When Zu'an heard the name "Ero-Fang," he was completely shocked. He couldn't believe there was a country in the world with such a bizarre name.
The Gongkou people were a nomadic people who lived in what is now the Hetao Plain and northern Shaanxi. Although their power was slightly weaker than that of the Qiang people, they were by no means easy to deal with.
Pei Mianman personally took action and it took a long time to repel their invasion.
Unfortunately, this is true of nomadic peoples; because of their superior mobility, they are easy to defeat but difficult to completely eradicate.
These guys have been making a comeback every now and then in recent years, and Pei Mianman has to put them out every time.
Unable to bear the long separation from her, Zu'an began selecting generals from the court to replace Pei Mianman in her duties.
The wars of the past few years have also allowed many junior and middle-ranking officers to distinguish themselves, and Zuan has promoted a large number of famous generals such as Qin, Yu, and Xiangque.
While promoting him, he complained that these ancient names were too hasty, what did they even mean, it felt like raising chickens.
Among the promoted generals, there was a very special person, and that was the deputy commander!
Yes, it's the same mummified general who led them in the secret realm before.
He was originally the son of a powerful clan in the south. When the clan submitted to the Shang dynasty, he was sent to the capital of Yin as a hostage.
Instead of obediently serving as a hostage, this guy secretly learned various textile and metallurgical techniques in Yindu, wanting to go back and improve the lives of his people.
Unfortunately, he was captured by soldiers and was to be executed. Just then, Zu'an happened to pass by, and after learning his name, he strangely rescued him.
The chief was deeply grateful and willing to go to the front lines to kill the enemy and atone for his crimes.
Once he achieved his goal, things spiraled out of control. His military achievements grew exponentially, far surpassing those of other generals, and he was almost on par with Fu Hao.
Zaun had hoped to get some clues about the trial from him, but he was clueless like a newbie, clearly indicating that he had been assigned the task of guarding the secret realm later.
After spending several years pacifying the forces of the Wankou and Tufang, the Shang Dynasty faced another powerful enemy—the Guifang!
The Guifang were active on the Mongolian Plateau and were likely the predecessors of the Xiongnu. Their fighting strength was even more formidable than that of the Tufang and Gongkoufang.
The only saving grace is that, thanks to Zu'an's management over the years, the internal situation of the Shang Dynasty has stabilized, its national strength has greatly improved, and it has a battle-hardened army. Moreover, the generals have grown up, so Pei Mianman no longer needs to personally take charge.
The war dragged on for several years, leaving Zu'an and Pei Mianman overwhelmed with logistical issues in the rear.
The war was far too brutal, with countless deaths and injuries on both sides, and even a commander like the chieftain died on the battlefield.
Because the battlefield was too chaotic, by the time the Shang Dynasty soldiers retrieved his body, he was covered in knife wounds, and his severed arm was nowhere to be found.
Zuan remained silent, thinking of the bronze hand in the secret realm, and ordered the craftsmen to make an exact replica so that he could be buried with his body intact. This act was praised by everyone in the court and among the people, who clearly wanted to serve under such a kind and benevolent king.
Zuan was somewhat confused. He couldn't tell whether he had done this after seeing the bronze hand on the remains of the future chieftain, or whether he had done this first and then saw the bronze hand. He felt a sense of bewilderment, like Zhuangzi's dream.
Sometimes he even felt that this trial was the real world, and that the outside world might just be his imagination.
After dealing with the Gui Fang, the Shang Dynasty, having endured years of war, also needed to recuperate and rebuild.
But not long after, the Ba people in the southwest also began to invade.
Zu'an roared in fury: "Damn it, do you think this place is a public toilet, where I can come and go as I please!"
Over the years, he had been filled with resentment from the constant invasions. This time, he finally couldn't hold back any longer. Seeing that the domestic situation was stabilizing, he decided to personally lead an expedition with Pei Mianman.
Then, with perfect coordination, the two led the Ba army into the encirclement set up by Pei Mianman, completing the first ambush and annihilation battle in the country's history.
Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Zaun always felt that he had forgotten something, but now, as the ruler of a country, watching the country prosper under his leadership, the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment made him have no time to think about anything else.
In particular, besides Pei Mianman, he also had beautiful women like Xiao Tuo serving him in the harem. He lived a life like a god every day, so what more could he ask for?
Not long after, more good news arrived.
Pei Mianman is pregnant!
She should have gotten pregnant long ago, ten years ago, but Pei Mianman has been away on military campaigns for years, and the two of them have rarely seen each other. Only recently have they had some free time.
Upon learning of the pregnancy, both were somewhat bewildered. Could a soul alone become pregnant?
However, this thought was fleeting and was quickly replaced by joy.
The two had been in this world for so long that everything around them felt so real. They had long since become accustomed to it, and even subconsciously felt that what had happened before was just a dream.
During her ten months of pregnancy, Zu'an took meticulous care of Pei Mianman.
Unfortunately, problems arose in the end.
Pei Mianman experienced a difficult labor!
Midwives in this era knew nothing but how to make the pregnant woman push, and doctors were more like witch doctors, in some ways no different from charlatans.
Despite Zuan's various suggestions and solutions, he was ultimately not an obstetrician and had little practical experience with childbirth, so he could only watch helplessly as she died in childbirth.
The moment Pei Mianman closed her eyes, Zu An felt as if he had been struck by lightning, unable to believe it was real.
But those around him were used to it and offered him words of comfort.
In this era, due to limitations in technology and medical care, people's lifespans are not high, and each childbirth is like stepping into the gates of hell for women.
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