Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 381: Chapter 366 Please Execute Chen Zuchang

”Your Highness, this old official believes that the first matter to address should be the garrison eunuch of Chongshan Town, Chen Zuchang!”

Liu Yuanfu stood up at this moment, bowed, and spoke.

Mentioning Chen Zuchang, the Crown Prince’s face instantly darkened.

However, beside him, Prince Cheng and Prince Gong revealed mocking expressions.

Chen Zuchang was one of the Crown Prince’s men, but he had not been in Liaodong for long before he was impeached by Pang Tang!

This was truly a disgrace!

At this moment, the Crown Prince felt like killing someone.

He not only wanted to kill Chen Zuchang but also Pang Tang.

Others only saw Pang Tang’s memorial, but he had also received Chen Zuchang’s secret report.

Pang Tang’s impeachment was open and aboveboard, while Chen Zuchang was sneaking around snitching.

Needless to say, the snitching by Chen Zuchang involved, no doubt, embellishing the criticisms Pang Tang made of him, and then adding some remarks about how Pang Tang was being disrespectful to the Crown Prince.

Although the Crown Prince did not fully believe Chen Zuchang’s words, he was still very angry inside.

After all, Chen Zuchang was his man; when beating a dog, one should at least look at the owner, yet Pang Tang showed no respect, calling Chen Zuchang a castrated dog and even going so far as to impeach him. Wasn’t this causing embarrassment for him?

”I will handle Chen Zuchang, and you gentlemen need not worry!” said the Crown Prince somewhat helplessly.

Chen Zuchang’s embezzlement of salary was definitely a matter to be addressed; he couldn’t ignore it even if he wanted to, with all the civil and military officials of the court watching him, he definitely couldn’t cover for Chen Zuchang.

”May I ask how your Highness plans to deal with Chen Zuchang?”

However, when he wanted to downplay the issue, Liu Yuanfu was not willing.

How to deal with Chen Zuchang?

Chen Zuchang was the Crown Prince’s domestic slave; naturally, it was up to the Crown Prince to decide alone!

But Liu Yuanfu did not want the Crown Prince to trivialize serious matters or overlook minor ones; he hoped the Crown Prince would severely punish Chen Zuchang, preferably even execute him.

The Crown Prince definitely didn’t want to kill Chen Zuchang. Even if Chen Zuchang was wrong, he was still one of his close men; killing Chen Zuchang would lead to alienation among his followers.

”I will relieve him of his position as garrison and appoint a new one!” the Crown Prince said gravely.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuanfu showed a disappointed expression.

The Crown Prince’s actions were still not decisive enough, nor ruthless enough.

To care about a slave at the expense of the larger situation of Chongshan Town.

”This official believes that Chongshan Town temporarily needs no garrison!” Liu Yuanfu then said.

He didn’t want to argue with the Crown Prince about how to deal with Chen Zuchang anymore; he just hoped that the Crown Prince would not send another garrison eunuch to Chongshan Town.

The Crown Prince looked at Liu Yuanfu, his eyes full of sternness.

”Does Mr. Liu think that my men are not fit to serve as garrison?”

”This old official has no such intentions!”

”Then what do you mean? I know you are quite close to Yang Zhenshan; do you think Yang Zhenshan needs no supervisory garrison?” The Crown Prince’s tone became extremely somber.

With this remark, all the court officials showed a surprised expression.

Zhou Mao frowned and looked up at the Crown Prince but quickly lowered his head.

Li Siyuan also furrowed his brows; the Crown Prince’s remarks were somewhat excessive.

This was suggesting that Liu Yuanfu was shielding Yang Zhenshan, and to put it more broadly, Liu Yuanfu and Yang Zhenshan were forming a faction!

Civil officials and military generals forming factions!

This was a taboo matter!

”This old official has absolutely no such intentions!” Liu Yuanfu raised his head and looked directly at the Crown Prince.

”No? Then why does Chongshan Town not need a garrison!” the Crown Prince, looked at him even more annoyed.

Who was Liu Yuanfu?

A man who dared to point at Emperor Chengping’s nose and curse!

Liu Yuanfu’s aged face trembled slightly with wrinkles, ”Does your Highness really want this old official to speak?”

”Speak!” the Crown Prince said sternly.

Liu Yuanfu bowed deeply and said loudly: ”Your Highness’s control over your subordinates is lax, giving rise to this villainous servant. This villainous servant, who embezzled salary, disregarded the greater good, and should be punished, I request your Highness to execute Chen Zuchang!”

Liu Yuanfu knelt down and kowtowed, ”Please your Highness to execute Chen Zuchang!”

Does Chongshan Town need a garrison eunuch?

Does it matter?

Not really!

Liu Yuanfu just didn’t want the Crown Prince to send another garrison eunuch to Chongshan Town to cause trouble.

But since the Crown Prince refused to let go, then he could only push the Crown Prince hard!

”You!” the Crown Prince was extremely angry!

”Chen Zuchang’s crime is unforgivable, this old official requests your Highness to execute Chen Zuchang!” Liu Yuanfu kowtowed again.

Embezzling salary, this matter could be dealt with severely or lightly!

If handled lightly, let Chen Zuchang return the embezzled money and let the Crown Prince punish him.

If handled severely, executing Chen Zuchang was also within the bounds of the law.

The Crown Prince looked at Liu Yuanfu, kneeling on the ground, his face alternating between shades of pale and flushed.

But what worried him even more was still to come.

”This official requests the Crown Prince to execute Chen Zuchang!”

”This official requests the Crown Prince to execute Chen Zuchang!”

Those who kicked a man while he was down came forward; Prince Cheng and Prince Gong stepped up and bowed.

The Crown Prince looked at them darkly; now he wanted to kill even more people.

”Good, very good. Since the two imperial brothers wish to kill a servant, then I shall have him executed!”

After saying this, the Crown Prince flung his sleeves and left the great hall in a huff.

Liu Yuanfu lifted his head and watched the retreating figure of the Crown Prince, letting out a deep sigh.

”Mr. Liu, why bother?” Li Siyuan stepped forward and helped him up.

”How can border town warfare be taken lightly? This old man has no choice!” Liu Yuanfu said dejectedly, shaking his head.

Without resolving the issue of Chongshan Town, the problems with the Wuliang Hu Clan cannot be solved.

As long as Ji Feiyu still controls the west road of Chongshan Town, the Wuliang Hu Clan entering Liaoxi would be like entering an undefended land.

Right now, the most important thing is to conquer Chongshan Pass and regain control over the west road of Chongshan Town; otherwise, the conflict in Liaoxi can never end.

However, at this critical moment, the Crown Prince not only fails to prioritize the overall situation but also constantly thinks about planting his people in Chongshan Town, which is very disappointing to Liu Yuanfu.

”It’s just that, I’m afraid the Crown Prince might begin to resent you,” Li Siyuan said in a low voice.

”Let him resent if he must, this old man is already prepared to retire!” Liu Yuanfu looked up at the high throne and shuffled out of the great hall, shaking his head.

Li Siyuan watched his figure, feeling a sense of sorrow in his heart.

The struggle in the court is far more intense than imagined, and the fight between the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng and Prince Gong is almost out in the open.

Everything the Crown Prince wants to do, the two Princes oppose, and whatever can embarrass the Crown Prince, they cling to without reservation.

The next day, Liu Yuanfu formally requested his retirement.

He truly wishes to resign.

Firstly, he is already seventy years old and, although still physically fit, his age is taking its toll on his energy and strength.

Secondly, the current political situation in the court is turbulent and unpredictable, with the Crown Prince and the two Princes’ conflict intensifying, making political instability inevitable.

And he no longer possesses the youthful ambition or the fearlessness he once had.

The older one gets, the lesser the courage.

Yesterday, Liu Yuanfu had utterly offended the Crown Prince. If he continues to stay in the court, Liu Mansion might face the threat of annihilation.

Liu Yuanfu feels he has lived his life true to the Emperor and to Da Rong, and now in his old age, he should think of his descendants.

That’s why he decided to resign and retire back to his hometown, distancing himself from the whirlpool that is the court.

Liu Yuanfu’s request for retirement was unsurprisingly rejected.

For the following two days, Liu Yuanfu continuously requested to retire, three times in a row, and the Crown Prince permitted it.

The Crown Prince couldn’t wait to get rid of this old vexation, but since Liu Yuanfu is an important official with high reputation among the scholars, he could only reject Liu Yuanfu’s request three times.

Knowing the Crown Prince’s thoughts, Liu Yuanfu resolutely requested his resignation thrice over three days.

On the day after receiving approval, Liu Yuanfu left the Capital City with his family, not hesitating or delaying, even appearing somewhat hurried.

However, before leaving the Capital City, Liu Yuanfu still wrote a letter to Yang Zhenshan.

First of July.

Outside Chongshan Pass, in the Tenglong Guard’s camp.

Yang Zhenshan received the letter from Liu Yuanfu.

Reading the contents, Yang Zhenshan’s brows knitted together.

Liu Yuanfu clarified in the letter that his reason for resigning was due to the escalating conflict between the Crown Prince and the two Princes, while the old Emperor remained bedridden. If it continued this way, a major coup was inevitable in the court. Not wanting to involve his offspring, Liu Yuanfu chose to seek fortune and avoid disaster, distancing himself from the court.

Liu Yuanfu also mentioned that the Crown Prince might be highly displeased with Yang Zhenshan and advised him to be cautious.

After reading the letter, Yang Zhenshan stroked his long beard, deeply lost in thought.

Situated in Chongshan Town, far from the court, theoretically, the court’s conflicts should be irrelevant to him.

However, now he is the General of Chongshan Town, and with both Chongshan Town and Liaoxi under focused attention, the dissent in the court may revolve around Chongshan Town and Liaoxi.

As for the Crown Prince, theoretically, he had never had any interactions with him, but it seems on several occasions, he became an obstacle to the Crown Prince.

And when Liu Yuanfu requested Chen Zuchang’s execution, the Crown Prince claimed Liu Yuanfu was conspiring with him, an undeserved disaster indeed!

Chen Zuchang was dismissed by Pang Tang, and he had never even met Chen Zuchang.

But now it seems the Crown Prince might have harbored resentment against him!

The more Yang Zhenshan thought about it, the more his head ached.

The struggles on the court are more troublesome than the battlefield.

”Could the Crown Prince be thinking of killing me?”

Yang Zhenshan shook his head, feeling a bit paranoid.

The Crown Prince might be displeased with him, but wouldn’t likely take extreme measures against him, not just yet.

Moreover, the court still needs him to deal with Ji Feiyu. If the Crown Prince had any sense of the bigger picture, he couldn’t act against him now.

As for the future, he did not think too much about it, as it was pointless.

Yang Zhenshan thought of Prince Cheng and Prince Gong, and the bedridden old Emperor.

”I wonder when the old Emperor will recover!”

Yang Zhenshan murmured softly, then put down the letter and stood up from his camp.

Outside the tent, Niu Zhuang, Tang Feihu, and Xie Yuan were chatting. Seeing him emerge, they quickly came forward to salute.

”Let’s go and take another look at Chongshan Pass!”

Yang Zhenshan said, mounting his horse and leading his men grandly away from the camp, speeding towards Chongshan Pass.

They had been at Chongshan Pass for almost twenty days.

During these days, they had not attacked the city, not even a probing attack.

And Ji Feiyu inside the city had not ventured out to fight either, seemingly determined to hold Chongshan Pass at all costs.

The two sides were at a standoff.

However, Yang Zhenshan knew they couldn’t delay any longer. Continuing this way, Liaoxi might collapse first, and the court might also start having opinions about him.