Zheng Fan departed, following Lord Jingnan.
On the newly constructed section of Shengle City's walls, the Blind Man, Siniang, and Xue Three stood side-by-side, watching the two figures gradually recede into the distance.
Fan Li, scratching his head, couldn't fathom what they found so captivating from atop the wall and resud hauling bricks below.
The Blind Man, fiddling with what seed like an endless supply of oranges, peeled one and said, "Why didn't he take you along, San'er?"
Xue Three responded, "I'd very much like to know that myself."
Then, Xue Three turned to Siniang. "Siniang, your man has run off with another man."
Siniang shook her head and sighed. "I can't beat him."
The mood unconsciously began to shift.
The Blind Man stepped in to steer the conversation back on course, saying, "But one thing is certain: at least with our lord by Lord Jingnan's side, he should be safe."
"You don't even consider what kind of opponents Lord Jingnan might face," Xue Three retorted.
The Blind Man popped an orange segnt into his mouth. "Now you're just looking for an argunt."
Siniang remarked, "It seems Lord Jingnan truly regards our lord highly."
The Blind Man nodded in profound agreent.
They also knew that their lord held a certain "fondness" for Lord Jingnan—like an elder, an admired older brother, regarded with both reverence and awe, much like his feelings towards Shatuo Queshi.
"Rather than Lord Jingnan valuing our lord, it's more like he values us as a collective," Xue Three stated. He was referring to Liang Cheng's military strategies, the Blind Man's situational analyses, Siniang's skills, and so on.
"You can't quite put it that way," the Blind Man countered. "This isn't trying to pick a fight with you. Our lord is long gone, so it's not like he'll hear us badmouthing him now. But one thing we must admit: our lord possesses a certain charm. He knows how to strike the right balance and cultivate good relationships with influential figures. If others play the pig to eat the tiger, what our lord excels at is pretending to be a corgi."
"The next ti our lord gets a promotion, I'll be sure to pass on your assessnt," Xue Three muttered.
"It's a pity, though. Honestly, if this were the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, wholeheartedly following Lord Jingnan wouldn't be a bad choice at all." The Blind Man glanced back at the area below the city wall. "Ah, well. Let's focus on the tasks at hand. The wall construction needs to be expedited."
Siniang nodded, saying, "I'll give the orders. It doesn't matter if so slaves are worked to death. We can just find an excuse to kill so of the Wild People overseers later. The Wild People slaves will only be more grateful to us then."
"Siniang, just do what you have to do. Don't spell it out; it makes feel complicit in a cri," the Blind Man said, continuing to munch on his orange.
Xue Three then hopped onto a crenellation, saying, "Say, should we send soone to inform A Cheng up ahead?"
"No need. Lord Jingnan has his own plans. They might not even rendezvous with A Cheng. They might just cut straight through the Skybreak Mountain Range and roam the snowfield."
Xue Three shivered and said, "Blind Man, you have a woman now. How co you're starting to sound more and more like A Ming and A Cheng?"
The Blind Man ignored the jibe and turned to Siniang. "Let's get to work. All beginnings are difficult. Now that the idlest among us has also departed, we have no excuse not to give it our all."
...
Chief Zheng was miserable. Truthfully, he didn't want to go to the snowfield one bit. He'd had his fill of the Skybreak Mountain Range the last ti he entered.
No wonder the Jin people, after driving the Wild People out of the Three Jin lands, only engaged in sporadic raids in the Skybreak Mountain Range instead of trying to wipe them out completely. Firstly, the conditions within the Skybreak Mountain Range were atrocious; even if they conquered the place, it had little developnt value, much like the desert to the Yan people. Secondly, the truly formidable Wild People were in the snowfield. Unless the Jin people emulated the Qian State by undertaking massive civil engineering projects within the Skybreak Mountain Range—expending vast resources and manpower to build networks of forts—the Wild People they drove out would eventually return.
Weren't the hot baths in the manor comfortable enough? Had Siniang's needlework grown rusty? Why trade a comfortable life for a trek across mountains to freeze in the snowfield?
But with Lord Jingnan right beside him, Zheng Fan didn't even dare to complain. Casual banter was fine in daily conversation; it fostered a sense of closeness that powerful figures, after long periods in authority, might co to appreciate. However, to quibble over matters of "military discipline" in this situation? That would be like an old man tired of living swallowing arsenic—truly courting death.
For the first two days after entering the mountains, they could still see traces left by Liang Cheng's troops. But over the next four or five days, these signs vanished. A path wide enough for two people might be impassable for a large army, so Liang Cheng had likely gone to clear another route.
Fortunately, Zheng Fan's horsemanship, honed through several major battles, was now competent. Plus, his Seventh-Rank Martial Cultivator's physique wasn't just for show; he could now endure long rides without his inner thighs getting chafed raw.
Finally, on the seventh day after entering the mountains, upon crossing the last valley, the snowfield lay right before them.
Though called a snowfield, it wasn't entirely covered in ice and snow. In fact, it was more like an extrely vast pasture, subject to nature's climatic extres. For half the year, it was lush with vegetation; for the other half, it was blanketed in ice and snow.
Winter had passed, and spring had long since arrived, yet the snowfield still bore vast white patches, though a few areas showed faint hints of green.
Zheng Fan and Tian Wujing rested at the foot of a slope. Chief Zheng gathered so dry firewood, started a bonfire to boil water, and took out his rations to share with Tian Wujing.
Tian Wujing wasn't a picky eater. He could savor fine cuisine with relish and gnaw on dry rations without a frown.
Sotis Zheng Fan wondered if the Marquis before him was the most emotionless machine he had ever encountered.
"That woman I saw in Shengle City, is she your wife?" Tian Wujing asked.
In fact, judging by age, Siniang was more like an aunt to Zheng Fan. But clearly, Tian Wujing wasn't naive enough to believe Zheng Fan rely regarded such a beautiful woman as a maidservant.
"Yes, my lord."
"When do you plan on having children?"
Zheng Fan was stunned. Was this emotionless machine actually going to discuss 'parenting tips' with him?
"The barbarians are not yet vanquished; how can I think of starting a family?"
"Speak plainly."
"The arrow hasn't hit the bullseye yet."
It's not just that the arrow hasn't hit the bullseye; he's still in basic training, not even cleared for the firing range yet.
"When you are about to beco a father, the feeling... it truly is different."
"Yes, yes. My lord, would you prefer a little lady or a young lord?"
"I like girls."
"I like girls too, my lord."
Zheng Fan poured the boiled water and handed a cup to Tian Wujing.
"I just don't know if I'll make it back from this war in ti for her delivery," Tian Wujing murmured, more to himself.
"My lord..."
"I'm overthinking. On the battlefield, one cannot be swayed by such things."
Zheng Fan lowered his head, dipping the stead bun he held into the hot water.
"As long as South Gate Pass can be sealed off, and we help the Situ Family deal with the Wild People this one last ti, the New Jin territory will be completely stabilized," Tian Wujing stated.
"Yes, my lord."
South Gate Pass was the very pass whose gates Yu Ciming had personally opened for the Yan Army to enter Jin. If they held it, neither those minor states nor Qian State would be able to set foot in Jin lands. anwhile, if the Situ Family in the far east could hold their ground, they could help keep an eye on the Chu people.
Theoretically, this New Jin territory would then be firmly in Yan State's grasp. As for resistance from the people of Jin, as long as Yan State itself didn't fall into turmoil, it would never amount to anything significant.
According to the Blind Man's analysis, since Yan State had forgone such a pri opportunity to launch a pincer attack on Cheng State, their sights were evidently still set on Qian State.
"Zheng Fan."
"Your subordinate is here."
"Those things you had sent over—there were many I myself hadn't even thought of."
Others sent gold, silver, valuables—gifts requiring long, ostentatious lists. Zheng Fan, on the other hand, sent many small necessities for childbirth, even so gentle, nourishing dicinal herbs suitable for pregnant won to ensure a safe pregnancy. Ordinary people wouldn't dare send dicinal herbs to the Marquis's manor; no one would dare bear that responsibility. But Zheng Fan dared. He also sent so rice cakes and stead buns—inexpensive gifts common families might exchange when celebrating a birth, very down-to-earth.
"I figured that your Lordship probably isn't lacking in other things, so..."
"You were very thoughtful."
This was the second ti Lord Jingnan had said this.
"It is my duty to be thoughtful, my lord."
"Dujuan said she especially liked the baby's belly-warr you sent. Was it embroidered by your wife? And the other clothes—enough for a child up to five or six years old—the needlework is flawless."
"Yes, my lord. A baby's skin is delicate, so their clothing needs careful attention."
"Dujuan said the sa. She also ntioned that after the baby is born, she'd like to invite your wife over to learn so needlework from her. She said she spent the first half of her life accustod to a blade, and only after becoming pregnant did she realize a woman's hand seems better suited to a needle."
"When the ti cos, I will bring my wife to congratulate your Lordship on the birth of your heir."
Tian Wujing finished the last of his dry rations and clapped the crumbs from his hands but didn't rise imdiately. Instead, he looked at Zheng Fan and said, "Dujuan also said that Chief Zheng is very thoughtful when it cos to children. Since the baby will be wearing clothes sent by Chief Zheng, why not have the child acknowledge Chief Zheng as godfather?"
This was a question. And Zheng Fan couldn't be sure if it was Dujuan's question, or...
A pleasant surprise? Beco the godfather of your ultimate boss's child? This child's godfather... in this world, perhaps only the Yan Emperor and the Earl of North Border were qualified. Yet now, he, too, was being offered this qualification.
A dreadful shock? Because becoming Tian Wujing's kin, acknowledging Tian Wujing's child as his godchild, ant that in the future... Just consider the Yan people's attitude towards Tian Wujing.
Zheng Fan truly hadn't expected to be confronted with such a question while gnawing on dry rations and sipping boiled water.
However, Chief Zheng, usually so cautious and skilled at self-preservation, chose—for once—not to overthink it. He wanted to be genuine, to be spontaneous.
After all, he acted subserviently not because he enjoyed it.
Zheng Fan nodded. He didn't feign ecstasy, overwhelming joy, or imnse honor.
Instead, he responded calmly, "Alright."
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