Chapter 312: Chen Yan, the master of pointing fingers and fanning flames

"What?!"

"How did they come so fast?!"

Chen De froze in place, the torchlight casting flickering shadows on his face, and in those eyes that were scarlet from slaughter, only unbelievable shock remained.

He stared fixedly at the direction of the mansion gate, his throat feeling as if it were blocked by a ball of hot cotton.

The mobilization of the Imperial Guard required the Grand Chancellor's imperial edict, how could they have come so fast?

Could it be that You Wangzhi had been prepared and reported to the officials in secret?

This thought just popped up and was suppressed.

You Wangzhi was so desperate just now, clearly caught off guard.

But if it wasn't him, who else could it be?

"Marquis..." The private soldier beside him saw him not moving for a long time and finally couldn't hold back, leaning forward and whispering, his voice full of panic, "What should we do now? The Mingjing Si and the Imperial Guard have arrived, fighting hard definitely won't work!"

The private soldiers also panicked, their hands holding the sabers trembling slightly.

They weren't afraid of the Jingzhao Prefecture, but the Mingjing Si specialized in investigating big and important cases, and their methods were fierce.

The Imperial Guard was even better equipped, and if they really fought, these private soldiers of the Marquis Mansion were just a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

"The Mingjing Si and the Imperial Guard have arrived?!"

"We are saved!"

Those two concubine-born sons huddled in the corner had already been scared out of their wits, slumped on the ground unable to even cry.

Hearing the words "Mingjing Si" and "Imperial Guard" at this moment, the fear on their faces was replaced by huge joy.

"Did you hear that?"

You Wangzhi slowly raised his head, his face covered in blood but his eyes sharp, staring fixedly at Chen De: "It's the Mingjing Si and the Imperial Guard!"

"You have no chance, and your death is not far away!"

"You will never be able to avenge your son Chen Yan in this life!"

As he spoke, he suddenly laughed lowly, the laughter full of sarcastic mockery.

Chen De had already been annoyed by the arrival of the Mingjing Si and the Imperial Guard. At this moment, being poked in the sore spot by You Wangzhi's words, he was instantly enraged.

He turned his head abruptly, his scarlet eyes staring fixedly at You Wangzhi, his chest heaving violently, like a beast provoked.

"Before that, I can kill you first!" Chen De roared, no longer caring about the Imperial Guard and the Embroidered Attire Envoys about to enter, raised his saber, and used all his strength to hack toward You Wangzhi!

The blade brought a sharp sound of breaking air, pointing directly at You Wangzhi's head, determined to split this bastard in two!

At this critical moment, a feather arrow suddenly broke through the air from outside the courtyard gate, with a "whoosh," accurately shooting at the back of the saber in Chen De's hand!

With a crisp "clatter," the huge force made Chen De's tiger mouth ache, and the saber fell from his hand.

With a "clatter," it fell to the ground, stuck into the gap of the blue stone slab, trembling on its own.

Chen De stumbled back two steps, looking toward the courtyard gate in surprise and anger.

Only to see a young man dressed in a black robe with a jade belt standing in the depths of the torchlight, holding a delicate ox-horn bow in his hand, the arrow already back on the string, his eyes cold as ice.

The Embroidered Attire Envoys behind him shouted in unison: "Chief!"

The visitor was none other than the Mingjing Si Chief, Chen Yan.

Chen Yan threw the bow to Zhu Yi, his gaze sweeping across the mess on the ground, finally landing on Chen De, his voice flat yet carrying unquestionable pressure: "Marquis Chen, you have gone too far in this matter!"

"Look!"

"It's Lord Chen Yan!"

"It's Lord Chen Yan who has come!"

The servants in the courtyard who were trembling with fear had thought they would definitely not escape this night, one by one hanging their heads, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Among them, those with sharp eyes recognized who had come!

Almost jumped with excitement.

This shout was like a stone thrown into the water, instantly stirring up ripples among the servants.

The servants looked at each other, the fear on their faces gradually replaced by unbelievable ecstasy.

Although they were only servants, they also knew the weight of the Mingjing Si, and even more knew that this Chief Chen was a contemporary blue sky who did not fear the powerful and was a good official who made decisions for the people!

"Who did I think it was?"

Chen De took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed his trembling fingertips, slowly straightened his back, and tried hard to put on the airs of a Marquis: "So it's the Mingjing Si Chief Chen!"

"You have come really fast!"

After speaking, he even tidied his clothes stained with blood, as if the madman who had just wielded a saber to kill was not him.

"It is this Chief!"

Chen Yan nodded, expressionless, and said in a deep voice.

He raised his hand and pointed to the corpses all over the floor, his voice not high, yet every word was like a hammer, smashing people's eardrums: "Marquis Chen, Great Zhou has laws, killers pay with their lives..."

"You led private soldiers to storm the mansion, abused private lynching, and killed so many people, the crime is not small!"

In Chen Yan's eyes, however, a flash of imperceptible excitement flickered.

The corpses lying on the ground, and the heavy smell of blood permeating the air, this was even better than the result he had envisioned.

This military Marquis who came from war was really impulsive and reckless!

"So what?" Chen De looked at Chen Yan, the panic in his eyes long replaced by paranoia, and a mocking arc appeared at the corner of his mouth, "Chief Chen, is there anything wrong with me seeking justice for my son?"

"My son is dead! His throat was cut by You Wangzhi's son!" Chen De pointed fiercely at Chen Yan in the coffin, his voice suddenly rising, carrying heart-wrenching pain, "I am just seeking justice for him, what is wrong with that?!"

"Marquis Chen, order your private soldiers to put down their weapons!"

Chen Yan remained expressionless and said in a deep voice: "Do not escalate the situation further..."

"Impossible!" Chen De's eyes were frighteningly red, as if they were about to drip blood, "Before catching You Cheng Huai, I will never stop!"

It's already done, people are already killed, how can there be any reason to give up halfway?

The hatred for his son must be avenged!

Just then.

Imperial Guard Commander Zhao Liangbi strode into the courtyard, the copper pieces on his armor flashing with cold light under the torches. He walked to Chen Yan's side, bowed, and his voice was as loud as a bell: "Chief Chen, the Dingxiang Marquis Mansion private soldiers outside have all been disarmed and controlled..."

"Thank you for your hard work!"

Chen Yan nodded and replied.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the corpses and blood pools on the ground, his tone flat yet every word was heart-piercing: "Marquis Chen, this time the Grand Chancellor sent two thousand Imperial Guards, the private soldiers behind you are all brothers who have fought with you for many years, do you really want to continue to resist and ignore their lives?"

"You have fought north and south for Great Zhou and made great achievements, do you really not want your reputation behind you?"

"Whether the final characterization of this matter is rebellion, it all depends on your thought, Marquis!"

Chen De looked at those loyal private soldiers, then at the Embroidered Attire Envoys and Imperial Guards waiting in formation behind Chen Yan, the raging fire in his chest finally suppressed by a trace of reason.

"I..." He hesitated.

Seeing this, Chen Yan continued to strike while the iron was hot: "Enough people have died tonight, don't add to the slaughter!"

"Chief Chen, if I put down my weapon and do not resist, and surrender..." Chen De closed his eyes, his voice carrying unspeakable exhaustion and unwillingness, "Can you spare their lives?"

Chen Yan's words completely disintegrated Chen De's last line of psychological defense...

He couldn't ignore the lives of his brothers, nor his own reputation behind him!

If he carried the name of rebellion, then the entire Chen clan would decline because of his impulsiveness...

"Of course!"

Chen Yan smiled indifferently and said sonorously: "These warriors have shed blood and fought for Great Zhou, and are loyal, the Grand Chancellor will definitely forgive them..."

"Good."

Chen De sighed, the struggle in his eyes replaced by determination, slowly raising his hand, his voice hoarse yet clear: "Put down your weapons!"

The private soldiers looked at each other, but ultimately didn't dare to disobey their master's order, and put them down one after another.

The sabers fell to the ground with a "clatter," the crisp sound echoing in the quiet courtyard, like a silent surrender.

"Take them all!"

Seeing this, Chen Yan waved his hand: "Take them back to the Mingjing Si and lock them up!"

"Understood."

The Embroidered Attire Envoys immediately stepped forward, tied up the Marquis Mansion private soldiers one by one, and escorted them out.

You Xian took out the black iron shackles that had been prepared.

When the cold metal touched his wrists, Chen De's body trembled imperceptibly, but he ultimately didn't resist.

With two crisp "clicks," the shackles locked, the heavy force dragging his arms down.

"Let's go!" The Embroidered Attire Envoy said in a deep voice, holding his arms from left and right.

Chen De's footsteps were somewhat stumbling, perhaps because he had used all his strength when wielding the saber just now, or perhaps because his heart was dead at this moment.

He didn't look at the mess around him, nor did he look at those fearful or numb gazes, his vision always sticking to that thin coffin, as if wanting to carve his son's appearance into his bones and blood.

After Chen De's figure completely disappeared into the night, You Wangzhi slowly propped himself up from the ground.

His bones felt like they had fallen apart, every movement pulling at the sharp pain, but looking at the corpses of his children all over the floor, that bit of pain counted for nothing.

He stumbled to stand straight, his gaze passing over the mess, landing on Chen Yan's tall and straight figure.

"Chief Chen, thank you!" You Wangzhi was hoarse, mixed with a heavy nasal sound, "If you hadn't come in time, I'm afraid my whole family would have suffered Chen De's poisonous hand!"

Looking at that grateful appearance, Chen Yan's mouth suddenly curled into an extremely faint arc, but that smile didn't reach his eyes, instead revealing a bit of unfathomable playfulness.

He walked slowly to You Wangzhi, looking down at him, his voice suppressed extremely low, only the two of them could hear clearly: "Junior Marshal, if I had suffered such a great humiliation, and had so many sons killed in front of me, I would absolutely not be able to swallow this breath!"

"Chief Chen is absolutely right!"

You Wangzhi clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his nails deeply embedded in his palms, and he didn't even notice the blood beads seeping out: "It is intolerable!"

Chen Yan smiled indifferently, his gaze sweeping across the pitch-black night outside the courtyard, and said meaningfully: "Junior Marshal, who do you think the Dingxiang Marquis relied on to dare to act so recklessly?"

"And who gave him the confidence to dare to ignore the consequences?" ===== CHAPTER 313 =====