Xiao Rong cursed Zhang Biezhi in his mind with a barrage of insults.

What was this? The will of the universe? Even without the major betrayals in history, Zhang Biezhi still managed to create a monumental disaster. The most infuriating thing was that he didn’t even realize he had caused trouble!

Di Fazeng as well, who was he, who—?

Well, to be precise, Xiao Rong didn’t know who he was either.

 

…

 

Xiao Rong didn’t think it was his fault because, whether from the perspective of this era or his own, Di Fazeng was definitely a foreigner. He could barely keep up with the history of his own country, let alone the lives of foreigners.

The only reason he could recall the name Di Fazeng was because the man was so famous. Being part of the Eurasian continent, Xiao Rong had naturally heard some information about him.

Just like with Alexander the Great or Catherine the Great—he had heard of them, knew their status, but when it came to details, he knew nothing.

 

…

 

However, Xiao Rong didn’t feel entirely clueless about Di Fazeng’s background. After all, Rouran wasn’t far from the Central Plains, and Di Fazeng’s rise had something to do with Qu Yunmie.

Qu Yunmie was obsessed with exterminating the Xianbei, and even when problems arose in the army, he still relentlessly pursued this goal. No matter the cost, the Xianbei nation vanished from the map, and with its destruction, both the Central Plains and the steppe were thrown into great turmoil.

To some, the fall of the Xianbei was a disaster, but to others, it was an opportunity that led them to the peak of feudal power. The victor in the Central Plains was He Tingzhi, and on the steppe, it was Di Fazeng.

However, Xiao Rong didn’t know the full details of his rise. All he knew was that after the Xianbei’s destruction, this wandering Rouran man returned to his country and gradually consolidated power.

The only thing Xiao Rong could confirm was that Di Fazeng was a representative figure among the late bloomers, rising to the position of Khan in his thirties. How old was he this year?

After asking names, Xiao Rong then began inquiring about their ages.

Amidst them, Di Fazeng answered that he was twenty-five.

Xiao Rong: “…”

He looked at Di Fazeng with a complicated expression.

If they were just one year apart, they would be the same age—both born into obscurity, both raised in times of chaos. One had gained fame early but died early, while the other had accumulated power quietly, living a life of glory.

He brushed aside these meaningless thoughts, pursed his lips, and made a decision.

He pointed at Di Fazeng. “From now on, you’ll stay with me.”

There was no other choice. This man was too powerful. He couldn’t afford to be careless with him, nor could he be too kind. He couldn’t let him go, but he also couldn’t leave him in Chenliu City. Di Fazeng was like a hot potato—he suspected he might not be able to handle him, yet he couldn’t bring himself to kill him.

Even though Di Fazeng didn’t have any deep enmity with the Central Plains in the official history, he had always been an emperor whose gaze was fixed on the steppes, with his expansion goals aimed at other steppe regions and the Siberian plains. He had never ventured south, and during his reign, there had been almost no friction between the steppe and the Central Plains.

Now that his life’s trajectory had changed, everything was uncertain.

…

 

Not every butterfly’s wings could bring about positive change. What if Di Fazeng didn’t feel comfortable in Chenliu? What if someone offended him, and Di Fazeng held a grudge, planning to take revenge years later? What if he found Chenliu and the Northern Army to be so great that he didn’t want to return to the plains and decided to take matters into his own hands.

Just thinking about these possibilities made Xiao Rong’s head spin. He cursed Zhang Biezhi again in his mind, then turned to look at Di Fazeng, who appeared somewhat bewildered.

“Now that we’re back in Chenliu, I no longer need so many bodyguards. I see you’re skilled, and you have a good, sharp look. In your Rouran people’s terms, you should be a warrior, right?”

Xiao Rong smiled and asked Di Fazeng, who blinked, then answered, “No, I’m a slave among the Rouran people.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

The smile on his face stiffened for a moment. He then said with firm determination, “It doesn’t matter. If I say you’re a warrior, then you are a warrior! Alright, no more talking. Stand behind me.”

He decided to keep an eye on him and figure out the best way to handle him later.

As for the others who were looking at him expectantly, Xiao Rong hadn’t forgotten them. He had come today to arrange their future placements.

According to Yu Shaocheng’s suggestion, the ten most skilled individuals were sent to the military camp. When the time came to attack the Xianbei, they would be part of the team. The rest were scattered into smaller groups, with some sent to the local government, others to work outside the city, and some sent to assist the Northern Army with small tasks. Two of the most handsome, exotic-looking men were directly assigned to be guards at the royal palace.

 

…

 

Xiao Rong intended to subtly integrate foreign people into the city’s daily life to avoid future complications. If the people noticed foreigners working official duties, the best way to do so was by assigning them to the city gates. However, he realized this might cause a few deaths in the city, so he decided to take a gradual approach.

The mercenaries were confused. This was the first time they had seen an employer assign them such tasks. Could it be that there were no locals in Chenliu to handle this work?

They didn’t want to do these tasks. As people grew older, they tended to become set in their ways. They had learned from years of experience that exposure to the Central Plains people and deeper interactions with them weren’t good.

Perhaps it was because of ingrained prejudice and fear, something Xiao Rong could understand, but he didn’t care.

 

…

After all, he had paid them well and even promised that if they did well, they could stay in Chenliu and the government would provide them with housing.

Xiao Rong had plenty of empty houses now.

People who had lived a life of hardship often fell into two extremes: some craved stability, while others despised it. Given that these mercenaries all had families and had established their own networks in the Central Plains, the latter possibility seemed unlikely.

Hmm? Di Fazeng had a family? Should he also catch his wife and children while he was at it?

Though he hadn’t fully thought this through, Xiao Rong’s subconscious revealed his true thoughts. He definitely wasn’t going to let Di Fazeng go and live freely anytime soon.

He didn’t ask this question, because when he had inquired about names and ages, the group had become a bit wary. After all, when had the people from the Central Plains ever cared about their names? When they chose mercenaries like them, it was based on their physical strength.

If he asked about their families, they would likely start thinking of escaping.

With everything said that needed to be said, it was now up to them and time. Before dismissing them, Xiao Rong suddenly remembered something.

“By the way, Baibao Street—the street I had constructed for trade—is about to open soon. Baibao Street not only deals in retail but also wholesale. You all come from various places and must know some merchant caravans, right? If any of you can bring a merchant caravan to visit Baibao Street, I’ll reward you with a silver ingot. If you bring ten, I’ll reward you ten. If you can get the merchants interested and they make actual transactions with the shops there, I’ll reward you based on the volume of trade. These rewards can be combined. Don’t worry, everything is based on merit. I’m financially strong now, and I will never default.”

The mercenaries: “…”

They knew about the gold they had seen after crossing the Han River, and they were excited.

Money was what they valued most!

In an instant, their spirits were lifted. What were merchants? They had plenty of brothers on the road, and even if they didn’t know any merchants themselves, their brothers did! They would find a way to bring them over!

One of them even asked Xiao Rong, “Can I go back to Jinling to call people?”

Xiao Rong smiled. “What do you think?”

The mercenary: “…”

Fine, I’ll write a letter.

…

Di Fazeng silently followed Xiao Rong back to the royal palace. When he saw a burly foreigner following Xiao Rong, the guard at the door almost raised his knife.

Look at that, foreigners weren’t well-received in the Northern Army, especially since Di Fazeng looked very much like a Xianbei person.

No, that wasn’t right. It shouldn’t be said that he looked like them because they were actually from the same ethnic group. It was just that historical issues had turned them into bitter enemies.

Di Fazeng had previously said he was a slave from Rouran, and Xiao Rong was somewhat surprised, but after a moment’s thought, it didn’t seem like such a big deal. What was the matter with being a slave? Qu Yunmie’s also a refugee. Times created heroes, chaotic eras led to disorder in status and hierarchy, and no one was more noble than the other.

At this point, Xiao Rong still dared not provoke Di Fazeng. He was afraid that one wrong word could change Di Fazeng’s attitude. He didn’t dare to ask about the whole slave matter, and even hesitated to let him get tired. As soon as they entered the royal palace, Xiao Rong told Di Fazeng to bathe and change clothes, then rest, under the pretense of conserving his energy, so he could continue to follow him the next day.

Yu Shaocheng: “…”

He couldn’t help but think that Xiao Rong hadn’t just hired a bodyguard, but had brought back a Master.

Xiao Rong noticed his suspicious and confused gaze and suddenly remembered that it was Yu Shaocheng who had arranged for the mercenaries to stay by the livestock barn.

You’re quite the troublemaker too!

He used to be a bit afraid of Yu Shaocheng, but now that Di Fazeng, who was even more terrifying, had appeared, Xiao Rong suddenly wasn’t afraid of Yu Shaocheng anymore. He even snorted at him before turning and leaving.

Yu Shaocheng looked at him innocently, not understanding what he had done wrong.

Even if he had made a mistake, it shouldn’t have been Xiao Rong’s job to reprimand him. This was clearly his older brother’s responsibility!

 

…

 

Xiao Rong didn’t return to his own place but instead headed directly to Qu Yunmie’s residence.

After the weather warmed, Qu Yunmie usually kept his door wide open. When Xiao Rong walked in, Qu Yunmie heard his footsteps but still didn’t look up.

It wasn’t until Xiao Rong moved a chair and sat beside him that Qu Yunmie, full of resentment, looked at him and said, “You actually remembered to come back?”

Xiao Rong: “…?”

Before Xiao Rong could speak, Qu Yunmie sarcastically said, “Did you have fun outside?”

 

…

 

Xiao Rong was completely speechless. “Your Majesty, I only went out for two hours.

Qu Yunmie said, “Do you know how much state business I dealt with in those two hours?”

Xiao Rong raised his eyelids. “Then does Your Majesty know how much business I dealt with in two hours since I came to Chenliu?”

Qu Yunmie: “…”

He regretted bringing that up. Now, even if he was right, he no longer had a reason.

Xiao Rong: You didn’t manage things well from the start.

The argument was pointless, it would only hurt both sides. Qu Yunmie silently stopped talking. He held a brush, his knuckles clearly defined, gripping the pen like a small weapon. He frowned deeply, writing with great frustration. Sometimes Xiao Rong wondered how he didn’t snap the pen by accident.

Both were silent. After writing only two lines, Qu Yunmie suddenly felt something was wrong.

Xiao Rong was usually quiet at times, but this silence felt different from usual.

Qu Yunmie placed the brush on the inkstone and curiously turned his head. “Do you want to say something to me?”

Xiao Rong blinked. “No.”

Qu Yunmie stared at him, puzzled. “Really?”

Xiao Rong replied, “Fake.”

Qu Yunmie: “…”

He leaned back slightly, raising his eyebrows. “In that case, speak. I know it’s not related to me, because in the past two days, I haven’t done anything.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Look at you, so full of yourself.

He pursed his lips and asked, “Has Your Majesty ever worried that someone might try to replace you?”

Qu Yunmie thought this was a strange question. Who in the world could replace him?

However, since Xiao Rong had asked, he seriously thought about it. After some thought, he suddenly looked at Xiao Rong. “Do you want to replace me?”

Xiao Rong said, “No.”

At this point, he was already exhausted. If he had to replace Qu Yunmie, he would have to take over leading troops into battle. Even a workhorse couldn’t handle that much.

Qu Yunmie shrugged. “Then I wouldn’t worry about it.”

Xiao Rong was taken aback, feeling both warmed and speechless.

You think I’m the only one who could threaten your position? Fool, there are many people who can!

Di Fazeng was just one possibility. Others had actually tried and succeeded.

The root cause of that event was Qu Yunmie’s obsession with revenge, reckless military actions, and his disregard for the advice of his subordinates. This led to the split within the Northern Army.

Now, they were fighting a prepared battle. The letter for Huang Yanjiu’s troops had already been sent, and responses from various factions had been coming in. Even if some only sent two thousand men, together they would total several tens of thousands.

Regardless of their actual combat ability, at least they would ease the pressure on the Northern Army. Because of this, Qu Yunmie was planning to leave only 100,000 men to guard the Han River and Chenliu, rather than deploying every force.

No one would rebel if things were going well, so Xiao Rong thought the Northern Army’s split would not happen again. For now, Di Fazeng’s issue was more pressing.

Seeing Qu Yunmie’s indifferent expression, Xiao Rong remained silent for a moment, then carefully said, “Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty. I also know that no one can compare to you in this world, but today I met someone. Although he couldn’t match your status, and could never compare to your military might, in terms of skill and bravery…”

Qu Yunmie listened to Xiao Rong’s words, his relaxed posture slowly becoming more upright. He stared at Xiao Rong, waiting for him to finish.

Xiao Rong noticed his change and paused. Qu Yunmie looked at him, suddenly offering a kind smile. “Continue. In terms of skill and bravery… what else were you going to say?”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He had intended to remind Qu Yunmie that there were always others stronger out there, but he had forgotten that humility wasn’t something Qu Yunmie understood.

Xiao Rong didn’t answer. Meanwhile, Qu Yunmie’s temper began to rise.

“Who is he?”

Xiao Rong hesitated. “Well, Your Majesty—”

Qu Yunmie demanded, “Speak, who is he?”

Xiao Rong stared up blankly because Qu Yunmie had already stood up.

Dealing with two hours of state business hadn’t made him this angry. The last time he felt this much frustration was when he was fourteen and hadn’t grown yet.

No, even at fourteen, he had never felt this angry. Back then, he knew he was still too immature, but now? He had stood tall for years, in his prime and at his peak, the undisputed number one warrior in the world! Yet now, some wild man could make Xiao Rong think he was his match!

Qu Yunmie was about to transform. “Will you say it, or should I go drag him out myself?!”

Xiao Rong: “…”

This wording was so strange. It sounded like Qu Yunmie thought he had hidden Di Fazeng.

Xiao Rong stood up helplessly. “Your Majesty, weren’t we just chatting? Why take it so seriously? Besides, this is just my personal opinion. Others probably don’t think so.”

Qu Yunmie replied, “Even if you’re the only one who thinks that, it’s still not acceptable!”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He looked at Qu Yunmie. “Then, Your Majesty, what do you want to do?”

Qu Yunmie had already started walking out but suddenly turned back upon hearing Xiao Rong’s words. He looked down at Xiao Rong’s face, and slowly revealed a cold smile. “Naturally, I’ll show you. In terms of skill and bravery, I’ll show you who is stronger.”

With that, Qu Yunmie walked out with powerful, determined strides.

Xiao Rong: “…”

Rationally, he should stop Qu Yunmie. Even if Di Fazeng stayed in the livestock barn for a year, it would be easier to offend him by beating him up than causing him to be upset.

Even so, Xiao Rong didn’t move.

First, he needed to see what level Di Fazeng was at compared to Qu Yunmie. After all, Qu Yunmie had already died when Di Fazeng rose to power, so there was no way to compare them. Secondly, this wasn’t just a simple fight; the Rouran people valued martial strength, and the weaker side always had to listen to the stronger one. Otherwise, the Rouran wouldn’t have been suppressed by the Xianbei for so many years. If Qu Yunmie won, the Central Plains could replace the Xianbei in the future.

If Qu Yunmie lost… that was even simpler. He could lock Di Fazeng up and keep him there until the dust settled, and Di Fazeng would never cause trouble again.

 

…

 

No matter what happened, Xiao Rong would get a result, but if Qu Yunmie really lost, it would be quite embarrassing.

Especially at this moment, when Xiao Rong’s and Qu Yunmie’s fates were intertwined. If Qu Yunmie lost, it would almost be like Xiao Rong lost as well.

 

…

After Qu Yunmie left, he only needed to ask Yu Shaocheng to know who this wild man was. He had Yu Shaocheng bring him out. At that moment, Di Fazeng had just finished bathing and was sitting on a fine carved wooden bed, lost in thought, his hair still dripping wet as he walked out with Yu Shaocheng.

The last time they shared a space was in the pitch-black night outside Huaiyin City. Back then, Qu Yunmie couldn’t see anyone, and Di Fazeng could only glance at the Northern King’s heroic figure before continuing to kill enemies.

This was their official meeting. They were rulers of different spaces at the same time, shining like meteors, burning brightly in their respective histories.

This scene made Xiao Rong, who had followed them out, feel a rush of blood. Unfortunately, no one understood his feelings. Everyone who saw the commotion had one thought:

—The King is getting more and more outrageous, why is he getting so serious with a foreign bodyguard?

 

…

Only Qu Yunmie took Di Fazeng seriously. He was unwilling to admit it, but his advisor did have some insight.

Di Fazeng was about the same height as Qu Yunmie, but his build was even sturdier. Though not very tall, a muscular man was a fighter; it was clear Di Fazeng wasn’t just for show.

Qu Yunmie’s anger had subsided a little, but his desire to defeat Di Fazeng was growing stronger.

He looked Di Fazeng up and down, then slightly curled his lips, speaking indifferently, “Rouran man, are you brave enough to challenge me?”

Di Fazeng looked at him and nodded firmly.

The Northern King was the greatest warrior in the Central Plains. Opportunities to spar with such a strong man only came once in a lifetime. He certainly wouldn’t miss it.

Qu Yunmie was serious. He didn’t casually pick a place. He and Di Fazeng went to the training field, while Xiao Rong murmured, “A once-in-a-lifetime scene…”

Yu Shaocheng didn’t catch what he said. Just as he was about to ask, Xiao Rong suddenly dashed out. “What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and follow me!”

Yu Shaocheng: “…”

He thought to himself: Master Xiao, you change moods so quickly. Can’t you remember the King is injured???

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

Support translation: