Chapter 781 Comfortable

The Ancestor looked at Fan Zhengwen for a long while, then said,

"How could I have given birth to a grandson like you?"

"You jest, I crawled out of my mother's belly; you gave birth to my father."

"Same difference, same difference, just one more step in the process."

"You speak truly."

The Ancestor shook her head and continued,

"With wolves in front and tigers behind, this matter won't be easy. I find it strange, it's one thing that Nian Yao is a servant from the Regent's manor, but that Regent is clearly aiming to weaken the power of the nobility. Yet the Dugu family is still wholeheartedly heeding his commands."

Fan Zhengwen nodded, saying, "You wouldn't understand this."

"You understand?"

"This grandson truly understands."

The Ancestor chuckled, spreading her hands and sitting down on the ground, a perfect example of improper posture.

When she first married into the Fan household, many wanted to impose rules on her. But once she became the most senior member of the Fan family, rules became irrelevant.

"Fine, you understand. Tell this old woman about it."

"Ancestor, the world is full of people like our Fan family, countless as the clouds. But there are always some who are different from us. In the past, the Yan Kingdom produced a Tian Wujing, so there's no reason why the Chu Kingdom can't produce an Old Dugu.

It's not like he's being asked to wipe out his entire family; it's just handing over some family power and territory. The family's wealth can still continue. For the greater good of the country, giving it up is just giving it up."

"There's some truth to your words, but why do I feel so uncomfortable hearing them? What about the Fan family?"

"In the eyes of the Yan people, our Fan family is a dog; in the eyes of the Chu people, our Fan family is a Chu traitor."

"Who created this mess?"

"This grandson of yours."

Fan Zhengwen stood up properly, hands clasped, like a child awaiting scolding.

"Heh, with disaster looming, you, the head of the family, the Fan Cheng magistrate, still have the leisure to crack jokes.

Yes, your son and daughter-in-law were sent to Yanjing long ago;

but this family fortune is about to be lost. Don't you feel any heartache?"

"Heartache," Fan Zhengwen said truthfully.

"That's right. Without the support and external assistance of the family, that mother and son can't possibly have a smooth life in Yanjing."

"Old Ancestor, you're wrong about that. If the Fan family perishes, the new emperor might even value and nurture his cousin even more. How was the Min family destroyed by the previous Yan emperor?"

"Grandson!"

"Grandson is here."

"Are you trying to deliberately anger me to death?"

"Grandson wouldn't dare."

"I'm talking to you about serious matters!"

"Zhengwen understands the Old Ancestor's thoughts. The Old Ancestor is reluctant to part with this Fan mansion, reluctant to part with this greenhouse, reluctant to part with the luxurious and carefree life of the Fan family."

"It's good that you know. Even if I pack my bags and flee the city tonight, escaping the soldiers outside, ending up in Yanjing would still be like living under someone else's roof.

Living in someone else's home can never be as comfortable as living in your own."

"The Old Ancestor speaks truly."

"So, I'm asking you now. The Fan family was led down this path by you. I told you long ago that the Yan people are tigers, but isn't the Chu Kingdom a wolf?

Our Fan family is caught in the middle, like walking on a suspended log, easily falling into eternal doom.

If I had already closed my eyes, then I'd let you do as you please. But I still have a good while to live. Who knows, I might even outlive you, my grandson. I want to live the remaining years of my life in peace and comfort!"

"So, Old Ancestor is planning to hand me over?" Fan Zhengwen asked.

The Ancestor narrowed her eyes and said,

"You knew all along?"

"It's hard not to know what's happening in this Fan mansion."

"Heh, in the past two years, you've suppressed the clansmen. Last time, using the princess as an excuse, you ruthlessly purged another batch. And now?

Those head stewards and managers you promoted, and even those damn commanding officers appointed according to Yan customs.

Each and every one of them is running to me, trying to find an excuse to have me depose you and throw you out to appease the anger of the Chu people."

"It's only natural for everyone to fly away when disaster strikes. This has nothing to do with whether I've suppressed the clan or not. It's fortunate that those elders who relied on their age and those with ulterior motives were dealt with long ago. If they were still in Fan Cheng now, there would be no need to contact you and ask you to step forward. They'd probably just incite the soldiers to tie up this magistrate."

"I'm asking you what to do now!"

"This grandson thought you were planning to hand me over."

"I'm not that stupid. When things come to a head, what good would handing you over do besides proving that I'm doubly stupid!"

"Do you want to hear the truth?"

"Nonsense."

"First, get rid of that group of troublemakers. Then, open the family treasury. Silver and wealth are no longer important at this moment. Use heavy rewards to boost morale;

Second, fortify the city defenses and tell the people in the city that the day the Chu army breaks through the city will be the day of the massacre. No one will be able to escape.

Third, hold firm and await reinforcements."

"Can the Yan people make it in time? I heard that the Chu army's navy has already entered."

"I'm afraid they won't make it," Fan Zhengwen said bluntly. "If it were just the Chu army from the south, we could take our time and wait. But with Nian Yao coming from behind, this city will be very difficult to defend. Even if the Yan people want to save us, the waterways are blocked. It will take forever to come over the Meng Mountains."

"So, what you're telling me is that we can't hold it?"

"This grandson will try his best to defend it."

The Ancestor glared at Fan Zhengwen, pointing her finger at him, and asked:

"Now I understand. You've already abandoned the Fan family. You abandoned it long ago!

You've already planned to die in battle on the city walls, sacrificing yourself for that Yan Kingdom, paving the way for your son, haven't you?

You're waiting for the news of your death to reach Yanjing, so that the new Yan emperor, out of respect for his father's sacrifice, will ennoble your son, right?"

"He's also your great-grandson."

"All I want is my own peace and wealth. I don't care about great-grandsons or anything else!"

"Look, I'm just following your example."

"..." The Ancestor.

Fan Zhengwen squatted down, looked at the Ancestor, and said, "Of course we have to defend it. After all, this is the foundation of our grandparents. This grandson of yours hasn't lived enough yet, and still wants to do something with his life.

It's a pity that your grandson isn't a great general. Actually, according to the current situation in Fan Cheng, even if you replaced your grandson with that Marquis of Pingxi, it would be like asking a skilled woman to cook without rice.

Why don't you, Ancestor, do some divination and see if our Fan family still has a chance to turn bad luck into good?"

"Get out!"

"Hehe."

Fan Zhengwen solemnly bowed and said,

"Old Ancestor, as the saying goes, having an elder in the family is like having a treasure, but is there another saying you've heard of?"

"Spit it out!"

"If an old person lives too long, they might absorb the good fortune of their descendants."

The Ancestor raised her hand, and a gust of wind stirred in the small courtyard.

Fan Zhengwen was not afraid at all and continued, "That's right, just like that. When the day comes to defend the city, I, your grandson, will carry the Yan Kingdom's Black Dragon Flag and go up. You, Ancestor, will beat the drums behind me.

Make as much noise as possible.

We don't expect it to have any effect. We only want to die heroically, to die with something to talk about, something for the storytellers to chew on.

The more gloriously we die here, the more generous the compensation will be from Yanjing.

Grandfather married you, and you've enjoyed so many years of wealth in the Fan mansion;

Every sip and every morsel is to be repaid."

The Ancestor clenched her fists, her eyes wide with anger.

Fan Zhengwen smiled amiably, in a scholarly manner.

"Truly my grandson, truly... my own grandson."

"Old Ancestor, it's not too late to twist my head off, otherwise, your grandson will have to go down and make arrangements. Anyway, the more days we can hold out, the better, isn't it?

What if?"

"What if... do you have any news?"

Fan Zhengwen shook his head and said, "This grandson is just teasing you, doing his filial duty."

After saying that,

Fan Zhengwen flicked his sleeves, turned around, and walked out of the small courtyard.

Once outside, he specially reached out and touched his neck. Good, his neck was still there.

At this moment, a group of white-clad death warriors rushed over and knelt before Fan Zhengwen.

Looking at this group of white-clad death warriors, Fan Zhengwen felt a little emotional.

Raising death warriors was something that wealthy and powerful families had to do, but only now did he understand that these were ultimately minor paths. How good it would be if the people kneeling before him were not a group of death warriors, but a group of skilled generals.

"Pa, pa, pa."

Fan Zhengwen gently patted his face a few times,

How could he be dreaming in broad daylight?

Lowering his hand,

The head of the Fan family regained his composure,

and said;

"Go, kill all those who have contacted the Old Ancestor in the past two days. I hate people who eat my food and want to overturn my table the most.

Hang their bodies in the streets."

"As you command!"

"As you command!"

At this time, there was no room for any appeasement or divisive tactics. However, such cruel measures could only be effective for a short time.

But,

Fan Zhengwen didn't dream of holding out for very long.

Alas,

After the death warriors beside him received the order and retreated,

Fan Zhengwen looked around with some emotion,

It's a pity, such a beautiful mansion.

No one in this world is a god, and Fan Zhengwen was not. The head of the Fan family did not hide anything when he spoke with his old ancestor.

This city,

This home,

Hold out as long as we can.

It's just a pity that the beautiful women in this mansion, the golden hairpins of the past, have all grown up to the age of marriage.

"We have to arrange for people to watch them. Once the city is broken, they can't be allowed to run away. The Twelve Golden Hairpins of the Fan Mansion are quite famous in this Chu land. They must all observe chastity and hang white silk in the ancestral hall to have something to talk about, which is better than being defiled."

Fan Zhengwen walked around the mansion, looking left and right.

As he looked, his eyes began to turn red, and as he stared, the tears began to fall.

Taking a deep breath,

and wiping them hard with his sleeves,

Fan Zhengwen forcibly calmed his mind.

At this time, a servant came to report:

"Master."

"What is it?"

"Qu Peiluo is leading his men to the city and wants us to open the city gates."

According to the original plan, Qu Peiluo should have held firm in the military camps south of Fan City, and the Fan family would provide them with support and supplies, but Qu Peiluo directly ordered his men to come to Fan City.

The Fan family and the Qu family used to have a master-servant relationship. Although their status has been reversed, it is precisely because of this reversal that the mutual suspicion is engraved in their bones.

"Hehe."

Fan Zhengwen laughed,

and said:

"Open the city gates and let them in."

"This... Master, do you really want to open the city? Will that Qu sell us out directly after entering the city?"

"Sell us out then, do you think we're worth much now?

Alas,

who told your master to be so good at figuring out people's minds in business, but when it comes to leading troops to fight, although I've read some military books, I really don't dare to reach out.

Forget it, forget it, open the city, open the city, I'll go myself."

...

The city gates of Fan City opened,

Outside the city gates, Qu Peiluo looked at the slowly opening gates in front of him, his face was calm, but he was really surprised in his heart.

He came to shout to open the gates, but they really opened.

The men behind Qu Peiluo also felt a little surprised.

The former young master of the Qu family waved his hand forward,

and ordered:

"Enter the city."

...

Qu Peiluo didn't enter the Fan family, because Fan Zhengwen led his family and relatives to meet him. The two directly sat down in a teahouse near the city gate.

The teahouse was naturally out of business now. With everyone panicked, who was in the mood to drink tea?

It just so happened that corpses were constantly being hung up on the streets, which made the people in the city afraid to go out without permission.

"It's quite lively."

Sitting at the table, Qu Peiluo turned his head and looked at the commotion on the street.

"Cleaning up the house, making Qu brother laugh."

In the past, Qu Peiluo was the master, and Fan Zhengwen had to kneel down and kowtow and call himself a servant when he saw Qu Peiluo.

Now, Fan Zhengwen calling him "Qu brother" was a bit of a "courtesy."

Qu Peiluo also carefully looked at his former servant, now the few remaining relatives of the emperor of the Great Yan Kingdom.

The new emperor of Great Yan ascended the throne, and the maternal relatives... seemed particularly simple.

The mother's family only had a "little aunt," and the Fan family, along with the little aunt, was still far away "within the territory of the Chu Kingdom."

The relatives were said to be ordinary people;

This made it almost impossible for a maternal relative to interfere in politics, at least during the reign of the new emperor.

At the same time, it was precisely because they were rare that they seemed even more precious.

"I didn't expect you to open the city gates." Qu Peiluo reached out and picked up a piece of dried tea, putting it into his mouth. "I originally thought that if you didn't open the city gates, I could give my subordinates an explanation. Those who wanted to leave could leave, and those who wanted to continue following me, I would take them to Qishan, either becoming bandits or waiting for an opportunity.

In short, I didn't plan to go to the front and fight against the Dugu family's army for your Fan family."

Perhaps because he had entered the city, Qu Peiluo's words were very direct.

Fan Zhengwen poured tea himself, smiled, and said:

"Understandable."

Qu Peiluo had quite a few men, but compared with the Dugu family's private army, they were a bit out of place.

"If there was an opportunity to fight desperately, I would be willing to fight, but the problem is that even if I take these brothers to the battlefield, they won't last a few hours in front of the Dugu family's army."

"What about now?" Fan Zhengwen asked.

"With the city walls, it's different. We can defend it for a while, provided there's enough food. I heard that your original home was seized?"

"Yes." Fan Zhengwen nodded. "Who would have thought that General Nian would inexplicably break in from the Meng Mountains."

"When I met the Marquis of Pingxi by the Qingtan River, I had the same thought."

He clearly had the advantage, but he was inexplicably killed by that Zheng's troops to the front of the Chinese army, breaking through in one fell swoop.

"What about the food?" Qu Peiluo asked, he was concerned about this.

"Originally, including the food there, it was enough for Fan City for a year."

"What about now?"

"The food stored in the city is enough for three months."

"Can it still last for three months?" Qu Peiluo was a little unbelievable. "How much has your Fan family accumulated in these years?"

Fan Zhengwen replied: "Most of it was moved from your home."

"Heh." Qu Peiluo wasn't angry, but asked, "How dare you open the city gates for me? Do you really think I, Qu Peiluo, can't get off this pirate ship?"

"You can't get off this pirate ship in the first place."

"But I can sell you out, now that my troops have entered the city, I can send Fan City directly to General Nian."

"Then you will still not avoid a death, and even, be worse than dead."

"But I can ask for peace of mind, and it doesn't matter whether I live or die."

"Alright, I've already opened the city gates, and your troops have already entered. Look, at this moment, the Fan family's troops and your troops are still at daggers drawn.

If you want to do it, give the order."

"What if I don't want to do it?" Qu Peiluo asked.

Fan Zhengwen pointed to the outside of the window,

and said:

"The Fan family's troops will be handed over to you to command; the food and weapons of Fan City will also be handed over to you to distribute."

Qu Peiluo didn't speak, and took a sip of tea.

Fan Zhengwen got up, leaned closer, and whispered:

"Young master, this servant knows your ability."

"I don't have any ability, I've been losing all the time."

Fan Zhengwen said: "Then you have to see who you have been losing to."

"Heh." Qu Peiluo then said eight words, "The city is in people, the city dies, people die."

Fan Zhengwen let out a long breath,

poured some tea in his palm, and then patted it on his forehead, and said:

"Actually, I don't know if the Yan people will be able to rush to rescue."

"It's useless to think about these now, one more day is one day. If we can defend it, it will be an explanation."

"Explanation?"

"In the letter the princess gave me some time ago, she told me that she was pregnant."

"You dare to..."

Fan Zhengwen's whole body stiffened.

"I haven't even touched the princess's hand."

"Hu..." Fan Zhengwen touched his face, not knowing whether it was cold sweat or the tea stains he had patted on earlier.

"She said that her child has half the blood of the Chu people, and she hopes that when the child is a little older, they can have a home in the Chu land.

Since you opened the city gates and let me in, then I will help her and her child guard this home in the Chu land."

"You really are..."

"Low, right?"

"No, not this meaning..."

Rather than being whipped by the world and future history books, it's better to leave only one sentence, that he was just rushing to red for beauty, low is low.

"But, it's comfortable."