Chapter 1 The Lazy Afternoon

The afternoon sun was lovely, casting a lazy warmth upon those basking in its glow.

Outside Cui Liu Fort,

the Blind Man and old Master Wen Su Tong reclined in their deck chairs, a small tea table between them, with Yue Xin pouring tea.

On either side of them stood long racks, both hung with sausages.

The rack on the left held smoked sausages, rich in flavor and perfect for stir-frying in slices.

The rack on the right held sausages made in the Qian Kingdom style, primarily lean meat with a little fat, seasoned with grain wine, and air-dried to a firm texture and salty taste, ideal with two bowls of plain congee for a truly enjoyable breakfast.

Both the Blind Man and Zheng Fan relished them, while Master Wen, originally from the Qian Kingdom, had recently taken to the smoked variety.

"Worthy grandson-in-law, might we find another spot to sun ourselves next time?"

"Why is that?"

"I'm getting old."

"Hmm?"

"Basking in the sun and smelling the cured meats, I feel like I'm drying out myself."

"A happy demise."

"Can't have that, I'm waiting for my great-grandson to be born."

"Don't you already have great-grandchildren?"

In ancient times, early marriage and childbirth were common, with girls as young as fourteen or fifteen becoming mothers. Of course, this was usually among wealthy families with personal maids, where passion might ignite a forbidden fire, leading either to a beating or promotion to the status of minor concubine.

"I only care about the one you and Yue Ya will have."

The Blind Man shook his head. "That won't do. Old people tend to kick the bucket as soon as their wishes are fulfilled. I'm not in a hurry so you can live a little longer."

"They say the Yan Emperor is changing the era name." Wen Su Tong sipped his tea, mindful of his granddaughter's presence and aware that some things were better left unsaid.

He truly enjoyed these leisurely moments with his grandson-in-law. The old man had lived a life of officialdom, heard his name called at the East Flower Gate, stood in the front ranks of the court, and even become a traitor to Qian. His life’s experiences, if brewed, would produce a wine with an intoxicating aroma.

However, in the presence of this blind grandson-in-law, the old man always sensed a worthy opponent, one he believed was holding back.

He was an old jar of wine, his flavor already fading, while his grandson-in-law was still in the cellar, aging. So even if he couldn't taste it, just touching and leaning against the jar was a great pleasure for a connoisseur.

The Blind Man nodded and said,

"A new beginning."

From the stand-off between the Zhenbei Army and the imperial court at the beginning of the year to the treading of noble clans and the annexation of Jin territory, this year had been exceptionally eventful for the Yan Kingdom.

Changing the era name symbolized bidding farewell to the past turmoil and ushering in a new chapter.

"I reckon Lord Zheng will at least be promoted to a youji general this time."

"I thought you'd advise my master to switch to a civil post."

"What difficulty is there for someone who can write *The Art of War of Zheng Zi* to switch to a civil post?

But in this world, with the Qian Kingdom suffering such humiliation, enhancing the status of military officers and developing military preparedness is inevitable. Internal strife is about to begin in the Chu Kingdom, and the Situ family of the Jin Kingdom is also trembling with fear.

It's just that nobody can say for sure how long the Yan Kingdom's fiery rise can be sustained.

In prosperous times, wearing a Confucian robe and writing elegant prose is a delight, but in these chaotic times, the warlord with soldiers and horses in hand is the most secure."

The old man's assessment was accurate. The era of stalemate and peace among the four kingdoms had ended, and the next sixty years would likely bring another round of fierce struggle.

"We naturally understand this."

"Of course you do. After entering the capital this time, I won't be of much help to you. I'm just a clay statue, shiny on the outside, but that's about it.

My Wen family lads aren't skilled at riding or fighting, and forcing them on you might only be a burden.

But the landscape should be different now. With this meritorious service, your Lord Zheng won't be able to establish his own yamen, but his goals should be beyond the immediate situation.

You should understand some principles. Knowing only how to command troops is the way of a mere soldier, like a rootless duckweed, seemingly bright but unable to withstand any storm.

You must command soldiers and care for the people's livelihood. Both are indispensable."

"You're right."

The Blind Man was respectful toward this type of father-in-law.

The old man knew that once he went to Yanjing, he would likely be there for several years, making it difficult to help remotely, so he was offering his last words of advice.

Not to fill in the gaps, but to show his good intentions.

"Among the vassal states of the Qian Kingdom, the Western Army is the strongest, followed by the Zu family. But in my opinion, the Zu family will surpass the Western Army in the future.

The Western Army's strength lies in the fact that when the Tattooed Minister was in charge, he forcibly incorporated many military units, drawing a circle based on battles to form a faction.

But the foundation of this faction is unstable. They have troops, but they are suppressed by civil officials. Once the central government cuts off their supplies, they will be unable to move.

So they can only become playthings in the hands of various ministers, making you go west when they tell you to go west and north when they tell you to go north, regardless of how much energy the Western Army wastes running around.

On the other hand, the Zu family is nominally obedient, but they are based in the southeast, have overseas trade, and enjoy great prestige among the people of the southeast for suppressing pirates.

With money and popular support in their hands, they have always been cautious, fearing the central government's jealousy.

This time, when the Yan attacked Qian, reaching the capital, the Qian Emperor issued a call to arms. It can be said that the central government's prestige has been swept away.

Prestige may seem useless, but it has some use. Once Zu Zhuming returns, you'll see that the Zu family will no longer hide their strength, and expanding their forces will be inevitable.

I've met Zu Zhuming. He seems gentle, with the demeanor of a Confucian general, but in reality, he is a dragon among men, with a deep mind. And those who have sailed the seas, like you Yan people who roam the desert, have seen the vastness of the world, and their hearts have become wild.

Furthermore, like the former noble clans of the Yan Kingdom, their foundation relies too much on the common people, mistakenly believing that by controlling the commoners' land, they can truly govern the people on behalf of the emperor. This is just wishful thinking. No Yan Emperor hasn't wanted to move against them, but the current Emperor found the opportunity.

When the time came to act, the 100,000 Zhenbei Army wiped out the Yan noble clans in just over a month. Tsk, tsk.

So, people must walk on two legs to be stable. You must learn from the Zu family, not the Zhong family, and certainly not the Yan noble clans, who dream of being the left and right arms of the Ji family, supporting and coexisting with each other."

"You're right."

"Of course, you might have already thought of what I've said. From our first meeting to our return to Yan and our stay here for so long, I'll be honest with you.

I see others whose ambitions grow with their power, who gaze at the dragon throne, imagining what it would be like to sit on it.

You're different. You seem to have been determined to commit treason from the very beginning."

The Blind Man smiled and said,

"Not really."

"Not really?"

"It's just that living in a daze is too boring. We think that since we've been born into this world, we should live a more exciting, comfortable, and free life.

To be free, you have to climb up. It's inevitable. It's not that we necessarily want to do something rebellious. To be honest, the position of supreme ruler doesn't really appeal to us, to my master, but we still want to one day live without anyone truly able to suppress us, so that our lives can be free.

So that when we lie here sunbathing, there are no dark clouds overhead."

"In the end, it's all the same thing." Wen Su Tong said grumpily.

The Blind Man nodded sheepishly.

"Indeed, it's the same thing."

"Actually, I'm not very optimistic about you."

"I know."

"But I've already given up on everything. I'm so old, I've long since let go of life and death. Now I don't even expect a good reputation after death, so I can just watch as I please, just for fun.

As for the Wen family lads I mentioned earlier, they can't ride or shoot, and they're not brave, but they're still family. After I became an official, I was able to have a good end in my official career because I was one of the few doers in the Qian Kingdom's bureaucracy.

I don't like empty talk. In the Ministry of Revenue, I personally calculated the money and grain. In the Ministry of Works, I personally went to the workshops. In the Canal Department, I personally inspected the levees. No matter how fiercely the court fights, and no matter which minister is in charge, there must be someone who can truly do things and knows how to do things.

A craftsman won't starve in a famine year, and the same goes for officials.

These Wen family lads don't have any talent for governing the world, but they're skilled at drafting documents in the army. That's how I taught them.

In the future, if your master is assigned to govern a city, it would be convenient to have some people who understand the local customs to help him. After all, we're all relatives, and we're all in the same boat."

"That's right, that's right."

At this moment, several horses arrived outside.

The Blind Man said,

"The master is back."

"Heh, the strangest thing about you is that you're blind and can't see, yet you seem to see everything. This can't be explained by being blind in the eyes but clear in the heart."

"Indeed." The Blind Man responded.

Yue Xin personally brought over another deck chair and poured tea again. After Zheng Fan arrived and lay down, Yue Xin brought another chair for Si Niang to sit on, while she stood by to serve.

Zheng Fan touched the teacup, and Si Niang understood, got up to get some ice, and also took a sea bowl.

Pouring in hot water, then adding ice, Zheng Fan drank a large bowl in one gulp.

Wen Su Tong looked at Zheng Fan and sighed,

"Young people are energetic."

When you're thirsty, tea just isn't enough.

Zheng Fan lay down again. To be honest, even though the sun was nice overhead, being sandwiched between two silver coins, one old and one young, gave him a chilly feeling.

"The merit awards are out. I could have been promoted directly to youji general, but Zhao Jiulang apparently suggested that I go to a new city in the Jin Kingdom as a city lord."

Speaking of this, Zheng Fan couldn't help but laugh.

It was like someone offering him a pillow when he was about to fall asleep.

"That's great." Wen Su Tong was very happy and continued, "The newly annexed Jin territory is unstable, with an unsettled populace. It seems difficult, but in reality, there is great freedom."

If you want to be an honest official and live a peaceful life, then staying under Xu Wenzu in Yinlang County is the most suitable. If Xu Wenzu has meat to eat, you won't lack soup.

But if you want to develop in the future, you must have your own territory.

"If you're going to the Jin territory, you have to prepare well." The Blind Man said.

"Yeah." Zheng Fan nodded. "I told Xu Wenzu that as a Yan person, I should have the courage to be the first to act. The newly annexed Jin territory needs someone to guard it well and make it completely Yan land."

"What did Xu Wenzu say?" Wen Su Tong asked.

"Xu Wenzu was very moved and then refused my request to replenish new soldiers."

During this southward campaign, Cui Liu Fort's 2,500 cavalrymen followed the Zhenbei Army, suffering nearly 1,000 casualties, which could be said to be a real drain on their strength.

Originally, a batch of new recruits had been trained in Nanwang City, and it was only right to replenish the troops of each family.

But Xu Wenzu saw that Zheng Fan was planning to "fly higher and farther"

and decisively weaned Zheng Fan off.

As a regional military governor, he naturally had no reason to raise children for others.

"There are also several thousand surrendered Qian soldiers who came with us from Chuzhou City." Wen Su Tong said.

"I don't want puppet troops."

What combat power do puppet troops have?

These people have already been shaped. They kneel when the Yan come, and they'll definitely kneel during battles in the future. They're not worth cultivating.

Wen Su Tong said this out of selfishness, thinking that the more Qian people there were in Zheng Fan's team, the better. But seeing Zheng Fan directly refuse, although he didn't understand what "puppet troops" meant, he knew it was a bad term.

"This subordinate heard that the Jin territory should be under the command of the Jingnan Marquis." The Blind Man said.

Newly annexed territories naturally need a great general to command them to stabilize the situation.

Tian Wu Jing is someone who can even exterminate his own family. It is indeed very appropriate for him to command the new territory.

Even the people of Yinlang County have stopped talking about Tian Wu Jing. Once Tian Wu Jing goes to the Jin territory, he can really make children stop crying.

Wen Su Tong shook his head and said, "During the Xia Dynasty, there was a city lord position, like my Qian Dynasty's military commissioner, except that the military commissioner was in charge of the people's livelihood and military affairs of a county, while the city lord was only responsible for a city and its surrounding areas.

The city lord position was abolished and divided because it was easy to form a situation where the tail was too big to wag, threatening the central government. The Yan Emperor is re-establishing this position, presumably to bring the newly annexed territories under control.

Since you are given some autonomy, you must naturally pay the price of guarding the city. Military rations, equipment, and troops will not be fully supplied to you. You have to find a way to get them yourself. This is a tacit rule. Some places in your Yan Kingdom are very similar to the barbarians and have long been accustomed to this rule.

The Jingnan Marquis commands the new territory, but he is also short of troops. It is absolutely impossible for him to secretly give Lord Zheng too many soldiers."

Zheng Fan nodded. He had actually thought of this and sighed,

"So we still have to adhere to the principle of self-reliance and independence."

"Brilliant." Wen Su Tong praised.

Zheng Fan rolled his eyes at old Master Wen and continued, "According to your meaning, how should I replenish my troops?"

With this old wise man by his side, he wouldn't waste the opportunity. Besides, he had to report to Yanjing to be a mascot soon, so he really had to use him now before he expired.

Wen Su Tong pointed around and said,

"Actually, Lord Zheng has been preparing for this for a long time."

"What preparation?"

"The preparation for rebellion."

"Although you're telling the truth, can you be a little more subtle and not say it so openly?"

"Yes, I misspoke."

"Continue."

"Lord Zheng's subordinates are divided into two main parts. One part is the barbarian soldiers. It's difficult for the barbarian soldiers to have a sense of belonging to the Da Yan because the barbarians' appearance is very different from us Easterners, making it difficult to fully integrate.

The other part is the noble clan criminals. These people harbor hatred toward the imperial court."

The meaning was that you had been preparing for rebellion from the beginning, just look at the composition of your soldiers.

"I think this habit can continue. After all, self-reliance and independence were what you said earlier.

If something really happens in the future, you must at least ensure that you can pull out your troops, and that even if you really rebel against the superiors, these people will be willing to follow you without any concerns. Otherwise, an imperial decree or an appearance by a superior will directly cause your troops to defect and become unusable. That would be a joke."

"Tell me the methods." Zheng Fan reminded.

"Yes, when going to the Jin territory, the first step is to recruit troops. You don't have to worry about money." As he said this, Wen Su Tong glanced at Si Niang, who was sitting next to Zheng Fan. "Your wife was in charge of all the finances in Chuzhou City."

Hearing this, Zheng Fan immediately looked at Si Niang.

Si Niang smiled and nodded.

After all, she was a businesswoman before. What kind of business can you do if you don’t cook the books?

"Master, we've intercepted a lot of wealth. Once things are a little more peaceful, we can transport it over."

The meaning was that it should still be hidden in or near Chuzhou City.

"Where is it hidden?" Zheng Fan asked.

He didn't know about these things.

At that time, in Chuzhou City, Li Fusheng had entrusted Zheng Fan with cleaning up the estates seized from those who had been exterminated, and the wealth of these wealthy families shouldn't be underestimated.

A country's treasury doesn't actually have much silver, because the money in the treasury is budgeted several years in advance, and after it comes in, it goes out, just passing through. It always has to be spent.

On the contrary, the common people often have people who are richer than the country. The Da Yan's mobilization of hundreds of thousands of troops this time, and the support for the current situation, were all paid for by the Yan Emperor's plundering of the noble clans.

However, he had entrusted that matter to Si Niang and the Blind Man, and he hadn't expected that Si Niang could hide the wealth in plain sight.

"Reporting to Master, it's hidden in the Fu Prince's mausoleum."

"Pfft..."

Zheng Fan couldn't help but laugh. This Fu Prince really was a treasure all over;

He was being squeezed dry in every way, even his tomb wasn't spared.

"Master, you ordered us to help the Fu Prince's Mansion bury the Fu Prince at that time. This subordinate thought that your meaning was to hide the concealed wealth there."

"Ah... oh, um, you understand."

Zheng Fan waved his hand.

"San'er has already dug a secret tunnel in the Fu Prince's tomb in advance. In the future, we can find someone to impersonate a merchant team and transport it out."

"Okay, well done, I'm very satisfied."

The proceeds from exterminating families in Chuzhou City, plus tributes from various sources, even after distributing some rewards to the local people and the Zhenbei Army soldiers, the intercepted portion was still a terrifying fortune.

Zheng Fan nodded, feeling confident. In any era, without money in hand, life always feels empty.

"This is good, saving us from having to trouble Xiao Liu Zi again. I heard that the imperial court is preparing to confer a title on the Crown Prince, and Xiao Liu Zi's days are probably not easy."

Then, Zheng Fan looked at Wen Su Tong again. This old fox was indeed a doer. Otherwise, how could other civil officials have noticed that Si Niang was cooking the books?

Wen Su Tong continued,

"Lord Zheng can recruit troops in three ways."

Saying this,

Wen Su Tong picked up his teacup and took a sip.

He was waiting for Zheng Fan to say:

I'm all ears!

Or,

I'm listening attentively!

But Zheng Fan directly said:

"Spit it out."

"Pfft..."

Wen Su Tong directly spat out the tea in his mouth, and Yue Xin hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe it for her grandfather.

The Blind Man just smiled and said nothing.

Wen Su Tong glanced at Zheng Fan with some resentment and continued:

"First, in the newly annexed territories, Yan immigrants will inevitably be transferred and injected."

This was an unchanging method since ancient times. Purely military occupation makes it difficult to digest a new territory and makes it difficult for the new territory to have centripetal force towards the central government. Immigration must be done first.

"These immigrants will inevitably be composed of noble clan criminals. These families harbor hatred towards the imperial court, and many of them are talented and capable people who can be drawn on as assistants."

"Continue."

"Second, there are the wild men of the Tianduan Mountains and the north. Lord Zheng's barbarian soldiers can be dispatched, and the wild men may also be incorporated."

"Mm, what's the third one?"

"That's the Jin army."

"The Jin army?"

"The Jin people are actually also good at fighting. The reason for this great defeat was due to many reasons, but it's not that the Jin people are not good at fighting. Moreover, there are many cavalrymen among the Jin people, who can be directly recruited to form cavalry.

However, if you want to use the Jin people for your own purposes, you must have a good relationship with one person."

"Who?"

"The Jin Emperor, Yu Ci Ming. He opened the Nanmen Pass and led the Yan army into Jin. An average emperor wouldn't be able to do such a thing, but being able to let go also means being able to pick up.

I heard that the Jin Emperor is already in Yanjing paying homage to the Yan Emperor. When he returns to his country to be enfeoffed, Lord Zheng can arrange to escort the Jin Emperor to his fiefdom along the way.

Lord Zheng is good at building relationships with people. I'm deeply convinced of this, but you must be careful with this matter. Cooperating with the Jin Emperor is like seeking skin from a tiger."

"He's a tiger, but we're still lions."

Saying this, Zheng Fan turned to look at the Blind Man and said,

"Go back and write a letter to Xiao Liu Zi, let him arrange this matter, and then ask him to help us find a better place for us."

"Master, didn't you just say that Xiao Liu Zi is in a difficult situation now?"

"He's already taken ninety-nine steps, so he's not short of this last one."

The Blind Man nodded, indicating that he understood, but he still felt that the Master's approach was indeed quite scummy.

But after looking back at Yue Xin, the Blind Man suddenly felt that he didn't seem qualified to criticize the Master in his heart.

"I'm tired, I'm going to rest."

Wen Su Tong left with Yue Xin's support.

Zheng Fan then said:

"Your cheap old father-in-law has some tricks up his sleeve."

"Yes."

"It's a pity that he's going to be sent to Yanjing as an ornament. Otherwise, if he stayed here with us, he could share some of the pressure for you."

"Mm."

At this time,

Fan Li walked over from afar.

The little sword attendant was sitting on Fan Li's shoulder. This seemed to have become their fixed way of appearing, just like when you see a panda, the panda is likely to be holding bamboo.

"Master, she said she wants to take a new name, so I came to find the Master."

Zheng Fan smiled and pointed at Fan Li, saying:

"You can just take it yourself."

"I did, but she didn't want it and hit me."

The little sword attendant crossed her arms, pouting.

"What name did you take?"

Influenced by Fan Li, Zheng Fan's speech unconsciously had an accent.

Fan Li smiled honestly:

"I said that we are all the Master's servants, so you are also the Master's maid,

So I gave her a name called:

Sword Maid."