The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 113 Successor
Passing through the city gate, the city of Xuzhou unfolds before your eyes.

Xuzhou is a thoroughfare on the lower reaches of the Bian River, connecting Kaifeng and the Jianghuai region. Although it is no longer as prosperous as the "major town" of the Tang Dynasty, its commerce is still quite bustling.

Xiao Yi looked around and saw shops lining the roadside, with green flags waving. Everywhere, merchants could be seen with carts and wheelbarrows carrying goods, peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders, and porters carrying sacks on their backs.

Silk, porcelain, and grain from Jiangnan were transported from the docks to various shops.

He turned to Zhang Mei and said, "Xuzhou must have considerable wealth?"

"Otherwise, why would the heir abandon Hedong and take up the post of Xuzhou?"

Xiao Yi understood that Liu Yun controlled Xuzhou, the Grand Canal, and coordinated with the north and south of Hebei. Once war broke out, Liu Yun only needed to close the city gates and cut off Kaifeng's supplies. Even if Guo Wei was a capable general, he would have no way to sustain the war.

Therefore, we must ask him to leave.

Passing the majestic Drum Tower, we entered a quiet neighborhood. High walls and deep courtyards separated us from the hustle and bustle of the city, and the people coming and going were well-dressed.

A magnificent mansion appeared at the end of the long street; it was the residence of the Military Governor of Wuning Army.

Liu Luan had already sent someone to announce this, and at this moment the gate was wide open, and armored soldiers carrying halberds came out to greet them.

"quick."

A civil official hurried out. He was about forty years old and had a long, neatly groomed beard. He stepped forward and bowed to Liu Luan and Zhao Shang.

"Dong Yi, the judge of Wuning Army, respectfully welcomes the lady and all the angels."

"Get out of my way, you're blocking my way."

Liu Luan became increasingly unrestrained, dismounted, and walked straight past Dong Yi, beckoning and leading the delegation through layers of security gates.

Passing the wall screen, a wide-open space suddenly appears before you, with a spacious courtyard and a grand main hall.

With a flurry of footsteps and the soft tinkling of jade pendants, a group of people strode out of the hall.

Liu Yun was about twenty years old. He wore a scholar's cap, a purple cloud-patterned robe, and a gold and jade belt. He had deep-set features but a fair complexion. His short beard was meticulously groomed, and his every move was gentle and refined.

"Big brother."

Liu Luan stepped forward excitedly and said sweetly, "Look, I've brought the envoys from Bianjing to you. They want to invite you to be the emperor."

"Really? Little sister, you should be more composed."

Xiao Yi observed intently. A complex expression flashed across Liu Yun's face, a mixture of surprise and unease. He gently patted his sister's hand, then straightened his clothes, faced the delegation, and tried his best to remain calm.

As the deputy envoy, he did not appear in person at this time; Zhao Shangjiao handled the formalities.

The two sides met with great solemnity and elaborate ceremony, but Liu Yun was very patient, stopping Liu Luan from speaking several times.

Finally, Zhao Shangjiao solemnly unfolded the imperial edict, cleared his throat, and announced the decree in a dignified tone.

"The foundation of the world rests with virtuous and capable rulers, and the weight of the ancestral temples belongs to their heirs. You, Yun, the military governor of Wuning, the adopted son of Emperor Gaozu, have long been distinguished by your extraordinary character, are naturally benevolent and filial, and are divinely endowed with wisdom..."

The imperial edict was very long and used obscure characters. Xiao Yi was glad that he was not the chief envoy, realizing that some things could only be done by civil officials.

Liu Yun bowed deeply with great solemnity, lifted the corner of his robe, and respectfully knelt down.

It was clear that he was trying to appear calm, but his voice still trembled slightly.

"Your subject, Liu Yun, receives the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

Zhao Shangjiao skillfully put away the imperial edict, stepped forward, and offered a gesture of support to Liu Yun.

"Your Highness, please rise."

His voice was deep and mellow, like aged wine.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun couldn't help but shudder.

"What did you call me?"

"It is Your Highness."

"Your Highness!"

"Your Highness!"

Seeing that he enjoyed listening, Xiao Yi called out to him, signaling the others behind him to call out in unison.

Liu Yun had been suppressing his joy, but his movement to get up faltered, his pupils became unfocused, and he seemed to be drunk.

Beside her, Liu Luan beamed with joy, her eyes crinkling as she said with a smile, "Big brother, get up quickly."

Zhao Shangjiao quickly reminded him in a gentle but unquestionable tone: "Young lady, you must not address him as 'elder brother' anymore. Since His Highness has inherited the throne from the Gaozu Emperor, he must treat Liu Gong of Hedong with the respect due to an uncle and nephew. Young lady, you should strictly observe etiquette and change your address..."

"go with!"

Liu Luan's smile froze, her eyebrows furrowed, and she cursed, "Since I've been talking to my elder brother, have you, you old hag, interrupted me time and time again?!"

Her tone was fierce, and Zhao Shangjiao was frightened, so he involuntarily took a half step back.

Xiao Yi was worried that the civil official would be nervous, but he saw him straighten his clothes, step forward again, and bow solemnly.

"The law and etiquette are paramount and cannot be violated."

"Aren't you afraid of dying?!"

Liu Luan snorted coldly and raised her hand to swing the whip.

"stop."

Xiao Yi, who was responsible for guarding, immediately stopped them, stepped forward, and without looking at Liu Luan, faced Liu Yun and said, "Your Highness, on the day Guo Gong entered the city, Minister Zhao and Feng Dao and others faced the axe and halberd directly to uphold the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty, which is why this decree was issued requesting the successor to ascend the throne."

Zhao Shangjiao was taken aback. He glanced at Xiao Yi, raised his eyebrows slightly, and his eyes lit up. He said in a deep voice, "We cannot be subdued by force."

Wang Du also stepped forward and said, "That's right, Your Highness is the heir of Emperor Gaozu and is no longer the son of Liu Gong of Hedong."

Xiao Yi secretly cheered, "That's the way to do it!" He kept instilling in Liu Yun the idea that he was not Liu Chong's son.

"it is good!"

Liu Yun looked at them with admiration and exclaimed, "You gentlemen are truly loyal ministers who protect the Han dynasty and its people."

After saying that, he quickly turned to Liu Luan and said in a weak tone, "Little sister, no, cousin, you must not be rude. What Lord Zhao said is the law of the court."

"Humph."

Liu Luan was furious and said, "I don't care."

Liu Yun quickly leaned in and whispered a few words to him.

Xiao Yi observed intently and saw that Liu Luan's lips were slightly parted, faintly uttering the sound of "Grandpa," sensing the dependence of the brother and sister on their homeland of Hedong.

After calming Liu Luan down, Liu Yun breathed a sigh of relief, but his gaze drifted in their direction.

"General, you are so dashing and have such an extraordinary bearing. Have you not yet given me your guidance?" "Xiao Yi, Inner Palace Guard Commander and Inspector of the Imperial Academy."

Liu Yun was slightly taken aback, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes, and said, "Xiao Yi, who used a spear to defeat Murong Yanchao?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi and Zhang Mei exchanged a glance, knowing that Liu Yun must have already met Murong Jixun.

He withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "It's a trivial achievement, not worth mentioning."

A commotion erupted among Liu Yun's subordinates and generals. All eyes turned to him, filled with scrutiny, apprehension, and curiosity.

Liu Luan's eyes widened as she looked at him with undisguised curiosity, exclaiming in surprise, "You actually have such abilities?"

"General Xiao, your reputation as a young hero is well-deserved!" Liu Yun asked with a hint of probing, "So, General, you serve under Privy Councilor Guo?"

Xiao Yi met his gaze calmly and said, "Your Highness flatters me. As a subject of the Han Dynasty, I only know how to be loyal to the country and have the stability of the world in mind. I serve the Han Dynasty and the state, not any one of Li Ye or Guo Wei."

Wang Yan stepped forward and said with a smile, "General Xiao is a man of integrity and always acts in accordance with the Empress Dowager's orders."

"Is this... the Empress Dowager's will?"

Liu Yun's eyes darted around, as if he had realized something.

Dong Yi leaned over and whispered a few words. Xiao Yi listened intently. He vaguely heard Dong Yi say that it would be false if Guo Wei completely relinquished power, and that it was a good thing that someone was acting as a bridge between the Empress Dowager and Guo Wei.

Liu Yun nodded and looked at Xiao Yi again, his gaze falling on Xiao Yi's waist, and he paused slightly.

Xiao Yi knew he was looking at the plum blossom patterned jade pendant given by the Empress Dowager, but he didn't deliberately show it off. He calmly took out a letter written by the Empress Dowager and said, "This humble general has a letter from Your Highness to deliver."

Liu Yun took the letter but did not open it in public. The last trace of doubt in his eyes disappeared, and he revealed a sincere expression.

"General Xiao is a pillar of the nation."

The atmosphere became more harmonious, but Xiao Yi suddenly felt himself being stared at with predatory eyes.

Looking to the side, a tall figure in a brocade robe disappeared into the corridor from among the crowd of subordinates, moving with agility.

Murong Jixun?

Xiao Yi made his judgment and, without showing any emotion, re-observed Liu Yun. He saw that Liu Yun's face showed the dizziness and joy of being struck by luck, but upon closer inspection, there was a trace of doubt and caution in his eyes that was hard to conceal.

It was an instinctive unease brought about by a sudden change in fate.

"Your Highness, there is another matter that is bothering me and I must speak out. I need your decision."

"Oh? General, please speak freely."

Seeing this, Liu Luan waved to him with a coquettish look on her face, signaling him to let it go. When he ignored her, she glared at him fiercely.

Xiao Yi continued, "Upon entering the city today, we witnessed the young lady's troops brutally murdering an old man carrying firewood. It was all witnessed by the public, and the evidence is irrefutable. Your Highness is about to rule the world, and you should implement benevolent governance and uphold the law. This humble general humbly requests Your Highness to handle this matter according to the law to reassure the people."

"This……"

The moment the words were spoken, the harmonious atmosphere froze.

Liu Luan spat, "Bah! You really dare to make things difficult for me? If Your Highness has the guts, then kill me to avenge this lowly commoner. Let's see if I dare to break your legs, the Emperor."

Liu Yun deliberately feigned embarrassment and glanced around at his subordinates.

Suddenly, a great general leaped out, his leopard-like eyes wide open, his voice booming like a bell.

“I am Zhang Lingchao, the Commander of the Cavalry and Infantry of Xuzhou. I have come to greet you all, General Xiao. You are very capable, but don’t push your luck. Who hasn’t killed a commoner? What’s the big deal?”

"Your Highness will be the emperor, the ruler of all people. How can an emperor not act as the ruler for his people?"

"If a military commander can't even protect his own sister, what good is being an emperor?!"

"presumptuous!"

Xiao Yi's voice suddenly rose, filled with a murderous determination as he roared, "The Han dynasty is not yet over, the laws still exist, and the moral order remains. How dare you trample on the emperor's majesty?!"

"Zhang Lingchao!" Liu Yun roared in anger, "Shut up!"

"Yes."

Zhang Lingchao, still seething with resentment, withdrew.

After this commotion, Liu Yun was even more conflicted. He turned to Liu Luan and whispered, "Luan, hand over the soldiers who committed the murders."

"never."

Liu Luan proudly turned her head away, refusing to back down.

Dong Yi stepped forward at the opportune moment and said, "General Xiao is straightforward and outspoken, and loyal to the country. He is right. The young lady is young and not properly disciplined. How about this: the soldier who committed the murder is imprisoned in the prefectural jail and tried by the Xuzhou Prefecture. This will prevent any personal feelings and ensure that the case is handled fairly. What do you think?"

Xiao Yi was satisfied with this. Regardless of the outcome, it would change the world more than simply killing the murderer.

"Judge Dong is right."

Dong Yi then turned to Liu Luan and said, "Young lady..."

"No."

"Do it this way!" Liu Yun said firmly, pointing to the soldier with the injured arm behind Liu Luan and shouting, "Take him away and hand him over to Xuzhou Prefecture."

"Young Master, spare me! I'm a former subordinate of the Commander-in-Chief! Please, Young Master, for the Commander-in-Chief's sake..."

"Take it down!"

The sound faded away.

Through this incident, Xiao Yi not only stood up for the deceased, but also tested everyone's attitudes and learned who he needed to be wary of.

He glanced at Zhang Lingchao and saw that he was indeed dissatisfied.

Dong Yi smiled and said, "You esteemed envoys have had a long journey. Your lodgings are already prepared. Please follow me to rest for a while. Tonight, His Highness will host a banquet to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."

Having said that, he led the way and settled the group in a separate courtyard on the east side of the Jie Mansion.

The courtyard is surrounded by white walls and contains more than a dozen rooms, elegantly furnished with furniture made of high-quality wood.

"It is not comparable to the Bianliang post station, so I hope you will not find it too simple and inconvenient."

“This place is excellent, Brother Dong, you’ve put in a lot of effort.”

Xiao Yi wanted to chat with Dong Yi a bit more to test his attitude, and said, "Brother Dong is a close advisor to His Highness and is highly trusted. He is about to rise to great heights."

"To make the ruler like Yao and Shun, and to restore the purity of customs." Dong Yi said with emotion, "Although I am not very talented or learned, I always cherish the thought of serving the world."

Xiao Yi, knowing his intentions, smiled slightly.

(End of this chapter)