Chapter 1433: Beauty Undercover General's 24

Having crossed more than half of the Crimson Heavens Kingdom, on the day he returned to the capital, the main street was crowded with commoners offering respectful greetings, yet they dared not be too loud, only silently gathering to express the joy of the kingdom's victory.

The reason was simply that Jin Chen was the chief commander of the Divine Might Army, and the commoners both revered and feared him.

Sitting in the carriage, Muyue could even hear a child crying outside on the street, being scolded by the mother, who bluntly said that if the child kept misbehaving, the Ghost‑faced General would seize him.

The effect of stopping the crying was indeed good, but Muyue felt extremely uncomfortable; after holding it in, she could not help lifting the carriage curtain and shouting outside, "The general is not scary at all!"

Before the commoners could react, Muyue was already pulled inside by Jin Chen, and the curtain fell again.

"What are you shouting about? So many eyes in the capital recognize you." Jin Chen said helplessly.

Muyue touched her sore head, then remembered her former undercover identity; she immediately felt guilty, her eyes darting, and she snuggled up to Jin Chen to act coquettishly.

"They're scolding you, and I'm not happy about it."

"Older Brother is the best general in the world; he's certainly not scary."

Muyue shuffled over and over until she sat on Jin Chen's lap, lifted his mask, and kissed his cheek.

Jin Chen had no anger left; he pulled Muyue into his embrace and said in a calm tone, "Strangers' thoughts are none of our business."

"Hmm…?"

Muyue lifted her eyes curiously and asked, "Older Brother, you became a general not to defend home and country?"

"Yes and no." Jin Chen said, slowly closing his eyes, his voice tranquil, "My original ambition did not lie here, but the Jin family has generations of military service, and Older Brother has a hidden illness that prevents him from going to the battlefield."

Thus he became the only possible choice, with no room for objection.

Muyue had once heard Jin Chen speak of his family: he had an older brother and a younger sister, and their relations were very good.

Muyue slowly nodded, then rubbed her face against his, asking, "What is Older Brother's aspiration?"

Jin Chen fell silent, recalling the original owner's memories, then he tightened his hold on Muyue's waist, forcibly changing the subject: "My ambition is to marry you."

Muyue blinked, her heart gradually quickening in her chest; she shyly covered her face and said, "Have I already made preparations? From now on, whether I live or die, I will belong to Older Brother."

"You always have death on your lips." Jin Chen ruffled his hair and asked, "Are you stupid or not?"

But Muyue suddenly fell silent, leaning in his embrace as she lowered her gaze, sighing with words left unspoken.

Yet she had only a year left to live.

One year is already short enough.

But it's already good enough; Muyue, clutching the corner of Jin Chen's clothes, thought, Being able to stay constantly by Older Brother's side, and Mother living well.

Muyue again curved her eyes, wrapped her arms around Jin Chen's neck, and gave a quick peck.

【Villain Blackening Value detected –5, total now 65!】

——

Jin Chen needed to go to the palace with the vice‑general to report duties and receive rewards, so he ordered the personal guards to escort Muyue back to the general's residence first, and had also arranged a place for Mother to spend her old age in the capital.

Everything had already been arranged; Muyue happily followed the personal guards back to the general's residence.

In the court.

The palace eunuch read out edict after edict, the commanders of the Divine Might Camp discussed merits and rewards, and the emperor sat on the dragon throne, appearing somewhat absent‑minded.

He glanced at Jin Chen several times, and whenever Jin Chen's gaze met his, he quickly looked away, then, as if guilty, smoothed his dragon robe.

Jin Chen slowly raised his eyebrows, wondering what wicked scheme this fellow was plotting.

When the proclamation reached the final item—namely, the chief commander Jin Chen—the eunuch had not yet spoken, when the Right Minister stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, this old minister has a memorial to present."

Jin Chen watched helplessly as this old thing exchanged a glance with the emperor, and immediately he knew what was going on.

This obstinate Right Minister was the maternal grandfather of Chi Han Hua, and the news of Chi Han Hua's death had reached the capital months earlier; the previous calm had merely been waiting for his return.

As expected, the Right Minister began weeping for Chi Han Hua, every word accusing Jin Chen of killing the prince, claiming it was an act of overthrowing superiors and deceiving the sovereign.

Once those words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

Some military officers could no longer restrain themselves and wanted to sue the Right Minister for slander; the Grand General, who had returned from the battlefield covered in blood as a meritorious hero, how could his heart be so chilled!

Yet, in the heat of the moment, they were dissuaded by Jin Chen's gaze and could only sigh unwillingly and keep silent.

Nevertheless, the emperor could not fail to notice the commotion in the court; he glanced at Jin Chen and rubbed his knees.

Only then did he ask, "Beloved Minister Jin, do you have anything to say?"

Jin Chen replied in an even tone, "I only believe that the clear will clear themselves; to condemn me solely on the Right Minister's single statement is not what a wise ruler would do."

Wild, just as always.

Having gone out to slaughter and returned, the Grand General still puts no one in his eyes.

The military officers couldn't help wanting to laugh, while the civil officials wished they could each copy a volume; as the saying goes, propriety must not be abandoned, yet this Ghost‑faced General is terribly rude!

The emperor, presumably angered by Jin Chen, immediately lost any guilt and, with a hardy flourish of his sleeve, shouted, "Come on! Take Jin Chen to prison!"

Jin Chen's eyebrows twitched slightly; he gave the emperor an inscrutable look, but the latter avoided his gaze.

Jin Chen turned back, stopped the military officers who wanted to kneel and beg for mercy, and, unusually, did not continue his wildness; he merely exchanged a glance with Shi You, who nodded in response.

All the court officials could only watch helplessly as the victorious Grand General, merely on the basis of a charge whose truth had not yet been ascertained, was taken away to be imprisoned.

No wonder the emperor today ordered the transfer of Old General Jin.

The court officials sighed and shook their heads, yet there was nothing they could do.

——

The general's residence.

They had long heard from the letters of the existence of Young Master Muyue, and Old Lady Jin had especially come to the main gate to greet him, smiling broadly.

But the others present had varied expressions.

Under the escort of the personal guards, Muyue also roughly came to know the greeters: Jin Chen's mother, the old lady, and his younger sister, the Third Miss.

There was also a young lady whose gaze toward him was the most hostile; it was unclear what her identity was, nor how she related to his older brother.

Jin Qingqing glanced at Muyue several times, indeed she was stunned, but thinking of what her second older brother wrote in the letter—that he would marry no one but him—she gave a sullen hum and held even tighter the arm of her close boudoir friend Su Yan.

I originally thought my boudoir confidante would become my sister‑in‑law, our families were a good match, we were just going to fight a battle, but my elder brother already has someone he likes.

Su Yan Yingying smiled at Muyue, but there was a subtle hint of rejection; Muyue, being keenly perceptive of emotions, instantly felt inexplicably uneasy.

Still, Madam Jin gave a warning‑like pat on Jin Qingqing's hand, smiling as she said, "Good child, come in with me quickly; Chen'er will be back after finishing his report."

All the way into the reception hall, the Jiangjun fu had many servants and maids, not as free‑and‑easy as the Divine Might Battalion; Muyue felt somewhat ill at ease, especially since the old lady seemed caring but was actually probing his family background in small talk.

It's not what I imagined.

Muyue dissatisfiedly glanced away, lowering his eyes and growing quieter; if he had still been undercover in the capital before, he could have endured and mingled happily, just saying whatever suited the person—or the ghost.

But Elder Brother said, he should just be himself and not do anything that makes him unhappy.