"Hey, I see someone familiar—Qin Zhangming," Fa Zheng called out cheerfully as soon as he spotted Zhao Yun's adjutant from the roadside.
"All units, halt!" Qin Shao raised his spear and commanded the army to stop marching. Lu Xun finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was clear that this army was returning to Taishan and not going into battle, intercepting a military force still felt risky.
Lu Xun glanced curiously at Fa Zheng, who stood smiling beside him.
"Prime Minister Fa, please wait a moment," Qin Shao instructed one of the cavalrymen beside him, then respectfully saluted Fa Zheng.
"Hmm, are you all just returning from Xuzhou?" Fa Zheng asked.
Qin Shao remained silent for a moment, glancing at Lu Xun, signaling the presence of an outsider.
"This is Zichuan's disciple," Fa Zheng explained, pointing to Lu Xun. "He's under my guidance for now, so it's fine to discuss general matters."
"Yes," Qin Shao nodded and proceeded to give Fa Zheng a brief report on the situation.
"Oh, I see. I thought Guo Fengxiao had suffered a setback, but it turns out..." Fa Zheng chuckled, making a few remarks as if he had hoped Guo Jia might encounter some minor difficulties, though that hardly seemed realistic.
Soon enough, Zhao Yun appeared at the front of the army, riding his famous Night Illumination Jade Lion. Accompanying him was the curly-haired Red Hare horse.
"Long time no see, Xiaozhi," Zhao Yun greeted with a salute.
"Indeed, it's been a while. How's Xuzhou?" Fa Zheng asked with a smile, but before Zhao Yun could answer, Fa Zheng's attention shifted. "By the way, what's the story with that horse beside you?"
"Xuzhou..." Zhao Yun furrowed his brow slightly. Unlike some generals who focused solely on military affairs, Zhao Yun had experience as a civil official and understood both governance and public sentiment. He could sense the undercurrents beneath Xuzhou's calm surface, but he wasn't inclined to discuss these matters openly. Fortunately, Fa Zheng's question about the horse gave him an easy out.
"This is the curly-haired Red Hare that Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang brought back from the southern barbarians. It's an excellent steed," Zhao Yun said, reaching out to stroke the horse's mane. The Red Hare snorted appreciatively, but the Night Illumination Jade Lion began to shake its head in agitation. Zhao Yun had to soothe both horses before they settled down.
"Impressive. I remember that your horse usually scares others away. This one must be quite powerful," Fa Zheng remarked in amazement. "By the way, this here is Zichuan's disciple, though I've been showing him the ropes lately."
"Oh, Zichuan's disciple," Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow. "Make sure you don't lead him astray. And to think, Zichuan didn't even host a proper ceremony for accepting a disciple."
"We'll hold one later. By the way, mind if I borrow that horse for a couple of days?" Fa Zheng asked with a mischievous grin.
Despite coming from a family of Confucian scholars who had shifted to military studies, Fa Zheng still valued proper etiquette.
"No way. If it were an ordinary horse, I'd give it to you, but this one..." Zhao Yun chuckled ruefully. He then patted the Red Hare's head and pointed skyward. The horse, understanding the signal, leapt into the air and began to fly.
Lu Xun's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and even Fa Zheng was stunned for a moment. After clearing his throat to mask his surprise, he remarked, "Didn't expect it to be a horse with detached inner energy. Even if you gave it to me, I wouldn't be able to ride it."
The truth was, a horse like this would be difficult for Fa Zheng to manage. Although a civil official's mental fortitude could naturally exert pressure on animals, the Red Hare was on a different level. To ride it, Fa Zheng would need to spend at least half a year taming it, and there was even a chance it could turn on him.
"Maybe I'll gift you another horse later. I know this one's tricky," Zhao Yun said with a wry smile.
"Thank you, General Zhao," Lu Xun quickly bowed in gratitude.
"No need for formalities," Zhao Yun responded, waving his hand dismissively. He then whistled, and the Red Hare swiftly descended from the sky, landing gracefully beside him.
"Mind if I trail behind your army for a bit? I'm also heading back to Taishan," Fa Zheng asked politely.
"Even if I said no, you'd probably follow anyway," Zhao Yun replied with a laugh. He was quite familiar with Fa Zheng and didn't mind exchanging some friendly banter.
"In that case, I'll stick to the rear and won't interfere with your march," Fa Zheng signaled his driver and guards to follow the army from behind.
After Fa Zheng's departure, Zhao Yun raised his spear, and the army resumed its march. He remained stationed under the command banner with his two horses. Having two exceptional steeds was certainly a source of envy, but it was also a hassle. The Night Illumination Jade Lion and the Red Hare constantly quarreled, making them difficult to manage. However, the competition between the two horses had at least slimmed down the Night Illumination Jade Lion's excess fat.
"So, you really are well-acquainted with him. I thought you were joking," Lu Xun remarked, curious.
"I'm familiar with all the civil and military officials in Taishan. You'll understand when you reach Fenggao," Fa Zheng replied with a smile.
Joking aside, Fa Zheng was indeed well-known among the officials of Taishan. In fact, he was so notorious for his antics that everyone recognized him. But now, thinking back, Fa Zheng couldn't help but cringe at his past behavior. Truly, those were the reckless days of youth when he constantly skirted the edge of disaster.
That said, despite Fa Zheng's penchant for trouble, no one could deny his abilities. During the year-end assessments, Fa Zheng always ranked among the top civil officials, even if he did look young for his age.
"Hey, Brother Zhang, long time no see!" Fa Zheng called out as he spotted Zhang Shiping after following Zhao Yun's army. He immediately waved in greeting.
Having been taught by Guo Jia and Chen Xi, Fa Zheng now understood the importance of merchants. He no longer looked down on them as he once had. In fact, his perspective had changed drastically after he realized how essential commerce was to the prosperity of Qi.
"Prime Minister Fa, you flatter me!" Zhang Shiping was initially surprised but quickly smiled. It wasn't too long ago that Fa Zheng would look down on people like him, but now he was being so courteous, which naturally lifted Zhang Shiping's spirits.
"It's nothing," Fa Zheng replied with a smile. He then glanced around, his gaze suddenly falling on a familiar figure. His cheerful expression darkened for a moment as he sighed inwardly.