Chapter 1 Offerings

In the far north of the snow plains, there exists a force that believes... or perhaps it could be called, protects.

Zheng Fan remembered that Sanghu once brought a patchwork of savage tribes from the north of the snow plains to seek refuge with the Savage King. He should have a better understanding of that area, even if he had never really entered the core area. The far north, for the savages, was equivalent to a place of exile.

But unfortunately, Sanghu died in the war against Chu.

This matter could also be asked of Gou Moli, but this brings up another question: what would Gou Moli's attitude be towards this matter? Would he have any other thoughts after knowing about it?

Because the appearance of that "person" has already formed a stable "tributary" system around it. This is not religion, nor is it a tribal form, but both religion and tribe;

If that "person" really fully awakens, it is very likely to sweep out from the northernmost side, perhaps walking the same path as the Savage King did back then.

At this moment, Zheng Fan thought of the prophecy in the Jade Token again;

Once, everyone thought the prophecy was about the Savage King Gou Moli, that he would lead the holy race to revival, but Gou Moli failed;

But what if the prophecy didn't refer to Gou Moli?

Whether to inform Gou Moli, this still needs to be discussed with Blind and the others.

His head, ached a bit.

Zheng Fan didn't like this feeling, and he also knew that in his consciousness and thinking, he had added too many "powerful" labels to the first one to awaken in the prophecy.

But in the final analysis, this world is fair.

As strong as Shatuo Queshi was, he still died in the iron cavalry encirclement in front of the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion;

The Sword Saint was terrifying, but under the neat and solemn cavalry spears, he was still fragile;

That awakened "person", no matter how strong, even if you are strong enough to reach the sky, why should I play a one-on-one with you?

The hard-earned family fortune,

Counting auxiliary soldiers and conscripted laborers who can be gathered at any time, I have an army of 100,000 under my command, okay?

No matter how high your strength is, you are still afraid of being filled with human lives;

So,

Thank you,

This fair world.

He walked out of Liao Fan's room and ordered the servants outside to go in and clean up.

Zheng Fan stretched and enjoyed the pleasant cracking of his joints;

"Old Yu, do you know, I have a problem. If you put a pea on the bed board, even if you put thirty layers of cotton wool on top, I still feel uncomfortable when I sleep, and I still feel it poking me."

The Sword Saint looked at Zheng Fan. Although he didn't know where this joke came from, he could still understand what it meant.

"So, what do you plan to do?" the Sword Saint asked.

Perhaps, in the Sword Saint's view, prophecies, legends, and religions are just too many things. Similar things are happening in many corners of the world.

They gather believers, fools and ignorant people, establish a Yellow Heaven, determine a Mandate of Heaven, and if they are brave enough, they directly rebel. However, the difficulty in suppressing this kind of rebellion for the imperial court is not great, unless the imperial court itself acts foolishly.

A group of gathered believers, who have never been on the battlefield and only know how to believe in some kind of destiny, no matter how many they are, are still vulnerable in front of an elite military formation.

The Sword Saint felt that Zheng Fan, who rose through military achievements, should be even more aware of this.

But since that day, Zheng Fan has shown an extremely extreme reaction. The Sword Saint even felt that even if the Chu Kingdom suddenly gathered the strength of the whole country to launch another national war, this Marquis of Pingxi of Great Yan would not lose his emotional stability like this.

"I plan to..."

Marquis Zheng's eyes darkened.

"First, I will investigate the ins and outs of this matter, then determine the specific location. After it's 'mapped' out, I plan to personally lead an army to the so-called far north."

"Is it worth it?" The Sword Saint was speechless.

"It's worth it. I must take out that damn pea."

Saying that,

Zheng Fan waved his hand,

And said:

"Alright, let's rest. We'll go back early tomorrow morning and need to conserve our energy."

...

After separating from the Sword Saint and returning to his bedroom, Zheng Fan didn't rush to bed. Instead, he sat down at the table and poured himself a cup of tea.

At this moment, he wanted to unfold the painting and take another look, but he remembered that the painting had been put away by the Sword Saint. Too lazy to knock on the door to ask for it, Zheng Fan simply propped his left hand on the table and gently rotated the teacup in his right hand.

After a long time,

He put the Demonic Pearl on the table again.

"Let's have a chat, you and I."

The Demonic Pearl didn't move. He was the Demon Lord who had accompanied this master for the longest time, even longer than Si Niang;

Therefore, he was more aware of this master's affectations.

"Tell me, what kind of existence is that thing? A true child of prophecy?

Tsk, child of prophecy, what a cliché title."

The Demonic Pearl tilted its body, and the red stone simply leaned against the teapot.

"I think the current days are pretty good. Originally, there shouldn't be any troubles. Next, everyone should just live their lives as they are, as happily as they can, but at this time, this kind of thing comes again.

If the prophecy of the Mandate of Heaven falls on us, then I don't care, I'll just take it as an extra blessing;

But if it falls on someone else,

I hate this feeling, and I believe you definitely don't like being treated as a fake, right?"

The Demonic Pearl remained unmoved.

Zheng Fan believed that the Demonic Pearl had been unusually quiet lately, and it seemed that he had lost interest in many other things besides playing with Tiantian.

The exchange between father and son yielded no results.

Zheng Fan stopped talking and continued to drink tea, spacing out.

Tonight, he missed Daze Xiangshe a little, taking a big gulp and falling asleep comfortably.

But now, he couldn't do it.

If you were to say how scared he was at heart, he really wasn't, but it was just that awkward feeling that kept his breath from flowing smoothly.

Zheng Fan sat like this until dawn, then rested his head on the table and dozed off for a while.

During this short nap, many images appeared in his mind, which were dreams, but not really dreams, very fragmented.

After waking up from the nap,

The only relatively clear dream he remembered in his mind was,

He saw Lao Tian sitting on the doorstep,

He walked over,

And said:

"Brother, there's something in the north that makes me very uncomfortable."

Lao Tian nodded,

And said:

"Then go and destroy it."

Yes,

Then destroy it.

When washing his face after waking up, he reached out and took the hot towel handed over by the maid and put it on his face.

Perhaps,

He would never be able to become someone like Lao Tian in his life, and he didn't want to become one;

But it was undeniable that,

Often at times like this, thinking of him always made him feel at ease.

After wiping his face, he threw the towel to the maid beside him.

Marquis Zheng stepped out of the room,

Took a deep breath of the fresh morning air,

But there was no heroic spirit, nor the ambition to meet challenges head-on;

Instead, he complained a bit,

Alas,

Brother,

You went west too quickly,

If you were still here, then I really wouldn't be worried at all.

He used to raise troops to protect himself, Lao Tian knew;

He took in the Savage King, Lao Tian knew;

He had rebellious bones behind his head and didn't like kneeling to people, Lao Tian also knew.

If Lao Tian was still here, the prophecy could not be told to others, but it could be told to Lao Tian.

Lao Tian would shake his head helplessly,

And say:

Is that all you amount to?

He would answer: Yes, that's all I amount to.

Alright,

I'll take you to destroy him.

He believed that Lao Tian would, just as he did when he learned that Zhao Jiulang had facilitated Du Juan's death, he unhesitatingly went to kill Zhao Jiulang on the night of the enthronement ceremony.

...

Pixiu, was taken back by Ah Ming and the others early.

Zheng Fan and the Sword Saint rode their horses and headed east after leaving Shangchuan County.

The Sword Saint was eager to return home. Although it was still in time according to the days, how could this kind of thing really be calculated accurately?

He had said verbally that he wouldn't be the first anyway, and he could accompany him next time, but after all, it was the first time being a father, and it was good to return to his wife's side early and spend a few more days with her.

On this point, Marquis Zheng also understood very well. The Sword Saint had helped him a lot this time, and to put it bluntly, if it wasn't for the Sword Saint's strong action in Xiping Street to deter Li Liangshen from the very beginning, just Li Liangshen alone would have been enough for Zhao Jiulang to turn the tables.

Moreover, he had delayed him for several days on the way back;

Therefore, Zheng Fan also hurried on his way this time, without making any fancy moves.

Soon,

The two arrived at the Wangjiang River.

The Sword Saint was a little embarrassed. This was not wartime. He knew the Marquis of Pingxi's daily lifestyle, which was to lie down if he could, sit if he could, and never stand if he could sit;

Therefore, he said:

"Let's find a restaurant and have something warm to eat."

"Alright."

There were many docks along the Wangjiang River, but at this time, the river surface had already begun to freeze, and people could already walk on it. In theory, they could try to cross with their horses, as long as they wrapped the horses' hooves in advance.

Of course, the ice surface was not thick enough now, and if you walked on it, you had to be prepared to accidentally fall into an ice hole and feed the fish.

The food in the restaurants at the docks was also simple, with hot soup and flatbread being the mainstream.

To Zheng Fan's surprise, the boss also asked if he wanted steamed buns with filling, radish filling, which was said to be a food that came from Fengxin City.

Marquis Zheng smiled and ordered eight steamed buns, plus a pot of soup and some side dishes;

In addition, he gave some extra reward money to the restaurant's waiter to wrap the horses' hooves for him and the Sword Saint.

Afterwards,

He sat down and waited for the food to be served.

"After crossing the river, we can change horses when we encounter sentry riders or checkpoints on the road, and the speed will be faster." Zheng Fan said.

East of the Wangjiang River was his Marquis of Pingxi's territory.

"Yes." The Sword Saint nodded.

"By the way, have you thought about what name you're going to give your child?" Zheng Fan asked.

The Sword Saint shook his head.

"Haven't thought about it?"

"I've naturally thought about it, but there's never a really good time to think about it before the child is born."

"That's true."

The Sword Saint hesitated for a moment, but didn't take the opportunity to ask: What about you?

Seeing that he was accompanying him on the road, he was really embarrassed to mock him again.

Who knew that Marquis Zheng would take the initiative to say;

"I have a lot of good names prepared there. When we get home, I'll take them out for you to choose one."

"Alright."

Soon,

The steaming steamed buns came up.

Steamed buns with filling, and stubbornly called steamed buns instead of buns.

This was originally Marquis Zheng's obsession and request.

After arriving in this life, this term has become popular.

The people under the rule of the Marquis of Pingxi have always lived very well, from Shengle City to Xuehai Pass to the current Fengxin City. After all, Marquis Zheng is not extravagant, and the Demon Lords, except for Ah Ming who spends a little money on drinking, are not extravagant either. Therefore, the upper-level system built by this group can really be called simple.

In addition, with the foundation built by Si Niang and Blind, the workshop output of San'er and Ah Ming, the development of commerce, and finally the fact that they can earn a lot of money every time they fight a war and have basically never fought a losing battle, this military-civilian system built on the military production corps model is doing very well in terms of daily life.

Steamed buns, these are called steamed buns, with filling and shredded meat, they are also called steamed buns. What, you say these are called buns?

Heh,

Oh, oh, oh, how difficult must your life be to call this thing a bun?

Steamed buns have become a symbol of regional superiority for the people under the rule of the Marquis of Pingxi, and can be regarded as a kind of brand effect under unintentional planting.

Gou Moli once lamented,

A small steamed bun contains true great wisdom and great layout. In the future, how many refugees will be attracted to defect to the Marquis of Pingxi in Jindong just by relying on this one food?

Even in the future, when they raise their flags and start fighting, how many people will be looking forward to the Marquis of Pingxi being able to attack as soon as possible, so that everyone can eat these kinds of steamed buns every day.

The Savage King was really not flattering, but sincerely admired him. But the problem is that this term is really just a little obsession of Marquis Zheng's with the nostalgia of his previous life.

But now, there is a vague trend of becoming a beacon, like a lighthouse, except that the top of the lighthouse has a steamed bun on it.

Taking a bite,

Marquis Zheng frowned. There was little filling and almost no shredded meat, and no lard was added. It tasted a bit bland.

But Zheng Fan was not bored enough to be a food critic at this small restaurant by the dock, so he and the Sword Saint still divided up this meal cleanly with the meat soup and side dishes.

Afterwards, the two led their horses, which had been wrapped in their hooves, towards the river.

Calling for a ferry would take time and be slow, and not to mention that Marquis Zheng himself was a fifth-rank master, if you were worried about falling into the river and drowning with a Sword Saint by your side, then look at your meager potential.

The two led their horses and began to cross the river.

The ice under their feet was indeed not completely frozen. Stepping on it, they could clearly hear a "sasha" sound, but it was really not a big problem.

The Wangjiang River can be said to have carried the changes of spring and autumn in Jindong over the past five years.

First, the Savage and rebel allied forces crossed the Wangjiang River, and then Situ Lei fought the last battle and repelled them across the Wangjiang River;

After that, the Eastern Expeditionary Army led by the First Prince was defeated here, and the Chu Navy locked the river surface. Countless children of the Left Route Army drowned, and Li Bao died in battle;

After that, he, Zheng Fan, made a long-distance raid to seize Xuehai Pass, forcing the Savage King to fight Jinnan King here, and Tian Wujing defeated the main force of the Savages in one fell swoop;

In last year's war against Chu, he also relied on the Wangjiang River's breach to change the course of the river, allowing him to enter the heart of Chu with a surprise force.

What do famous historical sites rely on?

They rely on stories.

Unfortunately, Jin and Yan lack writers. They can only hope that a few more Yao Zizhan-like figures will emerge in later generations and use the Wangjiang River as a guide to create a few poems to make a name for themselves.

The river surface was very wide, and Zheng Fan and the Sword Saint led their horses and walked not too slowly.

They had walked halfway and nothing unexpected had happened.

At this time,

The Sword Saint suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?"

Zheng Fan asked.

"I suddenly understood something." The Sword Saint said.

"What is it?"

"That is, I used to think that you were too cautious sometimes."

"Hehe, I'm just afraid of death."

"Being afraid of death is not shameful."

"I think so too."

"But I now really realize that your fear is very reasonable. Someone like you really has to be cautious."

Marquis Zheng licked his lips, which were a little dry from the cold wind,

And said:

"You're making me a little scared."

"Zheng Fan, this time I owe you one. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have rushed back so hurriedly."

"I'm because of the little monk Liao Fan, not entirely because of you."

"That matter is not urgent. You said yourself yesterday that it's not urgent, at least not right now. Today, it's still because of me."

"Yes, it's because of you."

Marquis Zheng went with the flow.

"I will protect you safely to the Marquis of Pingxi's mansion."

"That's a must."

"In the future, you still have to be more cautious, more careful, and not be like this time again. It was my negligence. Fengxin City is not only where my wife is about to give birth, but there are also so many people who are counting on you to protect them and let them have enough to eat."

"Don't blame yourself. You have to know that it's safest to be with you. Besides, it's not like I haven't experienced dangerous things. Isn't the battlefield more dangerous than it is now?"

"This is different, because I'm by your side this time."

"Isn't it better that you're by my side?"

"No, it's precisely because everyone knows I'm by your side, but they still dare to do it, which proves that they are very confident."

Marquis Zheng smiled,

And said:

"Do you know what to say at this time if you want to maintain the tone?"

"What to say?"

"I'm looking forward to it."

"What's the truth?"

"I'm a little panicked."

At this time,

Zheng Fan saw a black shadow slowly rising under the ice.

He squatted down,

Carefully looking down through the ice,

The black shadow began to gradually rise and also gradually approach.

Then,

He saw a face, a human face. At first, his eyes were closed;

But when he was about to reach the ice, his eyes opened.

He looked up,

Then,

He was stunned;

Yes, although the expression would be a little distorted because of the separation of the ice surface, that kind of stunned emotion was still magnified.

Perhaps he didn't expect that,

He would lurk up so quietly,

But the one above,

Was squatting there,

Watching him slowly float up.

Marquis Zheng drew out Wu Ya,

And directly stabbed it into the ice surface beneath him.

Wu Ya was a broken knife, but it was a true magical weapon, otherwise it would not have become the inheritance of the Shadow Clan outside the Imperial City of Great Chu;

Lao Tian would not have given an ordinary object to his younger brother.

Wu Ya stabbed in,

Under the ice, a blood mist spread out.

Marquis Zheng raised his head,

Sighed,

Even though he knew that he only had one guard by his side,

He still habitually went through the process,

And shouted:

"Assassin!"