Chapter 1396 - 341: Xue San Returns (Part 3)

Chapter 1396: Chapter 341: Xue San Returns (Part 3)

As long as you can articulate your own reasoning and viewpoint, there’s no such thing as absolute right or wrong.

For example, when faced with Shi Yuantang’s counterattack this time, the correct approach would have been to temporarily pull the troops back to avoid his sharp edge, ensuring the situation remained under your own control. But Lord Zheng insisted on going head?to?head, and pushed Shi Yuantang to his death.

Can you say Lord Zheng made the wrong choice?

He won, Shi Yuantang died—so even if it was wrong, there’s nothing left to criticize.

"Go to the rear and coordinate the transport of the laborers..."

Lord Zheng’s gaze fell on Jin Shuke, and he noticed Jin Shuke was still wearing white mourning cloth, so he couldn’t help but frown.

Seeing this, Jin Shuke immediately understood, took off the white cloth, tossed it to the ground, and said:

"This general has breached etiquette. I beg Lord Zheng’s pardon."

Lord Zheng waved his hand, indicating it was fine.

After all, he had just sent him to go organize the funeral procession.

"Jin Shuke."

"This general is here."

"You probably won’t be able to go do the scene work for Shi Yuantang’s funeral. That bit of limelight, you won’t be getting."

"This general will follow all of Lord Zheng’s orders!"

For Jin Shuke, whether he got to bask in the limelight was irrelevant; what mattered was that his mindset couldn’t slacken.

He was already prepared to be a brick under Lord Zheng’s hand, moved wherever needed.

"Good. Then I’m ordering you to lead a column of troops to the rear to escort the laborer convoys. Remember, eat with an easy mind, eat boldly, and for us, pick out a batch of good soldiers."

Hearing this, Jin Shuke instantly knelt down in excitement;

"This general will not fail Lord Zheng’s expectations!"

This assignment was far better than going to handle the funeral, and countless times more practical; because the new recruits he selected would naturally become part of his own prestige in the Snow Sea army later.

In the army, there are big factions, and there are small factions.

If your own faction isn’t hard enough, then even if you want to command a large army in the future, you won’t be able to get people to obey.

For instance, if Lord Zheng didn’t have Snow Sea troops under his command, Gongsun Zhi and Gong Wang wouldn’t be so obedient, and there’d be no way to talk about controlling those two generals.

Whether he accompanied the funeral and took that bit of limelight really didn’t matter. This here was the real good job—like the Son of Heaven opening the imperial examinations and putting you in charge.

Zheng Fan looked at the blind man and said:

"Blind man, you go with Jin Shuke and give him a hand."

"Yes, my lord."

The ideological education and sweet?talking of new recruits needed the blind man to step in; and when it came to dealing with the officials in the rear and the local bullies, no one was more suited than the blind man.

Lord Zheng then looked at Fanli: "You go announce the funeral. You’ve got a loud voice."

Fanli’s Adam’s apple moved, his brows knit, and he nodded.

Finally,

Lord Zheng looked at Gou Moli,

and said:

"Get the First Garrison built as quickly as possible. This time, East Mountain Fort was taken, and the seized and Chu?left armor is piled up like a mountain."

"Yes, Lord Zheng. By the time you return, your subordinate will certainly present you with a First Garrison that can fight and dares to fight!"

"Mm."

"That’s that then. Go do your work, I’ll rest a bit more."

"Your subordinate takes his leave."

"This general takes his leave."

Everyone departed. Lord Zheng lay on his side on the bed, lightly patting his own leg and humming softly.

"That posture of yours is really a bit hard to describe."

The Sword Saint appeared again.

He actually didn’t really want to show up, but there was no helping it—escorting the Buddha to the west, as they say; right now, he had to stay by Zheng Fan’s side to protect his safety.

Besides, it was only for another two days.

"Heh."

Lord Zheng smiled, reached out and took the big iron box at the head of the bed, took two mint candies from inside, popped them into his mouth, and said:

"The most agonizing stretch for me is basically over. It’s like a small farmer—taxes due have been paid, corvée labor has been served. Next, we just see how this year’s harvest in the fields turns out."

The battle at Yangshan Village, the battle at East Mountain Fort—both were fights where you had to kill ruthlessly; they were fought, and they were finished. According to Tian Wujing, for a long stretch ahead he wouldn’t have any other tasks, and could focus on development.

But the Sword Saint said:

"Generally speaking, they let you happily fatten yourself up, so that in the future it’s easier to slaughter you with one heavy cut."

"Can’t you just let me enjoy myself a little longer?"

"I’m only telling the truth. In two days you’ll go to Tian Wujing’s place, and I can go back to Snow Sea Pass."

In Tian Wujing’s King’s Tent, Zheng Fan would have Tian Wujing beside him, and the Yan central army around him. Unless the Chu army suddenly descended with divine might and broke through the Yan central army in one stroke, the Sword Saint couldn’t imagine a situation where Zheng Fan would be in danger.

Oh,

there was one more,

and that was Tian Wujing ordering him beheaded.

Of course, that possibility was practically nonexistent.

"Then when I come back again, you’ll have to come too." Lord Zheng hurried to lay the groundwork.

"I don’t want to be shuttling back and forth."

"One job shouldn’t trouble two masters. You’re only on temporary leave; the war against Chu isn’t over yet."

"We’ll talk about it later."

"I’ll take that as you agreeing."

The Sword Saint said nothing.

Lord Zheng reached out and patted the Dragonyuan sword scabbard in the Sword Saint’s hand,

and said:

"If this campaign goes smoothly, eastern Jin will be completely pacified. From then on, the common folk here will be under my protection, living in peace and contentment..."

"Maybe it’s because I’ve been with you too long," the Sword Saint said.

"Mm?"

"I suddenly feel that whether the common folk of Jin land live or die has nothing to do with me anymore."

"No, you can’t think like that."

"Do you know why I avoided Tian Wujing when he came before?"

"Because you can’t beat him?"

"..." The Sword Saint.

"Joking, just joking, don’t take it seriously, don’t take it seriously."

The Sword Saint shook his head,

and said:

"I’ve already let go; he no longer has a way to retreat. Whether he lets go or not doesn’t matter anymore.

So,

right now my days are more comfortable than his. Whether I beat him or not, whether we fight again, has become meaningless."

The Sword Saint let out a sigh,

and continued:

"Tell me, what’s the point of him putting himself through all this?"

Lord Zheng lightly smacked his lips twice and said, "You can only say the problem isn’t here."

"Then where is it?"

"Jin State is gone; Yan State still stands.

You lost and were wiped out, so you can leave the table in a carefree way. But the people at the table have already wagered everything and can’t get off."

The Sword Saint frowned slightly,

and said:

"That sounds like it has some logic to it."

"Right?"

"But why does it make me feel uncomfortable?"

"Truth is always apt to hurt people."

"I’m going back right now."

"Don’t be impulsive."

"I’ve lost everything anyway."

"No, don’t be impulsive."

Just then, someone outside announced:

"Lord Zheng, Xue San is back!"

Lord Zheng immediately rejoiced at being saved, pointed outside, and called:

"Let him in."

Then he said to the Sword Saint, "Just two days. Two days later I go to the King’s Tent, and you can go home to see your wife and kids."

The Sword Saint sat down to the side, closed his eyes, lifted his teacup, and couldn’t be bothered to keep bickering.

Not long after,

a shout full of emotion came from outside:

"My lord, your loyal San’er is back. I missed you to death!"

Then,

a woman’s voice came, even higher pitched and more emotional:

"My lord, your loyal San’er, my beloved husband, is back. He missed you to death."

"..." Xue Three.

——————

Thanks to classmate BridgeSis for becoming the 137th Alliance Lord of *Devil*!

I’m a bit stuck writing, but everyone’s voting and tipping with such enthusiasm that Little Dragon really feels too embarrassed to slack off. There’ll be another Chapter tonight, it’ll be quite late, so you can read it tomorrow morning. Don’t worry!