The Demon Lords-Chapter 664 - 124 Pixiu_2
One could say that whether it was his physical constitution or his intellect, his development was notably rapid. The impact Mo Wan had on his upbringing was indeed remarkable; other parents surely could not find such excellent early education. However, Lord Jingnan did not give himself this opportunity. Perhaps he didn't have the time, as he had to make many decisions as soon as he arrived.
After a while, Chen Yang stepped out. He stretched lazily, pointed at Zheng Fan and the Eldest Prince, and said, "I'll head back to camp first."
Basically, all the generals who emerged from the marshal's tent did so without delay, immediately returning to their respective units, presumably to begin preparations for something. This was a style Zheng Fan was familiar with from Lord Jingnan. However, this also showed that even though Lord Jingnan had been secluded in his manor, his connection to the outside world was clearly not severed. Otherwise, it would have been utterly impossible for him to deal with the Eldest Prince immediately upon arrival and still so swiftly issue a series of military orders.
Of course, this was only natural. Even the officials in the Yan State court would be the ones feeling anxious and uneasy if they learned Lord Jingnan had adamantly holed himself up as a recluse in his manor for half a year. As things stood, although Yan State appeared powerful, Zheng Fan, being in the thick of it, knew that the nation was still in a phase of being outwardly strong but inwardly weak. Qian State was sharpening its weapons and feeding its horses, preparing for war. Chu State seemed chaotic but was actually biding its time. The wild people were rampant, and the barbarians were watching covetously. In such circumstances, a figure like Tian Wujing was akin to a nation's strategic nuclear deterrent. It was not yet time to put the weapons away and enjoy peace, nor was it nearly time to discard a loyal servant once he had served his purpose.
The Eldest Prince stood up. "General Zheng, come with me."
Zheng Fan nodded, stood up, patted his slightly stiff knees, and followed the Eldest Prince into the command tent. Inside the marshal's tent, there was no brazier. No wonder every general, whether entering or exiting, shivered from the cold. More importantly, when facing Tian Wujing alone in here, one could distinctly feel that the temperature inside was even lower than outside.
With the Eldest Prince present, Zheng Fan appeared very solemn. He knelt directly and saluted, "This subordinate, Zheng Fan, awaits the Lord's military orders!"
"Zheng Fan, how many troops did your contingent bring this time?"
"Reporting to Your Lordship, ten thousand."
"Are they battle-ready?"
Zheng Fan pursed his lips and replied directly, "Their morale, fighting spirit, armaments, and warhorses are all top-notch. This subordinate believes that even if they cannot compare to the elite of the Jingnan Army's main force, they are not far behind."
Previously, when the Eldest Prince was the marshal, he necessarily had to be reserved. Now that the Lord was the marshal, as one of his own, he naturally had to step up and support him. Zheng Fan's forces were primarily composed of Jin soldiers. The cavalry of the Three Jin states were inherently of good quality. Furthermore, he had supplied them well with food, drink, armor, and horses. Blind Xue handled their ideological education, and Liang Cheng was responsible for their training. The only thing separating them from the true Jingnan Army or Zhenbei Army was perhaps just the accumulation of victories. Once an army becomes accustomed to winning, its very quality undergoes another transformation. The primary issue with the Three Jin cavalry was that they had been hit too hard, their confidence shattered, during the war when the two Yan State lords entered Jin.
"Good. General Shengle, step forward to receive your orders!"
"This subordinate is present!"
"This Lord commands your entire contingent to cross the river downstream the day after tomorrow. After crossing, advance eighty li to the east, and then operate on the eastern bank of the river for ten days. Before crossing, the entire army is permitted to carry only three days' rations. You are not required to seek out and kill the enemy. Just hold out on the eastern bank for as long as you can. After ten days, every additional day you last will be recorded as a day's merit. However, there is one condition: if your army is entirely lost, even if you, Zheng Fan, return alive, this Lord will still punish you!"
Erm… What kind of military order is this? Is he telling me to lead the army on a tour of Jiangdong? He didn't tell me where to strike, nor whom to eliminate.
However, Zheng Fan quickly understood: he was being sent to harass the enemy's rear. Currently, Cheng State was divided into two parts. The upstream portion of the Wang River, extending all the way to Snow Sea Pass, was the territory of the wild people. Downstream, to the Town South Pass—originally defended by the Situ Family as a bulwark—was Chu people's territory. Since he was to lead his troops across the river downstream, it undoubtedly meant he was to conduct harassing operations in the rear of the Chu people's domain. His objectives would be none other than to cut off the Chu people's supply lines and, at the same time… live off the land.
Lord Jingnan then turned to the Eldest Prince and said, "Ji Wujiang."
"The guilty subject is here!" The Eldest Prince prostrated himself.
"You are to join the Shengle Army and serve as a Captain under General Shengle."
"This subordinate obeys!"
Zheng Fan desperately wanted to refuse. Why the hell should he have to take in this prince! The Shengle Army was already burdened with one good-for-nothing (himself); did they really need to take on another 'master'?
But seeing Lord Jingnan's current demeanor, Zheng Fan didn't dare to display the same playful banter he had previously used in Lord Jingnan's presence. Seeing Tian Wujing again after half a year, the aura he exuded was entirely different. Zheng Fan still remembered back in the Skybreak Mountain range when Tian Wujing had asked him about a woman's postpartum confinement. At that time, Zheng Fan had clearly sensed that Tian Wujing was beginning to show more "human warmth." But meeting him again now, Zheng Fan found that this very warmth had vanished from Lord Jingnan.
After a moment, Lord Jingnan leaned back slightly and said, "Follow General Shengle closely and learn from him how a war is truly fought."
"Yes, Wujiang understands."
Saying this, the Eldest Prince turned to Zheng Fan and knelt on one knee in salute. "From this moment, Wujiang is under General Shengle's command and will heed all the General's directives!"
"You believe yourself to be steady and cautious in warfare, don't you? Well, General Shengle is an expert in that regard."
… Zheng Fan thought.
The underlying meaning of this statement was: You think you're so good at being cautious and lying low, don't you? Go follow Zheng Fan and see what a true king of laying low looks like.
"Eldest Prince, please rise quickly," Zheng Fan said.
"General, in the army, there are only soldiers and officers, no princes," the Eldest Prince stated directly, making his attitude clear.
"You are dismissed. Summon Li Fusheng."
"Yes, Sir."
"Yes, Sir."
Zheng Fan saluted and took his leave. He had wanted to stay a bit longer to speak with Tian Wujing about the young lord, but Tian Wujing merely closed his eyes, giving no indication that he intended for Zheng Fan to stay for a private word. Seeing this, Zheng Fan could only follow the Eldest Prince out of the command tent.
Zheng Fan walked ahead, with the Eldest Prince following behind.
"Your Highness, each general received their own specific orders, correct?" Zheng Fan asked.
"Yes. If the General wishes to know, once we return to our camp, this subordinate can inform the General of the other armies' deployments and tasks."
"Would that be appropriate?"
"This subordinate now acts under General Zheng's command."
"Tsk. No, Your Highness, there's no need for us to be so formal about every little thing. Can't we be a bit more casual? Look, I'll treat you as a captain under my command, and you treat me as a general. As long as we both understand certain things in our hearts, let's just act naturally on the surface, alright?"
"This subordinate complies."
Zheng Fan reached out and patted the Eldest Prince's shoulder.
… The Eldest Prince remained silent.
"I'm not trying to puff myself up by putting on airs; I'm just a minor figure. If I've caused any offense in the past, I hope Your Highness won't hold it against me."
"General Zheng wasn't afraid of offending me before. Why the change now…?"
"Previously, you were the Marshal of the Eastern Conquest Army. Offending you then, you wouldn't have taken it to heart. Now that you're not, it's easier to hold grudges."
"What General Zheng says indeed seems to have a great deal of truth to it. No wonder my Sixth Brother, Ji Chengjue, often said that General Zheng always utters profound truths."
"I heard the Sixth Prince is ill. Is it serious?"
"Wujiang is not very clear on the matter either."
"Sigh."
Zheng Fan sighed and shook his head.
Looking back, he glanced once more at the command tent behind him.
This one too… Also a father who acts like a hands-off manager. So, the son is yours, yet you don't even ask about him? Pah, scumbag.
"General Zheng."
Just then, a captain from the Jingnan Army approached.
Zheng Fan stopped, looked at him, and asked, "What is it?"
"The main contingent of our Jingnan Army, which followed the Lord on this expedition, has arrived."
"Ah, the brothers must have had a hard journey."
"This time, the army also brought a newly adult Pixiu. The Lord specifically instructed for it to be brought, saying he had once promised to reward you with one for your merits. Please, General Zheng, accompany this subordinate to the army stables to retrieve it. As for how to rear it and cultivate a bond… with the Eldest Prince here, this subordinate need not say more."
A Pixiu? For me?
Zheng Fan's mouth fell slightly agape. A warm current suddenly surged through his heart. He immediately turned, faced the distant command tent, and knelt on one knee.
"This subordinate thanks the Lord for his generous reward!"
