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Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 202

Chapter 202 - Taking Over the Yun Family Army


General Dingyuan's reaction was well within Yun Chu's expectations.

She smiled softly, preparing to have the low-ranking soldier pass another message inside.

At that moment, the sound of galloping horse hooves echoed behind her, raising clouds of yellow dust. Immediately after, every guard standing at the camp entrance dropped to one knee. "Greetings to the Prince of Pingxi!"

Yun Chu turned around.

She saw a man sitting atop a tall, magnificent steed.

He wore a suit of pitch-black battle armor, with a dark sword hanging from his waist, exuding an aura of majestic authority.

Meeting Yun Chu's gaze, he dismounted smoothly from his horse.

"Greetings to the Prince of Pingxi."

The several brothers beside Yun Chu hastily offered their salutations.

"Are you entering the military camp?" Chu Yi got straight to the point. "Then come inside with me."

Yun Yi scratched his chin. "Would that be against the rules?"

"Rules?" Chu Yi gave a faint smile. "Miss Yun holds my personal command token. Not only can she freely enter and leave the Supreme Court, but she can also enter and leave any major military camp in the outskirts of the capital."

Yun Chu truly had not known about this, and was just about to offer her thanks.

Chu Yi merely waved his hand. "Follow me in."

The Yun family party followed Chu Yi into the military camp. Along the way, not a single person dared to stop them.

As they drew close to the center of the camp, General Dingyuan finally received the report and rushed over to greet him. "Lower official failed to welcome Your Highness from afar. Please forgive me, Your Highness!"

Chu Yi raised his eyes to look toward the drill grounds, where two soldiers of the Yun Family Army were tied to wooden posts, undergoing a severe flogging.

His face darkened as he drew the sword at his waist, executing a series of swift strikes.

General Dingyuan stumbled in fright, tumbling onto the ground.

He felt the flashes of sword energy flying right before his eyes, sensing a suffocating waves of killing intent.

He wanted to say something, but under the immense pressure of the man's presence, he could not utter a single word.

Finally, the overwhelming pressure ceased.

Looking down, he discovered that the battle armor on his body had been shredded by the sword, falling apart onto the yellow dirt below. Even the helmet on his head had shattered into pieces.

For a general to have his armor and helmet shredded by another was a humiliation of the highest degree.

Yet, he did not dare to offer even a shred of resistance.

When the Prince of Pingxi first entered the battlefield at fifteen, he had assisted the Grand General Pillar of the State in quelling the rebellion in the Western Border.

Later, while stationed in the capital, he led a few thousand imperial guards, slaughtering the bandits of the Great Jin until they virtually disappeared...

As a mere third-rank general, he did not dare to breathe too loudly in front of the Prince of Pingxi.

"The fact that our Great Jin Dynasty can stand tall among the neighboring nations is in no small part thanks to the contributions of the Yun Family Army!" Chu Yi said coldly. "You, General Dingyuan, whip the Yun Family Army—that is akin to slapping the faces of the tens of thousands of soldiers still guarding our borders! Those soldiers are the very soul of our Great Jin Dynasty. How dare you treat the Great Jin Dynasty with such contempt? What punishment do you deserve?!"

General Dingyuan shuddered violently, dropping to his knees on the ground. "Your Highness, that is not the case! These two defied lower official and incited the Yun Family Army to cause trouble!"

"The Yun Family Army was merely anxious to save a life; they had no intention of causing trouble," Yun Chu spoke softly. "May I ask General Dingyuan to allow me to say a few words to the Yun Family Army?"

General Dingyuan kept his head down, his face full of secret defiance.

With the Prince of Pingxi right here, did he even have the right to refuse?

But no matter.

A wise man knows when to yield.

Once the Prince of Pingxi left, he would have plenty of opportunities to tame these unruly soldiers of the Yun Family Army.

As long as he turned the Yun Family Army into his loyal hounds, he would successfully forge a connection with Prince Gongxi...

Yun Chu stepped onto the platform, looking down at the Yun Family Army standing below. Three thousand men: two were bound, over a dozen were held down, and the rest were filled with rage.

"Rumors outside say that the Grand General Pillar of the State has committed treason. I do not believe it, and I think none of you believe it either. That is why you were all so eager to personally head to the Southern Border to search for my father's whereabouts." Her voice was gentle, flowing like a tranquil stream. "Thirty years of fame and dust, eight thousand miles of clouds and moon... Deep loyalty can move even stone; let your hard-won merits be etched onto history's scrolls... Once my father completes his mission, he will surely return to the capital. I ask you all to complete your own missions as well—remain loyal to the Emperor, and protect the Imperial City!"

Her meaning was abundantly clear.

There was no need to stand up for the Yun family anymore.

Understanding the situation and striving to preserve themselves—that was the greatest loyalty they could show to the Yun family.

Yun Yi was the first to speak up, shouting loudly, "Loyal to the Emperor, protect the Imperial City!"

The soldiers of the Yun Family Army looked at one another, shouting in unison, "Loyal to the Emperor, protect the Imperial City!"

General Dingyuan knelt on the ground, raising his head to look at the Yun Family Army, his face filled with utter disbelief.

Ever since he took over the Yun Family Army, he had used every sweet word and harsh threat, tried every method of intimidation and inducement, and even resorted to physical punishment, yet these men had remained completely stubborn and unyielding.

Now, with just a few simple words from this Yun family daughter, these men had suddenly transformed.

The Yun family's influence over the Yun Family Army was truly terrifying.

Being able to take over these three thousand soldiers was a sign of the Emperor's trust in him, as well as his backing in the officialdom in the days to come.

With these three thousand troops, he would not even need to curry favor with Prince Gongxi; rather, Prince Gongxi would have to come begging him to join his faction...

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through General Dingyuan's mind.

However—

Chu Yi's voice rang out at that very moment: "From this moment on, the Yun Family Army shall be taken over by this Prince. General Dingyuan, where is the command token?"

General Dingyuan froze completely.

The command token used to direct the Yun Family Army had been in his hands for less than a day, and now it was changing hands already?

Seeing these three thousand men become obedient, he knew that if he put in a little more effort, they would surely become his Zhou Family Army. How could he bear to hand it over...

He lowered his head. "This humble official took over the Yun Family Army under imperial decree. Your Highness..."

Before he could finish his sentence—

He felt a sharp pain in his wrist.

The edge of Chu Yi's sword was pressed against his hand, already drawing blood.

He knew that if he continued to resist, the Prince of Pingxi would slice off his arm without hesitation.

The command token slid onto the ground.

Cheng Xu picked it up, presenting it to Chu Yi with both hands.

"Get out!"

Chu Yi barked out a cold order.

General Dingyuan scrambled away in utter disgrace, taking his subordinates with him.

Deep within Yun Chu's eyes, complex emotions swirled.

Was this man no longer hiding his motives after the Yun family met with disaster?

Now that the Yun family was falling, he was going to seize the Yun Family Army for himself?

Just as she was pondering this—

Chu Yi walked up to her, holding the command token. "You are the eldest daughter of the Yun family. This command token for the Yun Family Army shall be kept in your care."

Yun Chu was shocked to the extreme.

Did he know what this token represented?

"I believe General Yun will not commit treason, nor will he fall in battle. He will surely return to the capital one day with great glory." Though Chu Yi's face was cold and his eyes sharp, the words he spoke carried a gentle warmth. "When that time comes, you can personally hand this token back to your father."

Yun Chu's heart softened inexplicably.

A tangle of emotions overwhelmed her.

The man in front of her suddenly leaned down, his voice hushed: "The Yun family is currently under heavy scrutiny, and too many eyes are watching your every move. Later tonight, I will personally deliver the children to Yulin Lane."

Yun Chu pressed her lips together softly. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me, Miss Yun? I should be the one thanking you." A faint curl appeared at the corner of Chu Yi's lips. "Thank you for being so patient with my pair of children."

Yun Chu remained silent.

She was also thankful to him for saving the two children's lives.

She was thankful to him for raising her daughter and son to be so grown up.

She realized that she truly could not bring herself to plot against the man standing before her.

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