The imperial capital, the general's palace, and the patriarch's residence.
Chen Zangfeng had just returned from the court when he heard that the escort team had been robbed, Chen Hu had been killed, and Chen Shen had received medical treatment for his brain disease.
Afterwards, the old housekeeper handed a secret letter written by Chen Shen into his hand.
After Chen Zangfeng looked at it, his broad gray eyebrows frowned, and he muttered to himself: "What the hell is Shen'er, that brat, doing?"
Ikkyu replied respectfully: "Reply to the master, the master just wants you to do as he said. After reading the letter, burn it."
"Hmph! He said it lightly."
Chen Zangfeng spit out the fire in his palm, and the secret message was burned instantly: "My Chen family escort team was robbed, and he actually told me not to interfere too much and just watch with a cold eye? This, this, this... is simply unreasonable!"
"I know that Chen Jinyang is the real culprit behind the scenes. Even if there is no evidence, as the leader of the clan, I still have the right to intervene, right?"
Yixiu nodded slightly and said, "I guess the young master did this because he didn't want to scare off the enemy too early."
"Then he can't joke with the lives of my Chen family members!"
Chen Zangfeng became even more angry, his eyes widened, and his resentment surged to the sky: "Where is that little bastard? Call him here!"
The old housekeeper hesitated for a moment and replied: "Well... the young master said that he is going to retreat in the imperial capital academy to practice alchemy skills. I'm afraid he won't be able to return home in the short term."
"This little bastard is obviously trying to hide from me in different ways!"
After a short silence, Yixiu said respectfully: "Master, I have a saying that I don't know whether to say or not."
"Say something quickly!"
Chen Zangfeng rolled his eyes at him angrily: "Is there anything else that should be inappropriate between you and me? Why are you trying to be so polite!"
Yixiu smiled reservedly and said, "I think it's not unreasonable for the young master to ask you to sit on the sidelines."
"Hmph, are you even helping that little bastard to speak?" Chen Zangfeng's old face sank.
"I don't dare. I'm just discussing the matter."
Ikkyu's head dropped even lower, but his words were still sonorous, and he was actually a man who dared to speak out: "Master, you care about your family and country, and let the descendants of your direct lineage go to the battlefield with you through life and death.
Even when there is no war, they stay in the barracks most of the time."
"This has been the case all year round. All the real power in the family has been emptied by the elders. They are waiting for opportunities to strengthen their own power. Clan members of each faction, and even servants, have been assigned to various places to control all important positions within the family.
.”
"Not to mention anything else, just talking about this escort business, no one from my direct family has participated in it. The income of escorts, personnel investment, etc., are all arranged by the Elders Council."
"So, by robbing our own bodyguard, Chen Jinyang is actually taking the opportunity to suppress the power of the elders who are not from his faction. The young master probably wants you to stay away from this fight in the nest and wait to reap the benefits.
The best policy."
After listening, Chen Zangfeng snorted again: "What's the best policy? What a crappy policy!"
"You also know that our Chen family has always been the leader of the Elder Council, and the patriarch is the leader of the outside. Most of the family's financial resources are in the hands of the Council of Elders."
"If the escort robbery incident is allowed to continue, and the Elder's House loses its income, won't the future of all the children of my Chen family be ruined?"
Yixiu smiled slightly and added: "I guess this is the young master's original intention."
"What? Was that the original intention of that little bastard to destroy the new strength of our Chen family?" Chen Zangfeng couldn't sit still anymore and stood up suddenly, his eyes filled with fire.
Even if Chen Shen is his grandson, he can't do such a thing as betraying his ancestors!
"Master, you misunderstood!"
The old housekeeper said anxiously: "The resources for people's cultivation are certainly important, but they will be more grateful depending on whose hands they come from."
"Right now, the economic lifeline is in the hands of the elders. The talents they have invested in and carefully cultivated still belong to our Chen family. But once the time comes when life and death are at stake, I'm afraid you won't be able to command them at all!"
"This is also the fact that I have always been very worried about, but it is difficult to express it openly."
If Chen Shen hadn't given him the explanation, I'm afraid I wouldn't have said these heartfelt words to this day.
Because he knows Chen Zangfeng's character too well.
This famous general never said much to the outside world, but he never cared much about the power within the family, which gradually led to the current passive situation.
"Are we just going to let the escort car get robbed? Even if you elders bite the bullet, my Chen family can't afford it! Once the escort's money is cut off, it won't take long for people to panic. What will happen then?"
Yixiu chuckled: "I don't know about this old slave. However, didn't the young master's secret letter say that he will handle the rest? I am willing to believe the young master."
After a long while, Chen Zangfeng's breathing became more steady, and he finally nodded: "That's all, just do what that little brat said!"
…
Night falls.
The Imperial Capital Academy was very quiet at night. Apart from a few out-of-town dormitory students, there were only a few night-time teachers who stayed at their posts.
Chen Shen spent the entire afternoon wandering around the college and became familiar with several on-campus shops selling mysterious pills, mysterious talismans, mysterious weapons and mysterious food.
Then he returned to a private room specially provided for him by the vice-dean and refined some mysterious elixirs and mysterious talismans. It was not until night fell that he wandered out of the school gate.
The young man was cautious all the way, making sure that he was not being followed by anyone, so he casually entered an inn, put on night clothes, put on a ghost mask to hide his true appearance, and then climbed out of the window and left.
Not long after, Chen Shen came to a three-story building in the south of the city.
On the stone steps outside the door, a little white cat was lying there lazily, playing with its whiskers out of boredom.
"Xiaobai." The young man called softly.
"Ha, boss, you're finally here! Come on, I'll take you in with this Tiger God."
It turns out that this kitten is Chen Shen’s war pet Xiaobai.
One person and one cat entered the pavilion and climbed all the way to the top floor. There was already a table of people waiting here.
"Master!" Miao Ling and Shun Lao were the first to stand up and salute.
"How are you, little friend Chen?" The next ones to greet were Zhang Yidao and Lu Yijian.
"You're late, little one!"
Xiang Nan gently tapped the edge of the bowl with his chopsticks, and said with annoyance in his eyes: "Ling'er made a large table of delicious food, but she didn't allow us to eat it just because you didn't arrive. Oops, I'm so greedy to death!"
The young man scratched his head in embarrassment: "Wouldn't it be safer if it was later? There are many people in the Imperial Academy, and if our secret meeting is spied on by someone with an intention, it will be a trouble..."