Chapter 503.2: A Splendid Uncle - Part 2
Ning Chong was also clear that his promotion was not dependent on Xu Ming, so he did not deliberately butter up to this main commander either. Instead, he set his command tent at a distance from Xu Ming's. At this moment, Ning Chong had just taken a sip of the fine deer antler wine sent from White Deer Prefecture. After setting down his cup, he could not help but marvel. White Deer Prefecture was not only known for its scholars but also for its wine brewing skills. This deer antler wine, made from fawn blood and deer antler, was a favorite among those scholars. It poured into the cup a deep red and tasted exceptionally sweet, with a taste that lingered endlessly. Unlike other soldiers who preferred strong liquor, Ning Chong did not like liquor, he only liked this wine. Thus, he often had people bring large quantities from White Deer Prefecture, hidden among the military supplies and provisions sent from the Divine Capital, and no one bothered him about it.
Just as he finished his sip and was about to pour a second glass, the tent flap suddenly lifted, letting in a gust of cold wind and snowflakes.
A young man in black, with a saber at his waist, stood quietly at the entrance of the tent, looking at this deputy commander of Xuanling Commandery.
Ning Chong had a tall and imposing figure typical of the northern regions, with a strikingly handsome face. Even sitting, he exuded a commanding presence.
After seeing Chen Chao, he snorted coldly in displeasure, "Who are you? Do you know that trespassing this general's tent is a serious crime?!"CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m
Chen Chao ignored him and instead looked at the wine flask in front of Ning Chong, saying with a smile, "I heard that the former Great General was very strict about military discipline. No one in the army was allowed to drink outside of designated times. General Ning, your behavior today would have earned you at least a few dozen military lashes if that Great General were still around."
Ning Chong's expression remained unchanged. "Just by trespassing this general's tent, it wouldn't be unreasonable to say you're here to assassinate this general."
Chen Chao nodded and said seriously, "That's true. You only follow military orders, and the laws of the Great Liang Dynasty are probably just a piece of paper to you. If you say you want to kill me for this, as long as you can actually kill me, there wouldn't be any problem. But the problem is, can you kill me?"
Although Ning Chong enjoyed fine wine, he had come from an extraordinary background and had steadily climbed the ranks through hard work. He was now a martial artist of the Bitter Sea Realm, his physique honed to perfection. Hearing Chen Chao's words, he slowly stood up, looking at the unfamiliar young man before him. Instead of getting angry, he laughed, "Where does this kid who's still wet behind your ears come from, daring to seek death here?"
Chen Chao was in no hurry. He took a few steps forward, saying with a smile, "It seems your brain doesn't work well. For me to walk here without alarming the soldiers outside, there are only two possibilities: either they didn't dare to provoke me, or they couldn't detect me. But it seems that regardless of which possibility, you shouldn't be speaking to me this way."
Ning Chong was speechless for a moment. After a pause, he slowly said, "Deputy Commander of the Left Guard, Chen Chao?"
Chen Chao smiled, "It's precisely this official."
Ning Chong's expression improved significantly. After a moment of thought, he also smiled, "Commander Chen, you really know how to joke. If there's anything you need from this general after your long journey here, just speak up. Nowadays, the Lord Warden Commander is the Great General of the Northern Frontier, so we can be considered one family."
Having figured out Chen Chao's intentions and confident that this young martial artist would not make things difficult for him, Ning Chong naturally adjusted his demeanor.
"This is deer antler wine, a specialty of White Deer Prefecture. Would Commander Chen like to try some? It's very difficult to purchase even in the Divine Capital."
Ning Chong's face beamed with a welcoming smile, a stark contrast to before.
Chen Chao shook his head with a smile, "I'm on duty, so I won't be drinking."
"By the way, my visit isn't just about this matter, there's something else I want to ask General Ning."
Chen Chao raised his head, looking at the self-assured General Ning.
Ning Chong smiled, "Of course, I'll tell you everything I know."
Chen Chao nodded, "I heard that General Ning embezzled a sum that should have been fully disbursed as compensation. Does General Ning know that this is a capital offense?"
Chen Chao's voice grew colder, devoid of any emotion by the end.
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