Time rewinds to the day Fa Zheng flaunted his power beneath the gates of Shouchun City. After leading the retreat of Fa Zheng's forces thirty miles out, Gan Ning watched as Fa Zheng leapt off the carriage and mounted his prized steed, laughing skyward.
"Xiaozhi, what's the matter with you?" Fa Zheng's behavior startled Gan Ning. From the moment Fa Zheng switched from riding a horse to sitting in a carriage, Gan Ning felt something was amiss, and now Fa Zheng's exuberant laughter only deepened his unease!
"It's nothing, just having a laugh!" Fa Zheng waved cheerfully.
"This isn't just a laugh," Gan Ning said, pulling his lips into a frown. "Alright, what happened to make you so elated?"
"I deliberately conveyed everything to him, yet he remained remarkably calm—this is excellent news! Now, hurry toward the Huai River! Full speed, march directly to Yicheng!" Fa Zheng declared with a laugh, his mood unexpectedly exuberant.
