The Navy’s mission to escort textiles to Changan city this time could not be easier or more effortless. They even had the time to stroll along the streets of Changan city, feeling as though their knowledge about the world had increased a notch.

But on the other hand, for Shen Leng, returning to the Navy’s camp did not mean that the mission had ended. He had to go through Zhuang Yong’s obstacle.

Under several watchful eyes, Shen Leng pushed a small one-wheeled wooden cart to Zhuang Yong’s tent. There were seven to eight urns of the northern border’s aged wine on it. Zhuang Yong was actually not particularly fond of strong wines. He preferred rice wine as it was less harsh.

The people in the northern part of Great Ning drank mostly sorghum wine. The freshly made wine were especially bitingly cold. A mouthful of it could render an ordinary person drunk. On the other hand, the people in the southern part of Great Ning preferred rice wine, which was slightly sweet and fragrant.

Since Shen Leng knew that Zhuang Yong did not really fancy strong wines, why did he send them over? Firstly, it was a way to show his attitude, and secondly, it was to prove that he did indeed go to the northern border.

After straightening out his clothes, Shen Leng waited outside while Zhuang Yong’s soldier went in to inform him of his arrival. Not long later, the soldier walked out and allowed Shen Leng to enter. When he looked at Shen Leng, it was as though he was smiling, but not quite a smile at the same time. That was when Shen Leng knew that things were not too good.

“Ahem, ahem…”

After Shen Leng entered the tent, he awkwardly coughed twice. Thereafter, he stood at attention and saluted. “Greetings, general.”

Zhuang Yong was in the midst of handling a few military matters; he did not lift his head. “Are you here to report to me about your mission pertaining to the textiles? If that’s the case, go back. There is nothing much to take note about that mission.”

Shen Leng became awkward and embarrassed.

“No. no…I came here only to send you a gift.”

Shen Leng pointed to the urns of wine outside the tent. “I specially brought them back from the northern border for you. I’m sure you don’t like to drink them, general.”

Zhuang Yong was speechless.

He placed his brush back onto the brush holder; he lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. “A military officer made time to make a trip to the northern border? How arduous. You were occupied with important matters (Note: in chinese, the phrase is ‘ri li wan ji’.”

Shen Leng responded, “Traveled thousands of miles (Note: the phrase in chinese is ‘ri ji wan li’ – it was a play on words.”

“What?”

“No, no…general, I made a mistake.”

Shen Leng lowered his head. “I truly know that I’ve made a mistake.”

Zhuang Yong laughed coldly. “Made a mistake? You successfully escorted the textiles to Changan city, and was thorough throughout. Why is it that I can’t find any fault with you?”

Shen Leng inched closer and closer. “It’s a long story.”

“Go back there and stand properly!”

“Ok…”

Shen Leng went back to where he was standing at earlier. He lowered his head and looked at his feet.

“Close the door properly after you bring the wine in!”

“Yes, sir.”

Shen Leng smugly carried the urns of wine into the tent and placed them in a corner. Thereafter, he put down the curtains and closed the door, before walking back to where he stood and said in a lowered voice, “General, did you tell me to close the door because there is some classified information you want to tell me?”

Zhuang Yong said, “Scram.”

Shen Leng wore a smile on his face and said, “Actually, general, you know as well that I did it involuntarily…”

He felt that his smile was full of flattery – he could execute 70% of this technique in front of Zhuang Yong, and 80% of it in front of Mr. Shen, but only 10% in front of Master Cha.

“What exactly happened? Elaborate clearly.”

Zhuang Yong sat upright.

Shen Leng thought to himself: Indeed, the general is very curious…why don’t I try to ask him for money before I tell him the story?

However, he merely flirted with that idea.

He narrated his journey to the northern border in detail, including the part where he stripped a magistrate of his uniform, as well as him setting Li Xiaoran’s residence in Dongchi on fire. He did not use many words, but he described everything clearly. Of course, the main point was what happened at the northern border, but the things behind those incidents were of utmost importance.

“I feel that it seems as though His Majesty wanted to deal with some big figures within the military.”

“Don’t recklessly try to guess his intentions.”

Zhuang Yong was deep in thought for a while. His gaze started to become unfocused…when Shen Leng talked about killing off Pei Xiao, he was actually very, very happy. That year, he led his troops and took part in the battle at Feng Yan Tai. His subordinate, Li Yong, went all out in the battle and had dozens of arrows on him but continued to engage in the bloody battle without retreating. If they did not stall Heiwu’s troops in Feng Yan Tai, Tie Liuli would not have been able to rush there with his cavalry and kill them all.

However, Pei Xiao stole Li Yong’s credit for that battle. He had brought this matter up to His Majesty on more than one occasion, but His Majesty did not declare his position on that matter…Zhuang Yong knew what Pei Tingshan did – he continuously sent memorials to the emperor and used his status as a great general to vouch for Pei Xiao, saying that he would never violate the military rules as well as the laws of the country. He was forcing His Majesty into a corner.

Now that Pei Xiao had died, it was a way of accounting to Li Yong.

What was most important was the change in His Majesty’s attitude.

The battle that year was held in the second year of Tiancheng of Great Ning, which was the second year after His Majesty ascended the throne…At that time, he did not have as much control over the imperial court, as well as the military, as he did now. He cared a lot about those great generals. Pei Tingshan brought 9,000 soldiers back to the eastern border from Changan city. Under such circumstances, how could the emperor not look after Pei Tingshan’s state of mind?

That was the most important period of time…His Majesty could not neglect the support of the military. At that time, Mu Zhaotong had not given up. The attitude of the civil officials, who followed him, towards His Majesty was very thought-provoking. If His Majesty lost the battle against Heiwu right after he ascended the throne, the situation back then would have been even more dire.

Hence, His Majesty had no choice but to sacrifice a man like Li Yong in exchange for Pei Tingshan’s support, as well as support from the others.

However, that was in the past. If anybody felt that they had the ability to influence the present day emperor, they would be courting death.

Pei Tingshan still had not understood that logic. Pei Xiao was the thorn in His Majesty’s heart. In His Majesty’s younger days in the military, he had always made a clear distinction between reward and punishment. Hence, he won the allegiance of all the troops and generals. Pei Xiao had been a thorn in His Majesty’s heart for more than ten years. The reason why he had tolerated him for so many years was because of Pei Tingshan’s great merit that year.

After he finished hearing Shen Leng’s story, Zhuang Yong was silent for a long, long time. Shen Leng stood there quietly and did not make a single sound. He knew that at this moment, Zhuang Yong needed to calm himself down and sort out several things, while he was pretending he was the air in the tent.

Zhuang Yong exhaled a long breath for a long time.

“Shen Leng, bear in mind. You were lucky the timing was right.”

He suddenly said that.

Shen Leng immediately understood.

Indeed, he was lucky the timing was right.

The big players were already old, it was the best time for young men to fight their way up.

“There is something you might not know yet.”

Zhuang Yong looked at Shen Leng. “Even though the decree has not arrived, I have received a piece of news. Because of your meritorious deed during the mission in the southern coastal border region, as well as the fact that you safely escorted the goods to Changan city, not to forget – you were personally taught and recommended by the head of Yanta Academy, His Majesty promoted you to a Class A Fifth pin Yongyi general. If nothing bad were to happen, the decree will arrive here in the next few days. Your merit rank will be promoted to Qizhuan Qingche Commandant as well.”

Shen Leng was stunned for a moment. Thereafter, he laughed out loud.

“Why are you so pleased?”

Zhuang Yong was dumbfounded. “You should not be an unrestrained person as such.”

Shen Leng laughed so hard that he started drooling. “Class A Fifth pin, Class A Fifth pin, Class A Fifth pin!”

Zhuang Yong asked, “So what if you’re Class A Fifth pin?”

“I can start a family!”

Shen Leng repeated what he said, word for word. “Start. A. Family!”

Zhuang Yong finally realized what he was trying to say. His face sunk. “Don’t tell me you truly think that after you become a Class A Fifth pin general, I will give you a courtyard in the Navy’s camp and allow your beloved woman to live there?”

Shen Leng shook his head. “Of course I wasn’t thinking of that. I was thinking that in the future, regardless of where the Navy sends me to, I can legitimately bring her with me.”

Zhuang Yong lamented, “I have commanded troops for dozens of years. You are the first person to behave that insolently in front of me…instead of feeling happy for His Majesty’s great favor and kindness, you are happy because you can start a family.”

Shen Leng replied, “Hehe…I lost self-control and forgot my manners.”

Zhuang Yong glared at him. “If a person loses self-control when he’s overjoyed, it will be eays for him to collapse when he’s disappointed. This shows that you are not someone who is truly capable. Next time, if I see you react this way again, His Majesty’s decree might be able to promote you to a Class A Fifth pin official, but after a while, I also have the authority to demote you.”

Shen Leng quickly lowered his head. “I will bear that in mind.”

“Can you really bear that in mind?”

“Yes!”

“You haven’t wiped your drool.”

“Uh…”

“Go back and rest for two days. Once the decree is here, I will send someone over to call for you…is there anything else you want to say?”

“I would like to ask for your permission to transfer Yang Qibao and Gu Le to my regiment from the garrison.”

“Huh?”

Zhuang Yong could not help but narrow his eyes once again. “Are you trying to clean out my garrison squad?”

Shen Leng said earnestly, “General, they did it on their own accord. They defected…”

“Defected…”

Zhuang Yong sighed. “Before His Majesty’s decree gets here, I should punish you for everything that I overlooked in the past.”

Shen Leng did not understand. “Did I make a mistake?”

“You…have not returned the money you owe me.”

“As for that…”

Shen Leng looked alarmed. “General, didn’t you say not to bring it up the last time?”

Zhuang Yong replied, “Scram and go home…wait a minute, pass on a message to Shen Xiaosong for me…tell him to be more careful. Just that will do. He will understand what I mean.”

Shen Leng stood at attention. “Understood.”

After he left Zhuang Yong’s tent, Shen Leng heaved a long sigh of relief. Thereafter, he jumped about, moving his arms!

I’m going home. I can finally go home.

He went back to his barracks first and made arrangements for the military affairs he had to handle. Shen Leng brought Chen Ran home with him. Not long before they entered the town, a black dog came dashing out of the alley. With such vigor, it did not seem like a dog; it seemed more like a lion with black fur. They had not seen the black dog for months and to their surprise, it already grew that big. He grew a lot faster than the ordinary dogs kept in other people’s houses.

Come to think of it, it was only six months old. Wouldn’t it be huge once it was fully grown?

The black dog dashed over and laid next to Shen Leng’s feet, wagging its tail continuously. Shen Leng squatted and petted its head. “You must be eating well. Uncle Chen must have fed you Chen Ran’s share.”

Chen Ran was speechless.

The black dog ran in circles around the two people. When they got home, they saw that Uncle Chen was already waiting by the door of the courtyard.

“Son!”

Uncle Chen’s eyes lit up as he called out loudly.

Chen Ran and the black dog dashed towards Uncle Chen at the same time.

Shen Leng was speechless.

After entering the door, he saw Mr. Shen laying lazily on the deck chair. He covered himself with a quilt in the cold winter weather. He looked rather tired.

Shen Leng frowned slightly.

Mr. Shen saw him frowning and quickly explained, “I did not stay up all night. I swear. I haven’t done that in a long time. It’s just that I recently caught a cold…”

Shen Leng heaved a slight sigh of relief.

“I have a piece of good news to share with all of you.”

Shen Leng was silent for a moment. He looked at the Master Cha who was standing at the door, smiling at him.

“What is it?”

“Perhaps, the emperor is going to reward me.”

“A reward, huh. What reward?”

“Oh…in the future, I can…bring a girl with me on campaign.”