CHAPTER 292: CHAPTER 7 WINNING HEARTS _1

Zheng Fan’s opening remarks left all the soldiers in the drill ground somewhat taken aback.

Even the barbarian soldiers, who had stayed long enough in Yan State to pick up the language through their daily training, were stunned by their master’s bold and straightforward speech, despite their candid nature.

Huo Kuang took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Zuo Jiqian wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t.

Most of the men in the drill ground were convicts from noble families. To a certain extent, they were once the elite class of Yan State. After the emperor overthrew their houses and banished them to the south, they harbored deep-seated speculations about their fate. It truly wasn’t difficult to guess.

However, everyone instinctively avoided dwelling on it. Given their current predicament, it was better to keep things simple. They focused on dreaming about earning military merits to free their families from slave status and envisioned more distant, brighter futures where they could reestablish their households.

In desperate times, people yearn for hope even more.

It was already clear that the Green Willow Fortress was about to send out troops. Everyone was eager for their Commander, who had to rest for half a month even if he caught a cold, to finally lead them to earn some military merits.

However, since the Commander wanted to give a speech, everyone sat down and listened carefully. They would follow the routine: shout a few slogans, show their resolve, and go through the motions.

As former nobles, they were well-versed in courtesy and knew how to cooperate in appearance.

Yet, when such frank words came out of their Commander’s mouth, everyone was dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond.

Were they supposed to shout, "Thank you, Commander, for translating the imperial court’s intentions for us!"?

The truth is often hidden because it can hurt people.

Zheng Fan stood before the crowd, a smile spreading across his face as he observed the quiet scene.

Oratory wasn’t his strong suit. As a manga-loving homebody in his past life, he rarely had the opportunity to speak in public due to his genre of work.

However, in this lifetime, through various experiences, he had grown bolder.

These were taboo words. At most, people only harbored small, cynical speculations in their hearts, but few dared to voice them aloud.

Zheng Fan wasn’t sure if there were hidden Spy Bureau members among these convicts from noble families at the Green Willow Fortress, but he didn’t fear being reported.

Other people might need to keep a low profile, avoid suspicion, and be mindful of taboos, but Zheng Fan didn’t.

As someone who had broken the limbs of the royal prince, who the hell was he keeping a low profile for? After doing something like that, would he still care about a bit of verbal taboo?

"What I said is the truth, because that’s what I think."

The prisoner soldiers in the drill ground fell silent again.

"Fate has brought us here. I know that you were once young masters, people of status. Perhaps some of you have even been designated official ranks."

Here, the "designation" didn’t refer to martial rank. Instead, it was a political understanding between the Ji Family and the noble families that had existed for over a century. After all, Yan State, unlike Qian State, didn’t have an imperial examination system.

"However, your past glory is now just a cloud of smoke. Now, you’re prisoners. Your families are reduced to slave status."

"They should be working right now—hulling rice, weaving cloth, living the life of official slaves. It’s a hard life, exhausting and grueling, which can easily break people."

The prisoner soldiers started to show changes in their expressions. Their emotions were being slowly ignited. But no one could tell whether their anger was directed at the imperial court or...Zheng Fan.

"The imperial court wishes you would die here. Because both the court and you know very well that you harbor resentment towards it."

Zheng Fan continued to speak his mind, creating an increasingly peculiar atmosphere on the drill ground.

The pre-expedition speech, which should have been rousing and high-spirited, complete with smashing wine bowls and shouting slogans, instead took on the somber atmosphere of a funeral oration thanks to Zheng Fan.

"Has My Lord taken this too far?" Xue Three asked the blind man.

The blind man shook his head and said, "Don’t try to compete with My Lord in storytelling."

Xue Three nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, right."

Zheng Fan took a deep breath and continued loudly:

"However, meeting me is your good fortune. Less than a year ago, I was just a commoner.

To be frank, back then, if I encountered folks like you, I’d have had to bow and scrape, respectfully calling you ’my lord’ or ’young master’.

I’m from Beifeng Prefecture. One day, I was conscripted to transport food supplies.

Out of more than two thousand laborers in the battalion, most died in the wasteland, but not me. Not only did I survive, but I also earned my first military merit!

The princess of the Earl of North Border’s house wanted to hire me as a household servant. I refused!

Because I wanted to become an official, I wanted to get rich, I wanted to live a good life!

And don’t you dare laugh at me for being stupid, because back then I really thought I was going to be a servant in the Lord’s house. I was ignorant then, a total country bumpkin!

Later, I risked my life to save the prince. Although I was bedridden for a long time, I felt it was worth it. As long as you’re alive, it’s worth it!

After coming here, I was the first to lead soldiers to fight against Qian State. I stormed into the city of Mianzhou in Qian State and even cut off the heads of their officials and brought them back."