Chapter 0142: Annoyed to Death

Chapter 0142: Annoyed to Death

Xiao Rong returned to his room.

It wasn't yet the Great Cold season, but the weather was still as cold as ever. The first thing he did upon entering was to take off his outer robe and quickly walk to the table to pour himself a cup of hot tea. Xiao Rong drank two gulps, feeling warmth spread throughout his body.

Feeling more comfortable, he sat down, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that made him fall silent.

"…Why haven’t you left yet?"

Qu Yunmie blinked, ignoring the annoyed tone in his voice. He sat across from Xiao Rong and sincerely said, "You were in a bad mood today. I’m afraid if I leave, you might start crying again."

Xiao Rong: "…………"

He said indignantly, "I won’t cry!"

Qu Yunmie nodded perfunctorily, implying, "If you say so."

Xiao Rong gritted his teeth but realized he couldn’t do much about it. After a moment of silence, he changed the subject, "You mentioned Yu Shaocheng earlier. With the New Year approaching and Sheng Le now stable, why don’t we call him back? When you urgently recalled Jian Qiao and others, wasn’t it to consolidate our forces for a full-scale attack?"

Qu Yunmie hummed in agreement, "That was indeed the case. You said the new governor needed help, so I let him stay. But now you want me to bring him back. Are you thinking of having him return for the New Year rather than for an attack?"

Caught, Xiao Rong admitted candidly, "He’s been away for so long; it wouldn’t be right to keep him from returning home on New Year’s Eve."

Qu Yunmie looked at him but didn’t relent, "Military orders often mean years without returning home."

Xiao Rong was puzzled, "Is Sheng Le truly inseparable from Yu Shaocheng?"

Qu Yunmie: "It can manage."

Xiao Rong: "……"

Then what’s the point of saying that!

Perhaps Xiao Rong’s expression was too obvious. Qu Yunmie said seriously, "I don’t want him to become complacent. Among all the generals, he is the youngest. Young people lack steadiness. Once they return from harsh conditions to their warm homes, it’s hard to get them back into fighting shape. After the New Year, I plan to reorganize the army, merging the Four Armies with the Central Army. Then I will lead the troops across the Huai River, aiming for Jinling. Yu Shaocheng should lead the Left Army under my command to capture Huang Yanjiong and the remnants of the Breeze Sect."

Xiao Rong was taken aback, "Are you going to officially entrust the Left Army to Yu Shaocheng? Make him the Left General?"

Qu Yunmie nodded.

Xiao Rong’s eyes widened slightly, and he thought, "Oh my god."

This would make Yu Shaocheng truly prominent, leading the Left Army! After attacking the Xianbei, the Northern Pacification Army had lost several tens of thousands of men, and Yuan Baifu’s betrayal led many to join the rebels. Even if they returned to the Northern Pacification Army, they would be at the bottom, doing the dirtiest work. They wouldn’t be sent to battlefields anymore.

Therefore, Gongsun Yuan had been recruiting new soldiers according to Qu Yunmie’s orders. The refugees who came in, those willing to work, signed up for labor. Those unwilling to work and only interested in petty theft or free meals were forcibly conscripted by Gongsun Yuan.

In these extraordinary times, extraordinary measures were taken. Through various efforts, the number of soldiers in the Northern Pacification Army had significantly increased. The number of men assigned to Yu Shaocheng would likely exceed those previously under Yuan Baifu.

Thinking about this, Xiao Rong couldn’t help but feel excited for Yu Shaocheng. But after the excitement, he patted Qu Yunmie’s arm, "The King has a keen eye for talent, which is good, but you should also consider Yu Shaocheng’s personality. Trust me, despite his… remarkable intelligence, no matter when you send him to battle, he’ll perform excellently. However, if everyone else returns while he remains stationed elsewhere, unable to see his brother for half a year or even a whole year, it could lead to rebellious thoughts."

For example, if he thinks you’re deliberately separating him from his brother, he won’t see you as a benefactor but as a villain.

Qu Yunmie: "……" It’s not that serious, is it?

Many siblings go years without seeing each other; it’s not as severe as Xiao Rong suggests.

But he didn’t dare to be too confident, given that even he couldn’t fully understand Yu Shaocheng’s mental state.

After a moment of silence, Qu Yunmie said he would consider it. Xiao Rong urged him to decide quickly, as there were only a little over half a month until the New Year.

Qu Yunmie left, and Xiao Rong finished his tea. However, he didn’t immediately wash up and go to bed. He continued sitting there, pondering some matters.

As long as Qu Yunmie doesn’t kill the young emperor, He Tingzhi will never rise to power. He is fundamentally different from Huang Yanjiong; He Tingzhi cannot act as a rebel.

So if Xiao Rong were Han Qing and still wanted to support He Tingzhi, he would have to find a way to kill the young emperor first. But then the problem arises: if someone else kills the emperor, He Tingzhi can use the situation to rise, but so can Qu Yunmie. Both can claim to avenge the young emperor. Qu Yunmie also holds a fiefdom personally granted by the emperor, putting him on equal footing with He Tingzhi.

Thus, He Tingzhi is not a threat. In this game of power, as long as Qu Yunmie remains rational, He Tingzhi is out of the picture.

Nankang, Linchuan, Liyang, Dongyang, New Peace… New Peace…

Xiao Rong mentally counted these locations. The external conditions for the Northern Pacification Army were now like iron walls. They had people, food, money, and solid backing. At this stage, it would be unjust for Qu Yunmie not to proclaim himself emperor. Yet, the system hadn’t allowed him to separate from Qu Yunmie, suggesting that hidden enemies could still shatter everything they currently had.

With no external weaknesses, the weakness must come from within.

There are only a few people who could affect Qu Yunmie’s sanity. Unless a major incident occurs, Gao Xunzhi won’t lead his troops away from Chenliu. Agusega and others won’t step out of the main city, and there’s no reason for them to be lured away either.

The tombs of General Qu, General Qu, and Chief Ishtar are still under construction, built to the highest imperial standards. With overseers, soldiers, and workers, nearly ten thousand people are involved. Last time, the incident was so significant that the governor of Yanmen County was executed by Gao Xunzhi for negligence. Not just the new governor, but ordinary citizens of Yanmen County are now on high alert, reporting any suspicious activity to the authorities.

Well, counting everyone, they are all safe and offer no exploitable weaknesses. Therefore, Qu Yunmie’s only weakness now is… himself.

Xiao Rong: "…………"

Now he was genuinely uneasy. Would someone try to capture him again?

He seriously considered following Qu Yunmie and arranging guards around him. After some thought, he shook his head. It would be too much trouble. With the bounty out, Chenliu was already under strict surveillance, and the mansion was heavily guarded. Adding more guards wouldn’t make much difference.

Moreover, sometimes killers don’t use real weapons but invisible ones.

Lowering his eyes, Xiao Rong twirled the cup rim with his fingers. After hesitating for a moment, he called out, "Ah Shu."

Ah Shu pushed the door open, "Master, do you want a midnight snack?"

Xiao Rong: "…No, go to General Jian’s residence and bring Zhang Biezhi here."

Why call him so late?

Ah Shu scratched his head but went anyway.

Zhang Biezhi was already asleep when he heard Xiao Rong wanted to see him. He jumped out of bed immediately.

Arriving at the princely residence at midnight, under the flickering candlelight, he listened as Xiao Rong spoke to him: "Tomorrow, you'll lead some troops to Xin Ping. Remember to take plenty with you. You've been there once before, right? You should still know the way."

Zhang Biezhi nodded blankly. "Yes, I went there to fetch Old Lady Xiao that time. Who are we fetching this time?"

Isn't the Xiao family all gone now? Surely they wouldn't be fetching those from the main branch. But aren't the main branch in Linchuan? Besides, the ones in Linchuan are not highly regarded; the important ones have already moved to Jinling.

After arguing with Ah Shu so much, Zhang Biezhi now knew more about the Xiao family's troubles than even Xiao Rong did...

Xiao Rong: "We're not fetching anyone. I need you to find something for me—a jade pendant."

Zhang Biezhi: "?"

Under Zhang Biezhi's puzzled gaze, Xiao Rong described the jade pendant. It was of average quality, not jadeite but white jade, engraved with the character 'Rong.'

This was something every member of the Xiao family had. According to legend, an ancestor of the Xiao family, who invented the Xiao Gong paper, was visited by a deity in a dream and told to dig for stones on a certain mountain. Eventually, he unearthed a massive piece of jade. He established a family rule that each descendant would receive a part of this jade to carve into a pendant, symbolizing their identity as a member of the Xiao family... Almost every powerful family had such mystical legends, and Xiao Rong didn't know if this one was true, but he did know one thing: these pendants were hard to forge.

He had seen Xiao Yi's pendant. Although Xiao Yi was born when their family had already been expelled from the main branch, back when they hadn't yet fallen out of favor, they were still quite valued and received a piece of flawed jade. Despite the flaw, the main branch was generous, and a single piece of jade could make many pendants. Later, his grandfather made the pendants smaller and more delicate, often touching the jade to reminisce about the days when they were still part of the main branch.

Xiao Yi's pendant, though called white jade, had a yellowish tint and many brown spots at the edges. His and his brother's were a pair, fitting together perfectly.

Xiao Rong wasn't afraid of someone asking where his pendant was, but he feared someone using a real Xiao family pendant to ask about its owner.

Even though he knew that Qu Yunmie and others wouldn't care if his identity was exposed, anything could happen, especially since their enemy was capable of using bones and plagues. Who knows what he might do with the pendant if he got it.

Zhang Biezhi was no longer as easily fooled as before. Xiao Rong asked if he remembered the details, and Zhang Biezhi nodded, indicating he had memorized them. Then he slowly asked, "Rong...? But isn't your name 'Rong' as in 'melt,' Mr. Xiao?"

Xiao Rong calmly replied, "That's correct, but when I traveled outside, I used a fake name because I was too talented and worried that the Xiao family would come after me. This wasn't a glorious thing, and my family didn't know about it either. When the plague broke out in New Peace, I left, and in the chaos, I lost the pendant. Someone must have picked it up as a memento of the sick."

Zhang Biezhi understood, and seeing that he believed him, Xiao Rong pressed on, "I wanted to keep this secret, but everyone has their reasons. I trust you, unlike your brother-in-law. You won't tell anyone about this, right?"

Xiao Rong spoke vaguely, but Zhang Biezhi filled in the gaps. Thinking about how Xiao Rong, a sickly man, had survived alone, Zhang Biezhi looked at him sympathetically. "Don't worry, Mr. Xiao. I'm not a leaky sieve!"

Xiao Rong: "..."

Yes, one leaky sieve in your family is enough.*

With a mission, Zhang Biezhi set off happily the next day, only to vomit uncontsciously as soon as he boarded the boat. ...

To reach New Peace, one had to cross several rivers. Finally arriving in New Peace County, Zhang Biezhi, a stranger, immediately noticed the difference.

In the past, New Peace was bustling with scholars everywhere. Though not as prosperous as Jinling, its scholarly atmosphere surpassed even Jinling's. The streets were lined with vendors selling fresh fruits that made one's mouth water.

Now, everything was gone. No scholars, no vendors, and every household had closed doors. The streets were desolate. Zhang Biezhi didn't know what had happened, but since he was already here, he couldn't just turn back.

He found an inn to stay in and wrote two letters—one to Wang Xinyong and one to Di Fazeng. Both were in the heart of Southern Yong, with one conducting a thorough search of Xia Kou to gather more information about Sect Leader Chen Jiancheng, while the other had gone to Dongyang. The Dongyang King, He Tingzhi, couldn't avoid meeting him, as he was one of the few in Southern Yong who maintained good relations with the Northern Pacification Army. He had spoken with both Qu Yunmie and Xiao Rong and never had any conflicts.

Since they wanted to investigate the Breeze Sect, he naturally cooperated fully.

Zhang Biezhi simply informed them that he had arrived, as he felt something was amiss in New Peace and wanted to be prepared.

After sending the letters, Zhang Biezhi followed the clues given by Xiao Rong. Since it had only been a year, it wasn't too difficult to find the steward who managed things back then. A plague had taken thousands of lives in New Peace, and the steward couldn't remember which Xiao Rong it was. He had a better memory of Xiao Yi, but since Zhang Biezhi was the one asking, he couldn't recall anything.

Xiao Rong assumed the steward had kept all the belongings, but the steward didn't have the means to do so. The belongings were divided among the soldiers and street ruffians.

This was a massive task. Zhang Biezhi ran around for two or three days, using threats and bribes to get lists of shops that had sold the items. However, less than twenty percent of those shops were still open.

Zhang Biezhi: "…………"

Sighing, he resigned himself to continue searching. First, he checked the open shops, then went to the homes of the shopkeepers whose shops were closed. After scaring dozens of people, he finally found the whereabouts of the pendant.

Sold on March 18th, the sixth year of Shengde.

Zhang Biezhi's hand shook as he held the ledger, almost shoving the page into the shopkeeper's face. "Sold?! To whom? Why does this entry lack a customer's name? There's a circle drawn here—what does it mean? Did you embezzle it yourself?!"

Shopkeeper: "…………" Innocent!

He was a small businessman. Why would he steal from himself? Because his business had no backing, it was the first to close down on the street!

But he did remember the pendant. Its poor quality meant it fetched little money. It was brought in by a local thug, and he couldn't buy it cheaply. The thug gave him a pile of junk, and the pendant was the most valuable item. However, it had a name engraved on it, so the shopkeeper didn't want to deal with it and handed it to an assistant to sell.

Not selling wasn't an option, as he had paid for it.

As for when it was sold, he had no idea. He could only point tremblingly at the circle and say, "That means non-cash transaction. Our shop is small, and we don't have many rules. If a customer doesn't want to pay with money, we accept other goods as long as the price is appropriate."

Zhang Biezhi felt like he was going mad. "You always have a reason, don't you?!"

The shopkeeper felt like crying. He was right! ...

Fortunately, Zhang Biezhi calmed down a bit and asked who bought the pendant. The shopkeeper didn't know; it was sold by an assistant. Zhang Biezhi asked where the assistant was, and the shopkeeper said he had run away, probably to catch crabs and dig oysters in Jiaozhou by now.

Zhang Biezhi: "…………"

He grimaced, calculating how long it would take to go to Jiaozhou.

It wasn't too far, but by the time he returned, the King might have changed.

And even if he found the assistant, he'd still need to find the buyer. Where could the buyer be? Probably raising yaks somewhere.

At this point, the trail seemed cold. Zhang Biezhi returned dejectedly, thinking he would return empty-handed. Little did he know that things could get worse.

Because a rebellion broke out in New Peace. ...

No truly wealthy families stood up to lead the people, but among the farmers, there were natural leaders, especially those living in cultural centers, who learned much while working.

The recent unrest was due to these leaders recruiting locals. Everyone knew it wasn't good and avoided them. The officials in New Peace were like headless chickens. Ironically, the inspiration for the uprising came from the Northern Pacification Army. The book and play《Wrapped in Corpse Cloth》appeared simultaneously in New Peace. Scholars had one reaction, commoners another, and those with hidden agendas felt a call to action. ...

For those who haven't experienced it, a peasant uprising can seem noble, but unorganized and undisciplined, the first step is always pillaging. They loot to gather weapons and supplies, then find a capable leader to transform into a regular army. Some might target government offices, others loot indiscriminately. Most rebels don't have grand ideals; they act out of desperation, believing they will die soon anyway. Why bother with morals?

The same applies to refugees storming cities. In contrast, the Northern Pacification Army stands out. They are refugees seeking a new home and a better life. With strong leadership, they never harm innocent civilians. Because of this, more people join them. Together, the Northern Pacification Army is the only force that has endured countless challenges and remained intact, staying true to their original purpose, making them stronger and able to maintain their integrity.

Qu Yunmie, one of the three sons of the Qu family, is honestly the least suitable to be an emperor. His father and his brother would both make good emperors, but he himself is not fit for the role. Yet fate has pushed him forward while cruelly erasing the presence of those two. Sometimes he can uphold the fine traditions of his father and brother, and sometimes he cannot. This character trait of his will never change throughout his life. If it were only him, even at this point, Xiao Rong believes that it would be unjust for him not to be emperor. But if left to his own devices, he would likely squander all his advantages.

Therefore, he cannot be alone; he needs helpers. These helpers are not just Xiao Rong, but also Mi Jing, Song Shuo, Yu Shaoxie, Yu Shaocheng, Di Fazeng, and so on.

Well, Zhang Biezhi is not included yet. Based on Zhang Biezhi's current capabilities, a rather harsh evaluation would be that his presence or absence makes no difference.

However, this is merely a surface-level view. In reality, the connections among them are quite intricate. From Qu Yunmie’s perspective, Zhang Biezhi is useless, but from another angle, the situation is entirely different.

Zhang Biezhi brought six people with him this time. Xiao Rong suggested bringing more, but Zhang Biezhi was concerned about the difficulty of entering the city with a larger group, so he chose only six skilled individuals. Even though they were all brave and capable elites, how could seven people possibly stand against over ten thousand? After the uprising, the seven of them had to flee for their lives, constantly running away. Unfortunately, they had ventured into the heart of the main city, which was also the target of the rebels.

Zhang Biezhi thought he was going to die there, regretting that he didn't even have time to write a last letter. He would never be able to repay his sister and brother-in-law, nor marry the woman he adored. People say the princess of Kucha is like a celestial being, but the closest he had ever seen to a celestial being was actually a man!

Oh, what a regret!

Zhang Biezhi and his companions were surrounded by the rebels. He heard the rebels outside shouting menacingly to set fire. Just as Zhang Biezhi had completely given up hope, he saw a celestial being arrive.

No, such a robust figure couldn’t be called a celestial being, but rather a god.

Di Fazeng led his troops into New Peace City as if it were empty. Seven people indeed couldn't defeat over ten thousand farmers, but four thousand real soldiers could easily handle forty thousand farmers. After a wave of killings, Di Fazeng ordered his men to shout "Surrender and you won't be killed," causing the farmers to drop their tools instantly.

This was a small uprising, so it was quickly suppressed. Di Fazeng dismounted and intended to ask the farmers if they were interested in joining the Northern Pacification Army, since they had already rebelled anyway.

But before he could speak, Zhang Biezhi rushed over, sobbing and hugged him, smearing his snot and tears on Di Fazeng's armor: "I thought I was going to die! Di Fazeng, our family owes you a favor now!"

Di Fazeng: "..."

Shouldn't a normal person say they owe a life instead of a favor? How is your life worth just a favor?

He pushed Zhang Biezhi away in disgust. Zhang Biezhi, with tears in his eyes, asked, "Why are you here?"

Di Fazeng was supposed to be searching systematically in Xia Kou. Wang Xinyong went to Dongyang as a guest, and the distance from New Peace to Xia Kou is twice that of New Peace to Dongyang.

Di Fazeng fell silent. He had interrogated the upper echelons of the Breeze Sect and learned that New Peace was another major base for the sect. They had been developing rapidly there in recent years, especially after the plague, gaining more followers. When he received Zhang Biezhi's letter mentioning the strange atmosphere in New Peace, he felt uneasy and decided to bring troops over.

Since Xia Kou had been thoroughly searched, if nothing happened here, he could return to Chenliu with Zhang Biezhi and the others.

Zhang Biezhi waited for Di Fazeng's response, but after a long silence, Di Fazeng turned and walked away.

Zhang Biezhi: "…………" He shouldn't have asked!

Taking half of the rebels and giving some horses to Zhang Biezhi and his companions, Di Fazeng went to inspect the former meeting place of the Breeze Sect and captured more people. However, none of these were high-ranking members. Indeed, the truly valuable ones had probably fled.

Di Fazeng also specifically looked for Han Qing's relatives but found none. As expected, Han Qing wouldn't let his family members join.

Although Di Fazeng had never met Han Qing, he guessed that Han Qing cared little for his blood relatives. He had moved his wife and children but not these other Hans, leaving them to their fate.

Yuan Baifu's family was later exiled. Even if Di Fazeng brought back Han Qing's family, Xiao Rong wouldn't reward him much. So why bother?

Di Fazeng glanced indifferently at these ordinary Hanz and silently left.

After he left, the bodies of those people slumped down. Once the guards left, they finally dared to cry out loud. What misfortune!

Let's leave. Even if these Northern Pacification Army soldiers spared them, they might still face retribution in the future. It was Han Zhongxuan who committed the crimes, yet they had to bear the consequences.

Someone tearfully asked, "But where can we go?"

This question made everyone even sadder. After a long while, a weak voice spoke up: "I heard there's a way to survive in Jiaozhou. There's food along the coast, and you won't starve."

The others: "……"

That's better than going to Qinling or Maergan, where there are said to be monsters.

Let's go to Jiaozhou then. Being fishermen is better than staying here in fear.

These people packed their belongings and prepared to leave. Having completed their mission, Di Fazeng and Zhang Biezhi also planned to return.

Learning that Di Fazeng hadn't caught Han Qing and Chen Jiancheng, Zhang Biezhi felt relieved.

They set off during a particularly sunny dusk. The distant clouds turned orange-yellow, with some areas still red. Zhang Biezhi, not well-educated, couldn't describe the beauty, but thinking that such beautiful places would soon belong to them, he couldn't help but smile.

He called out to Di Fazeng: "Look, isn't it beautiful?"

Di Fazeng turned to look, still with his usual stern face: "Not bad. Tomorrow will be sunny. The army must not rest until tomorrow."

Zhang Biezhi: "…………"

Considering Di Fazeng had just saved his life, Zhang Biezhi held back his anger. After a while, he became serious: "Di Fazeng, I suddenly realized something."

Di Fazeng looked at him.

Zhang Biezhi solemnly said, "The land of Central Plains is too vast. Once someone escapes, catching them is almost impossible. You didn't catch Han Qing and Chen Jiancheng, and I didn't catch the person I needed to. Sigh, Mr. Xiao said Han Qing is currently with the governor of Jianning. We must not let him escape this time."

He finished speaking and looked deeply at Di Fazeng. Di Fazeng remained silent for a moment: "Is this considered a realization?"

Zhang Biezhi: "……"

Di Fazeng: "Isn't this something everyone knows?"

Zhang Biezhi: "…………"

Frustrated, he exclaimed, "What do you know? For me, this is a realization. If I were home, my sister would cook a feast because I understood this!"

Di Fazeng pondered and concluded, "Your sister is pitiful."

Zhang Biezhi immediately exploded, jumping off his horse to challenge Di Fazeng. Di Fazeng ignored him, but Zhang Biezhi kept jumping around, grabbing his leg, trying to snatch his whip, and even attempting to remove his boots when he got no reaction.

Di Fazeng: "……" Annoying.

After a while, Zhang Biezhi was persuaded to remount his horse. Even on horseback, he continued to glare at Di Fazeng with near-hatred. He said, "If it weren't for my guarantee, you wouldn't even have the chance to enter Yiyang!"

Di Fazeng retorted, "If I hadn't arrived in time, you wouldn't have had the chance to shout and scream here."

Zhang Biezhi: "……"

He couldn't refute it because it was true.

He turned his head back in defiance and looked forward again, but after a moment of silence, his expression changed.

He spoke somewhat awkwardly, "In terms of martial arts, you are indeed better than me."

Di Fazeng didn't even bother to look at him. In his mind, he thought, first, it's not just about martial arts, and second, it's not just a little bit. ...

Zhang Biezhi: "My brother-in-law said that The King intends to appoint Yu Shaocheng as the new Left General. Compared to him, you're not much worse, but you are from a different race, which puts you at a disadvantage."

Di Fazeng moved his neck, his muscular body slightly undulating, but he still didn't speak.

He understood this better than Zhang Biezhi. From the moment he decided to join the Northern Pacification Army, he had prepared himself to live with this flaw for life.

At this moment, he heard Zhang Biezhi say, "But being from a different race isn't a flaw. Mr. Xiao doesn't care, and neither do I. I dislike you simply because you are you, not because of your race."

Di Fazeng: "……"

The same goes for you.

The sunset became more vibrant. Zhang Biezhi glanced over there, as if making a decision, he suddenly turned his head and said to Di Fazeng, "You are a general, and The King will definitely send you out to fight everywhere. Considering you saved my life, you don't need to thank me anymore."

Di Fazeng: "?"

Even his deadpan face showed a puzzled expression, indicating he was truly confused.

Fortunately, Zhang Biezhi explained further, "If anyone in Chenliu speaks ill of you while you're away, I'll defend you. Anyway, I'll be staying in Chenliu every day from now on." ... Indeed.

Zhang Biezhi's brother-in-law is Jian Qiao, and his whole family is close to the royal household. He himself is under Xiao Rong, who, although sometimes scolds him, trusts and protects him. Even when Chenliu becomes the Capital City, Zhang Biezhi can still walk around as he pleases.

His life of glory and wealth is already assured.

Their horses moved at different speeds, so their gazes were intermittent. Zhang Biezhi felt that Di Fazeng's gaze toward him had changed, but he couldn't understand what that change meant.

Having never experienced any setbacks in his life, he didn't understand the feelings of someone who has endured hardships.

He only heard Di Fazeng say indifferently, "Once you become an official, things won't be that simple."

Zhang Biezhi: "……"

He was a bit upset. He wasn't stupid; he knew! Why did everyone think he didn't know?

Before he could get even more upset, Di Fazeng added, "If you find it unpleasant in Chenliu, come find me on the grasslands. The grasslands are vast and sparsely populated; there's plenty of room for one more you."

Zhang Biezhi: "…………"

It sounds like you're treating me like a horse!

And: "Why would I go to the grasslands?! Only exiles go to the grasslands!"

Upon hearing this, Di Fazeng chuckled softly. With his rugged appearance, his smile surprisingly had a touch of charm.

He told Zhang Biezhi, "My grasslands are different."

With that, he spurred his horse into a trot. Zhang Biezhi was momentarily stunned by his radiant demeanor, but then his face changed.

He gritted his teeth and felt resentful.

He also spurred his horse, imitating Song Shuo's usual mannerisms, and deliberately annoyed Di Fazeng, "Oh oh oh~ Different~ How impressive you are, right? I should seek refuge with you in the future, right? Ha! Who knows who will seek refuge with whom in the future! Let me tell you, I've read books, people like you end up in prison easily!"

"Don't beg me to save you later!"

"Speak up, did I hit the nail on the head?"

"Speak, speak, speak!"

Di Fazeng: "…………" So annoying!