The Demon Lords-Chapter 734 - 155 Meeting_3

Finally, Zheng Fan finished speaking.

Tian Wujing nodded and said, "Well done."

A four-word comment was all he made.

From the perspective of military deployment, timing, and cavalry maneuvers, Zheng Fan's—no, it should be said, Liang Cheng's—command was flawless. Even the strictest teacher would find it hard to nitpick this report, as it was essentially copied from an expert in the field.

Zheng Fan immediately responded modestly, "I have never forgotten your Lordship's meticulous teachings. I have taken to heart everything your Lordship has said, often reflecting on it to fully grasp its meaning."

"Enough modesty. Frankly, in my opinion, there are few in all of Yan who can wage war better than you, General Zheng."

"I am still far from that standard, very far indeed."

"The only thing you lack is military strength, nothing more."

Tian Wujing hit the nail on the head.

Zheng Fan had always believed Tian Wujing to be exceptionally talented, an absolute genius in both martial arts and military strategy. However, he felt his own Liang Cheng was truly no less capable. The main difference was that Tian Wujing had the direct lineage of the Jingnan army and could mobilize all the forces of Yan, while Liang Cheng only had the Shengle army at his command. Even Xue Three, if he had the backing of a nation's resources to build the artillery he designed, would achieve vastly different results. Siniang, managing finances, would undoubtedly be more adept than the old masters at the Ministry of Revenue. Even if Blindman was put to the task, he could devise propaganda far more inspiring than the Ministry of Rites' rhetoric about the "Son of Heaven" and "loyalty to the monarch and nation." None of them were lacking in ability; their capabilities were constrained by their own resources, and their stage, by their official rank. Such things can't be rushed; they have to come slowly.

"I just saw the artillery in the city. Why wasn't it reported to me before the battle?"

Zheng Fan paused for a moment. Actually, during the two months they had waited for Lord Jingnan in the camp outside Ying Capital City, Xue Three had specially trained a group to build these contraptions, implementing extremely strict secrecy measures. It could only be said that in this era, there was no concept of patent rights.

To this, Zheng Fan could only reply bluntly, "I wanted to keep it as my ace in the hole, to earn merit."

Tian Wujing chuckled.

Tian Wujing didn't seem angry with Zheng Fan. Instead, he walked into the residence where Zheng Fan was staying within Snow Sea Pass.

"Go prepare some food," Zheng Fan ordered the armored guards at the door.

"Yes, General."

Then, Zheng Fan accompanied Tian Wujing into the residence.

Tian Wujing stood in the courtyard, his gaze falling upon the rocking chair and tea table in the center, and on the tea table, a half-eaten plate of dried fruits.

Zheng Fan noticed it too, and his face immediately flushed red.

"General Zheng, you certainly lead a strenuous life here."

Except for the previous night, the wild people hadn't actually been much of a threat most of the time; there had even been a considerable "lull" in their activity.

Hearing this, Zheng Fan replied with a serious expression, "My Lord, when the commander is at ease, the army's morale remains stable."

If the commander appears confident and composed, the soldiers under him will see it and naturally feel reassured. Often, such "displays" are indeed necessary to boost morale and steady the troops.

"That's a well-thought-out excuse."

"Your Lordship jests. In truth, this subordinate has been sleeping here with the main gate open, precisely so that the soldiers passing by could see. Because of this, I even caught a cold a few days ago and have only just recovered."

"HEH."

Tian Wujing didn't sit in the rocking chair. Instead, as was his habit, he sat on the threshold of the main hall. In truth, when wearing armor, sitting in a chair isn't very comfortable; the backplate presses against the chair's back. It's actually far more comfortable to sit casually like this, on the threshold.

Zheng Fan, meanwhile, sat on the ground beside him.

"Where is Wujiang?" Tian Wujing asked.

"To answer your Lordship, the Eldest Prince has gone as an envoy to the Snowy Plains. This was a preemptive measure. To prevent the Snowy Plains tribes from noticing anything unusual at Snow Sea Pass and launching a pincer attack with the wild people within the pass, the Eldest Prince volunteered to go and persuade the various tribes. Judging by the current situation, it has been very effective. To this day, although small bands of wild people cavalry occasionally probe from the north, no large enemy force has attempted to attack the pass."

That was the official story, of course. Tian Wujing was no fool; he naturally understood the underlying meaning in Zheng Fan's words. As for the Eldest Prince "volunteering"—he would take that with a grain of salt. Knowing Zheng Fan as Lord Jingnan did, the idea had undoubtedly come from Zheng Fan himself.

Persuade the Snowy Plains tribes? How could one do that with empty words alone? If gold, silver, and other valuables couldn't be offered, then promises were the only alternative. This undoubtedly involved many actions that crossed the line.

"I understand."

Zheng Fan breathed a long sigh of relief. He knew Lord Jingnan's words meant that the Marquis himself would help clean up any ensuing mess. If he, Zheng Fan, the General of Shengle, were to do certain questionable things, even if the Yan Emperor didn't pursue the matter, it could still lead to significant trouble and accountability. But if Lord Jingnan did them, no one would dare utter a peep. After all, the Earl of North Border could roast lamb legs in His Majesty's imperial garden; what Censor, however unseeing, would dare to impeach him for it? Ultimately, as long as everything could be attributed to the Lord's orders, there would be no problems.

As for whether this would diminish his own merits, with another superior, it might be a concern. But with Tian Wujing, Zheng Fan truly wasn't worried. If he dared to shortchange my merits, well, worst comes to worst, I'll just go back and spank the young lord's bottom. Besides, the "milk money" Tian Wujing had provided over the past six months had been shockingly generous.

"It wasn't easy," Tian Wujing said again.

"You've worked hard" acknowledges your efforts; "It wasn't easy" recognizes your accomplishments.

Zheng Fan understood this was Tian Wujing affirming his meritorious position in this campaign. He immediately knelt on one knee. This time, he refrained from grand pronouncements, instead feigning a choked voice to emphasize the hardships he had endured.

Who would have known? Just as he was working up his emotions, a beautiful young woman suddenly emerged from the inner bedroom. Her hair was styled in a bun, and she wore a brocade jacket. She had a full figure that wasn't plump, a rosy complexion tinged with spring, and an air of charming naivety.

Tian Wujing turned his head to look at her.

General Zheng, still kneeling, was momentarily dumbstruck. Damn it, who arranged this?!

Tian Wujing laughed, partly in amusement, partly in exasperation. "HEH, HEH. General Zheng, you truly don't have it easy, do you? If I had arrived any later, would you have managed to produce a child by now?"

The young woman, having enjoyed a rare night of sound sleep, hadn't fully shaken off her drowsiness. But upon hearing the word "child," she instantly became alert and cried out instinctively, "My child! Where is my child? Where is my child?!"

General Zheng was speechless.