Chapter 173 County Princess

The arrival of the County Princess was just a minor interlude. The specifics depended on how she would arrive and what arrangements the imperial court would make for her, such as who would accompany her—which was crucial.

Before receiving concrete news, any further analysis was just adding fuel to the fire. The most important thing was that Zheng Boye wasn't the small commoner who once knelt before the County Princess, choosing between being a Li family servant or a caravan guard.

As the barbecue was winding down,

Hailan Yanggu, the headman of the Hailan tribe, arrived and knelt respectfully to the side.

The Barbarian King had already returned to his carriage, out of sight.

The monk Kong Yuan and the little monk Liao Fan wiped the grease from their hands and stood up silently. The two masters and disciples simultaneously flicked the corners of their kasayas, instantly transforming from meat-eating monks into ethereal and dignified Buddhist monks.

Zheng Boye stood up and walked to Hailan Yanggu, who lowered his head even further.

There was nothing he could do; after all, the Hailan tribe was too close to Snow Sea Pass. The Naiman tribe was once so powerful, yet Snow Sea Pass annihilated them at will. His small Hailan tribe really couldn't afford to incur the Boye's wrath.

"These two eminent monks wish to come to the snowy plains to propagate Buddhist teachings and save all living beings. You must take good care of them. If anything goes wrong, there will be no need for the Hailan tribe to exist."

Threatening to exterminate clans at every turn was quite uncouth.

But it was indeed highly efficient, convenient, and quick, making it addictive, just like emperors who liked to threaten to execute one's nine generations.

Hailan Yanggu immediately kowtowed, saying:

"Please rest assured, Boye. The Hailan tribe will do everything in its power to take good care of the two Buddhas."

Zheng Fan nodded without saying any more pleasantries and turned to get into his carriage.

Inside the carriage, the Sword Saint was already seated.

"Those two monks, are they staying in the snowy plains?" the Sword Saint asked.

Zheng Fan nodded. Today's picnic was partly for relaxation and partly to bid farewell to Kong Yuan and his disciple.

The Sword Saint smiled and said, "Destroying their physical bodies is a temporary solution; uprooting their faith is the fundamental cure."

"Oh, Lao Yu, it's truly impressive that you can see this point."

"The Barbarian King told me."

"Heh heh."

Zheng Fan thought that the Sword Saint had become enlightened in this regard. After all, in his early years, the Sword Saint did several things for the country and the people, but the results were not good.

"Besides, aren't you Yan people using the same methods in my Jin territory? Just the imperial examination system alone is uprooting the foundation of my Jin people."

"We are all descendants of the Xia civilization, one family. Now it's just a matter of reunion after a long separation. Besides, not to mention other small countries, just look at the centuries of unrest and displacement among the four major powers. Only unification can end the chaos. By then, the snowy plains, the barbarians, the chieftains in the southwest of Qian, and the Chu's swamps and mountain tribes will not be problems."

"What you say makes a lot of sense, but if you weren't the Yan's general but a Qian or Chu general, what would you say?"

"I would say that the Yan emperor is a delusional fool!"

"Hahaha."

"Hahaha."

Inside the carriage, Zheng Fan and the Sword Saint laughed together.

A Ming, who was driving the carriage, took out a wine skin and silently took a sip of blood.

"This time, the Sixth Prince almost died. To be honest, I'm a bit startled."

Hearing this, the Sword Saint said:

"In fact, there are truly many capable people in the world. The officials don't represent the majority. Among the common people, there are also many hidden talents, and even some reclusive sects.

However, even so, the helpers around that County Princess are indeed extravagant."

"I'm very worried that Li Liangshen will escort the County Princess here."

"Isn't Li Liangshen a general guarding outside Yanjing City?"

"Who can guess what our emperor will arrange? In fact, the empress's death this time may not be without some hidden motives."

"The matters in the palace are indeed difficult to be clean," the Sword Saint said with emotion. "By the way, now that the empress is gone, didn't you go to see Tian Wujing?"

"It's not convenient. If I rush over there now, wouldn't it look like this Baron of Pingye is going to persuade Marquis Jingnan to rebel again?"

"You're not willing to rebel?" After asking this question, the Sword Saint's face showed an expression of disbelief.

"If I really want to do something, I'll just wait for Marquis Jingnan's military order."

"So, people are like this. Earlier, you were talking about unifying the world, ending the war, and the Xia civilization facing the outside world and pacifying both internal and external troubles. Now that it comes down to oneself, one still thinks about rebelling and seizing power."

"Slogans are slogans, and one's own life is one's own life. They're not contradictory. Let's get back to the topic. That County Princess is a trouble.

Since she dared to do that to the Sixth Prince, she might do the same to me."

"The one beside the County Princess, Seventh Uncle, whom Mr. Bei mentioned to me earlier, I have an impression of him. This person's swordplay is eccentric, following the path of 'hearing the Dao in the morning, dying in the evening.' Describing him as 'one sword by his side' is the most appropriate."

Because his strongest sword can only be used once in a lifetime.

"Please continue."

"His sword seems powerful, but in reality, it's not that terrifying. Just keep someone by your side, as long as someone can help you block that sword, its threat to you will be greatly reduced."

Hearing this,

Zheng Boye subconsciously touched his chest.

"As for Li Liangshen, I once competed with him. His swordsmanship is simple and profound, with a continuous flow of qi. His sword is not the sharpest, but his physique can be called the strongest among swordsmen."

"How do you compare to him?"

"This isn't like playing chess; how can you compare like that?"

"There's no way around it. Just treat me as a layman and compare it roughly for me, so I can have some idea."

"I fought Li Liangshen before, and it was a draw."

"Oh."

"After I lost to Tian Wujing, I felt that I was a bit better than Li Liangshen."

"Oh?"

"After Snow Sea Pass, if I can recover to my original state, I can defeat him."

"Oh!"

"But I know my body well. It's not that easy to recover. Being able to sit there and eat a skewer of barbecue today has already exceeded my original expectations."

"There's no rush. Take your time. I didn't ask you to go out and fight Li Liangshen to the death right now. With you here, I have something to look forward to, and I feel more confident in my heart."

The Sword Saint lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside, saying, "It's autumn now, and winter is coming soon."

"The imperial court's money and grain are sufficient, and the supplies transported from Yingdu are also sufficient. Plus, we had a good harvest from the last battle with the Naiman tribe, so there's no problem this winter.

After this winter, there will be a real recovery, and things will get back on track."

"I really admire your way of managing things. If the Jin emperor had this ability back then, even the capital region wouldn't have fallen to that state."

"It still depends on the overall environment. Back then, the Jin kingdom was surrounded by three powerful families, and none of them would have given the royal family a chance to recover."

"That's true."

At this moment, A Ming, who was driving the carriage in front, called out:

"Master, we're home."

"Okay, have a good rest."

Zheng Fan said goodbye to the Sword Saint and let him get out of the carriage first.

Afterward, the procession continued to move forward.

The Barbarian King's prison cart was taken down and sent into the already occupied Pingye Baron's residence.

Important prisoners like this naturally had to be kept close by for safety.

Moreover, the Barbarian King's prison was just a wall away from where Sha Tuo Queshi's coffin was kept. The two of them could keep each other company so they wouldn't be lonely.

Before being transported down by the armored soldiers, the Barbarian King lifted the black cloth, revealed his head, and said to Zheng Fan:

"Boye taking me out for a stroll is really troublesome and tiring. Nu is really sorry about it."

Zheng Boye smiled and nodded,

and said to the Barbarian King:

"Good night, sweet dreams."

The Barbarian King, who still wanted to say something, could only be sent back to the dungeon. After being transferred to the prison, he leaned against the wall, curled up there, reached into his chest, and took out a small, exquisite embroidered shoe,

silently,

placed it in front of his nose,

took a deep sniff,

mm,

it seemed that because she was coming,

this smell,

had become even stronger.

…

"Master, the County Princess is coming. How do you plan to entertain her?"

Si Niang asked while massaging Zheng Fan's shoulders.

"How else can I entertain her? I'll deal with soldiers if they come, and I'll block water with earth. That woman is a trouble, and I really don't want to provoke her."

"Master, this servant feels that since the County Princess is the first woman of status that Master has seen in this world, and when you first met her, she was disguised as a man wearing armor, this servant feels that this is fate."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"This servant just feels that, how about Master taking the County Princess in? Let the County Princess call this servant 'older sister' at home. For example, right now, the County Princess should be holding a fruit plate and feeding us grapes.

This servant would eat one, then spit it out, glare at her, and deliberately make things difficult by saying: 'It's sour.'

Then the County Princess would kneel on the ground and beg for forgiveness.

Oh, oh, oh, how interesting."

"Heh."

"This servant is not being sarcastic. This is what this servant truly thinks."

"Alright, alright, aren't you very busy? How do you have time to think about these things?"

"Working is for a better life. They're not contradictory, Master."

"Come on, do you really think I'm Pan An? Only you can fancy me. As for the others, heh heh."

"Master, you're being too modest. Based on Master's current status, plus Master's future development, if this servant were that County Princess, this servant would think that taking Master as a kept man would also be a very worthwhile deal."

"Although she's no longer the crown prince's fiancée, it's difficult for her to just marry anyone casually. She can't just hastily put a green hat on the Ji family, right?"

"How did Empress Xiaozhuang treat Hong Chengchou? How did she treat Dorgon?"

"That's a TV series."

"Having no formal status is not only convenient for men, but sometimes it's also convenient for women. It's just, it's a pity…"

"What a pity?"

"It's a pity that the County Princess isn't married yet, so it doesn't seem to fit Master's tastes, hehehe."

"Si Niang."

"Hmm?"

"Can we not talk about that County Princess? Can we talk about something else?"

"For example?"

"For example, what color is today?"

…

Zhennan Pass, was once the first line of defense for the Situ family of Jin to resist the Chu Kingdom. However, as the barbarians entered the pass and swept through Dacheng, this majestic pass was naturally conquered by the Chu people.

The original Zhennan Pass守将, Xue Rang, also surrendered to the Chu Kingdom and was named Marquis of Guiyi by the Regent of Chu. The original 30,000 Dacheng South Gate Pass soldiers continued to be retained, and two Chu armies were added, totaling 50,000 men.

Of course, as an equal exchange condition, Xue Rang had also sent all of his family members to live in the Chu Kingdom, which could be considered hostages.

At this time, under the night sky, Xue Rang stood on the city wall, gazing at the north.

"Are you still not used to standing in this direction?"

A middle-aged man appeared behind Xue Rang.

"General Nian, you're making fun of me again," Xue Rang said with a smile.

This person was Nian Yao, known as the Regent of Great Chu's number one hound in the army.

In the Great Yan, there was the inspirational example of the Baron of Pingye being ennobled from a commoner in just a few years. Nian Yao, who came from a household slave, was a model of military rise in the Chu Kingdom.

Especially in the Chu Kingdom, which highly valued background and family inheritance, Nian Yao's success and rise were even more rare and valuable.

Nian Yao's teasing of Xue Rang's unfamiliarity with the direction he was standing in meant that as the former Shoujiang of Dacheng's South Gate Pass, Xue Rang mostly stood on the city wall facing south, guarding against the Chu army. Now, he was facing north, guarding against the Yan people.

"This time, General Xue understands the Regent's intentions, right?"

Xue Rang nodded and said, "I understand."

"It's good that you understand, General Xue. I, Lao Yao, am a rough person. I don't like to beat around the bush when speaking and doing things. This time, Great Chu owes you."

"General, you're being too serious."

"Not serious, not serious. The Yan people broke their promise first and slaughtered 40,000 of my Qingluan army soldiers. This hatred cannot go unavenged. One thing General Xue can rest assured is that back then, it was because Wangjiang froze, and my Great Chu navy was unable to reinforce Yupancheng. Today, in this South Gate Pass, Great Chu is behind you, and the 100,000 Great Chu royal guards led by this general are also behind you."

"General, there's actually something I don't understand."

"Feel free to speak."

"When two countries clash, they fight if they fight, and they make peace if they make peace. Why does my Chu Kingdom always…"

"Seem unsophisticated? Hehe, I also see it that way. The destruction of the Qingluan army last time was due to this reason, but there's nothing we can do. It's also difficult for the Regent. The late Emperor passed away too quickly, too suddenly, causing my Great Chu to be turbulent for so long and unable to fully face the outside world.

Even now, to be honest, my Great Chu still hasn't been able to reconcile internally. There are too many thoughts between those inherited aristocratic families.

As for this time, isn't it autumn? We're just finding something for the Yan people to do. No matter how fierce the Yan iron cavalry is, they can't break through this city wall, right?"

Xue Rang shook his head and said, "This general still doesn't believe it's just to tire out the Yan people."

It should be known that after the Yan people slaughtered the Qingluan army, the Chu Kingdom still recognized the contract, which meant that the Chu Kingdom was not yet ready to fully start a national war.

But now, it had suddenly become unusually aggressive, even wanting to take the initiative to create some commotion.

Although Xue Rang was a surrendered general, he had at least been through the military camp. If he couldn't see this trend, it would be impossible for him to have climbed to this position.

Nian Yao was also generous, leaning his body over, lowering his voice, and said:

"The official of the Qian Kingdom sent an envoy to meet with the Regent to discuss the matter of jointly resisting Yan."

"Do the Qian people have the guts?"

If the destruction of the Qingluan army was due to a series of objective factors such as the main force of the barbarians being annihilated and Wangjiang freezing, then the Qian people were completely and utterly rubbed on the ground by the Yan people several times.

"The Qian people do have some sense of reflection, after all, being trampled under the iron hooves of others all the way to the capital and having their horses drink by the Bian River is a humiliation that even the Qian people, who love romance, can never accept.

The official of the Qian Kingdom is also interesting, saying that the various armies of his Qian Kingdom are being rebuilt and are still training. My Great Chu is now also cleaning up internally, and for the time being, neither is capable of a northern expedition against Yan.

But we can't let the Yan people swallow the Three Jin lands and then leisurely recuperate. We have to find something for the Yan people to do.

The Regent agreed. The Yan people seem to be powerful, but they have a big stall and a thin foundation. Before the real war, we can use this method to wear them down.

Oh, right, there's something that I won't say, but General Xue should know, but I still have to say it.

If the Yan people send troops to attack Zhennan Pass, with the royal guards personally led by me pressing in the rear, there's no way we'll let the Yan people attack.

But when General Xue takes action, you have to be careful. You have to know that the Yan Southern Marquis is now stationed in Fengxin City, so you can't be greedy for merit and advance rashly.

If you really advance rashly, General Xue, don't blame me, Nian Yao, for not saving you."

"General, you're overthinking it. I know how much I'm worth, and no matter how arrogant I am, I don't think I can compare to that Yan Southern Marquis."

"Yes, that's right, that's how it is. We should try not to leave the Zhennan Pass area as much as possible, and it's best to lure the Yan army to Zhennan Pass to wear them down. In terms of field battles, as long as that Yan Southern Marquis is here for one day, I won't dare to face him."

"General, you're being too modest."

"No, this is like you, General Xue, we both have a bit of sense in our hearts. Qu Tiannan was too senseless, so he's gone. We can't be as stupid as him.

Furthermore, when the fighting here gets lively, the Regent will have a reason to transfer the private soldiers of those large families in the country and integrate them. It's purely to use the Yan people to train soldiers. I think the official of the Qian Kingdom should also be thinking along the same lines.

Alright, Marquis Xue, hehe, when it dawns, we'll have to call you King Xue."

…

In the autumn of the second year of Yongping in Great Yan, Xue Rang, the Shoujiang of Zhennan Pass, proclaimed Situ Yong, a collateral descendant of the Situ family, as emperor and proclaimed himself King Changping, re-establishing the Dacheng Kingdom.

The next day, three military orders were issued from Fengxin City, one to Yanjing, one to Yingdu, and one to Xuehai Pass.

Because the distance was too far and the transmission of military intelligence took a long time, it was only after the incident at Zhennan Pass that Xuehai Pass received a message: Xu Wenzu, the zongbing of Nanwang City, reported to the imperial court that Zhong Tianlang, the newly appointed Liangzhen Jiedushi of the Qian Kingdom, led eight thousand cavalry to actively invade the border and capture two fortresses.

The Qian people's active provocation took place even before Zhennan Pass.

And in the Yan Kingdom, which had just pacified the barbarian rebellion and was preparing to recuperate, the flames of war were reignited on two borderlines.

——————

There will be more tonight.