Chapter 1 A Silent Warm Room

Silence reigned within the warm room.

Zheng Fan tried his best to appear natural but then revealed a wry smile.

He had underestimated his opponent.

Of course, the progression of the entire affair, the so-called grand scheme, had nothing to do with whether Zheng, the garrison commander, had underestimated his opponent.

It could only be said that those who could sit on the Dragon Throne were no fools.

The Qian Kingdom's three border regions had nearly 700,000 troops, the most capable fighting force the Qian Kingdom possessed. Originally, if they had headed south to provide support, with the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Jingnan leading 200,000 iron cavalry to directly devour this army on the plains, it would have been entirely possible.

If this battle had been won, the northern part of the Qian Kingdom would have lost most of its ability to resist. But as it stood, if the Qian Kingdom's three border armies didn't return to aid and instead remained like nails hammered in place, even sending a portion of their forces to secretly invade the empty Yan Kingdom to the north,

then no matter how rampant the Zhenbei Army and the Jingnan Army were within the northern territories of the Qian Kingdom, they still wouldn't be able to completely devour and digest this piece of fat meat. Instead, they would be stuck there like a fishbone in the throat.

At the same time,

the Barbarian royal court would seize this opportunity to try and break free from the Zhenbei Marquis's control, as they had been waiting for this chance for a century.

And the Jin Kingdom, for reasons of mutual self-preservation, would very likely send a large army to attack the Yan Kingdom. This was almost a certainty; otherwise, the Yan capital's Imperial Guards and the Jingnan Army's rear battalion wouldn't have been dispatched so early to the empire's easternmost defense line.

Yet, the most powerful field army of the Great Yan was trapped in the northern part of the Qian Kingdom. Advancing was no longer possible, and retreating meant not only abandoning the fat meat they had nearly bitten into but also facing the counterattack from the Qian Kingdom.

For a moment, Zheng Fan felt a chill in his heart.

The Great Yan, which had initially enjoyed such a favorable situation, had suddenly been reduced to fighting on three fronts.

Seeing Zheng Fan fall silent, the Qian Emperor spoke,

"To be honest, I must thank Ji Runhao. The empty salaries of the three border armies and the Imperial Guards—that huge sum of embezzled military funds—no one dared to touch them in the past, not even I.

"But now, thanks to you Yan people, I can help myself, and the Great Qian, to lance this boil.

"Tell me, how should I thank your Majesty?"

"But the northern part of the Great Qian has been largely devastated."

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter." The Qian Emperor shook his head nonchalantly, saying, "The wealth of my Great Qian lies south of the Qian River, in Jiangnan. The taxes from Jiangnan account for 80% of my Great Qian's national treasury's annual income.

"The three border regions have long been neglected. Chu Prefecture and Beihe Prefecture are particularly poor prefectures. They may seem prosperous to you Yan people, but to us Qian people, they are considered impoverished places.

"The only one slightly affected is Xishan Prefecture, but even if Xishan Prefecture is devastated, it will still be a worthwhile deal for me.

"Don't laugh at me, but my Great Qian is plagued by three major inefficiencies. It may look glorious on the surface, but the national treasury is almost running on fumes.

"The first inefficiency is redundant troops. I send wave after wave of auxiliary soldiers for you to disperse. The generals of the three border armies and the Imperial Guards, as well as the powerful figures behind them, no longer dare to conceal the empty salaries. I can take advantage of the situation to legitimately extend my reach into these two armies.

"Redundant officials. How many officials in the north have been derelict in their duties, killed, or surrendered? It's also a good opportunity to purge a wave.

"The third inefficiency is monks and Daoists. You Yan people neither believe in Buddhism nor Daoism, and you have destroyed countless temples and Daoist temples along the way, which has been a great help to me.

"What's more, some temples and Daoist temples, in order to protect themselves, even voluntarily handed over their stored grain to you Yan people. This has given me another excellent excuse. I've long been displeased with these people who don't produce anything but don't have to pay taxes!"

Getting excited,

the Qian Emperor stood up,

even turning around in a circle.

Putting aside his age, he was truly elegant and unrestrained.

Perhaps it suited the aesthetics of this era, but Zheng Fan couldn't appreciate it. Perhaps it was because there were simply too many performance artists in later generations.

"Your Majesty," Zheng Fan said.

The Qian Emperor stopped, asking,

"Do you have anything else to say?"

"Any plan, in the beginning, is beautiful."

"I understand. That's why I didn't let you meet with the officials. I am happy now, but most of the officials are probably anxious and uneasy. Even the grand secretaries in the court are only good hands in times of peace, but in times of chaos, they are just flower vases."

"Your Majesty, this humble subject believes that Your Majesty may be thinking too ideally."

"Are you being stubborn?"

"The Qian Kingdom cannot suddenly conjure up a large army!"

"Give me three years, and I can retrain a real army of 800,000 Imperial Guards!"

The Qian Emperor bent down, looking at Zheng Fan sitting on the rug, and said,

"Actually, I'm just an ordinary emperor, but I really can't help it.

"It's like two children, one herding cows and the other chopping wood. They sat under a big tree for an afternoon, doing nothing.

"But the cowherd's cow has eaten its fill of grass, while the woodcutter hasn't chopped a single piece of firewood.

"Do you know what that means?"

Zheng Fan suddenly felt a surge of anger, a sense of frustration.

To be honest, Garrison Commander Zheng had never truly considered himself a Yan person, but as the "birth" place of his arrival in this world, coupled with the country he had struggled to build up, a sense of emotional bias was inevitable.

The Qian Emperor continued,

"One is poor, one is rich. Everyone has different foundations."

The Qian Emperor flicked his long sleeves,

"The Great Qian has more capital. Ji Runhao bet everything to launch this war. I don't like gambling and rarely play card games, but I understand one thing: the more you want to win, the greater the chance you'll lose.

"I have a solid foundation. I can lose once, twice, three times, many times. But Ji Runhao can't afford to lose, not even once!"

Zheng Fan realized that at this moment, he had been completely suppressed by the Qian Emperor in terms of momentum and style.

However, Zheng Fan still stood up, bowed deeply to the Qian Emperor, and said in a deep voice,

"Your Majesty, if we can't swallow this piece of meat that is the Qian Kingdom, then our Great Yan will not let it remain intact for your Qian Kingdom to pick up again."

"What do you mean?" The Qian Emperor's eyes flashed with a hint of severity.

But Zheng Fan wasn't afraid at all, saying directly,

"Your Majesty should be aware that since heading south, our Yan army has been very restrained."

Li Fusheng was stifling his impatience, but he was still enduring it.

"That's because our Yan army believes that this land will be the territory of the Yan Kingdom, and the people on this land will be the people of our Yan Kingdom.

"If it really comes to the situation that Your Majesty mentioned,

"Our Great Yan's 200,000 iron cavalry will no longer sheathe their swords,

"Starting from the Jing region, we will plunder our way back. Your Majesty, you can let the three border armies continue to stand firm. Our Great Yan's butcher knife will return covered in blood!

"It's impossible to leave no dogs or chickens in the northern part of the Qian Kingdom,

"But it wouldn't be difficult to leave nine out of ten houses empty!

"Even if the Qian Kingdom has the wealth of Jiangnan, it won't feel good to face a completely devastated north, right?"

The Qian Emperor's voice deepened,

saying,

"I can accept it."

A ruler's heart; he could declare that these were all his people, but in the next moment, he could raise the yellow paper for his people.

"What about the Chu Kingdom? Faced with a Qian Kingdom that has been severely weakened, will the Chu Kingdom continue to remain indifferent?"

"You're getting into the spirit of an envoy, but do you know what your problem is?"

"This humble subject does not know."

"You're too presumptuous."

The Qian Emperor walked to the desk, picked up a bunch of grapes, put them in his mouth, and said while chewing,

"The King of Chu is old and has been bedridden for a year. The four princes of Chu each have their own fiefdoms and armies. Do you think the Chu Kingdom is still likely to send troops abroad?"

Zheng Fan was silent.

"Of course, if you Yan people really go on a killing spree and completely devastate several prefectures in my Great Qian's north, I would indeed feel a pang of heartache. However, it might not be a bad thing. Sometimes, it's really hard, very hard, to get everyone, from the court officials to the common people, to hate something.

"Now it's fine, you Yan people can do it as you please, and I can calmly rally the people behind the scenes and shout out the slogan of the Northern Expedition.

"It may be detrimental to the country, but it's beneficial to the Dragon Throne."

Zheng Fan took two steps back and bowed,

"This humble subject has been enlightened."

"It's strange. Perhaps it's because I rarely meet someone with such a compatible temperament, who can relax, dare to speak, and be unconstrained in front of me, so I've said a bit too much today.

"Beloved Minister Zheng, how about this? You can stay in my Qian Kingdom, and I'll grant you a promising future!"

Zheng Fan immediately knelt on the ground.

The Qian Emperor's face broke into a smile,

saying,

"Beloved Minister Zheng, are you agreeing?"

Zheng Fan shook his head,

saying,

"This humble subject feels a little dizzy."

"Why?"

"This humble subject almost thought that the Qian Kingdom's army was at the gates of the Yan capital, not our Yan army at the gates of the Qian capital."

After saying that, Zheng Fan stood up again, without the slightest bit of fear from having just mocked the Qian Emperor.

"Was there anything wrong with what I said to you earlier? Tomorrow, your Yan army can try attacking the city and see if you can bite it down!

"Wait and see. When the barbarian and Jin armies invade your Yan Kingdom's territory, how will your Yan Kingdom cope!

"The Mandate of Heaven is not with Yan!"

Zheng Fan sighed and said to the Qian Emperor,

"Your Majesty, this humble subject would like to ask you a question."

"Feel free to ask."

"Your Majesty, have you ever fought a war?"

"What?"

"Have you ever personally wielded a blade and led the charge on the front lines?"

"I have not."

"Oh, no wonder. Your Majesty, although I am a foreign minister, in view of Your Majesty's reward of such food, this humble subject would like to offer some advice."

"Speak."

"Your Majesty, battles are fought with blades, not侃侃而谈 talking from the warmth of a room, resting on a soft rug.

"No matter how much Your Majesty says, it won't change the fact that our Great Yan's army is already outside your Shangjing city.

"Not to mention, if someone were to cooperate with our Yan army outside the city, Shangjing city might fall.

"There has never been a city that will never fall.

"If that were the case, Your Majesty, what would be the point of what you said to this humble subject earlier?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"This humble subject dare not. This humble subject doesn't know how to resolve the situation that Your Majesty just described, but one thing I am clear about is that no matter how well you speak, it won't stop the sharpness of the saber.

"I've only recently learned to fight and have been on the battlefield quite a few times, so I understand a principle even better.

"The court is the court, and means are means, but they are completely different from battlefield combat."

Having said that,

Zheng Fan bowed deeply,

"Your Majesty, I have said what I needed to say, and I will keep Your Majesty's teachings in mind. I think it's time for me to leave."

"You scolded me just now, and now you want to leave?"

"If this humble subject doesn't leave the city tonight, tomorrow, ten thousand of Your Majesty's people in the Jing region will die with me. This humble subject doesn't care."

"Heh, don't worry, we don't kill envoys when two countries are at war. I'll let you go. I also want you to help me convey a message back to Ji Runhao: I will settle the accounts one by one with him in the future."

"This humble subject obeys."

"Go."

"This humble subject takes his leave."

Stepping out of the warm room, a coldness immediately袭来 hit him, and Zheng Fan shivered subconsciously.

Looking back at the warm-as-spring room behind him, alas, living in Cuiliu Fort for so long had really deteriorated his living conditions. In Tiger Head City, he at least had two houses and could soak in a hot spring at night.

He wondered when these days of hard struggle would end.

Suddenly,

the words that the Qian Emperor had said earlier floated into his mind.

Not a single soldier from the Qian Kingdom's three border armies should head south.

Zheng Fan's heart suddenly sank.

Could it be that, in the end,

the Great Yan would be the first to reach its end?

Walking out, passing through the corridor, the silver-armored female guard was still standing there.

Zheng Fan couldn't help but take a few more glances at her.

To be honest,

Garrison Commander Zheng was able to find joy in hardship at this time.

The silver-armored female guard was also looking at Zheng Fan.

As Zheng Fan walked past her,

she suddenly said,

"I heard that the Yan people are good at riding and archery?"

Hiss...

Zheng Fan nodded, saying,

"This envoy is also good at riding and archery."

"Is that so?"

The female silver-armored guard revealed a look of disbelief.

"In the future, if we have the opportunity, we can try it out, exchange pointers. At that time, you will know that I am not lying."

"There is yin邪 evil in your eyes."

"You must have seen wrong." Zheng Fan's heart suddenly tightened.

"Will the Yan people attack the city tomorrow?" the woman asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we'll just put on a show. As you know, it's so cold. Everyone has to find something to do to warm up their muscles and bones, otherwise they'll easily catch a cold."

"Then I will compete with the envoy tomorrow."

"Ah?"

Zheng Fan suddenly felt that something was a little off. It seemed that the Qian Emperor had said something wrong.

"The envoy should also participate in the attack on the city tomorrow, right?"

"If there are no accidents, I should be. But I'm under the city, and you're inside the city. Unless Shangjing city is breached tomorrow, it will probably be difficult for us to meet."

"It doesn't matter. I can go down and find the envoy."

"No, why are you so concerned about me?"

"Because when the envoy walked over earlier, the way you looked at me made me very uncomfortable. I really wanted to kill you with a sword, but you are an envoy. You can't die in Shangjing city tonight, so I can only find an opportunity to kill you tomorrow."

"I think, things between men should be resolved by men..."

"I don't have a man."

"Sorry, I'm not good with words."

"I'm not married yet, so I have to resolve my own affairs myself."

"Ah?"

Not married?

Suddenly,

a sword floated out, appearing behind the woman, as if it had a spirit, humming slightly next to her cheek.

This was some serious high-end technique.

Forget about ninth-rank martial artists,

I, an eighth-rank martial artist, can't even do this, let alone imagine it!

What widow, what mistress, what妙不可言 unspeakable, Qian Emperor, you disrespectful old bastard!

"I remember your name is Zheng Fan."

"I think we..."

"My name is Bai Lixianglan."

Zheng Fan's eyes immediately widened, and he blurted out, "Is Bai Lijian your..."

"Older brother."

"..." Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan left in a daze. At this moment, the national destiny and future of the Great Yan were no longer on his mind, and the trend of the war had been thrown to the back of his head.

All that was on Zheng Fan's mind now was that the younger sister of Bai Lijian, one of the Four Great Swordsmen, was going to kill him?

Bai Lijian shouldn't be weaker than Sha Tuoqueshi, right?

Even if his younger sister was weaker, but she could guard the gate for the Qian Emperor, she certainly wouldn't be weak, right?

With this oppressive feeling, Zheng Fan walked a long way.

What he didn't know was that,

after he left,

Bai Lixianglan looked at the sword floating in front of her,

frowning slightly,

muttering to herself,

"You said you sensed the last lament of those three swords on him. Was that idiot Yuan Zhenxing killed by him?"

Bai Lixianglan's mind immediately flashed back to her childhood,

when a greasy-haired man carrying three swords on his back pushed a wheelbarrow filled with candied haws and came to her,

saying to her, who was still young,

"Call me uncle, and all these candied haws will be yours!"

When she called him "uncle,"

this guy who liked to carry three swords on his back smiled like an idiot, as if he had taken advantage of her older brother.

That slacker who clearly had remarkable swordsmanship but always lived a poor life,

just like that,

was gone?

Bai Lixianglan was a little puzzled.

Fortunately, a swordsman's style of doing things was very simple. No matter how puzzling the knot was, one sword would,

either unravel the knot or break the sword.

Either way, it was over.

………

Led by a small eunuch holding a lantern, Zheng Fan got back into the carriage. Inside the carriage, the Blind Man was wiping his mouth, while Ah Ming was indifferent.

"The Qian people's food is really good," the Blind Man said with emotion, then looked at Zheng Fan and asked, "Master, how did it go?"

These exchanges all took place in the black channel built with mental energy, so there was no need to worry about being eavesdropped on.

Zheng Fan rubbed his face hard with both hands,

saying,

"Something happened."

In the black channel, Zheng Fan explained what had happened, without missing Bai Lijian's younger sister.

"Heh, a widow?" Ah Ming laughed first.

"What are you laughing at? Can you block a few of her swords?" Zheng Fan asked.

Ah Ming shook his head and said, "Master, this is simple. Just don't go out alone. Does she dare to kill her way into the camp?"

At this time, the carriage had already left the palace and was traveling on the curfewed streets, heading towards the north city gate.

Suddenly,

more than a dozen men in black appeared in the houses on both sides, each holding a crossbow, aiming at the carriage.

The Blind Man's expression changed drastically, and he shouted urgently,

"Assassins!"