Chapter 903: Good Son

An assassination took place in Liuxia Town today.

Tian Rong, the master of the fortified settlement, was stabbed in the street and gravely wounded.

By sheer coincidence, when the assassin struck, Jin Shuke, Chief Commander of Zhennan Pass, happened to be making an “incognito inspection” in a nearby restaurant. The assassin was seized alive on the spot by the Chief Commander’s guards and thrown into prison.

Chief Commander Jin then calmed the crowd and delivered a few remarks, saying that once people had come here, it did not matter whether the intruder was a Chu soldier or one of Chu’s Phoenix Nest inner guards—none of them had any right to behave recklessly.

The disturbance stirred up during the day seemed to settle once night fell.

Tonight, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse.

Zheng Fan and the Sword Saint sat atop a watchtower inside Liuxia Town’s fortified settlement. A game board lay between them.

The Prince played white.

The Sword Saint played black.

After a round of fighting, the Prince smiled.

“Double three.”

The Sword Saint nodded. He had lost this round of gomoku.

The Sword Maid and Tian Tian came up the stairs. The Sword Maid carried a teapot, while Tian Tian carried a fruit tray.

Ji Chuanye did not come with them.

Zheng Fan noticed, but he did not ask.

If the Crown Prince of Great Yan was unwilling to face him merely because Zheng Fan had scolded him during the day, then this Crown Prince would truly be too fragile.

The Ji bloodline had always been rather good. Surely it had not suddenly collapsed in this generation.

Tian Tian spoke first.

“Dad, Little Brother went to apologize to General Jin.”

Daytime was daytime.

Nighttime was nighttime.

In public was one thing.

In private was another.

If appearances alone mattered, then the daytime apology had been enough. But Jin Shuke would be their Master from now on. In private, at night, another apology had to be made.

The House of Heaven was ruthless.

Yet the House of Heaven also valued ritual above all.

It was simply that ordinary people did not qualify to receive that ritual.

The Sword Saint picked up the stones from the board and asked, “Were you perhaps too harsh on him during the day?”

Zheng Fan gathered stones as well and smiled.

“Afraid?”

Naturally, he did not mean the Sword Saint was afraid.

A top jianghu swordsman could not stand against the true tides of the age and churn Heaven and Earth at will, but he could at least retreat one step and find the world broad before him.

The Sword Saint was afraid on Zheng Fan’s behalf.

He asked in return, “That child has a deep mind. He can think things through. He knows you meant well. But in the end... he will still be Emperor.”

When that Emperor one day remembered what had happened today, how would he feel?

Zheng Fan shook his head and sighed.

“Between me and him—and between me and his father—we’ve already reached this point. Affection exists, yes, but none of us truly relies on affection anymore. I’m not naturally that kind of man, but once you sit at this board and play this game, you’re destined to follow its rules. If I truly had no edges, if I were perfectly loyal to the court, if Great Yan’s position were a little stronger—so that losing eastern Jin would not cause chaos, and Qian and Chu would not dare stir—then Ji Old Sixth in Yanjing would probably give me a very respectable ending without the slightest hesitation. Afterward, he would come to my tomb carrying a jug of wine, hug my gravestone, cry, and tell me all about how difficult things had been for him.”

The Sword Saint seemed to imagine the scene.

Then he nodded.

Zheng Fan glanced at Tian Tian.

“As long as nobody tears the mask away, everyone will still treasure what remains. Ji Old Sixth and I reached a tacit understanding long ago. What the two of us must do in this generation is destroy Qian and Chu, sweep away every little state that still dares call itself sovereign, and recreate a unified All Xia. So deep down, at the most fundamental level, everyone already understands everything. But on the surface, we still need to put on a tender little play. Not because we are acting for the world to see, but because we both know the other side cannot be changed, and neither side can forcefully interfere with the other. Each is holding the other hostage. Since resistance is impossible, we may as well choose a more comfortable position.”

Tian Tian blinked.

The Sword Maid’s pretty face reddened.

The Prince placed another stone in the center of the cleared board.

Click.

The crisp sound rang out.

They were plainly playing gomoku, yet the way he placed the stone somehow carried the feeling of “Great Unity beneath Heaven.”

The Prince loved that sort of flourish.

He continued:

“In the end, he is my brother’s child. He’s being raised in my household. Food and drink won’t be lacking, but I also need to teach him how to conduct himself. He’s been calling me ‘Godfather’ for a while now. I haven’t taken it too seriously, but at least I’ve grown familiar with his face. Look at how his grandfather used his own sons. The Third Prince was sent out and crippled by me merely so Prince Jingnan could vent some anger. Then he was locked away at the lakeside pavilion for years. After finally being released, he was sent straight into another situation where he could ‘die a worthy death.’ Don’t be fooled by Ji Old Sixth having a bellyful of resentment toward his father. Now that he sits on that throne, and considering how much he already resembles the old man, he is probably becoming more and more like him. The only difference is that he may not be willing to treat his own sons as chicks—slaughtering them for soup or roasting them for meat whenever he pleases. But if that boy keeps some notion of ‘ethnic righteousness’ in his head and Ji Old Sixth discovers it, then for the sake of his Ji family’s realm, for Great Yan’s unification and future, lifelong confinement would probably be the minimum.”

The Sword Saint smiled.

“He’s still young, isn’t he?”

Zheng Fan shook his head.

“He is different. He is the foundation of the state. In this world, there are basically only two people qualified to teach him how to conduct himself and handle affairs: me and his father. Besides, the Crown Prince—the future Emperor—is not the same as an ordinary child. If an ordinary brat climbs onto a roof and tears off tiles, at worst the house leaks on a rainy day and two quilts get soaked. Him? He could punch a hole straight through the sky.”

Zheng Fan sighed.

Then he beckoned.

Tian Tian understood at once and stepped forward, allowing his father to rub his head.

“My Tian Tian is still the well-behaved one.”

Tian Tian gave him a simple, honest smile.

Zheng Fan knew this child had understood things from a very young age.

He simply knew how to keep them inside.

“Dad, Little Brother is younger than me,” Tian Tian said, still speaking up for the Crown Prince.

“The day his father sat on the dragon throne, even if he were still nursing, he was already older than ninety-nine percent of the people in this world.”

Zheng Fan pinched Tian Tian’s cheek.

Had he never met Zheng Fan... then according to prophecy, a child as well-behaved as Tian Tian would one day become a calamity that overturned Great Yan.

But Zheng Fan was not Xiongba.

He would not let some prophecy make him fret and fear all day.

In his eyes, the relationship between the prophecy and Tian Tian could probably be reduced to one feeling:

My son is awesome!

Click!

The Sword Saint placed a stone.

Five in a row.

He had won.

Zheng Fan shook his head. He had been too busy talking and lost focus on the board.

“This game board truly is like life...”

The Sword Saint glanced at him.

“You can draw insights about life from gomoku too?”

“Heh. You don’t believe me?”

“I do.”

...

“I believe Your Highness’s sincerity.”

Inside a room, Jin Shuke and Ji Chuanye sat opposite each other, both kneeling on cushions.

The people of Chu favored kneeling etiquette. Liuxia Town had many Chu residents, so the furnishings here were arranged in Chu style as well.

“Godfather’s instruction today was correct. Chuanye will reflect and correct himself.”

Ji Chuanye bowed again.

Jin Shuke had no choice but to imitate him and return the same courtesy.

The Crown Prince truly wanted to change.

Jin Shuke could feel that.

No matter how monstrous a child might be, he was still a child.

It was very difficult to deceive a veteran general who had survived battle after battle.

“Your Highness truly does not need to keep dwelling on this. In truth...”

“Master may speak directly. Chuanye is listening.”

A scene from many, many years ago suddenly surfaced in Jin Shuke’s mind.

Back then... he had accompanied the Prince immediately after they captured a Qian fort.

The Qian fort commander had set up a red tent there, filled with women.

Jin Shuke still remembered himself and his Barbarian companions staring at those half-dressed Qian women.

Their eyes had probably been glowing red.

But then... almost without meaning to... he had looked toward the Prince sitting nearby.

Ah.

At the time, the Prince was still only a Garrison Commander.

Yet he held their lives and deaths in his hand.

The Prince noticed their looks.

And what appeared on his face was... disgust.

In that instant, Jin Shuke’s heart had jolted.

He immediately suppressed every thought he should not have had.

In truth, put another way... the Prince’s thoughts at that time were probably not all that different from those the Crown Prince had displayed earlier.

That scene could only remain branded into Jin Shuke’s heart as an eternal secret.

He could never tell anyone else.

And so, in Jin Shuke’s view, the Prince had not become angry because of what the Crown Prince thought.

He had become angry because the Crown Prince possessed such thoughts and had allowed them to show.

Had allowed them to become action.

Now Jin Shuke himself was a genuine great commander holding authority over an entire frontier.

After becoming a man above others, he understood even more clearly that what a person thought inside and what kind of person he actually was could be two completely different things.

“Your Highness, we may begin the lesson,” Jin Shuke said, changing the subject.

“The lesson?”

The Crown Prince looked surprised.

They were starting tonight?

Jin Shuke clapped his hands.

Several armored soldiers outside brought in the woman in purple who had carried out the assassination earlier that day.

She wore a wooden cangue and shackles.

One soldier kicked the back of her knee and forced her to kneel.

Yet the woman still raised her head stubbornly and stared at Jin Shuke.

Jin Shuke was easy to recognize.

A Barbarian face.

The bearing of a man in high office.

Assassins loved targets like that.

“You already knew I was here,” Jin Shuke said, looking at the woman.

She smiled.

“You only understand that now? Too late.”

Jin Shuke shook his head.

“I was the one who let you know.”

The woman froze.

At that moment, the Crown Prince rose and stepped beside Jin Shuke.

Jin Shuke rose from his kneeling posture as well.

“Master, who is she?”

“An assassin.”

“Then why did she attack in broad daylight—”

“This general does not know.”

“Ah...” said the Crown Prince.

“This general only knows that she—or rather, they—came to assassinate this general. No matter what happened in between, they would ultimately do this. So the process itself does not need to be considered too deeply. This is also the first lesson in military strategy this general will teach Your Highness. When two armies face one another, most dazzling tricks and strange maneuvers exist only to achieve one final objective. We may fail to understand the enemy’s methods. They may even confuse us completely. But so long as we grasp their objective, then in the worst case, we can remain unchanged and respond to every change. There is only one prerequisite: the enemy must be weaker than we are.”

Ji Chuanye saluted.

“This disciple has learned.”

The woman noticed the child.

More precisely... she noticed his clothing.

During the day, Zheng Fan had not worn his python robe or black armor.

Too conspicuous.

The Crown Prince and Tian Tian had dressed plainly as well.

At night, naturally, they would not suddenly put those garments on.

But the nightclothes of the imperial household were still utterly different from ordinary clothing.

Golden threads trimmed the edges.

Under the candlelight, embroidered dragon patterns were clearly visible.

“He... who is he...?”

The woman could not help asking.

Jin Shuke smiled faintly.

He did not answer.

Instead, he gestured forward.

The Crown Prince licked his lips excitedly.

An image of his Godfather involuntarily appeared in his mind.

His Highness the Crown Prince stepped forward.

He did his best to make himself appear gentle and refined as jade.

Then he lifted his chin slightly.

“This Palace... bears the surname Ji.”

Surnamed Ji.

Calling himself “this Palace.”

In the present age, there was only one possible answer: the Crown Prince of Great Yan.

But the woman’s response left His Highness the Crown Prince, who had finally found a chance to display himself... rather helpless.

She did let out a cry of shock.

But it was not:

Why is the Crown Prince of Yan here?!

Instead... almost in terror... she roared:

“Prince Pingxi is here too?!”

...

“Come. Lift your head.”

Tian Rong, lying on a stretcher, raised his head.

He did not understand why he had been carried here.

Still less why he had been brought all the way to this watchtower.

Two men sat before him.

They appeared to be playing a board game.

One of them toyed with a game stone in his hand and looked at him with interest.

“You are Tian Rong, yes? Why were you assassinated during the day?”

“Who exactly are you?” Tian Rong did not answer. He asked cautiously instead.

“I’m the one asking questions.”

“You’re one of Chief Commander Jin’s men?”

“More or less. Now, can you answer?”

“I was attacked by Phoenix Nest inner guards.”

“Why?”

“Because I work for Great Yan, for Prince Pingxi Residence, for Chief Commander Jin. The Phoenix Nest inner guards hate me for it.”

“Oh.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

Then he looked toward Tian Tian.

“Do you believe him?”

“This child... does not.”

“Why not?”

“If that were true, Dad would not have had someone carry him here.”

“That answer is taking a shortcut.”

“Yes.”

Zheng Fan pointed at Tian Rong and said to Tian Tian:

“He is only a puppet. He is someone Jin... your Master placed here in Liuxia Town as the public face. In truth, he has little real power. Phoenix Nest inner guards certainly know that too. Killing someone here costs them dearly. So why kill a useless puppet?”

“...” Tian Rong.

Zheng Fan continued:

“They attacked in broad daylight and even wore such conspicuous clothing. More importantly, a sword stabbed into him and somehow failed to kill him. They deliberately held back. Tian Rong... did you have a stone over your chest too?”

Tian Rong clearly did not understand the reference.

But the look of horror on his face was becoming more obvious with every breath.

“Tian Tian, Dad will tell you what they are doing. They are looking for someone very loudly. They know your Master came to Liuxia Town and want to act against him. But before they act, they want to confirm things again. Or perhaps probe the situation one more time. Assassinating the master of the fort in broad daylight is crude, but very direct and very suitable.”

“This child understands.”

“The method is not especially brilliant. But there is no helping it. Rushed work is rarely elegant. They know they only have one or two days. There is no time for long planning.”

“Who exactly are you? Who are you!”

Tian Rong shouted.

Zheng Fan smiled.

“At this point, saying something like, ‘So that is how it is. General Jin may be in danger,’ would probably be more appropriate.”

“If I said that, would you believe me? Since you would not, why should I waste the effort and let you Yan dogs laugh at me?”

“Fair enough.”

Zheng Fan lifted his teacup and took a sip.

He was transferring Jin Shuke away.

But Jin Shuke had arrangements in place from before.

So before leaving, he intended to pull the net tight one final time.

Zhennan Pass had absorbed Chu refugees on a large scale.

Naturally, that meant sand would inevitably be mixed in.

Since he was about to leave the post... he might as well shake out some of that sand first.

Tian Rong muttered again:

“Who exactly are you... who exactly are you...?”

Zheng Fan did not answer.

He stood instead.

Holding Tian Tian’s hand, he walked to one side of the watchtower and looked down into the fortified settlement below.

“Actually, Dad has always thought the name ‘Liuxia Town’ is not very good,” Zheng Fan said. “A little too direct.”

“This child thinks so too,” Tian Tian agreed.

“But it doesn’t matter. There is a major city in Beifeng Commandery called Tuman City—the Tu of ‘drawing plans,’ the Man of ‘satisfaction.’ ‘Tuman’: what you seek turns out to your satisfaction. The meaning is rather good. But in the past, it was called Tuman City too—except that Tu meant ‘slaughter,’ and Man meant ‘Barbarian.’ ‘Slaughter the Barbarians.’ Perhaps this fortified settlement beneath our feet will one day become a real city as well. Its population will flourish. Merchants and travelers will fill its streets. Liuxia Town will become Liuxia City. In the poems of scholars, they may say the land produces outstanding men and possesses a wondrous spirit, that once people arrive they never want to leave. Or perhaps beautiful stories will be born here and turned into plays—romances, lovers, that sort of thing. A person comes... and leaves his heart behind. Heh.”

Tian Tian looked up at his father.

Then he looked down at the fortified settlement below.

He understood some of it.

Not all.

At that moment... beneath them... an undercurrent inside the settlement finally surfaced.

From the refugee camp.

From among the settlement guards.

People awakened from the darkness.

They drew weapons from hidden places and began gathering.

Several became one group.

Several groups became a larger force.

Then... in complete silence... they surrounded a residence in the darkness.

Inside the rear courtyard of that residence, Jin Shuke pushed open the door.

Behind him... stood Ji Chuanye.

Jin Shuke extended one hand.

Ji Chuanye placed his hand in Jin Shuke’s palm.

“Your Highness, afraid?”

“Master, my surname is Ji.”

Jin Shuke, himself a Barbarian, nodded.

Yes.

There truly were not many weaklings among the sons of the Ji clan.

...

“In truth, there is nothing here worth fearing.”

Zheng Fan pointed toward the settlement below and spoke to Tian Tian.

“The momentum is with us. Right now Zhennan Pass and Fan City can support one another from east and west. So long as the armies of eastern Jin still exist, if Chu wants to strike either place, they must prepare at least three times the troops before they can feel secure. Meanwhile, I only need to station an appropriate number of soldiers in each place. Son, this is what momentum means. This is why your biological father once willingly fought a national war to seize Zhennan Pass. This is why your father here was willing to pay any price to race a thousand li and reinforce Fan City. Chu is suffering. It is as though two blades are constantly pressed against its forehead. They are powerless. Worse, they do not dare gather a true great army to reverse the situation. At present, the only thing they can do is play around with small assassinations and petty disturbances. Tell me... are they pitiful?”

Tian Tian shook his head.

“Dad, it is because the Chu cannot defeat you in a direct battle that they can only do this. They are not pitiful. This is simply what they deserve.”

“Good.”

Zheng Fan bent down.

He lifted Tian Tian up.

Then he let the boy climb onto his shoulders and sit there.

Once Tian Tian was settled...

Zheng Fan deliberately swayed slightly.

“Son, you’ve gotten heavier. Hahahaha.”

Tian Tian held onto Zheng Fan’s head.

A little embarrassed, he laughed along.

At that moment... inside the fortified settlement below, from within that surrounded residence, torches suddenly flared everywhere.

Large numbers of armored soldiers surged out.

Among them were many Brocade-Clad personal guards of the Prince.

Their equipment was excellent.

Their martial skill was strong.

Their training and coordination were superb.

And they held an absolute advantage in numbers.

The instant they crashed into the Chu spies, the ending had already been decided.

Shouts of killing erupted.

For a time... the entire settlement was awakened.

The father and son atop the watchtower... watched it like a village opera accompanied by fireworks.

Moved by the scene, Zheng Fan suddenly spoke to his son sitting on his shoulders.

“Son, promise Dad one thing.”

Zheng Fan had only been moved by the moment.

He wanted to tell Tian Tian that he should live his own life well. He could be friends with the Crown Prince, but he must never truly become the kind of childhood brother who grew up and was willing to take blades in the ribs for the other.

Ji Old Sixth only remained helpless toward Zheng Fan because Zheng Fan cared about affection but refused to sacrifice principle for it.

But the old Ji clan... had a tradition of producing men like that.

He did not want Tian Tian to become another Tian Wujing.

Yet before Zheng Fan could say anything, Tian Tian spoke first.

“Dad, promise me one thing first.”

“All right. Son, you speak first.”

Tian Tian wrapped his arms around Zheng Fan’s neck.

He bent down and pressed his face against Zheng Fan’s cheek.

“Dad, your son has gotten heavier.”

“Dad was only joking. Your father is still a peerless Fifth Grade Martial Artist!”

“Dad, your son has grown up.”

“Mm. My Tian Tian has grown up.”

“Dad...”

“Dad is here.”

“One day, when Dad wants shaqima... tell your son. Your son... will go get it for Dad.”

[End of Chapter 903]