CHAPTER 413: CHAPTER 41 MARRIAGE ALLIANCE_2

Everyone wore a smile, even the wounded soldiers, who were constantly laughing and jesting about something.

The desert wind was harsh, strong enough to scour away most superfluous things, including emotions like grief over parting and death. A fallen fellow soldier was merely someone who had taken a step ahead of them. There wasn’t anything to be sad about.

The longer one was in contact with them, the more one could sense the atmosphere within this army.

They were pure, so pure it was terrifying.

But the Blind One had once joked, wondering if they would become corrupted after conquering the splendid Jiangshan of Qian State.

Only after they became corrupt would Zheng Fan have his own path.

It didn’t have to mean rebellion, but at least he should strive for his own independence. As a transmigrator, striving not to kowtow to anyone wasn’t too much to ask, was it?

Yet, looking at this North Border Army now, Zheng Fan suddenly felt a wish that they could remain this pure forever.

After defeating Qian State, attack Jin State. After Jin State, annihilate Chu State. After unifying the East, sweep through the desert, extinguish the Royal Court, and then send troops to the West.

Phew...

No, wait. If things really went that way, wouldn’t he have to be the Yan Emperor’s dog forever?

"My lord, there is another way."

"Hiss, have you been learning tricks from the Blind One?"

"No, it’s just that this subordinate happens to be able to sense My Lord’s emotions."

"Heh, so tell me, what other options are there?"

"The Earl of North Border has a princess."

"I’ve seen her. She’s a shrew."

"What does she look like?" Liang Cheng asked.

"Pretty."

"If My Lord is unwilling to destroy them, you could try to absorb them."

"You’re being too idealistic. No matter how delicious another’s food is, it’s still theirs. It can never be as satisfying as your own."

"This subordinate understands."

At this moment, a man was sitting up ahead. He was drenched in blood, as if coated in layer upon layer of red paint, so thick it was sickeningly viscous. Yet he sat calmly alone in a pool of blood. In front of him was a dish of peanuts and one of dried meat. There was no wine, but he popped these morsels into his mouth one by one, along with the blood dripping from his fingertips. It was as if he wasn’t sitting on a freshly fought battlefield, but in a small teahouse in the city.

However, no matter how his surroundings changed, his state of mind remained just as serene and composed, like an elderly grandfather enjoying the sun on his doorstep.

"I feel a bit sick," Zheng Fan said.

"I feel a bit nostalgic," Liang Cheng said.

Li Fusheng seemed to notice Zheng Fan and Liang Cheng, and called out, "Chief Zheng, I really like this retainer of yours."

This was his second declaration of admiration today.

Zheng Fan genuinely wanted to bring them together, but he knew Liang Cheng would never leave him.

If Liang Cheng lost him—was no longer by his side—how could he bear to watch other demon kings grow stronger step by step while he himself remained stagnant? Not even a demon king could accept such torment.

Li Fusheng seemed disinclined to press the issue. After all, such a request wasn’t entirely proper. He had made his intentions known. If Liang Cheng were interested, he would surely seek him out privately, even if it couldn’t be mentioned openly. When that time came, Li Fusheng could then maneuver things to get Liang Cheng back.

"I’ve instructed the men to collect the Qian army’s banners and heads. We’ll take them back to Chuzhou City later. Tell me, it’s just a city, albeit a bit larger and more populated. Why does Zhao Jiulang place so much importance on it?"

"The Prime Minister has grand designs; how could I..."

"Speak plainly."

"Reporting to Your Lordship, for a considerable time to come, our Yan forces will only be stationed in major cities."

"Why?"

"Because Qian State’s territory is vast, and its population immense. Even after conquering Qian State, the area Yan can effectively control will be limited for a long time to come. Therefore, stationing troops in major cities is the best choice. Consequently, ensuring their stability is extremely important."

"Fine, I shouldn’t have asked. I wouldn’t understand it anyway. As long as there are people for me to kill, that’s all that matters."

Li Fusheng pointed to Zu Dongcheng on Liang Cheng’s back and asked, "Who is he?"

"The young general of the Zu family."

"The Zu family’s? He’s got some substance."

Clearly, intelligence gathering from the battlefield had already begun, and Li Fusheng had received a summary. This "got some substance" was clearly a positive assessment.

After all, the Zu family army’s battle formation was indeed the sturdiest among the three prongs of the assault. The combat effectiveness of the Zu family army was indeed quite good.

However, "quite good" was relative to the standard of Qian State’s forces. Compared to the barbarians, the disparity was significant. Barbarians might seem docile at times, but when truly enraged, they would fight to the death without the slightest hesitation. Li Fusheng himself had witnessed several instances of entire clans fighting to the last man.

"Chief Zheng has achieved great merit again," Li Fusheng said with a smile. However, set against his blood-smeared face, the smile didn’t appear particularly amicable.

Zheng Fan cupped his hands and said, "This is what this subordinate ought to do."

"Then I’ll trouble Chief Zheng to keep this man under guard. His father still has fifty thousand troops in the north; he might prove useful."

"Using him to persuade his father to surrender will likely be difficult."

In Zheng Fan’s view, these prominent figures were rarely swayed by personal emotions, much like Tian Wujing or the Yan Emperor.