Chapter 846 The Arrival of the Prince!

Chen Daxia has always been self-aware, knowing he isn't a clever person.

Yao Shi often told him he was dull and needed to think more before acting, or he'd be used as someone else's sword.

That Prince of Pingxi was always saying how clever he was,

Then, while calling himself clever, he used himself as someone else's sword.

But at this moment, at this dinner table, Chen Daxia was somewhat perplexed, wondering if these three people were, in fact, not so bright.

That Prince Zheng wasn't at home with his wife and kids; he was leading troops in battle.

And in war, anything can happen.

Suddenly,

Chen Daxia had an impulse to notify the local garrison that the Yan people might be coming.

It was such an absurd premonition, an intuition;

And that feeling grew stronger with their laughter.

As a Qian citizen,

He should think of Qian first; it was a matter of principle.

Chen Daxia could protect Zheng Fan, even help him fight wildlings and Chu people. After all, though Zheng Fan used him as a sword, he was a true friend.

Chen Daxia acknowledged Zheng Fan as a friend;

But now, this was Qian land, and it might involve direct warfare. Chen Daxia was clearer on the big picture than the other three.

It was a laughable fact,

Because neither the Wu family nor the Xicai Tusi family truly considered themselves "Qian people."

And even young Master Su Mingzhe was more about appeasing these local snakes who needed "diplomacy."

Many in the court knew that preferential treatment, and more preferential treatment, wouldn't foster "gratitude" but strengthen their desire for independence, their so-called "disloyalty."

But Honglu Temple officials and those tied to these families tacitly endorsed this policy because their interests were intertwined; they even got kickbacks from the imperial court's "rewards" to the region.

Su Mingzhe knew this but kept silent, even condoned it.

Of the four present,

It was Chen Daxia, the martial artist, who was most concerned about Qian.

Chen Daxia tugged on Su Mingzhe's sleeve.

He said,

"Can you meet the Jiedushi (military governor) of Lanyang City?"

The title of Jiedushi in Qian was already inflated. In the previous dynasty, a Jiedushi was practically a local king, and the Xia Dynasty collapsed because the Jiedushi kept growing in power.

But in Qian, a Jiedushi was basically a rank above the prefect.

Lanyang City wasn't originally important. The Three Borders to the north defended against the Yan, but after Jingnan Wang and Zhenbei Wang passed through here to conquer Jin, Qian quickly reinforced the area.

They appointed a Jiedushi to reorganize defenses and train troops.

However, from a geostrategic standpoint, for the Yan to attack Qian from Jin would be costly in logistics. And the existence of Qian's Three Borders was an insurmountable obstacle, a fact known to both Yan and Qian.

Su Mingzhe asked, "I can meet him, but why do you want to see him, Chen Xiong?"

Wu Xiang and Su Rongrong also looked at Chen Daxia curiously.

Chen Daxia said,

"Because I think if you keep laughing, the Prince of Pingxi might really lead his army here, so we need to warn the Jiedushi to prepare for the Yan."

Everyone looked at each other,

Then burst into laughter:

"Hahahaha!"

"I didn't know Chen Xiong could joke, hahaha!"

The laughter grew louder.

Chen Daxia's unease continued to intensify.

He said to Su Mingzhe,

"He might really come, he might really come."

"Hahahaha!!!!!!"

Chen Daxia fell silent,

Then,

He felt relieved.

He didn't know how to convince the Jiedushi to believe him, but he felt he had warned them and fulfilled his duty.

That was what the Sword Saint had told Chen Daxia while feeding chickens:

"In this world, perfection is often unattainable. Seek peace of mind."

Yao Shi had also told him to adhere to the rules and have a clear conscience, and not to live too hard.

So,

Let them laugh.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. It was one of Su Mingzhe's attendants, who whispered something in his ear.

After the attendant left,

Su Mingzhe said, "I just received news from Meng Shuai (commander) that our army is preparing to return. The war is officially over.

"It's a pity that it adds to the Prince of Pingxi's so-called fame;

"That Prince of Pingxi will probably write another poem."

That casualness was just for show, to maintain appearances. Otherwise, he'd be mocked for taking the blame for others, which would be too embarrassing.

Deep down,

Su Mingzhe was somewhat dissatisfied with the Prince of Pingxi.

Of course, he wasn't wrong. The joint Qian-Chu army was retreating, and to outsiders, it looked like the Prince of Pingxi had forced them to withdraw and recovered Liang.

But in reality, the Qian-Chu army just wanted to preserve its strength and gains.

The high-ranking officials on all three sides knew this, but the people wouldn't think so.

Wu Xiang laughed. "Let him have his moment. In three years, we'll cross the waves and sweep away the dust and waves."

Chen Daxia reminded him, "Yan doesn't have the sea."

Wu Xiang said, "It's the same idea. The sea is vast, and even experienced helmsmen wouldn't dare to sail in a storm. But once the seas are calm, a thousand sails can still sail on the surface."

He was comparing Yan to a stormy sea,

And Qian to a victor who avoided the brunt of the storm to achieve final victory.

Chen Daxia still shook his head and said, "Yan doesn't have the sea."

Wu Xiang frowned and said, "Chen Xiong, I know that. I'm just using a metaphor."

"The sea can't reach the shore, but the Yan are on land."

"This…"

Su Mingzhe interjected to smooth things over. "Gentlemen, I just received another piece of news. A detachment of our Qian army has already returned. Would you like to join me in welcoming them?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Naturally!"

Wu Xiang and Su Rongrong immediately agreed.

Chen Daxia hesitated and didn't speak.

"Daxia, aren't you coming?"

"Alright, I'll go. If the Prince of Pingxi comes, I might be able to save your lives."

"Hahahahahaha!!!!!!"

…

A detachment of troops returning in triumph

Wasn't really a formal Qian army, at least not from the main forces of the Qian-Chu coalition in Liang.

And the detachment was small, only seven or eight hundred men. They were actually a supply convoy escort.

They belonged to the Qian-Chu coalition but hadn't really fought in any battles.

Earlier, when the Qian army entered Liang, supplies were transported in two routes. Lanyang City was one of them, so there were naturally troops to escort the supplies.

But because the Yan had captured the Zhao capital, the security of the supply lines was affected. Plus, the Qian-Chu coalition had decided to retreat and preserve its strength.

So, this supply convoy escort became the first Qian troops to return.

The real main force would take a while to return, as they had to maneuver around the Yan army while staying vigilant.

But regardless,

For the officials, representatives of various forces, and ordinary Qian citizens who had been waiting in Lanyang City,

This was what they had been hoping for,

The first victorious royal army to return.

Because the Prince of Pingxi's army coming out of the South Gate had delayed the political show prepared by all levels here, everyone was eager to rush forward and lick up every drop of water that finally flowed out.

It wouldn't quench their thirst, but at least they could savor the taste.

Most people could only wait outside Lanyang City,

But some with the means and the need had to actively go further east.

Su Mingzhe had already prepared a poem, waiting for the moment of "triumph" to compose it "spontaneously."

Wu Xiang and Su Rongrong, as local Qian power brokers, were also very concerned about this great Qian victory. If the Qian really had forged a strong army, then their family's future policies would naturally have to change.

So, they galloped on horseback, followed closely by nearly a hundred guards from the three families.

Chen Daxia was among them.

He had once heard that Prince Zheng berated his subordinates: "You're putting on too much *Lagerregli* (a kind of dressing)."

Too much what?

The taste?

Yes,

Chen Daxia himself could already smell a pungent odor.

People might really have a feeling like that at some point, a premonition that something was about to happen.

That kind of feeling might only happen once or twice in a lifetime.

But,

On second thought,

He could see Zheng Fan again,

And his Shifu (master) should also be by Zheng Fan's side;

He had just learned two new sword moves and could ask his Shifu to correct them.

Thinking of this,

Chen Daxia couldn't help but smile.

"Look, that's the Jiedushi's team!"

After leaving Lanyang City and heading east for a while, everyone saw the Jiedushi's team ahead. Clearly, this Jiedushi's political instincts were quite sharp.

Also, because everyone was on horseback and faster than carriages, they continued to advance and discovered the Lanyang City Prefect's team, the Lanyang City Garrison General's team, the Lanyang City Pacification Commissioner's team, all sorts of teams, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

The Qian had been waiting for this great victory against Yan for over a hundred years!

The court and the bureaucracy would surely have brilliant talents soaring to the top and achieving success, but for most people, they still needed to accumulate experience.

If you could attach yourself to this victory, you would have a more glorious resume than others. Even a little bit earlier would be a big step ahead.

Because, not only the current colleagues in Shangjing, but also predecessors going back many generations,

Who among them

Could attach themselves to a victory against Yan?

No one,

Really no one.

This was a carnival for Qian. The people were happy because their country had finally won a victory, and the officials were...going crazy.

That's why there was the scene of people rushing forward.

Finally,

A Qian army appeared on the road ahead, slowly advancing towards them.

"They're here, I see them, hahaha, the first victorious royal army!"

Su Mingzhe laughed loudly,

Waving his sleeves several times,

Meaning,

Pay attention, I'm about to write a poem!

Then,

He shouted loudly:

"Seeing this scene, my heart is greatly moved, so my poetic inspiration is surging!"

Wu Xiang and Su Rongrong immediately cooperated:

"We can't wait for Su Xiong's masterpiece!"

"Yes, Su Xiong, in this situation, we should celebrate with a famous poem!"

Everyone praises the sedan chair together; these noble sons wouldn't miss such a cost-effective opportunity. Besides, their names might be added to the poem's title, such as "While Taking a Spring Outing with My Brother and Sister, We Happened to Encounter the Victorious Return of the Royal Army, Hence This Poem";

At least we can add our names, right?

Maybe we can be remembered forever.

So,

There aren't so many coincidences,

Nor are there so many chance encounters;

A good poem or song must be carefully crafted, word by word;

Most coincidences are just affectations after thorough preparation.

Chen Daxia didn't pay attention to listening to young Master Su's masterpiece.

His gaze,

Was fixed on the Qian army advancing towards them.

Are you,

There?

You,

Should be.

Here,

Su Mingzhe was reciting his poem loudly. On the other side, the officials were quickly preparing their ceremonial guards and tidying their official robes. Those who didn't come, those who were too weak, missed out. Those who came still had to be ranked by seniority.

Everyone had to prepare well, everyone had to be ready. Since they were already here, they should be reserved.

There were also painters already at work.

It was just like the later generations of leaders who liked to grab the front row for group photos to show off their merits after some achievement.

Everyone was ready.

Su Mingzhe had finished reciting his poem and had even written it down.

While the detachment was still a short distance away, Su Mingzhe took his newly written masterpiece to the group of officials.

He was a highly regarded official, and with his teacher's influence, the officials were very polite and willing to give him face.

They all took his newly created masterpiece and began to praise it;

How could officials who had reached this level in Qian lack these basic skills?

For a time, cheers were constant, and the atmosphere was extremely warm.

Just then,

The Qian army began to charge towards them.

The Jiedushi stroked his beard and smiled. "They have a bit of sense, hehe."

Come on quickly, don't keep everyone waiting too long. The sun is a bit strong today.

In the crowd, Chen Daxia sighed silently.

He had told Zheng Fan that Qian was strengthening its army and would soon have several strong troops.

But that prince of Yan didn't care,

Just replied:

"Same wine in a different bottle."

Yes, the Qian army had won a victory in Liang, but Qian hadn't really changed much because of it.

Chen Daxia looked at the team speeding towards them and the subtle vibrations coming from further behind;

It was like an animal's early detection of an approaching tsunami.

He felt a little sad,

Sad that he, a martial artist, would feel sad at this moment.

He turned his head and looked around, seeing everyone's impatience, enthusiasm, excitement, and eagerness.

Sigh,

Chen Daxia opened his mouth,

And shouted:

"The Prince of Pingxi of Yan is coming!"

After all, he was an expert, and his voice was loud.

But the surroundings were noisy, and someone with a meticulous mind immediately shouted,

"Yes, next time we'll capture the Prince of Pingxi of Yan and bring him to be presented as a captive!"

"Well said!"

"There will be such a day!"

"Great Qian is mighty!"

"…" Chen Daxia.

Chen Daxia was a little numb.

Finally,

The Qian army arrived,

The leader,

Should be the main general.

But he didn't dismount to salute the officials, who were getting a little impatient;

After all, the words of loyalty and patriotism had already been prepared and were burning in their throats, making them itchy.

But soon,

They wouldn't be itchy anymore.

Because in front, a group of knights appeared, their hooves thundering, carrying a desperate oppression.

Black armor,

Black Dragon Banner!

The Qian general in front of everyone,

Took off his helmet,

And waved

At them,

Shouting:

"Greetings, esteemed officials;

"Dear Qian, this king has missed you so much!"