The Demon Lords-Chapter 579 - 76: Debt Collection_1

The army was going to withdraw, and Zheng Fan let out a long sigh of relief.

If the fighting continued, the unpredictability would be too great. Zheng Fan knew from his past life that he did not have the talent for business; his level of financial management only extended to daring to keep savings in Yu'ebao.

At present, no matter how badly the situation between Cheng State and the wild people deteriorated, they wouldn't be able to attack Shengle City anytime soon.

This expedition had involved a large contribution of army food supplies from his side, but from his share, he had definitely profited immensely.

Don't underestimate those tribal leaders. Ordinary wild people led hard lives, but the chiefs and leaders of these tribes were absolutely wealthy, and the amount of wealth seized was considerable.

As for cattle and sheep, there was a vast number.

Even if these were not considered, the captured warhorses alone were enough to make Zheng Fan laugh in his dreams.

Why did the knights of Three Jin dare to challenge the iron cavalry of Yan State in the past? Wasn't it because they had horses supplied from the snowfields?

In this era, excellent warhorses were definitely several times more expensive than human lives.

Therefore, Chief Zheng felt it was wise to quit while he was ahead.

Also, as Lord Jingnan had said, while the advantageous positions he could have fought for before might no longer be available, Shengle City's geographical location had been upgraded from a remote corner to a strategic front. Its importance was further highlighted, making it easier to request more troops and military equipment from the court in the future. This would give them more confidence.

That's enough, that's enough. I'm not far-sighted. Now that I've made a huge gain, I'm already very contented.

However, Lord Jingnan continued, "Chicken ribs—tasteless when eaten, yet a pity to discard. This is an annotation you wrote in your book, used to describe this kind of tedious situation on the battlefield. I just made chicken soup and called you over, yet you play dumb in front of me."

Zheng Fan immediately stood up, then went down on one knee and replied, "Lord, I'm not pretending to be stupid. How could I possibly not know what I wrote in my own book?"

Damn it, Blind Man! If you'd just copied something simple, that would have been fine, but why the hell did you have to add annotations?!

"The army is out in the field, and the situation is unpredictable," Zheng Fan continued. "I know my limitations, and I really can't discern the correct path through this fog-laden situation. Lord, I dare not accept your 'chicken ribs.'"

"Get up."

Zheng Fan stood up.

"A man must take responsibility. When I ask you something, just answer honestly. If the sky falls, I will hold it up for you. You are too cautious. If this continues, you will eventually lose your edge."

"Yes, Lord. Your admonition is correct."

"What suggestions do you have for withdrawing the troops?"

"To answer the Lord, we need to retreat slowly."

"Slowly retreat?"

"Yes. After all, we have been winning battles since we entered the snowy plains. The wild people have been consistently defeated before us, wave after wave; we haven't suffered a single defeat. Even if the current situation is bad, that is the Situ Family's problem. Our Great Yan simply cannot carry such dead weight.

"So, we can retreat slowly, putting on enough of a show. If we retreat too quickly, or too hastily, it could give outsiders the impression that our army suffered a setback in this expedition.

"Furthermore, our rearguard, responsible for transporting the wild people slaves, as well as the cattle, sheep, and horses, also needs time to organize. Men can move quickly, but cattle and sheep can't sprout wings.

"Our slow retreat can also help to cover them. The snowy plains are harsh and barren lands, and livestock are the 'cultivated fields' of the wild people there. We are driving their herds back; I can't speak for other areas, but this region of the snowy plains won't recover its vitality for at least seven or eight years."

Many people misunderstand, thinking nomadic tribes eat meat daily. That's quite naive. Even if they keep a flock of sheep, they might only slaughter one for a festival treat. Livestock, for them, are means of production. Casually consuming their animals is akin to farmers in the Central Plains casually selling their land.

"So, in the final analysis, we are still doing business?"

"Yes, Lord. Only if we make a huge profit this time will everyone be willing to support us the next time a campaign against the wild people is proposed. Most importantly, this is for your lifelong reputation, Lord. You are the God of War of our Great Yan, and your name cannot be sullied."

"Oh? So, you're still considering my interests?"

"Yes."

"I see."

"Then, I shall take my leave."

"Hold on."

"What other orders does the Lord have?"

"On the way back, fill the water sources with the corpses and excrement of the wild people. You oversee this."

...

「...」

The Yan Army began to withdraw, and their pace was indeed very slow. Occasionally, cavalry units would disperse to forage for supplies and "pay visits" to those tribes they hadn't encountered on their way in due to their remoteness. After all, it wasn't easy for everyone to make such a trip, so it was important to make their acquaintance.

The Wild People King, on his end, seemed to have completely forgotten about this Yan Army still in the snowy plains. He dispatched no organized troops to confront them, not even offering a ceremonial send-off.

It was unclear whether Cheng State's war was too intense for them to spare troops, or if, now that everyone knew the Yan people were retreating, a silent agreement had been reached. It was indeed a silent agreement.

In the area ravaged by the Yan people, major tribes had been virtually crushed, and smaller ones had scattered. While the Yan people had certainly gained immense spoils, from another perspective, they had also effectively cleared the area for the Wild People King. In the future, he could send a contingent of troops over and quickly gain actual control of this region. Everyone profited. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Thus, the grand army slowly made its way back, taking over a month to reach the exit of the Skybreak Mountains. Next, they still had to traverse the Skybreak Mountains to return to Shengle.

Throughout the long march, the army's morale remained consistently high.

Xue Three had gathered some mushrooms and wild vegetables. In the evening, Zheng Fan took a small portion to go and curry favor with Tian Wujing.

Vegetables were a true delicacy now. Eating meat every day, meal after meal, had likely caused constipation in about half the entire army.

Fortunately, the number of soldiers falling ill from being unaccustomed to the new environment was kept under control. They were isolated into a separate contingent, with dedicated personnel responsible for their transport.

In ancient military campaigns, encountering infectious diseases and plagues was all too common. The Jingnan army had corresponding regulations: first, isolate, then have the army physicians brew medicine for the soldiers to consume.

Zheng Fan had even gone to "observe" the process. It was indeed quite professional—of course, such professionalism was born from countless bloody lessons.

Carrying the vegetables and mushrooms, Zheng Fan arrived at Tian Wujing's command tent.

When Zheng Fan entered, Tian Wujing, who was reading a letter, put it down and even smiled at him.

That smile...

It startled Zheng Fan. In an instant, a chill shot up from the base of his spine to the top of his head, and he couldn't help but shiver. Indeed, such an expression on Tian Wujing was far too unsettling.

"Lord, is that a letter from home?"

During a march, message delivery suffered significant delays and lag. It was common for accidents to occur, resulting in military intelligence or letters failing to arrive. At such times, a letter from home was truly worth ten thousand pieces of gold.

Tian Wujing nodded. "It's a letter from her. She's about to give birth."

"Then, by the time we return to Shengle City, you'll likely be a father, Lord."

A letter would take at least twenty days to arrive, and that was assuming no mishaps. Other routes were manageable; the eight-hundred-li urgent express, where riders changed but not the message pouch, was actually quite fast. However, the journey through the Skybreak Mountains was exceptionally difficult, and one could easily get lost if not careful.

"It's a pity I won't be able to be by her side when she gives birth."

"Lord, you are on an expedition for the country. The madam will surely understand."

Why don't you mention that the first time she visited your home to meet your parents, she walked in on you slaughtering your entire clan? Of course, such thoughts were only for idle fantasy; he would never dare utter them aloud.

"What are you holding?"

"Mushrooms and some wild vegetables. I still have a bit of sauce left. Let's make a small hot pot."

The sauce was a hot pot base. Before the expedition, Siniang had personally prepared it, stir-frying it with beef tallow and various spices, and had packed a considerable amount.

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Although Chief Zheng wasn't a woman, he had benefited from good food several times, so he naturally paid more attention to it.

Water was heated on the stove. He added the hot pot base, and once the water boiled, he put in the wild vegetables and mushrooms.

Zheng Fan wasn't worried about the mushrooms being poisonous. Xue Three had extensive experience surviving in harsh natural environments and knew perfectly well what was edible and what wasn't.

"Zheng Fan."

"Hmm, Lord?"

"What should a woman pay attention to during her postpartum confinement period?"

"Huh?"

Tian Wujing actually asked such a question?

Then, Zheng Fan understood. It was likely because Lord Jingnan truly considered him an insider. After all, Zheng Fan was the child's godfather-to-be. The Lord was probably too embarrassed to ask others such a question, so he could only ask him.

Fortunately, although Chief Zheng had never experienced confinement himself, he could still offer some advice.

"She must keep warm, avoid drafts, and not wash her hair or bathe too frequently. She should eat mild, nourishing foods that replenish qi and blood. Also, if the madam wishes to..."

Zheng Fan hesitated a moment, then continued, "...feed the child herself, she'll need to be mindful of her diet. Oh, right, crucian carp soup helps with milk production."

Zheng Fan wasn't sure if what he said was correct; he was just going by vague impressions. Regardless of whether it was scientifically sound, he had to say enough to appear knowledgeable.

"A wet nurse has already been arranged at home."

"But it's still best if she can nurse the child herself. If the madam's milk supply is insufficient, cow's or goat's milk can be used as a supplement."

As Tian Wujing listened, he kept nodding slightly. Clearly, he was truly taking note.

To be honest, Zheng Fan rarely saw such a... human side to the usually austere Lord Jingnan.

"My wife is skilled in recuperative care. Lord, once we return to Shengle City, I'll bring her with me to Li Tian City. Since we're family, she'll be thorough and reliable, and you can rest assured."

Tian Wujing's gaze flickered slightly upon hearing this, then he nodded silently.

"By the way, Lord, have you thought of a name for the child?"

"His Majesty will bestow the name."

"Oh, right, right. What about a pet name?"

"Li Liangting will choose the pet name."

"Eh?"

So, you, the father, have no say in it at all?

"We agreed on this many years ago. Back then, His Majesty was still the Crown Prince. He would choose the formal name for my child, and Li Liangting would choose the pet name."

"Lord, you three share a truly strong bond."

Tian Wujing shook his head.

"I was only ten at the time. I didn't agree, so the two of them ganged up and beat me."

...

"When I grew up and wanted to pay them back, one had been injured, his martial cultivation base practically destroyed.

"The other...

"In short, the debt from when they ganged up to bully me as a child can no longer be repaid.

"Gradually, I stopped thinking about repaying it."