Chapter 556
Chapter 556
“Although we have achieved a brilliant victory today, we must not become intoxicated by it. A great war will soon be upon us. The King of Chu has lost all face this time, and his heart must be filled with endless resentment and fury. Once Ning Zheng establishes his power in the south, the King of Chu will surely launch a frenzied war. It will not be a mere skirmish like last time, but a war that could topple nations.”
“Yes!”
Ning Yuanxian stepped forward, patted Zhong Yao on the shoulder, and said.
“Brother Zhong Yao, I know we have not always seen eye to eye. However, I have also taken to heart that in recent years, you have consistently upheld your duty as a subject. I am aware that Ning Yi and Ning Qi have been causing quite a stir lately. I will return and bring them to heel. I have not fallen yet; this is no time for the house to be divided.”
Zhong Yao said nothing, only bowing his waist even lower.
“The war that is about to break out could involve three nations, or even four. The total forces deployed could be four hundred thousand, five hundred thousand, perhaps even more. This battle will not only decide the fate of our Ning Clan but also the fate of the Zhong Clan. If we lose the battle in the western region, our State of Yue will not only face the crisis of being partitioned, but the Zhong Clan will also vanish like smoke. Therefore, I entrust that battlefield to you, Brother Zhong Yao.”
Zhong Yao knelt on one knee and said.
“This subject will fight with all his might until death!”
Ning Yuanxian patted Zhong Yao's shoulder again.
“Your Majesty, please rest. This subject will take his leave!”
As Zhong Yao was about to leave the barracks, King Ning Yuanxian suddenly asked him.
“Brother Zhong Yao, what do you think of Ning Zheng?”
Hearing this, Zhong Yao flinched. Though he did not turn back, an expression of disbelief crossed his face. The king's words were too profound. The implication behind them was enough to make one tremble. But Zhong Yao could not answer at once.
“Never mind. Consider it unsaid.”
Ning Yuanxian gestured for him to leave, and Zhong Yao promptly departed.
* * *
The next day, Ning Yuanxian ordered his royal carriage to return to the capital. The grand army of Yue departed the Chu-Yue borderlands with great pomp and returned to the capital.
“Summon that wretched fellow!”
At Ning Yuanxian's command, Shen Lang entered the king's massive carriage a moment later. Ning Yuanxian said with a smile.
“Young Master Shen, your miraculous talents never cease to amaze me. Truly remarkable!”
Shen Lang said nothing.
*Your Majesty, can't we just talk normally? Your tone makes it sound like you're trying to lure me into a trap.*
“Hahahaha! Of all the victories in the past twenty years, yesterday's was the most satisfying and exhilarating. I can't even imagine how the world will tremble when this news spreads.”
Ning Yuanxian wasn't finished. At this moment, he was eagerly anticipating his return to the capital, the moment he would display his might to the four corners and shock the world. Especially the civil and military officials of the court, who for the past few months had only feigned obedience while harboring other thoughts. They all believed the king had suffered a stroke, so they rushed to align themselves with those of high status, seeking refuge with either the Crown Prince or the Third Prince.
The Crown Prince and the Third Prince, thinking their father's illness meant he could no longer act as an arbiter, disregarded his authority, engaged in increasingly fierce factional strife, and even crossed lines that should have been respected, thereby harming the interests of the State of Yue. Now, with this great victory in the decisive battle on the border, Ning Yuanxian would once again command the world's awe, and his fame would reach its zenith. He greatly looked forward to seeing how shocked and terrified they would be.
“You rascal, it was a good thing you were here this time. You have once again (又), again (又), and again (又) rendered an unparalleled service.”
Shen Lang said to him.
“Your Majesty, allow me to teach you a few characters.”
Ning Yuanxian was taken aback.
*Are you saying I'm uncultured?*
Shen Lang picked up a brush and wrote on a piece of paper.
<又, 双, 叒, 叕.>
The king stared at it, dumbfounded, then burst into loud laughter.
“Yes, yes. I accept these characters you've written. I've learned something new. Amusing, very amusing! Young Master Shen, you have performed a great service this time. Tell me, what reward do you desire?”
Shen Lang asked in surprise.
“Your Majesty, haven't we already discussed this?”
Previously, Shen Lang and the king had discussed what he would receive if they won the decisive battle. If they lost, Shen Lang and Ning Zheng would have no hope left and would flee far away. If they won, the king would formally grant Ning Zheng the opportunity to contend for the throne, expand his army to five thousand men, and enfeoff him as the Admiral of Tianyue.
“Those were things already agreed upon. I wish to give you a separate reward. Speak. Anything that belongs to me, I will give it to you.”
Shen Lang thought for a moment, then said.
“In that case, this subject will not be modest. Please enfeoff me as a duke!”
For a moment, the king was speechless.
*Enfeoff you as a duke? Young Master Shen, you overestimate me.*
In the Great Yan Empire, it was a firm rule not to enfeoff anyone outside the imperial family as a king. Similarly, in the various kingdoms under the Great Yan Empire, it was an established rule not to enfeoff anyone outside the royal family as a duke.
*Young Master Shen, don't forget. Decades ago, the various nations of the East were all duchies.*
After Jiang Li, the Lord of Jeju, rose up, the Emperor arbitrarily enfeoffed him as a king to keep him in check, which led to the emergence of several kingdoms. The State of Yue, after careful consideration, had enfeoffed only one person of a different surname as a duke: Bian Wu. Even Zhong Yao was only a marquis. Bian Wu, too, had been a marquis in the State of Wu, but he was able to ascend to the rank of duke because he had rendered a great service by saving the State of Yue. His defection to Yue ultimately changed the fates of both the State of Yue and the State of Wu.
Thanks to Bian Wu, not only did the State of Yue win a perilous war that could have toppled the nation, but Ning Yuanxian also defeated Ning Yuanwu to ascend the throne and added nine commanderies and millions of people to the state. Under normal circumstances, a second duke of a different surname would not appear in Yue. If such a duke were to appear, it would signify that the state was on the brink of collapse. Of course, the king knew in his heart that Shen Lang, this scoundrel, had blurted out the word 'duke' on a whim.
“Are you asking for the title of duke for Ning Zheng?”
“Of course. His Highness the Fourth Prince, Ning Jing, is a duke, while His Highness the Fifth Prince is only a marquis. It doesn't look right.”
Ning Yuanxian sighed inwardly.
*Ning Zheng is truly fortunate to have a friend like you.*
“Your Majesty, if His Highness Ning Zheng is to participate in the struggle for the throne, shouldn't his title at least be equal to that of the other two princes?”
“You are too hasty. It has only been a few months since Ning Zheng was promoted to marquis. If his title were to suddenly be elevated to duke, it would easily disrupt the balance. Change your request. As long as it is within my power, I will surely grant it. And it must be something that benefits you, not someone else.”
*Your Majesty, isn't that a bit too direct? 'Within my power'? Since when have you become so modest? Didn't you used to act as if there was nothing you couldn't do? Weren't you on the verge of declaring, "In heaven and on earth, I alone am the honored one"? And it has to be something that benefits me?*
Shen Lang wracked his brain.
*What do I want?*
After thinking for a long time, Shen Lang finally gave up. He truly couldn't think of anything he wanted.
*It's a sin to be too amazing. To want for nothing. I, Lord Shen Lang, can have money, power, or influence whenever I wish. I live a life of wealth and splendor, surrounded by beautiful women. Hmm. I might as well say I want world peace.*
Eventually, the king was also at a loss for words. Shen Lang's contributions were so numerous that the king truly wanted to bestow something upon him. But Shen Lang couldn't think of anything he wanted, and the king couldn't think of anything to give him either.
“Then how about I arrange a marriage for Jin Mucong? Name any young lady you approve of, and no matter who she is, I will have her marry Jin Mucong.”
Shen Lang was startled, but on second thought, the offer seemed quite good. The fatty would soon be twenty, yet he still hadn't found a proper marriage partner. Jin Mucong was still occasionally found under his covers with an illustrated version of *Boundless Wind and Moon*, a truly pathetic sight.
*As his brother-in-law, I have a duty to introduce my younger brother-in-law to a marriage partner. Otherwise, how could I face my father-in-law and mother-in-law?*
According to rumors, Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu had a granddaughter named Zhu Ning who was said to be the greatest female talent, gentle, beautiful, introverted, and of fine character. She was nineteen this year and still unmarried, though the threshold of the Zhu Clan's home was nearly worn away by her suitors. At last, Shen Lang spoke.
“What does Your Majesty think of Zhu Ning?”
The king gasped in astonishment.
*Th-that Zhu Ning is the true number one female talent in the capital.*
She was the apple of Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu's eye, a granddaughter he cherished like a treasure. She was also responsible for managing his study. Her reputation as the capital's number one female talent was not self-proclaimed, nor was it manufactured through public manipulation. She was exceedingly modest, rarely stepping outside her home, living in seclusion. She never participated in any sort of chaotic gatherings and never published her writings or poems. Despite behaving this way, how did she come to gain the reputation as the capital's number one female talent?
First, she ghostwrote many of the letters and documents Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu sent out. Was that not impressive enough? Second, being nineteen and the descendant of an absolutely prestigious family, the threshold of the Zhu Clan's home was nearly worn through by those who wished to marry her. So many had proposed to her that she had rejected dozens of Presented Scholars, including a Principal Graduate.
Zhu Hongzhu had said that her marriage would be decided by her own will, and that the family would never pressure her to marry a man she did not like. Over the years, young talents, after passing the imperial examinations, would excitedly go to the Zhu Clan to propose to her, only to be utterly defeated by her in less than an hour.
Huh? Why does that sound so strange? If they did *that* for an hour, that itself would be quite impressive. Let's be more precise. All who went to propose competed with Zhu Ning in talent, and all were defeated by her in less than an hour. This meant she had bested dozens of Presented Scholars. Of course, defeating Presented Scholars didn't necessarily mean she would pass the imperial examinations as the Principal Graduate if she were to take them. However, she had read countless books, her knowledge was vast, and both the breadth and depth of her intellect were astonishing. Because she had vanquished dozens of Presented Scholars, her fame soared, and she was thus dubbed the capital's number one female talent.