CHAPTER 332: CHAPTER 20: LARGE AND SMALL PEARLS FALL ON THE JADE PLATE! _1

As he entered the city gate, Zheng Fan noticed that it wasn’t just Nanwang City’s garrison soldiers at the entrance, but also a group of black-clad men.

The Yan State favored black, and black had always been considered the exclusive color of "agents." Unlike the ostentatious Silver Armored Guard of Qian State, Yan State’s Spy Bureau had always maintained a very low profile.

Of course, whether they were truly as discreet as they appeared on the surface remained unknown.

Zheng Fan also saw Pheasant.

Pheasant was clearly the leader of this group.

The convoy was undergoing inspection. Zheng Fan dismounted, and just then, Pheasant proactively approached him, calling out, "Lord Zheng."

Even if one inwardly disdained the intelligence services, it was essential to maintain a polite facade.

Zheng Fan offered a slight smile and returned the salute.

A few days ago, Pheasant had specifically come to Green Willow Fortress to hint that Zheng Fan had been resting long enough.

Lord Jingnan’s order was clear: the military leaders on the border of Yinlang County must strain every nerve to harass the Qian State border. Furthermore, they had to bring back tangible results.

However, Zheng Fan, confident in his connections, had remained at Green Willow Fortress training his soldiers. Hui Wenzu had also helped him deflect the pressure. Left with no alternative, Pheasant had to personally visit Green Willow Fortress to press him.

"Lord Zheng, you left the fortress the night before last?"

Movement of troops from Green Willow Fortress would obviously be difficult to hide from a section chief of the Spy Bureau, and Zheng Fan hadn’t deliberately tried to conceal anything anyway.

"We’d rested too long," Zheng Fan responded. "It was time to stretch our legs and find some action. And you, sir?"

For agents of the Spy Bureau to appear so openly at the city gate—this was hardly their usual style of operation.

Pheasant chuckled. "Just closing the net."

"Oh, congratulations."

Pheasant shook his head. "Merely tying up loose ends."

After hostilities began between the two sides, the clandestine battles between their spies were actually far more brutal than the current state of open warfare.

Both sides were relentlessly trying to root out the other’s agents and infiltrate deeper, every step steeped in chilling blood.

"Lord Zheng, I wonder if you noticed on your way here? Those two Qian State scouts were disguised as wonton peddlers today."

"Huh?"

Zheng Fan suddenly felt something was amiss.

At this moment, a Spy Bureau agent rode up, dismounted, walked over to Pheasant, and whispered something in his ear.

Pheasant sighed. Without trying to hide it from Zheng Fan, he said directly, "Hmph, they actually poisoned the wontons and fed the poison to each other. By the time my men moved in to apprehend them, they were already dead."

Zheng Fan was rendered speechless.

At that moment, the Spy Bureau member’s gaze fell upon Zheng Fan. He clasped his fist in salute and said, "This lord also ate some of their wontons earlier."

Pheasant looked at Zheng Fan in surprise. Zheng Fan shook his head. "I’m fine."

If they had been poisoned, it was impossible that the two scouts were already dead while he was still alive.

Presumably, those two scouts had no interest in playing games of indiscriminate poisoning; poison, after all, was quite expensive.

Of course, this was also because Zheng Fan was in civilian attire today, not his armor.

"Lord Zheng, you truly are a man of great fortune."

"Haha, my luck has indeed been quite good this past year."

"BLERGH!"

Just then, the two city guards assigned to inspect the cargo retched after opening one of the boxes.

It wasn’t that these city gate guards were particularly weak-stomached, but the contents of the box were far beyond what any normal person could endure.

With no mental preparation, they suddenly opened a box to find it filled with neatly arranged human heads, each appearing to "smile" back at them. Who the hell could stomach such a sight?

More city guards began to gather around; some curious, others apprehensive. Then,

"BLERGH!"

More people started to vomit.

If this had been a genuine triumphant presentation of heads, perhaps even piled into a "skull monument" or the like, they certainly wouldn’t have reacted this way. Even the onlooking commoners would have only cheered and joined the hubbub.

Pheasant grew curious. At this moment, a Spy Bureau agent who had also gone up to inspect the cargo returned. He glanced at Zheng Fan, then said to Pheasant, "They’re severed heads."

Pheasant’s mouth fell slightly agape. He pointed to the convoy Zheng Fan had brought and asked, "Lord Zheng, these boxes... are they all filled with...?"

Zheng Fan nodded. "All severed heads."

"So many!"

Pheasant was astonished.

Currently, although the skirmishes along the border were fierce, they were mostly engagements between small units. Neither the Jingnan Army nor the main forces from Qian State’s three border garrisons had been mobilized, so any spoils had been minor.

Pheasant knew that if the heads in the boxes of Zheng Fan’s convoy were genuine, this would likely be the single largest haul since the war between Yan and Qian State began—one that would leave the next largest far behind.

As for killing innocents to claim merit, or slaughtering commoners in Qian State and passing them off as soldiers, Pheasant was confident Zheng Fan wouldn’t stoop to such acts.

Pheasant knew Zheng Fan’s background well. This Commander before him wasn’t some insignificant local officer; he was, to some degree, a man who had caught the Emperor’s eye.

Others might commit such atrocities to gain prominence or secure their futures, but this Commander wouldn’t. Furthermore, if all these boxes indeed contained severed heads, it would constitute the greatest military achievement since the war’s outset. Such a feat would inevitably attract widespread attention, making any deception utterly impossible.

Pheasant stepped back two paces, clasped his fist, and bowed deeply to Zheng Fan. "Congratulations, Lord Zheng, for achieving another great merit for our Yan!"

This salute was partly an attempt to curry favor with a Commander of limitless prospects who had once again achieved great military merit. More so, however, it was likely a spontaneous expression stemming from the depths of his heart as a Yan person.