The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

While others might not know, Li Zheng certainly did know that his family had indeed considered this matter.

Nowadays, it is clear to everyone that under Emperor Yang Ming's mismanagement, Daxing is in a state of widespread public resentment and outrage.

More importantly, the conflict between the emperor and the powerful clans had become irreconcilable.

Yang Ming openly wanted to weaken the power of the powerful clans. There were even rumors that the Emperor had deliberately caused Daxing to pay such a heavy price to deal with a small Bai Ji.

They wanted to weaken the power of the aristocratic families by launching an eastern expedition.

The powerful and influential families would naturally not sit idly by and wait for their doom.

Behind the various rebel armies in Daxing were the shadows of major aristocratic families.

The current state of the nation is in turmoil, and the powerful families and clans of all sides can no longer contain themselves.

The Wang family is just the beginning; more and more powerful families will come out into the open in the future.

The Li family clearly understood this situation and naturally made preparations in secret.

But this is something you can do but can't talk about.

In any case, Daxing has not completely collapsed yet.

The Qin An before them was still a general of Daxing.

Now that he's asked this question, Li Zheng's natural instinct is to refute it.

However, after glancing at the imposing and powerful man before him, Li Zheng swallowed back the words of rebuttal that were on the tip of his tongue.

He is now increasingly coveting Qin An.

When I first met Qin An on the battlefield of Baiji, he was just a minor cavalry commander.

At that time, Li Zheng felt that this man was extraordinary, so he immediately recruited him.

But to my surprise, Qin An was even more outstanding than I had imagined.

In such a short time, it has grown to this level.

Through one great battle after another, he made everyone realize how formidable he was.

Although he is not yet famous at home and abroad, he can certainly be said to have gained a reputation and is considered one of the best among the younger generation.

More importantly, he is still so young, and it is unknown how far he will grow in the future.

To recruit such a person, you must show your sincerity.

However, this matter was too important, which made Li Zheng hesitate for a moment.

Just as he was in a bit of a dilemma, he suddenly remembered his sister's letter.

Li Zhaoning wrote very clearly in his letter that Qin An should have already noticed something unusual about the Li family.

However, he still accepted Xuanfu as his disciple and never revealed a word of it to anyone.

What does this tell us?

This shows that Qin An had no hostility towards the Li family, or at least did not use what he knew as leverage.

If he really wanted to harm the Li family, he could have done so back in the capital.

"Those who aspire to great things must dare to do what others dare not do. The greater the risk, the higher the reward—go for it!"

Li Zheng took a deep breath, put down his teacup, and decided to take a gamble in order to acquire such a talented person.

Meeting Qin An's gaze, he finally nodded and said, "Yes."

The candlelight flickered twice more.

Li Zheng's voice was very low, but every word was as clear as if it had been carved with a knife.

"Daxing's fate is sealed, and the Li family cannot sit idly by and wait for their doom. I cannot disclose the specific time and the individuals involved. But your judgment is correct."

He raised his head and looked into Qin An's eyes.

"I know you guessed it long ago. Zhao Ning told me in her letter that you had sensed something when you were in the capital. But you accepted the Xuanfu and never revealed it to anyone else."

Li Zheng stood up and walked to Qin An. "This is enough to convince me that you won't expose this matter."

He suddenly clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and said solemnly, "Brother Qin, I, Li Zheng, once again invite you to lend me a hand."

Qin An looked at Li Zheng in front of him, remained silent for a long time, and then suddenly smiled.

This was the first genuine smile to appear on his face all night.

It wasn't a polite smile or a perfunctory nod, but a genuine smile from the heart.

"Brother Li, stand up and speak."

He reached out to help Li Zheng up, his tone calm yet solemn: "I declined your invitations the last time. But you still came to help me today. If I, Qin An, still don't understand this sincerity, then I am ungrateful."

Li Zheng stood up, the tension in his eyes not yet completely gone.

Qin An released his grip and sat back down in his chair. The candlelight illuminated his profile, dividing his expression into light and shadow.

"Thank you for not disdaining me, Brother Li. I am willing to serve you with utmost loyalty." He paused, then added, "There is one thing I must say beforehand."

"Speaking."

"I'm siding with Li Zheng, not the Li family."

Li Zheng was slightly taken aback.

Qin An's tone was calm and without any ripples: "I know a little about the internal affairs of the Li family. You have an elder brother and a younger brother, both vying for that position. If you, Li Zheng, take charge in the future, I, Qin An, will be at your beck and call. But if it is someone else, I'm afraid I cannot obey."

He placed the teacup on the table, making a slight clinking sound: "What I value is you as a person."

Li Zheng stood there, the candlelight casting his long shadow on the ground.

A strange flush flashed across his face. He didn't say anything, but turned around, his back to Qin An, and vigorously wiped his face.

When he turned back, his expression had returned to calm, but the glint in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"Alright." Li Zheng's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly. "I will remember Brother Qin's aspirations."

Qin An reached out his hand, interrupting him: "That's too far off, Brother Li. There's one thing you need to be clear about: I'm willing to serve you, but not now."

Li Zheng was stunned: "Why?"

"Because the Li family hasn't come out into the open yet." Qin An's voice was steady, every word a result of careful consideration.

"You are only the second young master now, and you don't represent the entire Li family. If I were to join your ranks now, it would only bring you trouble. What would your elder brother and younger brother think? What would the imperial court think?"

Li Zheng fell silent.

"Moreover," Qin An continued, "I still have five thousand brothers to feed. Their lives were saved by General Zhang at the cost of his own. I cannot let them fall into greater danger because of my choice."

He looked at Li Zheng earnestly: "Therefore, I have decided to go to the Yuwen family first. Only by relying on the power of the Yuwen family can we resolve the crime of the defeated army and allow these five thousand brothers to live in peace."

"Once we've saved them, and once the Li family is ready, I'll naturally come looking for you."

Li Zheng stood by the candlelight, saying nothing.

His face shifted between light and shadow, eventually settling into a complex expression.

It was a mixture of guilt, admiration, and emotion.

"I understand." His voice was a little hoarse. "You're right, but I still feel that this is too unfair to you. You're someone who can take the head of a general in the midst of a thousand troops, yet now you have to lower yourself to beg the Yuwen family..."

"Brother Li," Qin An interrupted him, his tone calm yet firm, "Daxing hasn't completely collapsed yet. The Li family needs to secretly accumulate strength, and so do you, and so do I."

"I need time to grow, time to train, and time to truly transform these brothers into a fighting army."

"If I'm still just a reckless brute who only knows how to charge into battle when the Li family comes out into the open, what help can I be even if I join your ranks?"

He picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp, as if he were drinking a glass of strong liquor.

"Therefore, I'm not wronged."

Li Zheng looked at him and remained silent for a long time.

He then sat down again, refrained from further pleasantries, and asked directly, "What's your view on the current situation?"

Qin An put down his teacup and drew a few lines on the table with his finger: "The rebels have the advantage of terrain, but their hearts are not united. Wang Chong only wants to protect his own territory. Dou Xia has the support of the people, but his foundation is not deep. Xu Mao is the most troublesome opponent. However, it is useless for him to be powerful alone. As long as the court is not in chaos, we can slowly encircle and annihilate them. The rebels will not last long."

"And what about the court itself?" Li Zheng pressed, his eyes carrying a hint of testing.

"The emperor is incompetent, and factional strife is constant; these are the biggest hidden dangers," Qin An said bluntly. "The Yuwen family wields immense power but is unpopular, while the Li family has deep roots but is viewed with suspicion."

"If Daxing doesn't fall into internal strife, the rebels will be quelled sooner or later. If internal strife occurs first, the rebels will only grow stronger as the fighting continues."

Li Zheng nodded, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "Great minds think alike."

Although Li Zheng had previously thought highly of Qin An, it was only because of his martial prowess and ability to command troops.

It is clear that even in this simple exchange, he discovered that Qin An was far more outstanding than he had imagined.

Moreover, the other party's views were surprisingly consistent with his own on many points.

This immediately gave him the feeling of having found a kindred spirit.

The two got along very well and sat for two hours.

We discussed the current situation of the rebels, the art of war, and various future plans.

Li Zheng became more and more engrossed in his speech, his voice rising and falling, tapping the table with his index finger when he was in high spirits, and frowning when he was deep in thought.

Qin An maintained a calm tone throughout, saying little, but every word he uttered made Li Zheng's eyes light up.

As dawn broke outside the window, Li Zheng finally stood up. His eyes were a little red, but he smiled: "Tonight's conversation is worth more than ten years of pondering in my study."

Qin An also stood up, cupped his hands and said, "It's getting late, Brother Li, please get some rest."

Li Zheng walked to the door, then suddenly turned around: "Brother Qin, there's something I want to ask of you."

"Brother Li, please speak."

"That child from Xuanfu," Li Zheng's voice carried a hint of solemnity, "Although he is naturally dull-witted, he is indeed a promising talent. I am very reassured to entrust him to you, and I hope you can teach him to become a useful person."

"Brother Li," Qin An interrupted him, his tone calm yet firm, "would you consider this the first task you've given me? Don't worry, I certainly won't let you down."

Li Zheng paused for a moment, then laughed.

That was a genuine laugh, without a trace of falsehood.

He didn't say anything more, turned around and strode away, his figure disappearing into the morning light.

"Such a magnificent appearance, so radiant and awe-inspiring! I hope I made the right choice!"

Qin An stood at the entrance of the side hall, watching that figure from behind, a smile appearing on his lips.