Chapter 38 Opposite, Begin Withdrawal

"The enemy across from us is starting to pull back their encirclement."

Zheng Fan nodded and said to Liang Cheng, "Let's head out first."

At this point, there was no need to consider whether the Qian army was feigning retreat. To be precise, with the appearance of these ten thousand Jingnan troops, the situation was as good as a royal flush.

Unless a meteorite fell from the sky, how could they possibly lose?

Of course, neither the Qian army nor the Qian Kingdom seemed to possess the destiny of chosen ones; otherwise, the heavens would have truly unique tastes.

Under Liang Cheng's command, the barbarian soldiers began to advance. The Qian army was also moving, but they were more focused on preparing for battle. The nearby forts, regardless of their internal decay, at least had men stationed on the battlements, ready for defense.

This made Zheng Fan curious about the identity of the Qian army's commander. To dare to act so cowardly, especially in such a situation, when it wasn't even the emperor making the call, was something few could achieve.

Any fool knew that in matters of national conflict, the one who showed weakness on the surface would be the one to face retribution upon return.

However, watching the Yan army cavalry, whom they had been pursuing for two days, brazenly depart before their eyes, the Qian army's morale visibly plummeted, resembling eggplants beaten by frost. Nevertheless, driven by the very real threat posed by the Jingnan army, they mustered their spirits and began to form their lines under the command of their respective generals.

The Jingnan army formation opened a gap on its flanks, allowing Zheng Fan's cavalry to enter. Subsequently, the Jingnan army began to transition from front to rear guard, methodically covering their retreat.

"A powerful force that doesn't boast, a strong army that isn't arrogant. If it's truly Marquis Jingnan leading the army, then this Jingnan army is indeed elite, and this Marquis Jingnan is no simple figure."

This was Liang Cheng's assessment. Anyone, especially a military commander in a high position and clad in iron armor, would have certain aspects of their personality amplified and exaggerated.

For instance, if Zheng Fan were in command, he would have undoubtedly left with a more arrogant and domineering attitude, putting on a show for the Qian people before leaving. After all, it was obvious that the Qian people had conceded, and no matter how much he flaunted his power, they wouldn't dare retaliate.

But Marquis Jingnan didn't do that, seemingly treating the Qian army as equals, even taking precautions against a potential pursuit during the withdrawal.

To act like a grandson when weak is human nature; to remain humble and cautious when powerful is extraordinary.

However, after listening to Liang Cheng's words, Zheng Fan said,

"If you're going to talk, say more."

"Huh?" Liang Cheng didn't quite understand, as the first reaction to such a statement would be to think the speaker meant the opposite.

"Keep talking, don't stop. Talk about formations, about battles, and your views on how to attack the Qian Kingdom. Speak more quickly, the exam is coming up."

"Alright, Master, but should this subordinate help you treat the wound on your back first?"

"No, just keep talking. Leave the wound; I'll keep it."

Liang Cheng began to speak. This was, after all, a great zombie who had led armies since ancient times. His insights and experience were exceptional. Most importantly, he was good at self-learning. For instance, during the breakout last night, Liang Cheng had genuinely admitted his mistake in front of the magic pill.

A Demon King isn't scary; the scary part is when the Demon King can also reflect on himself.

As Liang Cheng spoke, Zheng Fan listened attentively and memorized everything in his heart, like a college student cramming for an exam the night before, using tape to make cheat sheets.

Before long,

A Jingnan army captain rode over,

Delivering the order:

"The Marquis commands that Sub-Lieutenant Zheng come to see her."

…………

Because the army was on the move, Zheng Fan was led by the captain to a carriage.

"Enter."

A woman's voice came from inside.

The captain looked at Zheng Fan and made a "please" gesture.

"Huh? Ah?"

Zheng Fan was taken aback. Seeing that the carriage wasn't slowing down, he took a breath, steered his horse to a suitable position, and then placed his hands on the saddle.

He wanted to jump, but because he had been possessed by the magic pill last night, his body was exceptionally weak today, and his legs felt a little soft.

He tried to circulate his qi and blood a few times, but it felt weak. In the end, Zheng Fan had to turn to the captain, feeling a little embarrassed, and said,

"Brother, lend me a hand?"

It wasn't that Zheng Fan was being pretentious; he really couldn't jump that high. If he accidentally slipped and fell, and then had the bad luck to be run over by such a large carriage,

Ugh, the agony…

The captain didn't show any disdain on his face; instead, he revealed a hint of admiration. He rode over, reached out, grabbed Zheng Fan's shoulder, and lifted him up.

Zheng Fan used the force to leap and finally jumped onto the deck of the carriage.

"Thanks, brother."

After stabilizing himself, Zheng Fan cupped his fist at the captain.

The captain returned the salute.

Zheng Fan looked ahead and reached out to lift the curtain. He wasn't too worried that Marquis Jingnan would punish him because such important figures rarely cared about their personal feelings when addressing issues. Even if she knew he was "scheming," she would grit her teeth and believe that his actions had deliberately created border friction and antagonism, which aligned with Yan's strategic layout needs. To guide the narrative, she would have to reward him.

The carriage was large, and Zheng Fan felt a wave of warmth as he stepped inside.

Behind a brazier, Du Juan was helping Marquis Jingnan remove her armor. Marquis Jingnan had her back to Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan stood there, not daring to be too presumptuous. After all, this was a high-ranking figure who had just "saved" him, so he had to give her some respect.

Not every noble was a shameless character like the Sixth Prince.

Thinking of the Sixth Prince, Zheng Fan suddenly felt like he missed him a little.

Marquis Jingnan removed her armor and sat down in front of the brazier, gesturing with her finger,

"Sit."

Naturally, Zheng Fan had no chair to sit on, not even a cushion. The carriage was spacious, but there was only one cushion to sit on.

So, Zheng Fan sat down cross-legged.

Yan had this one good point: although there was a hierarchy, they weren't so particular about the details. If they told you to sit, you just sat; there was no need to kneel there tremulously.

Marquis Jingnan's gaze swept over Zheng Fan, seeming to notice the bloodstains on his body, and said,

"Injured?"

"Reporting to the Marquis, it's not serious."

Du Juan handed a sweet potato to Marquis Jingnan. Marquis Jingnan shook her head, pointed at Zheng Fan, and said,

"Give it to him."

Du Juan handed the sweet potato to Zheng Fan, who reached out and took it. Their eyes met for a moment.

The female spy from the Secret Agency was actually in the same carriage as Marquis Jingnan. This Marquis Jingnan was quite the player, not even trying to hide it?

The very hot sweet potato was tossed back and forth in his hands. Zheng Fan wasn't in a hurry to eat it, letting it cool first.

"You're very bold."

Zheng Fan didn't know how to respond, so he didn't say anything.

"Forget it, tell me, what's the situation like in the Qian Kingdom's border towns?"

Zheng Fan's brain started indexing. In fact, he was an eyewitness to the events, so he naturally had his own insights. However, just like the same scenic spot, the travelogue written by an elementary school student and the travelogue written by a literary giant would definitely feel different.

Liang Cheng was a general with experience in leading troops, and using his perspective and narration to answer Marquis Jingnan's questions would obviously be more effective.

"The Qian Kingdom's border army is already magnificent on the outside, but rotten on the inside. The three prefectures of the Qian Kingdom are all fortified with cities and forts, vainly attempting to use the bricks and tiles of the fortresses to stop the iron hooves of our great Yan.

However, those who are good at fighting should be people-oriented. Soldiers, armor, weapons, and city bricks are all inanimate objects. Although inanimate objects can assist, they are not to be relied upon.

According to what this subordinate has heard and seen along the way, although there are brave and loyal people in the Qian Kingdom's border army, they are few and far between and cannot change the overall situation. Their warriors all cherish their lives, and their scholars all love wealth. Nearly half of the border army's garrison soldiers are ghost soldiers, and the remaining nearly half have become slaves and laborers for the nobles.

The three northern towns of the Qian Kingdom, Chen, Liang, and Wei, boast eight hundred thousand soldiers;

But in this subordinate's view, if it were a field battle, with the Marquis as commander, our fifty thousand Jingnan troops, along with fifty thousand garrison soldiers from Yinlang Prefecture, would definitely be able to defeat them greatly!"

"With the Marquis as commander" was added by Zheng Fan himself. Liang Cheng's original words were that in that kind of situation, unless the commander was a pig, it would be difficult to find a reason to lose.

Marquis Jingnan warmed her hands over the brazier,

And said calmly:

"Then, in your opinion, why didn't this Marquis order an attack earlier?"

Since you've described the Qian army as being so不堪 (bù kān - wretched, unbearable), why didn't I give the order earlier to devour their army?

Zheng Fan had already torn open the sweet potato skin and took a bite. Zheng Fan hadn't tasted how sweet the sweet potato was, but he was secretly delighted, which was about equivalent to discovering that he had guessed the test questions correctly while studying for the postgraduate entrance exam.

"Because the Qian Kingdom is rich, while our Yan Kingdom is poor."

Hearing this, Marquis Jingnan's eyes suddenly narrowed, but she wasn't angry,

"Continue."

"The Qian Kingdom occupies the prosperous land of the Central Plains. Whether it is viewed from the perspective of territory or population, it far exceeds our Yan Kingdom.

The Qian Kingdom's exhaustion is not because its country is small, not because its country is poor, and not because its people are few, but because it emphasizes literature and suppresses martial arts, because the scholar-official class has become too powerful, the Qian Kingdom's emperor's power is weakened, the local areas are rich while the country is poor, the local areas respect themselves while the country gradually weakens.

Since ancient times, when small countries attack large countries, and poor countries conquer rich countries, the key to victory lies in speed, and absolutely no opportunity should be given to large countries to breathe and adjust."

Hearing this, Marquis Jingnan deliberately raised her head and looked at Zheng Fan again,

But smiled:

"In that case, wouldn't you be reminding the Qian people by going to provoke them on your own initiative?"

"Reporting to the Marquis, this subordinate's actions are only to find out the truth about the Qian people. Although it caused the Qian people to lose their composure and face, it is ultimately just a minor concern, far less shocking to the Qian people than if the Marquis had given an order earlier and directly swallowed the Qian Kingdom's thousands of border cavalry."

"A minor concern?"

"Yes, a minor concern. This little bit of strength is simply not enough to wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep."

"Well said, ‘not enough to wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep.’ Zheng Fan, this Marquis is truly beginning to see you in a new light today."

"This subordinate is terrified."

"Then, in your opinion, what method should our great Yan use to attack the Qian Kingdom?" Marquis Jingnan paused and added, "Be specific."

"First, similar to how the Marquis is putting pressure on the Qian Kingdom today, force the Qian Kingdom to transfer its combat-ready troops to the three northern prefectures for defense.

Then, our army will seize the opportunity to wipe out the Qian Kingdom's field elites in a field battle. Their cities and fortresses can all be ignored. A cavalry force can directly attack the Qian Kingdom's capital!

At that time, whether it is to force the Qian Kingdom's rulers and ministers to cede territory and pay reparations to seek peace, or to go all out and break through the Qian Kingdom's capital and take the Qian Kingdom's rulers and ministers back to the country to present to His Majesty, the initiative is in our hands."

"Heh, according to your statement, the Jingnan army alone is far from enough."

Zheng Fan took a deep breath,

Quickly making a decision in his heart,

Finally,

He spoke:

"Our great Yan, also has three hundred thousand Zhenbei Army!" (Northern Garrison Army)

Marquis Jingnan's left fist suddenly clenched. For a moment, the flames in the brazier seemed to be completely compressed by an invisible force, and the light in the carriage instantly became dim, also reflecting on Marquis Jingnan's face, which began to flicker on and off.

After a long time,

Marquis Jingnan said:

"Did Little Sixth tell you these things?"

"His Highness the Sixth Prince and this subordinate are close friends, but these things are what this subordinate saw for myself. This subordinate came from Beifeng Prefecture, and this subordinate also served in the Zhenbei Army.

This subordinate doesn't know anything else, but one thing, this subordinate can guarantee with his life: Marquis Zhenbei cannot rebel!"

Marquis Jingnan seemed to have filtered out all of Zheng Fan's other words,

And directly seized on a strange point,

Saying:

"As a local minister, secretly associating with a prince, do you know what crime that is?"

Zheng Fan's mind immediately flashed back to the conversation he had with Blindman Bei that night. After he told Blindman Bei about Marquis Jingnan, Blindman Bei came to this conclusion:

Marquis Jingnan is the Empress's younger brother, the current Yan Emperor's brother-in-law. Logically speaking, such relatives of the emperor should learn to keep a low profile. After all, relatives of the emperor are relatives, but the word "relative" is the biggest limitation. Throughout history, as long as relatives of the emperor dare to jump for joy, unless you replace them, the ending will be quite miserable. At best, it's like a chamber pot: you throw it away after you're done using it.

But Marquis Jingnan was not only able to control the Jingnan Army, but she was also so arrogant and domineering, breaking into the city and massacring people in Yinlang Prefecture. Excluding the possibility that Marquis Jingnan was a complete idiot who didn't leave a way out for herself, there was only one possibility left:

Marquis Jingnan is very likely to be the same kind of person as Marquis Zhenbei.

Speaking of this, Blindman Bei looked up at the stars, patted his legs, and lamented that this Yan Kingdom was truly blessed. Could it be that the country's fortunes were truly flourishing, so these outstanding figures were popping up one after another?

Blindman Bei was worried that if the Yan Kingdom was truly so prosperous and destined to unify the East, then wouldn't he and others have to be submissive people for the rest of their lives?

A chaotic world is the soil in which these ambitious people thrive. If you let Li Zicheng go to the prosperous China of later generations, he can only go to JD.com and become a hard-working and down-to-earth deliveryman.

In Blindman Bei's analysis, he believed that Marquis Jingnan was the kind of person whose vision and ideology had already exceeded the gains and losses of a single family, and even exceeded the limitations of his own destiny. In his eyes, there might only be the future of the country and the nation.

This kind of person can no longer be regarded as a politician and can have a "Great" added as a prefix.

An Yan Emperor, a Marquis Zhenbei, and a Marquis Jingnan,

Blindman Bei finally spat out a swear word:

If these three guys stand together, what the hell are the other three countries and us going to play!

……

Therefore, when facing Marquis Jingnan's question, Zheng Fan chose an extremely straightforward stance,

Answering:

"This subordinate once saved His Highness the Sixth Prince's life, which is how this subordinate met His Highness. Moreover, His Highness the Sixth Prince is gentle and kind-hearted, and does not judge people by their social status. This subordinate truly respects His Highness the Sixth Prince."

"Kind-hearted? Why don't you say he has the demeanor of a ruler?"

"Actually…"

"Actually what?"

"Actually, this subordinate does think so. It may be because this subordinate only knows His Highness the Sixth Prince among all the princes, so this subordinate thinks that perhaps the other princes are even more excellent. Otherwise, this subordinate really doesn't understand why His Highness the Sixth Prince cannot…"

"Impudent!" Du Juan scolded.

Zheng Fan immediately threw the sweet potato skin in his hand onto the carriage and changed from kneeling to kneeling on one knee,

"This subordinate misspoke."

"Heh, you should know which prince is about to enter the Eastern Palace, right?"

"This subordinate knows, it's the Second Prince."

"Then you should also know, what is the Second Prince to this Marquis?"

"This subordinate knows, he is the Marquis's own nephew."

"Then you still dare to speak like this in front of this Marquis?"

"Reporting to the Marquis, this subordinate answers truthfully to whatever the Marquis asks. This subordinate dares not deceive the Marquis in any way."

"Well said, ‘dares not deceive in any way.’ In that case, your close relationship with Little Sixth means that if Little Sixth fails to become the crown prince in the future, you will also learn from how the Zhenbei Marquis's manor helped the late emperor ascend to the throne and send troops to help Little Sixth, right?"

"This subordinate will not."

"Oh? You won't now? Why, you've already said everything you shouldn't have said, and you've said such outrageous things, but now, you suddenly dare not say it anymore?

Aren't you on good terms with Little Sixth? Why don't you dare to help him at the critical moment?"

Zheng Fan smiled,

And answered:

"Reporting to the Marquis, this subordinate has few soldiers. This subordinate's Cui Liu Fort originally only had five hundred cavalry, and dozens more were lost during this southward journey. This force is not enough."

Du Juan's expression suddenly froze, and she barely managed to suppress a laugh.

Marquis Jingnan laughed directly, pointing at Zheng Fan,

"You, ah, you, ha ha, why, are you sure that this Marquis is reluctant to kill you, so you dare to be so presumptuous?"

"This subordinate dares not."

"You dare not? What do you not dare to do? You only have a few hundred men under your command, and you dare to go south on your own accord. If you had a Jingnan Army under your command, would you directly help your Sixth Prince rebel?"

"If this subordinate had a Jingnan Army under his command, this subordinate would be more willing to attack the Qian Kingdom's capital.

This subordinate is stationed at Cui Liu Fort, which is where the first generation Marquis Zhenbei broke off a willow branch a hundred years ago. It's just that the first generation Marquis Zhenbei has never been able to fulfill his long-cherished wish, which he considered a regret.

Therefore, this subordinate begs the Marquis to fulfill my wish. If one day our great Yan's iron cavalry tramples on the capital, this subordinate would rather not be the sub-lieutenant and be a vanguard soldier. In short, this subordinate is willing to be the first to climb the walls of the capital!"

Hearing these words,

Marquis Jingnan's expression calmed down,

Reaching out and picking up the remaining sweet potato by the brazier,

Saying:

"There's one more sweet potato, do you want to eat it?"

"This subordinate won't eat it."

"Why? It's quite sweet."

"Marquis, eating too many of these sweet potatoes will cause a lot of farting."

"…………" Marquis Jingnan.

Marquis Jingnan's chest heaved for a while,

And finally directly threw the sweet potato in her hand at Zheng Fan,

Scolding:

"Get out!"