My lord, spare his life!

"Strategist, who should we attack next?"

Guan Zong shook the blood off his sword, but seeing that there was still something stuck to it, he grabbed a corner of his clothes and wiped it haphazardly a couple of times. The more he wiped, the dirtier it became, so he finally gave up and shoved the sword back into its sheath. If the sword rusted, he could always slowly sharpen it with a whetstone later.

Xiao Sui waved her sword fan and walked away with a look of disgust.

Soldiers were cleaning up the battlefield and removing corpses not far away.

The soil, soaked with blood, became muddy and soft, leaving clear shoe prints with every step.

Xiao Sui said, "We await the lord's orders."

Guan Zong didn't believe her.

Ever since Xiao Sui predicted Zhang Yang's move, Guan Zong knew that professional tasks should be left to professionals, such as using one's brain. Since Xiao Sui's reactions were both quick and accurate, why should he make things difficult for himself? Xiao Sui's silence was most likely because the time was not yet ripe.

All day long, they waited and waited, but Zhang Daji never showed up.

Guan Zong worriedly asked, "Could something have happened to them on the way?"

Given Zhang Yang's habit of feeding the star beasts, Zhang Daji always carries ample rations when he goes out, so it's impossible for him to run out of energy. At full speed, even if there are some delays along the way, a round trip won't take more than two or three hours.

Why haven't they come back yet?

Xiao Sui also showed a surprised expression.

What is Zhang Daji, whom Guan Zong is worried about, doing?

Guan Zong only learned the answer in the middle of the night. The messenger wasn't Zhang Daji, but a messenger with a familiar flag tucked into his waistband. The messenger delivered a letter from Zhang Yang.

Guan Zong couldn't help but crane his neck to peek.

"What does it say on it?"

Xiao Sui said, "Ji Jun received a temporary mission to deliver a message. Wang Ba's troops have arrived in Dou County. Ji Jun went to secretly contact him. The lord was worried that we would not be able to wait, so he sent cavalry to deliver the message first."

Guan Zong calculated the time and said in surprise, "Wang Hongtu is not young, but he's fast. How long has it been?"

He once again searched his mind for the image of Wang Ba.

Some parts were blurry, even less memorable than the female general who covered Wang Ba's retreat back then. It's normal that Guan Zong couldn't remember clearly. There were only so many styles of armor, and each region had its own style. Plus, the generals were all large, so unless they were exceptionally beautiful or strikingly ugly, everyone else wearing a full set of armor looked like they were made from the same mold from a distance.

If you have face blindness, you'll be even more confused.

Xiao Sui was not surprised: "After all, he is the one who can keep Dongxian in check. If he didn't have some tricks up his sleeve, he would probably be dead by now."

Wang Ba's ability to act is truly terrifying. The Right Yuan Mountains are much shorter than the East Fan Mountains, yet he moves through them unimpeded without attracting the attention of other forces, which is itself a remarkable feat.

"If they can be subdued, they will be more useful than princes and nobles."

Guan Zong looked at her speechlessly, his expression indescribable: "Wang Gongsun is one thing, I just thought he was lusting after the lord and only wanted to use his looks to climb the ranks, and wasn't very bright. But if Wang Hongtu comes too... is he planning to use me and then discard me, killing me?"

Xiao Sui: "..."

Guan Zongdao said, "I have a grudge against Wang Hongtu."

Xiao Sui sneered: "What does it matter if we have a grudge? Don't you see how many people who killed their fathers, mothers, wives, children, or even their entire clans can still work together? Why worry about those things? If this matter really succeeds, Wang Hongtu may not be able to do anything to you. The lord still favors you."

This is the advantage of having seniority.

No matter how capable a newcomer is, the veterans have an emotional connection to them.

This is like how no one can stay young forever, but there will always be young people. If a ruler disregards the sentiments of the older generation because of the abilities of a newcomer, wouldn't the other veterans feel a sense of grievance?

Guan Zong sighed; he was not comforted at all.

It wasn't that he was afraid of Wang Ba, but rather that he disliked being surrounded by enemies.

----------

Wang Qi informed Zhang Yang of Wang Ba's arrival.

The unpleasantness of last night didn't carry over to the next day; at least Zhang Yang didn't see any unusual expression on Wang Qi's face. She only noticed that Wang Qi had changed his style of dress, wearing more layers. While not as desperately trying to cover himself up in the sweltering heat as "Easter Egg Bro," he was finally properly dressed, no longer so extravagant as to be shirtless and casually displaying his abs. Zhang Yang secretly observed him, and Wang Qi keenly caught where her gaze fell: "What are you looking at? Too bad you didn't get your fill of the view?"

Putting everything else aside, Wang Qi is very satisfied with his physique.

He doesn't mind being seen shirtless.

Because anyone who sees this should feel ashamed.

Zhang Yang honestly replied, "It's not really. Things that can be seen for free anytime are never as good as things that can't be seen at all."

Things are rare.

Wild Man's generosity is too cheap.

"...From now on, I'll sleep with one eye open and one eye closed." Wang Qi forcefully suppressed the urge to kill Zhang Yang. The main reason he was able to restrain himself wasn't because he had become more composed, but simply because he felt that only one belt was enough. One humiliating incident like yesterday was enough; he really didn't want to be humiliated a second time in broad daylight.

You'd better save your face.

"So you like someone like Guan Siyin?"

"It's not common, and what does it have to do with him?" Zhang Yang glanced at the favorability ratings on his friend list. Although Wang Qi's favorability rating wasn't as high as Guan Si's, it was still in the top five. It always deducted one or two points at a time, then added three or five points back up. No wonder Zhang Yang wasn't worried about infuriating Wang Qi. "How did Wang Hongtu contact you? Does he also keep star beasts?"

They asked that question, but their eyes betrayed something else entirely.

Wang Qi's lips twitched.

Zhang Yang was just a bandit who robbed any star beast he saw. What motive could he possibly have for asking this question? It was obvious. He replied irritably, "Nothing, I can't afford to support the old man."

Why?

Wang Qi: "..."

This question is unnecessary.

Why couldn't the old man afford to raise star beasts? That's a question for Wang Qi, who was raising two. To support them, Wang Ba had secretly subsidized them, even using up his personal savings. Wang Qi, however, still gave Wang Ba some face: "I don't know."

We still need Zhang Daji to contact Wang Ba.

Zhang Daji, who had just landed and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath, was assigned another long-range flight mission by Zhang Yang, with Wang Qi also slipping a letter into his bag. Zhang Daji stared at Zhang Yang, who didn't react, then cast a pleading look at his former master, Wang Qi—"I'm so tired."

It had been working non-stop lately, even taking naps in the sky. Unfortunately, Zhang Yang couldn't understand it, while Wang Qi understood but didn't want to translate. Zhang Daji wanted to ask its friend, Qianliyan, for help, but Wang Qi, who saw through its intentions, kicked it: "You little beast, stop being lazy!"

Zhang Daji hurriedly took to the air, muttering curses under his breath.

It circled once, then defecated in the direction of Wang Qi.

Wang Qi easily dodged it.

He laughed and cursed, "Don't come back if you dare, or I'll roast you."

Zhang Daji had anticipated this and flew away immediately.

As long as it doesn't hear it, it can be ignored.

Star Beasts are physically robust and can work non-stop without fear of sudden death. Zhang Daji took a short rest in the air, half of his brain working and the other half resting. When he groggily woke up, Wang Ba's aura was already very close. He didn't go directly to see Wang Ba, but instead went into the mountains to find the snakes he needed. This one was too thin, that one was too short... He tore apart any snakes that didn't meet his criteria and ate them like spicy snacks.

Finally, I found one that suited my taste.

Zhang Daji forcefully pecked open the snake's mouth, held it still with one paw, and turned to take out the bamboo tube hidden in its wing. He pecked off the ropes binding the bamboo slips, separated the finger-width bamboo strips, and then stuffed the letter into the snake's mouth like stuffing sausages, using his beak to push it in. This was delicate work, and Zhang Daji did it very carefully. He then repeated the process on the other snake, and it was done!

To conceal his true purpose, Zhang Daji also threw other snake carcasses near the target while delivering the letter. Some carcasses were intact, some were missing organs, and some were just bones, creating the illusion that a raptor was hunting and feeding. The two most important snakes were thrown some distance away from Wang Ba's camp. After doing all this, Zhang Daji took a quick breath and waited for Wang Ba's reply.

Wang Ba returned from the welcoming banquet, still smelling of alcohol.

"General, we have news."

Wang Ba's expression changed from blank to relaxed. His brows unfurrowed, and his trusted aide brought over two snakes that had been secretly treated. The snakes' bodies had been carefully cut open, and their internal organs were completely rotten. Beside them were several thinly shaved bamboo strips with a few lines of tiny writing on them.

The two letters were written by Zhang Yang and Wang Qi.

Wang Ba: "Has anyone noticed?"

The confidant replied, "There's no one here."

Only then did Wang Ba feel relieved enough to read the two letters.

After examining it, he skillfully shattered it into dust, destroying the evidence.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, his mood visibly improving, a fact his trusted confidants immediately recognized as good news. After all, they were longtime confidants, so asking a few questions was no problem. Wang Badao said, "The crisis at Imperial Throne City has been resolved, and Lord Boyuan has won a battle; this is truly encouraging news."

It's always more pleasant to see allies win than lose.

This proves that the ally is promising and that the advantage lies with oneself.

Wang Ba is taking a huge gamble this time; his three thousand elite troops only have four days' worth of rations left. Dou County claims they will take care of the remaining food supplies so Wang Ba won't have to worry, but take that with a grain of salt; if he takes it seriously, he won't even know how he died.

He couldn't help but recall the subtle, almost barely suppressed joy on the face of the Dou County Lord when Wang Ba told him that he only had four days' worth of provisions left—everyone present was a shrewd person, and who couldn't guess what the other was thinking? With only four days' worth of provisions left, in the eyes of the Dou County side, Wang Ba couldn't cause any trouble in Dou County's territory and had to rely on Dou County's whims, otherwise he would face the desperate situation of running out of ammunition and food.

Dou County was naturally overjoyed, but they couldn't show it. Instead, they repeatedly assured Wang Ba that Dou County would guarantee a stable food supply, even if it meant selling everything they owned! Their resolute demeanor was more determined than someone making a vow to their lover.

Wang Ba: "..."

He didn't believe a single word of the sentence.

I completely ignored what they said.

The confidant breathed a sigh of relief: "It's a good thing that the Imperial City hasn't fallen into enemy hands. If it had been taken by Dou County, Lord Boyuan would have been in a passive position. They, who were cooperating with Zhang Yang, might have lost everything."

At that point, in order to protect themselves, they will have no choice but to sell out their allies.

By rejecting the cooperation with Zhang Yang, they confirmed their collaboration with Dou County.

Fortunately, the worst-case scenario did not occur.

Wang Ba: "There's one more thing."

"Is this about my lord?" Wang Ba didn't know how to speak for a moment, his expression hesitant, which made his confidant extremely curious.

Wang Ba nodded: "...The child has finally grown up."

Generally, when parents start to feel nostalgic about their children growing up, it's either because their child is being filial, has accomplished something significant—whether it's career success, marriage prospects, or the impending arrival of a new family—they are naturally curious about which outcome it is.

"Does my lord have a lover outside?"

Wang Ba's other children were all married and had several children. However, people tend to extend their affections to everything connected to their loved ones, including parents. His confidants knew that Wang Ba would prefer to see Wang Qi settle down. However, Wang Qi had a terrible reputation in Dongxian, and the outside world didn't treat him like a decent person. Many women of marriageable age felt that marrying a monkey (a derogatory term for a man) would be better than being with Wang Qi.

Even monkeys are more like humans than the latter.

Wang Ba hesitated for a moment: "He didn't admit it, but no one knows a son better than his father. I suspect he might have some feelings for Bo Yuanjun."

None of Wang Ba's confidants doubted the veracity of his judgment.

He only cared about one question: "Will my husband marry into my family?"

What I really want to ask is—

Would anyone want a son-in-law who marries into his wife's family?

When a man marries into another's family, it should be a man himself who marries into the family, not a savage.

Wang Ba: "...Perhaps Lord Boyuan has a taste for this? My son isn't bad-looking either; he looks like his mother."

It's just that their minds don't resemble either spouse's.

The confidant said, "Men marry for their virtue and take concubines for their beauty, and women are the same. If the young master is truly interested, the lord should urge him to study harder. Regardless of whether it will work out, just coax him to study; what he learns will become his own."

Regardless of the depth of his power base, Zhang Yang's influence far surpasses that of Wang Ba. His trusted confidants wouldn't suspect their lord of marrying into another family, nor would they suspect Zhang Yang of marrying anyone. Even if the person harboring such thoughts was the very man he had watched grow up.

It's not even close to being done yet.

If Wang Qi really craves this carrot, we might as well make good use of it and keep him engrossed in his studies. Whether the matter succeeds or fails, it won't harm Wang Qi: "Does Lord Boyuan have a family?"

Wang Ba: "No."

That's good news.

"That's definitely good news."

Once their interests are deeply intertwined and they become indistinguishable, regardless of whether Wang Qi is a "handsome savage" or even an ugly non-human, as long as he retains the identity of "son of Wang Ba," he will still be qualified to occupy the position of the principal wife...

When it comes to arranged marriages, who isn't after their own interests?

Wang Ba sighed and said to his confidant, "I wonder what kind of dragon-like and phoenix-like appearance that Lord Boyuan is. I really want to see him."

His feelings were a little complicated.

At first, Wang Ba thought Zhang Yang was just a simple ally, and that the two sides were merely exchanging benefits. However, he didn't expect his son to have different intentions, adding a different flavor to their otherwise purely transactional alliance. But Wang Ba couldn't blame his son.

Wang Qi is just a child, what does he know?

Wang Ba sighed softly, "A child who lost his mother at such a young age, as his father, I should take good care of him and make it up to him, acting as both father and mother. It's rare for him to like someone rather than kill someone, so satisfying him just once isn't too much to ask."

The confidant echoed, "Yes, parents' hearts are always full of love and worry."

Wang Ba was increasingly moved.

but--

Is it possible that he misread the letter?

? ?(▼ヘ▼#)