The destiny of all heavens begins in the Red Chamber

Jia Huan was truly at a loss for words; this kind of perverse taste these days was really annoying.

However, he didn't care much; what he and Feng Ziying wanted to talk about wasn't a secret.

"Brother Huan, why don't we find a private room? It's not appropriate to talk in public like this!"

On the contrary, Feng Ziying felt somewhat uncomfortable, as he had not yet spoken to anyone in the lobby.

The main problem is that there are people all around, so I always feel like I'm being watched.

"It's alright, it'll only take the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, no need to make such a fuss!"

Jia Huan chuckled and asked, "Brother Wei, have you already gone to the southwest to join the army?"

"That's right!"

Feng Ziying's face showed envy, and he chuckled, "General Wei wrote to urge Brother Wei to set off as soon as possible, so Brother Wei can only temporarily leave his newlywed wife to serve in the Southwest Army!"

"I heard from Brother Wei that once he goes to the Southwest Army, he will be appointed as a centurion!"

"Once you accumulate enough merit, you will be quickly promoted to garrison commander, and your future in the army will be bright!"

"I heard that Brother Wei invited you to come along. Why weren't you tempted?"

Jia Huan asked curiously, "Could it be that you think General Wei won't make proper arrangements?"

"how is this possible?"

Feng Ziying said arrogantly, "If I were willing to go to the Southwest Army, I would at least be guaranteed a position as a fake commander. After all, I am a legitimate military officer, and I almost passed the imperial examination!"

At this point, he changed the subject, saying, "However, Brother Wei and I have a very close relationship, and I don't want to suddenly go from being friends to being his subordinate, that would be quite awkward!"

Jia Huan nodded, understanding Feng Ziying's subtle psychology.

At this moment, Feng Ziying's mindset was one of 'hoping his brother would live well, but not wanting him to drive a Land Rover,' which is not hard to understand.

Furthermore, they were both from noble families in the capital, came from similar backgrounds, and were good friends.

In terms of ability, Feng Ziying was slightly better than Wei Ruolan, so how could he allow his brother to become his superior?

If something like that really happened, he would definitely be devastated!

However, the envy on Feng Ziying's face was not fake!

For no other reason than that the Prince of Nan'an led an army of 100,000 and the initial battles went very smoothly.

Just as Jia Huan had said, they easily occupied territory comparable to several prefectures in the Central Plains!

When the news reached the capital, it was naturally extremely exciting and attracted a lot of attention!

It is estimated that Feng Ziying believed that Wei Ruolan would have a steady stream of military achievements after going to serve in the Southwest Army, and would probably be promoted one after another in a short period of time.

Who knows, by the time Wei Ruolan returns to the capital next time, she will already be a high-ranking general of the Southwest Army, at least a third-rank officer. How could Feng Ziying not be envious?

Even if his father, General Feng Tang, is a trusted confidant of the emperor, it would be impossible for him, as the eldest son, to rise rapidly in the military in a short period of time.

Unless, of course, he's willing to risk his life on the northwestern frontier!

Clearly, Feng Ziying does not currently have the courage and determination to go to the northwest border to serve.

After all, they had been friends for several years, and Jia Huan had a very accurate grasp of Feng Ziying's situation and mindset at this moment, so he naturally didn't say much.

But Jia Huan knew in his heart that the glorious days of the Prince of Nan'an were coming to an end.

He was no stranger to the Kingdom of Qianxiang; wasn't it the Kingdom of Gayaozi in later generations?

Given the strength of the Southwest Army, and assuming there is no issue with adapting to the local environment, defeating the Qianxiang Kingdom's army would not be difficult. The key is overcoming the harsh conditions there.

Right now, it's estimated that the rainy season has already begun there, which is quite unfavorable for the invading southwestern army.

If the Prince of Nan'an were to stop while he was ahead and consolidate the conquered lands before launching another campaign after the rainy season, it might actually shake the foundations of Qianxiang Kingdom and even destroy this small country.

However, news from the southwestern front indicated that the Prince of Nan'an had no intention of stopping in time. Instead, he continued to lead his army deep into the heart of Qianxiang Kingdom and arrogantly declared that he would fight all the way to the enemy's capital.

Well, needless to say, this guy will ultimately suffer a defeat!

The final variable is whether the Prince of Nan'an's ultimate loss will be as great as depicted in the original novel of Dream of the Red Chamber.

It's important to understand that the rainy season in tropical rainforests is extremely intense. Even modern armies in later generations are reluctant to deploy during that time, let alone armies using cold weapons at that time.

These discouraging words were completely inappropriate at this time, and Jia Huan would naturally not say them lightly.

He and Feng Ziying chatted for a while before parting ways. After Feng Ziying's figure disappeared from sight, Dai Quan, the Grand Chancellor of the Daming Palace, quietly came to Jia Huan's side and invited him to speak with the Emperor.

Clearly, their brief conversation piqued Jin Xian's interest.

"Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

Jia Huan showed no signs of nervousness, walked up to Jin Dian, bowed slightly, and began to speak.

What are your views on the war in the Southwest?

As he stood up and walked out of the restaurant, he asked curiously.

The imperial guards around him instinctively dispersed, but their gazes toward Jia Huan held a hint of envy and jealousy, though they could only express it through their eyes.

Although they were all imperial bodyguards, they probably didn't have many opportunities to speak with the current emperor.

It can only be said that Jia Huan's status as a martial arts champion is a huge advantage in today's world.

I was very lucky again just now, and I ran into a conversation with an acquaintance about a topic that just happened to be of interest to me right now.

"It all depends on whether the Prince of Nan'an is greedy or not!"

Jia Huan calmly replied, "If one is not greedy, occupying territory equivalent to one or two provinces in the Central Plains is not a problem. But if one is too greedy, then it's hard to say!"

"Oh, what do you say?"

The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly and asked curiously, "Isn't the Prince of Nan'an currently enjoying unstoppable momentum?"

"After all, it's fighting in an outer region, which presents many inconveniences!"

Jia Huan shook his head and said, "The supply of provisions alone is a big problem. If the battle lines are stretched too thin, unforeseen circumstances may occur. It's best to be cautious!"

"I doubt the Prince of Nan'an will listen to what you're saying!"

He smiled and said, "He's at the height of his career right now!"

There was a hint of envy and jealousy in his tone, along with a touch of sourness.

"Therefore, unless Your Majesty inquires, I will not easily reveal my true thoughts to others!"

Jia Huan said frankly, "There's no need to spoil the fun!"

"You're quite amusing!"

He smiled noncommittally and never mentioned the war in the southwest or the topic of the Prince of Nan'an again, but he always kept Jia Huan by his side.

Whenever something interesting came up, he would casually ask Jia Huan for his opinion, much to the envy of the palace guards scattered around him.

Jia Huan naturally didn't feel flattered and spoke his mind. Of course, if it involved the royal family, he would speak more tactfully, as there was no need to be so stubborn and offend others.

In Jia Huan's view, although the West City was a bustling commercial hub with all sorts of goods, including Western items, it was full of rare and exquisite items.

But that's about it!

In the agricultural era, productivity was low, and these things were merely luxuries that only the wealthy could afford.

Although the craftsmanship of the top artisans at this time was exquisite, even ingenious, it was something that only a few could enjoy, and in his view, it had little meaning.

Having witnessed the explosive growth of productivity during the industrial age, he had no particular opinion on the so-called bustling street scene of today.

This manifests in his tone as a subtle, almost imperceptible calmness!

But ironically, people today can hear it.

I didn't think Jia Huan was an extraordinary talent, I just felt that this kid was a bit different from ordinary people.

Considering his status before becoming the martial arts champion, it's somewhat understandable now.

It is now believed that Jia Huan had a deep understanding of the everyday life of ordinary people, which is why he had such a calm attitude.

In short, my mood has improved considerably after this incognito visit.

At the same time, I think Jia Huan is a good person to talk to!

Unlike Dai Quan and the other imperial guards, who were either overly cautious or lacked sufficient knowledge and experience, giving off a somewhat timid and unlikable impression.

It is quite rare to see someone like Jia Huan, whose attitude is neither humble nor arrogant, and whose tone and demeanor are quite natural.

The current emperor is also human. When he was pleased, he naturally brought Jia Huan to his side and talked about lighthearted topics from time to time, which helped relieve his stress.

Ahem, the current attitude is the weathervane of the palace!

Jia Huan has gained the emperor's favor and is showing signs of becoming a favorite of the guards.

When he wasn't on duty, his colleagues were eager to become sworn brothers with him and share the benefits.

He found it amusing and wasn't overwhelmed by the sudden 'surprise'.

Jia Huan is very clear about his own position; for now, he is nothing more than a "conversational companion" by his side.

It's not like they can't be replaced; there are quite a few shrewd people among the imperial guards!

Besides, Jia Huan had no intention of becoming a treacherous minister. He had no shortage of background and experience, so why would he deliberately put himself in the center of a vortex to be targeted?

Of course, being able to communicate with the present from time to time is a good thing for Jia Huan.

After all, being a palace guard is really quite boring!