CHAPTER 99: 68

Moonlit night,

A muddy slope,

Three candles.

"Even if we’re starving, we should wait to eat the offerings. Let’s wait for the one you’re making offerings to to partake first, then we can eat," Zheng Fan said.

"He wouldn’t mind."

"He wouldn’t mind? Then who are you making these offerings to?"

"Myself."

Zheng Fan was taken aback. After a moment, he seemed to understand and asked, "Do you really mean to do this?"

"Yes."

"I don’t know how strong you are, but I know you must be very strong."

"Yes."

"I don’t know how terrifying the Earl of North Border’s faction is, but I can tell it must indeed be."

"Yes."

"You’ve already laid out offerings for yourself. You must have a sense deep down that you’re not stronger than the Earl of North Border’s faction, right?"

"Yes."

"There you have it. I must say, though we’ve only known each other for two days, to be honest, other than being a bit dirty, you don’t seem to have any other flaws."

At least, compared to those powerful but quirky boss-type characters Zheng Fan knew from stories, this man seemed much easier to get along with. If being merely scruffy is the only issue, it’s like being a divorced billionaire in the dating market—is it really a problem?

"Yes."

"I heard—now, this is just hearsay—that the Shatuo tribe was wiped out by the Commandery Princess with her army."

The scruffy man continued to munch on his dried meat, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth, and replied, "Yes."

"Your surname is Shatuo. You must be from that tribe, right?"

"Yes."

"So, you’re seeking revenge?"

"Yes."

"But that’s not right, is it? Isn’t that like throwing an egg against a rock? Think about it, you’re so strong. If you want revenge, we can be more subtle, plan for the long term. That would be more effective, right?"

"Yes."

"So, you still plan to go tomorrow?"

"Yes."

Zheng Fan shrugged. Right, that was a waste of breath. He was still thinking about roping in another powerful ally. Ding Hao had already "gloriously retired" from his post as a teacher to become a lackey. But this scruffy man could shine in a teaching role for a very, very long time. But the problem was, the man was hell-bent on dying.

"A friend of mine surnamed Jiang (Jiang for ’stiff’) once said that the Iron Cavalry of the Zhenbei Army are different from cavalry elsewhere. Their charging formations are so formidable that even true martial arts experts would struggle to gain an advantage against them."

"Yes."

"Not to mention, I imagine the Earl of North Border’s household has experts as strong as you, right?"

"Yes."

"I say, can you not be so composed? Are you just set on this course of action, no matter what?"

"Yes."

"Look, in the chaos of battle, it’s kill or be killed. That’s perfectly normal. Your Barbarians have killed plenty of our people, so it’s only right for us to retaliate, isn’t it?"

"Yes."

"Can I just strangle you now?"

"I... I can’t make sense of it."

The scruffy man suddenly changed his tune.

"What can’t you make sense of? Ah, what a shame. I have a friend surnamed Xia (Xia for ’blind’) who’s not here. He’s the best at guiding people through their thoughts."

"I believe that in battles, in wars, able-bodied men who die... well, they die. It’s natural to risk one’s life on the battlefield; life and death are determined by fate. But the old, the weak, women, and children—they shouldn’t be slaughtered like that. Even if they were to be enslaved, sold off, or relocated, there should never be a direct order to massacre them all."

"Don’t you Barbarians have a tradition where, after a defeat, all males taller than a chariot wheel hub are put to death?"

"We do."

"Well, there you go."

"We do. But that doesn’t mean I have to agree with it."

"Why not?"

"Before, when it was other tribes being annihilated, I didn’t agree with it, but I could choose to ignore it. This time, it’s my own tribe. I can ignore what happens to others, but I have to take responsibility for my own."

"I get that reasoning. Only when the knife cuts you do you know how much it truly hurts. I’m not against you seeking revenge, but I think you could take it slow. I have a friend, Ding Hao, who’s also in the process of seeking revenge. He understands the need for forbearance, to slowly wait for the right opportunity."

"You have... a lot of friends."

"Heh, I’m generous and well-liked, you know."

"A lot of people have told me to wait."

"That just proves you have many far-sighted friends like me around."

"The Barbarian King told me to wait."

Zheng Fan was speechless. "..."

"The Left Virtuous King and the Right Virtuous King also told me to wait."

Zheng Fan was speechless. "..."

"The High Priest also told me to wait. They all told me to wait, to endure. They said that right now, the relationship between the Yan Emperor and the Earl of North Border is at its most delicate stage. If they have a complete falling out, the blade hanging over our Barbarian tribes will be removed."

"That makes sense."

"The Barbarian King said that when the time comes, we could ally with the Earl of North Border’s forces and launch a counterattack into the Yan region. We only want Beifeng Prefecture; the rest of Yan State’s territory can go to the Li family."

"The Left Virtuous King said that when the Yan Emperor and the Earl of North Border start fighting, we can assist the Yan Emperor and completely destroy this blade that has hung over our people for a hundred years. Without this blade, Yan State will no longer be a threat, and the gates of Yan State, the gates of the four eastern states, will be open to us."

"The Right Virtuous King said we can take advantage of the conflict between the Earl of North Border’s forces and the Yan Emperor to rally under the Royal Court’s banner, subjugate the large tribes that defy orders, re-establish the Royal Court’s authority, and restore the glory of the Golden Family."

"They all tell me to wait, to endure. But I just don’t understand. Why should I wait? Why should I endure?"

"I was born into the Shatuo tribe. When I was very, very young, people from the sacrificial hall took me to the Royal Court. At first, I studied Barbarian sorcery, and it was likely I would become a Barbarian Shaman. But later, I discovered I had more talent for martial arts, so I chose the path of a warrior.

Whatever the High Priest asked me to do, I did. Whatever the High Priest asked me to learn, I learned. Whatever official post the Barbarian King assigned me, I took. Whomever the Barbarian King ordered me to attack, I attacked.

But I always knew my surname was Shatuo. I believe in the banner of the Royal Court, but I am not a member of the Golden Family. My home was always in Shatuo, that... not very large tribe. There are many, many tribes like it in the desert.

But now...

My home...

Is gone."

The scruffy man said this, then looked up at Zheng Fan and repeated, "My home is gone."

Zheng Fan fell silent.

"I miss the butter tea of my tribe. I miss the kumis brewed by the women of my tribe. I miss the sheepskin coat a girl from my tribe once gave me.

When I was chosen by the sacrificial hall, they told me that if I went there and performed well, my tribe would receive the Royal Court’s protection, and the lives of my tribespeople would improve. So I dedicated myself to training—Barbarian sorcery, martial arts, killing, conquering—I poured everything into it. I thought that through my efforts, my tribespeople would live more securely, gain access to better pastures, and pay fewer tributes to the larger tribes. I dreamed that one day, when my vitality waned and I grew old, when it was time to lay down my armor and return to the land, I could go back to my tribe, herd sheep, and watch the children of my tribe laugh and chase each other before my eyes.

This was my dream, my aspiration.

At every great assembly in the Royal Court, everyone would drink vast amounts of wine and speak of their dreams. Some would talk of dreaming of a new western expedition, to avenge the Golden Family’s defeat in the west a century ago! Some would talk of dreaming of reunifying the desert, bringing all Barbarian peoples back under the Royal Court’s banner! Some would talk of dreaming of marching south, turning the four eastern states into pastureland for our Barbarians, and having their women bear children for our tribes!

I always just drank and said nothing, because my dream, compared to theirs, seemed too small. But I always felt my dream would be easier to achieve than theirs.

Then, one day, someone delivered a battle report to the Royal Court. That report said... my dream was gone...

It’s GONE!!!"

"Sigh. Alright, I won’t try to persuade you anymore. You’re the tallest person I’ve met in this world."

"Mm."

The scruffy man started eating his dried meat again.

"Uh, don’t think I’m being mercenary, and don’t think I’m a bad guy, but I have a small request. Since you’re going to die anyway, you might as well help me out, because I still have to live. Of course, you can refuse if you don’t want to."

"Mm."

"Tomorrow, before you die, could you help me put on a show? I don’t have any burdens, no family. What I want most in this life is glory and wealth. You get what I mean, right?"

"Mm."

"Er... does that ’mm’ mean you agree?"

"Mm."

"Tsk... It’s not that I’m shameless, but even though you’re planning to die tomorrow, agreeing so readily still feels a bit strange to me. You’re not doing this just to repay me for the clothes and two days of food, are you?"

"Mm."

"Then why?"

The scruffy man wiped his mouth with his sleeve and stood up.

Zheng Fan suddenly noticed a tent had appeared down the slope, with a flock of sheep outside it.

The scruffy man walked straight down the slope.

A boy and a girl ran out of the tent.

The two children ran familiarly up to the scruffy man, and he picked one up in each arm.

He turned around, faced Zheng Fan, and said, "Before I came, I found these two."

「...」

HUFF...

Zheng Fan’s eyes snapped open. He found himself lying on a large, comfortable bed.

Was it a dream...?

"You’re awake," a young man’s voice said.

Zheng Fan turned his head. A young man in white robes, adorned with an embroidered dragon motif, was sitting in a chair beside the bed.

"The physician said you fainted due to internal injuries sustained when you blocked that blow for me, causing your qi and blood to stagnate. However, with some rest and restorative supplements to replenish your vital energy, you’ll be fine. It’s nothing serious."

The Sixth Prince was a very amiable person.

But at this moment, when he should have been flattering the prince, saying things like, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. It is my duty to lay down my life for you," or other such nonsense, Zheng Fan instead blurted out, "So... what happened to that Barbarian?"

"That Barbarian? Heh. Oh, that Barbarian was incredibly fierce. If you hadn’t thrown yourself in front of me to block that blade, I reckon I’d be down below playing chess with His Majesty, my imperial grandfather, by now. Of course, General Li Yuanhu of the Earl of North Border’s command fought desperately to stop him. But even though he was gravely injured, that Barbarian was still exceptionally powerful. Though his vital energy was clearly depleted, he still managed to wound General Li. In the end, he was surrounded again by thousands of the Zhenbei Army’s iron cavalry on the riverbank. And yet, he still managed to cut down another hundred cavalrymen. TSK TSK TSK..."

Zheng Fan asked anxiously, "And then what happened?"

The Sixth Prince walked over to the bed, gently patted Zheng Fan’s shoulder, and said, "He died."