Chapter 251: Old Schemer

Liang Cheng returned.

He came back several days later than expected, because he had not merely transported the wealth from the Helian Clan’s treasure vault back to Shengle City. Along the way, he had also casually wiped out two wild-savage strongholds and forced two more to send the sons of their chieftains to Shengle City to pay respects to the City Defender and declare their submission.

Perhaps when Emperor Wu of Han first allowed Huo Qubing to accompany the army on campaign, he had still felt somewhat uneasy in his heart.

But when Zheng Fan sent Liang Cheng out with troops, he was a hundred percent at ease.

A genius general still needed an army to serve as a touchstone, something on which to gamble and prove himself.

But a veteran commander among veteran commanders like Liang Cheng truly did not require that sort of worry.

When the troops returned to the city, Zheng Fan personally went outside to welcome them.

Amid the usual performance of kneeling and helping each other back up—

Liang Cheng advanced.

It happened abruptly, yet somehow felt perfectly natural.

And so, when the Demon Kings gathered for dinner that evening, the pressure instantly shifted onto Xue San and the Blind Man.

Everyone was pursuing advancement.

The two of them were plainly dragging behind.

Even Fan Li had advanced.

What excuse did they have left for themselves?

A’Ming was not present.

The day before, he had already departed for Yanjing escorting a convoy.

After the gathering ended, everyone else went off to handle their own affairs.

Zheng Fan and Liang Cheng remained seated across from one another.

“These are the reports from the last few days, along with the orders from Litian City.”

Having grown accustomed to the working methods and efficiency of later generations, they often found written records and written transmission far clearer and more precise than verbal reports.

Liang Cheng carefully read everything through.

Then he nodded.

“Master’s deduction was correct. The State of Yan is most likely preparing to campaign against the savages.”

“You’re that certain?”

Zheng Fan had grown accustomed to being dragged out and used as a smokescreen.

The very first time, back in the laborer camp, he had been used as bait.

When the army marched south into the State of Qian, the same fate had awaited him again.

That time, Li Bao, the Zhenbei Army Chief Commander, had even lost an arm because of it.

Zheng Fan felt he might as well change his name to Xu Huang.

He was always the weapon being shoved forward first.

“Master, a major army requires an enormous amount of preparation before taking the field.

“Based on the intelligence currently available to us, there are no signs of large-scale war preparations anywhere inside Yan.

“So this campaign certainly will not be large.

“In this subordinate’s estimation, it may be handled entirely by the Marquis of Jingnan.

“In other words, this is not a national war.

“It is a military operation being conducted by a single regional command.

“After the campaign against Jin, the Marquis of Jingnan established himself in Litian City and the Jingnan Army expanded.

“But first, troops are still needed to suppress and secure the newly conquered Jin territories.

“Second, the influx of new recruits will inevitably reduce the army’s overall combat strength for a time.

“So this subordinate estimates that if troops are dispatched, the Marquis of Jingnan will likely command them personally, and the force should number somewhere between thirty and fifty thousand.

“Considering how difficult the Tianduan Mountains are to traverse, and how much harsher the environment becomes once the army enters the snowfields, supply will be difficult as well.

“If he truly intends to take that route rather than borrow passage through the State of Dacheng, then thirty thousand men is probably the absolute limit.”

“Couldn’t they head south through Jin instead?”

“South of Jin lies the region cut off by Nanmen Pass.

“There are many small states there.

“They look like scattered scraps, but swallowing them in a single bite would be difficult unless several hundred thousand troops were committed.

“Otherwise, one could very easily end up with a stomachache.

“Besides, although the State of Chu is currently consumed by internal strife, placing too much outside pressure on Chu would instead help force its factions back together.

“That would not be a worthwhile trade.”

The many minor states clustered around the borders of the great powers were, in truth, buffer zones the great states had tacitly agreed to leave in place.

“This campaign obviously isn’t happening because Tian Wujing got bored and suddenly decided to ride horses across the snowfields.

“So what exactly does the Emperor of Yan want?”

In Zheng Fan’s understanding, things like internationalist assistance—and especially military intervention—had, throughout vast stretches of history, usually been exhausting endeavors with little gratitude in return.

Liang Cheng seemed to guess what Zheng Fan was thinking.

“Master, the Situ Clan is not some tiny remote state.

“In reality, it controls half of Jin.

“Its strength genuinely cannot be underestimated.

“Earlier, when the Situ Clan’s main army marched northeast to resist the savages, they completely exposed their rear to the Yan people.

“This time, Yan is most likely returning the favor.

“This subordinate suspects the Emperor of Yan intends to use this action to create an unwritten reality:

“that the State of Dacheng stands beneath the State of Yan.

“Through his own breadth of mind and force of personality, together with the Yan army’s concrete actions, he can make everyone in the Situ Clan owe Yan an enormous favor.

“There are many ways to deal with an opponent.

“If you can ensure that opponent will not attack you for twenty years, then for all practical purposes, he no longer counts as a threat.

“That allows you to save an enormous amount of energy and concentrate it elsewhere.”

“Doesn’t that strike you as naïve?” Zheng Fan asked.

Basing relations between states on friendship and sentiment?

In later generations, there had been far too many examples of countries once as sweet as honey with each other, calling each other brother every day, only to later become bitter enemies locked in mutual hatred.

“Such a relationship is naturally unreliable.

“But if this succeeds, it will give the conservative faction within the State of Dacheng and the Situ Clan an excellent justification.”

“That alone would have such an effect?”

“The effect only exists because Yan’s national strength continues to press down upon Dacheng.

“That is the foundation of everything.”

“Oh. So that’s the real point.”

“Furthermore, for this move, Yan may only need the Marquis of Jingnan and thirty thousand troops.

“To say something somewhat inauspicious, even if…”

“Shut up!”

“…”

Liang Cheng.

“All right, I know what you mean.

“You’re saying that even if something goes wrong, the cost isn’t especially high. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. I understand.”

“Then tomorrow this subordinate will lead troops back into the mountains.

“We’ll first clear out a route.

“The Marquis of Jingnan’s intention should be that when he later leads the army through the Tianduan Mountains into the snowfields, the savages along the route will not discover them in advance and send warning to the savages in the northeastern snowfields.”

“You’ll have to work hard again.”

“Master, this time I intend to leave the one thousand Jingnan Army troops behind to guard our home and take all our other forces with me.”

“Fine. Make the decision yourself.

“Treat it as training through actual combat.”

“Yes. This subordinate understands.”

Liang Cheng had not been gone long before Xue San came in carrying a large chest.

“Master. Come. Let’s go inside.”

“Hmm?”

“Master, come on. Inside. Come on~”

Xue San carried the chest into the room first.

Once Zheng Fan followed him inside, Xue San suspiciously looked around before shutting the door.

“What’s in the chest?”

Zheng Fan pointed at it.

Liang Cheng had led troops back, advanced, and was immediately preparing to march into the mountains again.

It was almost as though he had returned solely to hand over the loot and level up before leaving once more.

Zheng Fan also knew that Xue San had to be feeling unbearably anxious right now.

“Master, come. Take a look.

“These past few days, I’ve been training those fifty idiots during the day.

“At night, I’ve been working on these.

“This is a little expression of my filial devotion. I hope Master will graciously accept it.”

With that, Xue San opened the chest.

Zheng Fan froze.

Like a child presenting treasures, Xue San began taking out brand-new items one by one.

“Master, these are handcuffs.”

“Master, look at these. Tendon-hide binding ropes. They absolutely won’t chafe the skin.”

“Master, this whip was made from wolf hide I bought from the merchant guild.

“This one has no barbs.

“I also specially made another version with barbs.

“Oh, and underneath that is wound medicine I mixed myself.”

“Master, this is a mask.”

“Oh, right, right. Master, this is a ball gag.

“I’ve disinfected it already.

“After you use it in the future, just remember to disinfect it again yourselves.”

“Ah, and this—this is the main attraction.

“This one I personally…”

…

And so, life was like that.

When you discovered that the road in front of you was blocked, there was no harm in changing your approach.

Besides, there were already so many successful examples right in front of him.

A little comparison, a little summarizing surely he could identify some pattern.

Xue San believed he had found the method.

And he succeeded.

The instant his aura suddenly surged, his entire heart was filled with satisfaction.

The psychological pressure that had been crushing him until he could barely breathe vanished all at once.

The sunlight seemed brighter.

The air seemed fresher.

Originally, Xue San had planned to go sit on the Blind Man’s roof again that night and listen for movement.

Hadn’t the Blind Man said last time that if he came again, he would not let him off?

Come on, then.

Who was afraid of whom?

Let’s compare!

But in the end, Xue San did not go.

Truthfully, the last time he went to the Blind Man, he had only wanted to see whether the Blind Man had advanced.

He had never actually intended to listen in on the bedroom.

He still understood the principle that a friend’s wife was off limits.

He had not sunk to the point of doing something that tasteless.

As for leaving the Blind Man’s place and then going onto Master’s roof that had simply been an emotional breakdown.

He had actually forgotten that whenever Master and Siniang did needlework together, Master always threw the Demon Child out the window!

Patience.

Patience.

Maintain restraint.

Maintain dignity.

And so Xue San did not sleep the entire night.

The next morning, everyone gathered for breakfast.

They were also seeing Liang Cheng off before he led troops back into the mountains.

Xue San swaggered in with a gait so arrogant it looked as though he recognized neither family nor friends.

The Blind Man sat there drinking congee, taking slow little sips.

Master and Siniang had not arrived yet.

Fan Li and Liang Cheng were already seated and eating breakfast as well.

Xue San deliberately sat beside the Blind Man.

The moment he sat down, a shadowy aura began spreading from his body, gradually wrapping itself around the Blind Man’s arm.

The Blind Man paused in the middle of drinking his congee.

Xue San hurriedly said, “Aiyo, sorry, sorry.

“I only just advanced, so I still can’t fully control the properties of my power.

“Aiyo, sorry about that.

“Really, really sorry.”

The Blind Man did not appear angry.

He merely smiled, then continued drinking his congee.

Pretend.

Go on, keep fucking pretending.

You’re dead last in the entire class now.

The genuine bottom-ranked loser.

You have to be furious inside.

You have to be angry.

Humiliated.

Restless.

Come on.

Pretend.

Pretend!

Xue San picked up his chopsticks and said, “Looks like everyone should’ve advanced by now.

“We really ought to celebrate properly.

“Hehehe.”

As he spoke, he continued watching the Blind Man from the corner of his eye.

Yet the Blind Man went on drinking his congee with perfect ease, as though he had already transcended worldly concerns.

At that moment, Zheng Fan and Siniang arrived together for breakfast.

Aside from A’Ming, everyone was gathered around the same table again.

Xue San kept grinning as he ate steamed buns.

He ate while staring at the Blind Man.

Delicious.

Absolutely delicious!

At first, Zheng Fan did not notice anything.

Only after realizing Xue San kept looking at the Blind Man did it occur to him: among the Seven Demon Kings, the Blind Man was now the only one who had not advanced.

Everyone else had advanced.

The Blind Man had not.

Yet among all the Demon Kings, the Blind Man’s contributions and hard work were unquestionably among the very greatest.

At that moment, the Blind Man finished his bowl of congee.

He turned toward Xue San with some surprise.

“San’er, you advanced?”

Xue San froze.

“Hmm?”

“Congratulations. Congratulations.

“I really envy you.

“Congratulations.”

“What?”

The Blind Man then turned toward Zheng Fan.

“Master, I still have matters to handle.

“A’Cheng, be careful out there.

“Master, I’ll go take care of my work first.”

The Blind Man stood.

Turned.

His back was slightly hunched.

There were faint strands of gray at his temples.

Ink stains marked his cuffs.

Cloth shoes covered his feet.

Frame after frame, detail after detail for a moment, the guilt in Zheng Fan’s heart grew thicker and thicker.

And then, in the very next instant, the Blind Man abruptly straightened his back.

His aura surged violently upward!

“…”

Xue San!

[End of Chapter 251]