Becoming the Emperor’s Greatest Woe - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

 

As the sky darkened, the wind and snow intensified.

 

The group did not rush back to the palace through the snow but chose to stay temporarily.

 

In the largest tent of the Fulian army camp, hot tea had already been prepared in advance.

 

While waiting for dinner, the civil and military officials who had just witnessed the power of the “spiny fireball” could not help but express their amazement.

 

“… Did you see that? The horse’s leg was cut off by the spiny!”

 

“Of course I saw it! Besides that, I also saw spines piercing into the stone, and even pulling them out was impossible… If this landed on a person, wow.”

 

At this point, a chill ran down everyone’s backs.

 

The existence of weapons served as a kind of deterrent.

 

However, the proliferation of weapons was bound to bring disaster.

 

To achieve a quick resolution and avoid the seven years of hard fighting from history, firearms needed to be produced in bulk.

 

… And if they wanted to ensure the safety of the country, the production methods for firearms had to be kept strictly confidential.

 

While speaking, Ying Changchuan picked up a spiny fireball that had not yet been filled with gunpowder and examined it carefully in his hand.

 

With the successful test of firearms, the plan to establish a “military factory” had to be placed on the agenda.

 

Thinking of this, Fei Jinyuan, who was in charge of weapon manufacturing, could not help but bow and say, “Your Majesty, I believe the wide area in that mountain depression, located right within the Fulian army camp, is the best place to establish a weapon workshop.”

 

“As for personnel…” Fei Jinyuan paused and said, “We can have soldiers serve in this capacity.”

 

Hearing this, Xue Kejin beside him also bowed and said, “Your Majesty, please rest assured; I will find the most suitable candidates among the Fulian army!”

 

The Fulian army was originally Ying Changchuan’s personal guards and had always been loyal to the Great Zhou.

 

It was most reliable to select personnel for firearm manufacturing from here.

 

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuxun could not help but pursed her lips.

 

The ancients did not yet have a clear concept of a “production line.”

 

Most tools were made by the same craftsman from start to finish.

 

Although the Fulian army was reliable, Xue Kejin, as the deputy general, could not guarantee that everyone would make no mistakes.

 

In her view, to keep the firearm formula strictly confidential, every step of the process had to be broken down.

 

“Your Majesty…” With this thought, Jiang Yuxun could not help but call out to Ying Changchuan.

 

Ying Changchuan paused, slowly directing his gaze toward Jiang Yuxun: “What is it?”

 

Jiang Yuxun saluted him, stood up, and said very seriously:

 

“In my opinion, we can assign each step of firearm production to different organizations and individuals to complete. For example, one place can be responsible for mixing tung oil and asphalt, while another is in charge of preparing oiled paper and yellow wax. The Fulian army camp will only be responsible for the final assembly.”

 

Due to her identity as the “son of the General of the Southern Town,” the people present did not think Jiang Yuxun was intentionally finding fault with the Fulian army.

 

Instead, they nodded slightly, pondering her words.

 

Xue Kejin could not help but clap in agreement: “If each place only masters part of the raw material ratios, then even if someone tries to produce firearms secretly, they will find it difficult to create anything lethal!”

 

Jiang Yuxun quickly responded, “Yes, that is exactly what I mean.”

 

After saying this, she could not help but turn her gaze toward Ying Changchuan.

 

As the emperor, Ying Changchuan rarely expressed his stance directly in front of his ministers.

 

However, today he put down the spiny fireball in his hand, wiped his hands with a silk handkerchief, and unusually replied, “What you said is reasonable.”

 

After pausing for a moment, he looked at Fei Jinyuan beside him: “Let the matter of arranging the military workshop be handled by you, Lord Fei.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Fei Jinyuan quickly stepped forward to accept the order.

 

As soon as the words fell, a soldier entered the tent carrying today’s meals.

 

Jiang Yuxun’s ears instantly filled with lively chatter.

 

However, she could not help but observe Fei Jinyuan’s expression.

 

— Dressed in dark official robes, he was happily drinking and conversing with his colleagues, looking in very good spirits.

 

The suggestion had been made by herself, and she even bore the main responsibility for the manufacturing of firearms.

 

But Ying Changchuan had assigned the supporting work to her direct superior, Fei Jinyuan.

 

No matter how one looked at it, this seemed a bit out of line.

 

However, apart from herself, no one else in the military tent appeared to question this.

 

It was as if it were perfectly natural for her to command Fei Jinyuan.

 

Strange, had they forgotten her official position?

 

As the banquet progressed, everyone’s mood gradually became more animated.

 

Many in the tent had previously crossed swords with Zhe Rou and had personally witnessed the power of the “spiny fireball,” so they began reminiscing about past events.

 

As they chatted, Jiang Yuxun recalled Ying Changchuan’s earlier words…

 

Using a silver blade to carve flesh to remove armor?

 

Ying Changchuan truly thought of her as a child to be coaxed!

 

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and the more she felt that she was losing out by backing down.

 

Jiang Yuxun decided to repay him in kind.

 

As the banquet was nearing its end, she could no longer hold back and quietly leaned toward Zhuang Yue, asking in a low voice, “Uncle, did you also participate in the battle against Zhe Rou back then?”

 

Zhuang Yue took a sip of tea, turned to look at Jiang Yuxun: “Yes, why?”

 

“… I see,” Jiang Yuxun nodded slightly, holding her teacup and seriously asked him, “Was it still cold in Zhe Rou during spring?”

 

Jiang Yuxun deliberately lowered her voice.

 

In theory, this conversation was only for her and Zhuang Yue to hear.

 

But Jiang Yuxun noticed out of the corner of her eye that Ying Changchuan, sitting at the highest seat, slowly lowered his gaze.

 

Having come from a military background, Zhuang Yue’s voice was always loud: “It’s not cold when spring arrives! From what I’ve seen, the climate there is not much different from Captiat Zhao.”

 

Hearing this, several other generals who had also participated in battles turned to Jiang Yuxun and began to share their insights: “In Zhe Rou, once spring arrives, the temperature will rise sharply… Oh, but the wind is still a bit strong, though it’s not a problem!”

 

“It doesn’t rain much there in the spring either.”

 

Jiang Yuxun quickly nodded, “Oh… I see.”

 

He deliberately elongated his tone, nodded, and slowly sat up straight to look at the emperor at the head of the table.

 

Snow began to fall in the air again, and the campfire inside the tent illuminated the emperor’s cheeks.

 

Ying Changchuan held a cup of hot tea, still maintaining that usual expression of calmness.

 

In the moment their eyes met, he didn’t forget to smile lightly and nod at Jiang Yuxun… showing no embarrassment at all?

 

What a miscalculation; Ying Changchuan’s skin seemed even thicker than I imagined!

 

After the beginning of spring, the weather gradually warmed, and the heavy snow melted away.

 

The list of envoys going to Zhe Rou was unusually delayed by Ying Changchuan until the last moment before he approved it.

 

Inside the Liuyun Palace, Grand Eunuch Sang was about to leave with the memorial when the emperor suddenly called out, “Wait.”

 

“Yes—” Grand Eunuch Sang quickly bowed and placed the memorial back on the table.

 

Ying Changchuan’s gaze slowly fell on the three characters “江玉珣” (Jiang Yuxun), pausing for a moment before saying again, “It’s nothing; send it down.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

……

 

The peach blossoms in Xianyou Palace had begun to sprout small buds.

 

Before dawn, the thin frost on the branches remained, and carts filled with silks and medicinal herbs had already arrived early at the palace gate.

 

“I’m so sleepy…” Tang Yimeng, who was going to Zhe Rou with Jiang Yuxun, yawned widely. “The royal court is located at the southernmost part of Zhe Rou. If we ride fast horses, we can reach it in less than three days. But with so many things to carry, we’ll have to go much slower.”

 

Turning around to see Jiang Yuxun still full of energy, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Jiang Daren, what time did you sleep last night? How come you’re not tired at all?”

 

“At the time of Hai,” Jiang Yuxun smiled a little embarrassedly, “I couldn’t help but feel excited thinking about leaving the palace soon.”

 

Besides visiting Princess Lianyi, they were also tasked with checking on the progress of the farming in the border areas and set out more than ten days early.

 

Just thinking about finally being far from the emperor made Jiang Yuxun unable to contain her excitement.

 

Tang Yimeng couldn’t help but yawn again and murmured, “… How strange.”

 

What’s so exciting about going to such a harsh place as Zhe Rou?

 

At this moment, it was only the hour of Yin, and the stars were still hanging in the sky.

 

Standing beside the palace lantern, the captain of the Xuan Yin Supervisory Office cautiously stole a glance at the person next to him.

 

The emperor, dressed in a mountain-green brocade robe, stood under the peach tree, with some dew clinging to his hem.

 

Wasn’t His Majesty supposed to be practicing swordplay? Why did he take a detour to come here?

 

Could it be that he had something to explain to the envoys?

 

Just as the captain of the Xuan Yin Supervisory Office was perplexed, the palace gate of Xianyou Palace opened with a soft creak.

 

Not far away, Jiang Yuxun stretched lazily and eagerly invited Tang Yimeng onto the cart, “Let’s go, Tang Daren, get in the cart and catch up on some sleep!”

 

“Okay!” Tang Yimeng reluctantly climbed onto the cart with him, and after a brief pause, the cart slowly moved forward, becoming the first to leave Xianyou Palace.

 

Ying Changchuan frowned slightly.

 

As the emperor, he never showed favoritism, but at this moment… he hoped the palace gate would remain closed for a while longer.

 

Ying Changchuan buried this strange emotion deep in his heart.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

The emperor smiled slowly and turned to head deeper into Xianyou Palace.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

 

The captain of the Xuan Yin Supervisory Office hurriedly followed, unable to suppress his curiosity.

 

Did His Majesty come all this way just to see off the envoys?

 

When did the emperor become so considerate of his officials…

 

※

 

The heavy sound of shackles clashing broke the silence in Liuyun Palace.

 

Behind the Tiaotie seat screen, a disheveled man, barefoot, was brought before the emperor by the Xuan Yin Supervisory Office.

 

Not only was his hair a mess, but his face was also pale, with dark red veins visible in his eyes, making him look extremely terrifying.

 

Upon seeing the emperor, the man immediately fell to his knees with a thud.

 

Then, trembling, he spoke in heavily accented Great Zhou Mandarin, “Please spare me! I beg Your Majesty for mercy… I-I was just following orders. Ask me anything; as long as I know, I-I will say anything!”

 

Ying Changchuan did not raise his eyes but continued to read the memorials in front of him.

 

Seeing this, the man began to knock his head against the ground repeatedly.

 

Before long, a pool of foul, thick blood accumulated on the ground.

 

— This man was one of the Zhe Rou soldiers captured a few months ago; Jiang Yuxun had guessed that he would speak Great Zhou Mandarin.

 

Seeing that Ying Changchuan still didn’t respond, the soldier on the ground grew even more terrified.

 

There was no intact skin left on his head, but he continued to knock his head as if he had gone mad.

 

Seeing this situation, even the Northern General present couldn’t help but frown.

 

… The person in front of him had been brought here with the Xuan Yin Supervisory Office a few hours ago.

 

Recalling that scene, the Northern General felt a chill down his back.

 

Ying Changchuan did not order anyone to torture this soldier but instead had him held separately in the “circular prison” of the Xuan Yin Supervisory Office.

 

The circular prison had curved walls, and the prisoners were suspended in the air.

 

They couldn’t sit or lie down and could only stand awkwardly against the curved wall.

 

Only when they were utterly exhausted could they take a short nap.

 

However, once they entered deep sleep and unconsciously tried to sit down, the intense pain in their hands would wake them up.

 

The soldier before them had been held in the round prison for several months, and his spirit finally collapsed completely a few days ago.

 

He began to cry out for mercy, claiming that he was willing to tell the emperor everything he knew.

 

“Thud, thud, thud—”

 

For a moment, the only sound in Liuyun Palace was the dull thud of his forehead hitting the ground.

 

The smell of blood on the floor grew stronger, and just as the soldier was about to faint, Ying Changchuan finally frowned and slowly put down his pen.

 

Seeing this, Eunuch Sang quickly stepped forward and ordered the others, “Why are you all still standing around? Clean up this mess!”

 

“Yes!” Several attendants in Liuyun Palace hurried forward to wipe the floor with silk cloth.

 

The General of the North breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed the man off the ground, and said, “Speak, what were you intending to do when you invaded Great Zhou a few months ago?”

 

“Your Majesty… General…” the blood-soaked Zherou soldier took a breath before replying, “I am a subordinate of the Zherou Chiuqi King. He… he was dissatisfied with the strategies of the other two kings and has always wanted to march south to capture Great Zhou as soon as possible.”

 

The Zherou soldier spoke haltingly, his speech heavy with an accent.

 

But after a while, those in the hall finally understood his meaning—

 

After being beaten down by Ying Changchuan, Zherou dared not act rashly until they had a clearer grasp of Great Zhou’s military.

 

However, the “Chiuqi King” among the three Zherou kings could not suppress his desire for conquest.

 

He envied Great Zhou’s land but also didn’t want to break the alliance with the other two kings.

 

So a few months ago, he sent his men to raid villages, trying to force Great Zhou to strike first against Zherou, hoping to drag the other two kings into the fray.

 

“As for us… cough, cough… our original mission was to lure your forces in,” the soldier continued. “And also to eavesdrop on your conversations to understand Great Zhou’s military movements.”

 

The General of the North frowned and looked at him. “Lure us?”

 

The soldier swallowed some blood and said, “The Chiuqi King wanted us to pretend to surrender, spreading the idea that Zherou was vulnerable, so we could lure you… cough… into attacking in the autumn.”

 

Autumn was the season when Zherou’s horses were at their strongest, with fully drawn bows and peak combat strength. If war broke out then, they’d have the advantage over Great Zhou.

 

But Ying Changchuan didn’t fall for any of it.

 

Hearing this, the General of the North sneered. “What nonsense! After all these years, the Chiuqi King is still this foolish, coming up with such an absurd plan!”

 

With that, the hall fell silent once again.

 

The soldier cautiously raised his head, peeking through a gap in the gluttonous-screened partition at Ying Changchuan, seemingly trying to gauge his reaction and determine if he’d saved his life.

 

Yet there was still no warmth in Ying Changchuan’s gray eyes.

 

He picked up a memorial to review it again, finally saying in an indifferent tone, “Oh? How am I to know whether what you say today is true?”

 

The soldier’s heart sank.

 

He crawled forward a few steps. “Your Majesty, this time… this time I’m absolutely telling the truth!”

 

Unable to hold back, the soldier started spilling everything he knew:

 

“The Zherou people can ride sheep and shoot birds and rats with bows from a young age. When they grow older, they start hunting foxes and rabbits. From the time we can walk, we learn to ride and shoot. This is something Great Zhou’s soldiers could never hope to match.”*

 

Ying Changchuan narrowed his eyes.

 

The Zherou soldier’s voice echoed repeatedly through Liuyun Palace: “Unlike Great Zhou soldiers who only serve for two years, our people treat hunting and herding as training from an early age!”

 

The Zherou people live as herders and soldiers alike; in times of war, they all take up arms as cavalry.*

 

This fact was not unfamiliar to Ying Changchuan.

 

In his nervousness, the soldier’s words became somewhat disjointed.

 

However, what he said next finally piqued Ying Changchuan’s interest.

 

“I have served in the Zherou army, and their discipline isn’t as strict as yours. Most of them are only interested in raiding, and if they suffer a defeat or find no spoils, the army would instantly fall apart, ignoring orders entirely,” the soldier continued, glancing up at Ying Changchuan. “After they lost to you back then, Zherou was in chaos for a long time.”

 

He went on to describe in detail the internal strife following that defeat, even revealing key strategies like “luring the enemy deep” and training methods.

 

What he shared was no longer common knowledge.

 

The soldier continued to demonstrate his sincerity, desperate to save his life.

 

By the time he was dragged away, his voice had become completely hoarse.

 

Once the attendants finished cleaning Liuyun Palace, they too withdrew.

 

In an instant, only Ying Changchuan and the General of the North remained.

 

The emperor rose and looked at the map hanging beside him.

 

Finally, he let his hand brush across a blank spot on the map.

 

The General of the North gritted his teeth, muttering, “The Zherou people run when they can’t win—utterly shameless! If we want to catch the Zherou main forces on the plains, we must train a strong cavalry. And to train cavalry, both soldiers and horses are essential.”

 

Ying Changchuan lowered his gaze.

 

Great Zhou’s soldiers were physically weaker and less skilled in riding and archery than the Zherou.

 

Besides this, the quality of their horses also needed improvement.

 

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the General of the North whispered, “Lord Jiang once told me that Central Plains soil is unsuitable for raising horses. If possible, it would be best to establish a military horse farm in the north.”

 

“Oh?” Ying Changchuan finally spoke, “When did he say that?”

 

“Your Majesty, it was just before he went north!”

 

After saying this, the general couldn’t help but glance at Ying Changchuan.

 

Seeing the emperor nod slightly, the General of the North suddenly had a guess in his mind.

 

He took a cautious, deep breath, then couldn’t resist asking softly, “Does His Majesty intend to personally inspect the northern garrison?”

 

The emperor was known for his hands-on approach, especially in military matters, which he held firmly in his control.

 

Would he really not go to see the training of the northern garrison himself?

 

Ying Changchuan’s fingers paused, slowly lowering from the map.

 

…Perhaps it was time to take a look at the north.

 

It took Jiang Yuxun and his group four days to reach the border area between Great Zhou and Zherou.

 

What the military officials had said was indeed true.

 

After the beginning of spring, besides being windier and more desolate, the north wasn’t much different from Zhaodu.

 

On the day they arrived at their destination, Jiang Yuxun’s curiosity and anticipation had completely vanished.

 

With the journey to the Zherou royal court not yet upon them, Jiang Yuxun and several other officials spread out here, carefully inspecting the state of the land under military cultivation.

 

The work wasn’t difficult, but it was extremely dull and tedious.

 

The spring winds of the north, mixed with coarse sand, brushed against Jiang Yuxun’s face.

 

He couldn’t help but squint his eyes.

 

“Most of the soldiers’ rations in Zefang here are wheat-based, so the fields are only planted with wheat,” the soldier in charge of cultivating the field explained.

 

Zefang County, adjacent to Zherou, had also experienced a winter of snow.

 

These past few days, the snow had just melted, revealing the fields that had been cultivated with haste the previous year.

 

The fierce northern wind swept across the wheat fields, and a stretch of green swayed in the breeze.

 

This was the only color in Zefang County in early spring.

 

“Will it continue this way in the future?”

 

“Yes,” the accompanying soldier nodded. “Though the taste of wheat is average, it yields 30% more than millet. It’s the most economical to grow.”

 

Jiang Yuxun nodded slightly.

 

Millet, the staple food of this era, had a low yield—only about a hundred pounds per acre per year, whereas wheat could yield nearly two hundred pounds.

 

Thus, even if wheat was unpalatable, it was indeed necessary to grow it extensively along the border.

 

With this in mind, he became even more eager to find new wheat varieties through Zherou.

 

Zefang County’s land was vast, so Jiang Yuxun often returned to the camp past mealtime after inspecting the fields on horseback.

 

“Master Jiang, please come rest! You can inspect the remaining fields in the afternoon.”

 

As soon as Jiang Yuxun dismounted, someone invited him into the military tent.

 

Wearing his sky-blue official robe, he quickly waved them off. “Wait a moment. Let me wash my face first.”

 

With that, he walked toward another tent.

 

Though it was no longer cold in the north during spring, the water heated an hour ago was still slightly bone-chilling.

 

The moment he touched the water in the basin, Jiang Yuxun’s hand stung from the cold.

 

“Hiss—”

 

He looked down at the blisters on his palm from riding and carefully dabbed his face with a silk cloth.

 

Though it was already spring, the large patches of uncultivated land were still bare.

 

Ying Changchuan may have exaggerated a bit, but the northern environment was indeed harsher than he had imagined.

 

…

 

A single oil lamp illuminated the windowless military tent.

 

Food had already been prepared on the table, still steaming.

 

Seeing him arrive, the others who were already eating immediately stood up and saluted, saying in unison, “Greetings, Master Jiang!”

 

The loud greeting startled Jiang Yuxun. “No need to be so formal, everyone, please sit down.”

 

At the same time, he instinctively straightened his back and walked over to the main seat they had deliberately left vacant.

 

“Yes, Sir!”

 

In the tent were soldiers in charge of military farming, the lowest rank among them a centurion.

 

Being watched with such reverence, Jiang Yuxun’s movements became noticeably stiff.

 

He adjusted his posture while picking up the bowl and chopsticks from the table, trying to mimic the serious demeanor of those around him.

 

He couldn’t help but sneak a glance downwards.

 

Sitting in the main seat gave Jiang Yuxun the illusion of standing at the podium back in his school days.

 

Everything happening below him was clear to see.

 

…Could they be any more obvious with their side glances?

 

Was Ying Changchuan used to being looked at like this all the time?

 

Did he really feel no discomfort at all?

 

Unable to eat under their watchful eyes, Jiang Yuxun finally couldn’t resist starting a random topic, “…When does the resettlement of the border region begin?”

 

The previous dynasty had implemented a “closed borders” policy, but Great Zhou didn’t intend to follow this strategy. Instead, they planned to relocate people from around Zhaodu to strengthen and farm the borderlands.

 

The plan had been established during the Yuanri period, so implementation should be imminent.

 

The centurion responded concisely, “After the Qingming Festival, Master Jiang.” Then he promptly fell silent.

 

“I see…” Jiang Yuxun nodded solemnly, though inwardly he was screaming.

 

Why was the atmosphere so solemn?

 

No wonder Ying Changchuan usually liked to make me speak.

 

Seeing that they truly had nothing more to say, Jiang Yuxun forced himself to pick up his rice bowl and began eating the wheat rice, grain by grain.

 

Wheat that couldn’t be ground into flour didn’t taste good.

 

Conditions in the north were harsh, and even leaders could only eat pickled vegetables Jiang Yuxun couldn’t even name.

 

Having been outside all day, he was initially starving, but after a few bites, he lost his appetite.

 

In comparison, the food in Xianyou Palace, though plain, was at least palatable.

 

With that thought, Jiang Yuxun let out a soft sigh.

 

He wondered what Ying Changchuan was doing at this hour.

 

…Most likely enjoying a good meal.

 

No, why am I thinking about him at all?

 

Though his sigh was soft, a few centurions around him still grew tense and asked in unison, “Master Jiang, is something the matter?”

 

The fire flickered in the tent, and seeing the serious expressions around him, Jiang Yuxun quickly explained, “It’s nothing, I just suddenly thought of Zhaodu and…matters in the court.”

 

“Matters in the court? Is there any way we could help relieve your worries, Sir?”

 

With the remote location, Jiang Yuxun, seeing their curiosity, decided not to hold back.

 

He put down his bowl and chopsticks and asked, “Has the army’s food always been like this?”

 

“Yes, Master Jiang. The supply of rations to Zefang County is difficult, so our provisions have always been like this.”

 

“Was it the same when His Majesty was here fighting?”

 

At this, Jiang Yuxun’s tone changed suddenly.

 

If the surrounding centurions were also transmigrators, they’d definitely recognize his expression as “gossipy.”

 

Ying Changchuan, born into nobility, had always enjoyed a life of luxury.

 

As emperor, he was meticulous in his lifestyle.

 

During the southern tour, Jiang Yuxun had often wondered—did someone like him continue to be so particular when leading troops?

 

“Uh…” The centurion to his right scratched his head and replied, “Yes, His Majesty has always shared food and quarters with the soldiers.”

 

Who would have thought!

 

The History of Zhou does not record such details, and hearing these accounts, Jiang Yuxun suddenly felt a thrill, like uncovering an unsolved mystery of history.

 

If he could return to the modern era, wouldn’t he possess firsthand historical material unknown to historians?

 

Thinking of Ying Changchuan’s skills, Jiang Yuxun asked, “Did he train together with the soldiers as well?”

 

“Yes!” The surrounding soldiers responded crisply. “His Majesty is highly skilled in martial arts and would rise to practice before dawn, even earlier than the soldiers—”

 

Ying Changchuan had always treated his soldiers well.

 

The soldiers stationed in the northern lands revered him as a deity.

 

Noticing Jiang Yuxun’s interest in Ying Changchuan’s time leading troops, the atmosphere in the tent changed instantly.

 

Finally, they were no longer as tense as before, and instead, they eagerly began sharing various anecdotes about Ying Changchuan.

 

He could fully satisfy his gossip cravings today!

 

Seeing how cooperative everyone was, Jiang Yuxun became increasingly absorbed in his questioning.

 

“…Really? So His Majesty even carried his own rations while marching?”

 

“No way, he even ate hard tack?”

 

“What else? Tell me more.”

 

…

 

Zefang County was vast and sparsely populated.

 

Apart from the fields, there were only military tents for miles around.

 

Jiang Yuxun’s voice drifted out of the tent, echoing across half the barren plain.

 

In the distance, a dark warhorse suddenly halted.

 

The rider raised his hand gently, signaling the team to stop.

 

He slowly closed his eyes.

 

The fierce northern wind carried the familiar voice to his ears.

 

“…Do you all really think His Majesty is easygoing in daily life?”

 

The speaker’s voice was clear, filled with disbelief and astonishment.

 

Upon hearing this, the rider raised an eyebrow, suddenly curious to hear what came next.

 

Author’s Note:

 

The Records of the Historian

 

The “spiny fireball” (蒺藜火球, zhílí huǒqiú) mentioned in the chapter refers to a type of incendiary weapon or projectile that is designed to cause damage by igniting and potentially exploding upon impact. The term “spiny” likely describes the weapon’s shape or its ability to pierce armor or flesh, similar to how spines or thorns would. In a historical or fantasy context, such a weapon could be used in warfare to inflict significant harm on enemies, especially in siege situations or battles.

 

It may not correspond to a specific historical weapon but instead serves as a fictional device within the story to illustrate the advancements in warfare technology and the strategic discussions among the characters.