Chapter 193: The Sky Is High, and Birds Fly Free

The afternoon sunlight was pleasant.

It fell warmly across the body, leaving a man drowsy and relaxed.

Outside Green Willow Fortress the Blind Man and Old Master Wen Sutong each lay back in a reclining chair.

A small tea table stood between them.

Yuexin was pouring tea.

Beside each chair stood a long wooden rack hung with sausages.

The rack on the left carried smoked cured sausages.

They had a rich flavor.

Slice them and fry them with almost anything they paired well with nearly every dish.

The rack on the right held Qian-style sausages.

They were made primarily from lean meat with a smaller amount of fat, seasoned with grain liquor.

Once air-dried, the texture became somewhat firm and the flavor leaned salty.

But in the morning two bowls of plain congee with a small plate of sliced sausage that genuinely counted as enjoyment.

The Blind Man and Zheng Fan both loved this sort of thing.

Ironically—

Old Master Wen, who actually came from Qian, had recently become fond of the smoked kind instead.

“Worthy grandson-in-law.

“Next time we sun ourselves, could we choose somewhere else?”

“Why?”

“This old man is getting old.”

“Mm?”

“Lying in the sun while smelling all this cured meat... makes me feel as though I’m about to be air-dried too.”

“A joyous funeral.”

“No, no.

“That won’t do.

“This old man still needs to see his great-grandchild born.”

“Don’t you already have great-grandchildren?”

People in ancient times married and had children early.

A fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy becoming a father was hardly rare.

Of course, that usually happened in wealthy households.

There would be personal servant girls.

One day, lightning might strike dry tinder.

Afterward, the girl was either beaten to death or promoted into a junior concubine.

“This old man especially wants to see the child born to you and Little Yue.”

The Blind Man shook his head.

“That won’t do.

“Old people often kick the bucket the moment a final wish is fulfilled.

“To let you live a few more years—

“I’m in no hurry.”

“I hear the Yan Emperor intends to change the era name.”

As Wen Sutong spoke, he lifted his teacup and took a sip.

His granddaughter was still nearby.

There were certain matters that, as an elder, he could only hint at.

Truthfully he greatly enjoyed sitting here casually with this grandson-in-law.

The old man had spent his entire life in officialdom.

His name had once been proclaimed at Donghua Gate.

He had stood among the front ranks at court.

And now, he had even become a collaborator with Yan.

If everything he had experienced in life could be brewed into wine the fragrance would probably intoxicate a man from several rooms away.

Yet whenever he sat before this blind grandson-in-law the old man always felt he had finally met an opponent worthy of him.

And he believed this man was still holding something back.

He himself was a jar of old wine.

The fragrance had already begun escaping.

This grandson-in-law of his was still aging quietly inside the cellar.

Even if Old Master Wen could not taste it being allowed to touch the jar, lean against it, and feel its weight for someone who loved wine was pleasure enough.

The Blind Man nodded.

“A new atmosphere for a new age.”

From the confrontation between the Zhenbei Army and the imperial court at the beginning of the year to the cavalry trampling the great clans to breaking Jin and swallowing territory this year had been far too eventful for Yan.

Changing the era name also carried the meaning of saying farewell to the chaos and disputes of the past then opening a new page together.

“I estimate Lord Zheng will at least become a Roaming General after this assessment of merit.”

“I thought you’d advise my Master to switch into the civil service.”

“A man who can write the *Zhengzi Art of War*—how difficult could it be for him to transfer into a civil office?

“However—the world is changing.

“Qian has suffered such humiliation.

“Raising the status of military officers and strengthening military preparations will become inevitable.

“Chu is about to fall into internal conflict.

“The Situ Clan in Jin is trembling in fear.

“And even Great Yan—how long can this current blaze of prosperity continue?

“Who can say?

“In prosperous times, wearing a scholar’s robe and writing elegant essays is naturally enjoyable.

“But in chaotic times—the grass-roots Feudal Lord with troops in his hands holds the most practical power.”

The old man’s judgment was accurate.

The age in which the Four States remained locked in relatively stable peace had ended.

Over the next sixty-year cycle the Four States might well plunge into another age of dragons contending and tigers fighting.

“We understand that much.”

“Of course you do.

“Once this old man enters Yanjing, I probably won’t be able to help you much anymore.

“A clay idol polished until it gleams beautifully still has nothing but mud inside.

“The Wen Clan men I’m leaving behind—they cannot ride or fight.

“Forcing them into your hands might even become a burden.

“But after this assessment of merit, Lord Zheng’s position should at least rise to the point where—even if opening a personal administration and establishing a yamen remains impossible—the things he seeks should already extend beyond the narrow limits in front of him.

“There are principles here you should understand.

“If all you know is how to command soldiers—then you remain little more than a Martial Artist floating without roots.

“It may look impressive.

“But a single storm can sweep you away.

“You must hold troops.

“But you must also manage the livelihood of the people.

“Neither can be missing.”

“You are correct.”

Before this sort of elder the Blind Man was respectful.

The old man understood that once he went to Yanjing, he would probably spend several years there.

Helping from afar would become difficult.

So before leaving he wanted to nag a little.

Even if he could not exactly fill every omission it still represented an elder’s goodwill.

“Among Qian’s regional military powers, the Western Army currently stands strongest.

“The Zu Clan comes second.

“But in this old man’s opinion—the Zu Clan will eventually surpass the Western Army.

“The reason the Western Army became powerful was that back when the Tattoo-Faced Chancellor commanded it, he forcibly absorbed many separate military commands.

“War created the boundary—and he carved out a mountain for them.

“But that mountain’s foundation is actually unstable.

“They have troops.

“That is true.

“But above them stand civil officials suppressing them.

“And if the central government cuts off their grain and supplies—they cannot move an inch.

“So they have become little more than tools in the hands of successive Chancellors.

“If told to move west, they move west.

“If told to move north, they move north.

“No one cares how much vitality the Western Army loses by being dragged around again and again.

“The Zu Clan is different.

“Officially, they appear incomparably obedient.

“But they are stationed in the southeast.

“They also conduct maritime trade.

“And because they pacified the pirates of the southeast—they possess tremendous prestige among the local people.

“They hold money and grain.

“They hold the local people’s support.

“In earlier years, they were cautious mainly because they feared suspicion from the central court.

“This time, Yan attacked Qian and fought all the way to Upper Capital.

“The Qian Emperor issued a call for armies to rescue the sovereign.

“The central government’s prestige has already been swept clean.

“Prestige sounds useless.

“But sometimes—it matters greatly.

“When Zu Zhuming returns this time, just watch.

“The Zu Clan Army will no longer keep hiding its strength.

“Recruiting soldiers, buying horses, expanding its forces—all of that will become inevitable.

“I have met Zu Zhuming.

“He appears gentle and refined, with the bearing of a Confucian general.

“But in truth—he is a dragon and phoenix among men.

“His heart contains ravines and valleys.

“And a man who has drifted across the sea—just like you Yan people who gallop across the desert—once he has seen that vast sky and boundless horizon—his heart grows wild.”

The Blind Man listened quietly.

Old Master Wen continued.

“Then there are institutions like the great clans Yan possessed before.

“Their foundation depended too heavily on the common people.

“They believed that so long as they controlled the land and the people upon it—they could truly govern the people on behalf of the Son of Heaven.

“In reality—that was nothing but wishful thinking.

“I refuse to believe there was a single Yan Emperor across the generations who did not want to move against them.

“It was simply that the current Emperor found the opportunity.

“And once the blade fell—one hundred thousand Zhenbei Army cavalry destroyed Great Yan’s great clans in little more than a month.

“Tch tch.

“So a person needs two legs if he wants to walk steadily.

“Learn from the Zu Clan.

“Do not learn from the Zhong Clan.

“And certainly do not learn from the former great clans of Yan—dreaming that you are the Ji Clan’s left and right arm, mutually dependent and impossible to separate.”

“You are correct.”

“Of course—everything this old man is telling you, you may already have understood.

“From our first meeting—to returning to Yan together—to living here for so long—let this old man speak honestly.

“When I look at other people, the pattern is always that the higher their position rises, the greater their ambition becomes.

“Only after seeing the dragon throne from nearby do they begin imagining what it would feel like to sit there themselves.

“You people are different.

“From the beginning—you seemed to swallow iron weights and make up your minds to commit rebellion and defy your superiors.”

The Blind Man smiled.

“Truthfully—not exactly.”

“Not exactly?”

“We simply feel that muddling through life in confusion would be far too boring.

“Since we finally got a chance to live once in this world—we should at least make our lives interesting.

“Comfortable.

“A little freer.

“And if you want freedom—you have no choice but to climb upward.

“That is simply how things work.

“It is not that we absolutely must commit rebellion.

“To be frank with you—the position of supreme sovereign, the Ninth-Five throne—does not actually possess that much attraction for us.

“Not for me.

“Not for my Master.

“But we are hypocritical enough to want, one day, no one above our heads capable of pressing us down.

“Only then could life truly be comfortable.

“Like lying here in the sun—with no dark cloud above our heads blocking the light.”

Wen Sutong said irritably, “You’ve gone around in a giant circle.

“Isn’t it still the same meaning?”

The Blind Man nodded somewhat awkwardly.

“It is indeed basically the same meaning.”

“Truthfully—this old man is not especially optimistic about all of you.”

“I know.”

“But this old man has already broken the jar and stopped caring whether it shatters.

“I’m already this old.

“I stopped fearing life and death long ago.

“Now I don’t even care about my reputation after death.

“So I may as well follow my temperament and keep watching.

“Purely for the entertainment.

“As for those Wen Clan men I mentioned—they cannot ride.

“They cannot shoot.

“They possess no martial bravery.

“But they are still members of the same family.

“After I entered officialdom, I rose and fell through court politics yet still managed to preserve myself to the end.

“The fundamental reason—was that I counted among the small number of Qian officials who genuinely knew how to accomplish practical work.

“I dislike empty boasting.

“When assigned to the Ministry of Revenue—

“I personally calculated grain and silver.

“When assigned to the Ministry of Works—

“I personally entered the workshops.

“When assigned to the Canal Office—

“I personally climbed the river embankments.

“No matter how fiercely people fought inside the court—no matter which Chancellor’s faction currently governed—someone always had to know how to do the actual work.

“In a famine year, the craftsman with a trade does not starve.

“Serving as an official—follows much the same principle.

“These Wen Clan men possess no talent for governing the world.

“But once they enter the army, they can serve as clerks.

“Handle documents.

“Manage records.

“They are all quite capable.

“That is simply how my household educates its sons.

“Every one of them has been trained.

“If your Master is later sent out as City Governor—he will need people beneath him who understand ordinary administrative affairs.

“Having capable relatives around will make things much easier.

“After all—everyone is family.

“Grasshoppers tied to the same rope.”

“Of course.

“Of course.”

At that moment, several horses approached from outside.

The Blind Man spoke.

“Master has returned.”

Old Master Wen clicked his tongue.

“That is the strangest thing about you.

“You are clearly blind and cannot see.

“Yet sometimes you behave as if you can see everything.

“That cannot be explained by some phrase like ‘blind eyes, clear heart.’”

“It truly cannot,” the Blind Man replied.

Yuexin personally carried over another reclining chair.

Then she brewed fresh tea.

After Zheng Fan arrived and lay down—

Yuexin went to fetch another chair for Siniang.

She herself remained standing nearby to serve them.

Zheng Fan touched his teacup.

Siniang understood.

She rose and brought over some ice.

Then fetched a large bowl.

Hot water went in.

Then the ice.

Zheng Fan lifted the bowl and drained a large mouthful.

Wen Sutong looked at him and sighed.

“Young men really do have vigorous internal fire.”

When a man was genuinely thirsty tea simply did not satisfy.

Zheng Fan lay back down again.

Truthfully the sun overhead was warm and pleasant.

Yet squeezed between one old and one young silver coin like these two he somehow felt as though cold wind were blowing all around him.

“The assessment of merit came down.

“Originally, I could have been promoted directly to Roaming General.

“But apparently Zhao Jiulang made a recommendation.

“He wants me sent to the newly annexed Jin lands to serve as City Governor.”

As he spoke—

Zheng Fan could not stop himself from smiling.

This truly was someone handing him a pillow the moment he became sleepy.

“Excellent!” Wen Sutong said happily.

“Newly annexed Jin territory means unstable hearts and an unstable situation.

“It looks difficult.

“But in truth—it means enormous freedom.”

If Zheng Fan wanted to live obediently as an official then remaining under Xu Wenzu in Yinlang Commandery would naturally have been the most comfortable path.

If Xu Wenzu ate meat—

Zheng Fan would never lack soup.

But if the goal was future development then he needed a piece of territory genuinely belonging to himself.

“If we’re going to Jin territory—we should start preparing properly,” the Blind Man said.

“Mm.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

“I told Xu Wenzu that as a Yan man, I must possess the courage to go where others do not dare.

“Newly annexed Jin territory needs someone to guard it properly and truly turn it into Yan soil.”

“What did Xu Wenzu say?” Wen Sutong asked.

“Xu Wenzu was deeply moved.

“Then he rejected my request for replacement troops.”

During the campaign south, Green Willow Fortress had sent two thousand five hundred cavalry alongside the Zhenbei Army.

Nearly a thousand had been killed or wounded.

One could truly call that damaging the bones and muscles.

Nanwang City had already trained a batch of good-family recruits.

By rights, replenishing the losses of the various formations should have been natural.

But once Xu Wenzu realized Zheng Fan intended to “fly toward higher and farther places” he decisively cut off the milk.

As Governor-General of an entire region he had no reason to raise someone else’s children.

“There are still several thousand surrendered Qian soldiers who came with us from Chuzhou City,” Wen Sutong said.

“I don’t want puppet troops.”

What fighting ability did puppet troops possess?

These men had already taken shape.

The Yan arrived they knelt.

In future battles they would probably kneel again.

There was little value in training them.

Wen Sutong had suggested it partly out of selfishness.

Naturally, the more Qian men inside Zheng Fan’s army the better he would feel.

But Zheng Fan rejected the idea directly.

The old man did not understand what “puppet troops” meant exactly.

Still he could tell it was not a flattering expression.

“This subordinate has heard,” the Blind Man said, “that the newly annexed Jin territory should currently be governed by the Marquis of Jingnan.”

Newly surrendered territory naturally required a great general to oversee it.

Only someone with enough weight could suppress the situation and keep everything under control.

Tian Wujing was a man who could slaughter his own entire clan.

Letting him govern newly annexed territory was indeed suitable.

At present, even the people of Yinlang Commandery had stopped speaking Tian Wujing’s name casually.

Once he went to Jin he might genuinely become someone whose name stopped crying children.

Wen Sutong shook his head.

“During the Great Xia Dynasty, the office of City Governor once existed.

“It resembled Qian’s Military Commissioner.

“The difference is that a Military Commissioner governs the military and civil affairs of an entire commandery.

“A City Governor controls only one city and the surrounding territory.

“The office was later abolished and divided precisely because it easily produced powers too large to control—powers capable of threatening the central court.

“If the Yan Emperor has revived this office now—then he probably intends to use it as a method of bringing newly annexed territory under control.

“Since the court grants you a certain degree of autonomy—you naturally must bear part of the cost yourself.

“Military grain.

“Weapons.

“Troops.

“The court cannot possibly give you everything in full.

“You will need to obtain much of it yourself.

“This is already an understood rule.

“You Yan people resemble the barbarians in certain respects.

“In truth—you have long been accustomed to this kind of arrangement.

“As for the Marquis of Jingnan governing the new territory—his troop strength will also be stretched thin.

“He absolutely cannot privately hand Lord Zheng many soldiers.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

He had actually considered this point already.

He sighed.

“So in the end—we still have to uphold the principle of self-reliance and independence.”

“Incisive,” Wen Sutong praised.

Zheng Fan rolled his eyes at the old man.

Then continued, “In that case, Old Master—how do you think I should replenish my troops?”

This old strategist was sitting right here.

Why not use him?

Besides before long, the man would leave for Yanjing to serve as a decorative mascot.

He genuinely was a resource approaching expiration.

Better use him now.

Wen Sutong pointed around them.

“Truthfully—

“Lord Zheng began preparing for this long ago.”

“What preparation?”

“Preparation for rebellion.”

“Although what you said is true—could you possibly be a little more subtle?

“Do you need to say it quite so openly?”

“Yes.

“This old man misspoke.”

“Continue.”

“Lord Zheng’s forces can broadly be divided into two main groups.

“One consists of barbarian troops.

“How much identification do the barbarians possess toward Great Yan?

“Not much.

“Even their appearance differs greatly from we Eastern people.

“Completely assimilating them is difficult.

“The other group consists of criminal soldiers from the fallen great clans.

“Those men harbor hatred toward the imperial court.”

The meaning was obvious.

You bastard from the very beginning, you were preparing to rebel.

Just look at what kind of soldiers you deliberately gathered.

“This old man believes that habit may continue.

“After all—

“‘independence and self-reliance’ were words Lord Zheng himself just spoke.

“If something truly happens in the future—you must at least ensure that when you pull your troops out, they will actually follow you.

“Even if you genuinely defy those above you—these men should be willing to follow without hesitation.

“Otherwise—one imperial decree comes down, or some powerful superior shows his face—and your entire army mutinies or refuses to obey.

“That would become a joke.”

“Tell me the method,” Zheng Fan reminded him.

“Yes.

“When you reach Jin—your first step should be recruiting soldiers and buying horses.

“As for money—you need not worry.”

As he spoke—

Wen Sutong glanced at Siniang sitting beside Zheng Fan.

“When you were in Chuzhou City, all wealth and property passed through your Madam’s hands for accounting.”

The instant he heard that Zheng Fan turned toward Siniang.

Siniang smiled and nodded.

She had once run businesses.

If you could not cook the books what kind of merchant were you?

“Master.

“The wealth we skimmed off truly is not small.

“Once the situation settles a little—we can transport it over.”

That meant the goods were probably still hidden somewhere in Chuzhou City or its surrounding area.

“Where did you hide it?” Zheng Fan asked.

He genuinely did not know.

Back in Chuzhou, Li Fusheng had left all the work of raids, confiscations, and exterminating powerful households to Zheng Fan.

Many great families had been stripped clean.

Never underestimate the wealth possessed by great households.

A national treasury, in truth, did not necessarily contain enormous mountains of spare silver.

Much of its revenue already had budgets attached years in advance.

Money came in.

Then immediately went out again.

It merely passed through the treasury’s hands.

Among the people on the other hand individuals whose wealth rivaled a state appeared with surprising frequency.

The reason Yan could mobilize several hundred thousand troops in this campaign and support the current situation at all was largely because the Yan Emperor had robbed the great clans.

At the time, Zheng Fan had handed all that work over to Siniang and the Blind Man.

He had never imagined Siniang could hide so much property directly beneath everyone’s noses.

“Reporting to Master—we hid it inside Prince Fu’s tomb.”

“Pfft...”

Zheng Fan burst out laughing.

Prince Fu truly was valuable from head to toe.

They had squeezed every possible use from the man.

And now, they had not even spared his grave.

“Master.

“You originally ordered us to help the Prince Fu household bury Prince Fu.

“This servant assumed your true meaning was for us to hide the concealed wealth there.”

“Ah...

“Oh.

“Mm.

“As long as you understood.”

Zheng Fan waved his hand.

“Third Master already prepared a hidden tomb passage in Prince Fu’s burial chamber ahead of time.

“Later, we can disguise some men as a merchant caravan and transport the goods out.”

“Fine.

“Very well done.

“I’m extremely satisfied.”

The wealth obtained from raiding and exterminating households throughout Chuzhou City plus all the gifts and bribes received from various directions was astonishing.

True a portion had been distributed to local commoners and Zhenbei Army soldiers as rewards.

But the amount secretly retained remained terrifying.

Zheng Fan nodded.

His heart finally felt grounded.

In any age without money in your hands life somehow felt unstable.

“This works out nicely.

“No need to keep troubling Little Sixth.

“I hear the court is preparing to establish the Crown Prince soon.

“Little Sixth’s days probably aren’t going very well.”

Then, Zheng Fan looked again at Wen Sutong.

This old fox truly had been a practical official.

Otherwise how could an ordinary civil official possibly have noticed Siniang cooking the accounts?

Wen Sutong continued.

“Lord Zheng has three sources from which he can recruit soldiers.”

As he spoke—

Wen Sutong lifted his teacup.

And took a sip.

He was waiting for Zheng Fan to say:

*I humbly await the details.*

Or perhaps:

*I am all ears.*

Instead—

Zheng Fan said directly, “Stop holding in your fart and spit it out.”

Pfft!

Wen Sutong sprayed his tea everywhere.

Yuexin hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her grandfather.

The Blind Man merely smiled.

He said nothing.

Wen Sutong looked at Zheng Fan somewhat resentfully.

Then continued.

“There are three.

“First—newly annexed territory will inevitably receive Yan migrants.”

This was a method unchanged since ancient times.

Simple military occupation could not truly digest newly conquered territory.

Nor could it make the new region genuinely identify with the central government.

Migration had to come first.

“These migrants will certainly consist mainly of criminals and displaced families from the former great clans.

“Those households already hate the imperial court.

“And among them—there is no shortage of capable or educated people.

“You may recruit them as useful support.”

“Continue.”

“Second—the wild men of the Heavenbreak Mountains and the regions farther north.

“You already command barbarian troops.

“Perhaps wild men could be absorbed the same way.”

“Mm.

“And the third?”

“The Jin army.”

“The Jin army?”

“The Jin people are actually capable fighters.

“There were many reasons they suffered such a catastrophic defeat this time.

“But it was not because Jin men were incapable of fighting.

“Jin also possesses large numbers of cavalry.

“If you recruit them—you can form mounted troops directly.

“However—if you want to bring Jin men under your command—you must first establish a good relationship with one person.”

“Who?”

“The Jin Emperor—

“Yu Ciming.

“He opened South Gate Pass and led Yan troops into Jin.

“An ordinary Emperor could never perform such an act.

“But a man capable of putting something down—also possesses the courage to lift something up again.

“This old man has heard that the Jin Emperor is already in Yanjing paying court to the Yan Emperor.

“Once he returns to his Feudal State—

“Lord Zheng may spend some effort arranging matters.

“Request that you escort the Jin Emperor back to his state along the same route.

“Lord Zheng is extremely skilled at forming personal relationships.

“On this point—this old man has absolute confidence.

“Still—you must be careful.

“Cooperating with the Jin Emperor is no different from negotiating with a tiger.”

“If he’s a tiger—then we’re lions.”

As he spoke—

Zheng Fan turned toward the Blind Man.

“Once we return, write to Little Sixth.

“Have him arrange this matter.

“And tell him to help maneuver things so we get a decent place.”

“Master.

“Didn’t you just say Little Sixth’s current situation is extremely difficult?”

“He already walked ninety-nine steps.

“What’s one final shiver?”

The Blind Man nodded to show that he understood.

Still he could not help feeling that Master’s behavior was genuinely somewhat like that of a scumbag.

Then he looked back at Yuexin.

Suddenly the Blind Man felt he was not especially qualified to criticize Master.

“This old man is tired.

“I’m going to rest.”

Supported by Yuexin—

Wen Sutong left.

Zheng Fan said, “That bargain father-in-law of yours—he actually has some substance.”

“Yes.”

“Pity we have to send him to Yanjing to become decoration.

“If we kept him here—he could lighten some of your burden.”

“Mm.”

At that moment, Fan Li approached from the distance.

The little sword attendant sat on his shoulder.

This had apparently become their fixed entrance.

Like seeing a giant panda and expecting bamboo in its paws.

“Master.

“She said she wants a new name.

“So I came to ask Master.”

Zheng Fan smiled.

He pointed at Fan Li.

“You could have named her yourself.”

“I did.

“She didn’t like it.

“And she hit me.”

The little sword attendant sat there with both arms folded across her chest, cheeks puffed out in anger.

“What did you name her?”

After spending so much time around Fan Li even Zheng Fan’s own speech unconsciously picked up a trace of his accent.

Fan Li grinned foolishly.

“I said—we’re all Master’s servants.

“So she’s Master’s maid too.

“That’s why I gave her the name—

“Sword Maid.”

(End of Chapter)