Chapter 199: Fallen

"Now that's extravagant."

Standing atop a slope, Zheng Fan gazed at the Jin Emperor's returning procession and could not help sighing.

Under Yan's military system when a commanding officer was transferred to another posting, he was allowed to take his personal troops with him.

Zheng Fan had shown no modesty whatsoever.

Green Willow Fortress had been stripped almost completely bare.

Aside from the bricks and roof tiles, which were genuinely too inconvenient to carry he had not left even a single embroidery needle for his successor.

Even so, when Green Willow Fortress's column, with all its baggage, bundles, wagons, and carts was compared with the Jin Emperor's procession they looked like a group of rural refugees fleeing disaster together.

"The Jin Emperor may be trying to imitate Liu Shan," the Blind Man said.

"And the Yan Emperor also wants the Jin Emperor to live well enough to serve as a spectacle for the rulers of the other states."

"Who doesn't enjoy comfort?"

"Master is correct."

"I heard the old Clan Head of the Situ Clan died recently?" Zheng Fan asked.

"Yes, Master.

"He died not long ago.

"There are rumors throughout Jin that since the Clan Heads of the Helian and Wenren Clans had both already gone—and the three men had fought and competed against one another their entire lives—the Situ Clan Head decided to follow them."

"Heh.

"Rushing down below so the three of them can play Fight the Landlord together?"

"On the Yan side, however, there are rumors that the old Situ Clan Head's death was somewhat suspicious.

"According to the final intelligence the Sixth Prince managed to pass us—the Yan Emperor apparently offered the old Situ Clan Head treatment equal to the Jin Emperor's.

"He even permitted the Situ Clan to retain a larger Feudal State."

"He would've remained Emperor too?"

"Not Emperor.

"Something more like a Commandery Prince.

"Similar to the relationship that once existed between Korea and the Central Plains."

"Oh.

"So that was the offer.

"And then he died?"

"Yes."

"Hopefully the people over there don't start creating trouble."

"This subordinate hopes the same.

"But since the old Situ Clan Head has only just died—and Jin has only just lost half its territory—the Situ Clan should also be panicking internally.

"Under normal circumstances—there should not be any large conflict in the short term."

"Mm."

The messenger they had sent forward had already reported their arrival.

Not long afterward the messenger returned carrying the Jin Emperor's response:

"Granted."

The Yan Emperor had not lowered Jin's formal status.

So the Jin Emperor remained sovereign of a state.

According to rumor when the Yan Emperor met the Jin Emperor, Yu Ciming had addressed himself as:

"This ruler of a lesser state."

But the Yan Emperor corrected him.

"You should call yourself *We*."

From that point onward, the Green Willow Fortress column merged with the Jin Emperor's procession.

Together they traveled toward the Horseshoe Mountains.

The journey lasted ten days.

At last, the entire group passed through the Horseshoe Mountains and formally entered Jin territory.

However, the territory directly belonging to the Jin Emperor himself had expanded only one layer beyond the former Capital Region.

It was essentially a state within a state.

All along the road not only Zheng Fan but the other Demon Kings as well kept searching for ways to engineer some "chance encounter" with the Jin Emperor.

Yet none succeeded.

The Jin Emperor remained inside his enormous carriage nearly the entire time.

He almost never came out.

Eating.

Drinking.

Relieving himself.

Everything happened inside the carriage.

It was as though his health were extraordinarily weak as though he could not tolerate the slightest wind.

The problem now was if they could not arrange a "chance meeting" soon the Jin Emperor's procession would continue east.

Zheng Fan's column needed to turn northeast.

The two groups were about to part ways.

Yet the Jin Emperor never gave Zheng Fan even the slightest opportunity.

He behaved so honestly and dutifully it was almost astonishing.

Originally according to Old Master Wen Sutong's advice—

Zheng Fan should have seized this journey to establish a relationship with the Jin Emperor.

Ideally the two sides would develop some tacit understanding.

An Emperor remained an Emperor.

As long as neither his own life nor the lives of his family were threatened there was no possibility he would remain completely obedient forever.

Eventually he would want to do something.

With the Jin Emperor's help—

Zheng Fan could establish himself much faster inside Jin.

It would also be enormously beneficial for future development.

Unfortunately they had calculated every possibility.

And all the way until the two groups parted watching the Jin Emperor's vast procession continue eastward—

Zheng Fan never managed to see Yu Ciming even once.

"Does this count as pressing a warm face against a cold ass?"

Zheng Fan asked A'Ming beside him.

"Master.

"Perhaps the Jin Emperor's supervision is extremely strict," A'Ming suggested.

Zheng Fan shook his head.

"The Jin Emperor will certainly retain the dignity appropriate to him.

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

"Then he helped destroy the two great clans.

"His contributions to Yan were enormous.

"The Yan Emperor could not possibly guard against him too harshly.

"At the very least—not openly.

"And even if there is secret surveillance—we've already entered Jin territory.

"If Yu Ciming truly wanted to come see me—there is no possibility he lacked every opportunity."

Ultimately politics worked somewhat like Ximen Qing looking at Pan Jinlian.

Both sides needed to show at least a little interest before anything could happen.

Right now, Zheng Fan was clearly the only one feeling anything.

Because the other party was an Emperor—

Zheng Fan refused to believe the man lacked even this much political sensitivity.

A general soon to be posted inside Jin voluntarily joins your procession and travels with you.

The meaning behind that move could not be clearer.

Yet the Jin Emperor still maintained this attitude.

Which proved only one thing.

A man at Zheng Fan's level had not even entered the other party's eyes.

In other words, Who the fuck do you think you are?

Reality was fucking painful.

"Master, don't be angry.

"One day—he will regret it," the Blind Man comforted him.

Zheng Fan shook his head.

"I personally don't care much.

"This bit of face means nothing to me.

"I just feel bad for Little Sixth.

"He paid a huge price arranging this chance for us to travel together.

"And his own businesses got confiscated in the process."

It was like someone spending an enormous price arranging a banquet specifically to introduce you to useful people and you came away having connected with absolutely no one.

"Master.

"When does anything in this world truly go exactly as one wishes?

"The Sixth Prince has always been understanding.

"He'll understand."

Zheng Fan nodded.

"I think so too."

After separating from the Jin Emperor's procession—

Zheng Fan's column began traveling northeast.

The Jin territories had only recently submitted.

Many Yan officials and military officers had been assigned into the region.

Even quite a few Zhenbei Army generals had been left behind.

One could not exactly call it an attempt to divide and dismantle the Zhenbei Army.

It was more like fulfilling earlier promises.

The desert was bitter and cold.

Given a choice few people wanted to spend their entire lives eating sand there.

Of course, one full formation of Zhenbei Army troops had still returned to Beifeng Commandery under the personal leadership of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

The First Prince had not been summoned back.

Apparently the Yan Emperor had simply thrown him into the Marquis of Zhenbei's household.

To outsiders the implication that the Emperor wanted the First Prince to inherit the Marquis of Zhenbei's household looked extremely obvious.

To other states' regional powers the arrangement might have seemed outrageously shameless.

But the relationship between the Yan Emperor and the Marquis of Zhenbei was simply too unusual.

Besides the Ji Clan and Li Clan had always maintained a tradition where each family helped raise the other's children.

So this arrangement could also be considered part of that custom.

Even so, completely controlling nearly half of Jin in such a short period remained virtually impossible.

Litian City, where the Marquis of Jingnan was stationed and Quhe City, where Li Bao's troops were stationed had once been the old strongholds of the Wenren and Helian Clans respectively.

Using those two points as centers the Yan had already built administrative systems radiating outward.

Beyond that aside from a number of cities with garrisons most of Jin remained in a kind of "grazing" condition.

Which meant there were naturally no functioning relay stations.

And Zheng Fan's column contained nearly two thousand men with even more horses.

No relay station could have handled them anyway.

Fortunately the problem was easy enough to solve.

Zheng Fan simply sent men forward to knock open the gate of a fortified manor.

Then announced his identity.

The manor lord understood the situation immediately.

From small things like fodder and firewood to large things like wine, meat, and full banquet tables everything was brought out.

The man himself was already over sixty.

Yet in front of Zheng Fan his waist remained bent the entire time.

Every other sentence was:

"Your venerable self."

Circumstances outweighed people.

The Yan had become the new masters of this territory.

Naturally, the locals had to serve them carefully.

Zheng Fan accepted all of it.

However, that evening he rejected the manor lord's suggestion of sending his granddaughter into Zheng Fan's tent to warm his bed.

Sitting on the bedding watching Siniang make the bed—

Zheng Fan could not help laughing.

"The customs here are something else.

"Everywhere we go—someone wants to send over a daughter or granddaughter.

"I'm really not used to it."

"Master could simply accept them."

"No need."

He had no desire to keep saying sweet words.

Sometimes that sort of thing felt rather pointless.

Especially when you knew the person beside your pillow drove faster than you did.

What kind of romantic scene had she not already seen?

How could you possibly fool her with a few pretty words?

"In the future—

"Master will inevitably have no shortage of women around him.

"Master need not worry about this servant's feelings.

"This servant would actually welcome it.

"Still—this manor lord's granddaughter really isn't refined enough to bring to the table.

"Just imagine.

"One day this servant sits in the Grand Preceptor's chair—and below, an entire row of Princesses and Commandery Princesses all call me Elder Sister in unison.

"Aiya.

"That would be rather beautiful."

"I don't like stallion protagonists."

Back when Zheng Fan drew comics he had rarely drawn harem stories either.

"What man isn't fickle?" Siniang asked casually.

"Besides—

"Master keeps scattering seed everywhere.

"But somehow—nothing has ever taken root."

"Want to try?"

"Wouldn't it be better to take things slowly, Master?

"Peel things away layer by layer.

"Explore gradually.

"Proceed step by step.

"Develop one position after another.

"Isn't that where the atmosphere comes from?"

"Mm.

"You're right."

Whatever you say is right.

I don't dare argue anyway.

Zheng Fan lay down on the bed.

He looked at his hands.

Because he constantly practiced with a saber thick calluses could clearly be seen along his fingertips.

Siniang sat beside him.

She picked up tweezers and began trimming away the calluses.

"There's no point cutting them.

"They'll grow back again after a while."

"But this servant's heart aches seeing them."

"Fine."

At that moment, footsteps came from outside the tent.

The person approaching was deliberately making noise while walking.

Which proved it was not the Blind Man.

Suddenly—

Zheng Fan realized something.

Whenever the Blind Man came looking for him while he was alone with Siniang the timing had always been perfect.

He had never once ruined anything.

That did not mean the Blind Man possessed astonishing luck.

That old silver coin had definitely scanned first.

Zheng Fan decided that once the Demon Child recovered more strength given its nature as a spirit entity they absolutely needed some countermeasure against the Blind Man's scans.

The bastard could not be allowed to keep sweeping the place whenever he felt like it.

"Master."

Liang Cheng's voice came from outside.

"What happened?" Zheng Fan asked.

"A messenger arrived from the east just now.

"When he saw we were Yan troops—he voluntarily reported some news to us."

"What news?"

"The new Clan Head of the Situ Clan—

"Situ Lei—has ascended the throne.

"He founded a new state named Cheng.

"He has declared the era name Wuping.

"At the same time—the Situ Clan has already begun sending troops outward."

"Fuck?"

Zheng Fan shot upright from the bed.

The Situ Clan had directly started fighting?

That extreme?

"Then... are we still going to Shengle City?" Zheng Fan asked.

Shengle City stood directly on the border between the Jin territories and the Situ Clan.

Liang Cheng fell silent outside.

"Speak?" Zheng Fan urged.

"Master.

"The messenger said that after the Situ Clan launched its offensive—because there were very few Yan troops stationed along the border—and many cities had not even received garrisons yet—large portions of Jin territory surrendered back to the Situ Clan."

"Don't tell me..."

An extremely ominous feeling suddenly rose inside Zheng Fan.

"Master.

"Shengle... has already fallen."

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

(End of Chapter)