Chapter 88: The Dog That Doesn’t Bite

“Oh?”

The Marquis of Jingnan pointed toward Zuo Jiqian again.

“This is interesting.

“Commander Zheng says no fish escaped the net.

“But you, Zuo Jiqian, say the female mastermind got away.

“So which one of you is telling the truth?”

Commander Zheng.

Zuo Jiqian.

Cold sweat immediately appeared on Zuo Jiqian’s face.

He was not stupid.

How could someone truly stupid be pushed into public office by an aristocratic clan and given family resources?

The wastrel sons of great clans were usually kept at home to produce children and handle the family’s reproductive duties.

Only people with real ability qualified to receive clan resources and take office for the sake of continuing the family’s glory.

What Zuo Jiqian lacked was simply this kind of vigilance.

Zheng Fan, meanwhile, had spent far too long surviving by borrowing the tiger’s skin.

He had enormous experience.

Because for Zheng Fan, one wrong step often meant death.

This was a game with only one life.

He had no right to be careless.

The assassination inside the mourning hall had happened only a short time ago.

Yet the Marquis of Jingnan had immediately marched troops into the city and entered the Garrison Commander’s residence directly.

If there were no hidden connection between those events, Zheng Fan would be the first person to refuse to believe it.

So Zheng Fan had made his choice.

And obviously, Zuo Jiqian finally understood the problem as well.

He immediately lowered his head.

“Reporting to the Marquis: all the assassins were killed.

“None escaped.

“Earlier... earlier this general remembered incorrectly.”

“Heh.

“A Fortress Commander with such a poor memory.

“Sigh.

“Both court and countryside say the armies of northern Yan are fierce tigers, while the armies of the south are sickly cats.

“In the past, this Marquis did not believe it.

“But looking at the generals of the south now... aiya...”

“This general knows his crime.

“This general accepts punishment!”

Zuo Jiqian pressed his forehead to the ground.

At that moment, Zheng Fan spoke:

“Reporting to the Marquis:

Commander Zuo suffered a wound to the head while pursuing the assassins.”

Zuo Jiqian immediately nodded.

“Yes.

“Yes.

“This general’s head has problems.

“Problems.”

“If you’re injured, then go back and treat the injury properly.

“Do not speak nonsense.

“Understand?”

“This general obeys.

“This general understands.”

The Marquis of Jingnan flicked some dust from his boot.

Then said slowly:

“The Southwatch City line has spent too many years drowning in wine and luxury.

“Many people have grown lax.

“In The Great Yan Dynasty, far too many people naively believe that Qian will never dare invade us proactively.

“One hundred years ago, the first Marquis of Zhenbei truly did beat Qian until it hurt.

“But even the deepest pain fades after a century.

“Even the deepest wound has long since healed.”

Zheng Fan’s heart tightened.

So it really was this.

Everything was broadly consistent with what he and the Blind Man had discussed at home.

The imperial court was rebuilding the fortress network in preparation for future warfare against Qian in the south.

The current Emperor of Yan and the current Marquis of Zhenbei were both over fifty.

They urgently wanted to complete certain enormous tasks while they were still alive.

To resolve certain problems once and for all.

So while the north was gathering the military strength of the various aristocratic clans to create the appearance of confrontation with the Zhenbei Army, the south had already begun rebuilding the Southwatch City defensive line in preparation for the southern campaign that would follow the purge of those clans.

The Sixth Prince was naturally brilliant.

That was why he had sensed the shape of things so quickly.

Then, as the Emperor of Yan’s brother-in-law, a man deeply trusted by the Emperor, and commander of the Jingnan Army the Marquis of Jingnan’s actions were obviously implementing the Emperor’s will!

The only thing Zheng Fan and the Blind Man had failed to anticipate was that Yan’s highest leadership would act this ruthlessly.

So directly.

So crudely.

So violently that it lacked almost all the aesthetic refinement one expected from politics.

If you’re going to play politics, then play politics.

Yet you pull out a blade immediately...

Of course, if you had the authority and power to use the blade directly, there truly was no need to waste time arguing.

As for the assassination earlier, the Marquis of Jingnan had practically explained it openly.

But this kind of open hint did not mean he had automatically accepted you as one of his own.

First you needed to see whether you had the life to understand it.

Only after belatedly comprehending that point had Zuo Jiqian immediately accepted Zheng Fan’s excuse and claimed something was wrong with his own head.

“A century of peace.

“Some people have forgotten their roots.”

The Marquis of Jingnan smiled faintly.

Then continued:

“This Marquis previously received intelligence that rebels had infiltrated Huaiya Academy.

“I had originally intended to lead troops there personally and seize them.

“Unfortunately, something like this suddenly happened inside Southwatch City.

“So I had no choice but to bring troops here first and stabilize order.

“For the moment, I cannot leave.

“Now—

I wonder which of you two generals is willing to lead troops on behalf of this Marquis and arrest those rebels?”

This was a demand for a pledge of allegiance.

Originally, Zuo Jiqian had been about to accept without hesitation.

Compared with Zheng Fan, his performance earlier had been extremely poor.

But when he heard the words *Huaiya Academy*, Zuo Jiqian froze.

Rebels?

At Huaiya Academy?

Among all regions of Yan, Yinlang Commandery possessed the strongest literary culture.

That was because it lay closest to Qian.

Scholars from Qian frequently came here to study and travel.

From time to time, great Confucian scholars from Qian also entered the academies to lecture.

Huaiya Academy could almost be called the holy land of Yan’s scholars.

The State of Yan had been founded through military strength.

But because there had been no major war in either north or south for nearly a century, literary culture and scholarly influence had gradually begun to rise.

Most importantly to govern a state, you had to rely on educated officials.

After ascending the throne, the Emperor of Yan had promoted men from humble families and suppressed the aristocratic clans.

To some extent, that too had strengthened the scholarly class.

Countless civil officials had emerged from Huaiya Academy.

The current Chief Minister himself had studied there when young.

To take troops into Huaiya Academy and arrest people...

Zuo Jiqian’s first thought was that if he truly led soldiers there, he would effectively place not only himself but the entire Zuo Clan in direct opposition to Yan’s scholar-official class.

There was no free lunch in this world.

When you enjoyed the support of your clan’s resources, you naturally carried the obligation to protect your clan’s interests.

But while Zuo Jiqian hesitated, Zheng Fan did not hesitate at all.

“This general is willing to go!”

The Marquis of Jingnan began stroking his thumb ring again.

Hearing Zheng Fan volunteer, a meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

“Commander Zheng.

“Have you thought this through?”

“For a soldier, obeying orders is the highest duty!”

The Marquis of Jingnan’s eyes opened slightly wider.

If the Sixth Prince were present, he would probably have shouted:

You bastard another memorable line!

The Marquis of Jingnan continued slowly:

“Commander Zheng.

“Will you not consider the men beneath you?”

“Reporting to the Marquis: every soldier beneath this general is a barbarian.”

“Barbarian troops?”

The Marquis of Jingnan became interested.

“How many?”

“Five hundred!”

“Interesting.

“Very interesting.

“Using barbarian troops to arrest people inside an academy.

“Commander Zheng— are you not afraid scholars beneath heaven will accuse you of insulting civilized culture?”

Zheng Fan cupped his hands.

“Scholars love reasoning above all else.

“But barbarians are called barbarians precisely because they do not reason.

“Using barbarian troops against scholars— it is a match made in Heaven.”

“What an excellent ‘match made in Heaven.’

“Tomorrow, men from the Secret Intelligence Department will go to Green Willow Fortress and contact you.

“They will be responsible for identifying and arresting the targets.

“You will cooperate with them.”

“Many thanks for the Marquis’s cultivation!”

Zuo Jiqian looked toward Zheng Fan.

Envy appeared in his eyes.

Receiving the Marquis of Jingnan’s appreciation was something every southern military officer dreamed of.

But when he thought again of Huaiya Academy, his eyelids twitched.

He was not a man without ties.

He was not a man without ties...

Of course, refusing the military order was one thing.

Zuo Jiqian absolutely would not dare return home and secretly send someone to warn the academy.

Only a true idiot would do that.

In fact, he now had to worry that news might leak from Zheng Fan’s side first, causing Huaiya Academy to react.

If the Marquis of Jingnan blamed someone afterward, the first suspect would probably be Zuo Jiqian jealous that Commander Zheng had been favored, and secretly making trouble behind his back.

Zheng Fan and Zuo Jiqian withdrew together.

At the entrance of the Garrison Commander’s residence, the two parted ways.

Both had come to Southwatch City from their respective fortresses in ordinary clothing.

Yet by the time they prepared to leave, their states of mind were completely different.

“Brother Zheng.

“Do you know what Huaiya Academy represents in the hearts of Yan’s scholars?”

“Brother Zuo.

“We are soldiers.”

This was the second time since they met that Zheng Fan had said those words to Zuo Jiqian.

The first time had been when Zuo Jiqian speculated about whether the imperial court intended to move south.

At the time, Zheng Fan’s meaning had been:

Soldiers should not flap their mouths like scholars.

This time the implication was different.

We are soldiers.

In every dynasty, civil and military officials competing against one another was perfectly normal.

Either the west wind crushed the east, or the east wind crushed the west.

If you were a soldier and did not strike at the scholars, what were you planning to do instead?

Become their dog?

Just like in Qian where military generals often became watchdogs held on chains by civil officials.

Yan was not Qian.

The signs were already obvious that this generation’s Emperor of Yan and Marquis of Zhenbei intended to make major moves.

Once armies marched, once war began, the importance and status of military men would rise rapidly.

If you struck at scholars, scholars would naturally hate you.

But in exchange, you earned goodwill from the military establishment.

That was a profitable trade.

Most importantly—

Yan was not Qian.

Even if Yan’s current Chief Minister had once studied at Huaiya Academy, he would never dare say something like Qian’s current Chief Minister:

“Only those whose names are sung outside Donghua Gate are truly fine sons of the realm.”

Zheng Fan accepted his reins from a Jingnan Army soldier.

Then mounted and rode away directly.

Zuo Jiqian remained where he was, somewhat dazed.

...

Inside the now-quiet mourning hall of the Garrison Commander’s residence, the Marquis of Jingnan still sat upon the threshold.

“Marquis.

“The ground is cold.”

A woman emerged from behind him.

She removed a fur cloak from her shoulders and draped it over the Marquis of Jingnan.

On her feet she wore a pair of red embroidered shoes.

The Marquis reached out and gently patted the back of her hand.

“You worked hard today.”

“To serve the Marquis is this concubine’s good fortune in this lifetime.”

“What do you think of those two men just now?”

“The one from the Zuo Clan is capable.

“But just as the Marquis has said— the children of Yan’s aristocratic clans today are like rotten timber.

“No matter how much lacquer you brush over it, you cannot change the fact that the inside is already decayed.

“There is too much weariness in them.

“Too much old age.”

“And the brat from the north?”

“Perhaps the Marquis of Zhenbei has spent too long as a local king in the north.

“Even the people under his residence have developed a habit of decisive killing.”

The Marquis of Jingnan shook his head.

“This Commander Zheng.

“Investigate him.”

“Marquis means...?”

“If Li Liangting wants to insert his own people into the south, this Marquis would welcome it.

“Best of all, he should transfer two of his seven Regional Commanders over to me.

“But Li Liangting himself is currently in the capital.

“If he wanted to arrange someone here, all he would need to do is send this Marquis a message.

“Yet I have heard absolutely nothing.

“This brat says he is a hound beneath the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

“But he did not reach the south through the Marquis’s channels.

“Investigate.

“Find out who arranged his transfer here.”

“This servant obeys.”

“If he truly is Li Liangting’s man, then so be it.

“If he is not...”

“What does the Marquis intend to do?”

“For now— let us see how well this brat handles the matter at Huaiya Academy.

“Those rotten scholars at Huaiya Academy eat Yan’s grain, occupy Yan’s land, accept Yan’s students, yet spend all day preaching Qian’s so-called culture of benevolence and righteousness.

“This Marquis has endured those ungrateful bastards for a very long time.”

“Aren’t scholars all like that?

“When speaking of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, they always place Qian first...”

“Then this Marquis will see— once The Great Yan Dynasty’s iron cavalry breaks Qian’s spine again who will still dare boast that Qian’s literary culture is unmatched!

“Wait.

“It is close.

“Very close now.

“This Marquis intends to let the world understand— music, chess, calligraphy, painting, benevolence and righteousness before iron cavalry and blades, they are worth less than half a copper!”

With that the Marquis of Jingnan looked around.

He frowned faintly.

Dissatisfied, he said:

“That Chu Tianchi is supposedly one of the Secret Intelligence Department’s talents.

“This Marquis sees nothing special about him.

“I have been sitting here for so long.

“Why have I still not heard wailing erupt all across this city?”

...

Zheng Fan had not ridden far from the Garrison Commander’s residence when he found A’Ming.

After collecting Fan Li from the inn, the three immediately hurried back toward Green Willow Fortress.

Zheng Fan and A’Ming each rode a horse.

Fan Li needed to carry the two chests of silver that had failed to find a recipient, so riding was inconvenient.

But even sprinting on foot with the chests over his shoulder, his speed was barely slower than Zheng Fan and A’Ming’s horses.

Siniang had once mocked Fan Li: all the food he ate must have gone directly into his legs.

Before the sun had set, Zheng Fan returned to Green Willow Fortress.

To Zheng Fan’s surprise, outside the fortress he saw the Blind Man Bei together with more than ten men dressed like craftsmen measuring the surrounding terrain.

The craftsmen held blueprints.

They listened to the Blind Man’s suggestions and made changes as they worked.

Seeing Zheng Fan return, the Blind Man first excused himself from the craftsmen.

Then he immediately approached Zheng Fan.

“Master.

“The gift... wasn’t delivered?”

The Blind Man’s eyes could not see.

But with a sweep of mental force, he could immediately sense that the silver remained inside the two chests Fan Li carried.

Zheng Fan did not immediately tell him what had happened in Southwatch City.

Instead, he first asked:

“Who are these people?”

“Reporting to Master: they are craftsmen gathered by a merchant house.”

Yan’s master craftsmen of this era in later terminology were basically building contractors.

“You found them?

“No.

“The Sixth Prince arranged them?”

“Master is wise.

“The Sixth Prince’s merchant house did more than gather the craftsmen.

“Even the stone blocks and other materials needed to rebuild Green Willow Fortress have already been purchased nearby.

“They’re being transported here now.

“This subordinate was discussing the blueprint details with the craftsmen.

“Barring accidents, construction can begin tomorrow.”

Building a fortress especially a large fortress like Green Willow Fortress was extraordinarily expensive.

If you built a city, you could at least collect taxes or sell storefronts and recover part of the investment.

But a purely military fortress?

There was no visible path to recovering the money.

It was basically silver handed directly to the state.

Still the Sixth Prince had genuinely fulfilled his promise.

And at present, there was nothing Zheng Fan needed more than a proper fortress.

Surely everyone had not moved all the way from north to south only to continue living in tents every day?

“Master.

“I smell food.”

Fan Li, who had sprinted the entire day carrying two chests of silver, was hungry.

Zheng Fan smiled helplessly.

He placed one hand on the Blind Man’s shoulder.

“Fine.

“We’ll talk while we eat.”

...

The Blind Man Bei put down his bowl and chopsticks.

Then nodded.

“Master was correct to proactively accept that military order.”

Receiving approval from the old schemer finally let the stone in Zheng Fan’s heart settle.

“Then judging from this— what happened in Southwatch City today was probably orchestrated by the Marquis of Jingnan from behind the scenes?”

Siniang asked while ladling chicken soup for Zheng Fan.

The Blind Man nodded.

“Eight or nine chances out of ten.

“They simply needed an excuse to purge a round of bureaucrats and great local clans that had grown far too comfortable in Southwatch City over the years.”

“That really lacks elegance,” Siniang teased.

“I mean the method.

“No beauty to it.”

“But the result is probably the best possible one.

“Qian fears Yan like a tiger.

“But not daring to start a war is one thing.

“It is impossible that Qian truly does nothing else.

“Xiao Dahai, the Prefect of Southwatch City, and several clan patriarchs from the surrounding area their deaths may not truly be unjustified.

“A slow, gradual approach might genuinely be unsuitable for dealing with such people.

“Once they noticed what was happening, perhaps all of Yinlang Commandery would become unstable.”

After dinner—

Zheng Fan had originally planned on returning to Siniang to study how exactly one might weave soft armor.

But the Blind Man Bei called him back outside.

“What is it?”

Zheng Fan asked.

The Blind Man said nothing.

He merely pointed toward his own chest.

Zheng Fan understood.

He took out the stone containing the Demon Child, placed it at the entrance of the tent, then walked some distance away with the Blind Man.

“Master.

“A’Ming said the Demon Child protected you today?”

“Mm.”

“And nearly turned around and killed you afterward?”

“Maybe.

“Perhaps he was just joking with me.”

“Master.

“Back then, this subordinate was the one who suggested Master keep the Demon Child close.

“That was because none of us were beside Master at the time.

“We made that decision for Master’s safety.

“But now— please find something to seal the Demon Child inside.

“In this subordinate’s opinion, placing him inside the coffin together with Shatuo Que Shi would be most appropriate.”

“Do we really need to treat it that seriously?”

“Master.

“You understand the Demon Child better than any of us.

“You were the one who designed him— a resentful spirit formed from nine lifetimes as an abandoned infant.

“What the Demon Child hates most is actually his parents.

“By nature, anything representing father or mother provokes instinctive hatred in him.”

“But he saved me today.”

“That is because he has not fully awakened yet.

“He is still restraining himself.

“In the past, before Master awakened, he sealed himself away.

“Perhaps because he never possessed a physical body in the first place, he could simply sleep.

“No need to breathe.

“No need to consume anything.

“Just sleep.

“But even after Master awakened, he continued sealing himself.

“According to Master’s account, the first time you faced Shatuo Que Shi in the desert, the Demon Child showed signs of fully awakening only to be forcibly suppressed back down by Shatuo Que Shi.

“This subordinate believes that if the Demon Child continues staying beside Master, then if he receives an even stronger stimulus someday, or suddenly loses control over the instinctive urge inside him to kill his father, perhaps...”

“He might kill me?”

“Exactly.

“In truth, this subordinate has always been curious.

“All of us possess an instinctive wariness toward the Demon Child.

“But Master— the person who understands him best has always been unusually affectionate toward him.

“Why?”

Zheng Fan sat down on the ground.

He patted the earth beside himself.

The Blind Man Bei sat down too.

Then Zheng Fan reached into his pocket.

He took out his cigarette case.

One cigarette for himself.

One for the Blind Man.

Using a fire striker, he lit both.

Zheng Fan inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke.

Then said:

“The feeling is like raising a huge dog in a residential neighborhood.”

“Hmm?”

“Your neighbors are terrified of it.

“Other people’s children are terrified of it.

“But you yourself remain absolutely confident.

“No leash.

“No muzzle.

“You simply let it run around freely.

“And then— without the slightest shame you tell everyone:

‘My dog never bites.’”

(End of Chapter)