Chapter 746: Heroic Elegance

While Chen Xi still found time for romance at home, Fa Zheng and Gan Ning had already plunged deep into Runan. Runan, which had long been a power base for the Yuan family, crumbled almost instantly under Gan Ning's attack, offering little resistance before the battle was already over.

From the north to the south, the moment Fa Zheng marched out of Shanyang, he had ambitions to swallow all of Yuzhou. His army swept through the land with unstoppable momentum, and they encountered almost no real resistance until they reached Runan.

Runan's capital city, a place of immense strategic importance, was clear in Zhou Yu's eyes, yet any reforms were cut short before they could take root. Carrying the overwhelming force of a tidal wave, Fa Zheng had already taken Runan. Though there was some opposition, it could only be described as a swift victory.

Standing atop Runan's city walls, Fa Zheng felt a sudden clarity, as if he were standing at the peak of the world, able to grasp all its mysteries.

At that moment, Fa Zheng fully understood that the centuries of accumulated power of the great clans were nothing more than a joke, as long as they couldn't overtly wield it. Their vast size meant nothing unless they were willing to fight to the death.

Looking down at the trembling gentry of Runan, a faint smile appeared on Fa Zheng's lips. He still remembered the time when, as a county magistrate in Yizhou, he had to bow before these great clans. The prestige of those noble families back then had forced his family to submit.

Fa Zheng’s eyes were cold as he swept his gaze over the cowering nobles of Runan. These high-and-mighty families now shivered like quails, trembling before him.

"Xingba, let’s go. To Shouchun. I want to announce to the people of Jiangnan that I, Fa Xiaozhi, have arrived!" At this moment, Fa Zheng was filled with pride. Whatever bitterness he had harbored in his heart was now swept away.

As Fa Zheng rose higher and higher, the taunts and insults from the past no longer weighed on him. The mocking voices that once haunted him had become nothing more than ripples in his memory. The sneers of yesteryear no longer had the power to stir even the faintest resentment within him. The phrase "how can a sparrow understand the ambition of a swan" echoed in his mind, but such thoughts no longer bothered him.

“Just like that?” Gan Ning asked, glancing at the white-robed Fa Zheng, who stood proudly in the spring breeze.

“Yes, just like that. The pieces I’ve set in motion have played their part. I’m heading to Shouchun, where the gentry, commoners, and officials of Yuzhou will learn one thing—Fa Xiaozhi is here,” Fa Zheng declared, his voice filled with arrogance. His once vengeful eyes now gleamed with youthful exuberance.

The pawns Fa Zheng had planted over the years were not in high positions. But over time, they had risen to important roles, like gatekeepers and postal station commanders—positions that, while not prestigious, were crucial in times of war. With their help, Fa Zheng had torn through Liang, Chen, and finally arrived in Runan.

“This land, this kingdom... The Han Dynasty still stands!” Fa Zheng looked out over the vast expanse of Yuzhou, his voice brimming with confidence.

“You’re sure nothing will go wrong?” Gan Ning asked, watching Fa Zheng. The strategist’s achievements during this campaign had left Gan Ning both shocked and silent. He realized that in this world, Fa Zheng was not the only genius—there were people whose brilliance shone so brightly that it was blinding.

“Xingba, are you afraid?” Fa Zheng turned slightly, his presence emanating a pressure that even Gan Ning could feel. Since the moment they set out from Shanyang, Fa Zheng had transformed. His predictions were always spot on, and every battle ended in victory. In nineteen days, without stopping, he had taken fourteen cities, advancing from Liang to Chen and then to Runan, where he swiftly captured its capital, Pingyu.

Even though Fa Zheng had claimed that he had meticulously planned everything in advance, the sheer scale of his achievements left Gan Ning in awe. It didn’t feel like warfare—it felt like a complete rout. Everything had happened so quickly, too quickly. The day after capturing Pingyu, a messenger from the county of Ku, which Gan Ning had already conquered, arrived in Pingyu with a plea for reinforcements.

It was then that Gan Ning truly understood what Fa Zheng had meant—if Gan Ning could reach the capital of Runan, Fa Zheng would take it. Yuzhou, after Fa Zheng had cut off its communications network, was utterly defenseless. No unfortified city could stand against Gan Ning's forces.

“Afraid?” Gan Ning scoffed. “I, Gan Xingba, have never known fear. I just think, Fa Strategist, that your ambition is too vast. We only have a little over twenty thousand men—can we really conquer all of Yuzhou? Isn’t that a bit too bold?”

“Too bold? Yuzhou’s available forces amount to only about a hundred thousand. Who can stop me from conquering Yuzhou?” Fa Zheng replied with a faint smile, deftly dodging Gan Ning's concerns.

“I believe you can take it, but holding it... With just twenty thousand men, we may not have enough strength,” Gan Ning reasoned. Though he had come to respect Fa Zheng after witnessing his brilliance, he still had his reservations.

“All I want is for Yuan Gonglu to give up on Huaibei. Yuzhou might fall into chaos for a while, but once it’s within our sphere of influence, others will sort it out. That’s not my problem. When I made a bet with Jia Master, I declared that within two months, I would force Yuan Gonglu to abandon Huaibei!” Fa Zheng said proudly, his confidence now unquestionable. Gan Ning, despite thinking Fa Zheng’s words to be absurd, found himself impressed.

“Xingba, you might as well call me Xiaozhi from now on. While we’re at it, let me ask: do you want to come with me to Shouchun? I’m just going to show off and wait for them to come after me!” Fa Zheng, with an air of arrogance, turned to Gan Ning.

Fa Zheng had noticed the change in how Gan Ning addressed him. Though he enjoyed the recognition, he also felt a hint of distance growing between them.

“Show off? Sure, I’ll come with you. We’ll leave Wen Xiang and Zi Fang to guard the city. But you’ll need to explain everything to me on the way,” Gan Ning replied, not one to be constrained by formality.

“Let’s go. We’ll talk on the way.” Fa Zheng glanced north, his expression momentarily wistful before returning to his usual confident self. “This battle for Yuzhou is the stage I’ve chosen for myself, the stage I’ve built. I want the whole world to see that Taishan still has me, Fa Xiaozhi!”

As Fa Zheng and Gan Ning descended the city walls, the nobles of Runan instinctively parted to let the young man—someone younger than their own sons—through. Not a single noble dared to step forward to question him about the appearance of Liu Bei’s army or what was to become of them.

Walking through the path opened by the nobles, Fa Zheng suddenly threw his head back and laughed. His laughter rang out, inexplicable to those watching.

“Come, Xingba! Let’s go give Yuan Gonglu a show of power!” Fa Zheng declared with a booming laugh. Everything else was irrelevant now. If the nobles continued to operate in the shadows, they would never be able to step into the light of day.

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter