Chapter 044 – Father’s Style Is a Bit Strange
Liu Zhi was indeed very skinny. He wasn’t short, but he had no meat on him whatsoever.
Even though he wore loose clothing that hid it, Jiang Pengji had a keen eye for judging bodies. By just looking at the size of his feet, the depth of his footprints, and even the rhythm of his breathing, she could roughly estimate a person’s gender, height, weight, and measurements. There was no way she couldn’t figure out Liu Zhi.
Jiang Pengji frowned, “Father has lost too much weight compared to before. This time he returns home, we must make sure he gains back all the meat.”
Liu Zhi’s eyes lit up with surprise; he was so excited that he could hardly get his words out. His hands resting on his knees trembled slightly, as if he didn’t know where to place them.
“Lan Ting… do you still remember how your father looked back in the day?”
After the untimely death of Liu Lanting’s twin brother, their mother soon fell gravely ill and passed away as well. Heartbroken, Liu Zhi had to leave Hejian County for some unknown reasons, taking up a post far away and in a dangerous location. Given all circumstances, he didn’t take Liu Lanting with him, and he had only managed to visit home twice over the years.
To be precise, these two “father and son” had not seen each other for many years.
Jiang Pengji shook her head, saying, “Father’s clothes are old-fashioned now and fit him poorly. It’s not that he’s lost weight?”
So that’s how it is… The excitement on Liu Zhi’s face faded quite a bit. But thinking that his daughter noticed these details made him feel much better; he softened his expression and said gently, “Your mother never liked sewing; after marrying me for many years, she only made me a few outfits…”
So that’s how it is. It seemed this convenient father had feelings for that mother he had never met?
But as she recalled the situation in the inner court, she pushed that thought aside. Ancient men didn’t share the same values as her.
“Will you stay at home for a long time this time, Father?”
Jiang Pengji could tell that Liu Zhi’s health wasn’t good. Besides his emotional troubles, most of it seemed to stem from work stress. If things continued like this, he might even work himself to death, so she preferred a work-life balance.
Even though she couldn’t truly see him as a father, she could care slightly as she had borrowed Liu Lanting’s body, but… whether he was willing to heed her advice was up to him, and that was something she couldn’t force.
Those words fell into Liu Zhi’s ears, making him feel as if his daughter was cautiously reluctant to let him go, causing his heart to soften unexpectedly.
“I have some matters to handle upon my return this time, and I should stay for about three months. Once everything is settled, I’ll have to go to the capital… If all goes smoothly, I can live a carefree life at home as a wealthy gentleman.”
Liu Zhi’s response completely took Jiang Pengji by surprise. Was he… planning to retire?
“You’re so young, just at the age of thirty, why would you want to resign?”
In this era, officials didn’t have a precise retirement age; they typically worked until they could no longer do so. Liu Zhi was still in his early thirties, in an upward phase of his career, with plenty of room to make a name for himself.
Liu Zhi thought for a moment and then ruffled Liu Lanting’s hair affectionately.
“The Official Master ignores the advice of scholars and refuses to heed the opinions of the hundred officials, insisting on negotiating peace with the northern tribes. If this continues, a great disaster may befall us. It’s better to extricate myself now while it’s still early… My lifelong aspiration has just been to live a carefree life, watching you grow up, but the situation doesn’t allow for it… The intrigues and power struggles in the officialdom are truly uninspiring. Now that Lan Ting is almost of age, I just want to spend more time with you.”
After saying that, he let out a bitter laugh, thinking that his daughter knew nothing of these matters.
“Are you worried that after the peace talks, the Official Master will be wary of the Northern General’s Residence and decide to abandon you like a donkey after it stops working?”
Jiang Pengji’s words shocked Liu Zhi; he didn’t expect his daughter to have such insight.
Upon reflection, although his daughter was female, she had been raised pretending to be male since childhood, and since she was born to him and Amin, she surely wasn’t dull.
Moreover, this daughter’s background was anything but ordinary.
“Indeed, the northern tribes have grown ambitious, plotting for years against Dongqing. The Official Master is becoming increasingly negligent in government affairs and no longer possesses the decisiveness of his youth… If he refuses peace talks, he will still rely on the Northern General’s Residence. However, the Official Master is already dissatisfied with them, constantly thinking about consolidating military power… If the peace talks succeed, it’ll be the time to abandon the donkey.”
Liu Zhi shook his head. There were those who saw the hidden dangers, but the Official Master was stubborn and one-track-minded, impossible to convince.
At this point, Liu Zhi scoffed, sarcastically saying, “With an unsteady foundation, is it any wonder he’s wary of the Northern General’s Residence?”
The Dongqing royal family had originally been runaway slaves, later taking care of horses for a famous general of the previous dynasty. It was only by chance that they gained a foot in the door, slowly rising up.
But a dog can’t stop itself from eating shit; their ancestors turned traitor for short-term gain, leading their descendants to see any general as a treasonous rebel.
Jiang Pengji subtly twitched her lips. She thought as an outsider, she wouldn’t be concerned about royal powers; she spoke her mind casually… but unexpectedly, her convenient father was even harsher, directly cursing the ancestors of the Dongqing royal family.
In ancient times, bloodlines and origins were paramount, and insulting such a thing was even more disgraceful than any other insult.
However, from this, it could be seen that this convenient father had no attachment to the term loyalty, and fundamentally, he was quite rebellious.
Jiang Pengji asked, “If the Northern General’s Residence falls, are there other generals in Dongqing who can fend off the ambitions of the northern tribes?”
“If there were, the Official Master wouldn’t have relied on the Northern General’s Residence to guard the northern borders for all these years! He would have long since divided and neutralized power.”
Liu Zhi sneered, holding onto them while dreaming of taking back military power, showing no fear of being torn apart.
“If that’s the case, if the Northern General’s Residence collapses, and the Official Master is misled into promoting a few so-called talented generals, replacing the Northern General, defending everywhere… then with the combined forces of the southern barbarians and northern tribes, it could be a devastating wind to Dongqing…”
Warfare was Jiang Pengji’s forte. Though the circumstances and warfare tools differed between the two eras, the essence of war remained unchanged, and her sharp instincts were still intact.
At present, aside from the Northern General’s Residence, Dongqing had no other generals to speak of, which showed how far military officers had been suppressed.
“If it’s going to be chaotic, so be it… As the saying goes, a chaotic age brings forth heroes. If things unfold as Lan Ting predicts, it seems Dongqing’s fate is nearing its end!”
Unexpectedly, Liu Zhi, who typically appeared elegant, coldly laughed off such rebellious remarks.
Jiang Pengji slowly replied, “I think a centipede that has a hundred legs won’t die so easily… Perhaps it could still be rescued…”
Being an ancient era nation, with communication and transport tools being too backward, bringing down a country wasn’t as easy as in her time.
In her time, if they said a nation would fall by the afternoon, it definitely wouldn’t drag into the evening.
Liu Zhi shifted to a gentle, doting smile, delivering the finishing blow, “The foolish who are oblivious to their reckless actions are beyond saving.”
Jiang Pengji: “…”
[Stowaway Non-Money]: Suddenly able to read the expression on the streamer’s face, hhhhh, absolutely MDZZ!
