That noon, rumors spread throughout the governnt office that the Recruitnt Envoy was extrely angry, smashing many pieces of Qian State porcelain in the hall.
Yet, Hui Wenzu’s clerk’s records clearly showed that their young master, Ah Lang, was very happy today and had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare a pig’s head to go with his wine.
The conflict between the North Border Army and the local officials representing the court of Yan State had long ceased to be a secret. The Earl of North Border’s manor was more like a sharp blade cutting across Beifeng Prefecture.
On one side, it faced the Desert Barbarians. On the other, it faced their own side.
A century ago, the Yan State ruler of the ti deployed the first Earl of North Border to the north for two reasons: first, to guard against the resurgence of the Barbarian Royal Court, and second, to suppress the local forces within Beifeng Prefecture.
Yet, everything changed thirty years ago when the forr emperor, still a prince at the ti, courted the support of the Earl of North Border’s manor to secure the throne. He made far too many promises, resulting in this taphorical blade being loosened far too much.
What was initially just a sword now had thoughts of its own.
One could say that the reigning Yan State emperor’s current headache in dealing with the Earl of North Border’s manor was largely due to his own father’s blunders.
What surprised the various forces of Hutou City and the surrounding forts was that the man they previously thought might only have so minor backing, that ’Wild Chicken’ Protector-Escort Colonel branded with the mark of the Earl of North Border’s manor, was indeed a man of the North Border Army.
i Village was taken, just like that. So overbearingly was it done that the Recruitnt Envoy was forced to fabricate a charge of colluding with the barbarians to cover up the incident.
This action naturally further deepened the rift between the North Border Army and the imperial court, generating profound implications against the backdrop of the policy to reduce feudal domains.
However, Zheng Fan was completely oblivious to this. Hui Wenzu had suggested he should lay low for a while, so Zheng Fan didn’t hesitate to blatantly skip work for many days. He didn’t even go to the governnt office, choosing instead to stay cooped up at ho all day.
Even though his ho had artificial rock mountains, ponds, flowers, plants, and more than ten increasingly captivating little ladies under Siniang’s tutelage, Zheng Colonel barely had the energy and ti to flirt with and appreciate them.
On most days, he spent his ti practicing martial arts with Ding Hao.
「...」
"My lord, I have finished reading the letters."
Siniang put down the stack of letters in her hands.
Zheng Fan reached out to remove the towel covering his face, tossed it aside, and nodded.
Of all the letters left by the five n, only the first few from Blind Bei contained any useful information.
However, that fellow insisted on emulating Zhuge Liang, wanting his ’brilliant stratagems in a silk pouch’ to be opened only after the event.
Because of Siniang’s delay, he hadn’t been able to see the letter that night.
In the letter, Blind Bei ntioned his plan to take i Village because he felt its chief was a bad person who would try to harm him.
Alright, while this reason was rather far-fetched... it was sowhat understandable.
In the letter, Blind Bei also outlined counterasures for Zheng Fan. In a nutshell, it was to invoke the authority of the North Border Army to ensure his own safety.
But Blind Bei could never have calculated that the highest-ranking official in Hutou City was actually a deep-cover agent from the Earl of North Border’s faction.
As for the letters from the others, they were all empty talk, which was rather embarrassing.
Fanli, on the other hand, repeatedly asked how his breakfast, lunch, and dinner were, as if Zheng Fan were a pig that needed regular feeding.
"My lord, do you feel tired after training every day?"
Zheng Fan nodded.
Treating his body like a car’s chassis and the Qi and blood within as its engine, he spent the entire day revving it by alternately pressing and releasing the accelerator. How could he not be tired?
"My lord, when do you think you will be able to achieve a rank?"
Siniang had noticed that after so many days, her lord hadn’t truly achieved a rank; he hadn’t even managed to emit a glow.
Now that all the letters had been read, if her lord didn’t achieve a rank soon, it could bring danger to the two groups led by Blind Bei and Liang Cheng operating out in the field.
"Ding Hao said there’s no rush to emit a glow first. He said it’s important to fully master control over one’s Qi and blood circulation. Then, upon finding an opportunity, one can charge straight to the Ninth Rank."
"Is that so?"
"I believe his reasoning. Although, there might be a little selfish desire on his part to teach for a longer period. But everyone has their own selfish motives, so you don’t need to go and point it out to him. Most importantly, I can feel my control over the circulation of Qi and blood in my body becoming increasingly proficient. Who knows, I might wake up tomorrow, circulate it once, and directly achieve a rank."
Hearing this, Siniang was montarily startled, then imdiately nodded and said, "This servant understands. My lord has his own plans."
"Forget it, I’m tired. I need to rest. Brew a pot of tea."
"Yes, my lord."
Siniang quickly brought the tea. Seeing Zheng Fan wiping himself down, she imdiately went over and took the towel to help him wipe his back.
As she wiped, Siniang’s gaze fell on the stone that was still in the bath, not yet taken out.
"My lord, you can’t keep soaking this Mo Wan."
"It doesn’t matter. Just think of it as my son taking a bath with ."
"My lord, this servant rembers that the Mo Wan is a spiritual entity; it doesn’t have a physical body. Spiritual entities require worldly spiritual energy. This servant thinks that if we place it in the courtyard at night to absorb the essence of the moon, it might recover and awaken sooner."
"Absorb the essence of the sun and moon?"
Zheng Fan instinctively felt this was implausible; he hadn’t written anything like that when he created the comic about the Mo Wan.
"Well, people change, don’t they? Since this isn’t human, wouldn’t it change even faster? My lord, think about it. After A Ming ca to this world, he even started eating blood sausage. So, why can’t this Mo Wan bask in the moonlight?"
"Would that truly work?"
Zheng Fan felt Siniang was spouting nonsense, yet he couldn’t figure out her motive. If Siniang wanted to harm him, she had countless thods; there was no need to go to the trouble of moving a stone first.
"My lord, please, just listen to this servant this once. Besides, even if a thief broke in, who would steal a worthless stone?"
"Fine, go and put it in the courtyard."
"My lord, why don’t you do it yourself? This servant will go and make the bed for you."
Before Zheng Fan could reply, Siniang twisted her body, her voluptuous yet agile waist swaying like a water snake as she entered the inner room.
Zheng Fan glanced at the stone and smiled. He bent over, lifted the stone from the bath, pushed open the door, and walked into the courtyard.
After finding an open, well-lit spot, Zheng Fan placed the stone on the ground. Then, he turned, went back into the room, and closed the door.
The mont the door closed, the stone suddenly began to tremble violently. Wisps of black mist began to seep out from it, and within the mist, the figure of a resentful infant flickered in and out of view!
He was furious. He was frenzied.
At this mont, he felt like Wukong after being deceived by the skeleton demon and personally banished by the Tang Monk.
The black mist, filled with intense resentnt, began to press towards the door. Just as it was about to touch the door, the black mist halted.
The infant was gnashing his teeth, as though forcibly restraining sothing. His originally pale pupils were now a fiery red.
「...」
"Hmm, does it sound like the wind is picking up outside?" Zheng Fan, sitting by the bed, asked curiously.
Siniang glanced worriedly towards the window, then gritted her teeth. She was gambling. Gambling that the Mo Wan wouldn’t actually co in. Over these past many days, she had realized one thing: her lord himself didn’t know that the Mo Wan had already awakened. Why was the Mo Wan, clearly awake, still avoiding her lord? Was he afraid to face her lord? The man *I* want? How could I possibly let him get away? Even if you want to kill your ’father,’ he’s still your ’father.’ He hasn’t taken anything from you, and now you want to interfere with his won? So Siniang thought.
Simultaneously, she smiled tenderly and coquettishly at Zheng Fan and said, "Perhaps it’s just the north wind. Winter has arrived, and it’s always like this here. Nothing to worry about. Co, my lord, this servant will help you undress."
"Alright."
Zheng Fan sat down, allowing Siniang to help him undress. For the past several nights, Siniang had attended to him like this before making a pallet for herself on the floor nearby to sleep.
...
...
「...」
「The next morning.」
Zheng Fan opened his eyes.
He had slept exceptionally soundly, and for an exceptionally long ti. Outside, the sun was already high in the sky.
Siniang’s pallet on the floor was empty. As she managed the entire household by herself, she naturally couldn’t afford to sleep late.
Zheng Fan didn’t ring the bell. Instead, he got out of bed himself, pushed open the door in his thin nightclothes, walked out of the room, and into the courtyard.
The winter sun shone down, bathing him in a warm sensation.
Clearing his throat, Zheng Fan stretched his arms wide, and as he arched his back in a satisfying stretch, he began to circulate his Qi and blood according to his daily habit.
Suddenly, Zheng Fan felt his entire body begin to heat up. The speed and volu of his Qi and blood circulation sowhat exceeded his expectations.
With a single thought, his Qi and blood naturally completed a full cycle on their own. Without any conscious effort from Zheng Fan, it then spontaneously began the next cycle.
Imdiately, a black glow began to emanate from Zheng Fan’s body.
At first, it flickered intermittently.
But as Zheng Fan clenched his fists and began to circulate his Qi and blood wholeheartedly, this black glow began to appear steadily and continuously around him.
Zheng Fan himself found it sowhat unbelievable. He even felt a little ashad. This... When Blind Bei and the others returned, how was he supposed to explain this to them? Have I... advanced in rank just like that?
——————
This Chapter was ’harmonized’ by the great Miss Dian (Qidian’s reviewer). Ahem, to help everyone understand the plot, in short, sowhere in this Chapter, Siniang ’took care of’ Zheng Fan.
As for those who arrived late, there’s nothing to be done. The Dragon has reminded you to read Chapters while they’re fresh and not stockpile them...
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