Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 667 - 610: Can’t Achieve Merits Anymore!

Chapter 667: Chapter 610: Can’t Achieve Merits Anymore!

"Your Majesty, I heard that you were injured? As soon as I woke up, I came to see you. Are you alright?"

Zhang San, who had just entered Emperor Kaihuang’s tent, happened to see Emperor Kaihuang at that moment, hugging a leg of lamb and gnawing at it voraciously.

There was a strange silence in the air.

Emperor Kaihuang silently put down the leg of lamb, wiped his mouth, sat up straight, and assumed a dignified, authoritative expression.

"Has Minister Zhang arrived?"

"Your humble servant pays respects to Emperor Kaihuang."

"Ahem, ahem, ahem... Please take a seat. Minister Zhang, you have finally woken up. How are you feeling now?"

Zhang San obediently took a seat beside him and said indifferently, "Thanks to Emperor Kaihuang’s grand fortune, your servant’s health is now nearly... ahem, ahem, ahem..."

"Minister Zhang, you must take good care to rest!"

Changsun Bubai, who had followed behind, curled his lips, unsure how these two were both so adept at playing roles.

"Emperor Kaihuang, that is even more true for you! You, alone, bear the well-being of the entire Great Sui, the entire Imperial Path. Who else in the world has a body more important than yours? Emperor Kaihuang, you must take good care of your health!"

...

Changsun Bubai, standing at the entrance of the tent, could hardly bear to listen anymore.

And just then, footsteps were heard from not far away. Changsun Bubai took a sharp look and couldn’t help but be startled.

The person made a silencing gesture toward him, then, under Cao Demeng’s lead, entered the sleeping tent.

At this time, Zhang San and Emperor Kaihuang were in the middle of exchanging flattery.

"That being said, Emperor Kaihuang truly does endure much hardship."

Hearing this familiar and affectionate voice, Emperor Kaihuang looked up and, sure enough, it was his own Empress Dugu.

Empress Dugu, having heard that Emperor Kaihuang was injured, immediately had the best imperial physicians in the Capital prepare the finest pills and then rushed over without delay.

But Empress Dugu was just an ordinary person who had not undergone any cultivation since childhood. Even though she took some pills to strengthen the body over the years, natural weariness from traveling by carriage and horse meant she could not possibly hurry like a military general with lightning speed.

Therefore, she only arrived today.

The palace maids in the sleeping tent, upon seeing Empress Dugu arrive, tactfully withdrew.

Zhang San, however, noticed that not only was there a half-eaten leg of lamb on Emperor Kaihuang’s desk, but also a bowl of hand-held mutton and some dipping sauce on the side.

So, Zhang San moved closer, pretending not to notice Empress Gudu, selected a leaner piece of mutton, and began to eat.

Emperor Kaihuang and Empress Dugu embraced one another.

When dearly beloveds reunite after a long separation, the air becomes filled only with each other’s scent, as well as... the sound of munching on mutton.

Emperor Kaihuang frowned slightly and glanced at Zhang San by his side.

Zhang San pretended not to see and kept eating.

"Ahem... Minister Zhang, you have just woken up. You must take good care of your health; it’s best to rest more!"

At this moment, Empress Dugu, who had parted from Emperor Kaihuang, also said with a smile, "I heard that during the recent chaos of battle, Emperor Kaihuang nearly lost his life at the hands of the enemy. It was thanks to Zhang San’s heroic rescue that you even avoided sacrificing your life for the country. Zhang San, I will surely have Emperor Kaihuang reward you generously."

The meaning behind Empress Dugu’s words was clear: "I’ll have Emperor Kaihuang reward you later, so now show some tact and take your leave when it’s time."

You can just take the lamb meat and go, no problem.

Zhang San chuckled and said, "Foster mother, there’s no need to wait until later to talk. You can say it now in front of me..."

"Zhang San, the Marquis Beyond the Law I promised you last time, I’ll confer it on you when you return!"

"Thank you, Emperor Kaihuang! Thank you, foster mother! I’ve been feeling really weak recently! I’ll take my leave now!"

As he spoke, Zhang San picked up a bowl of hand-grabbed lamb meat from the table, poured the dipping sauce right into it, and turned to leave.

Emperor Kaihuang sighed helplessly.

Empress Gudu smiled and said, "What are you sighing for? He nearly lost his life trying to save yours. And you, acting the hero despite your age, insisting on leading the charge personally, and now look, you’re injured. Come, let me take a look..."

Zhang San left Emperor Kaihuang’s tent and gave Cao Demeng a meaningful look. Cao Demeng caught on and had the tent flap at the entrance lowered, ordering the personal guards to stay twenty steps away from the tent for protection.

Some things, you’re better off not hearing.

Meanwhile, Changsun Wuji, who had been waiting outside for a while, ran over as soon as Zhang San walked out with the lamb.

"Brother San, I heard you woke up, so I went to find you. How come you’re here?"

"Of course I had to visit Emperor Kaihuang first! Could I possibly make Emperor Kaihuang come to see me? What’s going on?"

Zhang San could tell from Changsun Wuji’s annoyed expression that something must have happened.

Changsun Wuji snorted coldly and clenched his teeth as he said, "At the end of the battle at Falling Dragon Mountain, Wang Junwu caught up with Tujue Khan Aikan Shetou and killed him."

Upon hearing this, Zhang San thought it was good news!

Then Changsun Wuji continued, "But that damn Pan Hu ran off with the head. And then Pan Hu brought the head back claiming he was the one who killed Aikan Shetou! Since Emperor Kaihuang was injured, we didn’t dare speak of it at the time. You were unconscious, so we also didn’t know how to convey this to Emperor Kaihuang. Because of that cursed dog, he’s Emperor Kaihuang’s darling!"

Zhang San sighed helplessly.

In the past, even if he had disrupted the current order, he would have simply rebuilt another ruthless order.

But now, thinking about it, the reason he was doing so well in this world was that he was on the side that was benefiting from the suffering of others.

Fairness? There’s no such thing.

"Have everyone come to my tent, say I’ve woken up and they should come to see me. Remember to bring something edible or some pills. Let’s not make it look like we’re forming cliques or something."

Soon, everyone in the army with a good relationship with Zhang San arrived, including people from the Town Martial Office and Wind Divine Hall.

"I heard about the incident where Khan Aikan Shetou’s head was stolen. Why didn’t you tell Emperor Kaihuang about it at the time?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Junwu sighed and said in a low voice, "Brother San, at the time I thought it was just the dog’s habit of snatching things. Plus, on the battlefield, it was just me and my personal guards there, with Changsun Wudiao and his personal guards not too far away."

"But when I got back, Cao Demeng told me Pan Hu was claiming he killed Aikan Shetou, and Emperor Kaihuang was overjoyed! He said he would reward him handsomely! With Emperor Kaihuang already having spoken, how could I, in good conscience, compete with a dog over credit? That would be too embarrassing, right?"

At this point, Changsun Wuji interjected, "The battle thereafter became so perilous. We lost twenty or thirty thousand soldiers in the valleys of Falling Dragon Mountain, all because Emperor Kaihuang listened to that damned dog’s words!"

Zhang San patted Changsun Wuji on the shoulder, consoling him, "Now you understand what a treacherous official is, huh? We used to think Mei Fei was cunning, but now, this dog is far worse than Mei Fei!"

"As for credit, Fifth Brother, I know what you’re thinking. But the Frontier Army of Jin River has always been part of the Centrist Faction, not favored by anyone. This is not just Emperor Kaihuang’s attitude toward you, but also that of the Ministry of War and many others in the royal court."

"I know Old General Yuchi hopes you can help the Centrist Faction regain its footing in the military. But you have to understand, by carrying the banner of the Centrist Faction, you are inevitably facing countless enemies!"

"Eliminating the remnants of Northern Qi, defeating the Tujue Khan, and now having killed another Khan, you could indeed rise to prominence with this battle. But the matter you want to handle back in the capital, I fear there will be people doing everything they can to thwart you. So, letting go of this credit might actually be a good thing."

"As for this Pan Hu! We indeed need to think of a solution. But before that, there’s something even more important..."