CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 35 A WEREWOLF_1

"So, you’re planning to get me a tutor?" Zheng Fan asked, still feeling a little bewildered after listening to their narrative. When others hire a tutor, they have to pay, pull strings, and negotiate terms. But over here, they simply kidnap someone at knifepoint. However, after some thought, it doesn’t seem wrong.

"But, if it’s just for hiring a tutor, does it need to be so urgent?" This was a point that puzzled Zheng Fan.

Xue Three was about to speak, but Blind Bei’s voice suddenly resounded in his mind, Shut up!

Xue Three froze and said nothing.

Blind Bei then spoke, "My lord, in this world, no matter what we want to do, we have to seize every moment. We’ve already laid out our initial plans. Next, we need to set up a caravan to sell things like soap and perfume. By then, we’ll be under scrutiny from many directions. Your identity and the three hundred cavalry you’re about to establish are our security, but the real cornerstone is our own strength. So, I hope, My lord, you understand that we’ve already embarked on this path. Once we’re on this path, the only possibilities are success or death along the way; there is no third option. We don’t have time to ponder, nor the opportunity to waver—at least, not yet. Not unless we possess power comparable to that of the Earl of North Border’s family, enough to contend with the Yan State court."

Blind Bei had said a great deal, piling reasons upon reasons, all to conceal the truth. He didn’t want Zheng Fan to know, at least not yet, that the strength of the seven of them was very likely tied to Zheng Fan’s own. Although My lord is still slightly "immature," he is, after all, an author who has been deeply immersed in horror comics for a long time; delving into the darkness of human nature is almost an instinct for him. Even Fanli, bless his simple heart, could arrive at the thought: ’If we kill My lord, wouldn’t we be free from our shackles?’ Then, couldn’t My lord think of this too? At least for now, it’s not suitable for a rift to form in our relationship. But as long as we wait until My lord’s power has increased, and all of our strengths have improved along with it, then even if My lord learns about these things, it won’t be a major problem because we will have already set out on the correct path.

"Oh, okay. You all can decide," Zheng Fan said. When it came to making decisions, he didn’t want to overstep his bounds, knowing he wasn’t qualified compared to these demon lords before him. The only things he felt he could and dared to decide were probably whether he needed a little lady to attend him in bed tonight and whether to have noodles or pepper soup for breakfast tomorrow.

"Thank you for your trust, My lord!" Blind Bei heaved a long sigh of relief. Then, he turned to his companions and announced, "My lord has agreed. Now, everyone, please prepare yourselves. This matter is of great consequence. Siniang, go back to the inn now and bring the disguise materials. We all need to disguise ourselves."

Siniang nodded.

"The escort convoy should arrive outside Hutou City around dusk, which is where we are now. I don’t plan to call upon either the cartage guilds or the Unity Gang. So, the ones undertaking this mission will be the six... no, seven of us!"

Blind Bei felt a chill in his heart. What a close call! I almost didn’t count My lord as a person.

---

This was a hastily planned ambush; frankly, probably only this group of madmen would be capable of such an "impulsive" act. Although they now possessed Yan State "nationality," they felt no discomfort or fear at the thought of charging and killing government soldiers. What’s more, among them was Zheng Fan, currently sharpening his knife, who himself held an official position. In any normal era, what they were preparing to do was, in essence, rebellion. However, to them, it was no different from preparing to steal an old hen from their neighbor Wang Erniang’s house tonight.

Xue Three, Blind Bei, and Feng Siniang went to scout the nearby terrain. Xue Three was responsible for reconnaissance, needing to trail the escort convoy from a distance. As an assassin, he was extremely adept at concealing himself, making him perfect for the job. Blind Bei, using his spiritual senses, began to meticulously map out the ambush site, leaving no nook or cranny unexamined, while also helping Siniang set up traps.

Behind a small earthen mound, Zheng Fan was still repeatedly sharpening his knife. It feels just like last-minute studying before an exam, trying to cram in a few more key points or memorize a couple more words.

A Ming lay casually on the slope of the mound, a blade of grass dangling from his lips. Fanli squatted beside Zheng Fan, a foolish, honest grin on his face. He gazed at Zheng Fan with a look of adoration, trust, and dependence, as if looking at the person he revered most. No one would have guessed that just last night, this simpleton had been the one to suggest "dispatching" their lord.

Liang Cheng, on the other hand, remarked with some wistfulness, "If those three hundred cavalry weren’t just an idea on paper right now, this problem would be much easier to solve." After witnessing that battle, Liang Cheng was truly envious of the Town Guardian Army’s iron-clad cavalry. Especially since he had once been a general, his fondness for cavalry was like a nerd’s adoration for 2D goddesses. Unfortunately, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and cavalry, in particular, was an expensive endeavor, akin to burning money.

It is said that a hundred years ago, an emperor of Qian State, who had usurped his nephew’s throne as the imperial younger brother, sought to bolster his prestige through a northern expedition. At that time, Yan State was heavily engaged with the barbarian Royal Court in the deserts. This Qian State emperor personally led an expedition, launching a surprise attack on Yan State’s rear. Initially, his forces were unstoppable, as Yan State’s main army was tied up on the northern frontier, leaving its heartland vulnerable.

However, as the Qian State army penetrated deeper into Yan territory and entered the vast plains, they were met by a swift, devastating assault from a contingent of Yan State iron cavalry, rapidly redeployed from the northern battlefield. That battle, even a century later, is still frequently cited as a classic case study in military academies across various nations. Yan State responded to being attacked in the rear with a scorched-earth policy. This, combined with the plains terrain, left the 500,000-strong Qian army exhausted and vulnerable. Thirty thousand Yan State iron cavalrymen, like a black torrent, swept across the plains and scattered the half-million Qian troops.

The Qian State soldiers, utterly routed, abandoned their armor and weapons and fled for their lives. Yan State cavalry pursued them relentlessly, and the long road from the Yan plains to the Qian border became littered with the corpses of Qian soldiers. The Qian State emperor, who had been his uncle’s younger brother and heir, was exceptionally fortunate. Despite being shot in the buttocks with an arrow, his personal guard managed to escort him all the way back home in an ox cart. That year, the general who led the thirty thousand iron cavalry to shatter the Qian State army was ennobled for his meritorious service, becoming the Earl of North Border. Thus, the title of Yan State’s Earl of North Border was not earned fighting barbarians in the desert but was built upon the corpses of five hundred thousand Qian State soldiers.

Subsequently, the first Earl of North Border, riding the wave of victory, led his troops to raid Qian State’s Northern Three Prefectures, plundering grain and people, nearly stripping them bare. If Yan State and the Desert Royal Court hadn’t already entered the decisive stage of their war, preventing them from dispatching more troops to support the Earl of North Border, the first Earl might have dared to lead a deep sortie for a "state-funded tour" right under the walls of the Qian State capital.

After that war, Yan State established strategic dominance over Qian State. For a hundred years, Qian State dared not send a single soldier north. Instead, it began frantically constructing walled cities and forts along its northern border, effectively turning itself into a coward hiding in its shell. Similarly, after that battle, the ox became an object of worship in Qian State, even leading to the creation of an Ox Head Deity. After all, if not for that sturdy ox cart, their imperial ancestor might have been captured by Yan State.

Liang Cheng believed that the Yan State iron cavalry of a century ago must have been even more formidable, as that was an era of constant, brutal warfare against the northern barbarian tribes. Nevertheless, even a hundred years later, having personally witnessed the charge of two thousand iron cavalrymen from the Earl of North Border’s army, Liang Cheng still considered them truly elite.

"Tsk, if that force were actually established, would you dare bring them along to commit this sort of treason?" A Ming, lounging nearby, scoffed.

"Therefore, when selecting recruits, we must be even more cautious," Liang Cheng continued. "What we need to build isn’t a merchant protection cavalry for Yan State, but a private army loyal to... to My lord. Then, A Ming, you’ll have them each take a bite out of you. Imagine, three hundred cavalrymen with vampire constitutions..." Liang Cheng’s hands clenched slightly; it was clear that even he, normally so stoic, was somewhat excited at the prospect.

"Pah! Do you take me for some kind of breeding boar?" A Ming retorted. Then, he suddenly grinned. "To sire three hundred fledglings... that would require me to be at my absolute peak! At that point, why would I even need three hundred cavalry? I could just use my Blood Shadow Clone technique—wouldn’t that be far more effective?"

"Then show me your clones now," Liang Cheng challenged.

"Hah, three hundred vampire cavalry? What’s so great about that? You’re more capable than me; why don’t you go create three hundred Zombie cavalry? They wouldn’t fear death or pain, and they’d even apply a fear debuff to the enemy on arrival."

Zheng Fan, who was still sharpening his knife, looked up curiously and asked, "Finding suitable recruits for the cavalry won’t be easy, will it?"

Weaponry, provisions, and other logistical aspects can be managed through trade routes. After all, since A Ming developed soap and perfume, money should be the least of the inn’s worries. Warhorses can also be acquired from the barbarian tribes through smuggling channels. For three hundred cavalrymen, even if we’re extravagant and provide two horses per man, or even more, we’d need to prepare around eight hundred horses. But what about the men to wear the armor and ride these great steeds?

At this moment, Fanli, who had been squatting silently nearby, spoke up, "My lord, I’ve heard from the caravan folk that there are many convict tribes in the desert. They are criminals or the remnants of exterminated tribes. The larger tribes control their families, holding them hostage to force these men to serve as mercenaries. They are often the first wave of cannon fodder consumed in tribal skirmishes, but some renowned convict tribes have carved out a fearsome reputation through countless battles. They hold no loyalty or sense of belonging to the desert, the barbarian tribes, or Yan State, precisely because the large tribes hold their families hostage. They are the most formidable horsemen and would be perfect for our needs."

Hearing this, Liang Cheng commented, "So, we’d need to rescue their families first to gain control over them?"

A Ming countered, "That would mean supporting so many more people. The burden and cost would be far too great."

Zheng Fan stopped sharpening his knife and asked tentatively, "Could we... perhaps kill all their families, then blame it on the barbarian tribes? Then we could lead the men on a quest for revenge, and wouldn’t that..."

Zheng Fan noticed Liang Cheng, Fanli, and A Ming all staring at him. He suddenly felt nervous and uneasy, and quickly added in a low voice, "Just kidding, just kidding! Heh heh..."