Chapter 215: The Empress Dowager!

People all possessed an urge to destroy.

Especially when confronted with beautiful, exquisite things most people felt, somewhere deep inside, an impulse to smash them apart.

At this moment, Zheng Fan felt exactly that.

The crisp clatter of horseshoes striking blue-brick paving stones was extraordinarily satisfying.

The palace halls and towers around him were magnificent beyond words.

Something this beautiful the symbol of a dynasty that had existed for centuries what a pity it would be not to destroy it!

Fortunately, Governor Zheng could still control himself.

Three hundred iron cavalry rampaged through the imperial palace.

They encountered resistance twice.

The first time, nearly a hundred armed eunuchs tried to block them and were shattered in a single clash.

The second involved several dozen guards.

They too were quickly crushed.

Other than those two incidents—

Zheng Fan encountered no further obstruction before reaching the Empress Dowager's residence.

This nominally surviving State of Jin had reached its weakest moment.

Even its final loincloth had been ripped away.

Of course, this was only the beginning.

Everyone knew the Yu imperial clan was not wealthy.

But even a starving camel was larger than a horse.

Or to put it another way the Jin Emperor might not have possessed much liquid wealth, but his fixed assets were abundant.

The ancestral temple.

The palace treasury.

Places like these contained plenty of truly valuable objects.

Take out almost any one of them and it could be worth a city.

No matter how poor or desperate the Jin Emperor became, he could not sell those things.

An imperial clan still needed to maintain imperial dignity.

But Zheng Fan had no such concern.

After battle upon battle—

Zheng Fan was poor.

He desperately needed money to recruit troops, buy horses, and expand his army.

Now that he had entered the Jin imperial palace if he did not scrape away at least one layer of earth wouldn't he be letting himself down?

A group of eunuchs and palace maids knelt outside the Empress Dowager's residence.

They wanted to run but did not dare.

They wanted to resist but did not dare.

All they could do was kneel there trembling.

The Empress Dowager of Jin had to be taken away.

Not so Zheng Fan could keep her for his own enjoyment but so she could be brought back and displayed beside her son as a matching pair of signboards.

Still, to prevent some hidden expert from lurking inside—

Zheng Fan first sent several dozen Jingnan Army soldiers into the residence to search it.

Only after they confirmed the area was safe and dragged out every eunuch and palace maid serving the Empress Dowager did Zheng Fan dismount and enter.

Inside the bedchamber the Empress Dowager of Jin sat in full ceremonial dress.

She had apparently just pressed red paper against her lips.

They were still brilliantly crimson.

Phoenix robe.

Jade hairpin.

Thumb ring.

Ornate crown.

Every detail was immaculate.

She sat there with her left hand resting upon the armrest and her right below her abdomen.

Truthfully if Zheng Fan had not known she was the birth mother of that black-faced brat, the Jin Emperor he might genuinely have mistaken her for a young woman of twenty-four or twenty-five.

Zheng Fan did not immediately behave disrespectfully.

He cupped his fists and saluted.

"This subordinate general, Zheng Fan, pays respects to the Empress Dowager of Jin.

"May Your Majesty enjoy good health."

"General Zheng."

The Empress Dowager spoke.

One could tell she desperately wanted to preserve an imposing, dignified manner.

Unfortunately not only did she look young, even her voice was clear and youthful.

She did not sound remotely like the image of an Empress Dowager most people carried in their minds.

"This subordinate is here."

"My son—is he well?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, His Majesty the Jin Emperor is safe and well."

The Empress Dowager released a long breath.

Then asked, "And that traitor Yu Huacheng?"

"He won't be jumping around much longer."

"Yes.

"Yes, of course.

"The heavenly troops of the superior state have arrived.

"Naturally those rebels won't be able to stir up much trouble anymore.

"General Zheng has truly worked hard."

"Your Majesty speaks too seriously.

"It is merely this subordinate's duty."

"This Dowager—is somewhat tired."

Zheng Fan smiled.

He raised his head and looked directly at the beautiful Empress Dowager.

Their gazes met.

The Empress Dowager's heart suddenly jolted.

In this man's eyes she saw the unmistakable look of a man appraising a woman.

And he made absolutely no attempt to conceal it.

The words "How dare you" reached her lips but she did not shout them.

"Your Majesty, our army suffered heavy casualties suppressing this rebellion for your state.

"Those soldiers died for the peace and stability of Great Jin.

"This subordinate boldly requests that Your Majesty grant some compensation—to settle the hearts of the men under my command."

Half of Jin had already been occupied by you Yan people and now you still want rewards from me?

The Empress Dowager suppressed the fury rising inside her.

Zheng Fan, meanwhile was studying the angry, beautiful widowed Empress Dowager.

Tsk.

The more he looked the more flavorful she became.

Truthfully, to be able to openly sit here in this lifetime and appraise the Empress Dowager of an entire state in this manner his rebirth had not been wasted.

Let me look.

Let me look again.

Let me look a little longer.

"General Zheng, compensation will naturally be provided.

"But you have surely seen the current state of the palace.

"Could this matter wait until the chaos settles and the Emperor returns?

"Then he can personally reward the army."

The Jin Emperor still wanted to come back here?

Zheng Fan shook his head.

"Your Majesty, that's rather improper of you."

He straightened and took several steps toward her.

The Empress Dowager instinctively wanted to rise.

But she restrained herself.

She looked at Zheng Fan in disbelief.

"What does General Zheng mean?"

"What do I mean?

"Allow me to make it clear to Your Majesty.

"So many sons of Yan died this time for your State of Jin before we managed to preserve the lives of His Majesty and Your Majesty.

"This is blood money for the men under my command.

"And it is the price you and His Majesty paid to buy your lives.

"In all my life—

"I have never heard of delaying payment on a debt like this."

"This Dowager needs time.

"The palace also needs time.

"Besides, at present the palace does not have—"

"Heh.

"During harvest season, even when tenant farmers help a landlord cut wheat, the landlord gives them two solid meals and a string of cash afterward.

"What?

"Does the imperial clan of Jin no longer care to observe even the rules followed by an ordinary landlord?"

"Outrageous!

"Outrageous!"

The Empress Dowager pointed at Zheng Fan.

Her beautiful face flushed red with anger.

Zheng Fan seized her hand.

The Empress Dowager froze completely.

Tsk.

Quite smooth.

Mm.

Still not nearly as good as Siniang.

"Your Majesty, stop putting on the airs of an Empress Dowager in front of me.

"I refuse to believe you don't know how this entire affair began.

"That son of yours accepted Great Yan's protection, then bit the hand feeding him and deliberately stirred up trouble.

"In the end, he became trapped in his own cocoon.

"And despite all that, Great Yan ignored his previous betrayal and preserved both your lives.

"I'll tell you the truth.

"The men under me are all waiting for their reward money.

"Whether you want to cooperate or not—you will cooperate.

"The ancestral temple.

"The palace treasury.

"The imperial gardens.

"I will naturally visit all of them.

"But after the chaos across the Capital Region has been suppressed, I will also ask Your Majesty to personally contact the wealthy families here.

"My Yan army preserved their lives.

"Naturally—they must surrender a portion of their wealth.

"And let's put the ugly words up front.

"If the wealth is insufficient—if I am not satisfied—

"I will order my men to draw their blades for three days.

"During those three days—they may take whatever they please!"

When had the Empress Dowager ever encountered anything like this?

Even after Yu Huacheng betrayed them he had maintained basic decorum before her.

One could say that throughout her entire life—

Zheng Fan was the crudest and most overbearing man she had ever personally seen.

"If you dare touch the ancestral temple—this Dowager would rather die than agree!"

As she spoke the Empress Dowager tore her hand free from Zheng Fan.

At the same time a pair of scissors appeared in her other hand.

She pressed them against her neck.

"If you Yan dogs dare bully us this far—then this Dowager will die before your eyes!"

"Tsk, tsk.

"Your Majesty, move those scissors a few inches lower.

"Yes.

"Right there.

"Stab there and the blood will really spray.

"You won't be able to stop it either.

"Then your eyes roll back, your body starts twitching, and when you're about to die you'll discover you can't even get your final words out.

"That's the proper experience."

"............" The Empress Dowager.

"Yan dog!

"Do you think this Dowager fears death?"

"Then die.

"But Your Majesty is so beautiful that even after you die—

"I'd hate to waste such an excellent body.

"Heh heh heh."

Zheng Fan deliberately made his laughter as lecherous and despicable as possible.

Then he continued, "As for your son—

"I'll have someone find a way to secretly castrate him.

"I'm sure His Majesty the Jin Emperor won't mind.

"He might even thank me for helping him take that first step."

"You...

"You...

"You—you..."

The Empress Dowager stared at Zheng Fan in disbelief.

She truly had never imagined such a shameless bastard could exist beneath Heaven.

"Your Majesty, if you intend to kill yourself—then hurry up."

Zheng Fan did not consider himself especially filthy.

The victor was king.

The loser was bandit.

For imperial families in particular this was simply their fate.

After enjoying generations of splendor and wealth they should be prepared for the day their descendants failed to hold the realm and suffered the backlash.

Especially since if the Jin Emperor had not blindly stirred up this mess—

Zheng Fan would not have lost so many more men.

He might already have reached Shengle City by now.

So you mother and son are allowed to make trouble but I'm not allowed to do it once?

There was no such logic.

Absolutely none.

Finally the Empress Dowager lowered the scissors.

Zheng Fan stepped forward and took them from her hand.

Then, he lifted her chin.

The Empress Dowager bit down hard on her lower lip.

Humiliation and fury filled her eyes.

"Tsk.

"Tsk, tsk."

Zheng Fan smiled.

His fingertips brushed several times across her red lips.

After feeling their warmth and softness he finally withdrew his hand with some lingering reluctance.

The Empress Dowager staggered several steps backward.

She had just prepared herself to die then abandoned the attempt.

Now she no longer possessed the courage to try again.

And to some degree her tolerance for Zheng Fan's violations had actually risen.

Zheng Fan walked to the large bed and sat down.

After riding for so long he genuinely was somewhat tired.

His task now was simply to keep the Empress Dowager under control.

Looting the palace and scraping wealth from the Capital Region could wait until the others finished pacifying the area.

But the instant he sat down the sound beneath him felt wrong.

Zheng Fan immediately sensed it.

There was a hidden compartment beneath the bed.

He stood at once.

He directly lifted several layers of soft bedding made from some material he could not identify.

Sure enough a hidden compartment appeared.

"No!

"Don't!"

The Empress Dowager immediately threw herself toward Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan shoved her to the floor with one hand.

Then, rubbed his palms together.

Generally speaking anything hidden in a place like this had to be a priceless treasure.

Anticipation.

Oh, the anticipation.

Zheng Fan pulled the dagger from his boot and pried open the compartment.

Inside was a wooden box.

Hm?

"No!

"Don't!"

The Empress Dowager lunged at him again.

But Zheng Fan had anticipated it.

He turned and pinned her against the bed.

"No!

"Don't!"

His palm pressed against the Empress Dowager's back.

Yet she continued stretching one hand toward the box, desperately trying to stop Zheng Fan from touching it.

"Your Majesty, you're this nervous about it?

"Then it really must be a great treasure.

"Heh."

With his other hand—

Zheng Fan opened the box.

Then, the Empress Dowager closed her eyes.

Her teeth bit through her lower lip.

Thin traces of blood appeared.

Zheng Fan also froze where he stood.

Fuck.

There really was a great treasure inside this box.

Mr. Jiao!

(End of Chapter)