and in the emergency, he handed military power to Zhan Lan. Now, General Lu is needed to secretly bring reinforcement to rescue General Zhan Beicang.

Upon seeing the seal of the Tiger Talisman in the letter and smoke rising from the distant valley, Lu Youjun immediately brought troops to reinforce under the guise of a patrol.

Only after reaching the Western Rong campsite did he realize it was not as described in the secret letter, as Zhan Beicang, dressed in Western Rong attire, was walking towards him from afar.

Zhan Lan’s earlier words had made the meaning quite clear.

This was a test.

And he passed the test.

While waiting for Pang An to arrive, Zhan Lan had already informed Zhan Beicang that she wrote a secret letter to both Pang An and Lu Youjun, with identical content.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhan Lan finally saw another figure.

Pang An looked anxiously at Zhan Beicang, “General Zhan, you’re alright, what… what is going on here?”

Zhan Beicang looked at Pang An and sneered, “General Pang, you arrived just in time; a moment later, this general would be dead!”

Pang An said awkwardly, “General Zhan, I was delayed by affairs in the military camp. Luckily, you’re alright, otherwise…”

As he spoke, Pang An gulped and didn’t continue.

Zhan Lan stared coldly at Pang An, who, seeing her gaze, casually said, “I heard Zhan Lan was hastily appointed as the Main General!”

Before Zhan Lan could speak, Zhan Beicang angrily said, “Even I have to call Prince Zhenbei the Main General, yet you casually call her Zhan Lan, where’s the decorum? According to military rules, twenty lashes first!”

Pang An nonchalantly waved his hand, with an intimate tone, “General Zhan, don’t joke. I’ve watched Zhan Lan grow up, having met several times during festivals, she’s like a junior to me, calling her by name feels more intimate!”

He chuckled as he finished, looking at Zhan Beicang, “Besides, since General Zhan is not in danger, this Main General position is still yours!”

His tone was relaxed, completely different from the solemn Lu Youjun.

Zhan Lan looked at Pang An, her eyes full of coldness and detachment, she said loudly, “Pang An, in the military, there are no father and son, the law is supreme; since I am now the Main General, you will receive your lashes today.”

She beckoned with her finger, and two Zhan Family Army soldiers came over, preparing to pin Pang An to the ground. Pang An angrily said, “What do you mean by this!”

Zhan Lan said expressionlessly, “Beat him!”

“Main General, we didn’t bring the military whip!” The two soldiers were afraid of Pang An and hesitated to act.

Zhan Lan raised an eyebrow, “How about the war spears, they work just as well!”

The two soldiers could only go to fetch war spears.

“Main General, why are you targeting me like this?” Pang An gritted his teeth and asked.

“Targeting you?” Zhan Lan turned to Lu Youjun, “General Lu, show the letter I gave you to General Pang.”

“Yes.”

Upon seeing the contents of the letter, Pang An knew he was at fault and finally understood why Zhan Lan wanted to beat him.

“General Pang, will you confess yourself, or wait for the spies to return before explaining? This General will eat first; there’s time to wait for you.”

After speaking, Zhan Lan turned to leave.

Pang An’s small eyes looked at Zhan Lan’s back, and uttered four words, “Main General, I’ll speak.”

Zhan Lan raised her hand, and the two soldiers who returned with war spears stopped in their tracks.

“His Majesty once wrote a secret letter to the subordinate, saying Lianbian City and Shili City are not rich. For the long-term safety of Nanjin, the two small cities could be abandoned to the Western Rong. The subordinate just responded to His Majesty’s letter, secretly sending back the message that you’ve become the Main General of the Zhan Family Army and declared war on the Western Rong to Ding’an City.”

After speaking, Pang An didn’t meet anyone’s gaze, knowing without a doubt that the others must hate him.

Pang An righteously declared, “We are the Zhan Family Army, but we must first obey His Majesty. The ruler is supreme; we, as ministers, can only obey orders!”

Zhan Lan looked coldly at Pang An. There is no shortage of blind loyalty, but someone like Pang An, who can’t distinguish between the important and trivial, right and wrong, is despicable.

“Pang An!” Zhan Beicang angrily said, “Did you see those innocent civilians who died on the streets of Shili City? Thousands of innocent lives were lost because you turned a blind eye, allowed the Western Rong to enter the city, and allowed them to kill; you’re an accomplice! I wish I could kill you myself!”

Pang An looked at the enraged Zhan Beicang, “General Zhan, your Zhan Family can defy the Emperor, but I dare not. I have a wife and children to consider, disobeying His Majesty leaves no path but death. Your Zhan Family has the Regent King to back you, military power in hand, you can act fearlessly, but what about me!”

“That’s the excuse you find for your cowardice!” Zhan Lan said coldly.

“Do you remember why you joined the Zhan Family Army in the first place, and what the soul of the Zhan Family Army is? Speak!”

Pang An lowered his head in shame, not daring to look into Zhan Lan’s earnest eyes.

Zhan Lan said word by word, “Iron Blood Troop, will like steel, with a fervent spirit and a loyal heart, facing death with readiness, serving the nation and its people!”

As Zhan Lan spoke each word, she remembered her grandfather’s expression when he spoke those words.

The cold wind blew, making Zhan Lan’s eyes water. “My grandfather once said, the Zhan Family Army fights bloodily, killing the enemy for the country, not to dominate Nanjin, nor to let Nanjin dominate, but to let Nanjin’s citizens always be able to rest easy behind them!”

Her voice echoed in the ears of the Zhan Family Army, inspiring them with each word.

Zhan Hui clenched his fists, missing his grandfather. These words he heard from a young age, and hearing them overlapped with Zhan Lan’s voice, making his heart extraordinarily heavy.

Pang An met Zhan Lan’s disappointed and angry gaze, a silver glint flashed before him as Zhan Lan pointed a war spear at his chest, “And you, Pang An, have you lived up to the people of Nanjin?”