Hui Wenzu had served in both civil and military capacities and had endured hardships in the northern lands. How could he possibly not understand the intricacies involved? Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel✦fire.net
What kind of pursuit is it if you don’t bring back some enemy corpses?
Zheng Fan laughed bitterly again.
"Sir, that squadron of Qian cavalry targeted me," he said.
Hui Wenzu froze, momentarily forgetting his subtle display of emotional cues. He turned to look at Zheng Fan and asked, "How did you find out?"
"Last night, the main general of the Qian cavalry came to the outskirts of my Green Willow Fortress. Brandishing a human head, he claimed he had killed Zheng Fan, the Commander of Green Willow Fortress, and had destroyed the fortress. He told us to wash our necks and wait for him to come and take our heads."
Hui Wenzu was momentarily speechless. His face then flushed darkly as he struggled to suppress his laughter.
Laughing now would mean a complete loss of composure, but damn it, this was genuinely hilarious! HAHAHA!
"I couldn’t see clearly whose head it was, but I presume that Qian cavalry leader identified the wrong person and attacked the wrong place. Therefore, when they departed, I led my troops in pursuit with considerable caution, as I knew their target was me and Green Willow Fortress.
I can accept defeat; I can accept losing soldiers. To be frank, if I could have taken down that Qian cavalry squadron, I wouldn’t have batted an eye even if it meant sacrificing all of Green Willow Fortress!
But in a war between two nations, the clash of morale is paramount.
I have made several successful incursions into Qian, bringing honor to our great Yan State. My name has likely been on the desks of Qian State’s top generals for some time, every one of them eager to kill me.
I can accept defeat, but if Green Willow Fortress were lost, or if I were killed and they truly took my head...
The repercussions would be far greater than the loss of a single man like me or one fortress."
Hui Wenzu lowered his head, finally managing to suppress his laughter. He reached out to pat Zheng Fan’s shoulder and said, "Indeed. You absolutely could not have afforded any mishaps last night. If something had happened to you, our Yan State would have lost far too much face. More importantly, if that Qian cavalry had actually taken your head back, the morale of the Qian people would have soared.
I suspect that Qian general mistook Apricot Blossom Fort for Green Willow Fortress. The other fortresses are too small in scale; only Apricot Blossom Fort has a relatively substantial garrison."
Zheng Fan looked somewhat shocked and asked, "Does that mean the head that Qian officer was holding aloft on his spear last night... was General Deng’s?"
Hui Wenzu nodded. "It’s almost certain."
Zheng Fan sighed. His face showed no hint of gloating, only a faint sadness.
Despite their conflicts, they were all Yan people, all part of the Yan Army, all fellow soldiers... Sigh... This level of display couldn’t be overdone, or it would seem fake. Fortunately, Zheng Fan’s acting skills had improved considerably in this world. Plus, Hui Wenzu was his first sparring partner in such theatrics and was quite adept himself.
Hui Wenzu pursed his lips. Seeing Zheng Fan’s expression, he comforted him, "Don’t dwell on these things any longer. When the Qian people invaded from the north, it didn’t matter who they attacked, as long as it was the Yan Army. There was no such thing as a ’wrong’ target in that sense. What gave me some solace last night was that one Assistant Commander and four Commanders all died fighting; not one of them chose a coward’s survival."
Zheng Fan clenched his fists. "They... they were all fine sons of our great Yan!"
"Yes, that’s right. Regarding those 1,500 barbarian soldiers, have someone collect them from my camp later. I’ve prepared their horses and armor for them. Time is of the essence.
Several Regional Commanders have seen their forces depleted, especially Regional Commander Yang. Deng Ziliang was his subordinate. With Apricot Blossom Fort entirely wiped out this time, he suffered the most grievous losses.
I’m concerned they’ll try to claim those barbarian soldiers again, so you should take them back and integrate them into your forces quickly.
Also, about what happened today, don’t spread it around. Let the Qian people say whatever they want. We, on our side, should keep silent about it."
"Good. I’ve given you soldiers, and I’ve given you arms and armor. You heard me make a military oath before those five Regional Commanders.
Tomorrow, you must fight with everything you’ve got and help me reclaim my honor!"
"I will give my life if necessary!"
"Alright, no need to die. But tomorrow, you absolutely must not hold anything back. I know your men are truly formidable. Unleash their full strength for me.
If this ’play’ goes well tomorrow, I’ll be able to bring those five Regional Commanders firmly to my side."
He had said all that needed to be said.
One trains an army for a thousand days to use it for a single moment. Hui Wenzu had made his meaning perfectly clear.
He was essentially saying: I’ve given you soldiers and equipment, Zheng Fan. This significant support isn’t free; I expect you to fight fiercely for me on the front lines!
Just like Ji Chengjue’s support for Zheng Fan, it stemmed from the expectation that Zheng Fan could rise within the military. This way, Ji Chengjue would have military backing in his bid for the throne or to save his own life.
In this world, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Simultaneously, Hui Wenzu intended to use this affair to bind those five Regional Commanders to his war chariot—a politically calculated move.
"Rest assured, Sir. Tomorrow, Green Willow Fortress will definitely not disappoint you!"
"Alright, go back and prepare. I need to go back and get ready too."
Zheng Fan helped Hui Wenzu to his feet.
After Hui Wenzu stood, his hand remained gripping Zheng Fan’s wrist. He said meaningfully, "Yesterday, I already submitted the report on your military achievements."
"Don’t thank me. You earned all of this through your own capabilities. What I mean to say is, in this life, one must seize opportunities.
It’s like flying a kite; you need wind for it to soar. You possess ability and have consistently earned the appreciation of influential figures. This is your good fortune, but do not become complacent or slacken your efforts."
Zheng Fan frowned slightly, contemplating the deeper meaning in Hui Wenzu’s words.
Hui Wenzu then patted the back of Zheng Fan’s hand and said, "This wind... it’s about to pick up. You must catch it. If you catch this wind..."
"And if I do catch it... what then?"
Hui Wenzu lifted the tent flap and stooped to exit.
Gazing up at the azure sky, he said, "Then you will ascend to the heavens."