The Demon Lords

Chapter 1032: Chapter 244: Lord Sends Troops (Part 2)

But upon closer examination, it’s understandable.

Since Fan Zhengwen dared to introduce things this way in front of his own son, it’s clear this eldest son of the Fan family knows many secrets, including his mother’s true identity.

On one side, is the imperial kin of Yan State;

On the other side, are the hereditary servants of the noble Qu Clan of Chu State;

For this young man who never worried about food or clothing since birth and has more time to pursue "spiritual identity," it’s really not hard to guess where his emotional inclinations might lean.

"Brother Fan, your son is indeed quite talented."

Praising someone’s son is basic social etiquette.

Lord Zheng saw Fan Shaoliang’s enthusiasm towards him, and added another comment:

"In a couple of years, he can join me in making achievements on the battlefield."

Upon hearing this, Fan Zhengwen directly told his son, "Kneel and give thanks to Lord Zheng, did you hear? Lord Zheng has accepted you."

"......" Zheng Fan.

"Fan Shaoliang, thank you, Lord Zheng, for accepting me. I am willing to dedicate my life to your service!"

For a young lad, seeing his idol and being able to directly join his idol’s ranks is something he could literally laugh about in his dreams.

But Lord Zheng wasn’t that naive because this scene clearly indicated a deliberate climb up the social ladder.

"Shaoliang, you take your mother and leave first. Father and Lord Zheng have things to discuss."

"Yes, Father, Lord Zheng, this junior... no, this humble servant... no, I, I must take my leave now."

The young man’s steps were a bit dizzy and his head a little light, his mouth formed an uncontrollable smile as he supported his mother’s hand out of the attic.

"Lord Zheng, please."

Fan Zhengwen invited Zheng Fan to the second floor. Weng Canghai stroked his beard lightly, chuckled, and stayed on the ground floor, where he crossed his legs and pulled out a book to read with great interest, like an outsider.

The second floor was an elegant room, and Fan Zhengwen invited Zheng Fan to sit while he began to brew tea. It could be seen that Fan Zhengwen was quite skilled at the tea ceremony.

Zheng Fan didn’t speak, just sat there waiting.

Finally, the tea was served in front of him.

Fan Zhengwen also spoke, "Lord Zheng, there is something I am unsure whether to say or not."

If one of his subordinates dared to say such a thing to him, Lord Zheng would have kicked him long ago.

But since he was prepared to harm the other’s entire family,

naturally, his attitude had softened quite a bit.

Having eaten from them, slept with them, and even courted their maiden, yet still planning to set up their family, Lord Zheng, regardless of how thick-skinned, felt somewhat embarrassed.

"Brother Fan, feel free to speak your mind."

"Lord Zheng, I feel that the princess has been captured, but it’s done too quietly. So, I think, if Lord Zheng wants to make her well-known as we initially planned, now might be a good time to..."

"To do what?"

"To release the princess."

"Release her? How could that be!" Zheng Fan said righteously.

"Release her, we can capture her again."

Zheng Fan stood up and said to Fan Zhengwen, "Wouldn’t that place Brother Fan, the Fan family, in even greater danger?

No, no, absolutely not,

This kind of thing,

I, Zheng Fan, could never do!"

"Lord Zheng, Lord Zheng..."

"Since arriving in Chu State, Brother Fan has treated me as a brother. I regard Brother Fan as my own flesh and blood. How could I, Zheng Fan, do such a vile thing?"

Fan Zhengwen took a deep breath and said, "Lord Zheng, please hear me out."

"No, there’s no need to say it, absolutely not."

"Ah, ah, ah, Lord Zheng, please sit, please sit, stay calm, stay calm. Lord Zheng should know, the princess we captured, although real, inevitably becomes false.

So, by releasing her, on the wedding day, we can execute the original plan and capture her again."

"The Qu Clan and the royal family would undoubtedly be more vigilant, making the original plan to capture her even more difficult than anticipated."

"Then we would pay any cost necessary, the Fan family can mobilize all forces, spare nothing to help Lord Zheng recapture the princess, and let Lord Zheng’s fame spread worldwide with one sentence."

"All forces?"

"Yes."

"What about the Fan family?"

"As long as Lord Zheng can achieve his aspiration, the Fan family can be discarded."

If the Fan family exerts all its power without reservation, the force it would unleash would be terrifying, after all, money can make the devil turn the grindstone.

"Then, Brother Fan, you..."

"Lord Zheng, I, don’t plan to die yet. As for my family, my wife and others will ’die’ after the lunar new year’s eve."

"Die?"

"Of course not really die, it’s a fake death. Shaoliang will mourn for his mother and not go out anymore.

But by then, there will be a stand-in for Shaoliang in the mansion, and Shaoliang and my wife will venture first over Mong Mountain into Jin land after the new year, finding a safe place for them to go."

The wife and children were sent away first, leaving Fan Zhengwen without any scruples.

As for the many members of the Fan family, the fate of the other members was not asked by Zheng Fan, as Fan Zhengwen had already given an answer.

He was willing to gamble, willing to sacrifice the whole Fan family, he had no qualms.

Clearly a man of immense wealth, but once sitting at the poker table, he immediately goes all in.

"By the way, one more thing I need to inform Lord Zheng, that the originally transferred Zongzhou general Li Mu, already led the army back this morning. The Qu Clan’s Blue Luan Army also withdrew a good number. Now, on the outskirts of Xiayong County, the troops searching for the princess could just be slightly over ten thousand."

"What happened?" Zheng Fan asked in surprise.

"Lord Jingnan, after luring the snake out of its hole, suddenly deployed his army, decisively defeating Xue Rang’s army outside Town South Pass. Meanwhile, there are signs of a full mobilization of the Jingnan army in Jin land, seemingly preparing to gather troops for a strong attack on Town South Pass.

With Town South Pass in crisis, naturally, all the troops within Chu State needed to mobilize and further strengthen defenses, because what Chu State faced, was Lord Jingnan Tian Wujing."

Lord,

is going to attack the city?

Zheng Fan believed that the Lord certainly didn’t intend to actually attack the city; this was probably just performed to show the Chu people, to increase pressure on them.

There were inevitably some among the Chu who believed the Yan Army wouldn’t attack the city, but who could deny the leader was Tian Wujing, who could ignore that once Town South Pass fell, the Yan cavalry under the undefeated Lord Jingnan could charge in?

The Chu people wouldn’t dare to gamble, so facing this scenario, they had to start dispatching forces to respond.

In comparison to the safety of all Chu State, the importance of a missing princess naturally diminished significantly.

Simultaneously, after Lord Jingnan made this move, it indeed considerably relieved the pressure on Zheng Fan. If the Lord could continue creating some disturbances, then even if the princess was sent back, the wedding would continue (since the royal family now more urgently required a marriage alliance with the Qu Clan), but with warfare knocking at their door, the wedding would proceed hastily, surely unrestful, invisibly creating favorable conditions for Zheng Fan to capture the princess a second time.

This was just like when he led his troops deep, raiding Snow Sea Pass, creating a perfect opportunity for Lord Jingnan on the Wang River bank to engage in battle with the main forces of the wild people;

Lord Jingnan certainly didn’t know what he was doing or preparing to do right now,

but that didn’t prevent Lord Jingnan from giving him a helping hand.

Zheng Fan leaned back in his chair,

reached out, freewebnøvel.coɱ

and covered his face,

then,

took a deep breath, with a slightly moist nasal sound,

removed his hand,

his eyes slightly red:

"Brother Fan, I, Zheng Fan, am an ambitious person, but I am absolutely not someone who would push brothers and close friends into the fire pit for personal gain!"

Fan Zhengwen took two steps back,

deeply bowed to Zheng Fan,

sincerely saying:

"Lord Zheng, this is my wish, a great clan is like the grasslands, fires can’t consume it, next year it lives again;

I have said before, I am stuffed, but in this world, how many people wait a lifetime and never get a chance to gamble when they are full.

I am willing to bet, hoping Lord Zheng fulfills my wish!!!"

Then,

Fan Zhengwen knelt before Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan immediately stood up, forcibly pulling Fan Zhengwen’s hands, sniffing,

letting out a long sigh:

"Why does Brother Fan force me like this?"

"If Lord Zheng does not agree, I will remain here on my knees, pleading with Lord Zheng to show mercy, give my Fan family a chance to remove the hundred-year servitude cap!"

Zheng Fan trembled, gritting his teeth,

silently stepped back two paces,

absently sitting back in the chair,

speaking with a trembling voice full of sobs:

"Fine, fine;

then,

as Brother Fan says."

————

No need to wait tonight. I’ll probably wake up in the early hours to write.