The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 136 Reward

Even late at night, Gaomen Village remains bustling with activity.

As he passed by dilapidated houses, Xiao Yi could see through the drafty windows the meritorious officials who had followed the emperor to the capital, their faces beaming with pride as they discussed the upcoming arrival of the emperor in the capital the next day.

Outside the village head's residence, they encountered Tang Jin again.

"How's it going?"

"There's only one sign left."

"Hey, military discipline is so strict these days, they never cared about these things before. So, have you received your monthly salary yet?"

"I didn't claim it."

"Are you confused? It's okay, you'll know to collect your monthly salary first next time. By the way, where are you staying tonight?"

"Let's set up a tent."

“Where are the tents? This is such a tiny village. I’ve already sent your men back to Beijing. You can squeeze in with me.”

Xiao Yi didn't really want to share a bed with Tang Jin, but thinking that Hou Renbao's village house was relatively clean, he walked over there.

He knocked on the door, and a farmer welcomed him inside. The room was almost an open space, with only a thin wall made of wheat straw and loess separating a small room with a curtain hanging in the air.

Next to the stove, a makeshift large communal bed was set up, where the farmer's family slept.

Hearing the commotion, Hou Renbao came out of the private room wrapped in a fur cloak, a smile spreading across his chubby face. He said, "General Xiao, if you don't mind, why don't you make do here for the night?"

"Thank you, Brother Hou."

"Old man, please boil some hot water for General Xiao to wash up."

You can tell that Hou Renbao is quite clean and doesn't like to get dirty.

Seeing the farmer busy, Xiao Yi took out some money to give him.

Hou Renbao quickly replied, "No need, I've already given him the money, I certainly won't treat him unfairly."

Xiao Yi removed his armor, washed up, and entered the private room. He saw that there were curtains hanging everywhere, blankets laid out, and incense burning. The room was even tidier than some girls' boudoirs.

But it was still chilly. The mud houses of ordinary people were drafty and not even as warm as tents. No wonder old man Hou Yi didn't come to stay.

Hou Renbao handed over a felt blanket and asked softly, "Judging from the insignia on the general's waist, could it be that you have been punished?"

"Yes."

"This... I shouldn't say this, but Your Majesty shouldn't punish the general. The Empress Dowager died of a heart attack due to Li Ye's instigation of the late Emperor, and the Empress and the general are completely innocent. This punishment will only cause more misunderstandings."

Xiao Yi had thought so too, but who knew that Guo Wei would actually punish him.

Looking at Hou Renbao's eyes again, there was a clear hint of suspicion, probably wondering if his affair with the Empress had led to the Empress Dowager's suicide.

"Brother Hou, you may not know this, but I am not wronged. I have some connections with the female officials in the palace."

"I see. Shangyi is in charge of music, dance, and etiquette. She must be extremely beautiful... Oh, I mean, General, you have a good reason to be punished. Hehehe, the punishment this time was still too harsh. General, please don't give up on yourself. I dare say that you will be given an important position sooner or later."

Xiao Yi initially thought Hou Renbao was just being polite, but upon hearing it, he realized that few people could be so certain when they were being polite.

Why do you make that assertion?

"The general has suffered such a great setback, yet his eyes remain calm. Moreover, the general has been kind to His Majesty and has rendered great service, yet he has been punished. This shows that His Majesty intends to give the general an important position."

The last sentence surprised Xiao Yi somewhat.

He glanced at Hou Renbao again and sensed that this playboy was no ordinary person.

Although the earthen house was cold, I slept quite comfortably that night. Before dawn the next day, a hunter brought over a roasted pheasant, which was served with white porridge cooked by a farmer. It was quite delicious.

Hot water was already boiled, and even the dirty clothes I took off last night were washed and dried on the kang (heated brick bed). They were dry and comfortable to wear, and the armor was wiped clean.

Having money definitely makes a difference.

Hou Renbao, however, lamented that these villagers didn't know how to serve others.

After everything was tidied up, it was already dawn.

"Oh oh oh-"

"Let's go, this is the last time we'll try to persuade him to go."

Upon exiting the earthen house, one could see that the path leading to the village head's house was already packed with civil and military officials.

Hou Renbao wasn't qualified to join the queue yet, so he stood under the ancient tree at the village entrance.

Xiao Yi stood in the ranks of military officers. He turned his head and saw an old woman by the well, her face full of confusion, muttering to herself.

Half of the earthen wall on the east side had collapsed, and several dirty children hid behind it to peek and also tried to talk about world affairs.

"Doggy, what are you doing?"

"Guo Gong didn't want to be emperor, so he hid in our village head's house. He was found, and we tried to persuade him for several days."

"Why do you always refuse to become emperor?"

"I didn't want to betray my older brother."

"But if he doesn't agree, the world will be doomed!"

Seeing that the children were very excited and on the verge of tears, Xiao Yi waved to them. Soon, they came over and looked up at him with their dirty faces.

"Do you also want Lord Guo to agree to become emperor?"

"Ok!"

"Alright, follow along. You will also come to persuade him to ascend the throne later and receive a reward."

“I’m not after any reward, I just feel sorry for the white-bearded official who is crying so pitifully for the sake of the people.”

Soon, Feng Dao's expectant voice rang out.

"Your old minister Feng Dao, on three occasions, along with all the civil and military officials, respectfully requests the Regent to ascend the throne. The imperial regalia is without a master, and the Regent should govern with benevolence and righteousness to secure the country and with military force to quell the chaos. This is a mandate from Heaven, and we must not refuse it!"

The officials echoed this sentiment, kneeling down in unison and shouting, "Please, Regent, ascend the throne!"

After a while, Guo Wei finally came out of the village head's house and stood there waving.

Xiao Yi then whispered to the children, "Go on, make a fuss."

"Please, Lord Guo, ascend the throne!"

"Lord Guo, you shall ascend the throne!"

The children's voices echoed through the village. Guo Wei glanced over, waved, and asked, "Little ones, why do you long for me to ascend the throne?"

"If you don't agree, Lord Guo, the world is doomed!"

"Your Majesty, open your eyes and look! This is the will of the people!"

Wang Jun was extremely excited, his voice trembling, and then he waved his hand.

Tang Jin presented the tailored dragon robe and, without saying a word, wrapped it around Guo Wei's body. Guo Shouwen then stepped forward to help Guo Wei put it on.

"Long live my emperor!"

"Long live my emperor!"

"Moo-"

The cows at the village entrance cheered along.

In the distance, several old farmers kept rubbing their eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "He's become a ten-thousand-year-old?!"

The drums and horns sounded, and the horns blared into the sky.

Twelve guards with spears led the way, escorting Guo Wei onto the emperor's golden carriage. Wang Yin led the imperial guards to clear the way, and Wang Jun led the officials behind the carriage. The procession marched in a grand procession toward Kaifeng.

Xiao Yi was watching the commotion when he saw Wei Renpu pass by and wave to him, signaling him to ride alongside him and talk.

"What did you and your lord discuss last night?"

"I was punished because I made a mistake."

"besides?"

"I chatted with the old farmers about grain tax and salt tax."

Wei Renpu had clearly not slept all night; his face was haggard. Upon hearing this, his eyes showed thoughtfulness. After a long while, he asked, "What do you think?"

Xiao Yi originally wanted to say that the fee reduction was definitely necessary.

On second thought, Guo Wei and Wei Renpu hadn't said a word yet, so how could I be the one to lose my composure first?

"I feel that the people are suffering."

Wei Renpu asked, "What is your opinion on your next official position, sir?"

"Your Excellency did not say."

What about you? What are your thoughts?

"I accept your arrangement without complaint." "Are you confident you can handle your own affairs?"

"can."

Xiao Yi understood what this meant. They had a secret relationship and Wei Renpu would help him if something really happened, but not right now.

Wei Renpu seemed to be deep in thought, remaining silent for a long time until Kaifeng was right in front of him before he finally spoke.

"After considering it for several days, Your Excellency finally made up your mind and asked me to add a paragraph to the edict of accession."

What is it?

"All taxes that are owed or unpaid throughout the land shall be waived. All other taxes, including surplus taxes, surcharges, and other miscellaneous taxes, shall be suspended."

"What courage!"

Xiao Yi couldn't help but give a compliment.

Wei Renpu gave him a deep look and said nothing more, as if all his recent energy had been spent on this one decision.

The procession circled the city and entered Kaifeng from the south gate. The people lined the streets to welcome them, but their eyes were filled with indifference.

It seemed like he wanted to finish this warrior's coronation ceremony as soon as possible and go home for the New Year.

Xiao Yi knew that from the fall of the Jin Dynasty to the Khitan's rule over the Central Plains, to the Three-Year Han Dynasty, to now, more than ten years had passed, and emperors had changed frequently. They were already tired of it.

They hadn't yet realized that this emperor was different.

It's alright. Once the edict of accession is read, people will shed their numbness, cheer and jump for joy, and realize that this is truly a time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new.

In this solemn, orderly but not enthusiastic atmosphere, the imperial carriage passed through Kaifeng, entered the Daning Palace, and went into the Guangzheng Hall.

Xiao Yi tactfully stood at the very end of the military officers' ranks, watching Guo Wei receive the imperial edict and ascend the throne.

Long live the mountain.

Afterwards, he issued an edict of accession to the throne.

"Since ancient times, the emperors who have received the mandate of heaven and established a dynasty have all done so in accordance with the will of heaven and the hearts of the people... I am a distant descendant of the Ji family and a descendant of the Duke of Guo. I have accumulated blessings and merits, which have reached the heavens and been recognized. My great virtue has been extended for hundreds of generations, and the great mandate has been bestowed upon me. Now, the founding of the country should be named 'Great Zhou', and the fourth year of the Qianyou era of the Han Dynasty can be changed to the first year of the Guangshun era."

Xiao Yi listened patiently, waiting for the crucial information to follow.

I did hear about the tax cuts.

"Officials in charge of collecting taxes shall follow the provincial regulations and shall not collect any surplus or waste. Any surplus or waste items collected in the past shall be discontinued from now on."

Looking up, Guo Wei sat upright on his throne, listening carefully to this statement. His eyes swept over the officials, observing them with a hint of determination.

His posture was stiff, as if he wasn't quite used to it yet, but Xiao Yi saw his determination to become a wise ruler.

Surprisingly, the officials did not react much to this, perhaps thinking it was just a polite remark.

It seems that only a very small number of people have seen the new emperor's determination.

After the edict of accession was read, the crowd once again shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

Subsequently, the imperial edict posthumously honoring the late Han emperor and Empress Dowager Li was used to supplement Liu Chengyou with a posthumous title.

"Now that I have established the Great Zhou Dynasty, I extend my grace to the former dynasty and give a proper burial to the deceased ruler. According to the rules of posthumous titles, 'one who does not make his country famous is called Yin, one who does not fully express his feelings is called Yin.' The Han emperor reigned for three years, but his achievements were not yet fully realized, and the dynasty ended prematurely. Therefore, he is given the posthumous title 'Yin'."

Emperor Yin of Han?
Xiao Yi thought to himself that he was the real actor.

The ceremony wasn't over yet; they moved on to the lengthy process of bestowing honors upon the meritorious officials.

"All officers and soldiers of the cavalry and infantry have exerted themselves with utmost loyalty and righteousness, and their meritorious service deserves to be commended and rewarded..."

"Wang Jun has long been a trusted advisor and has assisted in the restoration. He is loyal, diligent, and outstanding, and his talent and insight are remarkable. He is hereby appointed as Right Vice Minister, Vice Minister of the Chancellery, and Chancellor, and is in charge of compiling the national history, so that he can promote good governance and set an example for future generations."

"Wei Renpu is meticulous and conscientious, diligent in his duties, and adept at managing state affairs. His achievements are worthy of remembrance. He is hereby appointed as the Vice Privy Councilor, and it is hoped that he will devote himself even more to assisting in confidential matters."

"..."

Not long after, Xiao Yi heard his own name called.

"Xiao Yi, the 20th commander of the Tianxiong Army, was loyal and resolute, saved my bloodline, and led the charge in battle. He summoned Kaifeng. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, he is hereby granted the title of 'Loyal and Brave Meritorious Official,' enfeoffed as Baron of the Founding County, appointed as General of Loyalty and Martial Valor, and given the additional title of Grand Master of the Court of Judicial Review."

Xiao Yi was surprised.

After being initially surprised by the serious mistake he had made, Guo Wei still rewarded him handsomely. Of course, because Li Hanmei had previously been granted such a high official rank, Guo Wei couldn't really offer him a higher title; to go any higher, he would have to be ranked as a third-grade official.

Even more surprisingly, there were no actual assignments.

The titles and ranks of meritorious officials are all nominal. The Loyal and Martial General is a military honorary official, the Grand Master of the Court is a civil honorary official, and the Inspector is just an honorary title.

In other words, he was not given any power.

Why?

There are two possibilities: either they don't want to use it anymore and are just giving it a nominal title to settle the debt of gratitude; or they haven't figured out how to use it yet.

Xiao Yi was lost in thought, paying no attention to the enthronement process that was about to begin.

He left the Guangzheng Hall with the officials after the ceremony ended.

"General Xiao."

A young eunuch approached him, his steps unsteady, as if he had recently been castrated. He managed to get close and bowed.

"This servant, Zhang Dejun, greets the General. His Majesty has ordered the General to continue to lead the Inner Palace Guard for the time being, until a new person is selected to return to the capital and take over."

"The general will obey the order."

Xiao Yi took his leave and pondered all the way back to the guards' quarters in the two corridors, but he still couldn't figure out Guo Wei's thoughts.

"The general is back!"

His men surrounded him, chattering amongst themselves.

"We heard drums and music even while guarding Xuanwu Gate. The Great Zhou Dynasty is about to begin!"

"General, where should we be transferred? If you ask me, guarding the palace is not very interesting. It would be better to go to Yedu to kill the Khitans and make a name for ourselves."

"That's right, raise the flag of the 20th Battalion and kill the enemy to achieve merit."

Xiao Yi waved his hand and said, "Don't rush, the specific assignments haven't been given yet. Today is the New Year, and although we still have to be on duty, we should still prepare some wine and meat."

"real?!"

"It's true."

Xiao Yi laughed and said, "Let's not think about anything else for now. Let's all have a good New Year together. Old Pan, give everyone some extra pension."

"Okay!"

"Very good!

Old Pan laughed and said, "It's precisely at this time of year, coinciding with His Majesty's ascension to the throne, that we need to prepare wine and meat in advance, otherwise it might be difficult to buy them."

“I have a plan,” Lü You said. “My family are butchers, so we must have pigs at home. General, please grant me an hour. I will go home and slaughter one.”

Wei Liang said, "My grandfather hid ten jars of wine underground. I'll go and fetch them."

"Great!" Zhang Mantun was overjoyed and praised them repeatedly, saying, "You two are truly loyal."

"At least it's better than Iron Teeth Brother not paying a single penny."

"You know nothing! If I weren't married, I would have been so generous to you."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

In the evening, with the wine and meat prepared, the palace was about to be locked.

However, a man dressed in plain clothes came out of the main gate, which drew shouts and cheers from his soldiers.

"Who dares to break in?!"

"He actually came from the palace, and he even has... a beard?!"

When Xiao Yi arrived, he saw that it was Guo Wei.

"His Majesty."

"Shh, I'm going back home to spend the New Year with my daughter. I promised, so don't tell anyone. I'll move in in a couple of days after everything is settled."

"Can……"

"It's deserted and quiet, what a joke! You guys are still drinking while on duty!"

"The minister obeys the order."

Xiao Yi saw Guo Wei off at the palace gate. As night fell and the horses' hooves disappeared into the distance, he suddenly realized that the emperor's scheming wasn't so terrible after all.

A few wisps of aroma from wine and food wafted over the cold palace buildings, and laughter rose and fell, adding to the New Year's atmosphere.

The third year of the Qianyou era of the Han Dynasty has passed.

Tomorrow is the first year of Guangshun in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)