ters, taxes and corvée labor would be reduced by 50%, to alleviate the suffering of the disaster victims, for a period of three years. This is only the second year, so naturally there’s no talk of any...Chapter 206: Zhou Ping'an

"Quite interesting."

Li Chen became somewhat interested.

"Tell me, what makes you think this palace would spare your life, and risk so much for you"

Before Zhou Ping could speak, Li Chen said again in a calm tone, “You only have three sentences to say.”

Zhou Pingan paused, swallowing the words that were already on his lips.

A moment later, Zhou Ping'an said, "There are three brothers in the Zhou family. I am the youngest. My eldest brother does business in the Qin Dynasty... he deals in weapons."

"The first sentence," Li Chen said, squinting slightly.

Arms dealing.

Regardless of the dynasty, anyone in the common folk who touches this thing is a dead man.

According to the Qin Law, commoners without official documents and robes who carry swords on the street will be beaten thirty times. Those who hide more than three sets of weapons and armor at home will be severely punished, with light sentences being exiled to the border regions, and severe sentences resulting in the confiscation of property and the destruction of their clans.

And this week, Ping An, surprisingly openly revealed his elder brother's involvement in the arms trade.

Looking back, Li Chen would certainly have the Dongchang thoroughly investigate this.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Ping'an continued, "My second brother works as an aide in the Ning Wang's mansion."

The current King of Ning is the Emperor's younger brother. He was granted the fiefdom of Yan Yun, which borders the Central Plains to the east and Liao to the north. This makes it a truly strategic location, holding substantial military power. The Sixteen Riders of Yan Yun are renowned throughout the land, and among all the vassal kings, he is one of the most outstanding.

Li Chen had a premonition that he was probably about to come into contact with a huge secret.

"The second sentence." Li Chen's tone gradually became indifferent.

Zhou Ping'an twitched the corner of his mouth, gritted his teeth and said again: "A month ago, Second Brother was instructed by King Ning to procure a large batch of weapons and armor from the eldest brother incognito, and send them to Xishan Province. Later, this batch of military supplies was transported by a team from Xishan Province, and their whereabouts are currently unknown."

Three sentences later, Li Chen's face was as cold as ice.

The rebellion in Xishan Province is more complicated than it appears.

If it were a simple rebellion, how could it be concealed so effectively

If it hadn't been for a stroke of luck and hearing the truth from Zhao Heshan, Li Chen would probably still be in the dark.

But this rebellion, it turns out, was indeed orchestrated by a larger force.

However, unlike what Li Chen had expected before, this rebellion, at least from the current perspective, has nothing to do with Zhao Xuanji. Instead, it is a plot orchestrated by the vassal kings behind the scenes.

However, it's still possible that Zhao Xuanji and King Ning are colluding at this time.

"Lord Ning, do you know the identities of your elder and second brother" Li Chen asked.

Zhou Ping'an kept his bowed posture and said, "I don't know."

You tell me these things, what do you want in return

Zhou Ping'an didn't dare to look up, but his tone had calmed considerably. He said, "Ping'an wants to serve the Prince."

Li Chen narrowed his eyes, staring at Zhou Ping'an. The snow fell heavily; a thin layer of white had already accumulated on him. It was obvious that Zhou Ping'an, who was frail, was now very cold, his body trembling slightly.

"The three Zhou brothers, the eldest sells arms within the Qin territory, the second works as a counselor in King Ning's mansion. Judging from his ability to do such secretive things for King Ning, he must be a trusted confidant. And you, as the first-rank Taipu of the Xian Dynasty, have to run errands for this palace. What are your intentions"

Zhou Ping'an replied, “From a young age, Zhou family children have had ideals. They learn literature and martial arts, selling their skills to imperial families.”

"Unlike his older brothers, Ping'an chose a different path. From the start, Xian Chao was merely a stepping stone for Ping'an. Considering the corrupt and stagnant bureaucracy of the Qin Dynasty for over a hundred years, if Ping'an followed the conventional path of examinations and official titles, he would never achieve his ambitions. Therefore, he had to use Xian Chao as a springboard, gaining enough prestige before choosing a worthy master to serve."Chapter 651: At Worst, I'll Stage a Coup in the East Palace