Chapter 412: The Imperial Uncle Accuses Guo Rong

Wang Yansheng was still over there throwing his weight around, unleashing his fierce might, and only reacted when Liu Chengyou drew near. He immediately changed his expression, rolled down his sleeves, hurried forward, and saluted properly: "Your Majesty!"

"General Wang, no need for ceremony!" Liu Chengyou waved his hand in dismissal.

"Your Majesty's presence—why did you not send a eunuch ahead to inform us, so that I could lead the officers and men to welcome you!" Wang Yansheng's facial muscles were tight, carrying a fierce temperament, yet now he wore an awkward smile as he spoke respectfully to Liu Chengyou.

Liu Chengyou smiled slightly: "When I come to the army camp, it is like returning home—why should I announce myself!"

These words from the Son of Heaven sounded pleasing to the ears of a military man like Wang Yansheng. With Liu Chengyou present, the soldiers being punished also had their attention diverted; they still held their horse stances, but the ache in their bodies seemed to ease considerably.

Liu Chengyou raised one finger: "How much longer must they hold?"

"Two shichen!" Wang Yansheng replied.

"Can they last that long?"

Wang Yansheng glanced sideways at the punished soldiers and declared loudly: "If they cannot endure even this, they do not deserve to remain in the Fengchen Camp!"

"That is exactly the spirit needed! The Fengchen Camp wants no mediocrities!" Liu Chengyou expressed his approval.

Liu Chengyou walked before the formation, swept his gaze across them, and asked: "I hear that all of you are being punished for insufficient training! General Wang's feet and whip—kicking at your legs, lashing across your bodies—how does it feel?"

Hearing Liu Chengyou's question, everyone involuntarily lowered their heads. Some had veins bulging in their necks, faces flushed deep with shame—on an ordinary day it might have been one thing, but today they had been caught by the Son of Heaven himself.

"I observe that all of you bear expressions of shame." Liu Chengyou's gaze was calm, his voice even steadier: "I think this is good. Knowing shame and then finding courage—as the most elite soldiers and officers of the Great Han, remember this feeling of humiliation. I imagine that compared to the ache in your bodies, this taste is far harder to bear!"

"Have you all remembered His Majesty's words?" Wang Yansheng seized the moment to bark loudly.

"Yes!" The soldiers all but tore their throats shouting.

"Your Majesty, shall I assemble the entire camp for inspection?" Wang Yansheng requested of Liu Chengyou.

Liu Chengyou nodded in agreement. Seeing this, Wang Yansheng immediately sent someone to relay the order. When the command came down, the discipline and efficiency of the Fengchen Camp showed itself—the soldiers across the entire parade ground moved like machine parts, rapidly shifting and assembling into formation.

On the reviewing platform, Liu Chengyou silently counted in his heart. When he reached fifty, two formations of soldiers bearing swords and shields stood before him, radiating imposing might.

"Today I visited the Fengchen Camp unannounced, and I am very satisfied with the results—no one was negligent! You are the peerless blade I am forging, meant for great purposes. Though you number only a thousand, you can match a hundred thousand troops! Continue as before, strive ever onward, and do not disappoint my hopes!" Liu Chengyou stepped forward and delivered his speech.

But this time, Liu Chengyou had no intention of a lengthy discourse—he simply offered a brief word of encouragement.

His gaze shifted, and pointing north, he announced in a clear voice: "At the end of spring, I shall go hunting at Dunqiu, and the Fengchen Camp shall accompany me as imperial escort! However, only half of you will be able to come with me to Dunqiu. As for which half—that will depend on your performance from here on!"

The Son of Heaven's words first delighted then startled the soldiers, but all those within Liu Chengyou's sight wore expressions of excitement, eager to try.

Liu Chengyou then looked at Wang Yansheng and Shi Yanchao standing before the formation and said softly: "The two Commanders—likewise, only one may go!"

At these words, the two men, who refused to yield to each other, immediately exchanged a glance. Their equally sharp gazes met in the air, nearly sparking with collision.

"Continue with your arrangements!"

Glancing at the sky, Liu Chengyou gave Wang Yansheng an instruction, then had Shi Yanchao take him on a tour of the barracks, during which he also introduced the Fengchen Camp's upcoming training plan—everything was on track.

When he returned to the palace, no matter how light his mood, Liu Chengyou felt extremely weary—the exertion at Noble Consort Gao's quarters that afternoon had truly been too great.

After nightfall, Liu Chengyou visited Kunming Hall to see his second son, Liu Yang, and also to enjoy harmony with the Empress like qin and se—merely talking heart to heart, and the couple slept in their clothes, side by side.

The next day, back at Chongzheng Hall, the person who came to see Liu Chengyou bright and early was actually the Imperial Uncle, Commissioner of Palace Attendants of the Southern Court, Li Ye.

As for this young maternal uncle, Liu Chengyou had placed him in the court with a substantive post, essentially out of regard for Empress Dowager Li. The post of Commissioner of Palace Attendants was a lucrative sinecure... and Empress Dowager Li was excessively fond of this youngest brother of hers.

However, in matters of state over the past two years, Liu Chengyou had basically never allowed Li Ye to participate in deliberations. This grieved the Imperial Uncle, who harbored ambitions of assisting the state, and left him deeply frustrated.

With the Son of Heaven holding real power, even if Li Ye harbored complaints in his heart, he dared not make any excessive demands—even if he appealed to the Empress Dowager. Although Liu Chengyou had always shown respect and filial piety toward the Empress Dowager, he would not tolerate her interfering in state affairs.

Therefore, when he suddenly heard that Li Ye sought an audience, claiming to have important matters to report, Liu Chengyou was quite surprised.

Several years as Imperial Uncle had improved nothing else, but Li Ye had cultivated an air of "nobility"—purple robes upon his body, ornate ornaments, the very picture of a man from a great aristocratic house. Yet before Liu Chengyou, he still behaved with proper deference.

"Uncle, what urgent matter brings you rushing to see me this early in the morning?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"Reporting to His Majesty, I do indeed have important matters to report!" Li Ye said immediately upon being asked: "I have received word that Guo Rong, Military Governor of Chanzhou, just yesterday arbitrarily killed Zhang Jianxiong, Prefect of Puzhou."

"Hm?" Liu Chengyou's brow furrowed involuntarily: "Such a thing actually happened?"

The Son of Heaven's reaction seemed to be exactly what Li Ye had hoped for, and he spoke with great enthusiasm: "Your Majesty, Zhang Jianxiong was a major local official, personally appointed by the late emperor at the founding of the state. Over the years, he has been most submissive to the court. Though Guo Rong is his superior, to dare arbitrarily kill a high minister without cause—this is utterly disregarding the laws of the court! Your Majesty should have him arrested and tried for his crimes!"

Liu Chengyou's expression remained impassive, but his eagle-like eyes grew exceptionally sharp. He looked at Li Ye, whose face was full of expectation, once, and then looked at him again—enough to make the Imperial Uncle feel as if something were stuck in his throat.

"Uncle's information network is quite efficient!" After a moment's thought, Liu Chengyou said coldly: "The court hasn't even received word of such a matter, yet you knew about it in advance!"

The severity and coldness in Liu Chengyou's words startled Li Ye. He dared not meet the Son of Heaven's gaze at all, standing there awkwardly speechless.

"Go to the Hall of State Affairs and ask whether any memorial has arrived from Chanzhou!" Liu Chengyou directly instructed Zhang Dejun.

Sensing the seriousness in the Son of Heaven's tone, Zhang Dejun dared not show any negligence and hurried off.

At this moment, Liu Chengyou turned his attention back to Li Ye and said very calmly: "Whether such a thing occurred, and exactly what the situation is, remains to be verified!"

"However, I am quite curious—who exactly was it that passed this news along to Uncle?"