Chapter 132: To Understand the Scourge of War in This World

The beauty who stepped down from the ornate carriage was none other than Princess Wuyou.

As she alighted, the guards on both sides knelt in unison to pay their respects. Although Zhang Chi had seen his share of the world since arriving in this ancient era, he had never once knelt before anyone. Caught off guard, he stood there awkwardly. After a moment’s hesitation, he offered only a slight bow, a gesture of minimal courtesy.

To his surprise, Princess Wuyou reached out to steady him. Why would she support him when he hadn't offered a formal bow? Zhang Chi found this strange, but what she said next was even more puzzling. "Young Master, there is no need for such formalities. In this world, there is no reason for a husband to bow to his wife."

Husband and wife? Where did that come from? Zhang Chi was utterly bewildered.

Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Princess Wuyou explained with a smile, "Has the Young Master forgotten? Before you departed for the campaign against the Hu, and before you had even left Chengdu, my father and you entered into a marriage contract. It was agreed that upon your victorious return, we would wed. Now that you have defeated the main force of the Hu and returned in triumph, we are soon to be husband and wife. Is there anything amiss with that?"

Only then did it dawn on Zhang Chi.

As a modern man, he had never even met the woman before. Subconsciously, he had never taken the marriage contract seriously. Furthermore, since leading the army, he had been caught in a continuous cycle of warfare and had truly had no time for romantic thoughts. If not for her reminder, he would have forgotten it entirely.

Having a wife drop from the sky made Zhang Chi grin. It wasn't out of arrogance; he was simply struck by the irony that such things only happened in movies, and yet, here he was, living it. He didn't lose out, either. He had previously imagined that the Prince of Chengdu’s daughter—whom the Prince had described as intelligent—might be quite different, but he never expected her to be so breathtakingly beautiful.

To call Princess Wuyou beautiful was no exaggeration. Her features were refined, her eyes bright and expressive. There was a faint hint of baby fat on her cheeks that gave her a rounded, youthful appearance, yet this only added a touch of charm to her delicate grace. After all, she was only sixteen.

In the modern world, sixteen was still a child, but in this ancient age, it was the prime time for marriage. Especially as the daughter of the Prince of Chengdu, she had been raised to be dignified and virtuous, which lent her a maturity beyond her years.

Princess Wuyou smiled. "This time, you have turned the tide, not only relieving my father of his worries but saving the lives of millions in the Shu region. That is why I have come out of the city to welcome you."

It is said that young women are prone to sentimentality, and heroes have always been the ideal princes charming for such maidens. It was clear that Princess Wuyou was quite satisfied with having found such a heroic husband.

When the Prince of Chengdu first proposed this marriage, Zhang Chi had not actually agreed; he had merely used the excuse that he could not think of starting a family while the Hu remained undefeated. He had never expected the Prince to take him at his word. Now, standing before the Princess, he could hardly say anything rash.

In the modern age, it wouldn't have mattered—dating was casual, and breaking up was easy—but it was vastly different here. In Zhang Chi's mind, ancient women valued lifelong devotion. If he were to reject her, who knew what desperate measures she might take? He certainly didn't want to deal with the aftermath of a tragedy.

Zhang Chi remained silent. Thinking he was simply shy from their first meeting, the Princess smiled slightly and asked, "Shall we enter the city together to see my father?"

***

Zhang Chi offered a slight smile and nodded, mounting his horse.

The reception ceremony in Shu was truly grand. From the moment they reached within ten miles of Chengdu, a welcoming party appeared every mile. This level of reverence surpassed even that shown to high-ranking nobles. Outside the city gates, commoners had gathered spontaneously to catch a glimpse of the hero they admired.

Zhang Chi stationed his main force outside the city and rode his white horse alongside Princess Wuyou's carriage, entering the city together. The streets were packed with countless onlookers.

"Look, that scholar on the white horse is the Grand Commander who defeated the thirty-thousand-strong Hu army!" the people whispered among themselves.

"I thought a commander capable of defeating thirty thousand Hu would have three heads and six arms. How is he just like an ordinary person?" one man said, sounding skeptical.

Someone in the crowd retorted, "What do you know! Don't let his scholarly appearance fool you. I heard he is a celestial star descended to earth, sent to save us poor folk from our suffering."

"Is that true?"

The first speaker replied with absolute certainty, "Of course it is! Otherwise, how could a common man defeat the Hu?"

The crowd nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes! He must be a celestial star, here to bring peace and prosperity to the world!"

"Not so, not so." Just then, an old fortune-teller pushed his way into the crowd with his signboard, a sly, mischievous smile on his face that made him look like anything but an honest man.

Had Zhang Chi seen this old man, he would have been shocked, for he was none other than Zhan Taiqi, the leader of the Heavenly Mystery Sect.

"Not so?" The man who had first called Zhang Chi a celestial star was indignant. "If that's the case, then you tell me—through all the battles fought, we have lost more than we have won. Even the Northern Garrison and the armies of Jingzhou could do nothing against the Hu. Why is it that only this Commander could defeat them?"

Zhan Taiqi shook his head like a charlatan, smiling. "This young man on the white horse is indeed not a celestial star descended from heaven. He is the 'Heavenly Mystery' of this generation. He is not here to bring peace to the current order; on the contrary, he intends to overturn the entire world. He wants to ensure that every impoverished soul has land to till. He will not only expel the Five Hu and reclaim the Central Plains, but he will also see the common people rise to power and turn the centuries-old monopoly of the noble clans into ash."

The onlookers held their breath; these were treasonous words that could lead to execution.

Zhan Taiqi did not care. He continued, "He is not like those other power-hungry men. He is not from a noble lineage. He is one of us, born into poverty. He is the only one who can truly act for the sake of the people."

After his long speech, the crowd stood stunned, mouths agape, no one daring to respond. Zhan Taiqi did not linger. He threw his head back and laughed, walking away while loudly chanting, "The Heavenly Mystery revealed, the world shall rebel. A leader from the poor, in a white horse and green robe!"

***

The people followed Zhang Chi until they reached the outer gates of the inner city.

In ancient times, most commoners lived in the outer city, while the nobility resided in the inner city, separated by a gate.

As they reached a marketplace near the gate, the crowd could follow no further. Zhang Chi waved to the people on both sides. Princess Wuyou watched the surging tide of people and felt a sudden pang of emotion. She thought that a general on campaign should be like Zhang Chi—cherished by the people; otherwise, he was unworthy of leading an army.

"Now that you have returned to Chengdu, do you intend to set out on campaign again?" Princess Wuyou asked, lifting the curtain of her carriage.

Zhang Chi smiled and replied politely, "This return is merely for reorganization. The six northern prefectures are still in the hands of the Hu; I must find a way to reclaim them."

"You are a true hero," Princess Wuyou said with genuine admiration.

Caught off guard by her sudden praise, Zhang Chi replied humbly, "I am no hero."

"The battlefield is where a man establishes his legacy. You were a scholar, yet you cast aside the brush for the sword. That is why I admire you all the more," Princess Wuyou laughed. "Tell me, is it exhilarating to lead an army in battle?"

Zhang Chi gave a wry smile. It seemed that although she appeared dignified, she was still just a child at heart. "There is nothing exhilarating about war. Many people die on the battlefield."

"To protect one's country with true skill on the battlefield... sometimes, I wish I could see it for myself."

They had not yet left the marketplace, and the road was lined with various shops. Zhang Chi suddenly pointed to one and said, "If you wish to see it, Princess, you don't need to go to the battlefield. You can see it clearly right here."

"Oh?" Princess Wuyou followed his finger and saw a butcher selling meat at his stall. She was puzzled. "You point to a butcher—how can one see the spirit of soldiers on the battlefield there?"

"To understand the slaughter of war, one need only listen to the sound of the butcher's blade in the dead of night," Zhang Chi said, his voice heavy.