"Marquis!"
Zhang Liang rushed into the courtyard and knelt before Qing Huai, who was standing in the yard. "Zhang Liang pays his respects to the Marquis!"
"Zhang... Zhang Liang?"
Qing Huai scrutinized Zhang Liang for a moment, then roared in fury, "What happened? How did you lose your arm?!"
In that instant, the polite and refined nobleman vanished, replaced by a furious lion. Xiao E, who had been lingering near Qing Huai earlier, trembled in fear and buried her face in Guan Xiaorou's arms.
"Marquis, it's all in the past..."
"Tell me, what exactly happened?" Qing Huai interrupted Zhang Liang, his tone commanding. "Weren't you assigned to the Left Xiaowei? Why are you here now?"
"Reporting to the Marquis, after I joined the Left Xiaowei, within a month, we encountered a siege by the Tanguts. During the battle, my left arm was severed by the enemy, and I was discharged," Zhang Liang explained reluctantly.
Qing Huai fell silent for a long time before asking, "Why didn't you come to see me before you were discharged?"
"The Marquis had high hopes for me and went to great lengths to get me into the Left Xiaowei. But I failed to live up to your expectations. I lost an arm within a month, and the section of the wall I was defending was breached by the enemy... I couldn't face you," Zhang Liang said, his voice heavy with shame.
"During the battle, did you retreat out of fear?" Qing Huai demanded, his eyes blazing.
"Zhang Liang comes from the Iron Forest Army, from under the Marquis's command. Even in death, I would never disgrace the name of the Iron Forest Army. During the battle, I killed four enemies and fought until I lost consciousness. I did not take a single step back!" Zhang Liang declared, his head held high.
"Then why should you feel ashamed to see me?!" Qing Huai kicked Zhang Liang in the shoulder, sending him tumbling to the ground.
Zhang Mancang, seeing his brother being struck, raised his hammer and charged forward, but Jin Feng grabbed him and held him back.
Zhang Liang climbed to his feet without a word, not even brushing off the dirt, and knelt once more before Qing Huai.
"If you fought bravely, what shame is there in being injured? Why couldn't you come to me?" Qing Huai kicked him again.
Zhang Liang remained silent, rising once more to kneel before the Marquis.
Qing Huai raised his foot but ultimately didn't kick him again. Instead, he helped Zhang Liang to his feet and asked, "You killed four enemies—did you receive any commendation?"
"Reporting to the Marquis, the section of the wall I was defending was breached by the enemy. Although reinforcements eventually drove the Tanguts back, the wall had already been lost once... So, my merits and faults canceled each other out, and I received no commendation," Zhang Liang replied honestly.
Qing Huai sighed and asked, "With one arm gone, how have you been making a living since your discharge?"
"At first, I relied on farming. Some time ago, Brother Jin Feng made me a usable crossbow, so I took up hunting for a while. Recently, as game has become scarce, I've been helping Brother Jin Feng with purchasing and delivering goods in the county."
"Is the pay enough to live on?"
"Thank you for your concern, Marquis. Brother Jin Feng is generous. He pays me five hundred coins a month and has also taught my brother blacksmithing. He's even allowed my mother, wife, sister-in-law, and younger sister to work in his workshop spinning thread. Now, my family eats three meals a day, all solid food."
As he spoke, Zhang Liang couldn't help but glance gratefully at Jin Feng.
"Thank you, sir!" Qing Huai turned and thumped his chest in a salute to Jin Feng.
"Thank you, sir!" The surrounding guards followed suit, saluting Jin Feng in unison.
Given the limited medical and sanitary conditions, countless soldiers in the Great Kang Empire died in battle or were discharged with disabilities each year, and the compensation they received was meager. Over the years, they had seen too many disabled comrades living in misery after being discharged. Some were even driven to become bandits. Cases like Zhang Liang's were exceedingly rare.
"You're too kind. Brother Liang and I are relatives. It's only right that we help each other," Jin Feng said with a smile, waving off their gratitude.
With Zhang Liang as the local host, there was no need for Zhong Wu to find lodging. Without even leaving the courtyard, Zhang Liang arranged for Runiang to rent out Xie Guang's old house to Qing Huai and his men. He then hurried to the town to have carpenters deliver several beds.
Qing Huai's guards were also busy, cleaning up the stove in Xie Guang's house, clearly preparing for a long stay.
By evening, Zhang Liang invited Qing Huai to his home for dinner and came to ask Jin Feng to join them. But Jin Feng declined, not wanting to intrude on their reunion. Instead, he pulled Zhang Liang into the blacksmith's workshop.
"Brother Liang, is this Marquis planning to stay for good?"
"The Marquis said he wants to take a look at your furnace. He's also interested in the new brick kiln you built, saying it's unlike any he's seen before."
"Isn't he a Marquis? How does he have so much free time?" Jin Feng asked, feeling somewhat uneasy.
Having someone like Qing Huai around made Jin Feng feel constantly watched, making it hard to act freely.
"The Marquis suffered a defeat last year and was reprimanded by the Ministry of War. He's been stripped of his military authority and has no official duties at the moment," Zhang Liang explained, his voice tinged with anger. "The Marquis only had five thousand men in the Iron Forest Army, while the enemy had thirty thousand, including six thousand cavalry. How could the Marquis possibly win? Holding off the enemy for ten days and nights was already a great achievement. I don't know what those officials in the Ministry of War were thinking..."
"Enough!" Jin Feng cut him off. "You can say these things at home, but don't speak of them outside. It could bring trouble to your Marquis. Criticizing superiors is a serious offense."
Zhang Liang immediately fell silent.
"By the way, what kind of person is this Marquis?" Jin Feng asked, changing the subject.
He had no interest in Qing Huai's political career. Whether the Marquis was in favor or not, as long as he held his title, he was someone Jin Feng, a commoner, couldn't afford to offend. What Jin Feng cared about was the Marquis's character.
From what he had seen so far, the Marquis seemed very interested in his iron-smelting method, even staying in Xihewan Village. If the Marquis was a decent person, collaborating with him could provide Jin Feng with a powerful ally, freeing him from worries about bandits and other minor threats. But if the Marquis was untrustworthy, Jin Feng would deliberately sabotage the furnace and distance himself from such a dangerous figure.
When Qing Huai saw Zhang Liang's missing arm, Jin Feng had noticed the Marquis's eyes redden and his hands tremble slightly, a mix of anger and sorrow. This had shifted Jin Feng's impression of Qing Huai somewhat.
But politicians were often skilled actors. Who knew if the Marquis was merely putting on a show to win people's hearts? Jin Feng had heard too many stories like that. It was better to ask Zhang Liang, who knew Qing Huai well.
To Jin Feng's surprise, Zhang Liang burst into laughter upon hearing the question.
"What's so funny?" Jin Feng asked, puzzled. "And why does your laugh sound so unpleasant?"
"I'm laughing because the Marquis predicted this too," Zhang Liang said. "Before we came, the Marquis told me you'd ask this very question."