Chapter 44: The Outcome is Set

Seeing Chen Yuan's playful and smiling face, it seemed that Yang Jinxuan also knew Chen Yuan's character. She didn't mind and said softly, "I have something to talk to you about."

"Miss Yang, please go ahead."

Yang Jinxuan thought for a moment and asked, "Are you planning to take action against the Changsheng Sect?"

Chen Yuan was surprised and looked at her with some confusion, wondering how she knew.

"You don't need to be surprised. The incident of the assassination of the Zhennan Marquis is known to everyone, and I am naturally no exception."

Yang Jinxuan smiled and explained, "With your connection to the Zhen Nan Marquis Mansion and your role as the General Staff of the Zhen Nan Marquis Mansion, I know all of these. Is that strange?"

Chen Yuan was slightly stunned at her words and looked at her with suspicion. It wasn't strange that she knew all of this, but what was strange was how she knew that he was planning to take action against the Changsheng Sect.

Everyone knows that the Marquis of Zhennan was assassinated, and it is true. However, only a few people know that the killer was sent by the Church of Eternal Life. At least the ordinary people are unaware of this.

Those who can know are all officials from various sizes of officialdom in Lingnan who came to visit the Zhennan Marquis Mansion today.

In other words, only those who are part of the system know about it.

What role did Yang Jinxuan play?

Chen Yuan's eyes lit up, nodding his head and saying, "Miss Yang is indeed intelligent and clever. Yes, I do have such intentions."

"Do you have a good plan, Brother Chen?"

In just a few sentences, Yang Jinxuan's address had already changed to Brother Chen.

Thinking of her impressive martial arts skills and the outfit of a martial arts heroine, Chen Yuan also felt relieved: "I'm thinking."

"Miss Yang, as you know, it's not easy to deal with the Longevity Sect, which has been able to grow rapidly in a short period of time."

Yang Jinxuan sighed and said, "Brother Chen, what you said is indeed true. The Changsheng Church first developed secretly in Nanning Prefecture, and now its influence is beginning to extend to the surrounding areas. Nowadays, the court is mobilizing troops and sending generals. If I'm not mistaken, the Marquis Zhennan must have also received an imperial edict. And at this critical moment, he encountered an assassination attempt by the Changsheng Church. Brother Chen, don't you find it strange?"

From the moment they first met, Chen Yuan knew that this woman had her own unique insights. Now, hearing these words, Chen Yuan wasn't surprised.

"What do you mean, Miss Yang?"

Yang Jinxuan smiled and said, "Brother Chen, didn't you already guess?"

Chen Yuan asked, "You already know?"

Yang Jinxuan nodded and said, "The Eternal Life Sect suddenly sent an assassin to kill Zhennan Hou at this critical moment, there are only two possibilities."

Chen Yuan suddenly became interested, with a curious baby-like expression: "I'm eager to hear the details."

Yang Jinxuan had dealt with him before and had also witnessed Chen Yuan's methods, but she pretended not to have noticed his innocent appearance at the moment and said, "Or maybe it's the Changsheng Sect assassinating the Marquis of Zhennan in order to conquer the East for the imperial court."

"If anything unexpected happens to Duke Zhen Nan, the army from Lingnan will encounter problems. If they employ the same methods against others, then the imperial court's eastern expedition will be defeated without fighting."

Chen Yuan grinned and said, "Miss Yang is astute. So, what is the other possibility?"

Yang Jinxuan gave him a disdainful look, knowing well that Chen Yuan was intentionally playing dumb. With his intelligence, he definitely wouldn't be unable to guess these things.

"The second possibility is quite obvious: the Marquis of Zhennan possesses the southern regions, with absolute power to control life and death, and holds a strong military force in the border areas. With such a position, how can there be no one who covets it? Moreover, the Marquis of Zhennan has always had no dealings with the officials of the court, and his character is proud and aloof. There are certainly many who see him as a thorn in their eyes."

Chen Yuan sincerely praised: "Admire, Miss Yang is meticulous in her thinking, sharp in her vision, making me admire and prostrate myself."

Fuck, this woman seems a little scary.

These two possibilities came up just after we discussed with Song Renjie, and she also thought of them, it's simply a coincidence.

"Brother Chen, you're being too kind. I assume you already have an idea in your heart."

Chen Yuan did not deny, but curiously asked, "In Miss Yang's opinion, which of these two possibilities are you more inclined towards?"

"Lingnan and Goguryeo are very far apart, you could say they are two places that have no connection whatsoever, so it is impossible for the Longevity Sect to destroy for the sake of the imperial court's expedition eastward."

Chen Yuan asked, "So there's only the second option left?"

Seeing Yang Jinxuan nod, Chen Yuan smirked, as if he had already guessed these two possibilities from the beginning.

And at this moment, after listening to Yang Jinxuan's analysis, he suddenly felt a bit enlightened.

It seems... there should still be a third possibility.

"It seems like Brother Chen has a different perspective?"

Chen Yuan nodded and said, "Miss Yang, have you heard that the leader of the Everlasting Church is a member of the Yi ethnic group?"

"Of course, I have heard rumors about it."

Yang Jinxuan didn't understand why he brought up this matter, and looked at him with curiosity, "It is said that during the suppression of the rebellion by the Marquis of Zhennan, the Yi ethnic group was nearly wiped out."

"Tsk tsk, the grudge of exterminating a clan, Miss Yang, have you ever thought about what if the Eternal Life Sect simply killed the Marquis of Zhennan out of revenge?"

Yang Jinxuan furrowed her delicate eyebrows lightly, "If it was solely for revenge, then why didn't they act earlier or later? It's too coincidental to act at this particular moment."

"But if the Changsheng Sect wants to seek revenge and their own strength is not enough, it would be convenient for Lord Hou to have many enemies in the court..."

Yang Jinxuan's eyes brightened: "Brother Chen means to collude with each other?"

"It is not impossible."

Chen Yuan shrugged, "Someone wants to get rid of a thorn in their side, but they don't have the means to do so, and if exposed, they cannot bear the consequences; someone wants to seek revenge, it is right under their nose, not afraid of exposure, but they lack the power."

Yang Jinxuan carefully pondered over these words, then looked at Chen Yuan and sighed deeply, saying, "I thought I had considered all the possibilities, but after hearing Brother Chen's words, I finally realize that Brother Chen is the one who truly sees things clearly."

Sweat, don't flatter me, I can't handle it. I just thought of it.

"Miss Yang, you're too kind. Among all the women in the world, there is no one like Miss Yang, truly one of a kind."

Yang Jinxuan smiled bitterly and shook her head, hurriedly changing the subject, "No matter what the purpose of this Changsheng Church is, at this critical moment when the court is preparing to launch a large-scale campaign, they have assassinated a senior official of the court, especially in Lingnan where they are causing trouble and seducing the people. They must be eradicated by all."

Chen Yuan pointed at his temple and said, "So I am thinking of a solution."

"But now the situation has already occurred, and Lingnan should have also received the imperial edict to send troops. However, the military morale is unstable. I wonder if Brother Chen has any good strategies?"

Chen Yuan shook his head and sighed, "The game is already lost, any good plan is in vain. Let's think about how to deal with the Longevity Sect instead."

The outcome of the Eastern Expedition is predetermined, Song Renjie is gone, he's just a dead man.

His top priority is to find a way to save Song Renjie's life.