Chapter 993: Two Swords

“You did very well.”

Zheng Lin walked behind the Blind Man with his head lowered and said nothing.

“Do you know why we sealed you almost as soon as you were born?”

Zheng Lin still said nothing.

“You know the answer yourself.”

The Blind Man sighed and sat down against a nearby rock.

“You were born powerful. That is your advantage, but also your disadvantage. There are Pi Beasts in this world, Fire Phoenixes, and perhaps in a much more distant age there were other existences worthy of being called divine beasts. Yet in the end, they either went extinct or were enslaved by humans. A solitary powerhouse rarely meets a good fate.”

Zheng Lin squatted nearby. The dignified Heir Prince of Great Yan’s Regent Prince Residence picked up a twig and began digging at an anthill.

“For a very long time, everything you saw and everything you thought—we knew it all. I knew. We knew. Your father knew too. You are going through what we once went through, and your father is now being made to go through what you are putting him through.”

A smile appeared at the Blind Man’s lips.

“When your mother was carrying you, we worried about the birth. Children with excessively powerful bloodlines often create enormous difficulty for the mother during delivery. Fortunately, we still had something to rely on. At the very least, your father was there dragging things down, so the situation was unlikely to reach the worst possible point.”

Hearing this, Zheng Lin opened his mouth.

A flash of red passed through his eyes.

The Blind Man could not see, but how could any change around him escape his perception?

“You’re angry. You’re angry that your father looks like an ordinary man. You’re angry because, thanks to him, the bloodline that might otherwise have been even stronger never reached the peak you believe you should have possessed. But that makes no sense. Your mother and your father created you together. Without your father, perhaps you would possess a stronger bloodline—but you would not be the you who exists now. Hmm. Has Xue San ever taught you that biological story about tadpoles and egg yolks?”

The corner of Zheng Lin’s mouth curled despite himself.

“No. Third Dad was just about to start when Elder Sister came over. She scared him half to death.”

“Hahahaha.”

After laughing, the Blind Man continued:

“We once had regrets too. Looking back now, those regrets are things we should instead be grateful for. Set aside the fact that without your father, your mother might very well have suffered a difficult birth. Let me tell you the truth: even we godfathers would never have hesitated for an instant if forced to choose between saving the mother or the child. Your mother would have come first. And besides...”

The Blind Man reached out and rested a hand on Zheng Lin’s head.

“There are some ways in which you resemble your father very much.”

Zheng Lin’s face stiffened again.

“Your father is a wise man. He is very real.”

“Heh. Real...”

“So real that people can mistake him for a puppet, a mascot, even... a useless man. Yet sometimes that very realness is the best disguise of all. This happens to be a good opportunity. You can spend more time with your father. What we expect from you is roughly this: you can be very strong—extremely strong. In truth, with your talent and your starting point, it would be difficult for you *not* to become powerful in the future. But in temperament, you would do well to lean a little more toward your father. That way you can live longer... and more importantly, live happily.”

Zheng Lin drew in a breath, then let it out.

“What? Getting tired of listening to me?”

Zheng Lin nodded.

“No.”

“Very good.”

“Godfather, I’ll be going back soon anyway.”

“Back where?”

“Fengxin City. So all this talk about spending more time together is impossible. He’s about to go on campaign. He’ll be borrowing a road through Chu, so to be safe he’ll definitely leave me at home. He needs me alive to threaten the Chu Emperor. If the Chu Emperor turns on him and he dies, I inherit his princely seat.”

The Blind Man slowly stood.

“Do you think that would work?”

“What would work?”

“Would you avenge him?”

Zheng Lin said nothing.

The Blind Man smiled faintly.

“You would.”

A gust of wind passed through, sending dead leaves spinning around them.

The Blind Man gently brushed a leaf from his clothes.

“Your sister will return to the Residence. You will not.”

“Hm?” Zheng Lin looked surprised.

“That is your father’s decision. This time, he intends to take you with him on campaign.”

“How?”

“Simple. Arrange a double to ride back in the same carriage as your sister. With Big Girl helping cover for him, who could know that the true Heir Prince never returned to the Residence?”

“Why?” Zheng Lin looked at the Blind Man. “That isn’t his style.”

“It is exactly his style. Do you know what your godfather wants most?”

“Rebellion,” Zheng Lin answered almost reflexively.

With Tian Tian, the Blind Man had mostly limited himself to the subtle influence of shaqima.

With Zheng Lin, he had practically poured his obsession directly into the boy without restraint.

“Your father, like I said earlier, only wants to live happily. We contributed half of this foundation. Your father alone contributed the other half. But he does not care very much whether this foundation endures for a thousand generations. So sending a puppet back to complete the formalities is enough. This time, he wants you beside him. He wants father and son to leave the environment of the Residence behind and spend some proper time together somewhere else. Just as he once did with your Brother Tian Tian.”

“Sentimental.”

The Blind Man pointed at him.

“But living a life requires exactly that little bit of sentimentality.”

“So if something goes wrong—whether the Qian close the sack on us or the Chu stab us in the back—father and son may both get wiped out in one pot? He really is stupid.”

“He doesn’t care.”

“What about you, Godfather?” Zheng Lin countered. “If that really happens, who will help you fulfill your wish?”

“If your father is gone, I probably won’t be able to live either.”

Zheng Lin frowned.

“Godfather, you and my father...”

“The bond between us is far deeper than you imagine.”

“Is that why you’ve always stayed beside him?”

“Yes.”

At that moment, a personal guard rode over.

“Your Highness the Heir Prince, Mr. Bei, His Highness summons you to the command tent.”

...

“This is the marching map?”

Inside the command tent, Zheng Fan studied the map Nian Yao had drawn.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Can cavalry get through?” Zheng Fan asked.

“They can. It will take some effort, of course. The terrain cannot compare with open plains. But once we pass through this mountainous region, Qian’s Jiangnan will practically lie exposed beneath Your Highness’s iron hooves.”

Zheng Fan traced a line across the mountains with one finger.

During the first Yan-Chu national war years earlier, Chu had been defeated and Nian Yao had immediately led an army on a surprise raid into Qian.

Originally, this region should have been disputed territory, with possession interlocking like dog’s teeth. But Nian Yao’s surprise attack had achieved such rich results that Qian, in the name of “uniting against the foreign enemy,” had afterward ceded most of the disputed lands to Chu.

So the most difficult stretch truly was difficult only because the road itself was bad.

There were no other obstructions.

Qian had built no defensive line there.

Zheng Fan pointed toward where Xie Yu’an stood.

“Can logistics and grain be supplied?”

“The waterways are abundant. Grain can be moved for the army by water. In addition, a batch of military supplies Qian previously sent into Great Chu has not yet been transported onward. We can use those directly. Your Highness’s troops are all cavalry. Once we leave the mountains, bypass several Qian passes, and enter Jiangnan proper, grain will no longer be much of a concern.”

Military supplies Qian had sent to Chu... used to feed Yan troops attacking Qian.

It sounded absurd.

And it was entirely possible it would truly happen.

Relations between states could sometimes have even less of a bottom line than relations between people.

“In addition, Your Highness, my Xie Clan will provide another ten thousand troops. Great Chu’s imperial-clan Imperial Guards will provide twenty thousand as well, all for Your Highness to command.”

“The Xie Clan still has troops?”

The speaker was Chen Xianba, standing in one corner of the command tent.

Tian Tian stood beside him.

Zheng Fan had summoned both of them back from Gou Moli.

Zheng Fan turned and glanced at Chen Xianba.

Chen Xianba immediately wiped the arrogance from his face and became obedient.

“Look how capable the two of you are. If you hadn’t chased Xie Zhuyang like madmen, the Pillar of State might have brought back more of the Xie Clan Army. Maybe they could be giving us twenty or even thirty thousand auxiliaries now. Apologize.”

Chen Xianba did not dare argue. He and Tian Tian immediately cupped their hands toward Xie Yu’an in apology.

Xie Yu’an returned the courtesy at once.

Zheng Fan asked:

“What about your father? Will he personally lead them?”

“My father... was wounded,” Xie Yu’an answered. “I will personally accompany Your Highness on campaign.”

“Is the wound serious?”

“Thank you for Your Highness’s concern. After recuperating for some time, he should...”

“Then it isn’t serious. Both father and son can come. Father and son fighting together—that’s how it should be.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, right. Who is commanding those twenty thousand imperial-clan Imperial Guards?”

“Replying to Your Highness, Zhao Han.”

“I remember he was one of the route commanders?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. He didn’t die?”

“He... did not.”

“Change him. He ran too damned fast. I don’t want him.”

“Whom does Your Highness prefer?”

“What a pity. If Xiong Tingshan hadn’t died, he would have been perfect.”

Xie Yu’an’s expression remained unchanged.

“Indeed.”

Zheng Fan pointed toward the masked Nian Yao standing nearby.

“Fine. Then let Grand General Nian resume his old post. Nian Yao, those twenty thousand Imperial Guards are yours.”

“This general obeys!”

Zheng Fan looked at Xie Yu’an.

“How does that sound?”

“Your Highness’s arrangement is extremely appropriate.”

“Good. Then first... wait.”

Everyone inside the command tent looked toward the Prince, waiting for his instructions.

“This campaign will take us a long distance. Never mind the Shanyue tribes along the road—even if we reach Qian’s Jiangnan smoothly, it will still be dangerous. After all, we’ll be driving a knife straight into Qian’s old home. So... summon that Swordsmith from the Dugu Clan. Have him serve as my guard.”

Zheng Fan paused.

“This Prince sleeps lightly. I need two swords beside my pillow before I can sleep soundly.”

[End of Chapter 993]