Chapter 606: - Laying the Foundation!

Marquis of Le’an’s lips moved several times, but in the end, he did not dare voice a rebuke.

He even hesitated over whether he should report what had just happened once he returned.

By rights, he had come as the Emperor’s representative. Zheng Fan should have remained kneeling and allowed him to place the court cap upon his head. Only then would the ceremony have been complete.

Instead, Zheng Fan had taken the cap from his hands and put it on himself.

What was that supposed to mean?

If one deliberately chose to interpret it in the harshest possible way, it was arrogance born of merit and contempt for the Son of Heaven!

Being rude to Marquis of Le’an himself did not matter. He had spent most of his life living cautiously beneath his imperial brother’s authority and understood his own position perfectly well.

But this was disrespect toward the Emperor.

And yet... and yet... and yet...

Marquis of Le’an did not dare ask even a single question.

They were surrounded by tens of thousands of troops.

From this day onward, this place would become the frontier domain of the man before him.

Most importantly, Marquis of Le’an was almost certain that if he genuinely felt offended and reported this incident to his imperial brother, the next thing to happen would not be an imperial decree rebuking and punishing the Marquis of Pingxi.

Barring the unexpected, the rod would fall on Marquis of Le’an himself.

A member of the imperial clan deliberately sowing discord between the Emperor and a great minister.

Marquis of Le’an drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced toward Eunuch Huang.

Only then did he discover that Eunuch Huang had already prostrated himself.

“...” Marquis of Le’an.

“This slave congratulates the Marquis of Pingxi! May your house hold rank as Duke and Marquis for ten thousand generations! Ten thousand generations!”

Across eight hundred years, Marquis had been the highest noble rank Great Yan normally granted to men outside the imperial clan. Only two exceptions had appeared: the Prince of Zhenbei and the Prince of Jingnan.

Different states had different systems. A Great Yan marquisate earned through military merit truly carried no less weight than the title of Duke elsewhere, and at minimum was not inferior to a Pillar of State in Chu.

Because the Marquis of Pingxi was being granted a frontier domain.

He was being permitted to establish a headquarters and raise his own banners.

The rules and structure were modeled on the Marquis of Zhenbei Residence from a century earlier.

Marquis of Le’an knelt too.

Then he immediately felt something was wrong.

He was also a Marquis.

He was also a member of the imperial clan.

It was enough that he had chosen not to put on airs and had treated Zheng Fan politely. Why the hell was he kneeling?

What kind of propriety was this?

What kind of propriety!

Losing his own face did not matter much.

But if he lost his imperial brother’s face too, he would be punished again after returning.

Marquis of Le’an knew very well that there had to be Secret Intelligence Department eyes hidden somewhere among this entire group.

Earlier, when the Marquis of Pingxi stood and put the court cap on himself, even if Marquis of Le’an chose not to report it, his imperial brother would still learn what had happened.

And if Marquis of Le’an himself knelt?

His imperial brother would definitely hear about that too.

The first incident was probably harmless.

The second might very well cause him to be punished for both incidents together.

Marquis of Le’an hurriedly scrambled back to his feet.

But at that moment, Marquis Zheng drew Wuyai and pointed the blade forward.

At once, the soldiers across the field dropped to their knees in great waves, row after row, like human surf rolling outward.

They shouted together:

“Greetings, Marquis of Pingxi!”

“Greetings, Marquis of Pingxi!”

“Greetings, Marquis of Pingxi!”

The first roars were vast but somewhat chaotic.

Slowly, however, they gathered into a single rhythm.

For a moment, the force of their voices seemed ready to shatter the clouds.

Marquis of Le’an, who had only just gotten back to his feet, felt his knees go weak.

He collapsed onto the platform again.

Heaven have mercy.

Ever since reaching adulthood, this idle imperial clansman had spent his life trembling beneath his imperial brother’s pressure, treading as carefully as though walking on thin ice.

When had he ever witnessed a scene like this?

And the terrifying thing was not merely the tens of thousands of mouths shouting below.

The truly frightening thing was that those tens of thousands were soldiers.

Tiger troops who had only just returned from the campaign against Chu, killing intent still soaked into their bones.

Veterans who had survived the battlefield possessed a kind of aura once they gathered in mass.

Words could not easily describe it.

“ROAR!”

Zheng Fan’s Pixiu, Campaigning Against Chu, released a low growl and charged toward the platform.

Zheng Fan held his saber and jumped down.

He landed on the Pixiu’s back.

The beast surged forward.

Marquis Zheng reached out, seized a Black Dragon Banner, and began riding through the sea of troops.

That single scene pushed the atmosphere to its absolute peak.

The soldiers were nearly roaring themselves hoarse.

Some were nearly in tears.

They screamed almost madly, hammering weapons against their armor as though every last one of them had gone insane.

Yes.

Insane.

Truly insane.

And it was not only the ordinary soldiers being swept up in the mood.

Li Fusheng and the other Garrison Commanders and generals were caught in it too.

They hammered their armor again and again.

They roared at the top of their lungs.

On the platform, Marquis of Le’an had been frightened senseless by the spectacle.

Almost blurting the first thing that entered his mind, he stammered:

“Th-this... is this a camp mutiny...?”

Eunuch Huang turned helplessly and looked at him.

Then he reached out and took Marquis of Le’an’s hand.

Truthfully, Eunuch Huang had no idea whether this Marquis of Le’an was genuinely this useless or merely pretending.

After all, several of the Emperor’s other brothers had died young. Not long after His Majesty took the throne, one after another had fallen ill and passed away.

“Marquis, don’t worry. Don’t worry. This slave is here.”

Eunuch Huang’s reassurance gave Marquis of Le’an tremendous support.

The Marquis immediately gripped Eunuch Huang’s hand with both of his and nodded repeatedly.

...

“What... is happening?”

Standing beside the Sword Saint, Hero Chen could not help asking.

This scene looked almost completely devoid of order.

And it had been caused by that man.

More precisely, that man had deliberately created it.

Hero Chen had come into contact with Qian troops before.

In his eyes, Qian soldiers could be described with two words: loose and scattered.

Even after the Qian court reorganized the Three Frontiers following the Yan invasion four years earlier, compared with the Yan army, and especially with the Snow Sea Army Hero Chen had observed from close range for so long, they still gave people an unmistakable sense of slackness.

The Yan army was famous for discipline, organization, and obedience to orders.

Yet now it looked wilder than a mountain bandit gang.

The Sword Saint said:

“He was born a commoner. Entered the army as a civilian laborer. Earned military merit. Climbed step by step. Married an imperial princess. Received office. Became Count. And now, Marquis.”

The Sword Saint looked at Hero Chen.

“What drives men most mad is not a myth. It is seeing someone like themselves inside that myth.”

That was why the First Prince being made Marquis of Andong had not created this kind of excitement.

First, because the First Prince’s military merit had been somewhat forced.

Second, because he belonged to the imperial clan.

And in truth, the second reason mattered even more, at least before a scene like the one now unfolding.

An imperial prince was destined from birth to exist on a different level from ordinary people.

His life was different.

But Zheng Fan, the former Count Zheng and now Marquis Zheng, had walked from the rank of commoner into a marquisate earned through military merit.

It was a genuine dream.

And the starting point of that dream was the doorway of a thatched cottage that anyone might have called home.

“His rise lets these soldiers see hope. It lets them believe a dream can become real,” the Sword Saint said with a smile. “So long as Great Yan’s army still clings to military merit, so long as its soldiers remain obsessed with that dream, the hooves of Yan horses will never truly stop. And now there is the example of Marquis Zheng. His story will become something Yan children hear when they are small. Young men of Yan will once again treat winning a marquisate from horseback as truth itself. And Yan soldiers will charge into every future battle ready to die.”

The Sword Saint held Longyuan across his arms.

After a brief pause, he continued:

“From today onward, at least among the common people, his reputation may surpass even the Prince of Jingnan’s. Partly because Tian Wujing exterminating his own clan years ago ruined his image among the public. But the greater reason is that Tian Wujing was born into the Tian Clan, once one of Great Yan’s greatest aristocratic houses.”

Different starting points made people think:

That dream is yours.

I am not worthy of having it.

Hero Chen pondered for a moment.

Then he looked at the Sword Saint.

“So you are the same?”

“What?” The Sword Saint seemed surprised.

“Among the Four Great Swordsmen, the other three all had powerful backgrounds. Only you did not.”

“My surname is Yu.”

He, Yu Huaping, was a member of the imperial clan!

Then the Sword Saint laughed again.

“Though that imperial-clan status could not even feed me.”

Hero Chen smiled.

“Master Yao once asked whether I wanted him to arrange for me to seek instruction from Baili Sword.”

The Sword Saint replied:

“Li Liangshen commands the Zhenbei Army. He would not spare a second glance for a man of Qian like you. The one in Chu would only examine your sword and adjust the grain of the metal for you. He would never personally spar with you. But Baili Sword... given Yao Zizhan’s connections inside Qian, the Baili Clan would grant him that face.”

“But I refused.”

“Why?” The Sword Saint laughed again. “You’re just like Zheng on the road a few days ago. I already know what you are going to say.”

Hero Chen rubbed his sword somewhat sheepishly.

The Sword Saint said:

“But I’m different from Zheng. He enjoys ruining the mood by saying the answer first. I prefer hearing you say it yourself.”

Hero Chen nodded.

“Because my birth was humble too.”

“Humble?”

“Yes. For a very long time, I never thought of myself as humble. It was only after learning the word from Master Yao that I realized I had once been humble. So among the Four Great Swordsmen, you were always the one I admired. Because I felt you and I had many things in common.”

The Sword Saint closed his eyes.

He enjoyed hearing that.

Hero Chen continued:

“So I think most swordsmen beneath Heaven use you as their example. They want to walk a road like yours. Just like... Marquis Zheng right now.”

The Sword Saint slowly opened his eyes.

He nodded.

“After all, the people who exist in greatest number in this world are still ordinary men.”

...

“What do you think?”

Atop the city wall, the Prince of Jingnan asked the question.

Lu Bing still stood beside him.

Lu Bing nodded.

“Perhaps I understand a little now why His Majesty insisted on promoting Count Pingye. No, he is the Marquis of Pingxi now. It was not only because the Marquis of Pingxi had distinguished military achievements. It was not only because Your Highness values him. Whatever His Majesty does, His Majesty has reasons of his own. Perhaps I can only see what lies in front of me. His Majesty’s gaze, however, always reaches far beyond. His Majesty is burying a root. The Marquis of Zhenbei Residence was founded more than a century ago. It has been more than a century since the people of Great Yan saw the first Marquis of Zhenbei perform extraordinary deeds and ascend directly to the Emperor’s gate. Too long has passed. Far too long. It is time for something new.”

The Prince of Jingnan said nothing.

Lu Bing continued:

“But today’s spectacle truly makes me feel this journey was worthwhile. With the Marquis of Pingxi holding eastern Jin, I believe eastern Jin can know peace for twenty years.”

“Do your own work properly,” the Prince of Jingnan reminded him.

“Yes. I understand.”

“Do not casually say things like twenty years. Twenty years is too long. What was Great Yan ten years ago? And what is Great Yan today?”

“Your Highness’s rebuke is correct.”

“Do you think His Majesty has one year left?”

Lu Bing fell silent.

By rights, a subject should never be asked such a question.

And Lu Bing, of all men, should certainly never answer it.

Yet the Prince of Jingnan had asked something he should not have asked.

And even refusing to answer was still a kind of answer.

In the end, after hesitating, Lu Bing said:

“His Majesty’s meaning is that the matter of the succession must be settled.”

“That is why it is tedious,” the Prince of Jingnan said.

Lu Bing bowed.

He was preparing to withdraw.

But before he could leave, the Prince of Jingnan turned his head and looked directly at him.

Lu Bing’s body stiffened.

He could only raise his head again and look at this Great Yan prince whose expression remained calm, but whose hair had long since turned completely white.

“I originally thought that of the three of us, he should have been the most ruthless. But in the end, now that he is old, he cannot bear to do it?”

Sweat began appearing on Lu Bing’s forehead.

He forced himself to answer:

“His Majesty is considering Great Yan’s plans for the next hundred years!”

“He has grown old.”

Lu Bing did not dare respond again.

“He does not truly enjoy watching his sons fight. Nor is he unwilling to surrender the authority that comes with the Dragon Throne. Tell me. When did he begin feeling this softness? Was it the night Old Third died? The night Old Third died in his arms?”

“Your Highness, you...”

“If he simply closes the gates of the Rear Garden and truly keeps them shut for a month, then when he opens them again, will the succession not have settled itself? Where does all this trouble come from?”

At last, the Prince of Jingnan withdrew his gaze from Lu Bing.

Then he continued:

“Tell him to wait. This Prince will go to Yanjing, but I will not rush. If he cannot wait until I arrive, that is his problem.”

Lu Bing opened his mouth.

Then clenched his teeth.

At last, he still said:

“Your Highness, how am I supposed to explain that to His Majesty?”

“Then first ask him how he intends to explain himself to Li Liangting.”

...

After the uproarious investiture ceremony came the inevitable celebration of wine and meat.

The ordinary soldiers did not dare rush forward and surround Marquis Zheng.

Li Fusheng, Luo Ling, and the other Garrison Commanders did not go drag him away to drink either.

They understood that the ceremony had ended, but for Zheng Fan, the process was not yet finished.

He still needed to meet someone.

And that person had not appeared on the platform today.

Marquis Zheng understood exactly what he needed to do.

He returned to his own camp first.

Hero Chen was already waiting there according to his instructions, a wooden box strapped to his back.

Marquis Zheng hesitated.

Then he looked toward the Sword Saint.

“Could I trouble you?”

The Sword Saint had been leaning against a wooden pillar with his eyes closed as though dozing.

He opened them.

“What did you say?”

“Uh, could you...”

“No.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

He reached out, lifted the steaming wooden box from Hero Chen’s back, held it himself, mounted his Pixiu, and rode toward the city gate.

Hero Chen looked at the Sword Saint in confusion.

“What happened?”

The Sword Saint answered irritably:

“I am not going to wait on Tian Wujing.”

Hero Chen looked even more confused.

“Then why wouldn’t he let me go?”

The Sword Saint chuckled twice.

“Because he is afraid you might stab Tian Wujing with your sword!”

Hero Chen was a man of Qian.

Hero Chen was extremely close to Yao Zizhan.

Yao Zizhan had once been Governor-General of Qian’s Three Frontiers.

And Tian Wujing was Great Yan’s God of War.

So long as Tian Wujing remained alive, Great Yan’s iron cavalry riding south against Qian again was inevitable.

And yes, Hero Chen was presently standing in the middle of the Yan army.

Inside and outside Fengxin City, countless elite Yan troops were gathered.

But given Hero Chen’s personality, there were certain things he simply would not care about.

If this had been the old Tian Wujing, there would have been no problem.

The problem was that Old Tian was now seriously wounded.

After hearing the Sword Saint’s explanation, Hero Chen suddenly slapped his hands together in realization.

“That’s right!”

Unfortunately, the opportunity was gone.

The Sword Saint shook his head helplessly.

Then reminded him:

“In the future, stop saying you are like me.”

“You no longer care about empty reputation?” Hero Chen asked.

The Sword Saint shook his head.

“No. I just find it embarrassing.”

...

Zheng Fan carried the wooden box into the city, climbed the steps, and reached the gate tower.

Tian Wujing, who had originally been standing beside the battlement, turned and looked at him.

Once Zheng Fan drew close, Tian Wujing said:

“Reckless.”

He was referring to Zheng Fan taking the court cap and putting it on himself.

Zheng Fan replied:

“I earned those military merits myself. Of course I should put the cap on myself.”

Tian Wujing shook his head.

“That was not good.”

“Learned it from you.”

“If you learn from me, do you think you’ll come to a good end?”

“Learning half is enough.” Marquis Zheng smiled. “Enough to scare them to death.”

Tian Wujing sighed.

Wrapped in his cloak, he slowly walked to the threshold of the gate tower and sat down.

The first time Zheng Fan had ever met the Prince of Jingnan, Tian Wujing had been sitting on the threshold of a mourning hall.

That day, the Prince of Jingnan had been heroic.

Domineering.

Sharp.

Today, the man was still the same man.

But the feeling was completely different.

Zheng Fan sat down on the threshold beside him.

He opened the wooden box.

Inside was another layer of cotton cloth.

He unfolded it.

Steamed buns lay within, still giving off heat.

“Last time you said you missed those stuffed steamed buns from Snow Sea Pass, so I brought some specially for you. Here. Eat while they’re hot. After these buns are steamed, they can be stored for quite a while. Heat them once and they’re fine. Heat them two or three times and the flavor starts fading.”

“You came here to be made Marquis,” Tian Wujing said.

“Bringing you steamed buns was the main purpose. Becoming Marquis was incidental.”

Zheng Fan handed Tian Wujing one bun and took one for himself.

The two bit into their buns at the same time.

Zheng Fan chewed while looking toward Tian Wujing.

Seeing a thoughtful look appear in his eyes, Zheng Fan immediately asked:

“What’s wrong?”

Tian Wujing held the bun he had bitten and extended it forward.

“Red-bean paste filling.”

“Mine is shredded radish. Here.”

Zheng Fan offered Tian Wujing the bun he had already bitten.

Then he took the red-bean bun from Tian Wujing’s hand.

The two continued eating.

Halfway through, Tian Wujing looked at Zheng Fan.

“I remember you once said you didn’t like red-bean paste either. Said it was too cloying.”

Marquis Zheng took another large bite.

While chewing, he replied:

“Looks like we’ll be short on grain soon. Have to save food.”

“Really?”

“Pretending.”

Tian Wujing said nothing more.

He continued eating slowly.

After he finished one bun, Zheng Fan took another from the box and held it out.

“Another?”

Tian Wujing shook his head.

“Come on. Have one more.”

“Fine delicacies would be one thing. You’re forcing a Prince to eat steamed buns?”

“I steamed these myself.”

Hearing that, Tian Wujing reached out and accepted the bun.

“A mighty Marquis actually went into the kitchen to steam buns himself.”

“No. I don’t steam buns.”

Marquis Zheng shook his head.

Then his eyes suddenly reddened slightly.

He opened them wide several times.

Pressed his lips together.

Lowered his head a little.

And said:

“I’m a Marquis now.”

“Mm.”

Marquis Zheng drew a deep breath.

Then smiled.

“Brother. I did you proud, didn’t I?”

[End of Chapter 606]