Lowering his head, he glanced at the young scion of the family. This kid... he’s from the direct line, but his head isn’t screwed on straight. The Huo Family is gone, so what’s the point of clinging to the airs of the main branch?
Exceeding the military quota violated regulations. However, when faced with powerful connections, such regulations were like a courtesan in a pleasure house, merely claiming to ’sell art, not her body’.
Zheng Fan declined the Nanwang City garrison’s kind offer to send a hundred cavalrymen to escort him back to Green Willow Fortress. Meanwhile, Green Willow Fortress hadn’t been notified in advance, so they hadn’t dispatched any barbarian cavalry either. Thus, Commander Zheng, accompanied by only A Ming and Siniang, began escorting nearly a thousand convicts toward Green Willow Fortress. Furthermore, these convicts bore no shackles or chains.
Zheng Fan rode his horse leisurely, seemingly unconcerned about any ’Great Chu will rise, Chen Sheng will be king!’ type of rebellion. A Ming and Siniang rode behind him.
The procession moved in an orderly fashion. Members of the Zuo Family were at the front, with the Huo Family behind them. They had even formed ranks automatically. Though they weren’t marching in perfect step, they at least appeared disciplined.
Their families were controlled by the imperial court, and their only chance to win freedom for their relatives was through military merit. Therefore, the probability of them escaping was low. They still had ties binding them; they still had hope.
Even if they wanted to escape, where could they go? Flee into the heartland of Yan State? That would be suicide. First, they’d have to get past Lord Jingnan’s army in Yinlang County. Besides, there was still that old man from Beifeng Prefecture in the heartland, digging up their roots with a hoe.
Escape south? Under normal circumstances, it might be an option. But these convicts weren’t fools. Hailing from prominent families, they weren’t ignorant commoners. They certainly knew why His Majesty the Emperor had exiled them here. Let’s not even talk about abandoning their families for their own freedom by escaping to Qian State. If the Yan State army attacked Qian shortly after, what good would escaping do then?
In truth, it was also because they understood clearly in their hearts. They possessed a shred of pride as Yan people, or perhaps... confidence. It wasn’t that they felt any strong sense of belonging to the Emperor or the country after their families were destroyed—that would be nonsense. But there was one thing they believed: the Earl of North Border’s army had been deployed from Beifeng Prefecture and was destined to march south and attack Qian State. Could the Qian people... possibly withstand that?
Of course, nothing was absolute. Especially Zuo Jiqian’s appearance. Perhaps because Zheng Fan was too influenced by the old TV adaptation of ’Romance of the Three Kingdoms,’ he always felt Zuo Jiqian looked like he might... you know... cause trouble. But Zheng Fan wasn’t worried. If he himself could sense something, then Blind Bei definitely could too.
However, Zheng Fan didn’t particularly atmosphere. Waking up in the land of Great Yan, starting his journey here, and becoming familiar with the local customs and people, one would inevitably develop some attachment. Moreover, although the other three states derisively called Yan ’Yan Barbarians,’ Yan State was indeed different from the Liao, Jin, Yuan, and Qing dynasties of the history he knew. You could say it wasn’t as cultured, but it truly wasn’t that barbaric. At least, Zheng Fan could identify with it. But now, with the beginning of the campaign to ’trample the great families,’ the barbaric and primitive aura enveloping the nation was growing stronger and stronger.
"Guess what My Lord is thinking about now?" A Ming asked Siniang.
"He’s being sentimental. Like a poet on the frontier, always filled with endless melancholy."
"So, should he be writing a poem next?"
"That’s the problem. We all know the poems My Lord can recite. He can’t get any thrill from plagiarizing them."
"Actually, My Lord is quite pitiful. At home, he was tormented and egged on by you all. Then he went to the capital and got a ’lesson’ from Lord Jingnan."
"And you, as usual, conveniently leave yourself out of it."
"At least I can offer My Lord some physical and mental comfort. Can you?"
"..." A Ming was speechless. Follow current novels on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩
"Actually, I’ve been wondering, would things have been better if we had woken up in Qian State?"
A Ming laughed when he heard Siniang’s words. "Plagiarizing poems, painting... My Lord wouldn’t be bad at those. He could pose as a refined scholar. If all else failed, he could take the imperial examinations and bide his time. At least then he could have his left hand enjoying the splendors of March, and his right hand holding an official’s black gauze cap."
"Yes, those kinds of days would be quite leisurely and interesting. I could even focus on raising ’slender horses’ in Xiahang."
"Then, after My Lord made a name for himself, he could climb the ranks at court while earning money, and then train a new army."
"Mhm, that’s the spirit."
"And then, My Lord, carrying the hopes of all of Great Qian, would lead an army on a northern expedition. Here, on this very border, he would encounter the Earl of North Border and Lord Jingnan, and face the Yan State of today?"
Siniang suddenly felt that the image was too beautiful, breathtakingly so... and then there would be no ’then’.
"While tragedy may be the most moving thing in the world, probably no one wishes for their own life to end as one."
Siniang suddenly thought of something and said, "There’s something I’m puzzled about."
"During all those days in the capital, My Lord slept alone every night."
"After that ’family education’ session, even though he acts like nothing happened, My Lord’s emotions have been quite turbulent. It’s understandable he wouldn’t be in the mood for... that sort of thing, right?"
A Ming was analyzing this from a man’s perspective.
"Phew. That makes sense, I get it."
"Yes, you should get it."
"But, haven’t you noticed?"
"During those days in the capital, even though he was busy with burying the Tian Family members and setting up their gravestones, there was still quite a bit of free time."
"Has My Lord... ’shot’ at you?"
A Ming’s gaze suddenly sharpened.
"You understand my meaning now, don’t you?"
A Ming made to spur his horse and catch up with Zheng Fan, but Siniang, beside him, grabbed his reins.
"What are you going to do?"
"Show some concern for My Lord’s physical and mental well-being. Chat with him a bit more. Fulfill my duty as a subordinate."
"You’re not anxious?"
"I am anxious too, but we still need to wait."
"Because I think My Lord is deliberately... on guard against us this time."