Free Web NovelChapter 114: Chapter 114
Chapter 114
At the manor of the General known as the Tiger of the East.
The stern face of the old man was fixed on the tall and muscular figure of his troublesome son. The son’s gaze was steady and indifferent, resembling that of another fierce tiger. This son was originally the one he most proud of, so much so that he intended to entrust the family legacy to, but now too many issues had arisen.
The first time he heard about his son’s failures, it was an event he could hardly believe. His son had fallen victim to bandits, leading to his soldiers falling ill and causing delays in their mission. This necessitated the Third and Fifth Princes to visit, taking command and inspecting the situation themselves.
Not only that, but his troublesome son had also created a scandal with a member of the Liu family. Rumors had always suggested that the member of the Liu family was like a toad aiming for high status. However, he had met her at various banquets and recognized her calmness and intelligence. Hence, he allowed her to accompany his son, hoping she might assist and support him in the future.
Who would have thought that during this mission, both of them would fail, letting such an embarrassing situation happen?
Although he suspected that they might have had a close relationship before, what man could endure letting a beauty slip from his embrace? He had never mentioned this and pretended not to notice their overly intimate relationship, allowing the beauty to visit the manor openly as a friend of one of his daughters.
Of course, the reason he favored the other party was because he believed that both of them were wise enough to conduct themselves properly. The incident that occurred should never have been allowed to be witnessed by others.
Even though the soldiers spoke of the poison his son had encountered while fighting the bandits, shouldn’t his son have corrected his own mistakes in that matter? Why had he allowed the situation to escalate further?
Moreover, the matter should have concluded positively after successfully defeating the bandits. He and his allied nobles hastened to spread the news widely, exaggerating the story, portraying the bandits as exceedingly wicked but ultimately defeated by his son.
This made the narrative start to improve.
However, before they could even catch their breath, Yu Gonggong returned to the capital with everyone, including his troublesome son.
There was no need to wait for an audience to report the outcome. Yu Gonggong immediately spoke of the Young General’s irresponsibility in neglecting his soldiers. He also mentioned the relatives of the deceased, saying that their sons were so pitiful, even their bodies were not buried properly. Instead, the Young General allowed the corpses to float down the river, reaching people’s homes, spreading a foul stench, and being cursed. Even in death, they were still scorned.
According to the villagers’ beliefs, this was a grave matter that shattered their hearts. Not only the families of the deceased were affected, but even the parents and siblings of the surviving soldiers began to fear. They were afraid that following this Young General would render them mere tools, only to be used and discarded, treated with negligence, worse than animals.
Other generals seized this opportunity. They announced recruitment drives for their own troops, speaking of their own high moral standards, and having the beliefs caused many soldiers to request withdrawals.
The situation had escalated dramatically, shaking the power structure on all sides. Not only was he reprimanded by the Third and Fifth Princes, but even the noble families that had once supported him expressed their displeasure.
From this point on, he had no choice but to work on restoring trust and authority as much as possible. But before anything else, this son deserved to be punished.
"Do you understand your mistake?" The booming voice of the Great General echoed through the room. The gathered nobles bowed their heads, their heads were trembling with fear.
Though the Young General’s demeanor commanded respect wherever he went, he could never match his father’s level. The Young General was only a tenth of what his father, the Great General, was—a man who had led countless battles and taken many lives with his own hands.
This didn’t even include the relatives or incompetent offspring he had also dealt with!
The brutality caused a great fear among people. There was no single soldier of his that wouldn’t obey him. Since that meant they would lose their lives.
The Young General had not yet reached his father’s level. If he had, the soldiers who requested to leave his command would likely not be alive now. They were fortunate that the Great General did not intervene; otherwise, betraying the one who trained them and gave them the opportunity to serve would mean leaving with their bodies but without their souls.
"I understand," the hero of the story replied calmly, showing no fear or remorse.
This demeanor had once been the Great General’s favorite aspect of his son. Such arrogance would irritate enemies. However, at this moment, while disciplining the other, seeing his indifferent attitude that seemed unbothered by the problems made him want to draw his sword and cut off his head right then and there.
If it weren’t for the fact that his other sons were useless, and that he had no better options, he would have already dealt with the son standing before him, who was now a black mark on the family.
Bang!
"You understand? If you understand, then how could you let this happen?!" The father slammed his chair’s armrest, causing it to splinter, with pieces of wood striking the Young General’s eyebrow. Yet, he neither flinched nor raised a hand to wipe away the blood.
"You were once the son I admired the most, but now it seems I was mistaken. Whatever your plan was before, know that it has utterly failed. Our allies are pressuring me to handle this matter properly. We must secure the position of Supreme General, no matter what. If we don’t, we lose! If we lost... do you know what that means?" The Great General took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
As much as he wanted to beat this son, he had to restrain himself. He was too old now to vie for the position of Supreme General. The title of Great General of the East was the highest he had achieved, and the dream of becoming the Supreme General overseeing all eight directions had to be passed on to this son.
The current Supreme General, who managed the Great General of all eight directions, was the current emperor’s man, indicating the emperor’s immense trust. Unfortunately, the Supreme General was an eccentric man, indifferent to his reputation, with a family that didn’t align with anyone. They lived according to the situation and quietly. He had never offered help to anyone.
Ah, no, it seemed he did support the Eighth Prince. However, their stance made them a rather unappealing choice. Initially, if it were said that the Eighth Prince was the son of the late Yan Guifei, so how could he have such influence that allowed him to trade across all regions and kingdoms? The answer was because of the connections of the Supreme General.
But since both of them were the characters that were outside their path, no one wanted to create more enemies for themselves. Only the position held by the old man remained highly coveted. The role of the Supreme General, up for selection, was what everyone eagerly awaited.
His son, the Young General, had a high chance of seizing that position. Unfortunately, he was currently making grave errors. If these were not corrected in time, he might lose the position forever, weakening the Third Prince’s strength.
The competition for the throne had reached an extremely intense situation, a point of no return. If anyone lost, it meant the complete downfall of their family. The one who became emperor would not allow a rival who once aimed to rob his throne to remain. The only solution would be to eliminate all of them.
Thus, they could not afford to lose!
"I understand," the Young General still replied calmly, though his eyes flickered slightly. Even though it was just slightly, it was enough to ease his father’s tension.
Originally, his son was smart and a brilliant strategist. He couldn’t fathom why his son had recently been failing repeatedly. However, what he just saw earlier, the terrifying gaze his troublesome son had expressed, he believed that the other person was already thinking of a solution to this matter as a seasoned warrior and his father.
"It’s good that you understand. Now go. Remember, during these six months of suspension, you should make the most of your time. While you are not out making achievements, you should build connections and create your own path. Also... the position of your principal wife is still vacant. This role could be offered to a prominent family. If you choose wisely, you will gain powerful connection," his father reminded him about it.
However, the Young General did not agree. He did not just remain silent like before, but bluntly rejected the idea.
"The position of my principal wife still belongs to Qin Yueqian. As for building connections, I have my own methods," the Young General insisted. The Great General of the East could only shake his head; this was one matter he had never been able to control.
Previously, he had told him he would arrange a suitable principal wife for him, but before he could announce it, something always happened to the potential bride. Either a scandal of having relation in public that forced them to marry someone else, contacted a contagious disease that made people disgust, or in the worst cases, they were kidnapped from their manors by bandits and disappeared.
Knowing his son’s nature when he clearly stated he didn’t want it, the father was well aware that these incidents were his son’s doing. Thus, the position of his son’s principal wife remained vacant. Most women he liked were daughters of allied noble families, and the loss of their daughters left him feeling somewhat guilty.
He acknowledged that his public achievements and abilities surpassed his son’s, but that was due to his many years of working and he was decades older than him. Comparing their accomplishments at the same age, his son’s were far greater. Additionally, his son had been a supporter for bandits to do shady works for him from a young age, another thing the Great General had never done, and was not as good as his son.
"I heard you’ve met Miss Qin. Isn’t she supposed to be in love with some poor commoner?"
At this, the young man smirked, his eyes filled with complex, wicked thoughts. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"Her, in love?" Ever since she was born, she had been chasing after him, professing her love constantly. Yet he had never felt her love.How could she fall in love with someone she had only known for a few months? Compared to spending her whole life with him, she had spent only a breath with that disgusting man. Even if she did love that scoundrel, did he care? A woman born to be his would always be his. That was all there was to it...
