Chapter 220: The Impossible Person

"Lord Shen, I've asked him, it is indeed him!"

Peng Yan, who said these words, was very nervous, almost speaking through gritted teeth. Because what this name represented was too heavy, so heavy that even he had to be cautious, and then cautious again.

Previously, he had been ordered to interrogate Wan Cheng, and even patted his chest in front of Shen Yu, saying that even if he were made of iron, he could roast him until he melted, yet this Wan Cheng simply refused to budge.

In Wan Cheng's view, as long as he gave in, only death awaited him. Under the threat of life and death, there is often unimaginable willpower.

Therefore, no matter what methods the people from the Palace Attendant Department used, he gritted his teeth and endured it.

Unfortunately, there are some things that, even if he didn't want to say, he couldn't help but say.

When the Palace Attendant Department had left Wan Cheng on the verge of death and near collapse, Shen Yu used the Soul Falling Bead, combined with the soul-capturing technique of the Nine Yin Manual, to successfully extract the information he truly wanted from his mouth.

And it was precisely this information that left Peng Yan pale with shock, even feeling somewhat at a loss!

There are many officials who colluded with the Sifang Chamber of Commerce; to empty the Nanling Granary, it would be impossible to rely on just one or two people, and the officials taken down previously were only a part of it.

Among the remaining people, most are still high-ranking and powerful figures, holding key positions in the Beishan Region.

And among these people, the most high-ranking and powerful is none other than Marquis Pingdu Lin Zhao, who holds the military power of the Beishan Region. It is precisely this person who made Peng Yan change his expression several times.

Hearing this news, Peng Yan still completely disbelieved it. The Lin Family, where Marquis Pingdu Lin Zhao belongs, is a family of generals, loyal for generations. The Lin Family has guarded the Northern Frontier for generations, and those who died on the battlefield are countless.

In the great war in the Northern Region ten years ago, five of the six generals of the Lin Family died in battle, leaving only one male descendant, Lin Zhao; it can be said that the entire Lin Family is loyal and heroic.

In Peng Yan's view, this is definitely a frame-up. Because anyone is possible, but only the people of the Lin Family are impossible; the loyalty of the Lin Family is known to all.

It is very likely that even Wan Cheng himself was fooled by someone; he thought the one who instigated him was the Marquis of Pingdu, but in reality, it might have been someone else in disguise.

However, when Wan Cheng said these words, Shen Yu believed it more than halfway.

A wealthy merchant who has traversed the business world for many years, capable of building the Sifang Chamber of Commerce to its current scale from scratch step by step, Wan Cheng is naturally not a simple character.

If he didn't even know who was behind him, then Wan Cheng would definitely not have reached his current status.

Therefore, even if this answer is impossible, I am afraid there is a high probability that it is true.

Finally, Peng Yan was still unwilling to give up and interrogated the Commander of the Lujiang City Garrison, Gu Qingzhou, once more, and the result obtained was exactly the same.

The only one who could make a dignified Garrison Commander truly support them, even to the point of falling out with the Imperial Envoy, is that loyal and heroic Lin Family!

"The Changding Army, the Marquis of Pingdu, how could it be him, why would it be him!"

Raising his head, Peng Yan still couldn't quite believe it, but the facts were all there, and he couldn't help but believe it. But if all of this behind the scenes was truly being manipulated by Lin Zhao, the trouble would be huge.

This person holds military power and can be said to be below one person and above ten thousand in the Beishan Region, with a status second only to the Governor of the Beishan Region; he can be called majestic and illustrious.

But the key is that the previous Governor of the Beishan Region was taken down in a muddle because of the granary deficit, and it is said that he is still under investigation even now.

In other words, in fact, the current Beishan Region is decided by this Marquis of Pingdu, Lin Zhao.

At this moment, not only did Peng Yan feel that a storm was coming, but even Shen Yu felt that the current Beishan Region seemed to be shrouded in a large net, and this net was tightening.

According to Wan Cheng himself, these grains had been hidden in the granaries they secretly built ever since they were transported, and had never been used.

Even when the famine arrived and grain prices outside soared, this Marquis of Pingdu still refused to sell a single grain, just watching it like that.

That is to say, this Marquis of Pingdu getting so much grain is not for money at all; then what do they want so much grain for? Unless, it is used as military provisions!

This guess made Shen Yu shudder.

Especially in this year of famine, as long as there is enough grain, there are plenty of people willing to risk their lives, and one could easily raise an army of a million.

The two major granaries were directly emptied, not only getting the grain, but also taking down the mountain that was the Governor of the Beishan Region; from then on, there would be no more constraints in the Beishan Region, which can be called killing two birds with one stone.

Impressive, I admire him!

"Lord Shen, this time we are really in trouble!" With his brows tightly furrowed, Peng Yan suddenly felt he didn't know how to proceed.

Fortunately, this Lord Shen only secretly saved Wan Cheng; in the eyes of outsiders, Wan Cheng is already dead, and everything has been covered up. Otherwise, he feared that Marquis Pingdu Lin Zhao would immediately act out of desperation.

Once the Changding Army makes a move, the Beishan Region will surely fall into chaos instantly, and might even be captured without time to react.

Without the constraints of the Governor's Office and with countless officials colluding, the Lin Family, which has been managed for generations and is loyal and heroic, definitely has this capital and ability.

Marquis Pingdu Lin Zhao joined the army in his youth and had illustrious military achievements. Later, because of some things, he was somewhat depressed for a time, and later he was transferred from the Northern Frontier to the Beishan Region to command the Beishan Region's Changding Army.

Although the Changding Army does not belong to the Northern Frontier Army, it is also a first-class army. Its combat power is fierce, not losing to those weaker Northern Frontier armies.

And once the Changding Army lets go and fights, or even marches north, cutting off the connection between the Northern Frontier and the Beishan Region, the consequences would be unimaginable.

And if the Hu tribes take the opportunity to invade at this time, with the retreat cut off, the million-strong army of the Northern Frontier would be in danger.

If the Northern Frontier is lost, the iron cavalry of the Hu tribes can drive straight in, and then the Northern Region will inevitably be a mess, and even half of the Imperial Court will fall into the flames of war.

Once it reaches that point, it will be corpses everywhere and rivers of blood. The common people of most of the Imperial Court will be displaced, and the impact caused will be ten times that of the current famine in the Beishan Region!

At the thought of that scene, Peng Yan couldn't help but shiver, and cold sweat almost soaked his back.

No, no matter what, this must never be allowed to happen!

"Lord Shen, you don't seem worried?"

At this time, Peng Yan looked at Shen Yu with a pleading gaze, hoping that this Lord Shen would have a way.

But the result was that he saw this Lord Shen not only not anxious, but instead leisurely drinking tea. This scene almost made Peng Yan curse out loud in anger.

He is so anxious now that his lips are almost blistering, what is this calmness on your face supposed to mean? It's as if I'm the only one anxious here.

Big Brother, the fire is burning our eyebrows, and you can still sit there.

"Calm down!" Putting the teacup in his hand aside, Shen Yu said lightly, "In your view, if the Xiaoyun Guard and the Changding Army were to clash, which one would have a better chance of winning?"

"This, it should be the Xiaoyun Guard!"

To be honest, Peng Yan didn't dare to be sure, because the two had never fought, and it was impossible for them to have fought before.

But in his view, the Xiaoyun Guard had once directly crushed thirty thousand Great Tent Wolf Cavalry, which is the strongest cavalry of the Hu tribes. Compared to that, the Changding Army is much worse.

If thirty thousand Great Tent Wolf Cavalry were to charge head-on, the Changding Army would definitely not benefit, and defeat might be the only result.

Therefore, by rounding up, the Xiaoyun Guard should be stronger.

"Colonel Peng, have you not noticed that since entering the Beishan Region, only Liang Ruyue has been by my side?"

"Yes, Lord Shen, you told me about this matter; it was you who asked He Yinshan to handle some things, so he hasn't returned yet!"

"Yes, then does Colonel Peng know what I asked him to do?" With a light smile, Shen Yu said lightly, "I asked him to hold the Golden Medal and secretly mobilize the Xiaoyun Guard into the Beishan Region!"

"At this moment, the Xiaoyun Guard is poised and ready, while the Changding Army is unaware that we have already taken action. With the prepared striking the unprepared, does Colonel Peng still think the Changding Army poses a threat?"

"Hiss!" He could not help but gasp; the Xiaoyun Guard had actually been mobilized. No wonder He Yinshan, that right-hand man, was absent—it turned out he had gone to deploy troops.

If the Xiaoyun Guard were in the Beishan Region right now, then everything would be easy to handle!

"Lord Shen, shall we depart immediately?"

"No, we are likely being watched by many eyes right now. We dealt with the Sifang Chamber of Commerce just a moment ago. If we head to the Changding Army right after, if it were you, could you not be suspicious?"

"Therefore, we must not alert the enemy for now; we will deal with the Yushan Bandits first! Let this Marquis of Pingdu relax his vigilance!"

Speaking of this, a flash of killing intent flickered in Shen Yu's eyes. He learned from Wan Cheng that he had secretly notified the Yushan Bandits to come and seize the grain, and the Yushan Bandits had recklessly agreed to it!

The Yushan Bandits have countless experts, are known for coming and going like the wind, and have roamed the Beishan Region for many years; there is nothing they dare not do, and they can be described as extremely arrogant.

Now they even dare to set their sights on disaster relief grain; they aren't afraid of choking to death!

"Hmph! Yushan Bandits! You dare to set your sights on this official's grain, very good!"

With a light snort, Shen Yu picked up his teacup and took a sip. His calm voice carried a biting killing intent, making Peng Yan unable to help but shiver.

Once targeted by this Lord Shen, the Yushan Bandits, who have roamed the Beishan Region for many years, will likely become history before long.