Chapter 5: Chapter 5 - The Northern Border
Jin Rong stepped forwards and smiled at Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang, a smiled that looked down on the two men. It's because Jin Rong see them as someone lower than him. Song Yun was only an illegitimate son like Jin Qiu while Pan Zhiqiang was only a commoner. The Emperor was the one who brought them into the palace and gave them the title as warlords.
After looking at the two men, Jin Rong then glanced at Jin Qiu for a moment. "I'm Jin Rong, the next head of Jin Family. It's nice to make your acquaintance."
"Jin Qiu, if the troop is ready, then we should go to the border right away. We shouldn't keep His Majesty waiting for too long. Beside..it's quite displeasing to talk with someone who knows no manner."
Jin Rong frowned when he heard what Song Yun said. He felt humiliated by the fact that the advisor choose to ignore him, but what can he do? He can't do anything.
He clenched his fist as he watched Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang completely ignored him.
Jin Qiu seemed to notice the displeased expression on his step brother's face.
"I don't care just how cocky you could act, but you need to know that your level is not even the same with them. Trying to show off to Zhengsheng? You can't even win against me, so don't dream about it." Jin Qiu commented before he walked away, followed by Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang.
As he walked away, Jin Qiu could see Jin Rong's face became red from anger. His fist clenched tightly, just as if he want to punch someone. Though anyone would know that Jin Rong would never have that kind of courage. He is too coward. When he's faced with something dangerous, he would choose to run or give up instead of fighting back.
"No wonder His Majesty hated your family so much."
Jin Qiu looked at Pan Zhiqiang, who slowing down and chooses to walk beside him. "You need to know that I really want to punch him before."
For a moment, Pan Zhiqiang just stared at Jin Qiu. He keeps getting a feeling that something is different about Jin Qiu, though he can't really explain why. "I hate you because you're the cause of my family's demise, so I don't know if I can forgive you or not. But… I will try to think a bit better of you."
"I don't remember about that, but if I'm really the cause of your family death, I deeply apologize. And don't worry; I won't stay in the palace for too long. I will leave everything and have a good life on my own."
"You're a really strange person."
"I will take that as compliment. Let's go. I still need to explain everything to the troop before we depart. A commander's duty is to make sure that his troop is well prepared before going to war."
Pan Zhiqiang nodded his head. He is also a commander, so he knew what Jin Qiu mean, and now once again, they stood in front the assembled troop that started to move under Song Yun's order.
If it's just a simple order to move, the troop will listen to anyone with higher status than them, but when it come to the real battle, they wouldn't listen to anyone but Jin Qiu, that's why Jin Qiu choose to come and talked with the troop.
Everyone looked at Jin Qiu, the commander that left his position the moment he was brought into the palace as concubine. They thought that they would never see the man again, but here the man is standing in front of them while giving out a really strong aura.
"For my selfish desire to be loved by the Emperor, I've left you all one sidely, but even after that, everyone here still choose to follow me as your commander. I'm really ashamed and really honored. That's why first, I will apologize to you all." Jin Qiu bowed his head in front all the troops, making everyone who stood there looked shocked. He knew that the original Jin Qiu choose to abandon this troop in order to enter the palace, but to him, this troop is something that will save his life, so he want to get the forgiveness first. "And I hope you all still want to follow me now too."
"You don't have to ask for something like that, Qiu er." A warrior that looked older than the other stepped forwards and smiled while looking at Jin Qiu who raised his head. That warrior is a woman, but even so, she doesn't look weaker than the other guards. She has a motherly smile as she approached Jin Qiu. "The reason we choose you as our commander is because you have the quality for that position, but the most important thing, you looked like the previous head of Jin Family. We want to believe that with you as our commander, Jin Family will walk on the right path again."
Jin Qiu looked at the woman for a moment. His brain searching a part in the novel that would mention about this wise woman. "Huifang..?" He unconsciously called out to her name. The information he got is not something he read in the novel, but something that he remember with the original Jin Qiu's memories.
"I'm glad to see you happy now, Qiu er."
Both Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang looked at Jin Qiu. They want some kind of explanation since the woman called Jin Qiu quite affectionately, but Jin Qiu's body moved on its own. He went and hugged the woman.
"Seriously, Qiu er…" The woman chuckled, but her hand caressing Jin Qiu's head softly. "You've married the Emperor and became the concubine, so how can you do something like this? You need to become strong. That way, your mother won't be sad when she looked at you from the heaven."
Jin Qiu let out a sigh. Unexpectedly, he felt comfortable like that. "The dead won't be able to say anything or do anything, so it's useless if I do things while thinking about the dead. You should praise me instead. You're the living one here." He commented. It might sounds like a complain, but truthfully, he likes it. Back in his own world, he has no one that he could call as family and here, he doesn't think he will have one. But according to the original's memories, this woman is as good as his mother.
For the first time, he could feel himself softened with the desire of mother's love.
Song Yun wanted to let Jin Qiu stayed that way since it's quite rare to see the man like that, but unfortunately, they're in hurry at the moment.
"I'm sorry if I disturb you for a bit, Jin Qiu. We better explain everything to your troop so we can depart to the border right away. His Majesty is waiting there alone, and even though he's strong, I'm afraid that something bad will happen if he choose to fight all by himself."
"Ah..that's right. I'm sorry. I got caught up for a bit." Jin Qiu stepped back from the woman and his softened expression became normal again. "Like what you heard from Song Yun before, I want half of you to follow me to the border." He started. "There's a report about enemies at the northen border and they're aiming for the Emperor's head."
Whispers and murmurs could be heard as soon as the information delivered to them. To them, hearing the Emperor's life in danger is not a new thing, but what they can't understand is the reason why Jin Troop need to move.
The main reason is because they knew that even without Jin Troop, the Emperor could defeat any enemies that come his way. Not to mention, the man has so many talented people working under him, just like Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang who's standing in front of them.
"We don't mind following you wherever you want to go, Qiu er, but..." The woman paused for a moment and seemed to be thinking. She heard about everything that the Emperor did to Jin Qiu and honestly, everyone in Jin Troop hated the Emperor because of that. "I will be honest. All of us here hate the Emperor. Out of the fact that he's a good Emperor or not, he made our beloved commander suffered so we can't accept it. That's why, if this is what you want, we will follow you, but if this is an order from the Emperor, we wouldn't go anywhere."
Jin Qiu smiled while looking at the woman.
The original Jin Qiu is so blind because of love. He keep pursuing Ren Zhengsheng that he failed to notice that there are so many good people around him. And seeing everyone here made Jin Qiu thought about his people back in the modern world.
"I swear upon my own name that helping the Emperor is what I want." Jin Qiu replied confidently. "It's true that he treated me badly before, but not anymore. After all, I have a way to tame him, so all of you can rest assured and follow me. We should show him about how strong Jin Troop is."
The guards looked to each other for a moment before smiles appeared on their face and before long, all of them started to cheers while raising their hands. Jin Qiu looked at Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang, he shrugged his shoulder and started to walk.
There's a war that he need to win.
❖
Ren Zhengsheng sat on his horse and stared at the vast empty field in front of him.
Years ago, this place was a battlefield where a lot of people died, his very first battlefield when he was still a prince.
Sometimes, he can't even believe that he's still standing as the Emperor.
From the vast field, he moved his gaze to look at the sky and then towards the sounds of horses running closer.
The very first thing he saw coming out from the forest was Jin Qiu, followed by Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang, and behind them, the famous Jin Troop. He laughed for a bit because just a moment ago, he thought Jin Qiu is trying to fool him. Who would expect that the man would really come here together with Jin Troop? He rides his horse towards the group as they're coming closer.
Jin Qiu stopped in front Ren Zhengsheng while Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang moved behind Ren Zhengsheng, Jin Troop remained behind Jin Qiu.
"I brought them like you asked me to."
Ren Zhengsheng looked at troops and smiled. "Yes, I can see that."
"Your Majesty, I would like to come with you, but I guess you wouldn't want that. And since we've confirmed Jin Troop's participation in this battle, we will go back to the palace. Please inform us if something bad happen."
"What bad things could happen to us? You're worrying too much, Song Yun."
"It's better to overthink everything rather than be late at anything." Song Yun replied before he looked at Jin Qiu. "I will leave His Majesty in your care, Jin Qiu, but please don't overdo it. If things get too dangerous, you should go back right away and let us know about it."
Jin Qiu raised an eyebrow for a moment. He did say that he will help Ren Zhengsheng, but he never planned to sacrifice himself.
"I never planned to sacrifice myself for him, so don't worry." He replied and moved his horse pass Ren Zhengsheng, but then suddenly, a hand wrapped around his waist and swiftly, he got pulled and is now sitting in front of Ren Zhengsheng, with a position that sitting to the side. He glared at the Emperor. "What do you think are you doing?"
Ren Zhengsheng smiled. "I feel anxious if I let you ride your horse alone."
"What? But I'm-"
"Yes, you're the commander, but you're also my concubine. My most beloved person. So please understand me."
Jin Qiu looked at the man with disbelief. He really can't believe about what he heard just now. This man, the Emperor, the cold hearted Ren Zhengsheng who has been abadoning the original Jin Qiu since the beginning of their marriage, is now saying such a sweet things in front Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang, not to mention, everyone from Jin Troop is also there watching them.
"Stop this nonsense. I'm going to ride the horse alone."
Ren Zhengsheng grabbed Jin Qiu quite tightly. "No, can't do." He replied. "You give me a deal. I can utilize Jin Troop however I like and as exchange, I have to treat you properly so people would respect you. You give me what I want, but you won't let me do what I need to do?"
When Jin Qiu bring up this deal, he just want people to stop causing him trouble. But Ren Zhengsheng doing it on the whole different level.
Jin Qiu moved his gaze and looked at Jin Troop, who stared at them with quite satisfied expression, especially Duan Huifang. He then moved his gaze towards Ren Zhengsheng, who just smiled while looking at him.
"Fine, you beat me. Do whatever you want. We should end this war quickly so I can quickly ask for my reward to you. Just remember that you will need to grant it, because it has nothing to do with you."
"We'll see that later."
As Ren Zhengsheng riding his horse towards the border, everyone from Jin Troops followed behind the man without fail. Staying behind was Song Yun and Pan Zhiqiang, who will need to return to the palace and make sure that nothing goes wrong even when the Emperor is out in the battlefield. The two believe that this war will be the start of something new.
❖
The sky started to become dark by the time they arrived at the northern border.
At the hill far from one's sight, Ren Zhengsheng watched several warriors moving towards the village. It's not a troop from another kingdom, but a group of bandits. He's wondering who will be bold enough to pay the bandits to cause a ruckus.
"Zhengsheng, if you let them keep moving forward like that, the people at the village will become victim." Jin Qiu commented while watching the bandits whose getting closer to the village. He was a mafia leader, but even as a mafia leader, he never let himself or his people harming innocent people, so now, he want to do that as well. "We should block them before they reach the village."
"No. You should let them be."
"Do you even know what you're saying?" Jin Qiu asked again. He started to look a bit angry. "We hurried to come to this place is so that we can stop them from breaching through the border, right? We should stop them right now."
Ren Zhengsheng letting out a sigh and looked at Jin Qiu. "This is why you shouldn't be too innocent when you become a warrior, Qiu er. I wonder how you survived all those battles before." He commented as he remembering the fact that Jin Qiu won the war as much as he did. "What's good doesn't always mean good. And what's bad doesn't always mean bad."
Jin Qiu understand what Ren Zhengsheng say.
People who walked at the right path doesn't always mean that they're good people, and people who walked on the wrong path sometimes are better than those who walk the right path. This kind of words, Jin Qiu experienced it personally since he was kid.
"Are you implying that people at the village actually bad?"
Ren Zhengsheng didn't say anything and just smiled towards him. That's why, he choose to watch a little longer and see if what the man said is true or not. If it turn out to be wrong, he can just charge and save as much people as he can.
But what he saw after that was quite surprising.
The bandits brought a cage carriage with so much girls and little kids inside and the people at the village accepted them with a smile. It turn out, the people in this border are accomplice of those bandits and Ren Zhengsheng has already aware of it. And from the look of it, Ren Zhengsheng want to get rid of them in one go.
"How long do you want to wait?" Jin Qiu finally asked again.
"There's no need to rush." Ren Zhengsheng replied. "If we attack now, those people at the village will just playing innocent and in the future, the same thing might happen again. So let's wait until they showed their hands first."
But waiting like this is not really Jin Qiu's style. Not now, not before.
While waiting for the opportunity, a scream of a woman could be heard from the village. A lovely young lady was dragged out of the carriage. Jin Qiu can't really see her appearance from his distance, but he could guess that the lady must be quite a beauty.
After the girl, the bandits are now dragging out the children. And that's when Jin Qiu felt like he can't wait anymore. He was about to runs to the village when a hand grabbed him. "Again, what do you think are you doing?" Jin Qiu asked while looking at the Emperor who suddenly grabbed his hand.
"That's supposed to be my question here. What do you think you're doing? I told you to wait, so you better following my order properly. You're a commander, so why would you got swayed by your personal feelings?"
"I!" Jin Qiu stopped. He just realized that what Ren Zhengsheng said was right. He got swayed by his own personal feelings and was about to mess everything.
He knew that the main reason he acted like that was because of the children. He can ignore anything, but not children. It feels like he saw a past version of himself, when he was forced to do everything he can in order to survive, even selling his own body. At time like this, he actually felt glad that there's someone who stopped him. He takes a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.
Like what Ren Zhengsheng said, he should wait a bit longer. Those girls and children are goods. The bandits or the villagers won't harm them since it will affect their price. He will hold himself back until he can slaughter them all.
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