Chapter 267: Chapter 267

Perhaps, starting from the morning court session after dawn, it would be a time of relentless slaughter.

But even if it meant cutting to the bone to cure the poison, the nation’s own deficit would surely be immense. Victory in foreign wars was the best way to divert domestic contradictions.

Consider Yan State’s territory, national strength, and population. Add to this the time needed to shift internal conflicts, and even factor in the ages of the Yan Emperor and the Earl of North Border. Yan State truly did not have much time; they could not afford to delay.

Conversely, Qian State also lacked time. If Yan State couldn’t crush it in one fell swoop, giving Qian State a chance to catch its breath, reform, and change, it would be a disaster for Yan State.

Therefore, attacking Qian State with a "blitzkrieg" was the inevitable choice. On the other hand, this was also to prevent Jin State and Chu State from reacting and dispatching troops out of fear that ’if the lips are gone, the teeth will feel cold.’

"This roast leg of lamb—it’s not just about choosing the lamb, or the cut of lamb. You must also consider what grass the sheep was fed before slaughter, which charcoal to select. Even the seasonings, not a single one can be missing, or it will lack too much flavor. Ordinary people roasting lamb just know to set up a charcoal fire and roast; their approach is a bit too simplistic."

"You speak truly, my Lord."

"Alright, this piece is cooked. You can eat it first." For origınal chapters go to 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚~𝙣𝙚𝙩

The Earl of North Border pulled out a small knife, sliced off a large piece of meat, and handed it to Zheng Fan.

Just then, a wolfhound came dashing from a distant flowerbed.

"Heh, it comes running as soon as it’s cooked. Truly a dog’s nose for things."

Zheng Fan knew this dog, which looked like an oversized German Shepherd, must be a pet raised by the Earl of North Border. The Earl had not only brought it from his estate to the capital but even into the Imperial Palace, which was enough to show his affection for it.

When the dog drew near, Zheng Fan offered it the lamb in his hand.

Unexpectedly, upon seeing this, the Earl of North Border immediately chided, "What kind of logic is it for an animal to eat before a person has!"

Damn it, my attempt to curry favor with the dog clearly backfired!

"You are right, my Lord. You are right."

Zheng Fan had no choice but to eat his piece first.

Subsequently, the Earl of North Border cut off another piece of meat. After taking several bites himself, he then tossed the bone, which still had some meat scraps on it, to the wolfhound.

The wolfhound prostrated itself on the ground, gnawing on the bone.

"It’s had a hard time following me. Usually, if we’re not out hunting or on patrol, it doesn’t even get a mouthful of meat broth."

This wasn’t the Earl of North Border being modest or trying to appear pitiable. Zheng Fan was well aware of the dietary regulations in the Earl of North Border’s household: the men’s food allowance was the same as in the army barracks.

Back then, Ji Chengjue’s tutor and Master Zhang couldn’t stand the food at the Earl’s mansion, and even had Zheng Fan specially go to the market to buy meat for them to eat.

Unlike Lord Jingnan, when the Earl of North Border went to Quande Building, he devoured several roast ducks in one go. That probably wasn’t to support Ji Chengjue; he was genuinely starved for meat after being restricted in the mansion!

During wartime, it was already remarkable for a general to put on a show and eat a meal with the soldiers to boost morale. Yet the Earl of North Border lived so frugally in his own mansion, and had done so for who knew how many years. Zheng Fan believed that only someone who craved food to a certain degree would roast a leg of lamb so early in the morning.

One controlled his appetite, the other annihilated human ethics. The reason they made such sacrifices was not simply to live an ascetic life and gain that sense of ’transcendence’ most people feel when physically hungry, but to obtain even more in other aspects!

At this moment, Wei Zhonghe came walking over quickly.

Zheng Fan genuinely thought Eunuch Wei would be very suited to street dancing in later generations. His ’moonwalk’ was incredibly slick. If he were twenty years younger, Eunuch Wei’s aura would also have fit the aesthetic of that later period, and he’d surely have a multitude of fans.

Wei Zhonghe first glanced at Zheng Fan, then looked towards the Earl of North Border, his old face beaming like a daisy as he said, "My Lord, His Majesty has sent this servant to get meat from you."

The Earl of North Border pointed at Zheng Fan and said, "There’s only one leg of lamb. Originally, after giving him a piece and leaving some bones for the dog, what was left would have been just right for my breakfast. Now that an extra person is eating, tell His Majesty the meat isn’t enough; he has no share."

Zheng Fan was now holding his piece of lamb, unsure whether to eat it or not. Was he eating the Yan Emperor’s portion?

Wei Zhonghe immediately grew anxious and said, "Oh, my Lord! When His Majesty heard you were roasting a leg of lamb here, he specially instructed the Imperial Kitchen to skip his breakfast today. Our Majesty is waiting for your roast lamb to line his stomach before going to morning court!"

"He’s not afraid of stinking up the court with the smell of mutton?"

"How could that be? His Majesty sits on the Dragon Throne. If there’s any smell, it will only reach this servant."

"If this is given to him, then this Lord won’t have enough to eat."

"This servant will immediately order the Imperial Kitchen to send another leg of lamb to you, my Lord."

"Ah, forget it, forget it."

The Earl of North Border used his knife to cut off a large piece of meat and tossed it to Wei Zhonghe.

Wei Zhonghe hastily reached out and caught it. As if afraid the meat would cool, he once again employed his ’moonwalk’ and sped back to the Imperial Study like he was flying.

"You continue eating yours," the Earl of North Border said, pointing at Zheng Fan.

"Yes, my Lord." Previously, I called him ’you’ and referred to myself as ’I’. Now that Wei Zhonghe has addressed him as ’My Lord,’ I should also change my form of address.

The Earl of North Border plunged the small knife into the remaining lamb and asked, "Do you know why this Lord didn’t fight with His Majesty over this lamb?"

"This subordinate dares not say."

"You’re an interesting fellow. This Lord is asking you about the leg of lamb; what is there to not dare to say? How about this: if you can say something good, something that satisfies this Lord, heheh, it just so happens that one of this Lord’s garrisons is short a Colonel."

Zheng Fan took a deep breath, blinked his eyes, and shook the piece of meat in his hand. He then said in a deliberately world-weary tone, "Our family’s foundation is thin. There’s only one leg of lamb, which isn’t enough to fill us up anyway. What’s the point of fighting over it?"