Chapter 1 Leaving

The army was about to withdraw, and Zheng Fan breathed a sigh of relief.

Continuing to fight would be too unpredictable. Zheng Fan had understood a truth since his previous life: he didn't have the talent for business. When it came to financial management, he only dared to put his money in Yu’ebao (an online investment platform).

Right now, no matter how rotten the situation was between the Cheng Kingdom and the wildmen, they wouldn't be able to reach Chengle City anytime soon.

In this expedition, his side had contributed to the army's food and supplies, but after the distribution, he would definitely make a bloody profit.

Don't underestimate those tribal leaders. Ordinary wildmen lived a hard life, but the heads and leaders of those large and small tribes were absolutely rich, and the captured wealth was considerable.

As for cattle and sheep, there were even more.

Even if he didn't talk about these, the warhorses captured alone would be enough to make Zheng Fan laugh in his dreams.

Why were the knights of the Three Jins so confident in challenging the Yan Kingdom's iron cavalry back then? Wasn't it because of the horses supplied from the snow plains?

In this era, good warhorses were definitely more valuable than human lives, and several times more valuable.

Therefore, City Lord Zheng felt that it was a wise move to take what he could get and leave.

And as the Jingnan Marquis said, the errand that could have been won earlier might be hopeless now. But on the other hand, the geographical location of Shengle City had instantly been promoted from a remote corner to a strategic front line, and its importance was highlighted. In the future, it would be easier to ask the imperial court for soldiers and equipment, and he would have more confidence.

Alright, alright, he just lacked foresight. Now he could go back with his harvest, and he was already very happy.

Who knew that the Jingnan Marquis would say again:

"Chicken ribs, tasteless to eat, but a pity to discard. This is the annotation you wrote in your book to describe this boring battlefield situation.

That's why this Marquis cooked chicken soup and called you over, but you're pretending to be stupid in front of this Marquis."

Zheng Fan immediately stood up, then knelt down on one knee and replied,

"Marquis, it's not that this subordinate is pretending to be stupid. How could this subordinate not know what's written in his own book?"

Damn it, Blind Man, you just copied the simple ones, why did you even annotate them!

"The army is outside, the situation is unpredictable. This subordinate is aware of his own limitations and is really unable to see the correct path from this foggy situation.

This subordinate really doesn't dare to accept the Marquis's chicken ribs."

"Get up."

Zheng Fan stood up.

"People must have a sense of responsibility. Just answer truthfully when this Marquis asks you. If the sky falls, this Marquis will hold it up.

You are just too cautious. In the long run, you will lose your edge."

"Yes, the Marquis is right to teach me."

"What are your suggestions for the withdrawal?"

"In response to the Marquis's words, we have to go back slowly."

"Go back slowly?"

"Yes. After all, after we entered the snow plains, we have been winning battles. The wildmen have been defeated every time they come, and we have never lost.

Even if the situation is bad now, it is the Si Tu family's own problem. Our Great Yan really can't carry such pig teammates.

Therefore, we can go back slowly and make a full show of it. If we go back too quickly or too hurriedly, the outside world will mistakenly think that our army has failed in its expedition.

Moreover, the teams transporting wildmen slaves and cattle and sheep in the rear also need time to collect themselves. People can run faster, but we can't let the cattle and sheep grow wings.

Our army's slow retreat can also cover up the rear. The snow plains are a bitterly cold and barren place, and cattle and sheep are the wildmen's farmland. We will drive their cattle and sheep back. I dare not say other places, but at least the snow plains in this area will not recover their vitality for seven or eight years."

Many people have a misunderstanding, thinking that nomadic people eat meat every day. That is too naive. Even if they raise a flock of sheep, they can only kill one to satisfy their cravings during festivals. Cattle and sheep are actually means of production for them. Eating cattle and sheep casually is like ordinary people in the Central Plains selling their fields casually.

"In the final analysis, are you still doing business?"

"Yes, Marquis. Only if we make a lot of money this time will everyone be willing to support the next proposal to fight the wildmen.

In fact, the most important thing is for the Marquis's lifelong reputation. The Marquis is the God of War of our Great Yan and must not be stained with any stains because of this."

"Oh? Still considering for this Marquis?"

"Yes."

"This Marquis knows."

"This subordinate takes his leave."

"Wait."

"Does the Marquis have any other instructions?"

"On the way back, use the corpses and feces of the wildmen to fill the water sources. You go and keep an eye on this matter."

"………" Zheng Fan.

………

The Yan army began to withdraw. The speed of the withdrawal was indeed very slow. From time to time, some cavalry would be sent out to plunder, greeting the tribes that they hadn't greeted when they came because they were too remote. After all, it wasn't easy for everyone to come out, so they always had to get acquainted.

The wildmen king seemed to have completely forgotten that there was such a Yan army in the snow plains, and no longer sent a well-organized army over, not even sending them off politely.

It was not known whether the battle situation in the Cheng Kingdom was too intense to spare any troops, or whether everyone had tacitly formed a tacit understanding after learning that the Yan people were retreating.

Yes, a tacit understanding.

The large tribes in the area ravaged by the Yan people were basically defeated, and the small tribes fled. Although the Yan people had made a rich capture, from another perspective, it was actually equivalent to helping the wildmen king clean up this room. In the future, he could send an army over and quickly gain actual control over this area. Everyone made money.

In this way, the army slowly returned, taking more than a month to return to the exit of the Heavenly Fracture Mountains. Next, they had to cross the Heavenly Fracture Mountains again to return to Chengle.

During the long march, the morale of the army had been maintained well.

Xue San went outside to pick some mushrooms and wild vegetables. In the evening, Zheng Fan set aside a small half and went to flatter Tian Wu Jing.

Vegetables were really good things now. Eating meat every day, eating meat every meal, it was estimated that a small half of the entire army had some constipation.

Fortunately, the number of soldiers who fell ill due to acclimatization was controlled, and they were isolated into a separate team, which was transported by special personnel.

There were too many examples of ancient armies encountering infectious diseases and plagues. There were also corresponding regulations in the Jingnan Army. First, they were isolated, and then the doctors in the army were responsible for decocting medicine for the soldiers to take.

Zheng Fan also went to "observe" it specially. Don't mention it, it was really professional. Of course, this kind of professionalism was summarized from blood lessons time after time.

Carrying vegetables and mushrooms, Zheng Fan came to Tian Wujing's commander's tent.

Tian Wujing was holding a letter and reading it. When Zheng Fan came in, Tian Wujing put down the envelope and even smiled at Zheng Fan.

This smile,

Scared Zheng Fan,

In an instant,

A chill went straight from the tailbone to the top of the head, and the whole person immediately shivered.

Really, Tian Wujing's expression was too unaccustomed to.

"Marquis, is it a letter from home?"

During the march, there was a huge time difference and lag in the transmission of information. Sometimes, accidents happened, and military information and reports were not delivered.

At this time, a family letter was really worth ten thousand gold.

Tian Wujing nodded,

"She sent a letter, she's about to give birth."

"Then it is estimated that when we return to Chengle City, the Marquis will be a father."

The letter was sent over, and it took at least twenty days on the road, and this was under the premise that there were no mistakes. Other routes were fine, and the speed of eight hundred miles of emergency delivery of horses without changing people was actually not slow, but crossing the Heavenly Fracture Mountains in the middle was really difficult to walk, and it was easy to get lost if you were not careful.

"It's a pity that this Marquis can't be with her when she gives birth."

"The Marquis is on an expedition for the country, and the madam will definitely understand."

Zheng Fan also muttered in his heart:

Why don't you say that she met your parents for the first time and you wiped out your entire family?

Of course, this kind of thing was just a small yy in his heart, and it was absolutely impossible to say it.

"What are you holding in your hand?"

"Mushrooms and some wild vegetables. I still have some sauce here. Let's cook a small pot."

The sauce was hot pot base.

Before the expedition, Si Niang personally fried it with butter and various spices, and brought a lot.

If a woman wants to catch a man, she must first catch his stomach.

Although City Lord Zheng was not a woman, he had benefited several times from relying on food, so he naturally attached more importance to it.

Boiling water on the stove, putting the hot pot base in, and after the water boiled, adding the wild vegetables and mushrooms.

Zheng Fan was not worried about whether these mushrooms were poisonous. Xue San had this rich experience of lurking in harsh natural conditions, and he knew very well what could be eaten and what could not.

"Zheng Fan."

"Yes, Marquis?"

"What should I pay attention to when a woman is in confinement?"

"Huh?"

Tian Wujing would actually ask this kind of question?

Immediately, Zheng Fan also understood that the Jingnan Marquis probably really regarded himself as his own person. After all, he was still the child's godfather. He was embarrassed to ask others this kind of question, so he could only ask himself.

Fortunately, although City Lord Zheng had never been in confinement himself, he could still talk about it.

"You should pay attention to keeping warm, not catching a cold, not washing your hair and bathing frequently, and eating some things that nourish qi and blood to replenish your body. Also, if the madam wants to……"

Zheng Fan hesitated for a moment, and continued:

"If you want to breastfeed your child yourself, you should also avoid some foods. Oh, yes, crucian carp soup promotes lactation."

Zheng Fan didn't know if what he said was right, but the impression was almost like this. Regardless of whether there was any scientific truth, at least he had to say more to make himself seem erudite.

"The wet nurse at home has been prepared long ago."

"But it's better to have your own child. If the madam doesn't have much milk, you can also use milk and goat milk."

Tian Wujing nodded slightly while listening, obviously really remembering it.

To be honest,

Zheng Fan really rarely saw the dignified Jingnan Marquis this ——— human side.

"My wife is good at conditioning the body, Marquis. After we return to Chengle City, I will take my wife to Litian City. We are family, and we can handle things properly and use them with peace of mind."

Hearing these words, Tian Wujing's eyes sank slightly first, and then he nodded silently.

"By the way, Marquis, have you thought of a name for the child?"

"Your Majesty wants to give the name."

"Oh, yes, yes, what about the nickname?"

"Li Liangting will give the nickname."

"Huh?"

So, there's nothing for you, the father, to do?

"It was agreed many years ago. At that time, His Majesty was just the Crown Prince. In the future, he will take the name of my child, and Li Liangting will take the nickname."

"Marquis, your relationship is really good."

Tian Wujing shook his head,

Said:

"At that time, this Marquis was only ten years old. This Marquis didn't agree, and the two of them beat this Marquis up."

"…………" Zheng Fan.

"When this Marquis grew up and wanted to beat them back, one was injured and his martial arts cultivation was basically useless,

The other one……

In short, the debt of being bullied by them when I was a child cannot be recovered;

Gradually,

I don't plan to ask for it anymore."