Chapter 10 (Part 1) Rescue Once More

  Following the imperial guards who escorted Pei Hongce, Chen Yingliang entered through the Heavy Light Gate and was led to a magnificent palace. Along the way, although Chen Yingliang wore plain clothes, his expression and demeanor were calm and composed, as if he were walking in the streets, which secretly impressed the Imperial City guards who were monitoring him.

  Chen Yingliang really has nothing to be afraid of, the actual credit for saving Pei Hongzhi is placed here, and Pei Hongzhi's entire army was defeated but it had nothing to do with Chen Yingliang. No matter how humble his origin or lowly his status, what need does Chen Yingliang have to be afraid?

  The guard directly pushed Pei Hongce into the main hall, and Chen Yingliang didn't hesitate to follow him in. The guards at the gate of the palace wanted to stop them, but a majestic voice came from inside the palace, "Let him come in, let me take a look at this young hero earlier, what does he look like?"

  The guards stepped aside to clear the way, and Chen Yingliang walked calmly into the grand hall. He looked around and saw that apart from the guards on either side, there were only three people in the spacious hall. A small boy of eight or nine years old sat high up in the center of the hall, undoubtedly Yang Zong, the grandson of Emperor Yang of Sui. To Yang Zong's left stood a tall, white-haired old man with a long beard reaching down to his chest, looking stern and majestic. On his right sat a frail-looking middle-aged man with a sickly complexion, who coughed several times as Chen Yingliang entered the hall, clearly in poor health.

  Pei Hongce had already knelt down, trembling with fear and knocking his head on the ground: "Guilty minister Pei Hongce pays respects to King Yue's palace, pays respects to Governor Fan, and pays respects to General Huangfu. Guilty minister lost the battle and humiliated the country, deserving of death ten thousand times over, begging for mercy from King Yue's palace and Governor Fan, and begging for mercy from General Huangfu."

  "Humble commoner Chen Yingliang, paying respects to the King of Yue's palace, and also paying respects to the two nobles." Chen Yingliang also imitated Pei Hongce's courtesy, saying loudly: "Humble commoner doesn't know the two nobles' names, please forgive my mistake."

  "Master Chen, please rise." Nine-year-old Yang Tong spoke up, using a rather mature tone: "Sir, you have rendered meritorious service by saving the imperial minister; please stand up and respond."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty." Chen Yingliang bowed again before standing up.

  "Are you Chen Yingliang, Chen Gongzi?" The white-haired old man spoke up and said: "I am Fan Zigai, the defender of Dongdu. I ask you, apart from rescuing Pei Hongce today, have you also gone to the Anxi Gate to request to join the army and offer your services?"

  "Report to Lord Fan, I was a commoner who went to one of the city gates in Dongdu to request to join the army. However, as I had just arrived in Dongdu, I didn't know the name of that city gate." Chen Yingliang answered truthfully.

  "It's really you." Fan Zigei's stern face revealed a hint of a smile, and he said: "If you had left half an incense stick later, I would have met you earlier. Now, I'll ask you again - as a 17-year-old youth, why did you think of joining the army?"

  "Reporting to Lord Fan, I, a humble commoner, have two purposes for joining the army. Firstly, I want to serve the country and be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor. Secondly, my family has fallen on hard times and we are struggling to make ends meet, so I hope to join the army to earn a living and seek a better future." Chen Yingliang continued to answer truthfully, also introducing his own background and explaining that he was the only son of Chen Wandi, the former prefect of Xuchang County in Zhou, whose family had fallen on hard times and now only had him left. He was born in Daxing and came from Daxing to Dongdu to join the army.

  "Chen Wandi's name I've heard before, it seems you're also a descendant of a military family." Fan Zigai nodded and curiously asked: "But that doesn't make sense, if you wanted to join the army for food, why didn't you just join in Daxing nearby, but instead ran all the way here to Dongdu to join the army?"

  "I report to Your Excellency, I originally wanted to go to Liaodong to join the army, but on the way, I heard that the treacherous Yang Xuangan had rebelled and was leading a group of rebels to attack Dongdu. That's why I decided to come to Dongdu to join the army instead." Chen Yingliang smiled wryly and briefly introduced his experience of coming to Dongdu to join the army, also mentioning that he had a letter of recommendation from Fang Xuanling, recommending him to Fu Yu Dao's supervisor, Fang Yanqian.

  "What?" Fan Zige's reaction was a bit extreme, and he asked in a loud voice: "Fang Yanqian's son, recommend you to Fang Yanqian and let Fang Yanqian find a position for you to serve the country?"

  Chen Yingliang nodded in acknowledgement, and even took the initiative to take out Fang Xuanling's letter of recommendation. The guards had already come forward and handed over the letter of recommendation to Fan Zigai. Fan Zigai received the unsealed letter, opened it carefully, and looked at it before bursting into loud laughter. "Fang Xiaozhong, ah Fang Xiaozhong! I didn't expect you would have a day like this! Your precious son recommended someone to you, but that person actually came under my command on his own initiative! Today, I've finally avenged the arrow that was shot at me!"

  "Magistrate Fan, do you know Magistrate Fang?" Chen Yingliang sensed that there was something off about Fan Zige's words and also began to tense up quietly.

  "Of course I know him!" Fan Zige's expression was somewhat indignant, and he sneered: "Not only do I know him, but we also have a grudge against each other!"

  Chen Yingliang was startled, and the frail middle-aged man sitting opposite Fan Zigai also looked surprised, hastily asking: "Fan Liushou, when did you have a feud with Fang Xiaozhong? I've never heard of it before?"

  "For years, the imperial court officials have been evaluating us, and that House guy has always occupied the first place, while I've been ranked second. Can you say that I don't hold a grudge against him?" Fan Zigai replied viciously: "He's just taking advantage of my family having no extra wealth, but I'm at a disadvantage because my family has some land and property, so those evaluating officials always rank him first and me second! Otherwise, if we're talking about integrity and honesty, am I inferior to him?"

  The frail middle-aged man laughed, coughing with joy. Chen Yingliang secretly let out a breath and also saw the weakness of Fan Zigai - his desire for fame, especially his desire for a good reputation!

  As expected, Fan Ziga finished speaking with a fierce expression, but soon revealed a smile and smiled at Chen Yingliang: "Not bad, Fang Xiaozhong's son is still somewhat insightful. You dare to go to Liaodong alone and rescue Pei Hongce under the pursuit of the rebel army. It's worth the evaluation in the letter of recommendation he gave you! Since you are willing to come to Dongdu to join the army, it's settled. Fang Xiaozhong's son's letter of recommendation is also useful in front of me, so stay behind and I'll arrange a position for you later."

  Chen Yingliang was overjoyed and hastily paid his respects to Fan Zigai, thanking him. The frail middle-aged man smiled and said: "Fan Liushou, this kid has a lot of guts, I like him. Since he's here to join the army, don't fight with me over people, assign him to my Right Wuwei Army."

  "This matter will be discussed later." Fan Zige waved his hand, then turned to Pei Hongce, staring at him with a stern expression until Pei Hongce was shaken by his sharp gaze and covered in sweat. Only then did Fan Zige say coldly: "I didn't expect you still had the face to come back."

  "Fan Liushou, I've done my best!" Pei Hongce shouted with a sweat-drenched face. "I fought five battles against the rebels, five battles! It was Da Xianshan who led the retreat, it was the soldiers under my command who didn't fight hard enough, each one fleeing faster than the last, that's why I suffered consecutive defeats!"

  "Shut up!" Fan Zige angrily shouted: "You still have the face to say that you lost two battles in a row, and Da Xishan also listened to your command. The 13,000-strong Right Wuwei Army, the 13,000-strong well-equipped Right Wuwei Army, was lost by you in less than one day! You are so incompetent, what is the use of the court keeping you? I, as an official, followed the emperor's order to stay and guard Dongdu, and also restrained the officials of Dongdu. What is the use of leaving you here?"

  "Your Majesty, King Yue, spare our lives! Commander Fan, spare our lives!" Pei Hongce knocked his head desperately and shouted with a crying tone: "The subordinate has done his best, the subordinate has done his best. The bandits are too powerful, the bandits are too powerful. The subordinate really can't resist anymore!"

  "You can't resist, I'll replace you with someone who can." Fan Zigaotong coldly snorted and suddenly raised his voice, shouting: "Guards, take Pei Hongce out of the imperial city and behead him in public! Display his head at the nine gates of Dongdu to demonstrate military law!"

  "Yes!" The guards in the hall responded, and they came to carry Pei Hongce out. Pei Hongce, who was on the verge of collapse, struggled desperately and burst into tears, crying out wildly: "General Fan, spare my life! Your Majesty, King Yue, spare my life! General Huangfu, spare my life! I am guilty, but my crime is not punishable by death! Please, have mercy on me and spare my life!"

  The nine-year-old King of Yue, Yang Jiong, remained silent, while the frail middle-aged man coughed but also did not speak. The cries and pleas for mercy from Pei Hongce were met with indifference. Fan Zigai shouted again: "You don't deserve to die? You still have the face to say this! A few soldiers who escaped back from the East Gate said that your troops were defeated at the first touch, and couldn't even withstand a single charge from the bandits! Such incompetence, such loss of men and national humiliation, you don't deserve to die, who does?! Take him out and execute him!"

  Pei Hongce continued to cry and beg for mercy, struggling not to get up, but unfortunately, Fan Ziga's prestige in the Eastern Capital was too high, and the guards in the palace did not dare to disobey his orders. They simply lifted Pei Hongce up and carried him out, and he cried even louder, but no one paid any attention to him.

  "Hold on!" Just as Pei Hongce was about to be carried out of the great hall, a sudden and astonishing voice rang out. The crowd looked around in surprise, only to see that the person who had spoken up to stop them was none other than Chen Yingliang, the 17-year-old young official who had just been appointed by Fan Zigai and was wearing casual clothes!

  "Lord Fan, wait! A humble commoner has something to say!" Chen Yingliang stepped forward two steps, knelt down on both knees in front of Fan Zigai, and said loudly: "Lord Fan, this humble commoner thinks that Lord Pei not only has no fault, but also has merit towards the imperial court. At least it's a case of equal merits and demerits, and he shouldn't be put to death! Please, Lord Fan, spare his life!"

  "What?! Everyone was shocked, and Pei Hongzhe himself was so shocked that he forgot to cry or shout. He never thought that his distant nephew, who had just been recognized as a relative after many twists and turns, would dare to say such things in this environment!"

  "Chen Yingliang, have you gone mad?" The frail middle-aged man was also shocked to the point of forgetting his cough, and shouted: "Don't forget who you are and where this place is! Do you have the right to speak here?!"

  "What the adults say is extremely correct, and as a humble subject, I indeed have a low status and should not speak out on court politics!" Chen Yingliang also spoke out boldly, his expression stern: "However, when it comes to the rise and fall of the world, even a commoner has responsibility! Now, the rebel Yang Xuangan has risen in revolt, and his army is already at the gates of the Eastern Capital. The Eastern Capital of Great Sui is facing a crisis of survival, and yet, Lord Fan, as the governor of the Eastern Capital, is overly concerned with achievements and rewards, and punishes those who have made contributions, losing the hearts of the people! As a subject of Great Sui, I am in my rightful place, if I do not speak out to advise, then I would be unfaithful to His Majesty the Emperor above, and unfaithful to my fellow subjects below!"

  The frail middle-aged man's mouth was agape, and Pei Hongce's eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. The king of Yue, Yang Dian, and the other guards in the palace looked no better than them, because since Emperor Yang of Sui had left Fan Zigai in charge of Dongdu, nobody had dared to speak to him like that! It was as if he was being scolded right to his face!

  The most violent reaction was Fan Zigai himself. After listening to Chen Yingliang's nonsense, the snow-white silver hair on his head stood up one by one, and his snow-white beard trembled constantly. He pointed at Chen Yingliang and shouted: "You dare to insult me like this! How have I been excessive in my achievements? And how have I been unclear in rewarding and punishing?! If you can say something reasonable today, don't blame me for punishing you with the crime of humiliating an official!"

  A minister of the Eastern Capital like Pei Hongce, Fan Zigai was someone who would kill at will. Yang Zong, the grandson of Emperor Yang of Sui, and possibly even Huangfu Wu Yi, the weak and sickly middle-aged commander of the Right Imperial Guard, didn't dare fart in their presence. Yet Chen Yingliang dared to speak to Fan Zigai like this - Commander Chen was not crazy!