Chapter 147: Undercurrents Remain

The Imperial Court's edict conferring rewards.

It was like placing an official seal of approval on the brilliant victory at the Battle of Gaoping.

It also temporarily calmed the turbulent hearts of the soldiers and civilians of Chan Prefecture.

The entire Jing'an Army was immersed in the joy of honor and generous rewards.

Along with this, the morale of the entire Chan Prefecture army rose high, and their hopes for the future reached a peak.

However, beneath this seemingly flourishing and prosperous scene,

several almost imperceptible undercurrents have already begun to stir silently.

In Bian Liang, the generosity of the rewards could not fully conceal the suspicion and unease behind them.

The Yin Emperor and his close aides, such as Su Fengji and his ilk, had long harbored misgivings about Chai Rong.

After the Battle of Gaoping, Chai Rong's prestige rose to its zenith!

Under his command emerged Chen Wen, a valiant general skilled in campaigning and combat, who also possessed the merit of saving his lord.

This undoubtedly intensified their worries.

"Founding County Marquis, Chan Prefecture Defense Commissioner… Your Majesty, are these rewards perhaps too generous?"

Deep within the palace, a close attendant cautiously offered advice.

"That Chen Wen is merely a former defeated soldier, under thirty years old, yet already holds a marquisate and commands the defense of a region; given time, he may become a second Chai Rong…"

The Yin Emperor, Guo Rong, had a face as still as water, playing with a jade paperweight in his hand, remaining silent.

How could he not be aware of the risks involved?

But Chan Prefecture's recent victory is riding high; forcibly suppressing it would only backfire.

He needs time, needs to find a way to check and balance.

"Convey my decree!"

After a long while, the Yin Emperor slowly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of coldness.

"Reward the merits of the Chan Prefecture soldiers; furthermore, bestow a thousand bolts of silk, a hundred jars of fine wine, to reward the three armies."

"Order the Privy Council to carefully verify the merit roster of those who contributed in the Battle of Gaoping, striving for…… fairness, without allowing false claims."

The two words "fairness" were spoken with great emphasis.

The attendant understood the implication: they intended to manipulate the concrete implementation of the rewards.

Delay, withhold, or create inequities in the rewards of other meritorious commanders.

In order to plant a wedge within the Chan Prefecture faction, at the very least, to prevent it from remaining monolithic.

At the same time.

Information about Chen Wen was also beginning to be gathered and analyzed in greater detail by concerned individuals in Bian Liang.

His rise from Jiao Tu Zhen, his methods of training troops, his policies for governing the locality.

Even that somewhat mystical 'breakthrough in battle' has become a subject of study for some people at their desks.

An overly perfect and overbearing general, in the eyes of a monarch prone to suspicion, is itself a kind of original sin.

These subtle currents from the capital, through Qian Gui's ever-expanding Inspection Bureau network,

and through some of Wang Pu's connections at court, were intermittently transmitted back to Chen Wen's ears.

"Commander!"

Qian Gui lowered his voice to report.

"Over in Bian Liang, they seem to be paying us special 'attention'."

"The officials scrutinizing merits are nitpicking, and the reward supplies are nearly twenty percent short of the planned amount, and moreover they are all substandard goods."

"Furthermore, rumors have begun circulating in the market, saying that you, Commander… hold onto your troops self-importantly, which is unlikely to be a blessing for the state."

Chen Wen listened, his face showing little surprise, and he replied lightly.

"I know. It was expected."

"Tell those below that what is rightfully ours should be defended with reason, but there is no need to clash with the Imperial Court's envoys over it."

"Pay no heed to those rumors; the innocent will clear themselves."

In his mind, as clear as a mirror, the ancient truth that great merit threatens the ruler holds.

His own rise has been too swift, his military achievements too prominent, and he enjoys deep trust from Chai Rong, making it hard to avoid arousing suspicion.

For now, the Imperial Court and the Yin Emperor still need to rely on Chan Prefecture to resist Northern Han and the Khitan, so they dare not go too far.

But these small moves have already made their stance clear.

"Furthermore…"

Qian Gui paused, his face showing a hint of gravity.

"Regarding the Iron Crow Army… we have cleaned the battlefield, and we also carefully examined the corpses of the two leaders; aside from their insignia, there is nothing that could prove their identity or origin."

"Their weapons, armor, and medicines are anything but ordinary, especially that blue crystal, which is unheard of."

"The 'mastermind' behind them and the 'cleanup plan' remain shrouded in mist."

"The stronghold we destroyed appears to be merely the tip of the iceberg."

Chen Wen furrowed his brow slightly.

The threat of the Iron Crow Army has not been lifted with the victory at the Battle of Gaoping.

They are like a poisonous snake hidden in the shadows; although it has been temporarily struck and retreated,

but no one knows when it will again bare its fangs.

That so‑called 'script' and 'node' are moreover like a Sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

It prevents him from truly being at ease.

"Continue the investigation."

Chen Wen spoke in a low voice.

"Don't let any clue slip. Focus on tracing the source and flow of that kind of blue crystal."

"I have a feeling that we and the Iron Crow Army are far from the end."

Internal suspicion, external mysterious threat.

Like two intertwined undercurrents, lurking beneath the splendid appearance of this victory.

Reminding Chen Wen, the road ahead is certainly not smooth.

Even inside Chan Prefecture, it's not a monolith.

Chen Wen's sudden rise to prominence, although most generals such as Han Tong, Zhang Yongde, etc., are convinced by his military achievements and lifesaving grace.

But inevitably some older-generaled generals whose promotions are slower than his harbor resentment.

But for now, Chai Rong's prestige is high, Chen Wen is in the limelight, so no one dares to show it.

Zhang Cheng, while reporting on the reception and integration of the three counties, also mentioned it tactfully.

"Commander, now our territory has expanded, our authority is greater, and more people are watching us."

"Some of the original clerks and strongmen of the three counties, while appearing obedient on the surface, are probably also watching behind the scenes."

"In implementing policies henceforth, we must be more cautious, both decisive and attentive to methods, to avoid giving others a handle."

Chen Wen nodded.

He knows well, conquering the realm is hard, defending and governing it is even harder.

Previously he only needed to manage military affairs; now he must coordinate military, political, and civil affairs, the situation has become more than ten times as complex.

He walked outside the tent, watching the new recruits training in the distance, and also gazed toward the direction of Chan Prefecture to the south.

The afterglow of the setting sun gilded his silhouette with a golden edge, yet could not conceal the depth in his gaze.

The victory at the Battle of High Flat opened a new situation.

But it also brought new, more complex challenges.

The Imperial Court's suspicion is like a thorn in the back, the mystery of the Iron Crow Army remains unresolved, and internal integration also requires effort.

He clenched his fist, feeling the stable yet powerful thirty-twofold strength within his body, and the dormant yet mighty Fortune Momentum vortex in his sea of consciousness.

Glory and peril coexist, trust and suspicion intertwine.

But in this chaotic world, isn't it always like this?

He took a deep breath, his gaze becoming resolute once more.

Undercurrents surge; then we shall build a sturdy dam.

The road ahead is unpredictable; then we shall cut through thorns and brambles.