Chapter 456: I Won't Believe He Dares to Kill Us All

Sure enough, when the Prince of Nan'an said that, everyone present was simultaneously startled and frightened, and their faces grew even paler.

Chen Ruiwen, still doubtful, said:

"It shouldn't be that bad! The Guard Posts have long been rotten; anyone in the capital who is a war hero or official with any connections is implicated. This matter's reach is far too wide!"

Ma Shang also said:

"Perhaps it's just idle talk; I don't believe he would actually audit the lands. In the Da Han Empire, aside from the bandits of Chuan Shan, no one dares to do that!"

"Moreover, Jia Jing, though a youngster, is also a war hero, and his interests align with ours. If he truly acts rashly and offends the world's nobles and Guard Post officers, no matter how good a fighter he is, he won't survive!"

Qi Jianhui, hearing this, also nodded and said:

"Indeed! Last month he only proposed a faction case and was nearly assassinated—hasn't that taught him a lesson? If he truly dares to offend all the world's war heroes and officers, even the Son of Heaven cannot protect him!"

At this moment, Xie Qing, who sat at the far end, finally spoke. His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper on wood, clearly indicating that the past month had not been good for him; he shook his head and said:

"I think you can't be sure! You haven't seen him cut off all ties! Last month at the 12th Regiment, at his single command, he unflinchingly ordered people to behead more than twenty officers right inside the central camp quarters!"

"The former veteran commander of Jingying was also stripped from head to toe; even I, who is related to him, was stripped of my post, and the position of chief commander of the first regiment was simply eliminated."

"Everyone, don't underestimate his courage! Perhaps he hasn't faced hardship these years, but he has a sort of newborn calf's fearlessness toward tigers!"

"Also, don't forget his martial prowess; it's universally acknowledged as... the number one in the world!"

Xie Qing had already been close to the Prince of Nan'an; after Jia Jing stripped him of his position, he leaned even more toward the Prince of Nan'an, seeking reinstatement!

The Prince of Nan'an nodded, took over the conversation, and said in a low voice:

"Brother Xie said it well! In the past, Jia Jing killed Lord Linchuan of the Jingnan lineage, then in the northwest he organized armies and carried out massive slaughter; after returning to the capital he restructured the 12th Regiment, stirred up a faction case and a massacre case, all without any mercy."

"I heard that last night the entire household of Fang Congzhe's manor was slaughtered by him; it shows that although he is young, his audacity is boundless and his heart is ruthless—he must not be underestimated!"

The Prince of Nan'an had carefully investigated Jia Jing's deeds!

Don't be fooled by his seemingly calm and peaceful demeanor among the crowd; in reality, his conflict of interest and hatred with Jia Jing run deepest.

As for the reasons:

First, Jia Jing snatched the position of the current top war hero and the command of Jingying's troops that should have been his!

Second, the Plain Marquis's Mansion is the natal family of his principal consort, Lady Jiang.

Third, his authority as a governor of the Five Military Governor's Office is now clearly being encroached upon by Jia Jing's Prime Minister's Military Administration Office.

There is also the internal power struggle within the founding lineage.

All these, one could say, are like water and fire—completely incompatible!

Only his thoughts are deeper; his joy and anger show no expression, so he simply doesn't display them!

And as the Prince of Nan'an finished that sentence, the hall's atmosphere suddenly grew cold.

Outside the window, cicadas sang, one note longer than the next, like someone sawing wood with a dull knife.

Just as everyone's faces hardened, a report from the outside royal guards came:

"Your Highness! The Crown Prince of Dongping has arrived!"

The Crown Prince of Dongping, that is, the next heir of the Dongping Prince's household already recorded in the Imperial Clan Court, holds a rank equivalent to a first‑rank dukedom.

The Prince of Nan'an set down his tea cup and said loudly:

"Welcome the Crown Prince in!"

And in the hall, Qi Jianhui, Chen Ruiwen, Xie Qing and others stood up to greet him; although they are elders, their status here does not allow them to act condescendingly.

Soon, Crown Prince Mu Chen of Dongping, dressed in brocade finery, entered.

He was about twenty years old, with a fair, spotless face, sporting two meticulously trimmed little sideburns, a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, and delicate eyebrows and eyes that gave him a somewhat androgynous aura.

Mu Chen first, with a rather modest attitude, bowed to the Prince of Nan'an and said:

"Your nephew, I have seen you, Uncle!"

The Prince of Nan'an smiled, raised his hand, and said warmly:

"Cousin, no need for ceremony!"

At this moment, Chen Ruiwen and the others also clasped their fists in greeting to Mu Chen, saying: "We have seen you, Crown Prince!"

Mu Chen returned the salute, and after everyone sat down again, the Prince of Nan'an asked:

"Cousin, how do you find the time to come to my residence now?"

Mu Chen now holds the position of Assistant Secretary in the Five Military Governor's Office, a role with actual power; today it is his turn to serve, so he shouldn't have time to come now!

Mu Chen's expression tightened at the words; he pulled a sealed dispatch from the Prime Minister's Military Administration Office out of his chest and solemnly handed it to the Prince of Nan'an, saying:

"Uncle, take a look at this!"

The Prince of Nan'an, somewhat puzzled, took it and glanced at it; his face instantly turned ashen, and in his fury he slammed the tea cup he held onto the ground!

"Bang!"

Since the Prince of Nan'an inherited his title, became Grand General, and rose to be one of the top two elite war heroes of the Da Han Empire, such a burst of anger has been rare!

The others in the hall, seeing this and not knowing what had happened, all looked at the Prince of Nan'an; Chen Ruiwen smiled and said:

"What happened inside the Governor's Office that made Your Highness so angry?"

The Prince of Nan'an took a deep breath, did not speak, and simply pointed at Mu Chen.

Mu Chen composed himself and said:

"I received a newly posted dispatch from the Prime Minister's Military Administration Office within the Governor's Office; Duke Jing has just issued three military orders, commanding the Governor's Office to convey them to the war heroes in the capital and the Guard Posts of the capital region. The first order is…"

According to Da Han military regulations, although the Prime Minister's Military Administration Office is the highest military body, it has only just been established, and its organization, personnel and other aspects are still incomplete.

Therefore, after Jia Jing signs a military order and stamps the great seal, it still needs to be transmitted through the Ministry of War and the Five Military Governor's Office!

In other words, the Prime Minister's Military Administration Office sends a document to the Five Military Governor's Office, which then, according to its five divisions—central, left, right, front, and rear—issues the orders to the corresponding war heroes and officers.

Of course, they could also directly convene the capital's war heroes and officers for a meeting to proclaim the order, but evidently Jia Jing did not choose that.

At this moment, Chen Ruiwen, Qi Jianhui and others, upon learning the contents of Jia Jing's three orders, all showed shocked expressions, and Ma Shang even shouted:

"The youngster is bold; is this to trap us like fish in a net?"

It actually issued an order setting a deadline for military withdrawal and returning fields so quickly, demanding the Ministry of War, the Five Military Governor's Office, and all Guard Posts in the Capital Region report troop numbers, land holdings, and military equipment, and also demanding they return within the deadline, otherwise their properties will be confiscated and titles stripped!

This simply gives them no way to survive at all!

You should know, these military-merit families have been operating for generations; the military fields they have seized are no longer mere land.

After seizing the land, they repeatedly mortgage it, borrow silver from money shops, then use the borrowed silver to engage in usury, set up shops, and curry favor with the court.

Put bluntly, their entire family wealth, from daily expenses to officialdom operations, has largely been built upon these illegally seized military fields, interlocking tightly and not easily moved.

Once returned, it equals the instant collapse of the family's asset sheet—not just "missing a piece of income," but "instant bankruptcy."

Moreover, voluntarily returning the fields amounts to a written admission that they have been illegally seizing them for decades and drawing empty pay for decades, which is clearly a violation of the law.

At that point, the imperial court can simply take the records of returning the fields and turn them around to investigate their crimes of "illegally seizing military fields over the years, forcing military households into private labor, and evading taxes."

In other words, even after returning the fields, it is very likely not the end but the beginning of property confiscation and clan extermination.

Qi Jianhui's face flushed red as he shouted:

"Such arrogance from a junior—are we to be treated as fish on a chopping block, ready for slaughter?"

Chen Ruiwen likewise spoke angrily:

"How vicious your intentions! Do you really think we're just lumps of clay to be molded? More than half of the Guard Posts in the Capital Region are our people—we fear nothing, we will immediately raise troops to purge the court and fight you to the death!"

"Returning the fields is absolutely impossible! If we fight him, I don't believe he'd dare kill us all!" Xie Ying said!