Chapter 1 The Descent of Magic

Xue San was now very embarrassed, because he knew that the Demon Seed was definitely in a bad mood right now.

It was like a child taking the money his dad gave him downstairs to buy candy, only to come back happily and find the door locked.

"Wanzi, would you believe me if I said I went to the wrong roof?"

………

The next morning,

The refreshed Zheng Chengzhou was practicing his saber in the courtyard.

Half an hour later, he finished and Si Niang came over with breakfast, handing him a hot, damp towel.

"My lord, there's no need to be so impatient. You've only just advanced, you need to take it slow and rest."

"This isn't like drawing manga where you deliberately slow down the pace and don't level up in order to lengthen the plot and add more chapters."

"That's true, but a few days won't make a difference. It's good to combine work and rest. Besides, several people have already examined your physique, my lord, and it's considered extremely talented for martial arts in this world."

"I'm used to training. If my body doesn't sweat one day, I'll feel uncomfortable."

"Si Niang, I want to use this money to purchase equipment, can you approve it for me?"

Zheng Fan, who was wiping sweat, turned around in confusion when he heard this voice, and saw Xue San standing there with a bruised nose and swollen face.

"San'er, what did you do last night?"

Xue San smiled and said, "I had a fight with A Ming."

"Why would you fight with him now?"

He's recovered a layer more than you, how can you fight him?

"He said I was short, which is intolerable, so I fought him."

"Oh, then you had to fight."

Zheng Fan sat down, picked up the bowl of porridge and said:

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Alright, it's approved." Si Niang handed over the approval slip. Any extra spending from the public funds required the approval of Si Niang or Blind, even if it was for the Demon Kings.

"My lord, enjoy your meal, I'll go get busy. My brothers are waiting for their equipment."

"Okay, go ahead."

Xue San turned and left. He had selected fifty people to receive his training, who would become scouts on the battlefield in the future, so they needed new equipment, hidden weapons, flying claws, and even light leather armor.

"San'er actually just left like that."

Si Niang propped her chin up curiously, watching Zheng Fan drink porridge.

"He seems a bit off."

"Isn't it because of you, my lord? A Li has advanced, but San'er hasn't yet."

"Neither has Blind."

"Blind wouldn't show it even if he was anxious, San'er is different."

"Hehe, well, A Ming was pretty ruthless last night."

"Yes, San'er's even got a lisp now. By the way, my lord, merchants are gradually arriving here."

"Okay, just handle the investment promotion well."

"Yes, there are quite a few valuables in the manor, and the three Savage villages you conquered last time also had a lot of good things that can be used for trade."

Although Shengle City wasn't densely populated, it was extremely suitable as a commercial transit point.

Now that the Three Kingdoms War had ended, merchants had long been unable to restrain themselves and had begun a new wave of commercial expeditions.

"By the way, how is Gao Yi's matter progressing?"

Gao Yi was the adjutant of the one thousand Jingnan Army soldiers. When Marquis Jingnan transferred this force to him, he was the highest-ranking officer among them.

To swallow this thousand Jingnan iron cavalry, he had to settle him first.

"The few captains of the Jingnan Army are easy to talk to. They've been rewarded with gold and silver, and they've loosened their lips. Besides, they're also clear about the relationship between you and Marquis Jingnan, my lord, and they all believe that you have a bright future."

"But this Gao Yi is quite unyielding."

"Oh?"

"The mid-level officers promoted by Marquis Jingnan over the years are all very loyal to Marquis Jingnan."

"You mean, no matter how I try to win him over, it's useless and he only obeys Tian Wujing?"

"Yes, my lord."

"This is difficult. I originally planned to eat this force, create an established reality, and then go to Tian Wujing to throw a tantrum, and I reckon Tian Wujing would agree.

Now that Gao Yi can't be subdued, he won't nod, and this force can't be taken down."

"My lord, the original commander of this force was General Ren Juan of Xinsu City."

"Heh, one's own soldiers are like flesh in one's hand, how could one be willing to give them away? There's no way to get through to Ren Juan either. I think that when Tian Wujing carved out these thousand cavalry, it was meant to beat Ren Juan.

Besides, when drinking, they can pat their chests and say they're on our side, but when it comes to actually settling accounts, Ren Juan and his old Jingnan Army generals won't really treat me as one of their own.

Forget it, I won't treat him to dinner for now."

"Yes."

"I have to find an opportunity to meet with Tian Wujing again."

Zheng Fan initially had reverence for Marquis Jingnan, then fear, and then a kind of older brother taking care of younger brother emotion.

There aren't many older brothers in this world who can save their younger brother's life twice, right?

"Marquis Jingnan's battle with the Sword Saint of Jin last time probably hasn't healed his injuries yet. There are many herbs produced in the Tianduan Mountains in my house's warehouse."

"Sending only this little gift won't do, Tian Wujing is a realist."

"What should we do then?"

"Unless we are willing to share our workshops with Tian Wujing's Jingnan Army."

"For the sake of a thousand Jingnan Army soldiers... my lord, it might not be worth it, and our workshops haven't been built yet."

"I know, I know."

To get something, you have to pay an equal price.

"If it really doesn't work, there's only the road of raising bandits to build up one's own importance."

Zheng Fan narrowed his eyes and continued:

"This time in the Tianduan Mountains, the Situ family's soldiers also appeared. Although their main force is in the northeast defending the Savages, it's clear that whether it was from the former Jin capital or Gadashan, the Situ family generals who stayed behind are still willing to cause some trouble."

"My lord, are you planning to start a border war?"

"Start a border war? Hehe, don't you think this method is very good? Anyway, the Situ family's main force isn't here, we can attack one city after another without suffering any major losses, and maybe even gain some advantages.

Besides, have you forgotten that we did this a long time ago at Cui Liu Fort?"

"But last time, Yan was already planning to start a war, and you, my lord, were just taking advantage of the situation. This time, it's obvious that Yan doesn't want to start a war with the Situ family at this time."

"If there's no momentum, we'll create momentum."

"It's just that fighting in the Tianduan Mountains won't have much impact, but if we start friction with the Situ family, the trade routes will be blocked."

"Just control the scope, eat a branch of their army or take a city from them. Yan is strong and the Situ family is weak, as long as we wipe our mouths and run, they won't dare to expand the scale of the war.

Calculating the days, Liang Cheng should be back in the next day or two, right?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Okay, we'll discuss it with Liang Cheng when he gets back. Anyway, there are still two months left before the three-month deadline agreed with the Marquis, so there's no rush."

"My lord, should I keep an eye on Gao Yi?"

Zheng Fan waved his hand and said:

"No need, he's not Hong Chengchou, and I don't want you to be Da Yu'er."

Just then, Blind walked over with a letter in his hand,

and said:

"My lord, news from Yanjing, the Second Prince will be crowned Crown Prince on the third day of next month."

Hearing this, Zheng Fan put down the chopsticks in his hand, sighed,

and said:

"What's coming will come."

"There's also a letter from the Sixth Prince."

"Which route did it take?"

"The postal station."

"Oh, what does the letter say?"

If it's going through the postal station, it's obviously impossible to leave any "heartfelt words". It's like a suspect sending a letter out of prison, it will definitely be checked.

"The Sixth Prince said that the next batch of corn flour doesn't need to be sent, now there are only him and a few eunuchs in his residence, they can't finish it all."

"Hehe." Zheng Fan smiled and said, "Prepare a carriage of wealth, send someone to the Sixth Prince's residence in Yanjing, no need to conceal your tracks."

"Yes, I understand."

"No, someone has to go in person, you go……"

Zheng Fan pointed to Blind,

Blind's expression was calm,

But Zheng Fan hesitated, because Blind hadn't advanced yet, and it seemed a bit inhumane to send him out to work at this time.

"You go and call A Ming, let him take the wealth to Yanjing, and take over all the shopkeepers who used to be under him from the Sixth Prince."

A smile appeared on the corner of Blind's mouth and said: "Openly?"

"Openly and honestly."

"I understand."

Si Niang was a little worried and said: "My lord, isn't this too blatant?"

Zheng Fan shook his head,

and said:

"The Emperor doesn't like his sons colluding with outside generals, but he dislikes even more when his son bestows favor on someone, and that person dares to be an ingrate."

………

Yao Zizhan had been experiencing a different kind of feeling these days;

In the past, he always felt that he was a boatman, sailing on the lake;

Now, he suddenly realized that water can indeed carry a boat.

"Teacher Yao seems to have rejuvenated in this period." Zheng Fan said with a teacup in his hand.

Outside, the sound of reading aloud, a large group of children were in class. To be honest, counting the new Jin land, Zheng Fan can be said to be the first person to run public education in the entire Yan country.

In the past, in the educational system of aristocratic families, not everyone had books to read.

Yao Zizhan nodded, smacked his lips, and said:

"It has a unique flavor, a unique flavor."

"It's good that Teacher Yao likes it."

"Why did Brother Zheng come to me?"

"Look at what you're saying, Teacher Yao, you're teaching and giving classes here, as the host, I should come and greet you every now and then."

"Speak, there's no need for us to play riddles."

"My Yan country will crown the Crown Prince on the third day of next month."

Hearing this, Yao Zizhan calculated with his fingers and said:

"According to the time it takes for the news to reach Brother Zheng, the envoys from the Situ family should not be able to make it to this coronation, nor will my Qian country's envoys be able to make it. Marquis Jingnan is in Licheng, not far from the Mat蹄 Mountains, so there should be enough time to return, but Marquis Zhenbei should not come, so Marquis Jingnan probably will not return either."

"Yes, it hasn't been long since Marquis Zhenbei returned to Beifeng County."

"That's right, although your Yan country's Second Prince is Tian Wujing's nephew, if Marquis Zhenbei doesn't come, then Marquis Jingnan will not be convenient to return to participate in the coronation ceremony."

This is out of a kind of political consideration. The Crown Prince is the foundation of the country, and is the continuation of the interests and policies of the political group, and at the moment, the two Marquis, one in the south and one in the north, are obviously two extremes.

If Marquis Zhenbei is not present at the coronation ceremony, then Marquis Jingnan definitely cannot be present either, otherwise the other side will be regarded as a target of suppression.

"Although this coronation ceremony is a bit rushed, your Yan country's Second Prince should have had omens of entering the East Palace a long time ago, he has been better than the Crown Prince for several years, why did Brother Zheng specifically ask me about this matter?"

"Just chatting."

"Is that so? Among the six adult princes of the Yan Emperor, the First Prince Ji Wujiang is in Beifeng County, the Second Prince will inherit the throne as Crown Prince, the Third Prince was crippled by you, Brother Zheng, the Fourth Prince has a military background in the Deng family, the Fifth Prince is mediocre, and the Sixth Prince is the least liked by the Yan Emperor.

I dare to ask Brother Zheng, could it be that you also have a position in this battle for the throne?"

"To be honest with Teacher Yao, I really do."

"Oh? Can you tell me?"

"The First Prince, Ji Wujiang, is my benefactor."

"This…… When I read Brother Zheng's *Zheng Zi's Art of War*, I specifically inquired about Brother Zheng's life and found that Brother Zheng had saved the Sixth Prince?"

"Yes, the Sixth Prince introduced me to the First Prince."

"Really?"

"Absolutely true."

Yao Zizhan laughed and said:

"It's rare for Brother Zheng to be so frank, which is a bit unexpected to me."

"I like to settle accounts, money in one hand and money out the other, I only feel at ease when the accounts are clear; but some accounts are really difficult to calculate, and that is the account of favors."

"I understand, I wanted to add a favor account to Brother Zheng, but to be honest, this is ultimately your Yan country's family affair, even if I have some ears and eyes, it's just some things that my Qian court knows that are passed back by the Silver Armor Guards.

But there is one, the Third Prince who was personally crippled by you, Brother Zheng, is indeed quite interested in the field of culture and education."

"That's it?"

What's the use of telling me now that the Third Prince has been culturally infiltrated by you and has become a refined Qian?

"Then I'll make up some more for you?"

Zheng Fan shook his head and said:

"I wanted to hear Teacher Yao analyze it for me."

"Hmm? Brother Zheng, to be blunt, the Second Prince entering the East Palace and becoming the future ruler of Great Yan, you are a person of Marquis Jingnan, and Marquis Jingnan is the Second Prince's uncle, you don't need to do anything, your future success is actually right in front of you."

"Teacher Yao is not being sincere."

Yao Zizhan was stunned for a moment, then looked down, took a sip of tea,

and said:

"Tian Wujing will never have a good end."

Zheng Fan was silent, tapping his fingers lightly on the coffee table.

"Unless Tian Wujing becomes the Emperor, otherwise, there will never be a good end, but he is the least likely to rebel, so……"

"Who knows what will happen in the future?"

"Hehe, Brother, do you know that the Jin Emperor and my Guan Jia both lamented the same thing, do you know what it is?"

Zheng Fan didn't speak,

Yao Zizhan asked and answered himself:

"Why don't I have a Tian Wujing by my side."

"Coincidentally, I often dream of why I don't have a hundred thousand iron cavalry by my side."

"Brother Zheng, do you remember that I asked you in the Tianduan Mountains earlier whether the Yan Emperor's health was okay?"

"Remember."

"Actually, Brother Zheng, you're wrong, you may think that it would be beneficial to my Great Qian if something happened to the Yan Emperor's health, but in reality, what my Great Qian is afraid of is that something will happen to the Yan Emperor's health!"

As a subject of an enemy country, he is actually afraid that the other's ruler will have health problems. Generally speaking, this must be because that ruler is a bad ruler.

But on the contrary, the Yan Emperor cannot be considered a bad ruler no matter how you look at him.

You say he is fond of military exploits, but that is somewhat true, but he has already conquered half of the Jin country, which is like the comparison between Emperor Yang of Sui and Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Yongle. They are all a bit fond of military exploits, but only the former lost, so his reputation is ruined.

"Your Yan country's Second Prince is a ruler of preservation, not a heroic ruler of expansion."

"Even the Silver Armor Guards know this?"

"What books the Second Prince has read, what articles he has written, what things he has done, as long as they can be investigated, they will be collected and sent back to the capital, the Silver Armor Guards have specialists to analyze and summarize them for Guan Jia, and I am also among them."

"I say that if you Qian people could put the effort of running spies into rectifying the military, you wouldn't have been beaten so badly last time."

Yao Zizhan didn't care about Zheng Fan's sarcasm, but continued:

"The Yan Emperor wants to finish the work of three generations in his one generation."

As he spoke, Yao Zizhan stretched out his fingers and began to slowly calculate:

"In principle, reducing the power of the aristocratic families and centralizing power is the work of one Emperor;

The next Emperor can strengthen the army and prepare for war, and launch an offensive outwards;

The next Emperor can build on the past and open up the future, and dominate the East.

Ji Runhao wants to do it all himself, and leave his descendants, not to say a unified East and a new Great Xia, but at least to completely defeat the two countries and make Yan the truly number one power in the East.

Originally, there should have been at least five more years of recuperation, or even ten years.

Yan could completely digest the new Jin land, you know, the Three Jin Cavaliers were actually not weak at all, if Yan could also pull together a field army in the Jin land, and three iron cavalry would be dispatched at the same time in future expeditions, who would compete with them?

Of course, my Great Qian can also catch its breath, and use the wealth of the south of the Yangtze River to rectify its army, manage its defense line well, and the civil strife in Chu should also end. By then, the Qian-Chu alliance will fight against Yan, and the outcome will really be difficult to predict."

"So?"

"So, if the Yan Emperor's health is really bad, then a new round of war may begin within a year, he wants to see his Yan iron cavalry truly break through my Great Qian's capital while he is still healthy, at least, to beat my Great Qian to the same state as Jin, with only half of its land left.

This is the obsession of the Son of Heaven, this is the heart demon of the Emperor.

I don't understand military affairs, but I am good at figuring out people's hearts."

Zheng Fan yawned,

and said:

"Teacher Yao, you're off-topic."

"I have already answered."

"Tsk, where?"

"If the Yan Emperor's health is good and there are no problems, then a ruler of preservation is enough, and it should be a certainty that the Crown Prince will inherit the throne in the future;

If something goes wrong with the Yan Emperor's health, and he forcibly starts another war……"

Speaking of this, Yao Zizhan closed his eyes.

"You're still keeping me in suspense at this time?"

"I'm not keeping you in suspense, but…… Hehe, if the Yan Emperor forcibly starts another war, and it's as smooth as last time and directly collapses my Great Qian, then that's okay, it means that my Great Qian is really beyond help, and you Yan people are truly destined by heaven.

If my Qian country holds on……"

Speaking of this,

Yao Zizhan slowly opened his eyes, his eyes were a little red, and he began to pant,

and slowly said:

"Then the Yan Emperor will replace him with a prince who is most like him, to continue with this mess, and gamble the fate of the country, and continue to fight until one side completely collapses;

Because in a war of national destiny, there is no way to retreat."

"The prince who is most like him?" Zheng Fan reached out and stroked his chin, his mind spinning.

Yao Zizhan drank the tea in his cup,

and said:

"To be blunt, among the six adult princes, according to the summary of available information, after my analysis, the one who is most like the Yan Emperor should be……"

Yao Zizhan raised a thumb to Zheng Fan,

Zheng Fan quietly retracted his little finger when he raised his hand, leaving only a thumb;

The two thumbs responded to each other in the air,

Yao Zizhan stood up,

reached out and patted Zheng Fan on the shoulder, and said earnestly:

"So, Brother Zheng, you must not break off that relationship with the First Prince, you must interact with him more."

Zheng Fan's face showed a look of understanding,

stood up,

and cupped his hands to Yao Zizhan and said:

"Thank you, Teacher Yao, for your guidance."