Chapter 826: The Prince

THWANG!

THWANG!

THWANG!

“Bullseye! Bullseye!”

“Whoa!”

Prince Pingxi loosed three arrows in succession.

All three struck the center of the target.

Tian Tian and Crown Prince Ji Chuanye cheered excitedly beside him.

For once, both children looked exactly like children their age ought to look.

They both idolized Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan, however, rarely brought them to the drill ground.

Not because they were too young.

Purely because Zheng Fan was lazy.

Life at home was simply too comfortable.

Practice saber for half a day.

Then enjoy free time.

Take a bath.

Listen to Ruqing sing.

Go check on the bellies of Wife Number One and Wife Number Two.

Listen for movement.

Wait for the children to grow inside them.

Then wait for the children to be born.

What a rich and fulfilling life.

Perhaps outsiders could never imagine that Great Yan’s Prince Pingxi, regarded by every state in all Xia as a mortal threat and a ravenous wolf... was, for the coming half year, the person who most sincerely hoped the realm would remain peaceful.

Such was the life of a homebody.

Zheng Fan lowered the longbow and rolled his neck.

His archery had always been quite good.

The foundation laid at the very beginning had been solid.

After all, he could not let all the effort A’Ming had spent using himself as a garden sprinkler back then go to waste.

Next came Tian Tian’s turn to practice.

His bow was one size smaller.

Crown Prince Ji Chuanye’s was smaller still.

Zheng Fan personally taught both boys the correct way to shoot.

They listened seriously.

Tian Tian was especially good.

After only a few arrows, he clearly began to find the proper feeling.

A bow was curved.

But when one truly shot, the body and bow became one whole.

Not in some mystical “man and sword as one” sense.

Rather, the body answered the bow.

Completed it.

That feeling had to be found.

And the best way to find it... was practice.

Archery looked simple.

Serious training was exhausting.

Tian Tian was sturdier than most children his age, but Zheng Fan still did not dare let him train to the point of exhaustion.

The boy had been raised inside the Residence, yet possessed none of the softness of a pampered rich child.

Instead, a streak of stubbornness hid deep in his bones.

That stubbornness reminded Zheng Fan of Old Tian.

After calling a halt...

Zheng Fan beckoned the boys over to eat barbecue.

Liu Ruqing came over to help.

The Princess sat nearby, looking forward to the meal immensely.

Despite being pregnant, she seemed entirely unbothered by smoke or flame.

In truth, today’s outing had happened because the Princess pestered Zheng Fan and said she wanted barbecue.

And if one was eating barbecue... doing it beneath open sky in the countryside was simply more enjoyable.

Zheng Fan had also gone to call Siniang.

No.

He had personally gone to invite her.

But Siniang did not come.

Recently the Residence had begun its advance economic “harvest” of the snowfields.

As the great steward of Prince Pingxi Residence’s finances, Siniang had too much work on her hands.

In Siniang’s own words:

Master, all of you go have fun. I won’t be jealous, I won’t feel neglected, and I certainly won’t sit here drowning in self-pity. That would be far too cheap.

Zheng Fan did not call anyone else.

This time he did not even invite the Sword Saint.

It was only the few members of the household.

As for safety...

A’Ming was reclining nearby drinking with Kashir.

Beyond him were eight hundred escort cavalry.

Closer still stood three hundred Brocade-Clad personal guards.

There was nothing to worry about.

The Prince was quite good at barbecue.

He personally had never been especially passionate about eating it.

To him, it was mostly something to enjoy for novelty.

The two children and two women ate much more.

Especially the Princess.

Her appetite was astonishing.

Zheng Fan only handled the grilling.

By the end, all the ingredients marinated the previous night and brought along today had been eaten.

The Princess still looked unsatisfied.

Fortunately, the personal guards hunted a deer.

After it was dressed and the venison delivered over, Zheng Fan used Wuya to slice the meat and grilled several venison chops.

Only then did the Princess finally eat her fill.

Almost immediately... she started clamoring for fruit.

Tian Tian brought the Crown Prince along to wash fruit with water.

Neither child showed the slightest reluctance about waiting on a pregnant woman.

If anything, both seemed to regard it as sacred.

As though they had suddenly become adults and were carrying out some solemn responsibility.

The Princess was delighted to order the pair around.

One moment she told Tian Tian to fetch something.

The next, the Crown Prince had to bring something else.

Tian Tian behaved well.

She kissed him once.

The Crown Prince behaved well too.

He got a kiss as well.

Then... she had both children massage her legs.

And they actually did it.

Careful.

Attentive.

Earnest.

The Princess laughed so happily she could barely stop.

The Heir of Prince Jingnan and the Crown Prince massaging her legs.

Tsk-tsk.

What treatment.

Yet the scene somehow remained completely harmonious.

The Princess was an elder.

And the child in her belly was Zheng Fan’s.

Once born, that child would be a younger brother or sister to both boys.

Besides, the Princess herself was imperial blood.

Her elder brother was the current Emperor of Chu.

In birth and lineage, no one could question her nobility.

So there was none of the strange feeling of someone overstepping rank or failing to understand hierarchy.

If a family had younger brothers or sisters... who had never ordered them around a little?

Zheng Fan found the whole thing amusing.

Her pregnancy was already showing clearly.

Yet her temperament had somehow become increasingly girlish.

Of course... part of that was because Siniang was not here this time.

When Siniang was present, Zheng Fan himself felt nothing.

But the children clearly feared and respected her.

The Princess and Liu Ruqing also became more restrained.

The children, Princess, and Ruqing sat playing on a silk blanket spread over the meadow, enjoying the sun.

Zheng Fan beckoned his Pixiu over.

A’Ming looked toward his Master.

Seeing Zheng Fan shake his head, A’Ming stayed where he was and continued drinking with Kashir.

Zheng Fan mounted the Pixiu and began riding circles around the area.

He had spent too long at home.

He did not feel bored yet.

But his body had indeed become a little heavy.

This was a good chance to loosen up.

The Pixiu stretched its legs and ran freely, venting the energy accumulated over these quiet days.

Every so often, the Prince on its back drew his saber and closed his eyes.

He did not need to imagine anything.

His own experiences already contained countless scenes he could pull out and savor for a long time.

Perhaps he was influenced by the laughter of the Princess and the children.

For once, the Prince let some youthful wildness rise again.

At that moment... it felt as though he were galloping once more across Qian’s northern frontier.

Then across the snowfields.

Then roaring through Chu.

A pity there was no giant eagle in the sky.

...

At the same time, west of Fengxin City...

Xue San and Fan Li had only just returned after their first round of mineral surveying produced nothing.

Then new intelligence arrived.

There seemed to be another mineral deposit to the northwest.

With no other choice... the two had to set out again.

Third Master had barely returned and had not even finished enjoying time with Hu Bamei before another official trip pulled him away.

He was somewhat depressed.

So he simply lowered his head, closed his eyes, and urged his horse into a gallop.

Every so often, he spread both arms with the bouncing motion.

People who knew what was happening could tell he was riding a horse.

People who did not... well.

Fan Li, meanwhile, was exactly as always.

He ran on his own two legs.

He had fallen slightly behind.

Then he noticed someone not far away riding a Pixiu beast at full speed toward the direction the two of them had just come from.

Several colored flags were stuck behind the rider.

Fan Li widened his eyes.

After confirming he had not seen wrong, he immediately accelerated.

Running on foot, he caught up with Xue San’s horse.

Then turned his head and shouted:

“Quick! Rein in your horse!”

Third Master thought this idiot Fan Li was mocking him.

He immediately cursed back:

“Happy? Happy my fucking ass!”

“...” Fan Li.

...

The messenger from South Gate Pass entered Fengxin City.

Then rode straight into Prince Pingxi Residence.

After delivering the military report... the messenger collapsed unconscious from exhaustion.

Xiao Yibo, who received the report, felt his heart thump.

After so many years as chief steward, handling the receipt and transfer of such messages had become familiar work.

Sometimes, whether intelligence was urgent had nothing to do with what the messenger rode.

Nor did it depend on how many colored flags were stuck behind him.

You only needed to watch whether the messenger collapsed after handing it over.

If he did... then something had happened that could not wait even one moment.

Xiao Yibo dared not delay.

He ran directly toward the administrative office.

By coincidence, the Blind Man was carrying several files and needed to discuss financial matters with Siniang.

Seeing Xiao Yibo hurry over, he raised one hand.

The military report flew from Xiao Yibo’s grip into his own.

“Mr. Bei, the messenger fainted.”

“Understood. See that he is cared for properly.”

“Yes, Mister.”

Xiao Yibo pursed his lips and withdrew.

The report was sealed with clay.

The place from which it had been sent was clearly marked.

When the Blind Man saw the words South Gate Pass... he smiled.

He carried the report into the administrative office.

Siniang was inside sorting cargo accounts.

“Something probably happened at South Gate Pass,” the Blind Man said.

Siniang did not even lift her head.

She continued working through the accounts.

“Isn’t that exactly what you were hoping for?”

“A little trouble there would be good. The Chu finally learned their lesson. Why insist on smashing their heads against ours at Zhennan Pass? If they create trouble around South Gate Pass, first, it makes the whole region nervous enough to highlight our importance while also giving us room to make money quietly. Second, it helps divide the Jin lands politically and strengthens our independence.”

“Careful the people trying to make trouble get swallowed whole by the Yan troops around South Gate Pass,” Siniang teased. “Then all your calculations go to waste. By the way, I’ve always wondered what you wrote in that letter you sent out and then took back.”

“I wrote that he should study hard and improve every day, and that perhaps one day I’d peel an orange for him.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Siniang shook her head.

“You didn’t draft some kind of plan for them too, did you?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“I did originally.”

“And then?”

“Then I took it back. If he is one of the Demon Kings, he doesn’t need to read it. If he isn’t, he isn’t worthy of reading it.”

“All right. I’m only reminding you to be careful. You know Master’s temper. Making a few harmless little moves behind his back is one thing. If you deliberately set out to deliberately harm Great Yan, Master will definitely be unhappy.”

“I know. I know.”

As he spoke, the Blind Man broke the sealing clay and unfolded the military report.

He “read” very quickly.

One sweep was enough.

Then... the Blind Man simply stood there.

For a long time... he did not move.

“What exactly happened?” Siniang finally looked up and asked.

The Blind Man lightly tossed the report.

It landed neatly before her.

Siniang read through it.

Then froze as well.

She asked:

“This isn’t some joke?”

The Blind Man shook his head.

“This is bad.”

“Blind Man, you...”

“Enough!”

The Blind Man spread both hands.

His expression was serious.

Very serious.

“I did not do this. And what happened, and the result it produced, are both far beyond anything I originally imagined. Let’s put this matter aside. Pretend you never knew about it either, all right?”

“You’re scared?”

“Li Fusheng is dead.”

The Blind Man licked his lips.

“Even if Master only learns that I once wanted to test something behind his back, I’m already in trouble.”

“You truly had nothing to do with this?”

“I might lie to Master. Why would I need to lie to you?”

“That’s true.”

Siniang raised one hand and slowly rubbed the space between her brows.

“The sky over western Jin is about to fall.”

The Blind Man answered:

“No. It already collapsed. The commander died in battle. His army was nearly annihilated. The last time we made that long-range raid on Fan City, Liang Cheng’s command of thirty thousand formed the main body, then we built the rest of the force around it with other troops. Li Fusheng’s command, after years of additions and reinforcement, together with auxiliary forces and servant troops, could easily form the backbone of an army flying the banner of ‘one hundred thousand.’ This means the western Jin region has suddenly lost the equivalent of one hundred thousand troops’ worth of combat power, and field combat power at that. More importantly, the consequences go far beyond the numbers written on the ledger. Qian and Chu will finally be able to draw a deep breath. The myth that Yan cannot be defeated has been broken. Politically. In the hearts of the people. In momentum. Even in national fortune. This single great defeat will shake all of them.”

The Blind Man identified the key almost immediately.

And that... was precisely why the rulers of Qian and Chu had insisted on fighting this battle.

In scale, it was nowhere close to a national war.

But they had to win once.

They had to win in a straight, brutal clash.

And they had to tear a large chunk of flesh from Yan.

Otherwise... once Yan finished recovering its strength and gathered armies again, no matter which state it attacked, that state’s troops would enter battle already three parts afraid.

Yan soldiers would arrive filled with absolute confidence, certain they were invincible.

How could anyone fight under those conditions?

What did it matter how many troops you raised or how much grain you gathered?

If the entire country went pale at the mere mention of Yan... if everyone heard “the Yan are coming” and frightened themselves half to death before the enemy even appeared... how could such a state fight a war?

How could it protect its altars of soil and grain?

Great Yan had spent years acting poor and ferocious.

Once that ferocity was broken... everyone could return to the kind of contest they preferred.

National strength.

Population.

Resources.

That was exactly what Qian and Chu most wanted.

Especially Qian.

One could even say this defeat would carry consequences deeper than the defeat at Wangjiang.

At Wangjiang, the army lost had been the Left-Wing Army of the eastern expedition, built largely from local commandery troops and regional military bosses.

Li Fusheng and the soldiers beneath him were not some commandery militia.

They were genuine, battle-hardened elites.

Siniang released a long breath.

Then put down the brush in her hand.

“Call Master back. Yan lost. Fine. I don’t actually feel much about that. But Li Fusheng died... Master will be very sad, won’t he?”

“There are not many people in this world Master genuinely cares about. Li Fusheng... was one of them.”

The Blind Man raised one hand and slapped his own forehead.

Then cursed:

“That bastard really went looking for death.”

...

“Brother Zheng, Big Brother wants to ask you one thing. Sometimes I just can’t control the urge to kill. When that happens, you’ve got to hold me back.”

“What are you hiding in the rear for? Your big brother likes leading the first charge! Where’s my Assault Battalion? Hm... Brother Zheng, step back. No need to charge with me.”

“Yo, Brother Zheng, made Marquis now, have you? Come, come. This humble general pays respects to Great Yan’s Marquis Pingxi! Hahahaha...”

“Shh. Brother Zheng. That Commandery Princess... you’re the one who turned her into this, aren’t you?”

...

Ordinarily, the evening meal inside Prince Pingxi Residence was always lively.

Adults.

Children.

Warmth.

Noise.

The feeling of an entire family gathered together.

Tonight... it was unusually cold and quiet.

No one dared disturb him.

Prince Pingxi sat alone before a table.

One plate of beans.

One pot of wine.

One man.

He drank until dawn.

[End of Chapter 826]