Chapter 1 Upon Entering the City

As they entered the city gate, Zheng Fan noticed that besides the Nanwang City guards, there was also a group of men dressed in black.

The Great Yan favored black, and black was traditionally the exclusive color for "secret agents." Unlike the flamboyant "Silver Armor Guards" of the Qian Kingdom, the Yan Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Division had always maintained a low profile.

Of course, whether it was as low-key as it appeared on the surface was another matter entirely.

Zheng Fan also spotted Shan Ji.

Shan Ji was clearly the leader of this group.

As the convoy was being inspected, Zheng Fan dismounted. Shan Ji walked over proactively and called out,

"Lord Zheng."

Towards the intelligence services, no matter how much you despised them in your heart, you still had to maintain appearances.

Zheng Fan smiled and cupped his fist in salute.

A few days ago, Shan Ji had made a special trip to Green Willow Fort to hint that Zheng Fan's rest had been long enough.

The Jingnan Marquis's order was that these military leaders on the Silver Wave County border had to put in their utmost effort to harass the Qian Kingdom border and bring back some tangible results.

However, Zheng Fan, relying on his strong connections, had been holed up in Green Willow Fort training his troops. Xu Wenzu had helped him withstand the pressure, forcing Shan Ji to personally urge him to action.

"Lord Zheng went out the night before last?"

It was unlikely that the movements of Green Willow Fort's troops could be concealed from the Secret Intelligence Division's junior officers, and Zheng Fan hadn't made any particular effort to hide anything.

"I've been resting for too long, so I had to go out for a spin and get some fresh air," Zheng Fan replied. "What about you?"

The Secret Intelligence Division's agents openly appearing at the city gate was not their usual style.

Shan Ji smiled and said, "Reeling in a net."

"Oh, congratulations."

Shan Ji shook his head and said, "It's just a cleanup."

After the war began, the espionage battles between the two sides were actually more brutal than the current state of the war.

Both sides were pulling out each other's nails and infiltrating each other's territory. Every step was soaked in chilling blood.

"I don't know if Lord Zheng noticed on the way here, but those two Qian Kingdom spies were probably disguised as vendors selling wontons."

"Hm?"

Zheng Fan suddenly felt something was amiss.

At that moment, a Secret Intelligence Division rider arrived, dismounted, and whispered something to Shan Ji.

Shan Ji sighed and said directly, without avoiding Zheng Fan:

"Heh, they actually poisoned the wontons and fed each other poison.

By the time my men were closing the net, they were already dead."

"............" Zheng Fan.

At this point, the Secret Intelligence Division member's gaze fell on Zheng Fan, and he cupped his fist and said:

"This lord also ate wontons earlier."

Shan Ji looked at Zheng Fan in surprise. Zheng Fan shook his head and said, "I'm fine."

If they had been poisoned, it was impossible that the two spies were already dead while he was still alive.

He guessed that the two spies weren't interested in some indiscriminate poisoning scheme either; poison was quite expensive, after all.

Of course, it was also because Zheng Fan was wearing plain clothes today and wasn't armored.

"Lord Zheng, you're really lucky."

"Heh, my luck has indeed been good this past year."

"Ugh!"

At this moment, the two city guards responsible for inspecting the goods opened a box and started vomiting.

It wasn't that these city guards were so weak, but the scene inside the box was far beyond the limits of what a normal person could bear.

Without any psychological preparation, suddenly opening a box and seeing a box full of heads neatly stacked and "smiling" at you, who the hell could take that?

Many city guards began to gather around, some out of curiosity, some out of nervousness, and then,

"Ugh!"

Even more people were vomiting.

If it were a genuine triumphant return with heads, building a Jingguan (a mound of corpses), they definitely wouldn't be like this. Even the surrounding commoners would only cheer and jeer along.

Shan Ji was curious. At this moment, a Secret Intelligence Division agent who had also gone up to inspect earlier returned, glanced at Zheng Fan, and said to Shan Ji:

"They're heads."

Shan Ji's mouth opened slightly. He pointed at the convoy Zheng Fan had brought and asked:

"Lord Zheng, are all of these boxes filled with...?"

Zheng Fan nodded and said:

"All of them are heads."

"So many!"

Shan Ji was astonished.

Currently, although the fighting between the two sides on the border was fierce, it was all small units engaging small units. Because the Jingnan Army and the Qian Kingdom's Three Towns Army had not been mobilized, the gains were small-scale.

Shan Ji knew that if the heads in the boxes of Zheng Fan's convoy weren't fake, it would be the largest haul since the start of the Yan-Qian war, and it would leave the second-place far behind.

As for things like killing civilians and falsely claiming their heads, or going to the Qian Kingdom to kill ordinary people and pretending they were soldiers, Shan Ji believed that Zheng Fan wouldn't do that.

Because Shan Ji knew Zheng Fan's current background. This garrison commander wasn't as simple as a common grass-roots commander. He was, to some extent, a person "close to the emperor's heart."

Others might do that kind of thing to get ahead, but this garrison commander wouldn't. At the same time, if so many boxes were all filled with heads, it would naturally be the greatest military achievement since the start of the war, and it would naturally alarm many eyes. It would be impossible to fake it.

Shan Ji took two steps back and cupped his fist and bowed to Zheng Fan, saying:

"Congratulations to Lord Zheng for once again establishing a new merit for our Great Yan!"

This salute was naturally a flattery towards this garrison commander who had achieved great military success and whose future was limitless, but it was estimated that it was even more a spontaneous act from the heart of a Yan person.

Going south was not only the long-cherished wish of every generation of Yan emperors, but also the long-cherished wish of the Yan nation.

Zheng Fan quickly reached out to help Shan Ji up,

Repeating:

"You mustn't, you mustn't."

At this moment, the city gate commandant also walked over. His reaction was much more natural than that of his city guards. After walking to Zheng Fan's side, the commandant also bowed.

The enemy of my enemy is my hero.

From the perspective of a Yan person, from the perspective of a Yan soldier, Zheng Fan's achievements could be said to be quite morale-boosting.

Yan soldiers were very simple. Compared to their counterparts in the Qian Kingdom, who were often suppressed by civil officials and constantly worried about being feared and suppressed, Yan soldiers were more like soldiers.

If you could make contributions, kill enemies, and win battles, everyone would trust you and respect you.

Poetry, songs, morality, and articles couldn't stop the barbarians. Yan people preferred to speak with the knives in their hands.

"I still have to go to the General Military Office, please make it easier for me."

Zheng Fan didn't want to be surrounded and watched here. In any case, after presenting this military merit, Xu Wenzu would definitely help him publicize it, and the imperial court would also help him publicize it. There was no need for him to go on stage personally.

It wasn't that Zheng Fan didn't like this feeling of being respected, and he didn't have anything he wanted to deliberately avoid. It was just that he was a little eager to use these heads to bargain and ask for more men for himself.

Although this night raid's results were abundant, with carts and carts filled with wolf-land soldiers' heads, his own losses weren't small either.

Zheng Fan was also the kind of businessman with a small business mentality. He had to make up for his capital first, and as for how much he earned, that was another story.

With the help of Shan Ji and the city gate commandant, the convoy quickly entered the city gate.

After learning that Zheng Fan was going to the General Military Office, Shan Ji and the city gate commandant didn't go with him.

The convoy continued to travel in the city.

Zheng Fan got on his horse and glanced helplessly at A'ming, who was still languid.

"Doesn't Master like this feeling of being worshiped?"

"It's alright."

"But Master seems a little impatient."

"I'm just a rough man."

"Rough men don't think so much."

"Alright, alright, let's go get soldiers and supplies first."

Xiao Liuzi had been investing in Green Willow Fort for so long. Although it was very pleasant to eat and drink from them all the time, Zheng Fan didn't mind having more.

Although Xu Wenzu, relying on being the General Military Officer of Nanwang City, had more geographical advantages than the other surrounding General Military Officers, he had already opened a lot of back doors for Zheng Fan's Green Willow Fort.

But who would be satisfied with this kind of thing?

Weapons, food, warhorses, these things, Zheng Fan could eat as much as he could. If it really didn't work, he could just gather peasant soldiers to boost his momentum, which wouldn't be bad either.

Like two flowers blooming, each representing a branch;

Just as Zheng Fan's convoy transporting the heads had just entered the city,

The atmosphere in the signing room of the General Military Office in Nanwang City was almost so thick with gunpowder that it was difficult to breathe.

The obese Xu Wenzu sat at the head seat. Below him, sat more than ten generals wearing armor. Each of them was a General Military Officer.

The General Military Officers of the Yan Kingdom were basically generals who could stand alone.

However, because of the uniqueness of the Yan Kingdom's military system, the Northern Garrison Army, the Southern Pacification Army, and the Forbidden Army were all self-contained systems, somewhat similar to the later generations of old Chiang's Central Army.

Not to mention the General Military Officers, any officer in these three armies had an arrogant air of looking down on the outside army when facing them.

The dozen or so General Military Officers in the signing room, except for a few who didn't come, basically rounded up the leaders of the major military leaders along the Silver Wave County line.

Each of them had many troops under their command. Although during this period of time, there had been Clan prisoners who had been transferred to supplement the teams under their command, they really couldn't withstand the Jingnan Marquis's military orders, forcing them to repeatedly urge the troops under their command to fight to the death with the fortresses on the border of the Qian Kingdom.

Anyone who slackened off would be punished by military order. In addition, the person in charge of the Secret Intelligence Division of Silver Wave County was still Jingnan Marquis's family member. That Secret Intelligence Division leader named Du Juan didn't mean to avoid it at all, and directly controlled the Secret Intelligence Division under his command as a whip, severely whipping them to go out and bite people.

It wasn't just that Green Willow Fort liked to play the trick of "building high walls and slowly claiming the throne." Preserving strength and taking the opportunity to develop was the instinct of every normal warlord.

But there was no way. The imperial court wanted you to bite people. Although they gave you a mouthful of feed to eat, you had to lose meat when you went out. This back and forth, seemingly the loss wasn't big, and even some because of the Clan prisoners' supplementation, the military strength had increased instead.

But what was being consumed were all the old soldiers of their own families. This kind of blood exchange seemed flat on paper, but in reality, it was a blood loss.

"Lord Xu, we are not convinced by this month's distribution."

The General Military Officer who spoke had a dignified appearance, with a square face. When he spoke, he also had a sonorous tone.

Compared to him,

The fat Xu sitting in the head seat looked like a worm of the country who enriched himself at the expense of the public.

Xu Wenzu drooped his eyelids and said slowly:

"Everyone, don't look at how many goods come in and out of my Nanwang City every day. Heh, I won't hide it from everyone. I don't lack food now, nor do I lack weapons, nor do I lack warhorses.

What I lack now are granaries that can store food, warehouses that can store equipment, and stables and grooms that can raise horses."

Xu Wenzu sighed helplessly,

And continued:

"It can be said that I have so many things in my hands that I really can't put them down, but everyone, there's no way, these things can't be moved."

The Yan Kingdom was originally not rich, and the imperial court and the royal family were also not rich. Not being rich restricted the conditions for using troops. The cost of raising troops was actually already very high, but the cost of using troops was much higher than that of raising troops.

The cost of departure, the cost of rewards, the consumption of food, the replenishment of weapons, the compensation of warhorses, these were all astronomical figures when the war started.

Even the food that the soldiers ate during the war was much better than usual.

But after trampling on the Clans, the Yan Emperor was now very rich, and the imperial court was now very rich.

Putting it in later generations, cutting leeks had to be done subtly;

But this generation of Yan Emperor was directly using a shovel to start shoveling.

However, everyone present was clear that these material storage was naturally to prepare for the Jingnan Army's movement and the Northern Garrison Army's southward movement.

"Lord Xu, we don't have any other requirements. We all know your difficulties in our hearts. If someone else were to sit in your position, they might not have the ability to support the current situation."

Although according to the usual speaking habits, there would definitely be a "but" below.

But this foreshadowing was indeed something that no one could refute.

Everyone was a General Military Officer, but Xu Wenzu, because he was the General Military Officer of Nanwang City, also concurrently held the responsibility of the Nanwang City governor. Although they were at the same level, invisibly, he had already surpassed everyone by half a head.

And Xu Wenzu had handled all these things that could cause headaches if they were casually thrown out in an orderly manner in the past few months. The General Military Officers present also recognized this ability.

However, these days, the meat had been cut too painfully. If they didn't ask for more milk, their own families might be marginalized.

The status of Yan soldiers depended on how many soldiers you had under your command, and also on how elite these soldiers were. It wasn't just looking at the official title.

"Lord Xu, what we seek is nothing more than fairness. These days, everyone is tying their heads to their waists and repeatedly taking their children to fight with the Qian people. The brothers always have to be given pensions, right? The consumption of warhorses, the loss of weapons, including the replenishment of new recruits, have to give us room to breathe, right?"

Xu Wenzu's chubby hands played with the snuff bottle on the table,

He knew what these people had gathered here today for. Yes, he, Xu Wenzu, had indeed eaten a little too much on weekdays.

But this little bit was his due, and everyone could understand it.

Who told him to sit at the head seat now and them to sit below?

Whoever was higher in rank, whoever had more authority, could eat more. This was an unchanging principle since ancient times.

But this time, after a newly surrendered tribe moved inward, they contributed 1,500 young and strong barbarian soldiers, and the imperial court issued an order to transfer them south. However, he directly detained them and didn't mean to distribute them equally.

These General Military Officers naturally couldn't sit still.

Barbarian soldiers were good at riding and shooting,

They were certainly not as elite as the Northern Garrison Army, but to be honest, their quality was definitely first-class cavalry. Compared to the domestic slaves in each family's army, they were definitely not inferior in the slightest.

Moreover, earlier, there was Green Willow Fort's garrison commander Zheng Fan, who, with 400 barbarian soldiers, traveled through the borders of the Qian Kingdom, even breaking into Mianzhou City and beheading a group of civil officials before returning.

The attraction of barbarian cavalry was naturally even stronger.

Warhorses, weapons, and food were all easy to obtain, and they were also easy to handle. If it really didn't work, you could ask your grandfathers and grandmothers to beg for some.

But only this excellent soldier, you can't ask your grandfathers and grandmothers to give birth to one for you, right?

"Let's get straight to the point, this official has a lot of things to do."

Xu Wenzu didn't plan to continue haggling.

The Yan Kingdom's war mobilization could be said to be unprecedented. Even in Beifeng County, they began to hook up with those barbarian tribes to move south. As long as you came in, they would give you legal status.

Of course, the people above naturally knew about this practice of leading wolves into the house, so, if you wanted to come in, you could, but the young and strong in your tribe had to serve in the Yan army.

Having fought with the barbarians for so many years, in the past 100 years, the barbarians had begun to become more and more incapable. Just like the Qian people had also transferred Wolf-land soldiers to the north to resist the enemy this time, the Yan people would naturally transfer barbarians to help them go south.

Yan Kingdom military officers with barbarian blood were not uncommon in the Yan Kingdom, and barbarian mercenaries were not uncommon either. When Zheng Fan led 500 barbarian soldiers south to Green Willow Fort, although it attracted the attention of various checkpoints, it wasn't very shocking. The only surprising thing might be that Zheng Fan's army was entirely composed of barbarian soldiers.

The other armies only used barbarian soldiers as scouts, playing an auxiliary and embellishment role.

Xu Wenzu was determined to eat this 1,500 barbarian soldiers.

Then, he would leave them for Xiao Fanfan.

I, Laozi, just want to eat ugly, what's wrong!

He was originally an official parachuted to the south and had no foundation in Silver Wave County. He only had one revolutionary comrade, Zheng Fan, so how could he not support Zheng Fan with all his strength?

At the same time, Zheng Fan himself was good at things and had a good relationship with both Marquises.

Of course, the most important thing was that Zheng Fan could fight!

Being a fellow villager, being his direct descendant back then, and being able to fight,

Of course, he, Xu Wenzu, had to support him!

Not every general had to personally go into battle and charge. With Xu Wenzu's figure, if it really came to the point where he had to charge, it was estimated that the Great Yan was about to end.

Being able to sit in the rear and rely on his subordinates to fight and make contributions, even if he didn't steal the credit, he would definitely be able to share the credit. Xu Fat looked very openly.

"Lord, if you want to eat all of these 1,500 barbarian soldiers, we are not convinced."

"That's right, Lord, there are so many of us here, you can eat a big piece, but you always have to leave some soup for us to drink."

"If we could have a barbarian soldier in our team, we would be able to be more flexible and composed on the battlefield."

The General Military Officers spoke one after another, and the reasons were sufficient.

The theme was one: You're fat because you're fat, but you can't eat alone!

Xu Wenzu picked up his teacup, blew on the tea leaves, and took a sip of tea. When the voices of the General Military Officers below became quieter, he put down his teacup,

And said:

"Everyone, it's not that this official is being arrogant. This official is from the north and has actually been dealing with barbarians for most of his life. First, these barbarians are unruly and difficult to tame; second, only by combining five fingers can we lift a heavy punch.

It would be a pity to break up these 1,500 riders."

"Then according to Lord Xu's meaning, who do you want to hand this barbarian army over to?"

At this time,

A General Military Officer who had been silently sitting there all along said:

"What Lord Xu said is indeed far-sighted. These 1,500 riders were originally from the same tribe. If they were broken up like this, first, the barbarian soldiers themselves might have resentment, and second, it would indeed be difficult to form a system.

In my opinion, these 1,500 riders should be handed over to a general who truly understands the art of cavalry warfare to command.

The world knows about the three armies of my Great Yan, the Northern Garrison Army, the Southern Pacification Army, and the Forbidden Army. Now that His Majesty is determined to go south, my Great Yan's elite troops will naturally be the more the better. If we can launch a fourth strong army, it would also be our honor and the luck of the Great Yan."

Xu Wenzu narrowed his eyes. This guy had been silent all along. Now that he suddenly spoke to affirm his words, Xu Fat would never think that his personality charm had impressed the other party, causing him to lean towards him.

Xu Wenzu hadn't been in Silver Wave County for long, and he was from the north. Among these General Military Officers, there were no "own people" of his.

At this time, two more General Military Officers spoke:

"That's right, General Chen's words are extremely correct. These 1,500 riders naturally have to be handed over to the most suitable person to command."

"Then who is the most suitable person?"

"Naturally, it's the one with the most significant military achievements. In my Great Yan's military, what we admire the most is military merit!"

"That's right, whoever has high military merit gets it."

"What you said is extremely correct!"

"I second it!"

Xu Wenzu continued to play with the snuff bottle in his hand, but he was cursing in his heart,

Damn it,

Was this digging a hole just waiting for him to jump in?

Xu Wenzu immediately said:

"Green Willow Fort's garrison commander Zheng Fan is from the north and is best at dealing with barbarians. He once personally led 400 barbarian cavalry to break through the Qian people's Mianzhou City, beheading the heads of the defending officials and leaving words behind, greatly increasing the prestige of my Great Yan!

The Jingnan Marquis praised him and said: A divine steed in the army!"

"Heh, he's just greedy for merit and rashly advanced, relying on luck to gain power. If it hadn't been for the Jingnan Marquis leading the army to rescue him, it is estimated that he would have already lost his life in the Qian Kingdom. This person is not acceptable!"

Xu Wenzu frowned slightly,

He had even brought out the Jingnan Marquis as his backer, which could be regarded as pointing out Zheng Fan's background. Although the Jingnan Marquis had never praised Zheng Fan like this, no one would specifically take this matter to confront the Jingnan Marquis.

Even if these words were passed on to the Jingnan Marquis's ears, Xu Wenzu believed that the Jingnan Marquis would not deny it.

But he had already said this, and there were still people who dared to disagree?

Where did their confidence come from?

They were all old foxes in the officialdom. Xu Wenzu was even more experienced than them, because Xu Wenzu's background could be said to have done both civil and military affairs, unlike these soldiers who were all from a military background.

Xu Wenzu determined that the person the other party wanted to promote had a more profound background than Zheng Fan!

Otherwise, it would be impossible to gather so many General Military Officers to help him create momentum and help him grab people!

Just then,

Someone outside reported:

"Lord, Deng Ziliang, Military Advisor Deng, requests an audience!"

Deng Ziliang?

Xu Wenzu understood,

The Deng family's people!

The Deng family was originally a family of generals and had a huge influence in the military. The Deng family was not a clan, because going back several generations, they were all military officials. Even if you wanted to play with the clans, the clans would still dislike you for not having style and would not play with you.

But this might not be a bad thing. In this wave of the Yan Emperor trampling on the clans, his Deng family was unscathed.

The most important thing was that the daughter of this generation's Deng family head was the mother concubine of the Fourth Prince!

Combining these two factors, it was only natural to gain the support and help of so many General Military Officers.

After the Yan Emperor trampled on the clans, he did indeed clear the stubborn diseases on the Great Yan and had a good effect of scraping bones to remove poison. The massive amount of materials accumulated here in Nanwang City was the best evidence.

But the side effect of trampling on the clans was also that it released some of the shackles on people's thinking.

In the past, the princes' struggle for the throne was influenced by the clans secretly using their influence. The emperor's marriage partners were also often selected from among the clans. Everyone was playing chess on a chessboard.

Most people, not to mention sitting down to play chess together, didn't even have the qualification to watch the battle.

Now that the clans were gone, these warlords' thoughts began to itch.

They thought that they could also have the qualification to bet.

It sounded very stupid, but this kind of temptation was not something everyone could resist!

Moreover, it wasn't asking you to raise troops to protect the king and clear the emperor's side, but just asking you to lend a hand and help shout a bit. Everyone was willing to give Deng family some face and make a good connection.

Anyway, Xu Wenzu originally planned to eat the 1,500 riders by himself, so we can just do a favor together and use something that wouldn't belong to us to do a favor. How comfortable!

"Call him in."

Xu Wenzu said.

Deng Ziliang, the leading figure of the younger generation of the Deng family, joined the army at the age of sixteen, had been tempered under the Northern Garrison Army for five years, and was transferred to the Southern Pacification Army at the age of twenty-one. Three years later, he was transferred to be the garrison commander of Silver Wave County and promoted to Military Advisor last year.

Naturally, there were family support reasons for this, but he himself was indeed very promising, and this resume and experience, tsk tsk...

Deng Ziliang came in, wearing red armor. Not yet thirty years old, he had a heroic spirit, but also gave people an extremely calm feeling.

"This subordinate, Deng Ziliang, pays respect to all the lords!"

"Military Advisor Deng, quickly rise. In the military, we don't stand on ceremony."

"Quickly rise."

"Oh, you mustn't, you mustn't."

Xu Wenzu's face was almost the color of pig liver.

Xu Wenzu, who also considered himself a person of importance, was actually schemed against this time!

Damn it!

Now the real good show was on stage.

A good show always needed a straight man, and the characters on the stage naturally had to have supporting characters to help set off.

Obviously, there were many people present who were willing to be supporting characters.

"Since the start of the war, Military Advisor Deng has broken twenty-four Qian army fortresses in a row, beheading more than a thousand people. In terms of military merit, he is currently the first in my Silver Wave County!"

"That's right, Military Advisor Deng served in the Northern Garrison Army for five years and is naturally extremely familiar with the barbarians. Military Advisor Deng also has two barbarian generals under his command, so it is most appropriate to take over these 1,500 barbarian soldiers!"

"Military Advisor Deng is strict in governing the army and has the legacy of the old General Deng. Even His Majesty praised him in the palace hall as a seed for future generals in my Great Yan!"

"Yes, who else should we support if not this kind of young people?"

Deng Ziliang immediately cupped his fists and said in the face of these praises and momentum building:

"Ziliang thanks all the lords for their love. Ziliang came to the General Military Office this time to report to Lord Xu that my department broke the enemy's Destroying Captive Fort again last night, beheading fifty and capturing more than eighty alive, but many warhorses in the army were damaged in this battle, so I came to ask Lord Xu to open the door and allow me to replenish some warhorses."

"Ho, this is another achievement!"

"Military Advisor Deng is truly a god of my Great Yan's army!"

Xu Wenzu on the head seat was almost unable to listen,

Damn it,

Even if you soldiers want to lick boots, can't you be a little subtle? A little high-end?

Damn it, you're even blowing out a god of the army!

Is this how you play at boasting and flattering?

Xu Wenzu was a little sad. His opponent's political intelligence was obviously not high, but he just used this kind of grassroots method to dig a hole and wanted to forcibly bury him.

"Military Advisor Deng, do you know that the imperial court has sent more than 1,500 barbarian riders to join the army again? We are discussing who is suitable to command this barbarian army.

Lord Xu means that this barbarian army should not be broken up and should be given to one person, which can be regarded as competing for a reputation for my Silver Wave County border army!"

Xu Wenzu took a deep breath, took a deep breath.

If you lose, you lose.

Xu Wenzu also felt a little helpless in his heart. This time, he was too careless.

At the same time, Xu Wenzu couldn't help but complain about Zheng Fan going to the capital for what, and then coming back after so long. He had clearly packaged the Huo family and made them complete for him, but he still took the people from the Zuo family and had been shrinking in the fortress without any movement.

The Secret Intelligence Division had come a few times earlier to inquire, and he had helped Zheng Fan carry it down.

But in the final analysis, the reason why he couldn't fight for it this time was because Zheng Fan himself was not striving for it.

The merit of breaking Mianzhou City was indeed great, but the number of beheadings was not many. Although it greatly boosted morale, the city was not captured after all, which gave people room to say that...the blind cat met a dead mouse, good luck.

Xu Fat was very angry,

But he still had to deal with it on the surface,

And couldn't help but say:

"Ziliang ah."

"Lord Xu!"

Deng Ziliang was very respectful to Xu Wenzu. Although he was not born into a Clan, the Deng family had been prosperous for many generations. The descendants of this kind of family inheritance would naturally not make any mistakes in dealing with people.

Those young masters who held their eyes higher than the top of their heads and went out to tease girls and bring hatred to the family mostly only appeared in scripts.

Moreover, Xu Wenzu was transferred from the north to the south. As soon as he came, he directly took the position of General Military Officer of Nanwang City and also served as the prefect, controlling the huge amount of military assets in operation today.

You can't really offend this kind of person if you still want to make a living here!

Interests, of course, are necessary, but it's best if everyone doesn't tear their faces.

"Ziliang ah, what do you think of the matter discussed earlier?" Xu Wenzu asked.

Deng Ziliang said respectfully:

"Ziliang's position is humble and his words are light, but he extremely agrees with Lord Xu's previous theory. It would be a pity to disperse these 1,500 barbarian soldiers and distribute them.

As for who should be given command, Ziliang feels that my Great Yan's soldiers value military merit the most. As long as military merit can convince the public, no one above or below will have any resentment or dissatisfaction!"

This was a general.

Military merit convinces the public,

But Laozi is the first in military merit!

If I don't get it, who will?

Everyone wants to maintain face, but the benefits that are mine cannot be given up at all!

………

"Yo, who was that who just went in?"

At the gate of the General Military Office, Zheng Fan was chatting with the gatekeeper.

Earlier, when he entered the alley, a team of elite armored cavalry squeezed past extremely rudely, almost causing two carriages in Zheng Fan's convoy to overturn.

But those people just passed by with a stinky face, without even looking back.

This group of people rushed ahead of him and also entered the General Military Office.

The gatekeeper was familiar with Zheng Fan. When Xu Wenzu first came to Nanwang City to take office, Zheng Fan had come to visit. The gatekeeper knew that the relationship between this young garrison commander and his Master was absolutely unusual, so he also had a touch of intimacy on his face when facing Zheng Fan.

"I have to tell you, Lord, that the one who just entered the mansion was Military Advisor Deng and his personal soldiers."

"Military Advisor Deng?"

"That's right, Military Advisor Deng, Deng Ziliang."

Yan people don't like to take "words," civil officials might play with this, but martial generals who take words would be regarded as "sissies."

So when introducing people, it was very simple, directly go with the name, at most add a hometown or official position.

"Could it be someone from the Three Stones Deng family?"

"Yo, that's right."

Three Stones Deng family;

Zheng Fan knew that this was the maternal family of the Fourth Prince.

Damn it, no wonder they're so arrogant, they don't even have eyes when they walk.

Garrison Commander Zheng has always been a petty person and loves to bear grudges.

Earlier, that Military Advisor Deng directly overtook his car, took his road, and frightened the mules and horses in his convoy, and Garrison Commander Zheng had written it down in his small notebook.

Zheng Fan thought in his heart, the Three Stones Deng family, very great, huh?

When I have the opportunity to give you an eye exam in front of the Jingnan Marquis,

Who is Jingnan Marquis?

In the mouths of the Green Willow Fort Devil Kings,

The Jingnan Marquis is a professional harvester of imperial concubine families!

"Lord Zheng, you can come whenever you want, you can come see my Master, my Master is happy and it's too late, why do you still bring so many gifts?"

"Um?"

Zheng Fan was stunned for a moment, giving gifts?

This gatekeeper was only found after Xu Wenzu came to Nanwang City.

Xu Wenzu didn't bring many of his own people when he went south, because he always had a feeling of an uncertain future. When the Deep Sea Comrade just received the transfer order, he thought that his "undercover" affairs had been known by the imperial court, and he was going to transfer himself to the south to solve him.

Then, the few people he brought were all lost in the assassination at the post station outside Yin City.

So in the gatekeeper's eyes, Zheng Fan was here to develop a relationship.

Zheng Fan suddenly wanted to laugh,

But he didn't explain,

Instead, he said:

"They're all local products from my hometown. Isn't it almost New Year's? I sent some over for the Lord to use."

"Lord Zheng is really considerate, my Master will definitely be happy in his heart."

At this time, Xiao Yibo stepped forward, took out a silver bag, and handed it to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper was first frightened and didn't dare to accept it, but after Xiao Yibo pulled back and forth a few times, he still accepted it.

"This, the carriage, go in then."

The gatekeeper actually directly let the carriage in.

First, the gatekeeper felt that Zheng Fan