CHAPTER 147: CHAPTER 88: THE DOG THAT DOESN’T BITE_2

The Huaiya Academy has produced countless civil officials; the current Prime Minister himself was once a student there in his youth.

To take someone from the Huaiya Academy...

If I actually lead troops there, I’d be single-handedly pitting the entire Zuo family against the scholar class of Yan.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. When you receive support from your family, you naturally bear the responsibility of maintaining its interests.

However, while Zuo Jiqian hesitated, Zheng Fan displayed no hesitation at all.

"I volunteer to go!"

Lord Jingnan began to stroke his thumb ring again, a meaningful smile touching the corner of his mouth as he heard Zheng Fan’s petition.

He said, "Has Chief Zheng thought it through?"

"As soldiers, our sworn duty is to obey orders!"

Upon hearing this response, Lord Jingnan’s eyes widened slightly.

If the Sixth Prince were present at that moment, he would have surely exclaimed, "Direct Thief, you’ve struck gold again!"

Lord Jingnan slowly asked again, "Isn’t Chief Zheng considering his men?"

"In response to Your Lordship, all of my troops are barbarians."

"Barbarians?" Lord Jingnan showed interest. "How many?"

"Five hundred!"

"How interesting. To use barbarians to detain scholars from an academy, Chief Zheng, aren’t you afraid of being denounced by the world’s scholars as a violator of etiquette?"

Zheng Fan responded with a bow, "Scholars cherish reasoning, but barbarians are called barbarians precisely because they ignore reasoning. Using barbarians to deal with scholars is a match made in heaven."

"What an apt match. Wait for tomorrow; agents from the Spy Bureau will contact you at the Green Willow Fortress. They will be responsible for carrying out the arrests, while you provide assistance."

"Thank you for Your Lordship’s trust!"

Zuo Jiqian looked at Zheng Fan standing beside him, an envious glint in his eyes. Receiving Lord Jingnan’s recognition was the ultimate aspiration of every southern commander.

But the thought of the Huaiya Academy made Zuo Jiqian’s heart skip a beat. I’m not a man who stands alone; I’m not a man who stands alone!

Refusing the order is one thing, but I wouldn’t dare send word to the Academy afterwards. That would be truly idiotic.

In fact, I even have to worry that Zheng Fan might leak the news first, causing the Academy to react. If Lord Jingnan then assigns blame, I, Zuo Jiqian, would be the first one suspected of sabotaging Chief Zheng out of jealousy.

Zheng Fan and Zuo Jiqian departed together. At the main entrance of the General Mansion, they bid each other farewell.

Both men had arrived in Nanwang City from their respective fortresses in plain clothes. But as they prepared to leave, their states of mind couldn’t have been more different.

"Brother Zheng, do you understand the status of Huaiya Academy in the hearts of Yan’s scholars?"

"Brother Zuo, we are soldiers."

This was the second time Zheng Fan had said this to Zuo Jiqian since they had met.

The first time was when Zuo Jiqian had tried to probe about the court’s potential southern campaign, and Zheng Fan had told him that soldiers shouldn’t gossip like scholars.

This time, the implication was clear: we are soldiers.

In any dynasty, the rivalry between civil and military factions is constant. It’s always a case of one prevailing over the other. As a military man, if you don’t take on the scholars, what are you for? To be their dog?

Just like in Qian State, where military officers are often merely leash-bound guard dogs in the hands of civil officials.

Yan is not Qian State. The signs that this generation’s Yan Emperor and the Earl of North Border are planning a major move are already evident. As long as there is war, the role and status of soldiers will rapidly rise!

If you confront the scholars, they will certainly resent you. However, you will earn the goodwill of the military, a worthwhile trade-off.

Of course, the most crucial point was that Yan was not Qian State. Even a Prime Minister who hailed from Huaiya Academy wouldn’t dare say, as the incumbent Prime Minister of Qian State did: "Only those whose success is proclaimed at Donghua Gate are truly exceptional young men."

Zheng Fan took the reins of his horse from a Jingnan soldier and rode away without a backward glance, leaving Zuo Jiqian standing there, somewhat lost in thought.

Meanwhile, in the quiet mourning hall of the General Mansion, Lord Jingnan remained seated on the threshold.

"My lord, it’s cold here."

A woman approached from behind Lord Jingnan and gently draped her fur coat over him. This woman wore a pair of red embroidered shoes.

Lord Jingnan softly patted the back of the woman’s hand and said, "You’ve worked hard today."

"Serving you, my lord, is the greatest blessing of my life."

"What do you think of those two men from earlier?"

"The one from the Zuo family is competent. However, just as you said, my lord, the scions of Yan’s major families are like rotten wood. No matter how much paint is applied, it’s hard to change their inherently decaying nature. They do seem to carry a heavy air of decline."

"What about the young man from the north?"

"Perhaps it’s because the Earl of North Border has been the dominant power in the northern territories for so long that even the people from his manor act with such decisiveness and ruthlessness."

Lord Jingnan shook his head and said, "Look into this Chief Zheng."

"Your Lordship means to...?"

"Li Liangting wants to send his people down south, and I couldn’t be happier. Ideally, he’d transfer two of his seven Generals to me. Right now, Li Liangting himself is in the capital city. If he wanted to arrange for someone, he could have just notified me directly, yet I heard nothing. This young man claims to be a hound from the Earl of North Border’s manor, but he hasn’t gone through the manor’s usual channels. Investigate who arranged for him to be sent here."

"As you command, my lord."