Chapter 457: Young Lord Qu’s Brilliant Plan Secures the Realm—Only to Lose Both Bride and Troops

When the Marquis of Jingnan said they would stop fighting that meant they truly would stop.

Zhennan Pass was a mighty strategic pass that had made life extremely uncomfortable for the Yan people.

Fortunately, Yan still possessed superiority in open-field warfare.

The Chu people did not dare advance north in force.

So for now, both sides could barely maintain a balance.

Jing Renli tore off one chicken leg.

He had drunk too much earlier and now wanted something to line his stomach.

Then he narrowed his eyes at Zheng Fan.

“To unexpectedly meet Brother Zheng today truly exceeded all my expectations.

“My only regret is that I did not bring enough wine.

“We haven’t drunk to our hearts’ content.

“Once the fighting here ends, Renli will personally visit Brother Zheng at Snow Sea Pass.

“Then the two of us can drink properly.”

Count Zheng smiled.

“You’ll still bring your own wine?”

Jing Renli looked surprised.

“Brother Zheng is that stingy?”

“I’m poor.”

“Heh-heh.”

Using the courage lent by wine, Jing Renli slapped his chest.

“Naturally, I won’t forget a proper meeting gift when I come.

“Though Brother Zheng obviously does not lack those things.

“And perhaps, by the time Renli visits a few months from now, I’ll even be carrying gifts from the imperial household.

“Some of the Princess’s usual clothes and personal belongings.

“Mm.

“Eunuchs and palace maids Brother Zheng probably would not accept, so the palace likely won’t send those.

“Let me plant my marker here first.

“I’ll go back and spread the word a little.

“With a mission this close to the Emperor’s heart— it should naturally fall into Renli’s hands.”

Jing Renli spoke extremely openly.

And extremely bluntly.

What he meant was simple.

Once the fighting here ended, then within several months the Great Chu palace would certainly send someone to Snow Sea Pass carrying a portion of the Princess’s “dowry.”

Of course, for the sake of preserving the dignity of the imperial house and the Qu Clan, it could not possibly be done with great fanfare.

There would be no imperial envoy.

No formal state document.

They would simply come quietly.

Leave quietly.

Like ordinary relatives visiting family.

Who would beat gongs and drums for something like this?

The underlying reason was obvious.

The deed was already done.

The Regent’s own younger sister had followed Count Pingye of Yan to Snow Sea Pass.

For now, Chu could neither send an army after her nor reverse what had happened.

So the remaining benefits might as well be gathered properly.

That was the instinct of a politician.

Their actions were rarely governed by personal likes or dislikes.

The Emperor of Yan could sacrifice one of his own sons for the larger situation and laugh about it.

The Marquis of Jingnan could annihilate his own clan.

How could the Regent of Great Chu possibly be much worse?

Face had already been lost.

And it could not be recovered anytime soon.

So rather than sulk over it, better to lower one’s head and quickly gather whatever substance remained.

The logic was sound.

But for Jing Renli to say it this openly was still unusually free and easy.

And that bachelor-like frankness the method of stripping every hidden calculation naked first, then proceeding to do the matter just as openly afterward gave Count Zheng a strange sense of familiarity.

It felt familiar.

Very quickly—

Count Zheng understood.

Wasn’t this exactly what he himself used to be like?

Yes.

Jing Renli was much like the Zheng Fan of the past.

Strip oneself completely bare.

Show everything openly.

All for the sake of one opportunity.

One opening.

The Marquis of Jingnan rose.

He had barely touched the wine before him.

He reached out.

The Pixiu padded over.

Tian Wujing mounted.

Then slowly rode away.

He did not call Zheng Fan with him.

Instead he left most of the remaining jar of wine to Zheng Fan and Jing Renli.

In the Marquis’s view, Jing Renli could not kill Zheng Fan.

Or perhaps if Zheng Fan could genuinely be killed by someone like Jing Renli, then he might as well die.

Zheng Fan and Jing Renli remained seated on the ground, watching the Marquis of Jingnan’s back gradually disappear into the distance.

Jing Renli sighed.

“If one day I could become like the Prince of Jingnan— how wonderful that would be.”

Any ant with even the slightest ambition, after watching an elephant pass before it, would probably produce a similar sigh.

Count Zheng lifted the wine jar Tian Wujing had left behind.

He drank once.

Then said:

“I thought the same thing earlier.”

Jing Renli accepted the jar.

“Why should Brother Zheng say that?

“If the Prince of Jingnan is a Kunpeng— then Brother Zheng is still a hawk.

“Only I remain squatting in a rice paddy, staring at the heavens while croaking like a frog.”

With that he drank deeply.

“You?”

Zheng Fan shook his head.

“Is it really that bad?”

“The Jing Clan is indeed one of Great Chu’s great noble houses.

“But the Jing Clan has sprawling branches.

“The legitimate-line descendants of the Jing Clan have inherited more than half of Great Chu’s most prestigious and refined civil offices generation after generation.

“They are honored wherever they go.

“Brother Zheng.

“Look at me.

“I’m wearing armor.

“Doesn’t that explain enough?”

The Jing Clan was a house of exalted civil prestige.

Among successive Chu Emperors, the imperial harem had always contained Jing Clan consorts.

Sometimes even Empresses.

Inside Great Chu, the Jing Clan was practically a symbol of literary orthodoxy and ritual tradition.

For one of its own to enter military service to those “cultured men,” it was almost a disgrace to refinement itself.

If Jing Renli had not truly run out of road if the clan had not completely refused to support him he would never have chosen this path.

“Truthfully, something Renli said earlier was not completely accurate.

“It isn’t only Qu Peiluo I dislike.

“I dislike quite a few of my own Jing Clan brothers too.

“At the root of it— it still comes down to one question.

“Why?

“On what grounds?

“Heh.

“Brother Zheng should understand.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

“I understand.”

“So Renli has admired Brother Zheng for a long time.

“You rose from common cloth all the way to becoming a Count through military merit.

“Then look at me.

“No matter how little the clan values me, at the very least I still benefited from the family name.

“I never lacked food or clothing.

“I never lacked private tutors or martial instructors.

“If Brother Zheng could do it— then Renli feels I should be able to as well.

“At the very least— the possibility exists.”

Zheng Fan smiled.

Then said:

“A person’s struggle depends not only on his own efforts.

“It is also shaped by the course of history.”

“The great tide?”

Jing Renli paused.

Then asked:

“Does Brother Zheng think the present age is such a tide?”

“There is definitely momentum.

“But who knows whose momentum it is?

“Will it carry you straight into the blue clouds— or will one wave simply smash you flat?”

“Oh?

“Which kind does Brother Zheng think it is?”

Zheng Fan shook his head.

Jing Renli asked again:

“So even Brother Zheng cannot see clearly?”

Then, Jing Renli polished the breastplate mirror on his chest.

He said:

“Yes.

“The great momentum beneath Heaven.

“Who can truly see it clearly?

“Master Zang of Qian carried dragon-slaying arts all the way beneath the walls of Yanjing.

“Yet today Yan still presses down upon Qian and Chu with overwhelming force.

“The Three Families of Jin held their power for so many years that they became the accepted order of the land.

“And yet in barely two years— two were wiped from existence.

“One bent its head and learned obedience.

“Momentum is like the tide.

“The tide follows Heaven.

“And Heaven’s will cannot be predicted.

“Impossible to predict.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Oh?

“May I ask Brother Zheng where Renli is wrong?”

Zheng Fan looked at Jing Renli calmly.

Then said:

“To borrow momentum— is only because you need to borrow it.

“But you do not borrow momentum merely for the sake of borrowing it.

“If you need to borrow— that proves you currently lack something.

“So the ultimate purpose of borrowing momentum— is that one day you will no longer need to borrow from anyone.

“Instead—

**you become the momentum yourself.**”

“Ah...”

Jing Renli slowly exhaled.

“So that is how it is.”

He stood.

Then bowed deeply and respectfully toward Zheng Fan.

“Brother Zheng’s words strike like thunder.

“Renli has been taught.

“It is merely a pity—

Renli is a man of Chu.

“Otherwise I truly would like to stand beneath Brother Zheng’s banner and become momentum together with you.

“I imagine— that would be extraordinarily interesting.

One day, seated before Lingxiao Pavilion,
We shall once more drink fine wine descending from Heaven.

Delightful.

Delightful indeed.”

“Even a Princess of Chu can marry me and become my wife.

“You, Jing Renli, are merely one descendant beneath the Jing Clan who is not especially valued by his family.

“To put it harshly— even if you died here tonight, there probably would not be many people inside the Jing Clan who truly cared.

“So— why can’t you come to me?”

“Because it would be useless.”

Jing Renli answered almost immediately.

“Because I have not yet demonstrated my value.

“So even if I followed you now and entered your command— you would soon forget me.

“Renli is a man.

“Although I carry the Jing surname, I possess no great fame.

“If Brother Zheng accepted me, it would not add much shine to your reputation.

“When two states fight, people from either side defecting to the other is already a common enough thing.

“Wasn’t the rebellion under Xue Rang a little over a month ago caused precisely because one of his officers secretly defected to Yan?

“And besides— if I may say something disrespectful a Princess is a Princess.

“She is, after all, a woman.

“Renli is a man.

“A woman is like a flower.

A flower cannot be eaten.
Even if eaten, it cannot endure eating.
And no matter how many petals you chew, it will never fill your belly.

But a flower—is beautiful.

“Carry a flower through the market and others will envy you.

“Keep a flower inside your chamber and you may admire its fragrance alone.

“So alas—

Renli is no flower.”

“Heh.

“I understand.”

“Many thanks, Brother Zheng.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

“For understanding what is in Renli’s heart.”

Count Zheng looked at him.

He said nothing more.

Then slowly stood.

The Marquis had already gone far.

He needed to catch up.

Zheng Fan was not afraid of Jing Renli beside him.

The man came from a literary aristocratic family.

His martial arts were ordinary.

But the military camp was still quite far away.

And walking a night road alone frankly frightened Count Zheng.

Jing Renli called after him one final time:

“Brother Zheng!

“Next time—

Renli hopes I’ll be the one personally delivering our Emperor’s dowry to you!”

Zheng Fan waved without turning around.

“Good.”

“Brother Zheng!

“And the time after that—

Renli will...”

He thought about it.

Then Jing Renli suddenly felt there was little point shouting slogans.

Great ambition was not something screamed aloud.

Ambition was like fine wine.

It needed time to settle.

Jing Renli silently lifted the wine jar.

There was not much left.

But enough to moisten his throat once more.

Then he raised his head.

Looked at the sky.

And with a mighty swing—

**Smash!**

The wine jar shattered heroically against the ground.

Unfortunately perhaps he truly had drunk too much.

His arm lost strength midway through the throw.

The jar smashed directly across the top of his own foot.

“Hiss...

“Pain!

“Pain, pain, pain!”

...

Count Zheng still failed to catch up with the Marquis.

Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened on the road back to camp.

Tian Wujing had returned long before.

Zheng Fan did not disturb him again.

Instead, one of the Marquis’s personal guards led him toward the tent where he would sleep that night.

Inside the Princess had already fallen asleep.

She had spent the entire escape as a Princess of Chu.

Yet only after entering a Yan military camp did she finally enjoy one genuinely peaceful sleep.

Count Zheng sat down beside her.

Perhaps she sensed someone approaching.

Perhaps she recognized the particular feeling of his presence.

She turned sideways.

Then reached out and hugged his arm.

Zheng Fan gently brushed the loose hair from her temples.

Slowly he moved her hand away and returned it beneath the quilt.

Then he stood.

Walked outside the tent.

And sat down.

He drew a cigarette from the metal case.

Lit it.

Most people in this world were scum.

At least that was what Count Zheng felt.

Because inside the tent lay a Princess.

A girl who had abandoned her own state and followed him away.

Yet at this moment sitting outside the tent the people filling his mind were A’Ming, Xue San and...

Siniang.

Now he himself had returned safely.

Everything depended on them.

They should be all right.

“Ohohoho!

“Come, come!

“Little Fan is back!

“Hahahaha!

“I hear he even stole a Princess of Chu!”

That was Li Fusheng’s voice.

The Great Yan court’s power had already penetrated Litian City, Quhe City, and Yingdu.

Its bureaucratic system was gradually extending across the region.

On this point the Marquis of Jingnan had made things completely convenient.

He had no intention of becoming some local warlord ruling the land as his private kingdom.

As the court gradually strengthened its administrative control over Jin territory he simply turned a blind eye.

Territory was actually the foundation of a military governor’s independent power.

The Marquis certainly understood that principle.

And because of that as part of the tacit exchange aside from the original Jingnan Army units that had entered Jin, the forces formerly belonging to Li Bao, Li Fusheng, the remnants of the First Prince’s Eastern Expedition army, and the preexisting Jin troops had all been placed under Tian Wujing’s unified reorganization.

At present throughout the lands of the Three Jin once an order of the Jingnan Army was issued, every military force in Jin, regardless of formal designation, had to obey.

This was the tacit understanding between the court and the Marquis of Jingnan.

First, Jin had only recently been annexed.

The people’s loyalties and the political situation could still fluctuate.

Second, threats remained beyond Jin territory the Savages of the snowfields, the Chu people, and others.

No matter what someone had to sit here and hold the entire region down.

So by now, it was already difficult to say whether Li Fusheng was still a Zhenbei Army General or had effectively become a Jingnan Army General.

Walking beside Li Fusheng was Ren Juan, originally a Jingnan Army General.

The moment Ren Juan arrived, saw Zheng Fan, and then noticed the tent behind him he immediately called:

“Where’s the Princess?

“Bring her out so we can have a look!

“Let us broaden our horizons too!

“Hahahaha!”

Count Zheng sat at the tent entrance.

A smile remained on his face.

He simply looked at Ren Juan.

Looked.

And kept looking.

Ren Juan opened his mouth.

Then felt somewhat awkward.

Li Fusheng immediately smoothed things over.

“What Princess?

“That’s our younger sister-in-law.

“Men and women must observe propriety.

“You need some manners.”

Ren Juan immediately understood.

He cupped his hands toward Zheng Fan.

“Ren was presumptuous.”

Count Zheng stood.

“The Princess has only just entered Yan.

“Everything is unfamiliar.

“Her thoughts are at their most sensitive.

“Besides— this Princess was not stolen by your younger brother.

“She followed me into Yan.”

A woman taken by force was a war trophy.

But if she had chosen to follow you home herself then matters involved mutual affection.

If so, Ren Juan’s earlier words genuinely had been too crude.

Equivalent to slapping Zheng Fan in the face.

After all no man enjoyed hearing his wife called around like merchandise.

Ren Juan hurriedly said:

“Brother Zheng.

“Brother Zheng.

“I was wrong.

“I apologize.

“I only just returned to camp after leading troops outside.

“My men told me you had returned, that you brought back a Princess, and then I heard the Chu army was withdrawing.

“My head got hot.

“My mouth had no gate.

“Don’t take offense.

“Don’t take offense.”

“Brother Ren speaks too seriously.”

Li Fusheng punched Ren Juan lightly in the chest.

“You, ah.

“Think more before speaking next time.

“We’re all brothers who hand each other our backs on the battlefield.

“But being brothers doesn’t mean everyone has to be crude and careless together.

“Precisely because we are brothers— we should be more particular in how we treat one another.”

Those words were meant for Ren Juan.

But also for Zheng Fan.

The meaning was simple:

Enough.

Everyone step down from the platform.

When Li Fusheng was not having one of his episodes he genuinely carried the air of an elder.

“Liqing greets both elder brothers.”

At that moment, the Princess awakened and walked outside.

She saluted Li Fusheng and Ren Juan.

Earlier, both men had still regarded the Princess’s existence with a faint trace of contempt almost as though she were a glorious battle standard worth boasting about.

But when they actually saw her two veteran generals hardened through countless battles suddenly became faintly constrained.

Because the Princess herself was poised and generous.

Standing beside the campfire of a military camp she still carried naturally dignified bearing.

And of course the most important point was this:

Great Chu had not been destroyed.

She was not the Princess of a fallen state.

Li Fusheng chuckled.

“Hehehe.

“Younger Sister-in-law.

“Good to meet you.”

Ren Juan cupped his fists.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Please come inside, Elder Brothers.

“Earlier Liqing asked the field kitchen to prepare some ingredients.

“I was just about to make a few Chu snacks for you both to taste.”

“Oh-ho.

“Younger Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard.

“Then we’ll be waiting for a good meal!”

Li Fusheng and Ren Juan followed Zheng Fan into the tent.

That small unpleasantness from earlier once spoken through no longer counted for anything.

Zheng Fan told Li Fusheng and Ren Juan what he had experienced inside Chu.

Li Fusheng and Ren Juan, in turn, explained the fighting around Zhennan Pass over the past two months.

During the conversation, the Princess brought in the snacks.

The food was simple.

Nothing especially delicate or delicious.

But a Princess had personally made it.

So Li Fusheng and Ren Juan both ate a little more than they normally would.

There had not been much to begin with.

In the end they simply finished everything.

Before leaving, Zheng Fan also asked about Li Qian.

He learned that not long after Zheng Fan entered Chu, Seventh Uncle had escorted her to Yingdu.

If Yingdu could not find an expert capable of helping then they would have to take her to Yanjing and search there for someone who could wake her.

Finally—

Count Zheng asked Ren Juan and Li Fusheng for one favor.

He currently had no soldiers beside him.

So he could only rely on them to arrange it.

After hearing the request, Li Fusheng burst out laughing and agreed immediately.

Once Ren Juan and Li Fusheng left the Princess naturally leaned against Zheng Fan’s shoulder.

Then asked:

“Commandery Princess?

“The Commandery Princess from the Marquis of Zhenbei Residence?”

“She’s very famous?” Zheng Fan asked.

“Extremely famous.

“I hear she can even lead troops in battle.

“There have always been rumors that her splendor does not yield to men.”

“Something like that.

“She is an impressive woman.”

“She’s unconscious?”

“Yes.

“Something unexpected happened.

“She fell unconscious.”

Xiong Liqing’s eyes turned slightly.

Then she whispered:

“Husband.

“Was it your doing?”

What surprised Xiong Liqing slightly was that Zheng Fan answered with complete directness.

He simply nodded.

“Yes.”

Xiong Liqing bit her lip.

She was not frightened.

Instead she appeared faintly excited.

She even leaned over and gently bit Zheng Fan’s earlobe.

Then said:

“Playing with a Commandery Princess wasn’t enough— so you came to play with a Princess next?

“Is that it?”

Count Zheng drew in a deep breath.

Then said:

“Don’t play with fire.”

Xiong Liqing became half angry, half amused.

She asked:

“If husband and wife don’t play with fire, then what should they play with?

“A block of ice?

“Back when we were still fleeing, you were the one who said we shouldn’t do anything yet.

“You were afraid I wouldn’t be able to walk properly the next day and someone would notice.

“Now we’ve already reached Yan.

“Count Zheng— the Qu Clan matrons inspected me.

“My body is clean.”

“I know.”

“Count Zheng.

“Don’t tell me you intend to bring me out clean— then send me back clean too?”

Count Zheng finally laughed.

“You’re thinking too much.”

Xiong Liqing pouted.

“Once Elder Sister Feng comes back—

I may not get another turn.”

“She— may not necessarily return.”

Until he received confirmed news about Siniang and A’Ming’s group—

Count Zheng could not relax for even one moment.

“She definitely will.

“If she isn’t around— how boring would life become?”

“Oh?

“You two already appreciate each other that much?”

“Thinking back now, when Elder Sister Feng entered that private room to capture me, she really was dashing.

“Then I spent several days with her in the Fan Residence.

“That woman truly is extraordinary.

“Sometimes I even think— if you’re busy outside in the future and I remain inside the residence with her—

I definitely won’t be lonely.

“There are so many stories hidden inside her.”

Count Zheng pointed toward himself.

Then asked:

“So who exactly did you fall for?

“Me— or her?”

...

Ren Juan and Li Fusheng walked side by side.

Li Fusheng spoke:

“Old Ren.

“I know Zheng Fan used to serve under you.”

“Yeah.

“So?”

“When a person rises in the world, he often does one thing afterward.

“Know what?”

“What?”

“Kill his former superior.”

“...”

Ren Juan.

“You should have noticed too.

“The Marquis values him enormously.”

“Even if he wants to inherit the mantle, he still needs to see whether the rest of us agree.”

“Tsk.

“You say that like the Marquis needs to ask your opinion before making a decision.

“You don’t agree?

“Easy enough.”

For a moment—

Ren Juan had nothing to say.

“Think it through.

“When a former subordinate suddenly rises until he stands level with you, any normal person will feel uncomfortable.”

“I don’t.

“No matter how much of a bastard I am, I’m not the kind of man who envies talent.

“Especially not inside the army.

“Every rank and title Zheng Fan possesses was fought for blade by blade on battlefields.

“I accept it.

“And I acknowledge him.”

“Then make sure your posture matches that.”

“I understand.”

The two walked for a while longer.

Then Ren Juan said:

“Still— a Princess really is a Princess.

“The feeling she gives off is genuinely different.”

“When we broke the Jin imperial capital, didn’t you see any Princesses there?”

“Those didn’t really count anymore.

“Different.

“First, the Yu imperial house had decayed for so long that there was nothing left but an empty shell.

“They didn’t even count as having appearances without substance anymore.

“Second, that Jin Emperor is young and seems not to care much for women.

“He barely has any consorts beside him.

“If we get the chance someday— when we break the capital of another state—

I’ll steal a Princess for myself too.”

A smile appeared on Li Fusheng’s face.

“Sure.

“Go ahead.

“No one will stop you from courting death.”

“What do you mean?”

Li Fusheng stared at Ren Juan.

Then spoke one word at a time:

“Steal a Princess **before** the state falls— great merit.

“Steal a Princess **after** the state falls— capital crime.”

Ren Juan released a long breath.

That was absolutely correct.

Li Fusheng slapped his forehead.

“Oh, right.

“Nearly forgot the important thing.

“I need to quickly pick three hundred soldiers with loud voices and send them beneath Zhennan Pass.

“Right.

“What shape did Little Fan say again?”

Li Fusheng drew a circle with his left hand.

Ren Juan said:

“Oh.

“It should be like this.”

Ren Juan brought both hands together.

“This.

“Forget it.

“I’ll choose the men from my own troops.”

“Fine.

“You handle it.”

...

When Jing Renli returned to Zhennan Pass, he went directly to see Grand Commander Nian Yao.

The Grand Commander sat on the threshold of his residence eating noodles.

Slurp.

Slurp.

He ate with obvious enjoyment.

Truthfully—

Nian Yao had not liked sitting on thresholds in the past.

At the very least, he had never possessed such a habit before.

Later somewhere along the way he heard that the Marquis of Jingnan liked sitting on thresholds.

So Nian Yao copied him.

Now whenever Nian Yao ate, sitting on a stool actually felt uncomfortable.

Only sitting on the threshold made the food taste right.

“Greetings, Grand Commander.”

Jing Renli saluted.

“Sit.”

Nian Yao patted the threshold beside himself.

Jing Renli carefully sat down.

Nian Yao drank a mouthful of noodle broth.

Then said:

“According to the stories, that Southern Marquis of Yan once invited someone to sit beside him in exactly this way.

“Just like you and I now.

“That person— was Count Pingye of Yan.”

“Grand Commander.

“This subordinate met Count Pingye.”

“Oh?”

Nian Yao turned his head and looked at Jing Renli.

“You saw the Southern Marquis.

“And Count Pingye?”

“Yes.

“I saw both.

“They were together.”

Jing Renli paused.

Then added:

“Their relationship truly is extremely close.”

“That is only natural.”

Nian Yao continued eating noodles.

Jing Renli silently peeled garlic for him.

“Haa...”

The Grand Commander put down his bowl.

Then picked up one clove of garlic and bit into it.

“Didn’t see the main Yan force, did you?”

“Only that Southern Marquis and Count Pingye.

“Just the two of them.”

“Heh.

“As expected.”

“Grand Commander had already guessed?”

Nian Yao nodded.

“I guessed.

“But I didn’t dare gamble.

“And besides—

I’m tired of this fight too.

“Might as well use the opportunity to withdraw.”

The Grand Commander showed absolutely no sense of humiliation at having “fallen for the trick.”

“Heh-heh.

“These past two months, this general has actually felt for a while that something was wrong.

“I could never understand exactly what that Southern Marquis of Yan intended.

“If he wanted to attack the pass— it never looked like an assault.

“If he wanted to bypass the pass and plunge directly into Chu— it didn’t look like that either.

“It almost felt like he was simply mobilizing troops and using us as partners in a military exercise.

“Then later— news came that Count Pingye of Yan stole the Princess on the day of the Qu Clan wedding.

“Only then did this general begin understanding.”

As he spoke—

Nian Yao stuffed the entire garlic clove into his mouth.

Breathing its sharp smell toward Jing Renli, he said:

“This general believes the movement of more than a hundred thousand Yan cavalry around Zhennan Pass these past two months— was actually all arranged to support Count Pingye’s bride theft inside Great Chu!”

Jing Renli froze.

Then suddenly, the sentence spoken by the Southern Marquis of Yan appeared inside his mind:

*Since he has returned, we stop fighting.*

It really did seem that way.

But this was simply too unbelievable.

How could anything like this happen?

Matters of national war an entire military front mobilized merely to help one man steal a bride?

“Enough, enough.

“You’ve worked hard this time too.

“You little brat do have courage.

“Not bad.

“You’ve got some of my old style.

“Remember this.

“If you want to rise— you need to dare do what other people do not dare.

“The fact that you risked your life tonight to meet that Southern Marquis of Yan— oh, and even met Count Pingye—

I’ll write it into my memorial and send it to His Majesty.”

Jing Renli instantly felt as though every layer of his thinking had been seen through.

He immediately dropped to his knees and saluted.

“Many thanks for the Grand Commander’s grace in promoting this subordinate!”

“What promotion?

“The opportunity was something you fought for yourself.

“You’re different from me, kid.

“You know my background.

“I was born a household slave.

“True, I was His Majesty’s household slave— but a slave is still something that cannot be brought onto a proper stage.

“For me to sit where I do now—

His Majesty has also endured plenty of pressure.

“You’re different.

“Don’t be fooled because your clan does not value you today.

“Once you slowly climb upward— you’ll discover that the same clan relatives who once treated you like weeds will begin regarding you as one of the family’s core pillars.

“They’ll gather around you like stars surrounding the moon.

“The clan’s resources will naturally flow to you as well.

“When that day comes— let me put it this way.

“If this general ever falls into trouble in the future— perhaps I’ll need you to pull me back up.”

“Grand Commander.

“This subordinate would not dare.”

“Dare my ass!

“Your birth alone is already better than mine.

“That one thing— even if I whipped a horse until it died—

I could never catch up to you.

“I’m a household slave.

“My son is still the son of a household slave.

“Even if I’m ennobled and enter the ranks of titled nobility, within three generations the mark of household slavery will still cling to my family.

“You’re different, brat.

“You can make it.

“This old man thinks highly of you.

“Right.

“If Count Pingye has already returned— then our Fourth Princess...?”

“She should be safe.”

“Good.

“Good.

“His Majesty still values family affection.”

“I hear that on the wedding day, the Fourth Princess personally said she chose Count Pingye.

“That she herself wanted to leave with him?”

“Heh-heh.

“That’s exactly what happened.

“A grown daughter cannot be kept at home.

“This time, the Qu Clan has lost every shred of face.

“But how should one put it?

“For us— it may not actually be a bad thing.

“Think about it.

“From now on, that Count Pingye is our Emperor’s brother-in-law.

“That makes him family.

“If the Yan people want to march south— let them attack Qian first.

“As long as we can remain at peace here, better to remain at peace.

“I used to think I was one of the seeds of this age’s great commanders.

“Then I spent these past two months playing against that Southern Marquis.

“Damn his mother.

“I haven’t slept one peaceful night!”

Facing the Marquis of Jingnan across two armies the mental pressure was simply too enormous.

You could not allow yourself even the slightest lapse.

Truthfully, Tian Wujing had indeed mobilized his army partly to support Zheng Fan.

But if a real chance to break through the pass had appeared he would never have refused it.

It was only because Nian Yao had remained cautious and because Yan’s conditions were still insufficient that the Marquis of Jingnan never found a genuine opening.

“Grand Commander.

“Why do I feel that once he becomes family— family may end up fighting family even more fiercely?

“After all— that is the best way to prove one’s own superiority.”

“Hiss...”

Nian Yao drew in a breath.

Then nodded.

“That actually makes some sense.”

After thinking briefly—

Nian Yao said:

“In any case, I don’t want to remain at Zhennan Pass playing against that Southern Marquis anymore.

“Besides— for a man born as a household slave to keep sitting in command of Zhennan Pass like this sooner or later those great noble houses may become dissatisfied.

“Once matters settle, I’ll submit a memorial to His Majesty.

“I’ll say there probably won’t be any major war here for the time being.

“I’d rather go south and fight the Shanyue.

“Much more comfortable.

“As for Zhennan Pass—heh-heh— the Qu Clan’s newly rebuilt Azure Luan Army can come here and exercise.

“Let the Qu Clan defend Zhennan Pass.

“After all— they’re truly family now.”

“Grand Commander is wise.”

“How about that?

“Good idea, right?

“The more I think about it, the more interesting it gets.

“Wait.

“Something is wrong.

“Judging by the distance— if Count Pingye and the Princess had gone through Qishan or Mengshan, they should not be appearing outside our camp right now.

“Unless they flew.

“So they probably never used the Mengshan or Qishan routes.

“They must have crossed the mountain ranges west of Zhennan Pass.

“That pack of Qu Clan idiots really are useless.

“They’re probably still turning Mengshan and Qishan upside down searching.”

Because of his background, Nian Yao naturally carried a certain instinctive rejection toward Chu’s aristocratic clans.

He had wanted to play among them too.

But even after becoming Grand Commander they still despised his origins.

Jing Renli was similar.

Although born into a noble house he possessed no affection whatsoever for those genuine golden sons of aristocracy.

At this moment, the two men unexpectedly developed a strange sense of mutual understanding.

Then, a messenger rushed over to report that Yan cavalry had appeared outside Zhennan Pass.

“Damn it!

“Didn’t we just agree both sides would withdraw and stop fighting?

“Why are they here again?”

...

Outside Zhennan Pass more than three hundred Yan cavalry held blazing torches.

They made no attempt to approach the city wall or the Chu camps beneath it.

Instead they remained at a safe distance beyond bowshot.

The three hundred riders spread out while waving their torches.

They formed a deliberate pattern.

Then shouted in unison:

Young Lord Qu’s schemes would settle All Under Heaven—
only to lose both bride and troops in the bargain!

[End of Chapter 457]