Chapter 219

Chapter 219

The frontier was far from the capital, and even with express couriers changing horses at full speed day and night, news that Qi had seized the opportunity to invade and that all lands south of Zhao had fallen would take considerable time to reach the border.

Therefore, Han Zhang and the others, who had just arrived at the frontier, were still unaware of this devastating news.

After getting settled in, Han Zhang did not rush to make contact with the military commanders. Instead, he took Father Shen and the others to visit Mother Shen and the children first.

That's right—after Mother Shen and the young grandchildren of the Shen family had been forced to "fake their deaths," Father Shen had sent them to the frontier to be settled safely.

Later, Han Zhang and Shen Qinglan's twin babies from their second pregnancy were naturally also sent to Mother Shen's care to be looked after.

Though the rebellion was of utmost importance, the children mattered even more.

The two babies had been sent away right after birth, and Shen Qinglan hadn't even had a chance to see them. Now that the children were at the frontier, how could he bear to wait any longer?

Han Zhang was equally eager to see the two children, so he was just as impatient to go visit them.

Meanwhile, Big Brother Shen and Second Brother Shen and their wives, upon learning that their supposedly deceased children and mother were actually still alive, stared with eyes wide in shock.

"Mother is still alive? And the children are all fine too? Father... did you... did you all know beforehand that our family would be exiled?"

Both couples were overwhelmed with a mix of surprise and joy.

Father Shen, watching his eldest and second sons and their wives trembling with excitement, stroked his beard smugly and played the role of a wise sage:

"Naturally. Though I am no lofty saint, how could I truly be the kind of cold-blooded man who would abandon his wife and disregard the lives of his grandchildren?"

"The road to exile is long and fraught with danger. Your mother is advanced in years, and the children are young and fragile. If I hadn't resorted to this plan, how could they have been protected?"

In truth, Mother Shen was in excellent health and had no need to fake her death at all, but to be absolutely safe, he had still chosen to send her out of the household.

His wife was the strongest tie between him and Lan Ge'er—he couldn't afford any mishap with her.

Shen Huaizhi and Li Huilan wept tears of joy upon hearing this. They had spent years grieving over their "dead" children, and now knowing the children were alive was truly wonderful!

Shen Huairen was equally delighted, though Lü Shurou couldn't help but stamp her foot in regret:

"Alas, it's all my fault. If I'd known, I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to have the youngest. Now look—he has to suffer through this exile with us for no reason..."

Speaking of this, Father Shen also scolded her without mercy: "What use is regret now? Back then, I advised you time and again, even had the physician warn you, all to stop you from having another child."

"But you, you went and ran back to your mother's house to hide and drink fertility medicine! Now you've learned your lesson, haven't you? What are you standing there for? Hurry up and carry the child over to your mother's place for proper nourishment."

"I understand, Father..."

Lü Shurou had a sharp temper, but she loved her children. Blushing furiously under her father-in-law's scolding, she dared not talk back. She quickly clutched her youngest child tighter and hurried to catch up with the group heading to see Mother Shen.

Over at Mother Shen's quarters.

Mother Shen had already received word of their arrival that day and guessed they would likely come over. She had kept the children up, with the lamps brightly lit, waiting for them.

The two sides met and wept tears of joy. Once emotions had settled somewhat,

the wet nurse emerged from the inner room carrying two seven- or eight-month-old babies. The babies were adorable, with delicate features that looked just like both Han Zhang and Shen Qinglan.

"Er Bao, San Bao! Mother, these are my Er Bao and San Bao, right?"

The moment Shen Qinglan saw the children's faces, he guessed they were likely his own. Tears welling up, he rushed over, caressing the two babies with boundless joy.

Han Zhang quickly followed, holding one child while secretly checking whether the two babies still carried the Power marks he'd left on them.

After all, swapping or mixing up babies was all too easy in this ancient era with no DNA testing!

Even though the two kids looked a lot like both him and his husband, the world was vast—objects could resemble each other, and people could share similar features. Appearance alone couldn't be an absolute basis for confirmation.

After all, given his father-in-law's character... he wasn't above pulling shady deals for profit.

Han Zhang didn't dare take the slightest risk when it came to his own flesh and blood. He'd rather be paranoid and assume the worst of people than live with regret later.

Fortunately...

Father Shen hadn't pulled any tricks. The Power marks on the children were still there—these two were definitely his and his husband's kids!

Only after confirming everything checked out did Han Zhang truly hug and dote on the two kids.

Unlike Xiao Tao'er, who took after his father, Er Bao and San Bao looked more like Shen Qinglan, especially San Bao, who looked the most like him.

Because San Bao looked so much like his beloved, Han Zhang naturally felt extra fond of him, unable to resist pressing a few more kisses to the little guy's chubby cheeks.

"Daddy's little baby is such a good boy!"

"Ah... Father... Dad, Daddy..."

Thanks to the blood bond, and because Mother Shen had shown the kids their portraits every day, Er Bao and San Bao were already familiar with the couple. They giggled happily, waving their little hands and babbling as they tried to copy the words.

It was enough to melt anybody's heart.

Mother Shen watched the couple showering the children with affection, feeling both pleased and a little worried. She quickly reminded them:

"Alright, alright, Han, sweetheart, you haven't shaved your beard yet. Be careful—don't scratch Er Bao and San Bao. Babies' skin is so delicate!"

She smiled and shook her head, then thought of something important. "Oh, by the way, have you two picked out names for Er Bao and San Bao yet?"

Back then, because of the exile conviction, the authorities had to inspect the family registry, and since the two children were supposed to have "died," memorial tablets had already been placed for them in name. Thus, they had never been formally named and registered, for fear of causing problems.

Now that things had calmed down, this couldn't be put off any longer.

Shen Qinglan immediately lit up and said, "Mother, my husband and I discussed it long ago. Er Bao's name will be Han Chengyu, meaning he'll carry himself with dignity, embracing the vastness of heaven and earth with a bright future ahead."

"His nickname will be Xiao Qingdu. We don't need him to be tough—just that he grows up strong and sturdy like a little ox, healthy and rarely sick his whole life..."

"San Bao will be named Han Chengze, meaning he'll be blessed by his ancestors, with grace and good fortune following him all his life; his nickname is Xiao Bai Tun, hoping he'll eat well and sleep soundly like a little piglet, carefree, well-off, and at peace."

Though Xiao Qingdu and Xiao Bai Tun didn't sound as impressive as Xiao Tao'er, they carried the couple's dearest hopes for their children.

Wanting your kids to be high achievers is all well and good, but compared to fame and success, they'd rather their children live safe, healthy, peaceful, and happy lives.

In fact, even for Xiao Tao'er's nickname, the couple liked the meaning behind "taotie"—eating and drinking well, carefree and happy.

"Xiao Qingdu? Xiao Bai Tun? ...Oh my, isn't that just little ox and little piggy? Ha, that's actually pretty cute."

Mother Shen murmured the two names over and over, a smile spreading to the corners of her eyes. "Good, good! Those sound like names for kids who'll eat well, sleep well, and grow up strong—lucky kids."

"Ah... ah... Dad, Dad... Father, Father..."

Er Bao and San Bao seemed to catch the gist of the adults' laughter, picking up on the happy mood. They clapped their little hands and grinned toothlessly at Han Zhang and Shen Qinglan, giggling nonstop.

They really were as energetic as a little ox and a little piggy!

In short, the couple could look at their own little cubs a hundred times and still find them adorable—no amount of doting ever felt like enough.

But the little ones were still too young, and with the rebellion at a critical juncture—chaos, war, and roughing it outdoors—dragging two swaddled babies along was just too dangerous.

Han Zhang and Shen Qinglan hugged the kids tight, kissing and nuzzling them over and over, soaking up that milky baby smell, but in the end, they had to swallow the ache in their hearts and let go.

"Daddy's little Xiao Qingdu, little Xiao Bai Tun... you be good for Grandma, drink your milk, sleep tight... Daddy and A-Fu will come see you lots—don't you forget us, okay?"

Shen Qinglan's eyes got all red as he gently held the kids' tiny, soft hands, dawdling in the room for ages, not wanting to leave.

It wasn't until the sky started to lighten that the couple finally left, looking back every few steps, and headed back to the military slave camp where the exiled convict-soldiers were housed.

...

Though Han Zhang was in the military slave camp, he wasn't living like an ordinary slave-soldier at all.

Thanks to Old General Shao and Kang Zhanxun greasing the wheels beforehand, within just a few days of hitting the frontier and getting assigned to the camp, he got a shot at earning merit and was promoted to a low-ranking squad leader.

The military camp was a weird mix of complicated and simple.

Complicated when it came to people—wherever folks gather, there's politics and backstabbing;

But simple in its rules—here, might makes right. If you can outfight everyone and keep your brothers alive, you're the top dog.

And Han Zhang's fighting ability? No question about it.

As for leading troops into battle, as a former base commander from the apocalypse, he couldn't just sit back and bark orders—he was used to being on the front lines.

In his past life, the zombies in the later stages had gotten smart, using sneaky tactics when they laid siege to bases. A zombie army that was cunning and unafraid of death was way harder to handle than any ancient army!

So Han Zhang's combat experience was every bit as solid as Old General Shao's, who'd spent his whole life in the army.

Plus, the frontier was right in the thick of its annual clashes with the grassland tribes, so chances to head out and fight were everywhere.

So within just two months of arriving, Han Zhang had racked up such solid military merits that the whole slave camp treated him like a rock star—worshipping him and following his every order.

Even the troops from other camps couldn't work up any jealousy.

After all, none of them could top Han Zhang's record—every time he led a raid, casualties never went over ten percent, and a few times, he came back with zero losses!

People get jealous of those who are a little better than them, but they only worship the ones who leave them in the dust.

Han Zhang was pleased. At this rate, he'd soon have rock-solid authority in the frontier army and get the soldiers to follow him.

But just as things were looking great, the grim news of the Qi State's invasion finally came.

A fast horse tore into camp like an arrow off a bowstring, the messenger holding up a blood-stained red flag, screaming in a hoarse, desperate voice:

"Eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch—the Qi army has broken through the southern border! The Eighth Prince killed the emperor and stole the throne, colluding with the enemy and opening the gates to let them in! His Majesty... His Majesty is dead!"

"The Crown Prince has fled east with the court, retreating to Haizhou, and has sent an urgent decree ordering the frontier army to march immediately and come to the king's rescue!"