“W-w-what did you just call me?” Dugu Zhantian’s old eyes bulged and pointed a trembling finger at Luo Yunhai with a shocked face. The four generals were dumbstruck as well.
Marshal only agreed to take him as a soldier. How did it jump from that to being a godson?
Luo Yunhai had a genial face as he cupped his hands in respect, “Is it wrong of me to call you godfather?”
“Yeah, ol’ Marshal, didn’t you say it yourself that you wanted to be kin? The grand Marshal Dugu is going back on his word over such a trivial matter?” Zhuo Fan secretly snickered.
Dugu Zhantian was bug-eyed. It took a while to get over his shock and turned from Luo Yunchang to Luo Yunhai.
[True, Steward Zhuo only spoke of being kin, not carrying to elaborate on its type.] For Luo Yunhai to call him godfather, was also a type of kin.
But since only Luo Yunchang was there at the time, they believed it could only be through marriage.
And the next thing they noticed was that Luo Yunhai was kneeling there, and offering the teacup. Wasn’t his actions clearly done for a godfather ceremony? [Sigh, how could I be so careless?]
Dugu Zhantian rested his forehead, and said to Zhuo Fan bitterly, “Steward Zhuo, then what you meant by kin, was in fact…”
“Yes. Did Marshal perhaps think otherwise?”
“I thought…” Looking at Luo Yunchang, then at his four godsons, Dugu Zhantian sighed in resignation, “The same.”
The four generals’ faces crumbled with his last words. Zhuo Fan clapped with joy, “Ha-ha-ha, outstanding. Then young master, hurry and kowtow three times to your godfather.”
“Yes!” Luo Yunhai shouted, more than eager in his obeisance.
Dugu Zhantian sighed bitterly with a shake of his head. He wanted to give his godsons a sister in law, only to end up giving them a younger brother instead.
He was left with no alternative, since he already accepted. If he were to switch facts now and say he wanted the girl instead, wouldn’t it be the same as robbing the common people’s women?
He was Dugu Zhantian, who had an illustruous military reputation, a man pursuing honesty and bravery as well as maintaining a strict order in his ranks. Was he just going to throw it all away just like that?
[Let it be. With his talent and Luo clan’s elite army, in two years of training under me, he ought to turn up as another tiger, no?]
Dugu Zhantian looked on the bright side. His face then turned serious as he looked at Luo Yunhai, “Yunhai, today, you take me as your godfather, so you must follow the rules of the Dugu house. I am a man that separates private and public matters. Now that you are in the Dugu Army and if I am still in armor, you must address me as Marshal. Disobey any military rule and I will punish you according to the martial law, no exceptions. Your four brothers can attest to that.”
“Yes, godfather. Uh, Marshal!” Luo Yunhai cupped his hands in glee.
Dugu Zhantian nodded pleased, [Clever boy.], “Furthermore, as you are now my godson you are not to shame my name. Or your head shall fall!”
“Yes, Marshal!” Luo Yunhai grinned and shouted.
Zhuo Fan smiled and cupped his hands, “Congratulations, Marshal, for getting another bright godson. I am most certain our young master will not let you down.”
He then turned to the four generals, his smile ever present, “Congratulations, generals, you have now an outstanding brother. Young master shall be indebted to you looking after him, ha-ha-ha…”
Turning from the beaming Luo Yunchang, a fairy upon this mortal world, to the grinning Zhuo Fan, the four looked bitter and depressed.
[Enough blabber! We have enough brothers as it is, millions in fact! We don’t need more, all we wanted was a sister in law!]
Dugu Huo had it worse, feeling such disappointment that his eyes glistened with tears.
[Goddamn wretched Luo clan! You ignited our desires without us knowing and you give us a little brother instead?]
[I feel like crying! I’ve been in the field of battle for decades and now I don’t wanna go back…]
Knowing exactly what they were grumbling about in their minds, Zhuo Fan gave Luo Yunchang a thumbs up as he laughed inside. [Who knew the young miss knew how to work her charms? She got the four of ’em hooked without so much as an eye batting.]
Luo Yunchang stuck out her head in womanly pride and returned Zhuo Fan an enchanting smile.
This only worked to fuel the lamentation in the four men’s hearts.
“Steward Zhuo, now that I have Yunhai as godson, don’t you think it’s time I see your Clan Head?” Dugu Zhantian asked.
Shuddering, Zhuo Fan sighed a nod, “Indeed, I do believe Clan Head wished he could meet Marshal for a long time.”
Luo Yunhai and Luo Yunchang showed sullen faces.
Dugu Zhantian’s group was startled, following them in silence.
Not fifteen minutes later, they reached a large tent. Zhuo Fan allowed them to enter first. What they saw left them speechless.
On the table in the middle of the large tent stood a lonely spirit tablet. It was actually inscribed with Luo Clan Head’s name.
“Clan Head, your most esteemed and revered Marshal Dugu has come to see you. You must be so happy.” Zhuo Fan’s knees hit the ground, wailing to high heavens.
Luo Yunhai and Luo Yunchang had tears streaming down their cheeks.
Unlike Zhuo Fan, theirs was no act, but genuine pain. The loss of their father happened two years ago and this spirit tabled was very much real.
How could they not feel sorrow when gazing upon the spirit tablet?
Dugu Zhantian’s group was stunned. They never would’ve thought the battle of Windgaze City just now was so disastrous it robbed them of their Clan Head.
They had come too late.
Shaking his head, Dugu Zhantian and the generals felt their pain, paying their respects as well by burning incense. Their hearts were bleak thinking the Clan Head died not a few days ago.
“Steward Zhuo, if you don’t mind me asking, are the four 5th-grade arrays outside due to Clan Head?” Dugu Zhantian asked after showing his respect.
Zhuo Fan jumped to his feet and held his head high, “It is indeed so. Clan Head was but a Bone Tempering cultivator, but that didn’t stop him from reading the starry sky and the land’s layout, grasping arrays and alchemy alike. Those arrays were personally placed by the Clan Head.”
“Clan Head was a truly extraordinary man. I see why His Majesty sent me to your rescue!” Dugu Zhantian sighed.
Regarding the intricacies of a 5th-grade array, not even a Radiant Stage expert could claim to understand them fully. But as a mere Bone Tempering cultivator, the Luo Clan Head could set four 5th grade arrays. He had to be the genius of the millennium.
[A pity that he was only in the Bone Tempering Stage and was too weak to control the arrays fully and repel the stronger invaders.] Dugu Zhantian could even imagine Clan Head’s last moments. He sighed, “A true pity. If only he was still alive, I would’ve asked him to join my army as general. He would’ve been a great help to my army in fighting back the Quanrong.”
Zhuo Fan’s eyebrow flickered and clicked his tongue inwardly. [Thank god I wasn’t stupid enough to say I set them up, or they’d be hauling me to the borders. That would be dreadfully scary!]
“And who was the filth that dared attack the Luo clan, making you suffer so much, and even kill Clan Head?” Dugu Zhantian’s killing intent spiked.
He was only sent here by the emperor to protect the Luo clan. As for the enemy, he had no idea who it was.
Zhuo Fan snickered inwardly, [Perfect.] and sobbed, “Marshal does not know how cruel and terrifying they were. We had a hundred thousand people on Blackwind Mountain, now reduced to less than ten thousand.”
The sorrowful siblings jumped in fright, looking at Zhuo Fan with horror.
Nothing seemed beneath this guy, no act to foul, no ditch too filthy. The siblings thought to themselves. [When were there ever a hundred thousand men on this mountain? Better yet, we couldn’t feed them even if there were!]
Dugu Zhantian was boiling mad, “Such bastards slaughtering common folk live in my country? Now that I’ve returned to court, I will make sure to uproot this evil from our nation and bring it to peace!”
“Please godfa-, Marshal, bring justice to the Luo clan!” Luo Yunhai bowed.
Luo Yunchang rushed to do the same, “Please Marshal, bring us justice!”
“Be at ease, I do not tolerate such meaningless slaughter. I will have them taste the fist of justice for you.” Dugu Zhantian flicked his sleeve and roared.
Dugu Feng grabbed Luo Yunhai and Luo Yunchang’s arms and helped them to their feet. But his eyes never left Luo Yunchang, “Ha-ha-ha, even if Yunhai wasn’t my brother, The Four Tigers will never let such criminals live.”
The other three were gnashing their teeth in frustration.
[That’s eldest brother for you. Swift to act. How come we didn’t think of it? But there’s plenty of chance to pursue her, now that Luo Yunhai is our little brother.]
They then started crowding around her and extended their clutches, justifying it with sympathy. While their eyes glared at Dugu Feng as if to say, ‘Let the girl go! It’s my turn!’
But then Zhuo Fan passed through and took Dugu Feng’s wretched hand as well as the three clutches with ardent passion, “We couldn’t thank the four generals enough.”
“Ha-ha-ha, it’s only proper…”
Taking their hands back in annoyance, the four still had a smile, but their hearts were vexed. [We want to cope a feel of that young miss you got over there, so why the hell a rotten steward butts into our business?]
[Humph, such a killjoy!]
Watching them with a cold eye, Dugu Zhantian was pondering. [As their godfather, I have the final say in not only the peace on Tianyu, but to what lady fits them as well.]
“Steward Zhuo, who are they, where do they come from? I will immediately send my troops to flatten them all!” Dugu Zhantian bellowed with majestic power.
Zhuo Fan cupped his hands, “Marshal Dugu is a true God of War, in power and manners. I will be straight with you. One of those fiends was Hell Valley. I am certain that Marshal’s army can uproot every single one of them, raze their nest to the ground, restore peace…”
“Wait wait wait, come again?” Dugu Zhantian stammered, his scalp numb as cold sweat trickled down.
Zhuo Fan held his head high and spoke clearly, “It was Hell Valley! Why, is it perhaps difficult, Marshal?”
Dugu Zhantian’s face twitched
[Difficult, he says. That couldn’t even begin to describe it! Since when was it so easy to act against the seven houses?] He was from the Four Pillars, but he couldn’t just up and march on the seven houses! That’d start a civil war!
Dugu Zhantian held his forehead and sighed.
[I got too carried away with boasting!] Who’d have thought the reason why the emperor would send him over was to repel the seven houses? It was only natural, since only the Four Pillars could reign in the seven houses of Tianyu.
[Why didn’t you say anything, Your Majesty? Now I can’t go back on my word after boasting about it!]
Finding the hopeful gazes of Zhuo Fan, Luo Yunhai, and Luo Yunchang, for the first time ever, Dugu Zhantian flushed in embarrassment, trying to look elsewhere…