Chapter 1 The Oasis

Near the oasis where the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion was located, there were tribes of barbarians living there, but they were no longer pure barbarian tribes, like wolves on the grassland, tamed into domestic dogs.

When the first Zhenbei Marquis first guarded the northern border, he took in the chiefs of four barbarian tribes as his adopted sons, bestowing upon them the surname "Li", and they would be the Marquis’s mansion’s "adopted sons" for generations.

Therefore, in history, there had been times when the newly ennobled, barely twenty-year-old Zhenbei Marquis sat in the chief seat, facing the prostrations and worship of four white-haired tribal chiefs, who called him "Adopted Father".

When there was war, the four Guiyi (righteous allegiance) tribes would be conscripted to form barbarian cavalry to assist the Zhenbei Army in battle. From the barbarians’ perspective, they were traitors.

But the cruelest thing the first Zhenbei Marquis did was that he liked to establish rules, not only for his descendants, but also for outsiders.

For example, in order to prevent the four Guiyi tribes from growing stronger and becoming a threat due to the protection of the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion, he stipulated that every three years, the population of the Guiyi tribes must be verified, and their population size would be determined according to the different needs of each period. Those exceeding the red line would be dealt with immediately.

Therefore, every year of verification, many newborns of the four Guiyi tribes had to be drowned by their parents, which was called… the population reduction policy.

This policy was indeed cruel, but it was very effective. For hundreds of years, the four Guiyi tribes had been bound to the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion’s chariot, daring not to overstep in the slightest.

However, tonight, in a tent within the territory of Nado Tribe, one of the four Guiyi tribes, it was particularly lively.

Ten priests wearing black robes and necklaces made of human skulls formed a circle, chanting and dancing, with obscure incantations coming from their mouths;

These were the most ancient songs on this desert land.

Once, countless years ago, when the ancestors of the desert barbarians bid farewell to their deceased relatives and friends, they would chant this funeral song.

An ancient jade-colored scepter was erected in the center, shining brightly with the chanting of the ten priests.

Outside the tent, an old man in a red robe was looking up at the stars;

Beside the old man stood a strong middle-aged man, who was still bare-chested even though it was already night. On his body, black lines slowly flowed under the starlight.

"Nado Jiayang, has your father been properly covered?" the old priest asked.

"Reporting to the High Priest, tonight I had the woman my father has recently favored put medicine in his wine, and he will sleep until noon tomorrow.

The warriors guarding this area are all my trusted aides, and there will absolutely be no problems."

"Rare, rare, it is rare to find a loyal warrior like you in the Nado Tribe."

"With the Barbarian God above, Nado Jiayang has never forgotten that he is a descendant of the Barbarian God, and I look forward to the return of the royal court every day, leading us to drive out the Yan people!"

"Yes, but it's a pity that your father is stubborn, and the other three tribes have all forgotten their identities."

"My father, he is old, he fears death, he has extinguished his faith, he has brought shame to the Barbarian God!

The Yan people are brutal. Every three years, I have to witness the newborns of the tribe being drowned amid the cries of their parents. The Yan people treat us as they treat the dogs under their feet!"

"But, many people want to be dogs!"

Speaking of this, the old priest's voice was filled with clear anger.

Because the royal court had not made any moves against the four Guiyi tribes, and so far, it had only absorbed Nado Jiayang, the eldest son of the Nado Tribe.

This was also a very normal thing, because for hundreds of years, the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion had been in a dominant position.

When something happened, they would attack the barbarian tribes;

When nothing happened, they would attack the barbarian tribes even more;

The previous generation of Zhenbei Marquis was even more excessive,

He celebrated his birthday by attacking the barbarian tribes;

He celebrated his mother's birthday by attacking the barbarian tribes;

He celebrated the Yan Emperor's birthday by attacking the barbarian tribes;

The weather was nice today, let's attack the barbarian tribes!

This generation of Zhenbei Marquis was not as frequently at war as the previous generation.

But the old priest knew that this was not because this generation of Zhenbei Marquis had "suddenly become kind-hearted", it was purely because his father, when he was in power, had led the Zhenbei Army to beat the barbarian tribes too hard. If they continued to fight, the royal court would collapse.

Perhaps, in the eyes of this generation of Zhenbei Marquis, only this kind of barbarian race that seemed organized but could not be organized at all was the most docile barbarian race, because they would constantly engage in internal friction.

Before the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion showed any signs of decline, how could these four Guiyi tribes actively "abandon darkness and turn to the light"?

"Even that Zuogu Luli King is a bastard!"

The old priest cursed Shatuo Queshi again.

He was a talented barbarian youth he had personally discovered from the Shatuo Tribe. Although he did not take the path of a barbarian master in the end, his talent in martial arts was astonishing.

A third-rank martial artist could block thousands of riders on the battlefield!

In modern terms, he was equivalent to a country's strategic nuclear weapon.

As a result, after learning that the Shatuo Tribe had been destroyed, Shatuo Queshi first knelt in front of the Barbarian King's tent for three days and three nights, begging the Barbarian King to give him three thousand barbarian cavalry so he could seek revenge from the Yan people!

The Barbarian King did not dare to meet him.

The meaning was very clear: the Shatuo Tribe was destroyed, so it was destroyed. Once the royal court made an excessive reaction and completely angered the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion, once the Zhenbei Army’s 300,000 iron cavalry came, the royal court might not be able to protect itself!

He had tried to persuade him, and the Zuo and You Xian Kings had also tried to persuade him.

But after kneeling for three days and three nights, he actually handed over his seal and the golden knife symbolizing the supreme glory of the Zuogu Luli King, saying that he was now a commoner and had nothing to do with the royal court.

Since the royal court was not prepared to speak, then he would go get an explanation himself.

This bastard!

He actually ran to the gate of the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion alone to die!

How much effort had the royal court put into cultivating him, and how much glory had the Barbarian King given him, yet he just went to his death so casually!

These past two days, the old priest had felt extremely pained whenever he thought of this.

When Shatuo Queshi "resigned" and left, the Zuo Xian King brought two Grand Protector Generals to stop him, but he was forcibly beaten away.

Since then, the royal court had assigned him to arrange this matter.

Shatuo Queshi, since his death could not be undone, then his physical body was the interest that the royal court would recover.

A third-rank martial artist's body, who had slaughtered many before his death and was filled with baleful aura, could be made into a puppet that was infinitely close to a third-rank martial artist if it could be retrieved and refined.

And in terms of refining corpse puppets, the priests of the royal court had absolute experience.

The old priest had heard that the Yue people in the depths of the Great Marsh of Chu also seemed to have the custom of refining corpse puppets, but the old priest did not think that the Yue people's corpse refining skills could be compared with his own.

At this time, the tent was lifted from the inside, and a priest bowed and said:

"High Priest, the summoning is complete."

"Good."

The High Priest glanced at Nado Jiayang, who was standing beside him. Nado Jiayang immediately straightened his chest and said in a deep voice:

"Please rest assured, High Priest, I will ensure the safety of this place, and no one will come to disturb us!"

"Jiayang, after this is over, find a reason to feign illness and stay in bed, then come to the royal court. I will let you go to the priest's training grounds to cultivate."

Jiayang immediately knelt down and said sincerely:

"Thank you for your guidance, High Priest!"

"Yes."

The High Priest reached out and patted Jiayang's shoulder, saying:

"You must believe that the days ahead are still very long. As descendants of the Barbarian God, we will eventually dominate this world again!"

After speaking, leaving Jiayang, who was still full of enthusiasm, the High Priest walked into the tent.

"Begin, summon our tribe's warrior! Let him, as a warrior, return to the Barbarian God's banner!"

"Barbarian God is above!"

"Barbarian God is above!"

The ten priests knelt down together, each holding a dagger, cutting open their palms, letting the blood flow along the ground under their feet, eventually converging into the ancient jade-colored scepter.

The High Priest opened his arms and shouted:

"Return… come… back… Return… come… yo…"

………

In a room in the Marquis’s mansion, Zheng Fan was lying on the bed, holding the stone where the magic pill seal was located, tossing it up and down.

He was ruminating on what the Sixth Prince had said tonight. The Sixth Prince was a smart man, and Zheng Fan had no doubt about that.

His words tonight had hinted at too much information. With his status, he must have seen through some secrets that even the court officials had not been able to understand.

Something big was about to happen in the north.

In fact, according to Blind Man's original plan, Hutou City was only suitable as the first base. After developing to a certain extent, it would have to be moved.

That Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion was like a behemoth, standing in the northern plains, and it was really too restrictive for development.

So, were they really going to develop in the south?

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A knock on the door came, followed by the Sixth Prince’s voice:

"Colonel Zheng, get up and watch the show!"

………

"Achoo!"

"Achoo!"

"Achoo!"

The Sixth Prince sneezed three times in a row. His body was obviously not able to withstand the cold wind, especially since he was riding a horse and not in his warm carriage.

"Colonel Zheng, aren't you cold?" the Sixth Prince asked Zheng Fan, who was also riding a horse beside him, curiously.

"This humble officer has added two more layers of clothes under his armor."

"Why didn't you remind me earlier?"

"Your Highness didn't ask me."

"Here they come, here they come, do you see those three barbarians?" the Sixth Prince pointed to the front and said to Zheng Fan in a low voice.

"I see them."

"Those are the chiefs of the four Guiyi tribes under the Marquis’s mansion. Three of them have come."

"What about the other one?"

"Look around."

Zheng Fan looked around and quickly understood.

The training ground was now densely packed with warhorses and soldiers. In this cold wind, they were still neatly arrayed, and the aura of killing was so thick that it was almost suffocating.

"Look, the Old Madam is out."

Zheng Fan looked forward and saw a chariot slowly driving out of the military formation.

The chariot, as a combat tool, had long been eliminated in this era. Now, it was more often used by the generals in the army for command or as a prop for sacrificial activities.

This chariot was pulled by eighteen warhorses, and two generals stood at the front of the chariot.

One held a longbow, and the other held an iron sword;

Behind these two generals stood a woman wearing golden armor.

The woman was of age, but time seemed to be particularly kind to her.

Zheng Fan knew that the reason why he came to the Marquis’s mansion this time was because it was the Old Madam’s fiftieth birthday, but it was difficult to associate this woman in golden armor with a fifty-year-old woman.

Beside the Old Madam stood a young general in red armor, whom Zheng Fan knew was the Princess.

"The Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion has seven chief generals. The one holding the bow is called Li Chenghui. In the early years, when fighting with the barbarians, he once went deep into the desert alone. When he returned, he carried dozens of barbarian archers’ thumbs.

The one holding the sword is called Li Liangshen. His swordsmanship has long reached its peak. The Sword Saint of the Jin Kingdom came to the Marquis’s mansion to find him. After leaving, he once said to others that in a competition, Li Liangshen was not his opponent, but in a war, he would be beheaded by Li Liangshen.

It is said that they are all at the third-rank martial artist realm, just like Shatuo Queshi, who came to knock on the door the other day."

Zheng Fan nodded upon hearing this.

They were all big shots, and this spectacle was really grand.

It was thanks to the Sixth Prince that he could stand so close and witness this scene.

Oh, right, what did Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Western Chu, say when he saw the First Emperor’s carriage?

The chariot stopped,

All the Zhenbei Army soldiers standing around raised their weapons together,

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

The three barbarian tribal chiefs walked forward tremblingly. When they were still a good distance from the chariot, the three of them knelt down together and crawled over.

Of these three tribal chiefs, two were white-haired old men, much older than the Old Madam.

But at this time,

The three tribal chiefs kowtowed respectfully and said:

"Your sons greet Mother, may Mother live forever!"

"The tribal chiefs of the Guiyi tribes have always been adopted sons of the successive Zhenbei Marquises. Regardless of age, only seniority matters. Even if the current Marquis is a little brat, they must respectfully call him Father."

The Sixth Prince explained to Zheng Fan in a low voice.

"This old woman cannot bear such a great gift."

"Your sons are guilty!"

"Your sons are guilty!"

The three tribal chiefs banged their heads on the ground.

"I ask, in this world, are there any children who betray their parents?" the Old Madam asked.

Zheng Fan immediately looked at the Sixth Prince.

The Sixth Prince was a little unnatural from the stare and said angrily, "There are many cases of fathers and sons turning against each other and even killing each other over property in the common people. Don't just stare at my royal family."

"The Nado Tribe has changed its mind. With the Marquis not at home, do you look down on this orphan and widow of the Li family?"

The Old Madam said slowly.

"Your sons are willing to lead the tribe's warriors to wash the Nado Tribe in blood for Mother!"

"The Nado Tribe has betrayed us, ignoring the Marquis’s mansion’s kindness. They deserve to be punished!"

The three tribal chiefs immediately raised their hands to the sky and swore to fight.

The Old Madam lowered her eyes and said:

"Before dawn, I want the Nado Tribe to no longer hear the sound of a sheep.

If you can't do it, this old woman doesn't bother with disobedient children or incompetent children."

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

"Your sons obey!"

"Your sons obey!"

"Your sons obey!"

The three tribal chiefs immediately got up and returned to their respective tribes to gather warriors.

The soldiers in the training ground also began to line up neatly and leave the training ground. When the three tribes attacked the Nado Tribe, the Zhenbei Army would be pressing the battle from the outside!

The Old Madam stood on the chariot and moved slowly with the central army. She truly had the demeanor of She Taijun in the Yang family generals.

However, the stories of She Taijun were mostly fictional, but the authority of this Old Madam was real.

Compared to the Old Madam's powerful and terrifying aura, the Princess standing beside her was simply as cute and small as a quail.

"First pacify the home, then resist foreign aggression."

Zheng Fan sighed.

The Sixth Prince looked at Zheng Fan with some confusion and asked:

"I'm just curious, where do you get so many golden sayings?"

Zheng Fan sighed and replied with an attitude that said, "I'm just perfunctorily answering you and I can't be bothered to pretend that I'm not perfunctorily answering you":

"Read more books."

"You're such a nuisance."

"Aren't we going to follow along to watch?"

"What's the point of going? Those barbarians are as mindless as they come. Once they know that they can't survive and have no hope, they might just go all out like that Zuogu Luli King.

I, this Great Yan prince, am their favorite target. I've already been assassinated once, why would I shamelessly go again?

Colonel Zheng, can you help me block another knife?"

"This humble officer didn't know that Your Highness was a carefree prince before."

"You're too honest!"

The training ground had been cleared out. Just as Zheng Fan was preparing to follow the Sixth Prince back to the mansion on horseback, he saw a man with a bare upper body holding a pair of hammers slowly walk to the bottom of the pailou (archway).

"Li Yuanhu, one of the seven chief generals of the Zhenbei Marquis’s mansion," the Sixth Prince said.

This general holding the double hammers was the one who came forward to fight Shatuo Queshi when Shatuo Queshi knocked on the door that day.

However, this general had iron thorns on his back, and there were still clear blood stains, looking like he was being punished.

"Bang!"

The double hammers were smashed on the ground by Li Yuanhu, and two pits immediately appeared on the ground;

He himself sat down cross-legged,

Looked up,

Staring at the remains of Shatuo Queshi hanging above.

"I'm waiting for you. This time, I won't retreat again."

In the cold wind,

Shatuo Queshi's remains were still swaying gently there.

On the periphery, another group of Zhenbei Army soldiers holding battle axes and thick shields stood solemnly.

"Colonel Zheng, I feel like something is going to go wrong with this corpse, with this posture?"

The Sixth Prince was intelligent. Although he did not practice martial arts, he quickly saw the abnormality.

Zheng Fan nodded very seriously and said:

"So we should promote cremation of corpses as soon as possible."

………

Desert,

Dunes;

The wolf cub, who was almost asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, clutched his dagger tightly in his hand, and lay on the ground, listening to the tremors from the ground.

Si Niang stood on the dune, looking at the rolling black torrent under the distant moonlight, and said:

"Liang Cheng, things seem to have changed a bit."

The original play of a gentleman on the roof beams seemed to be turning into the master's invitation to enter the urn (trap).

Liang Cheng then opened his eyes slightly, looked at Si Niang, and said:

"They are summoning that corpse that is about to become a zombie, so that after it turns into a zombie, it will go straight back to the royal court."

Si Niang looked at Liang Cheng with some doubt and asked:

"And then?"

"And then, because both sides are on the same channel, I seem to be able to summon that corpse as well."

"Then try it. Change its coordinates from the royal court to Hutou City... no, Meijia Wu."

Liang Cheng frowned slightly, and Si Niang asked when she saw this:

"What's wrong?"

"That corpse doesn't know me and won't respond to my summons. Generally speaking, a corpse will react to things that it was familiar with during its lifetime."

Si Niang hesitated for a moment and said:

"Then ask him if he still remembers Chongqing hot pot, Shaanxi Saozi noodles, and Northeast stew!"