The mountain forest lay silent at night, with only the crackle and pop of burning firewood.
The entire army had gone to sleep.
Zhang Jing'an's eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes.
"Awake? Let's talk outside." Fang Yun, who was beside him, rose and walked out of the tent.
Zhang Jing'an frowned, got up, and followed him outside.
Fang Yun sat before a campfire, and Zhang Jing'an sat opposite him.
On either side of the roaring campfire, father and son gazed at each other across the firewood and flames.
"I heard what you said before you fainted," Fang Yun said.
Zhang Jing'an's expression turned ugly. He gritted his teeth and said, "So what? I've suspected it for ages. You deliberately set me up, deliberately lured me into the army camp, deliberately made me suffer, deliberately forced me to leave, all to force me into school!"
Fang Yun seemed not to have heard him and continued, "You chose to become a general, and you failed. Meanwhile, in just over ten days, I've already become a squad leader. Still, since you said you don't want to be a general or a soldier, I won't object. So, besides becoming a general, what else do you want to do? I must get you settled before I leave for the Pearl River Army's main camp."
Zhang Jing'an gave a mocking laugh. "I want you to give me a huge pile of gold so I can eat, loaf around, and wait to die!"
Fang Yun smiled faintly, looking at Zhang Jing'an like a savage beast eyeing its prey.
"You know perfectly well that the Zhang Household doesn't support good-for-nothings!"
Zhang Jing'an snorted coldly, unable to argue. The Zhang Household had produced its share of wastrel sons, but they had either been beaten crippled by the Pearl