Chapter 467: 474: Increased Level of Crime

“Oh? Mr. Chen, your words are somewhat perplexing to me. I, Han, always act uprightly and have nothing to hide. If I were to confront someone, I would do so openly and honorably. There’s no need for clandestine schemes. If you have evidence, by all means, present it outright. Otherwise, shut your mouth. I, Han Yu, am not one to be trifled with. Anyone who dares to frame me must be prepared to face the consequences!” Han Yu’s mouth curled into a sarcastic arc as he spoke coldly. With the military status and prestige he now possessed, he could afford to be unyielding, and although he couldn’t go too far for Liu Xiu’s sake, he didn’t need to show restraint in dealing with the likes of Chen Chu and Liu Kuan. Intimidating them with his aura was the right approach. To explain or argue would only put him at a disadvantage.

Han Yu didn’t want Liu Xiu to have any doubts about him, so although he was usually aloof and merciless to his enemies, he was comparatively lenient and even somewhat accommodating to his own people. That was why Liu Kuan and Chen Chu had the audacity to involve him without any evidence or even certainty that he was the perpetrator.

Liu Kuan, listening to the coldness and unprecedented assertiveness in Han Yu’s voice, felt some regret. The trap he had set was not wrong, but was involving Han Yu in this matter a mistake? Han Yu’s current military status and prestige were far beyond what Liu Kuan could provoke. He had implicated Han Yu based solely on his suspicions, and now with Liu Xiu also siding with Han Yu, if Han stuck to his strong stance, not only would Liu Kuan fail to achieve his goal, but he might also cause himself more trouble.

Liu Kuan was quick-witted, realizing the potential consequences, he immediately changed his strategy and signaled with his eyes to Chen Chu. With Han Yu’s attitude today, they absolutely could not afford to provoke him.

Chen Chu was somewhat intimidated by Han Yu from the start, and though it didn’t show on his face, his heart was rattled. Seeing Liu Kuan’s signal, he quickly picked up on his intent. He wasn’t as clever as Liu Kuan, and even though he hadn’t spoken the words Liu Kuan had taught him beforehand, he found himself at a loss for how to respond to Han Yu.

“Mr. Chen, Mr. Liu Zuoling, I am equally incensed by your ordeal. If it indeed was done by one of our own, rest assured, once they are found, I will not let them off lightly. I will see that justice is served. But if you accuse others without evidence and spread false claims, not to speak of General Han, even I will not tolerate such actions. Framing colleagues, attempting to create trouble and instigate internal chaos, is no minor offense, especially at a time like this — it is a most heinous crime!”

Liu Xiu had thought that Chen Chu and Liu Kuan were simply trying to sow discord with the recent incident, never expecting Chen Chu to aim directly at Han Yu. Without hesitation, he sided with Han Yu. There was no need for Liu Xiu to deliberate; he was certain that this was not Han’s doing. These petty schemes seemed more like Yin Shi’s tactics.

This is what Liu Xiu thought, and naturally, he glanced at Yin Shi, whose face betrayed an uncomfortable expression. It confirmed his suspicions, enraging him. He had explicitly warned Yin Shi not to act rashly, yet such an incident still happened.

The reason Liu Xiu hadn’t taken drastic action against Chen Chu and Liu Kuan, apart from the lack of evidence, was due to the many years of knowing his subordinates. Liu Xiu had a fair understanding of them. Chen Chu was manageable, with neither deep schemes nor cunning, while Liu Kuan appeared amiable but was, in fact, the most difficult to handle. If he couldn’t be dealt with decisively, tackling him later would be even harder, not to mention the troubles it would bring.

Liu Xiu truly hoped Yin Shi hadn’t given the two any leverage because that would complicate today’s matter significantly. Even if Liu Xiu was increasingly suspicious of them being traitors, without evidence, he couldn’t openly call them out. In front of the generals, he needed to give Chen Chu and Liu Kuan an explanation to prevent the army from being misled by them, which might indeed trigger internal strife.

“Well then, Mr. Cheng, weren’t you quite certain in your accusations? Why are you silent now? Could it be that General Han’s words have struck a nerve, and you, in fact, lack evidence and simply wish to take this opportunity to cause trouble?” Han Yu saw that Chen Chu remained quiet and showed no intention of letting it go. He questioned even more harshly; if Chen Chu and Liu Kuan were not taught a lesson now, anyone might dare target him in the future.

“I, I…” Chen Chu was already flustered, and being interrogated so harshly by Han Yu, he stumbled over his words. Were it not for the rational part of his mind holding on, he would have almost knelt before Han Yu. Han Yu indeed lived up to his reputation as the Iron-blooded general — that menacing aura and authority were something Chen Chu couldn’t even sense from Liu Xiu.

Seeing Chen Chu at a loss for words under Han Yu’s interrogation and the situation turning increasingly unfavorable for them, Liu Kuan had no choice but to take matters into his own hands. He gave a respectful gesture to Han Yu: “General Han, I ask for your understanding. Chen Chu was just momentarily outraged, and could not believe that General Han would commit such acts, so he had approached My Lord to verify the facts, hoping to confirm General Han’s innocence. Please forgive our offense, and we beseech My Lord to apprehend the true culprit. We implore General Han’s forgiveness for our rudeness.”

“Is that so?” Han Yu looked at Liu Kuan with a smile that was not quite a smile, casting a sharp, pressuring glance at him. Though Liu Kuan was mentally strong, he could not help but break into a sweat, regretting ever involving Han Yu. Even if Liu Xiu’s suspicion of him largely resulted from Han Yu’s influence, it was best to avoid such a fearsome deity.

“Of course, General Han, I would not dare deceive you with the formidable presence you command. My accusations arose from believing what others had slandered, and this led to my misunderstanding of General Han,” Liu Kuan said, stiffening his resolve, even as he regretted his actions inside. He could only try to mitigate the damage by steering the situation in a direction beneficial to himself.

“What rumors?” Liu Xiu, regardless of his true thoughts, inquired earnestly upon hearing Liu Kuan’s remark. Those present were also curious about the kind of rumors that had managed to shift Liu Kuan’s and Chen Chu’s focus onto Han Yu.

“Replying to My Lord, someone claimed that General Han was spreading falsehoods before My Lord, accusing me and Mr. Liu Zuoling of being traitors, leading to the unfortunate incident that befell us. Hence, we initially thought it was General Han’s doing. It wasn’t our intention to offend General Han, and we beseech My Lord to reflect on our unwavering loyalty and the fact that we nearly lost our lives, to forgive us this once,” Liu Kuan said, his face displaying the same distressed and wronged expression as before.

“Are you suggesting Han Yu suspects you of being traitors?” Liu Xiu’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze towards Liu Kuan inscrutable.

Upon hearing the words “traitor,” everyone’s expressions changed, casting varied looks at Liu Kuan — most full of suspicion and guard. Indeed, the term “traitor” never fails to carry a heavy connotation.

Liu Kuan straightened his back, seemingly unaffected by the doubts cast upon him, and looked calmly at Liu Xiu.