Ye Luo keenly sensed that there might be gains to be made this time, so without a word, he followed them directly.

Although he didn’t know what they intended to do, three thousand men was certainly not a small number, and from their words, it was clear they seemed to be treating these three thousand men like a game!

This time, to avoid detection, Ye Luo didn’t bring a single companion; he followed the few individuals alone!

Meanwhile, far away in the Imperial Capital, Yun Liancheng remained exceedingly uneasy about Ye Luo.

In Yun Liancheng’s heart, Ye Luo’s plan to deal with the Yingchen Family while venturing into their territory seemed no different from seeking his own demise.

It wasn’t that Yun Liancheng doubted Ye Luo’s capabilities, but after all, the Yingchen Family was a noble lineage—a powerful clan that couldn’t be judged by ordinary logic!

Thus, Yun Liancheng immediately contacted the Imperial Guards!

Nominally, Yun Liancheng was just a colonel, but anyone belonging to Ye Luo’s faction knew very well Yun Liancheng’s real status!

Yun Liancheng was the only person who could follow Ye Luo at any time, someone regarded as one of Ye Luo’s most trusted allies!

Furthermore, Yun Liancheng often acted on Ye Luo’s behalf, orchestrating everything!

From the moment Ye Luo obtained the authority to establish his own military office, Yun Liancheng had been managing everything for him. It could even be said the Imperial Guards had always operated under Yun Liancheng’s command, and the newly recruited members were brought in by him as well!

So at this moment, when Yun Liancheng sought them out, they were still inclined to heed Yun Liancheng’s words!

"Colonel Yun, you summoned us—what’s the matter?"

This speaker was a commander of the Imperial Guards, whose rank was far higher than Yun Liancheng’s, yet he showed great deference towards him.

Yun Liancheng knew that if he directly told them Ye Luo was going to confront the Yingchen Family, it might not result in betrayal but could certainly lead to unnecessary trouble. So, before coming here, Yun Liancheng had already prepared his words! 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Gentlemen, what I’m about to discuss with you is indeed a matter of some urgency!"

"You must all be aware that Ninth Prince has been investigating whether the Yingchen Family is colluding with the Demon Clan. This matter isn’t a secret, but today I need to inform you that Ninth Prince has secretly headed to the Yingchen Family’s domain!"

...

"What? Ninth Prince went to the Yingchen Family’s domain! How could this happen? If the Yingchen Family realizes it’s the prince investigating them, they will undoubtedly act against him!"

"Exactly! These noble families care nothing for royal titles. To them, their own interests are paramount, and sometimes they don’t even regard the Emperor with respect!"

"This is far too dangerous of Ninth Prince. How could he go alone? Should something happen to him, even if we die a thousand times, we could never atone for our guilt!"

The group burst into heated discussion. Clearly, upon hearing the news that Ye Luo had gone to the Yingchen Family’s territory, their hearts were stirred with shock and agitation.

This was precisely the reaction Yun Liancheng sought. Only by igniting their shared outrage could Yun Liancheng seize the opportunity to implement his next plan!

Seeing the fervent response from everyone, Yun Liancheng continued, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have an idea, but it may put us at risk of punishment. Would you dare to take the chance?"

"Colonel Yun, speak plainly. As long as it’s for Ninth Prince’s safety, what’s a bit of punishment to us!"

"Indeed, if it ensures the prince’s well-being, what’s a little risk?"

Everyone looked at Yun Liancheng, unsure of what he intended.

Yun Liancheng nodded slowly and said directly, "Very well, since everyone feels this way, I won’t hold back. The reason I’ve summoned you today is to ask you to mobilize troops and covertly infiltrate the Yingchen Family’s domain!"

"I know unauthorized mobilization of troops is a severe crime, punishable by the execution of an entire family, but we cannot forsake the prince. Only by infiltrating the Yingchen Family’s territory can we ensure his safety. If all goes well, fine. If trouble arises, we must be ready to shield him from harm!"

After Yun Liancheng’s words, everyone fell into hesitation. It was true—they belonged to Ye Luo’s faction, but unauthorized troop mobilization was undoubtedly a crime of the gravest magnitude!

If Ye Luo ordered them to deploy troops, they wouldn’t have any doubts. But in this instance, they would be acting on their own accord!

What would Ye Luo think? How would the Emperor react? None of them could be certain!

"Gentlemen, please allow me to explain. The prince refrained from ordering us to mobilize troops because he was concerned that sudden action might arouse the Emperor’s distrust, thereby harming all of you.

However, think back to what the prince has done in the past. Hasn’t he always acted only after collecting solid evidence?

This time, the prince is confronting the Yingchen Family, and we all know the weight the Yingchen Family carries!

The prince is worried that rashly using us might jeopardize our futures, afraid we’d draw the Emperor’s suspicion. But you must all understand—we are the prince’s men, and our fate is bound to his. If anything happens to him, none of us will escape unscathed!"

Once again, Yun Liancheng employed patient persuasion. In the Great Tang Empire, royal factions were structured such that those who pledged allegiance to a prince often followed them for life. Betrayal was never an easy path—such individuals wouldn’t be accepted by other camps. This was the standard practice, an unspoken rule!

If the prince they supported ascended to become the next Emperor, they would naturally rise as honored individuals!

If the prince was merely enfeoffed as a regional ruler, they would follow him to his domain!

But should misfortune befall their prince, their prospects would utterly crumble!

Even if they turned to serve another faction, they would invariably be rejected!

This was the long-standing custom in the Great Tang!

Thus, from the moment they chose to follow Ye Luo, their paths were set—they could only move forward with him!

"Very well, Colonel Yun. We’re with you! Tell us your plan, and we will follow your orders!"

At last, someone stepped forward to support Yun Liancheng!

As this individual voiced their support, the others nodded in agreement as well, realizing they had few options to begin with!

Yun Liancheng nodded. This outcome was entirely within his expectations.

And so, the group began a rapid exchange of plans.

Yun Liancheng understood that the reason Ye Luo initially didn’t bring them along was to avoid alerting the enemy. Now that they had decided to act, they must ensure Ye Luo’s plan remained intact.