Chapter 11: Rear Admiral (Part 2)

  "General, are you really going to Menes? I heard there's a war going on there!" Yu Huanjuan said with a smile as she sat down, her expression seeming somewhat strange. But Yang Songfeng couldn't quite put his finger on what was strange about it. Her legs naturally crossed over each other, and only then did Yang Songfeng notice their slender and smooth shape. She was indeed a very beautiful woman, exuding a deadly allure from head to toe.

  Yang Shuang said calmly: "I'm going to fight in the Minas Tirith region."

  Yu Huanwan stretched her neck and said with a radiant smile: "I also want to go to Menis. Will General, you welcome me and we travel together?"

  Yang Shuang said with a mixture of doubt and suspicion: "Yu boss, didn't you say there's a war going on over there? How can we do business in the midst of war?"

  Yu Huan-yu's enchanting smile was on display as her fingers, clad in deerskin gloves, gently pressed against the wall. She said nonchalantly, "In times of peace, there are businesses that thrive in peacetime; in times of war, there are businesses that thrive in wartime - it all depends on what kind of business you're looking at."

  Yang Shuangfen looked at her carriage in surprise, could it be that it was all loaded with military supplies? In times of war, only military supplies were in high demand. She nodded slightly and said: "So that's how it is, I couldn't have asked for more."

  Yu Huanwan smiled slightly, stretched out her right hand to support her chin, and said thoughtfully: "General, you are indeed a good person. With your protection, we will definitely be very safe on this journey, and those bandits will not dare to mess with a Navy Lieutenant General. However, do you know that if I travel with you, I can save a lot of money, but it may also bring unnecessary trouble to you?"

  Yang Shuang said disapprovingly: "I can't think of what kind of trouble there would be. Being with a beauty is the happiest thing, even if there's trouble I'm not afraid."

  Yu Huanwan glanced outside, where the officers of the Imperial Guard were meticulously checking her carriage. They carefully checked all the goods on the carriage against a long list, not daring to miss even the bottom of the carriage. She smiled disdainfully and said lightly: "Every time I pass through here, I have to give this fruitless captain at least ten gold coins, it's the rule for passing the checkpoint. The cost of passing through this city gate every year is as high as one thousand gold coins. But if I don't give him any today, he wouldn't dare to make things difficult for me, do you know why?"

  Yang Shuang said with a faint smile: "Is it because of me? Or is it because of the uniform on my body? Or is it because of the golden star on my shoulder?"

  Yu Huan-yu nodded, with a hint of a smile, and said: "General Yang is quite witty in his words, but I believe it's more likely the latter. No one would dare to accept such bribes in front of an unknown naval lieutenant general, unless they wanted to lose their life. Even if I were to put the money directly into his pocket, he would still have to sternly refuse it, to show off his integrity. The current emperor hates corruption the most and punishes corrupt officials severely, with lighter punishments being cutting off hands or feet, and heavier ones being exile or even extermination of the entire family. Yet, he doesn't know that the biggest corrupt official is right by his side... Ha! It's quite laughable when you think about it."

  Yang Shuang didn't know who the biggest corrupt official was, thinking it might be Tang Jing, the Minister of Internal Affairs. This old man's greed was notorious, and folk tales said he had the ability to pluck feathers from a flying goose, even if a copper coin passed through his hands, it would lose several points. However, this name was naturally not convenient to mention, so she could only remain silent for a moment before speaking faintly: "This is something that the Minister of Works is used to seeing, Mr. Yu doesn't need to get too angry."

  Yu HuanYuan revealed a strange smile and said casually: "General, you are going to conquer Menis with the heavy responsibility of the empire, but you bring a beautiful woman with you. I'm afraid others will gossip about it! What if rumors spread, I'm afraid General's face is not thick enough to bear it."

  Yang Shuangfeng smiled and said, "That's nothing."

  Yu Huan-yu let out a sigh, the fragrance of women slowly drifting in the cold night air. She said with deep feeling: "Actually, which general isn't a romantic? In the past, Xiao Mohe conquered Meinais and brought back 17 beautiful wives and concubines, it was a famous story at the time; Tang Lang's naval commander roamed the seven seas, his deputy officers were all his confidantes by his pillow; even the war god Yue Shen-zhou, who lived a solitary life, was taciturn and adhered to the rules, but everyone knew that Butterfly Dance and Butterfly Poetry were his flesh and blood. And then there's Bai Yu-lou, the only person in the world who ever blocked Li Huai-nan's sword..."

  Yang Shuang's mouth opened, wanting to speak but hesitated. Perhaps before, he was still interested in listening to others tell stories, but since Eagle Dan gave him an expression of disregard, he deeply felt that he absolutely wasn't the so-called general. Being a general isn't just about wearing the uniform and casually pinning golden stars on your shoulder, it's not something that can be achieved with someone's order. To win other people's respect, you must achieve remarkable merits. Said cruelly, you must dye your helmet red with the enemy's blood.

  However, the distant Minas, the disordered Minas, the abandoned Minas, can it open its arms to accept its own arrival? Can it provide itself with what it needs? It gazes far into the distant East, where there is only an endless darkness.

  Yu Huan-yu thought he was unwilling to discuss politics, which was a normal thing in this sensitive era. She immediately changed the subject and looked at the busy and tense Imperial Guards soldiers below, saying: "Nowadays, assassins are getting more and more outrageous, even wanting to kill General Shangguan Lin, it's really ignorant of the heights of heaven and earth, and they just happened to choose a day when Shangguan Qingquan was at home..."

  Yang Shuang said casually: "What exactly is Shangguan Lin in charge of at the Military Affairs Department?"

  Yu Huan-Yu looked at him with a slightly surprised expression for a long time, her black eyes rolling around several times before she finally said: "You actually don't know Shangguan Lin... He is the third servant of the Military Affairs Department, the head of the Supreme Military Tribunal and the director of the Military Equipment Bureau... His wife is the younger sister of the Empress Dowager... How could you not recognize him?"

  Yang Shuangfeng was taken aback, and said with a hint of surprise: "Oh, it's him... Sorry, I just couldn't think of it for a moment. Of course, I know his name - the President of the Supreme Military Court and the Director of the Ordnance Bureau."

  Yu Huanjuan stared at him curiously again, and the puzzled expression in her eyes became even more intense. The female bodyguard behind her also seemed to be full of curiosity about Yang Suofeng, her cold gaze repeatedly sweeping over his body as if she could see through the secrets in his heart, making Yang Suofeng feel a bit chilled to the bone.

  Yang Shuang Feng knew he had aroused suspicion, so he could only keep his mouth shut. In fact, he himself also found it strange, why was there not a single memory of Shangguan Lin in his mind? Was it that the previous Yang Shuang Feng had never heard of Shangguan Lin's name at all?

  After a somewhat awkward silence, the carriages were finally all checked and the ban was lifted. The order near the city gate was restored. That clever fruit guard walked over and first saluted Yang Shuangfeng, saying: "General, the ban has been lifted, please leave the city. We apologize for delaying your precious time, our Imperial Guard deeply apologizes, please forgive us."

  Yang Shuang looked back at the quiet and deserted streets of Niluo Divine Capital and curiously asked, "Have all the assassins been caught?"

  "That Gu Wei, the prison warden, shook his head and said: 'Not yet. I heard that there is still a woman who hasn't been caught, probably escaped from another city gate. The Nine Gates Commander has announced the lifting of the curfew, and the city gates can be freely entered and exited, no need to continue searching the entire city.'"

  Yang Shuangfeng nodded, stood up and patted his clothes. The cold wind blew, and he suddenly let out a series of very loud sneezes.

  That Guo Wei, the commander of the garrison, immediately asked Yu Xuan to leave the city again, and his tone was also very respectful.

  When leaving the checkpoint, Yu Huanwan slightly stopped her footsteps, leaned towards Yang Shuangfeng and said in a low voice: "General, on this road to Menis, we need to go through 131 checkpoints. Even if I only spend 10 gold coins at each checkpoint, that's still 1,310 gold coins. If I rely on the general's prestige, I can arrive in Menis without spending a single penny. Doesn't the general think some compensation is needed?"

  Yang Shuangfeng smiled and said: "Oh, no need for that, I'm happy to do such things."

  Yu Huan's deep blue eyes gazed at him deeply and she said slowly, "Thank you so much for the General's kindness."

  Yang Shuang felt that the woman's fragrance was wafting through the air, adding a touch of warmth to this chilly autumn night. He rubbed his face vigorously and also massaged his nose, standing beside the carriage, looking around curiously and saying: "I see you have many controlled drugs on your carriage, how did you get them? In times of war, these are the most valuable things."

  Yu Huanwan smiled slightly and said softly: "What do you think?"

  Yang Shuangfen frowned and said: "Do you know someone in the army? Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to get these medicines."

  Yu Huanjuan did not deny it, but just smiled slightly, as if she had tacitly acknowledged it.

  Yang Shuangfeng couldn't help but feel a little dazed and lost, Yu Huanxuan elegantly waved goodbye to him and returned to her own cavalry team. Yang Shuangfeng was stunned for a moment, also preparing to get on the carriage, when he suddenly felt something was off. Just as he lifted the curtain, an icy sword tip pressed against his throat, followed by an extremely cold voice: "Don't move!"

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