Chapter 1 The Moonlit Night

Moonlit night,
Earthen slope,
Three candles;
"Even if you're hungry, you should wait before eating the offerings. Wait until the person you're offering to comes to enjoy them first before we eat."
"He won't mind."
"Won't mind? Then who are you making offerings to?"
"Myself."

Zheng Fan was stunned, and after a moment, seemed to understand something.
He said,
"Are you really going to do this?"
"Yeah."
"I don't know how strong you really are, but I know you must be very strong."
"Yeah."
"I don't know how terrifying the Zhenbei Hou (Marquis of the North) estate is, but I know it must be very terrifying."
"Yeah."
"Look, you've even set up your own offerings. You should have a judgment in your heart. You're not stronger than the Zhenbei Hou estate, are you?"
"Yeah."
"That's it then. Listen, even though I've only known you for two days, honestly, you don't seem to have any other problems except being a little dirty."

At least, compared to the plot Boss characters with strength but quirks that Zheng Fan knew in his mind, he was much easier to get along with.
If it's just being a little sloppy, like a divorced billionaire, does that even matter in the dating market?
"Yeah."
"I heard, I heard, that the Shatuo tribe was destroyed by the commandery princess leading troops."

The slovenly man continued eating the jerky, the corners of his mouth slightly curving,
Continuing,
"Yeah."
"Your surname is Shatuo, so you should be from that tribe, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, you want to take revenge?"
"Yeah."
"But you can't do it like this. Isn't this like hitting a rock with an egg? Think about it, you're so strong, if you want to take revenge, we can be a little more subtle, plan it out in the long term. That would be more effective, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then you still plan to go tomorrow?"
"Yeah."

Zheng Fan shrugged. Well, it was useless talking.
He was still thinking about hooking up with another strong person to bring back. Ding Hao had already honorably retired from his teacher position to become a lackey;
But the slovenly man could shine in the teacher position for a long, long time.
But the problem was,
The guy was determined to die.
"I heard from a friend surnamed Jiang (same pronunciation as 'zombie'), he said that the Zhenbei army iron cavalry is different from cavalry in other places. Their method of charging into battle is such that even true martial arts experts would have difficulty gaining an advantage."
"Yeah."
"Not to mention, I think there should be experts like you in the Zhenbei Hou estate, right?"
"Yeah."
"Listen, can you not be so calm? Are you just stubborn?"
"Yeah."
"No, this battlefield fighting, where it's you die or I live, is a very normal thing. Your barbarian race has killed many of our people, and it's only right for us to kill them back, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Can I strangle you to death?"
"I... can't understand."

The slovenly man suddenly changed his line.
"What can't you understand? Alas, it's a pity that I have a friend surnamed Xia (same pronunciation as 'blind') isn't here, otherwise he would be best at enlightening people."
"I think that in battles between both sides, young and strong men die, that's just how it is. Fighting on the battlefield, life and death are determined by fate, which is only to be expected.
But the old, weak, women, and children, shouldn't just die like that. Even if they are exiled as slaves, even if they are sold, even if they are migrated, they shouldn't be directly ordered to be slaughtered with knives."
"Don't your barbarian races also have the tradition of beheading all male children taller than a cartwheel on the defeated side?"
"We do."
"That's it then."
"We do, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it."
"Why?"
"Before, it was other people's tribes that died. I didn't agree, but I could ignore it; but this time, it's my own tribe that died. I can ignore other people's business, but I have to take care of my own."
"I understand that principle. You only know it really hurts when the knife falls on you. I'm not against you taking revenge, but I think you can take it slow. I have a friend surnamed Ding who is also in the revenge stage, but he knows how to be patient and slowly wait for the opportunity."
"You have a lot of friends."
"Hehe, benevolent and charitable, able to persuade people."
"Many people have told me to wait."
"That proves that there are still many farsighted friends like me around you."
"The Barbarian King told me to wait."
"............" Zheng Fan.
"The Left and Right Wise Kings also told me to wait."
"............" Zheng Fan.
"The Great Shaman also told me to wait.
They all told me to wait, all told me to endure.
They said that the relationship between the Yan Emperor and the Zhenbei Hou estate is currently at its most delicate stage. Once the Yan Emperor and the Zhenbei Hou estate completely break down, the sharp blade hovering above my barbarian tribes will be removed."
"That makes sense."
"The Barbarian King said that at that time, we can unite with the Zhenbei Hou estate to launch a joint attack on the Yan territory. We only want the Beifeng commandery. The rest of the Yan territory can be given to the Li family."
"The Left Wise King said that when the Yan Emperor and the Zhenbei Hou estate go to war, we can assist the Yan Emperor to completely destroy this sharp blade that has been hovering over our tribe for a hundred years. Without this blade, the Yan Kingdom will no longer be a threat, and the gates of the Yan Kingdom, and the gates of the Eastern Four Kingdoms, will also be opened to us."
"The Right Wise King said that we can take advantage of the conflict between the Zhenbei Hou estate and the Yan Emperor to start conquering the disobedient large tribes under the banner of the royal court, reshape the authority of the royal court, and recreate the glory of the Golden Family."
"They all told me to wait, all told me to endure, but I just don't understand, why should I wait? Why should I endure?"
"I was born in the Shatuo tribe. When I was very, very young, I was taken back to the royal court by the people from the sacrificial temple. At first, I studied barbarian incantations, and was likely to become a barbarian priest in the future, but later, I discovered that I had more talent in martial arts, so I embarked on the path of a warrior.
I do whatever the sacrificial priest tells me to do, and I learn whatever the sacrificial priest tells me to learn.
Whatever official position the Barbarian King wants me to hold, I hold it. Whoever the Barbarian King wants me to conquer, I conquer.
But I have always been clear that my surname is Shatuo, I believe in the banner of the royal court, but I am not a member of the Golden Family.
My home has always been in Shatuo, that not-so-big tribe. There are many, many tribes like that in the desert.
But now,
My home,
Is gone."

Speaking here, the slovenly man raised his head, looked at Zheng Fan, and repeated:
"My home is already gone."

Zheng Fan was silent.
"I miss the buttered tea in the tribe, I miss the mare's milk wine brewed by the mothers in the tribe, I miss the sheepskin coat that girl in the tribe once gave me.
Back then, when I was selected by the sacrificial temple, they told me that if I went to the sacrificial temple and performed well, my tribe would receive protection from the royal court, and the lives of the tribe's people would become better.
So I practiced desperately, barbarian incantations, martial arts, killing, conquest, I gave my all.
I thought that with my efforts, the people of the tribe would live a more stable life, be able to stably obtain better pastures, and be able to pay less taxes to the larger tribes.
When I am one day old and frail, when my qi and blood are in decline, and I am about to retire, I can return to my tribe, to herd sheep, to watch the children of the tribe laugh and chase each other in front of me.
This is my dream, my pursuit.
During every royal court conference, everyone would drink a lot and a lot of wine, and they would say their dreams in their hearts.
Some would say they dreamed of re-conquering the West, to avenge the humiliation of the Golden Family's defeat in the West a hundred years ago!
Some would say they dreamed of reunifying the desert, so that all the barbarian people would once again cling to the banner of the royal court!
Some would say they dreamed of marching south, turning the Eastern Four Kingdoms into our barbarian tribe's pastures, and letting their women bear children for our barbarian tribe!
Every time, I would only drink wine and not speak, because my dream was a little too small compared to theirs.
But I always felt that my dream would be easier to achieve than theirs.
However, one day, someone came to the royal court to deliver a battle report, and the battle report said that my dream was gone...
It's gone!!!"
"Ah, fine, I won't persuade you anymore. You are the highest one I've seen in this world."
"Yeah."

The slovenly man began to continue eating jerky.
"Um, don't blame me for being mercenary, and don't blame me for being petty. I have a small request. Since you're going to die anyway, it's also helping me out. Because I still want to live;
Of course, you can directly refuse if you don't want to."
"Yeah."
"Tomorrow, before you die, can you help me put on a show? I don't have any burdens, I don't have any family. The only thing I've ever wanted in this life is wealth and glory. You understand what I mean, right?"
"Yeah."
"Er... does that 'yeah' mean you agree?"
"Yeah."
"Tsk... it's not that I'm cheap, but even though you're planning to die tomorrow, agreeing so readily still makes me feel a little strange.
You're doing this not just to repay me for giving you a set of clothes and treating you to two days of meals, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then, why?"

The slovenly man wiped his mouth with his sleeve,
Stood up,
Zheng Fan suddenly discovered that,
At the bottom of the earthen slope, there was a tent, and there were sheep outside the tent.
The slovenly man walked straight down the earthen slope,
Two children, a boy and a girl, ran out of the tent,
The two children ran familiarly to the slovenly man,
The slovenly man held one in each arm.
Turned around,
Facing Zheng Fan,
Said:
"Before coming, I found them two."
……
"Huff……"
Zheng Fan suddenly opened his eyes,
Only to find that he was lying on a comfortable big bed.
Is it a dream…
"You're awake."
A young man's voice came.
Zheng Fan turned his head and saw a young man wearing white clothes sitting on a reclining chair next to the bed. The man's clothes were also embroidered with dragon patterns.
"The doctor said that you suffered internal injuries when you helped me block that blade, which caused your qi and blood to stagnate and led to your coma. However, with some rest and some tonics to replenish your vitality, there won't be any major problems."

The Sixth Prince was a very easygoing person.
But at this time,
It should have been the time to flatter,
It should have been the time to say some nonsense like: Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern. It is my duty as your subordinate to die for you.
But Zheng Fan directly opened his mouth and said:
"That... what happened to the barbarian?"
"That barbarian thief, hehe, yo yo, that barbarian thief was very fierce. If you hadn't selflessly helped me block that blade, I estimate I would already be playing chess with my imperial grandfather down below.
Of course, fortunately the Zhenbei Hou estate's commanding officer Li Yuanhu desperately blocked him, but even though that barbarian thief was seriously injured, he was still extraordinarily powerful. Even though his qi and blood were exhausted, he still seriously injured Commander Li;
In the end,
He was surrounded again by thousands of Zhenbei army iron cavalry on the river beach,
He actually managed to kill hundreds more cavalry, tsk tsk tsk..."

Zheng Fan asked eagerly: "What happened later?"
The Sixth Prince walked to the bedside and gently patted Zheng Fan on the shoulder,
Said:
"He died."