Chapter 127: Audience with the Emperor

Zheng Fan sat beside the stream.

In his hand was a large handful of sunflower seeds he had grabbed from the banquet tables earlier.

He cracked them open one by one and spat the shells into the blood-red water.

After discovering Ting’er was still alive, Garrison Commander Zheng’s mood had suddenly improved tremendously.

The earlier depression, confusion, and heat in his head seemed to have eased.

Even the sound of Jingnan soldiers stabbing corpses one by one to make sure they were dead no longer felt quite as piercing.

Had he adapted?

No.

Probably just become numb.

What a completely fucked-up world.

Zheng Fan suddenly felt a trace of regret.

If back then he had never decided to leave Tiger Head City and start causing trouble if everyone had simply remained there—

A’Ming could brew wine.

Fan Li could chop firewood.

The Blind Man could tell fortunes.

Xue San could tell stories.

Zheng Fan himself could have become a wealthy local gentleman.

Every day, Siniang would accompany him.

That did not sound bad at all.

At least he would not need to experience things like this.

Would not need to witness them.

It was not fear.

He was simply tired of it.

And slightly disgusted.

But perhaps he had never truly possessed that choice.

If he had honestly tried to live as an ordinary man he probably would have died back at that laborer camp.

Barbarian cavalry would have trampled his corpse.

Then Zhenbei cavalry would have ridden over him again.

If he had been lucky perhaps the desert wolves coming to search for food the next morning might have found one slightly intact piece of meat that used to belong to Zheng Fan.

Blind Man.

You once said the meat-eaters eat human flesh.

But what you meant was only that when they devoured people from the lowest level, they never even blink.

Fuck.

Now they devour the heads of their own families and enjoy that just as much.

Rationally, Zheng Fan understood perfectly well how much courage lay behind the Marquis of Jingnan’s declaration:

“The fall of Great Yan’s aristocratic clans shall begin with my Tian Clan.”

It even carried the courage to split open Heaven and Earth for the sake of state and people.

But truthfully—

Zheng Fan felt he would probably never be capable of going this far.

If a person truly had to live like that what enjoyment would remain in life?

What exactly would he be pursuing?

His love for Great Yan?

His loyalty to the Ji imperial clan?

“What are you thinking about?”

Du Juan’s voice sounded behind Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan coughed.

“Nothing.”

“After tonight, I’m afraid nobody in the capital will continue discussing the fact that you crippled Third Highness.”

Heh.

To stop me from making tomorrow’s headlines, the Marquis of Jingnan truly went all out.

“Yes.”

After tomorrow the news that the Marquis of Jingnan had exterminated his own entire clan would spread rapidly through the capital.

Then all of Great Yan.

Perhaps even all four eastern states.

“The Marquis has not had an easy life,” Du Juan said.

“But the Marquis does not need anyone’s pity,” Zheng Fan replied.

“Heh.

“Perhaps men really do understand other men better.”

“Sister Du Juan is joking.

“This subordinate feels nothing toward the Marquis except admiration beyond words.”

“I can tell.

“That sentence wasn’t flattery.”

“Of course.”

“The Marquis has an order.”

Zheng Fan froze.

Then immediately dropped to one knee.

“This general receives the command!”

“Garrison Commander Zheng is ordered to return to the capital tonight and enter the palace for an audience with His Majesty.”

“Ah?”

“Convey these words to His Majesty on behalf of the Marquis:

‘The first cut has already been made.’”

“This general obeys!”

After standing again, Zheng Fan looked slightly confused.

He raised one finger and pointed at his own face.

“Sister Du Juan.

“I think I’ve had enough opportunities to perform lately.

“Maybe some of these chances should be given to the other comrades too.

“That way we’ll all get along better later.

“It isn’t good for me to eat alone every time.”

Fuck.

I only beat the Emperor’s biological son into becoming a candidate for Eunuch Wei’s godson this morning and now you want me to enter the capital, enter the palace, and meet the Emperor?

You people really do slaughter the donkey the instant the millstone stops turning.

You don’t even let it survive overnight?

“The Marquis ordered you to go.

“So you go.

“Inside the Jingnan Army, no one questions the Marquis’s military commands.”

Du Juan’s voice had gone cold.

She had, after all, begun as a female agent of the Secret Intelligence Department.

Even if she had only just entered someone else’s household as a new wife she had not forgotten the tools of her old profession.

“Just joking.

“Just joking.”

“You do not need to be afraid.

“You are someone the Marquis values.

“His Majesty— will not do anything to you.”

“Yes.

“This subordinate understands.”

Of course you aren’t afraid.

You just married into the household and your father-in-law and mother-in-law immediately died violent deaths.

You must be overjoyed.

Naturally, Zheng Fan only dared think that.

He would never actually say it.

No seal.

No written order.

Zheng Fan remained in his armor, mounted his warhorse, and left the Tian estate.

There was at least one thing worth celebrating.

Earlier inside the Elegant Garden, Zheng Fan had not killed anyone.

So unlike the other Jingnan soldiers, his armor had not been washed in layer after layer of blood.

If it had with the winter night wind blowing, the blood on his armor would have frozen.

Then from time to time his body heat would warm it again.

Hiss.

That smell…

Not long after riding out of the Tian estate, Zheng Fan discovered a dark mass blocking the road ahead.

There was actually an army here!

Because it was night, visibility was limited.

But after approaching, Zheng Fan estimated the force before him numbered no fewer than three thousand.

There were probably additional troops nearby as well.

As he drew closer, scouts from the force rode over.

“Who goes there?”

“Zheng Fan, Garrison Commander of Willow Fort, Yinlang Commandery, Great Yan.”

“Greetings, Lord Zheng.”

The two scouts saluted him first.

Zheng Fan returned the courtesy.

One scout immediately rode ahead to report.

Under the guidance of the other, Zheng Fan passed through the formation with almost no delay.

This was the Jingnan Army.

When the Marquis of Jingnan entered the capital, he had not brought only one thousand men.

These troops had clearly arrived afterward.

Zheng Fan continued riding.

Around two hours later, he reached the southern gate of the capital.

The city gates had long since closed.

But at the gate stood a force of Imperial Guards.

Not on the battlements.

Below the walls.

As Zheng Fan approached, Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward to block him.

“Who goes there?”

“Zheng Fan, Garrison Commander of Willow Fort, Yinlang Commandery, Great Yan.”

Very soon a large hanging basket descended from the top of the wall.

Zheng Fan dismounted and stepped into it.

Then the soldiers above hauled him onto the battlements.

Before Zheng Fan could even ask anything, a Patrol Lieutenant Commander led him down the stairs.

The officer pointed toward a horse that had already been prepared below.

Then he cupped his fists toward Zheng Fan, turned around, and left without another word.

“Heh…”

Had his name already become this famous?

Or perhaps nobody believed anyone would dare impersonate him right now?

Or maybe tonight’s password was “Zheng Fan”?

Naturally, these were merely wicked jokes inside his own head.

Zheng Fan understood the truth more clearly.

Whatever had happened at the Tian estate tonight the man inside the palace had almost certainly known it would happen.

The message the Marquis of Jingnan ordered Zheng Fan to deliver—

“The first cut has already been made.”

It sounded exactly like two brothers who had already divided the labor and were now keeping each other updated.

Meaning:

My part is done.

Now it’s your turn.

Of course, the Marquis of Jingnan could not possibly have decided to exterminate his own clan because he returned home, tasted the dinner, found it unsuited to his palate, and flew into a murderous rage.

He had clearly planned this long in advance.

And his visit to Third Highness during the day became even easier to explain.

I am already about to wipe out my own entire clan.

So crippling one of your sons to vent a little resentment not excessive, right?

Zheng Fan had not killed Third Highness.

He had merely crippled him.

That may actually have matched the Marquis of Jingnan’s desire to vent even more closely.

More painful.

Crueler.

More satisfying than simply killing him.

Thinking about it this way—

Zheng Fan really had been trained by the Blind Man and the others until flattery had become instinct.

He already understood how to make the person he needed to please enjoy himself as much as possible.

Still the Emperor inside the palace was equally ruthless.

He had known perfectly well what calamity would descend upon the Tian estate tonight yet had still sent his own Empress back there for a family visit.

Perhaps this was also some deep and indirect way for an Emperor to express affection.

Give his wife one final chance to return home and see her parents for the last time?

At least Little Sixth could feel somewhat more balanced now.

His Second Brother’s maternal clan had been exterminated too.

And Father Emperor had treated them equally.

Both massacres had been carried out by the Marquis of Jingnan.

No outsider could possibly know what kinds of treasonous thoughts were passing through the mind of this messenger carrying matters of national fortune on his shoulders as he rode from the southern city gate toward the imperial palace.

Even Zheng Fan himself did not know why his thoughts kept drifting there.

Probably to reduce his own tension.

Though inside, he believed with high probability that the Yan Emperor was a formidable sovereign and formidable sovereigns usually shared one habit: they did not care very much about their sons.

But what if?

What if the Yan Emperor did not follow the normal script?

Zheng Fan possessed only one life.

This was Zheng Fan’s first time visiting the imperial palace of Yan.

Fortunately it was easy to find.

In later generations, city planning around a capital often limited the height of buildings near the Forbidden City.

Here in Yan’s capital, the effect was even more direct.

No matter where you stood one glance was enough to tell the direction of the imperial palace.

Imperial Guards at the palace gate came forward to question Zheng Fan.

Once again, he gave his position and name.

Very soon a hanging basket descended from the palace wall as well.

Generally speaking, major cities had at least two layers outer city and inner city.

Palaces themselves were also designed with defensive functions in mind.

Not primarily against rebel armies or foreign forces from outside the capital.

Once an enemy army had already broken into the capital, the greater situation was basically lost.

No matter how strong the palace walls were, they could not change much.

But palace fortifications were extremely useful against smaller-scale rebellions erupting from within the city.

After being hauled up inside the basket, Zheng Fan could no longer ride.

He descended from the palace gate tower.

Then, he discovered an old acquaintance waiting for him.

Not exactly a close acquaintance.

It was simply that along the road, the Marquis of Jingnan had mentioned several times that he should introduce Zheng Fan to this man’s department.

And earlier that very day this major figure had looked seriously at Zheng Fan and said:

“We will remember you.”

Zheng Fan instinctively swallowed.

Then quickly glanced back toward the palace gates already shut behind him.

At this moment, he suddenly felt like a palace girl entering the inner court, a single wall separating her forever from the life and fate outside.

“Garrison Commander Zheng.

“We have been waiting for you for quite some time.”

Wei Zhonghe held a horsetail whisk and gave Zheng Fan a slight bow.

That familiar voice.

That familiar bearing.

Plus the generations of chief-eunuch imagery supplied by films and television inside Zheng Fan’s head.

“This lowly official, Zheng Fan, Garrison Commander of Willow Fort, greets Eunuch Wei!”

“Oh?

“Only half a day has passed.

“How has Lord Zheng suddenly become so formal again?”

“Because my very root of life is now in Eunuch Wei’s hands.”

Wei Zhonghe pinched his left fingers into an orchid gesture and pointed lightly at Zheng Fan.

“Naughty.”

Then Eunuch Wei continued, “What the palace lacks most— are clever men like Lord Zheng.”

“…”

Zheng Fan.

“His Majesty is still waiting in the imperial study.

“Lord Zheng.

“Come with Us.”

“This is my first time entering the palace.

“I’ll trouble Eunuch Wei to lead the way.”

“You are too polite.

“Let us go.”

Zheng Fan had already witnessed Wei Zhonghe’s walking speed.

And this time perhaps because the eunuch was deliberately hurrying his pace became even faster.

Fast enough that although Wei Zhonghe was clearly still walking—

Zheng Fan had to run merely to keep up.

After running for about half an hour, Wei Zhonghe suddenly stopped.

Naturally, Zheng Fan stopped too.

He began panting.

“Lord Zheng.

“First calm your breathing.

“Otherwise, when you meet His Majesty, you may accidentally offend the imperial presence.”

“Many thanks, Eunuch Wei.”

The two began walking forward at an ordinary pace.

They passed through a small garden.

It was not large.

Probably about the same scale as the Imperial Garden in the Forbidden City.

In short there was no possibility of imperial consorts playing enormous games of hide-and-seek here or constantly arranging dramatic chance encounters.

The imperial study stood behind the garden.

A small pond lay between them.

After crossing a covered walkway over the pond, Wei Zhonghe signaled for Zheng Fan to remain outside.

Then he entered first.

A palace with a master and a palace without one felt completely different.

Standing outside the door—

Zheng Fan genuinely felt slightly cold.

When you were in elementary school, you beat up the chubby boy sitting beside you.

Now the chubby boy’s father was waiting in the teacher’s office.

That was already bad enough.

If you changed the situation to when you were in elementary school, you castrated the chubby boy beside you, and now his father was waiting for you…

A short while later—

Wei Zhonghe came back out.

He said to Zheng Fan, “Go in, Lord Zheng.”

Zheng Fan entered.

The light inside the imperial study was not especially bright.

Apparently, the Emperor preferred this somewhat dim atmosphere.

After entering, Zheng Fan turned right.

There behind a desk sat a man.

He wore the traditional robes of Yan.

Only this set was trimmed in gold.

As for more precise details of his face—

Zheng Fan could not see clearly.

And he had no opportunity to study the man closely.

“This subject, Zheng Fan, Garrison Commander of Willow Fort, greets Your Majesty!”

He had awakened in this world more than half a year ago.

Traveled north.

Traveled south.

Caused one enormous mess after another.

And now, somehow he had finally met the highest leader of Great Yan.

Back at Willow Fort during evening bonfires, Zheng Fan and the Blind Man often smoked side by side and bragged.

They had already guessed long ago that this Yan Emperor and the Marquis of Zhenbei were obviously putting on a coordinated performance.

Now it appeared one more man had to be added to the picture.

The Marquis of Jingnan.

Zheng Fan truly wondered what sort of courage and charisma this Emperor possessed to make both northern and southern Marquises trust him completely and stand upon the same battle line with him.

“Zheng Fan?”

The Yan Emperor spoke softly.

As though slowly tasting the name itself.

Zheng Fan remained kneeling.

The anxiety he had felt on the road suddenly vanished.

Like a student panicking before an exam only for the panic to disappear the moment the test paper landed on the desk.

“Who sent you?”

The Emperor’s tone sounded casual.

Not particularly imperial.

More like a lazy man annoyed that he still had to work overtime late at night.

“Reporting to Your Majesty.

“The Marquis of Jingnan sent this subject.”

When a sovereign questioned a minister what format exactly should the conversation follow?

Zheng Fan did not really know.

Before today, he had merely been Garrison Commander of a frontier fort.

To be fair he still was.

“Speak.”

“The Marquis of Jingnan asked this subject to convey one sentence to Your Majesty.”

“Continue.”

“‘The first cut has already been made.’”

“Oh.”

One word.

Zheng Fan could not interpret much from it.

“The Empress— is she well?”

The Yan Emperor asked the question almost casually.

Like a neighbor passing your doorway while you sat on the threshold eating rice and asking whether your parents were doing all right.

“Reporting to Your Majesty.

“Her Majesty the Empress is safe and well.”

If Zheng Fan had not stopped those blood-mad Jingnan soldiers in time—

Her Majesty might already have been cut down.

But Zheng Fan did not dare claim merit for this.

He did not even dare mention it.

Who knew whether the Emperor would feel relieved or disappointed after hearing the Empress remained safe?

There had already been an example before him.

That Qian Military Commissioner after learning his own wife from the Silver-Armored Guard had died had probably been delighted.

“Garrison Commander Zheng.

“Do you have a courtesy name?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty.

“This subject comes from a crude background and possesses no courtesy name.”

“That is fine.

“We Yan people do not need to imitate Qian people’s overly refined rules.

“Garrison Commander Zheng.

“Over the past half year— your name has appeared on Our desk several times.”

“This subject is terrified.”

“Outside the Marquis of Zhenbei’s estate, you saved a Prince.

“In Yinlang Commandery, you charged into Huaiya Academy and captured Qian spies.

“With four hundred cavalry, you penetrated deep into Qian territory and broke Mianzhou City.

“Sigh.

“We are old.

“Old.

“The realm to come— belongs to young men like you.”

“Your Majesty is still in the prime of life.

“Great Yan’s national fortune is flourishing.

“This carriage called Great Yan still needs a helmsman like Your Majesty to guide its direction.”

“Helmsman?

“Direction?”

The Yan Emperor laughed softly.

Then said, “Garrison Commander Zheng is from Beifeng Commandery, is he not?

“How is it— have you seen the sea?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty.

“This subject heard the expression from western merchants.

“Their merchants often cross the sea to conduct trade.”

“Oh.

“What a pity.

“Our Great Yan still cannot see the sea.”

Then, the Emperor continued, “Garrison Commander Zheng.

“You were born in the north, yet the Marquis of Jingnan values you.

“We are curious.

“Are you a man of the Marquis of Zhenbei— or a man of the Marquis of Jingnan?”

“This subject— is a man of Yan!

“This subject— is Your Majesty’s subject!”

“Heh.

“Though it is a lie— it sounds pleasant.”

“…”

Zheng Fan.

“Exactly, Your Majesty.

“Though this servant only met Garrison Commander Zheng today, this servant can confirm that Lord Zheng is a clever man.”

“What a pity, Wei Zhonghe.

“He is someone the Marquis of Jingnan has chosen.

“You, Wei Zhonghe, no longer have any chance to take him as a godson.”

“How would this servant dare?

“How would this servant dare compete with the Marquis of Jingnan for a man?

“I can only lament that I did not meet Garrison Commander Zheng earlier.”

“You castrated dog.

“You want to gather a seedling of a general like Zheng Fan under your own hand— are you planning to imitate that Grand Commandant Yang of Qian and personally lead troops into battle?”

“Aiyoyo!

“Even if this servant ate the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard, I would never dare harbor such treasonous thoughts!

“Your Majesty, please see clearly!

“Please see clearly!”

The Emperor and his Chief Eunuch chatted casually.

Below them—

Garrison Commander Zheng knelt drenched in cold sweat.

“Clang…”

At that moment, a silver token was thrown in front of Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan stared at it in confusion.

Then reached out and picked it up.

The Yan Emperor’s voice came from above.

“This is a pass allowing free entry and exit from Lakeheart Pavilion.”

“Hmm?”

Zheng Fan did not understand.

“We heard that you and Chengyue share a certain fate.

“When you have time— go visit him on Our behalf.”

(End of Chapter)