170 Untitled (1/2)
”But then again, coming back to the topic.” Zhan Nancheng smiled. ”During my youth, when I was studying, every time I chanced upon the legends of brave heroes, I would hungrily devour the scroll, imagining myself as the character in the stories, unswayed by gold, righteous and brave, sweeping up a storm in the world or sprinting thousands of miles in the desert, or even leading armies to fight against enemies. How unparalleled would that satisfaction and happiness be? Alas, the moment I became emperor, I became stuck in the dreary depths of the palace alone, my life as boring as can be.”
”Your Majesty, countless servants are willing to lead for you, how could anyone be compared to Your Majesty?” Meng Fuyao smiled, then sighed.
”The winds are in General Meng's favor, yet why do you sigh?”
”Your Majesty, after listening to you, it jolted my thoughts.” Meng Fuyao sighed. ”Since young, I've never been one to pursue books, I only enjoyed learning about military strategies and believed that it was everything that a man needed, to be learned in the art of war and serve the royal family loyally, offering my own head as a wine cup or my blood as nourishment if needed.” Meng Fuyao knelt down suddenly, exclaiming loudly, ”Forgive my insolence!”
”General Meng, you must be kidding.” Zhan Nancheng laughed. ”Aren't you standing today among the top three ranks in Wuji, your achievements known to all, who would dare disrespect you?”
”This commoner would rather lose his rank and general's robes in exchange for armor and war boots, head to the desert 3,000 miles from here and fight to the death, entering with a clean blade and leaving with a red blade, this is true satisfaction!”
Meng Fuyao laughed loudly, hiccupping halfway and hurriedly calming herself down and apologizing, ”Forgive this commoner's lack of respect.”
”No matter, I like frank and honest men like you.” Smiling, Zhan Nancheng helped her up. ”How passionate, how earnest!”
After beating around the bush for a long time, he finally asked, ”Looking at General Meng's expression, it seems that something is troubling you, unless… did something unfortunate happen?”
”How could there be anything unfortunate? I merely feel wronged!” Meng Fuyao slapped her thigh and leaned forward as she said, ”Your Majesty, honestly speaking, ever since this commoner had taken up the superficial post of whatever General, I still feel the happiest during the day when I was entering the camp and killing people. Now all I do every day is draw this and circle that, doing nothing and drinking and making merry with a bunch of officials, where is the meaning in this!”
”Prince Wuji dotes on General Meng, there is so much potential for promotion and your future is infinite, how can you give up?”
Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows, not speaking. The question that Zhan Nancheng had asked stumped her. Stuttering, she replied, ”The prince's affection… makes me not want to perform my duties all the more…. It is extremely difficult to tolerate the rumors of others…. To think that I, an upright man, would….”
She spoke stutteringly as Zhan Nancheng listened, his eyes glinting; her words were just as he had heard. Not asking any further, he slowly began to laugh.
His tone became even more affectionate as he beckoned Meng Fuyao to sit closer and asked, ”General Meng is skilled in the art of war, could you advise me on some military tactics?”
”Your Majesty is too kind, I only know one or two tactics.” Meng Fuyao sat down and began pointing fluently at the tactic board she had prepared earlier, ”… work together, the foot soldiers should make use of the hills, forests, natural obstacles, and grasslands. If the terrain is unfavorable, they must dig trenches. Divide the calvary into reserve and combat teams and attack alternatingly. If the enemy strikes on both sides or surrounds us, go into a circle formation with the archers on the outermost side so that there will be no friendly fire and the rear soldiers can also strike back easily from inside…”
Half a period later, Meng Fuyao stumbled out of the inner palace with the Emperor of Tiansha himself alongside her. Zhan Nancheng's face was full of smiles as he held onto Meng Fuyao's hand, personally sending her to her seat.
Meng Fuyao ground her teeth and controlled herself, barely stopping herself from wanting to send him to see his grandmother with the hand that he was holding.
Since they had arrived, the banquet began. Since it was a banquet for the royal and noble families, it was extremely lavish, and Meng Fuyao buried her head and began to eat furiously, refusing to look across at the rotten lotus. Alas, ignoring her did not mean that she would be let off the look.
Halfway into the banquet, Princess Lotus tugged at Fourth Prince Feng's sleeves, and with his accompaniment, they came over to offer a toast. Smiling, she said, ”I have always respected the great hero, the True Martial Arts champion General Meng, this toast must be offered.”
Everyone's gazes fell on them as they praised, ”General Meng is so fortunate, Princess Lotus' toast is not something just anybody can drink.”
'Indeed, if anyone drinks it, their stomachs will rot.' Meng Fuyao stood up and received the cup, her smile was even faker. ”That's right, Princess Lotus' virtuous and upright reputation is known throughout the seven nations, how can a ruffian like myself be worthy of drinking the princess' wine?”
She raised the cup, not drinking, swirling it in her hands as she turned to face the crowd and smiled. ”Everyone believes that the princess admires martial arts and that's why I am able to receive this toast, but the truth is that the princess and I had had a fateful encounter previously, and it's entirely my honor to be part of this encounter.”
Once her words left her lips, everyone's interest was piqued as they said, ”Do you mean that General Meng and Princess Lotus have met before? Yet, when and where?”
”At Diecui Mountain in Tianquan.” Meng Fuyao smiled. ”Back then the princess had run into a group of formidable foes, and coincidentally, I happened to pass by and lend a helping hand.” Meng Fuyao laughed modestly. ”That was truly a memorable scene.”