Chapter 115: Moving Camp

Chapter 115: Moving Camp

Han Ruzi selected two messengers. The first one was Jin Chunzhong, who showed a clear interest in joining his force. Crucially, the Jin family had no connection to the fate seers, and their involvement in this matter was entirely accidental.

“At the Drunken Immortal Inn in the Xiaochun district, there’s a chef known as ‘Reckless.’ Go and see him, tell him I sent you. If he doesn’t ask anything, you don’t need to say much, just return immediately. If he inquires about me, tell him the truth.”

“No need to hide anything?” Jin Chunzhong was delighted to receive this mission, eager to rush to the Capital.

“No need. Whatever he asks, answer truthfully.”

“Okay, I’ll leave right away.”

“Wait, be cautious. It’s possible that they have already discovered Chai Yun’s body in the city. You...”

“I’ll change clothes, and adopt a different name... I’ll be careful.”

“Also, keep it confidential. Don’t tell anyone the purpose of your entry into the city.”

Jin Chunzhong left without delay, finding a militia member to lead him to the roads, citing that he needed to return home to retrieve some important items left behind as the reason.

The second messenger was Donkey Kid, a simple and impulsive short man who was even less likely to arouse suspicion than Jin Chunzhong. Han Ruzi hesitated before finally choosing him.

Among the army, the Chao family’s father and son were too influenced by the fate seers. Considering the limited time others had spent with them, Donkey Kid seemed the only viable option.

“What’s your name?”

” Donkey Kid.”

“I’m sure you have a real name?”

“It’s just Donkey Kid.”

Even before assigning the task, Han Ruzi began to regret his decision. However, he had no other choices. “What’s your family name?”

“Um... Ma.”

“Yes, that’s your surname. And when your parents called you, what name did they use?”

“Donkey Kid.”

“I’ll give you a name. Are you willing to accept it?”

Lu Xiaor was overjoyed. “Sure! I want an impressive one.”

“Your surname is Ma, meaning horse. How about Ma Chenggong, meaning horse sprinting to success.”

Lu Xiaor shook his head. “That’s not grand enough.”

Being rejected the first time he gave someone a name, Han Ruzi scratched his head. “A horse sprinting on the plains... Ma Pingchuan? You don’t like it either... A horse trampling on the enemy camp. How about you be called Ma Ta...”

“Alright, I’ll be called Ma Da. Sounds much more imposing than Donkey Kid. Haha.”[1]

“As long as... you like it,” Han Ruzi said. Becoming serious, he continued, “Ma Da, We are entrusting you with a task.”

“Who’s we?”

“I am We. It’s the Emperor’s way of referring to himself.”

“Oh, why not just say ‘Emperor’? I’d understand immediately.”

After tallying the numbers, Han Ruzi chose an open space to serve as a temporary “command tent.” He assigned guards, with the Generals of the Left and Right standing on either side. The chief clerk stood behind with a pen, and the captains of each hundred-man squad came forward one by one to report their situations and receive new tasks.

The defense of Riverside Village could no longer be lax as before. Both land and water routes required stationed sentries and guards, with squads taking turns resting and on duty.

From a distance, Zhang Yanghao witnessed all this and couldn’t help feeling shocked and terrified. When he returned to his quarters, he tiptoed, no longer daring to regard Marquis Weary as a captive, nor daring to meet him.

After all this commotion, it wasn’t long before daybreak. Han Ruzi slept briefly, just entering a dream when he was awakened.

Lin Kunshan had returned. He brought back a squad of over thirty people, not bandits or ordinary civilians, all dressed in identical blue robes, riding horses, carrying bows and blades. They escorted a horse-drawn carriage, forbidding anyone from approaching.

Lin Kunshan was even more surprised than Zhang Yanghao. When he left during the day, he saw a scattered group, but upon returning, they had to pass through layers of checkpoints. Those who had recently regarded the fate seers as heavenly beings had suddenly transformed into loyal soldiers who insisted on notifying the “Emperor” before allowing them into the fort.

Han Ruzi ordered their passage, and Lin Kunshan first escorted the people from the carriage into an empty room. Then, he came alone to meet the “Emperor.”

“Your servant Lin Kunshan pays respects to Your Majesty.” Lin Kunshan was adept at reading others’ expressions and thoughts. Though he was inwardly puzzled, his outward demeanor became even more respectful.

This small army of a few hundred people was far from being fully formed, and Han Ruzi was well aware of that. However, creating a moment of surprise for onlookers wasn’t a bad thing.

“Has he arrived?”

“He has.”

“Why hasn’t he come to see me?”

“Uh, the situation is special. Your Majesty, please consider going to meet him.”

Han Ruzi glanced at the dozen or so guards on either side and said, “Tell him that everything is back to normal now.”

Lin Kunshan smiled, excused himself, and only returned after a full half an hour.

Prince Donghai had arrived, looking very unwilling. It was quite different from what he had expected. He thought there would be a group of bewitched commoners willingly dying for the “Emperor,” and their entire purpose was to incite rebellion in the northern part of the capital. Whether they had combat capability was not important; the key was to divert some of the Northern Army. However, what he saw was a decent looking army.

Regret set in even before entering the village, but it was too late to change his mind. The thirty guards he brought were too few.

As soon as Lin Kunshan entered, he knelt down, gently tugging at the hem of Prince Donghai’s robe. Glancing at the shabby attendants on both sides, Prince Donghai felt uneasy but also considered them easy to deal with. With a sense of uncertainty, he finally knelt down.

Before Prince Donghai could speak, Han Ruzi stood up, walked over to him with large strides, helped him up with a smile, and then said to the attendants, “This is my brother, Prince Donghai. From now on, seeing him is like seeing me.”

The attendants immediately wiped away their serious expressions, warmly greeted Prince Donghai, and even affectionately patted his shoulders as if it were a casual gathering.

Prince Donghai forced a smile, trying to avoid physical contact.

Han Ruzi asked the attendants to step back, leaving only Prince Donghai and Lin Kunshan.

“You do have some skills,” praised Prince Donghai, looking around the empty thatched hut. “You tamed a group of eunuchs in the imperial palace, and now you’ve managed to tame a bunch of outlaws here.”

“You’re quite capable too. You devised such a complex scheme, circled around, and I still couldn’t escape it.”

They exchanged smiles, then simultaneously dropped their smiles. Prince Donghai said, “I’m here now. Let’s start. The longer we wait, the more prepared the Empress Dowager will be.”

“Don’t be hasty. Our forces are still too small. First, tell me about the situation in the Capital these past few days.”

“There’s not much to say. Chai Yun and a few friends have gone missing. No one has seen them alive or dead. Several families are searching all over the city. But regarding you, there’s no news at all. So, my guess is that the Empress Dowager is already on alert. If you still want to reclaim the throne, don’t hesitate any longer.”

[1] Donkey Kid misheard Ma Ta as Ma Da, which just means ‘big horse’, or ‘first child of the Ma family’. The joke is that after all the effort Han Ruzi took to figure out a name, the most ordinary name was chosen in the end.

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