Chapter 1 The Aftermath

The chaos in the Jin Kingdom's capital had been quelled by daybreak. To be precise, aside from Yu Huacheng leading nearly two thousand Jin soldiers in a desperate attempt to "do their best and leave the rest to fate," creating some trouble for the Yan army, once Liang Cheng beheaded Yu Huacheng, the remaining work for the Yan army was mainly to clear out the routed soldiers and stabilize the situation.

A major country that had existed alongside Great Yan for almost as long, the word "Jin" was now utterly trampled in the muddy sewage after experiencing numerous trials and tribulations.

After this night, even if the Jin Emperor and Empress Dowager still remained, the words "Great Jin" would be forever stripped of their luster.

This wasn't like the demise of other dynasties, where countless martyrs emerged, and many people, concerned about the former dynasty, didn't hesitate to raise flags and rebel in successive resistance. Because the Jin royal family had, in fact, long been hollowed out by the three major families over the past few decades. It had already been exhausted, only maintaining a facade. Now, even the need for this facade to continue existing was gone.

Zheng Fan and the Empress Dowager sat for the better part of the night.

As the sky began to lighten, Zheng Fan stretched and looked at the Empress Dowager, who hadn't slept at all. He couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Empress Dowager, how can you hold it for so long?"

The Empress Dowager glared at Zheng Fan upon hearing this.

Surprisingly, their relationship had improved quite a bit after last night. Normally, the Empress Dowager had to maintain a facade of dignity to uphold her imposing image, but in the face of Zheng Fan's rascality, shamelessness, and boorishness, she knew that none of that was useful. After wearing a mask for so long, it had been torn to shreds last night, and she could finally get used to showing her true face.

"Alright, is there a spittoon in the room? You know, that thing for peeing into at night?"

Zheng Fan gestured with his fingers.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager didn't speak, Zheng Fan shook his head and said:

"Toilet? Chamber pot? Night bucket? Slop bucket?"

The Empress Dowager remained silent.

"What do you Jin people even call that thing? Forget it, do whatever you want."

At this moment, Si Niang walked over.

"My lord."

"Are they alright?" Zheng Fan stepped forward and asked, holding Si Niang's hand.

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly when she saw Zheng Fan holding the fair hand of a soldier, but she quickly relaxed.

It was like how if your father smoked and your grandfather smoked, or if your father drank and your grandfather drank, you wouldn't think smoking or drinking was a big deal.

Under the influence of this kind of atmosphere in the Jin Kingdom, the nobles had a high degree of acceptance of such habits.

"Ah Cheng was slightly injured to kill Yu Huacheng, but the others are fine."

"That's good, that's good."

Si Niang's gaze fell on the Empress Dowager. After seeing the Empress Dowager's pretty face, Si Niang covered her mouth and smiled:

"Hehe, my lord, am I getting another little sister?"

"General Zheng, the Marquis has been sent into the palace." A soldier reported from outside.

Sent into the palace?

Zheng Fan immediately understood the meaning. He said to Si Niang:

"Keep an eye on her."

Then, Zheng Fan said to the Empress Dowager:

"She's a woman, you don't have to be shy, right?"

The Empress Dowager looked at Si Niang with some surprise: A woman?

With the Jingnan Army soldiers surrounding the outside and Si Niang guarding the inside, Zheng Fan believed that nothing would happen to the Empress Dowager.

After saying that, Zheng Fan hurriedly left the palace, and while mounting his horse, he asked the soldier who had come to report:

"Where is the Marquis?"

"He just entered the palace from the south gate."

"Got it."

Zheng Fan spurred his horse toward the palace gate. The Empress Dowager's palace was at the far end of the Jin Kingdom's imperial palace. If he went from here toward the main gate, he should be able to meet him on the way.

In fact, the Jin Kingdom's imperial palace wasn't very large. The reason was that the outer city of the original imperial palace had become residential areas, which greatly reduced the area of the imperial palace. It was similar to the Forbidden City in later generations.

In the small square in front of the Zhenghe Hall, Zheng Fan saw the team escorting the Marquis of Jingnan. Ren Juan personally led the way, surrounded by hundreds of soldiers. In the center was a *pixiu* (mythical hybrid creature), and he could see a person leaning against the *pixiu*'s back.

"Marquis!!!"

Zheng Fan certainly knew why the Marquis of Jingnan had stayed alone in the suburbs last night. Moreover, during the entire offensive last night, there was no news of the Jin Kingdom's Sword Saint, which was enough to show that the Sword Saint had gone to find the Marquis.

"Marquis, Marquis!"

Zheng Fan dismounted and ran toward them. He was just about to perform a set of movements with a difficulty coefficient of 3.7, including "falling down," then "getting up," then "falling down" again, then continuing to "get up" and then "choking with sobs,"

When the Marquis of Jingnan on the *pixiu* suddenly raised his head and looked at Zheng Fan running over.

Huh?

Hmm?

Zheng Fan subconsciously slowed down.

Not dying?

Not on his last breath?

Not spitting blood?

The Marquis of Jingnan opened his mouth and said:

"Are you in such a hurry to sing dirges for this Marquis?"

"No, this..."

Zheng Fan was a little embarrassed.

When he first heard the news, he really thought that the Marquis of Jingnan had been seriously injured by the Sword Saint, and was even close to being killed.

The biggest difference between a martial artist and a swordsman is that a martial artist can "bathe" in a sea of soldiers, but a swordsman is invincible in a one-on-one duel.

Looking at the Marquis of Jingnan's appearance now, didn't that mean he had won against the Sword Saint?

For a moment, Zheng Fan didn't know how to describe the Marquis of Jingnan. His ability to fight battles could be called godlike, and his personal strength was also so strong. If there wasn't that stain of exterminating his own family...

"Ren Juan."

"My lord, I am here!"

"You will assist Zheng, the city guard, with the following matters."

The following matter was naturally to collect wealth.

The Yan Kingdom didn't plan to station troops in the Jin Kingdom's capital area, because the Yan Kingdom hadn't completely digested its newly acquired territory. There was no need to be greedy. At the same time, a small buffer zone was needed between the Yan Kingdom and the Situ family. The Yan Kingdom would continue to retain Xinsu City as the boundary.

But the wealth here certainly couldn't be let go. Zheng Fan needed money, and the Marquis of Jingnan also needed it. When weapons were involved, the encouragement before the battle, the rewards after the battle, and the usual maintenance of governance all cost money like flowing water.

"This subordinate obeys!"

This task fell on Zheng Fan.

Of course, Zheng Fan was just an intermediary. He would definitely subcontract this job later.

Moreover, Zheng Fan believed that after the practice in Chuzhou City last time, Si Niang and the Blind Man would definitely be even more adept at making accounts and pocketing money.

He didn't believe that Tian Wujing, no matter how talented he was, could have an advanced accountant title with him, right?

"My lord, please go in and rest. This subordinate has sent someone to invite the best doctor here." Ren Juan reminded.

The Marquis of Jingnan didn't speak.

Ren Juan silently signaled the team to continue moving forward. The Zhenghe Hall was just ahead.

Just as the team resumed moving, Zheng Fan couldn't help but say to Ren Juan:

"Lord Ren, is it appropriate for the Marquis to rest in the Zhenghe Hall?"

The Zhenghe Hall was on the central axis of the Jin Kingdom's imperial palace. The hall wasn't large and wasn't a place for court meetings, but it was where the Jin Emperor used to hold small meetings with close ministers, and it also served as the imperial study.

Upon hearing this, Ren Juan immediately glared at Zheng Fan.

"Ren Juan."

The Marquis of Jingnan spoke.

"My lord?"

"Although this Marquis just fought with the Jin Kingdom's Sword Saint, I can still twist off your head right now."

"My lord, if you want this subordinate's head, this subordinate can personally cut it off and send it to you! It was this subordinate's negligence."

The Marquis of Jingnan closed his eyes, not knowing if it was because of his injury or if he didn't want to speak.

Ren Juan could only wave his hand, signaling the team to change direction and go to the side hall on the west side.

Zheng Fan continued to follow.

After the Marquis of Jingnan was settled down, he waved his hand and said:

"You all go and do your work. This Marquis will take care of himself."

Only then did everyone retreat.

When they walked outside, Ren Juan looked at Zheng Fan and said:

"This general was negligent just now, thank you for reminding me, City Guard Zheng."

Zheng Fan immediately cupped his fist in salute and responded:

"Lord Ren has been fighting all night and is already exhausted. It's understandable that you were not thinking clearly due to lack of energy."

"Hehe, actually, it's not a big deal, is it?"

Zheng Fan understood the hidden meaning in Ren Juan's words.

Generals who could become chief generals might have some special personalities and quirks, but they would never be fools.

The Zhenghe Hall was a place that only the Jin Kingdom's emperor could use, and it had a very strong symbolic meaning of imperial power. Once the Marquis of Jingnan lived in it, if this matter spread to Yanjing, those with ulterior motives would definitely use this to make a fuss.

If it were before, it would have been fine for the Marquis of Jingnan to live there. Zheng Fan felt that even if the Yan Emperor knew about it, he would smile and ask the Marquis of Jingnan in the future, "Why don't you sit on my dragon throne too? See if it's more comfortable than the Jin Emperor's throne?"

Originally, this wouldn't have been a big deal.

Because the relationship between the two Marquises and the Yan Emperor was truly solid in a way that outsiders couldn't understand.

But yesterday, the Marquis of Jingnan had hinted to him that the Yan Emperor's health might be having problems.

Once this guess was true,

Then a flourishing emperor and an emperor with health problems

Were definitely two completely different beings.

However, Ren Juan wasn't deliberately trying to set up the Marquis of Jingnan. Whether it was in the Zhenbei Army or the Jingnan Army, even if the two Marquises were "selfless and devoted to the public," his subordinates, the chief generals, the guerrilla generals, who wouldn't want to get a merit for supporting the future emperor?

"Hehe, this general originally thought that since the Marquis appreciated and promoted City Guard Zheng so much, City Guard Zheng should be one of us."

Zheng Fan immediately responded:

"Lord, precisely because I am one of us, I had to speak out to remind you."

"What do you mean?"

At Ren Juan's signal, the surrounding soldiers had already dispersed, so there was no need to worry about anyone eavesdropping.

"What is the purpose of Lord's actions? Is it to test the Marquis's intentions, or is it to prove your own intentions to the Marquis?"

"Continue." Ren Juan looked at Zheng Fan.

"What kind of person the Marquis is, Lord should know. It's not an exaggeration to describe the Marquis as loyal to the country and a pillar of the nation.

"The Marquis, will not rebel!"

"That's all?"

"Lord's test just now, the Marquis would really kill people."

"Heh, this general is not afraid of death."

"But dying like this is not worth it."

"Oh? Not worth it? Then tell me, how would it be considered worthwhile?"

"Lord, you should do it this way. This credit is too great, why do you want to think about eating it all by yourself? Moreover, can you eat it all by yourself?"

"Then what should I do?"

"Lord, don't be anxious, and listen to this subordinate finish speaking. If you do this alone, the Marquis will definitely kill you for the sake of the country, to warn others against following your example.

"After all, although you are a chief general, my Great Yan is not so lacking that it would collapse without you as a chief general."

"..." Ren Juan.

"Lord, these thoughts, these intentions, you should first bury them in your heart and not reveal them casually. This is a major matter, not a marriage proposal, where you follow various etiquettes and rhythms step by step.

"Lord can, in the following time, not be in a hurry, and slowly contact the other chief generals and guerrilla generals of my Jingnan Army. You must contact people you can trust, and then have them contact guerrilla generals, city guards, and many key captains from their own command.

"After the contacts are completed, then choose a suitable opportunity, a suitable time, a suitable place.

"Just here, what use are our thousands of exhausted troops?

"At the very least, the Jingnan Army's main force must be by the Marquis's side."

"Tell me quickly, what do we do after contacting them?"

Zheng Fan took a deep breath,

And said:

"Everyone swarms forward and directly drapes a dragon robe on the Marquis, and then from Lord you and the many chief generals and guerrilla generals to the thousands of Jingnan Army soldiers, all kneel down and shout in unison:

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live, long live, long live!"