Empire Conquest
Chapter 66 - 62 Reunion

Chapter 66: Chapter 62 Reunion

After Li Yunxiang made the introductions, Bai Zhizhan immediately remembered.

The Army Major General was Lian Xusheng, and the Major was Wang Kaiyuan. Bai Zhizhan didn’t know Lian Xusheng, but he knew Wang Kaiyuan. The Army officer who, twenty years ago, boarded the train at the Imperial Capital station after the disturbance had broken out was Wang Kaiyuan, and it was Lian Xusheng who had led the Imperial Guard Army to suppress the unrest.

However, the truth was not as it seemed.

The disturbance was actually the Army Intelligence Bureau conducting a capture of a spy going by the code name "Chuan Dao" from the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

"Did you catch that fellow?"

"It was a woman."

Liu Xiangzhen was taken aback, then showed a look of disbelief.

"That woman seduced several officers with her beauty in a vain attempt at a coup. One of them was one of our own. I can’t reveal the specific details. When the incident happened, she was dressed as a man, blended in with the crowd. It seems she saw things were going south and stealthily slipped onto the train. But we were well prepared."

Lian Xusheng finished speaking and glanced over at Wang Kaiyuan.

Wang Kaiyuan smiled but said nothing.

Although Lian Xusheng had introduced himself as an officer of the Imperial Guard Army, Bai Zhizhan and the others knew that this Wang Kaiyuan must surely be an intelligence operative for the Army. Don’t forget, the Army’s intelligence units were under the Imperial Guard Army or operated under its name, and they usually flew its banner.

"Why have you all returned?" Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Li Yunxiang quickly changed the subject.

"Li, don’t pretend you don’t know what has happened," Lian Xusheng sized up Li Yunxiang before speaking. "If my memory serves me right, around this time in past years, you’d be at sea, participating in some Fleet exercise. Could it be that you rushed back because you missed your wife?"

Li Yunxiang rolled his eyes, appearing as if he had nothing else to say to Lian Xusheng.

However, it was apparent that the two shared a good personal rapport; otherwise, Lian Xusheng wouldn’t use a nickname like "Li" to address Li Yunxiang.

"The Fleet exercises have been canceled."

After Liu Xiangzhen spoke these words, Lian Xusheng turned his gaze to him.

At this point, Wang Kaiyuan called the bartender over with a gesture and whispered some instructions.

Liu Xiangzhen wanted to add something, but Li Yunxiang shook his head at him, signaling that this was a public hall, full of people, and to not forget the confidentiality regulations.

Soon after, the bartender hurried back.

"A private room has become available."

The Intelligence Bureau was really different; Li Yunxiang did his best to flatter and couldn’t secure a private room, yet Wang Kaiyuan managed to do so with just a gesture.

After moving to the new location, Lian Xusheng ordered a bottle of baijiu and a bottle of white wine from the Locke Republic.

With the door closed, it was easier to speak.

A few rounds in and as everyone became familiar with each other, mainly by sharing their levels of security clearance, the conversation widened.

Like Bai Zhizhan and the others, Lian Xusheng had also suddenly received orders to hurry back to the Imperial Capital, and it too was related to the current tense situation.

The difference was that Lian Xusheng already had clear orders.

He had to hurry to the Northeast Defense Zone early tomorrow morning.

According to what he said, he needed to arrive before the Imperial Guard Army Commander, Situ Jingde, and get the troops mobilized in preparation for the great battle.

The information revealed by this statument was truly astonishing.

The Imperial Guard Army was going to the front line!

Although the war had ended, more precisely after the former Emperor passed away, the Imperial Authority reduced the Imperial Guard Army by two-thirds under the guise of a ceasefire and then strictly limited the duties of the Imperial Guard Army. Yet no one could deny that the Imperial Guard Army remained the most formidable fighting force in the Empire’s Army.

The downsizing and restriction of the Imperial Guard Army was simply because during the war, it had almost become the personal guard of the Imperial Family.

The reason was clear: the current Holy Emperor, who was the Crown Prince at the time, had served in the Imperial Guard Army for over a decade and had fostered a large group of trusted subordinates.

Twenty years ago, right after the war had ended, even though the ceasefire treaty was in effect, it was necessary to prevent any unforeseen complications.

After all, even a diminished Imperial Guard Army was still the Imperial Guard Army.

Following several reforms, the Imperial Guard Army essentially returned to its original state and became the elite of the Empire’s Army, a victorious force in every battle. Because it was stationed at the rear, especially in the Imperial Capital, handling the security of the Imperial Capital, the Imperial Guard Army also acted as the Empire’s strategic Reserve Team.

According to law, the only force the Imperial Cabinet Chief could mobilize without the approval of both houses was the Imperial Guard Army.

Without the authorization of both houses, even if one received an imperial edict, mobilizing the Army and the Navy on one’s own was a grave constitutional crime, certain to result in impeachment.

Moreover, the Imperial Guard Army was nominally under the command of the Imperial Family and obeyed the orders of the Emperor.

This Situ Jingde was a confidant of today’s Holy Emperor.

Twenty years ago, the First Cavalry Division of the Imperial Guard, which he commanded, fought on the Western Front, and the Holy Emperor, who was the Crown Prince at the time, served in the Imperial Guard Cavalry Army to which that division belonged.

It was precisely because of the Holy Emperor’s absolute trust that Situ Jingde secured his position as the Commander of the Imperial Guard Army.

Of course, Situ Jingde was also the former superior of Lian Xusheng.

From this perspective, Lian Xusheng and the current Holy Emperor were comrades-in-arms.

"Are you talking about the Northeast?" Li Yunxiang, having the best relationship with them, took the initiative to raise the most sensitive issue that Bai Zhizhan and Liu Xiangzhen found difficult to address.

"You heard right," Lian Xusheng did not directly answer.

Li Yunxiang immediately furrowed his brows, and his expression grew very solemn.

"Any news from the West Continent?" Bai Zhizhan abruptly asked, not questioning Lian Xusheng but instead asking Wang Kaiyuan.

In fact, this question should have been asked by Liu Xiangzhen, but he had been lost in thought.

"No new updates, but there’s no need to worry," Wang Kaiyuan put down his wine glass and added, "Those Great Powers are all just putting on a show. There’s no need to mention the Luosha Federation; without our support, they definitely won’t stir up trouble. The Tiaoman Empire has been under the control of the left-wing party for twenty years, and the passionate era of Wild I has long since cooled. The Locke Republic is even less of concern, as they have yet to emerge from the shadow of the last Great War. As long as we can control the situation, neither side will engage in major hostilities, at least not for now."

"That being said, could the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom possibly..."

Before Bai Zhizhan could finish, Liu Xiangzhen kicked him.

Wang Kaiyuan chuckled and said, "If our sources are correct, Marshal Zhu Shijian has submitted his resignation and will officially leave his post tomorrow."

Bai Zhizhan stiffened, then displayed a surprised expression.

"The Army Intelligence Bureau is quite well-informed, aren’t they? We didn’t even know," said Liu Xiangzhen, similarly surprised but not showing it.

"That shouldn’t be, considering you two were Marshal Zhu Shijian’s favorite pupils."

Liu Xiangzhen didn’t continue the conversation, as it would have revealed too much.

"I’m not trying to show off before you, but honestly, in the Imperial Navy, the person I admire the most is Marshal Zhu Shijian. Don’t laugh, but if I had scored a few more points back then, I would have definitely joined the Naval Academy and become a student of the Principal," said Wang Kaiyuan with a smile, shaking his head. Without waiting for Bai Zhizhan and the others to respond, he went on, "I believe it won’t be long before you similarly earn my admiration!"

Liu Xiangzhen was about to speak when Li Yunxiang shook his head at him.

At that moment, Wang Kaiyuan downed the rest of his wine and stood up to leave the private room.

There was enough to drink, and all that needed to be said had been said, so why keep chatting?

But having just met and shared just one drink, how could there be any question of a relationship?