All Things Are Contracts

The next day, Zhanyue changed into new attire, looking like one of General Yue’s common soldiers. Feng Xueqing stood beside him, adjusting his armor and clothes. To outsiders, they appeared no different from a married couple, unaware that the two were merely acting.

“You should set off for Wu North now. With your current strength, I feel at ease,” Zhanyue said. Prince Yu was at the border of Wu North and the Northern Frontier, having borrowed ten thousand soldiers from General Yue to quell the disaster. To solve the plague issue, many physicians were needed. General Yue Feipeng had recommended Feng Xueqing to Prince Yu, which was exactly what Feng Xueqing wanted, as her task was to contain the plague.

“Mm, I know. Be careful on your journey too. I have a feeling this war won’t be simple. Make sure to keep what I gave you with you at all times. But that package – don’t open it,” Feng Xueqing emphasized once again.

“I know,” Zhanyue said, a bit exasperated. How many times had she stressed this? What exactly was in that sealed cloth package?

Feng Xueqing boarded the carriage. This time, she had an escort. She lifted the carriage curtain to look at Zhanyue, feeling reluctant to leave. “Don’t you dare die,” Feng Xueqing said finally. Although death for them merely meant wasting one life, their tasks might no longer be synchronized, and it was impossible to predict what changes might occur.

After seeing Feng Xueqing off, Zhanyue returned to the general’s mansion.

“According to our forward scouts, the Blue Hill army seems to have completed their mobilization and is ready to move south at any time. Their preparations this time are quite thorough,” Yue Feipeng said, pointing to a map on the table.

“The Wu South plague will likely spread to Wu North soon, and then affect the Northern Frontier. They won’t miss this opportunity. They’re just waiting, waiting for the plague to break out on a large scale and affect our morale. That’s when they’ll launch a large-scale invasion,” Li Guolin said. Deputy General Li once again pointedly identified the reason for Blue Hill’s delay in attacking. The plague hadn’t truly affected the army yet, so they were willing to wait. But General Yue might not be able to wait.

“We can’t sit idly by. We can take the initiative to strike, to cripple and frighten them first. This way, we can buy enough time for Prince Yu to solve the plague problem. Otherwise, if we wait for the plague to spread among our troops, it will be impossible to counterattack,” Yue Feipeng said.

“Taking the initiative might also be within their expectations. It would be difficult to catch them off guard. This looks to be a tough battle,” Deputy General Zhang also offered his insight.

“Well said, but in previous engagements with our army, Blue Hill has always been defeated. Therefore, their soldiers largely fear us. This is our greatest advantage – they are apprehensive before the battle even begins, while our morale is high. If we make good use of this morale difference, our chances of victory in this battle are greater,” Deputy General Li explained.

Yue Feipeng said, “You’re all correct, but this time Blue Hill’s preparations far exceed previous occasions. This war might not end as quickly as we hope. The key to the war actually lies in whether our logistics can be guaranteed, and whether Prince Yu can successfully quell the disasters in Wu South and Wu North. If our rear is stable, they naturally won’t dare to engage in prolonged warfare. Prince Yu has already begun to gather money and supplies from the surrounding provinces to solve this disaster and help with some of our military expenses. Although the national treasury is empty, these local powers still have abundant wealth.”

“General Yue, who exactly is this Prince Yu?” Zhanyue asked curiously. He had heard this name mentioned multiple times in recent days, always with respect and admiration.

“Prince Yu is His Majesty’s brother, exceptionally capable and of excellent character. The fief he governs is peaceful, with thriving industries. It has always been the most prosperous region after the capital, and the wealthiest area in Great Fortune, consistently paying the highest taxes. Now, with court officials old and corrupt, and no suitable candidates among the frontier governors, His Majesty had no choice but to entrust this important task to Prince Yu,” Yue Feipeng explained, then handed Zhanyue a proclamation.

“This proclamation was written by Prince Yu. He has long been gathering relief supplies and funds from the surrounding major provinces,” Yue Feipeng explained.

Zhanyue took the proclamation, which contained a poem:

“Plague and famine afflict the people, grief silences even tears;

Winter comes with no warm quilts, humble rooms shelter the old;

Years pass swiftly, people struggle to survive.

Three share one fruit, five divide a cooked rat;

When wild grass withers, people turn to cannibalism.

I think of our Great Fortune, spanning thirteen provinces,

In good years all prosper, in disaster years each suffers alone?

The pig in your nest is fatter than the people here;

The rich soak in wine cups, able to nourish unborn babes;

The wealthy’s granaries full, could save roadside skeletons.

If Wu South can’t be saved, how can Wu North survive,

If brothers don’t help each other, this family will scatter.

With plague still rampant, enemy troops gather,

Iron hooves march south, how to preserve the realm;

I wish you’d climb high towers, open your eyes to see a thousand miles.

Cellars hide fine wine, to be left for enemy looters?

Better to share food, to strengthen our people,

Strong people make strong armies, strong armies secure the nation.

When good years return, granaries will fill again,

Brew joyous wine then, to enjoy peaceful days.

Alas, I know not who can see bleached bones in the wild without sorrow!

Consider our Great Fortune’s thousand-year legacy until now,

Built on the people’s deep trust, how can today’s benevolence not match the ancients?

What should the powerful do? Need I say more?”

The last line was almost a naked threat. Zhanyue thought Prince Yu’s reputation must be extraordinary.

“I can trust Prince Yu with the rear. We should focus our attention on the front lines. In three days, we officially move to the front. We can’t let Blue Hill occupy advantageous positions,” Yue Feipeng said.

“Yes, sir!” Everyone accepted the orders and left to prepare. Only Yue Feipeng and Zhanyue remained.

General Yue poured Zhanyue a cup of wine and said, “Your and Divine Doctor Feng’s identities must be extraordinary, like young masters and misses from some reclusive family suddenly emerging into the world. But I still trust you very much. Do you know why?”

“Hmm?” Zhanyue shook his head.

“Because your purpose is too pure, you’re overly enthusiastic, your motives too simple,” Yue Feipeng continued. “I can see that you stayed by my side to help me win this war, while Divine Doctor Feng went to Prince Yu to help solve the plague problem. What is this? Is it a trial task given by your family?”

Zhanyue felt his back break out in a cold sweat. Though the people of this world were all ordinary, it didn’t mean their observation, reasoning, and intelligence were mediocre. Yue Feipeng had been observing Zhanyue and Feng Xueqing for days, only feeling at ease after confirming they weren’t spies. He recalled stories of reclusive families he had read in ancient texts and made the connection. Feng Xueqing’s medical skills were exceptional, and this Zhanyue was even more remarkable, able to capture the world’s number one thief king, clearly extraordinary.

“You’re probably not even from Great Fortune, are you?” Yue Feipeng continued to ask.

“We don’t belong to any country,” Zhanyue answered truthfully.

Yue Feipeng nodded, indicating he had indeed thought so.

“Then, what’s your view on the current state of my Great Fortune?” Yue Feipeng probed.

Zhanyue spoke honestly, “Great Fortune has a thousand-year heritage and has seen several enlightened rulers, greatly strengthening its national power. It controls thirteen provinces, with agriculture, commerce, and military might all ranking at the forefront among nations, with only the northern Blue Hill Kingdom able to match it. But in the current reign, due to His Majesty’s neglect of state affairs, pursuit of immortality, and belief in various superstitions, the national treasury is depleted, corruption is rampant, and the people can barely survive. This Wu South affair is both a natural disaster and a man-made calamity. If Wu South’s officials had found the right measures to deal with it early on, it wouldn’t have developed to this extent.” Zhanyue’s observations came from the most sincere voices of the common people and some scholars.

“As an outsider to Great Fortune, you’re more objective. It’s said that if Prince Yu were the emperor today, everything would be different. What’s your view on this?” Yue Feipeng continued to ask.

Zhanyue’s pupils suddenly contracted slightly. This question was difficult to answer; if word got out, it could be a capital offense. He hadn’t expected Yue Feipeng to so bluntly seek his opinion on such a matter.

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