Chapter 318: Drinking Blood

Beside the Shengle Army’s command tent stood another tent pressed close against it.

The man living there never went out on patrol and had no other duties either. Every day, he simply sat outside with a wine gourd in hand and drank.

The Shengle Army had inherited the Zhenbei Army’s tradition: while on campaign, private drinking was forbidden unless special permission had been granted.

Clearly, this man had General Zheng’s special permission.

And every evening when General Zheng ate dinner, he would call the man over to eat with him.

Tonight was no exception.

The dishes on the table were not especially lavish, but inside a military camp, they already counted as refined fare.

Zheng Fan filled a bowl of rice for the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint ladled soup from the pot for Zheng Fan.

Then the two sat facing one another and began eating.

Halfway through the meal, the Sword Saint spoke first.

“We’re going to war?”

“Yes. We cross the river tomorrow night.”

“Mm.”

The Sword Saint nodded, lowered his head, and shoveled down another two mouthfuls of rice.

Then, feeling that he ought to say something else, he stopped his chopsticks again.

“Finally.”

“There’s something I need to tell you beforehand.”

“Speak.”

“This time, after crossing the river, our army’s task is to cut off the grain routes and outside reinforcements supporting the Chu army at Yupan City.”

“Why are you telling me that?”

“We’ll also be living off the enemy.”

The Sword Saint’s eyes narrowed slightly.

But he still said:

“I understand war.”

War meant people died.

And ordinary people had always been war’s greatest consumable.

So-called “living off the enemy” was nothing more than seizing grain from the commoners living in enemy-occupied territory, leaving the Chu army with nothing left to seize.

“Mm.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

The Sword Saint’s reaction was considerably better than he had expected.

It seemed that after spending several months guarding a city gate, the man was no longer quite as excessively naive as before.

“I only hope we can drive the savages and the Chu people away quickly, so the common people can recover sooner.

“The people of Jin have suffered too much over this past year.”

“I know.

“Don’t worry.

“This war won’t drag on for very long.”

That was the Marquis of Jingnan’s style of war.

He preferred to break an opponent quickly and use that collapse to achieve his strategic objective.

Even though Zheng Fan’s own force had merely been assigned to isolate the Chu army in Yupan City from its rear, he still did not believe the war would settle into a prolonged stalemate.

Tian Wujing always found a way to break the board quickly.

According to Liang Cheng’s judgment after the two had discussed it, although this operation appeared to be aimed only at Chu, the true target of the campaign was actually the savages.

“If you need me to do something, say it directly,” the Sword Saint said.

There was no ceremony in his tone.

Zheng Fan nodded solemnly.

“There is one extremely important task that I need you to handle.”

“Speak.”

“Protect me.”

“...”

The Sword Saint.

To say something this shameless with such solemn righteousness... how thick did a man’s face have to be?

“You know my position in this army.

“If you keep me alive, you preserve the morale of ten thousand troops.”

The corner of the Sword Saint’s eye twitched.

But in the end, he sighed.

“I understand.”

“Mm.

“Then I can relax.”

Truthfully, Zheng Fan had brought the Demon Child with him.

At that very moment, the Demon Child rested inside a recessed compartment in the chest of Zheng Fan’s armor.

Xue San had deliberately built that recess when forging Zheng Fan’s armor.

It had been designed specifically so the Master could carry the Demon Child.

It was somewhat like Iron Man’s armor, with an energy core fitted into the center.

A child’s growth and education were important.

But Zheng Fan felt that the life of the child’s godfather was important too.

If he died, what would happen to the child?

So despite the Young Marquis’s obvious reluctance, Zheng Fan had taken the Demon Child with him when he left Shengle for the campaign.

There was no need to worry about the Young Marquis’s safety either.

The Blind Man and Siniang would protect him.

More importantly, before leaving, Zheng Fan had ordered a cellar dug beneath his own bedroom.

Sha Tuo Queshi’s coffin, which had originally rested in the rear residence, was moved beneath the room.

In other words, the Young Marquis slept in a cradle above ground.

And Sha Tuo Queshi slept in a coffin beneath him.

Before departing, Zheng Fan had taken wine and food to Sha Tuo Queshi and spoken for a very long time.

He explained just how important the child was to him.

He felt that Sha Tuo Queshi had probably understood.

With Sha Tuo Queshi—the child’s “god-grandfather”—lying beneath him and “watching” over him, it ought to be exceptionally safe.

“I am curious,” the Sword Saint said.

“Why didn’t you Yan people use that Southern Marquis earlier?”

“I’m not entirely sure either.

“But the main reason was probably underestimating the enemy.”

“Tian Wujing feels quite different after coming out this time.”

“You’ve seen him?”

“He sensed me.

“I sensed him.

“But neither of us made a move.”

“So the two of you deliberately released your auras and greeted each other that way?”

The Sword Saint hesitated for a moment.

Then nodded.

“Yes.”

So this was how true masters interacted?

One side released his aura.

The other side released his.

No need even to exchange glances.

Everything that needed saying was already understood.

“I heard from the Little Sword Attendant that your cultivation has improved again.

“I imagine the Marquis of Jingnan is even less your opponent now.”

“You’re naive.”

“Mm?”

“I can improve.

“Why would Tian Wujing have to stand still?”

“You mean...?”

The Marquis of Jingnan’s hair had turned white.

And he had grown stronger too?

Zheng Fan suddenly felt somewhat defeated.

He had reached Seventh Grade as a Martial Artist and had already been rather pleased with himself.

Yet the true monsters and geniuses of this world could apparently continue improving without pause.

It seemed it really was time to experience some “killing intent” on the battlefield and see whether he could find an opportunity to break through to Sixth Grade.

Killing people was always the finest cultivation method.

“Actually, I’m looking forward to it,” the Sword Saint said.

“To what?”

“To seeing how Tian Wujing deals with the savages now that he commands the army again.

“His methods have always been ruthless.

“This time, they’ll be even more ruthless.

“He has resentment in his heart.”

“The conversation at this dinner table is getting rather profound.”

“I saw that little dwarf constantly teaching craftsmen how to build siege equipment.

“You won’t have a chance to use it this time.”

“Storming cities kills too many men.

“I can’t bear the losses.

“My foundation is still too thin.”

“Anything else?

“I’m finished eating.”

“There is.”

As he spoke, Zheng Fan took out a map and spread it on the ground beside the small table.

He pointed to one stretch of the Wang River.

“Here.

“This is where we cross tomorrow.

“After crossing, we’ll penetrate at least eighty li inland.”

“You need to tell me these things?”

After suffering two failures of his own, the Sword Saint had already recognized his limitations.

Whether in politics or military affairs, he was somewhat naive.

So he no longer tried to involve himself in such matters.

“Here is Yupan City.

“That is where Chu’s Azure Luan Army is stationed.

“It is also the major stronghold the savage-Chu coalition uses to control the Wang River.”

“I know.”

“But here— less than a hundred li from Yupan City is Fengxin.

“Have you heard of it?”

“Fengxin is a small city.

“It produces papermaking materials.”

“That is Situ Yi’s new capital.”

The moment he heard this, the Sword Saint’s gaze sharpened.

Zheng Fan continued:

“The Marquis of Jingnan has only just arrived.

“The Jingnan Army has only just arrived.

“I believe Yingdu has enemy spies.

“No.

“It definitely has enemy spies.

“But even if they want to send information back, that still takes time.

“Our army crosses secretly downstream tomorrow, then begins a long-distance raid eastward.

“I think we can exploit the time lag.

“You understand what ‘time lag’ means, right?”

“I can guess.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

Then he stabbed one finger heavily down onto the newly marked position of Fengxin.

His meaning could not have been clearer.

The Sword Saint said:

“You just told me your force’s mission is to isolate Yupan City from its rear.”

“Isn’t Fengxin behind Yupan City?

“No matter what I’m doing, I like to scoop up whatever benefits happen to be within reach.

“I think the head of this false emperor would make a very respectable military achievement.

“And I’m not afraid of you laughing at me.

“This kind of long-range raiding battle is actually what I’m best at.

“When I first started out with only a few hundred barbarian soldiers under me, I was already daring enough to play this game.

“I even seized one of Qian’s cities and killed its prefect before returning.

“So you could say

I know the road.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“We won’t have time to besiege the city.

“And we cannot afford to besiege it.

“So there is only one workable method...”

Zheng Fan tapped the map.

“Seize a gate.”

“I understand.”

“Someone will coordinate with you.

“But whether we can take the city in one strike after a long-distance raid will ultimately depend on you.”

Back when Zheng Fan had only just begun building his force, he and the Demon Kings had already played with decapitation strikes and gate-seizure tactics.

Now he had a Sword Saint at his side.

Not using special operations tactics would be an outrageous waste.

Most importantly, Zheng Fan had already thoroughly understood the Sword Saint’s temperament and values.

The Sword Saint hated savages above all.

And second only to them, he hated these “puppet troops” who betrayed their own people.

His moral alignment could hardly have been straighter.

“Of course, we’ll still have to judge the exact situation after crossing the river.”

“I have one condition,” the Sword Saint said.

“Name it.”

“Can Situ Yi and Situ Jiong die?”

“Capturing them alive would be better.

“After all, they did technically ascend the throne.”

“Alive?”

“But you know how battlefields are.

“Sabers and swords have no eyes.

“Any accident might happen.”

“Very good.”

“I’ve still got some wine here.

“Take it with you and finish it.

“Starting tomorrow, there’ll be no more drinking.

“An army has its rules.

“And drinking can cause mistakes.”

The Sword Saint accepted the wine.

As he rose and prepared to leave, he suddenly stopped.

“I think you could drink a little at night too.”

“I don’t like alcohol.”

“It would make it easier to sleep.

“Then you wouldn’t spend the whole night tossing and turning.”

“You’ve been spying on me?”

“My tent is right next to yours.

“Even if I didn’t want to hear you, I’d have no choice.

“You’re still young.

“Too much fire in you.”

“Oh?

“And I wonder who’s planning to go back and get married as soon as this war is over?”

“You investigated me?”

“You live in my city.

“Even if I wanted not to know, it would be difficult.

“You’re not young anymore either.

“It’s time to settle down.

“Otherwise, in another few years, that fire of yours might already be extinguished.”

The Sword Saint stared at Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan stared back.

Then the two burst into laughter.

A long while later, the Sword Saint asked with obvious disbelief:

“That really is all the wine you have left?”

“Need to save room in the stomach.”

“For what?”

“Starting tomorrow— we drink blood.”

[End of Chapter 318]