Chapter 1 How He Fell Asleep

Zheng Fan wasn’t sure how he had fallen asleep, but honestly, he’d slept quite soundly the night before.

Because he’d been cultivating martial arts during this period, it felt similar to an ordinary person running a marathon every day. Once a person exhausted all their energy, they could fall asleep easily; insomnia and excessive dreaming simply didn’t exist.

However, as soon as he woke up and regained consciousness, Zheng Fan's memories of last night began to surface in his mind.

He subconsciously turned to look beside him, only to find the space empty.

Emptiness,

Regret,

Disappointment…

Huh?

After sitting up in bed, Zheng Fan was somewhat stunned to discover that Fourth Mother was sleeping on a makeshift bed on the floor beneath his bed.

Dressed in a long nightgown, like a playful girlfriend wearing her boyfriend's long-sleeved shirt, she resembled a water fairy fully hydrated.

This…

Wasn’t she supposed to sleep on the bed?

Sure enough,

She was just habitually teasing a man.

Fourth Mother also opened her eyes at this moment. She had actually woken up earlier. She had sensed Zheng Fan's awakening when his breathing rhythm changed, but opening her eyes at this moment would seem more natural.

“Master, you’re awake. This servant will help you wash up.”

“Okay.”

“Master, breakfast should be ready in the front hall. Please go and have it. This servant needs to tidy herself up.”

“Okay.”

Zheng Fan walked out of the inner room,

And saw a familiar wooden box behind the door.

He squatted down,

Opened it,

And the stone lay quietly in the box.

Fourth Mother must have put it away for him. Usually these days, after Zheng Fan finished his bath at night, he would leave the magic orb (mo wan) in the hot spring pool for it to soak for a while longer.

Perhaps it would get bored of soaking one day and be willing to come out.

Thinking of the Blind Man's advice before he left, Zheng Fan hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took the stone out of the box, placing it in the inner pocket of his chest.

To take a step back, even if this thing didn’t want to come out, it would be good for blocking an arrow or something.

Fortunately, Zheng Fan was wearing armor, so there was plenty of space to put a small stone.

He pushed open the door,

And the morning sun was just right.

Zheng Fan clenched his fists slightly, feeling full of positive energy all over his body, and a desire to practice a set of "The Times Are Calling" fist techniques unexpectedly rose in his heart.

Perhaps it was because he was gradually familiar with controlling his qi and blood, and his breathing and various bodily functions were visibly improving, so he was no longer in the sub-healthy state of the otaku manga author he used to be.

After finishing breakfast, Zheng Fan was wiping his mouth when,

“Master.”

Fang Cao appeared in the courtyard, bowing slightly to Zheng Fan,

“Master, the horses are ready.”

In the past, Liang Cheng was responsible for accompanying Zheng Fan to the yamen (government office), but now they had all gone out.

Zheng Fan had originally thought that Fourth Mother would disguise herself as a male servant and accompany him to the yamen as she had said before, but he waited outside with the horse for a long time without seeing Fourth Mother come out.

He guessed that Fourth Mother was just saying it…

Well, a woman's words, especially the words of an experienced woman, cannot be fully believed.

Zheng Fan wasn't angry either. In fact, he didn't really want those demon kings to protect him meticulously like a "princess."

Sometimes, he also hoped to breathe some fresh air, just like children who hadn't grown up always wanted to be independent.

In addition, what he gained after practicing martial arts was not only physical fitness, but also a kind of… mysterious confidence in his heart.

Without waiting any longer, Zheng Fan mounted his horse and went to work alone.

In the backyard, Fang Cao walked into Zheng Fan’s bedroom and entered the inner room. She first went to the bedside, moved the pillow, and was stunned for a moment, her face immediately revealing a hint of shyness.

“Looking for this?”

Fourth Mother's voice came from behind.

Fang Cao was startled and immediately turned around, looking at Fourth Mother, who had appeared here at some point, with a look of horror.

The demon kings naturally wouldn’t inform their servants in advance of what they were going to do, nor was it necessary.

For example, no one knew that Fourth Mother had slept in Zheng Fan’s room last night.

Fourth Mother held a sachet in her hand, looking at Fang Cao with interest.

“The embroidery on this sachet is too ordinary. Although it’s skillful, it’s not refined at all.

You probably lived a hard life for too long in the past, doing too much rough work. This embroidery still needs time to be properly changed.

In addition, the fragrance ingredients inside are too mixed. They clash with each other, making it inferior.”

“No, Fourth Mother, it’s not what you think, it’s not…”

Fourth Mother smiled and

interrupted Fang Cao,

saying:

“I know exactly what you’re thinking. You probably like A’Ming, but first, A’Ming is not moved by you at all. Seriously, don’t think that just because he killed your father, he’ll be responsible for you. He might have just been in the mood that day and killed someone casually.

Second, you also know that the master is easier to approach and much kinder than A’Ming, so you think the master is easier to get to.”

“No, I didn’t. I put the sachet there just because I saw that the master was working hard at martial arts, and I wanted him to sleep well at night…”

“I’ve already discovered it. There’s no point in continuing to quibble. It’s better to admit it frankly. You need to change that next time.

Although we women don’t need to go to the front and fight with knives like men, we should at least have some heroic spirit to dare to do and dare to admit.”

“Yes, Fourth Mother, I want to seduce the master and make him notice me.”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

Fourth Mother applauded.

“That’s right. Your background is so pitiful, and you want to climb up the social ladder and become a phoenix. That’s human nature. Do you know where you went wrong?”

“Master is yours, Fourth Mother. It’s not something a lowly servant like me can…”

“Well, that’s one thing.

Forget it, let me tell you. Sharpening your axe won’t delay your woodcutting. Don’t look at how kind and amiable the master seems. To be honest, do you think the master wouldn’t notice or see through your little thoughts?

The master himself is best at scheming. Your little schemes are too naive in the master’s eyes.

Most importantly, if you want to seduce a man, if you want to attract and control a man, first, tidy up your own skin and take care of it.

Look at yourself now. You’ve only lived a good life for a few days, and you’re already impatient, right?

What about the embroidery, the qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Which one doesn’t require you to learn?

Fang Cao shook her head.

“So, there’s a lot you need to learn. Learn slowly first, and spend half a year or a year with me every night applying face masks. When I think you’re ready, I’ll naturally give you a chance.”

“Yes, this servant understands.”

“Get out of here, you little slut. If you dare to make a move on the master again before you’re ready, the wild dogs in the graveyard tomorrow will have an extra late-night snack.”

Fang Cao was frightened and ran out of the inner room in a panic.

The difference in aura between the two in the previous conversation was like Cixi, who had just entered the palace, facing Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang after Kangxi had taken personal control. It was simply crushing at countless levels.

Fourth Mother threw the sachet in her hand on the ground,

Leaning against the edge of the bed,

The previous ruthless and decisive look slowly faded,

And a sense of melancholy began to spread.

“Sigh…”

Fourth Mother sighed again.

In fact, she was refusing on the surface when the Blind Man asked her to stay home alone, but in her heart, she was quite delighted.

She felt that this was the best opportunity for her to win over the master. The nights were long, the mansion was quiet, and they were a lone man and a lonely woman.

When the Blind Man and A’Ming came back,

They would all have to kneel in front of her and call her mistress.

Hee hee hee,

How wonderful…

But who would have thought…

Ahhhhh!

Fourth Mother was truly unwilling in her heart!

But there was really nothing she could do. The magic orb (mo wan) was designed by the master himself. It had no physical form and was instead a vengeful infant. That was why he could directly seal himself off and ignore outside affairs when everyone was just an ordinary person.

Not only was there a difference in strength,

But more importantly,

Even the Blind Man wouldn’t dare to try to guess his personality.

Because there was something wrong with this kid’s brain itself!

Now it was all right,

At the moment when her good deed was about to be completed,

He suddenly appeared.

“Do you love your father, or do you hate your father?”

You love your father, so you don’t want him to find a stepmother.

You hate your father, so you don’t let him touch a woman.

Being your father is too difficult.

Fourth Mother knew

that it was a good thing that she was the one who had intended to make a move on the master last night.

If it had been someone else,

Like Fang Cao,

She probably would have lost her life and directly become a dried corpse greeting the dawn the next morning!

In the end,

Countless grievances and helplessness turned into a long sigh:

“Feng Tang is prone to aging, Li Guang is difficult to ennoble, alas, it’s difficult to be a stepmother…”

…………

I have a little pony, and I ride it every day, riding it to the yamen to go to the market every morning.

This was really Zheng Fan’s true portrayal. In his previous life, he always heard people say how relaxed those civil servants with iron rice bowls were.

A cup of tea, a cigarette, and a newspaper to sit for a day.

But probably, even the most leisurely civil servants in later generations wouldn’t be as idle as his current “court official” in this Great Yan Kingdom.

Walking into the yamen,

The servants greeted Zheng Fan, and Zheng Fan nodded to each of them.

His colleagues, on the other hand, basically treated Zheng Fan as air.

He had been in office for quite a few days, but Zheng Fan hadn’t really gone out to eat with anyone, because Zheng Fan had the mark of the Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion on him, and the Marquis of Zhenbei himself had already been summoned to the capital. The outcome was unknown, so naturally no one dared to wade into these troubled waters at this time.

Zheng Fan, on the other hand, was happy to have some peace and quiet. He had his own desk, but it was empty. He had no deputy or adjutant. There were many lieutenants sitting around him, about the same age as Zheng Fan.

They were all children from the large clans, military leaders, and fortified villages near Tiger Head City, all second-generation ancestors who were wearing the official title of lieutenant. The yamen was also interesting, as if it had turned this room into a “garbage storage site.” All the people who didn’t do anything but eat were put here.

After all, they were all just drifting along, and although everyone only needed to cope with things every day, once they sat here, there were no game consoles or mobile phones to play with. They could only brag.

Although these second-generation ancestors were foolish, they weren’t stupid. No one dared to have deep interactions with Zheng Fan, but sitting in the yamen and bragging together was still possible.

Zheng Fan didn’t mind chatting with them anyway. He was bored anyway.

And it had to be said, these second-generation ancestors who could be arranged by their families to drift along and act as the family’s face spoke really nicely.

“Hey, Sun Family Second, can you be a little quieter when you use your abacus? Those who know will know that this is the yamen. Those who don’t know will think this is a vegetable market.”

“I’m calculating accounts.”

“Are you the registrar? What accounts do you need to calculate?”

“Isn’t it almost the New Year? The village is preparing to make another shipment before the New Year, and I’m calculating which goods will be more profitable then.”

Sun Family Fort had a merchant house in Tiger Head City, which was managed by Sun Family Second, Sun Yan. It was very convenient to be an official and do business at the same time.

“Tch, what’s the point of bothering with these things? It’s better to go horseback riding and hunting with me outside after the yamen closes.”

“Wu Family Third, our Sun Family Fort has a large population but little land, so we’re poor and can’t compare to your Wu family. If I’m not diligent, we really can’t live this life.”

“It’s still early, don’t exaggerate like that.”

“Looking at it, it’ll be the twelfth lunar month in less than two months. If we don’t work hard, how will we get through this winter?

I went to take a look this morning. Because the commercial route was cut off for a while due to the recent war, the prices of pork and ribs have become outrageously high.

Should we still make sausages? Where can we get preserved meat? Who will stew the radishes with?

What about the glass noodles? Does the potato still have a soul? Where will the pickled dried vegetables go?”

In Tiger Head City, beef and mutton were cheaper than pork, but just like the Chinese character for "home," there had to be pork in the house for the home to be complete.

Although the Yan Kingdom was located north of the Central Plains, it was different from the desert barbarians and believed that pork was the soul of ancestor worship and consumption.

“Okay, okay, Sun Family Second, I’m impressed by you.”

“Hehe, but I have to say, my merchant house’s shopkeeper brought back some goods today and told me something.”

“What is it?”

The second-generation ancestors next to him immediately gathered around. After tea and dinner, everyone was counting on these fresh things to help them digest.

Zheng Fan also perked up his ears to listen.

“The Mei Family Fort, it was destroyed yesterday. The fortified village has been occupied, hehe.”

“Mei Family Fort? It’s not far from here. Isn’t the village chief called Mei Wannian?”

“That’s right, he’s dead too. His head is hanging on the wall of the fortified village. Mei Wannian, it really became no later years for him (the name "Wannian" means ten thousand years, implying a long life).”

“Who did this? Even if it’s a merger or revenge, how dare they act under the eyes of the Zhenbei Army?”

These second-generation ancestors had long seen countless killings and mergers between fortified villages and families. The essence of this world was the big fish eating the small fish.

In fact, the Mei Family Fort’s strength and population weren’t really strong. It was just that its location was good, near Tiger Head City and Tu Man City, and those large forces were afraid to act rashly and didn’t dare to stretch their claws over there.

“Yeah, isn’t the Zhenbei Army going to do anything?”

“Hehe, the interesting thing about this matter is that the force that destroyed the Mei Family Fort actually hung the Zhenbei Army’s flag on the walls of the Mei Family Fort.”

“What? The Zhenbei Army did it?”

“Is the Marquis of Zhenbei’s mansion crazy? The Marquis of Zhenbei himself is still in the capital and hasn’t returned yet. The Zhenbei Army is first attacking barbarian tribes and now fortified villages. What is it doing?”

“Yeah, it’s cutting down both outsiders and its own people. Is it telling the other forces in Beifeng Prefecture not to provoke me? Am I telling them that I’m crazy and will cut down my own people?”

“Who authorized this?”

“Yeah, who led the troops under the Zhenbei Army?”

“Could it be that the Princess did it again?”

Sun Family Second shook his head and said,

“Let me think, my servant seemed to have told me that the one leading the troops, his surname is Zheng, and he’s a lieutenant.”

There were as many lieutenants as dogs in the Yan Kingdom, and those leading troops were basically lieutenants.

“Surname Zheng? Hahaha, isn’t there a Lieutenant Zheng here?”

One of the second-generation ancestors pointed at Zheng Fan and laughed.

“Yeah, could it be that our Lieutenant Zheng went out of the city overnight and destroyed the Mei Family?”

“Hahaha, interesting, interesting.”

“Lieutenant Zheng is really one who doesn’t show his true colors.”

Everyone joked and teased together, and no one believed that Zheng Fan had really done it. Everyone was drifting along under the same roof. Who didn’t know who?

Zheng Fan also smiled and wasn’t angry. He was still thinking about what the Zhenbei Army was trying to do by doing this. Were they preparing to rebel? Or were they continuing to demonstrate their power?

“I say, Lieutenant Zheng, is that Zhenbei Army general a relative of yours?”

Zheng Fan shook his head and said, “My family came here to escape from disaster. Where would I have any relatives? Even if I knew them, they wouldn’t know me.”

“Alas, Lieutenant Zheng is being modest, being modest.”

“Maybe you really can form a distant relationship?”

At this time,

Sun Family Second slapped his forehead and said,

“I remember now, my servant told me that the Zhenbei Army lieutenant leading the troops is called the Protector of Merchants Lieutenant (hu shang xiao wei).”

“Protector of Merchants Lieutenant, why does this name sound so familiar?”

“Yeah, it seems like I’ve only heard it a few times recently.”

“Indeed, it really does sound a bit familiar.”

Suddenly,

The second-generation ancestors present all turned their eyes back to Zheng Fan,

Their eyes filled

with deep shock and disbelief.

It should be known that the official position of Protector of Merchants Lieutenant was "newly created" by the imperial court recently in order to weaken local military power. It was still very new and hot.

And Zheng Fan himself

had ten thousand mud horses galloping through his heart,

And he vaguely had a guess in his mind.

“Lieutenant Zheng, what is your official title?” Wu Family Third asked timidly.

Zheng Fan’s expression was calm,

And he replied:

“This humble one belongs to the Zhenbei Army, stationed in Tiger Head City, Protector of Merchants Lieutenant.”

“Hiss………………”

The second-generation ancestors present collectively gasped, which directly caused the air pressure in this room to drop instantly.

Sun Family Second stopped using his abacus and looked at Zheng Fan with a strange expression,

The reason why his expression was strange was because he didn’t know what kind of expression he should use to face Zheng Fan at this time.

Clearly, everyone was a group of harmonious trash, so how did a ruthless character come out of us?

But he still had great curiosity,

And tentatively asked:

“Brother Zheng, may I ask, what is the meaning of your Zhenbei Army’s actions?”

Although they were second-generation ancestors, it was almost their instinct to gather information for their families. And the Zhenbei Army, as the most terrifying behemoth in Beifeng Prefecture, its movements and intentions were undoubtedly the focus of attention for the families and fortified villages in Beifeng Prefecture!

Zheng Fan took a deep breath.

At this moment,

Of course, he couldn’t say:

I don’t even know that those guys went out yesterday and immediately went to cause trouble without stopping!

Zheng Fan’s expression immediately darkened,

And his entire temperament instantly transformed from the previous smiling Mr. Nice Guy into someone unfathomable,

And he said:

“Heh, why does my Marquis of Zhenbei’s mansion need to explain its actions to others!”