The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 163 Xiangzhou
The spring waters of the Han River flow eastward, and the remaining ice glistens like scattered gold in the sunlight.

At Xiao Yi's command, Yan Jinqing immediately arranged for someone to deliver the imperial robes and crown, while shouting loudly.

"The imperial edict is about to arrive. Please, An Shenqi, change into your ceremonial robes and receive the decree!"

The sound spread, its breath lingering.

An Shoulin had already spurred his horse forward, reined it in, and looked at him with displeasure, saying, "Xiao Yi, you have quite the airs!"

Xiao Yi ignored him and looked ahead, clearly seeing the armored, burly figure freeze for a moment, then remain motionless.

The river breeze flutters the banners.

It seemed as if countless eyes were shooting at me, filled with scrutiny and anger at being offended.

An Shenqi raised his hand, and thousands of soldiers raised their weapons and shouted loudly.

The war drums sounded.

"The King of Nanyang is mighty!"

"Boom! Boom!"

"The King of Nanyang is mighty!"

"Boom! Boom!"

Yan Jinqing stepped forward, his face deathly pale, and whispered, "My lord, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. When you're on the territory of a warrior like this, shouldn't you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Yi raised his hand to stop him.

"Calm down."

If it were someone else, they certainly wouldn't have made things difficult for An Shenqi.

Therefore, Guo Wei sent him to maintain the dignity of the imperial court.

The agreement concerning the overall situation has been finalized, how could it fall apart because of being overly concerned with etiquette? The more An Shenqi tried to scare them, the more uncertain they seemed.

After an incense stick had burned, An Shenqi finally moved. Surrounded by his guards, he changed into the imperial robes and stepped forward.

Yan Jinqing was overjoyed and hurriedly ordered his men to set up an incense table.

Xiao Yi dismounted and said unhurriedly, "Bring me water to wash my hands."

"Xiao Yi, don't go too far. Do you expect my uncle to wait for you?"

“What Lord An is waiting for is not me, but the imperial edict, and the solemnity and dignity of a prince.”

"Slick tongue."

An Shenqi strode forward with the imposing presence of a dragon, and upon reaching the emperor a few steps away, his aura as imposing as Mount Tai pressed down. He bowed and said, "Your subject An Shenqi respectfully welcomes Your Majesty's imperial edict!"

"Don't be in a hurry, Lord An, let me wash my hands first."

It was obvious to Xiao Yi that An Shenqi's pupils contracted and anger flashed in his eyes.

He responded with a smile.

They continued to wait, and it was clear that everyone around them was suffering. Finally, the waiter brought water from the Han River and brought out a washbasin.

Xiao Yi calmly washed his hands, straightened his clothes, stood solemnly, and said, "Lord An, you may now pay your respects."

An Shenqi, with an imposing air, gave a seemingly indifferent snort, bowed again, and said, "Your subject respectfully welcomes Your Majesty's imperial edict!"

The soldiers behind him all bowed their heads.

Xiao Yi then took the imperial edict, unfolded it, and his clear voice echoed along the riverbank.

"I, having received the mandate of Heaven and established this great foundation, now find myself in a time of peace and prosperity, and thus I rely on pillars of the state. Therefore, I hereby bestow upon you, An Shenqi, Military Governor of Shannan East Circuit and Grand Commandant, for your long-standing military prowess and strategic acumen, your long tenure guarding the borders, and your distinguished service to the Emperor, making you a paragon of virtue and a bulwark of the nation. Therefore, I hereby confer upon you the title of Prince of Nanyang, with an additional fief of three thousand households. You must diligently maintain humility and integrity, cultivate virtuous governance, pacify the military and civilians, and secure the borders. You are worthy of this extraordinary honor, and you shall forever solidify the bulwark of the realm, assisting the Imperial Household. Respectfully Your Majesty!"

"Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

An Shenqi raised both hands.

Xiao Yi remained unmoved.

The two faced off for a moment, then Li Fang brought a felt blanket and silently placed it at An Shenqi's feet as a prayer mat.

An Shenqi glared at Xiao Yi, hesitated, and finally knelt down.

Xiao Yi handed over the imperial edict, pressed it down slightly, and said, "Congratulations, Prince of Nanyang... Don't rush, please accept the gold seal and purple ribbon, the imperial edict of a prince, and the banner and axe."

Yan Jinqing quickly brought out a sandalwood tray, unveiled a bright yellow brocade, revealing a gilded bronze seal, a purple ribbon, and a precious book made of jade and bound with a gold cord.

"Please accept the imperial edict, Prince of Nanyang."

Having come this far, An Shenqi had no choice but to perform the three bows and nine kowtows, his movements becoming much more efficient. It seemed he had figured it out: rather than dragging things out, it was better to end things quickly.

Xiao Yi then handed over each item in turn, and finally, the banner and the axe.

The axe and halberd are ceremonial weapons; though unsharpened, they exude a chilling and murderous aura.

It was obvious that when An Shenqi held the axe, the fleshy part of his face twitched twice, as if he wanted to chop someone up.

There was no joy in his eyes at being bestowed with a title, only a suppressed anger and resentment teetering on the edge of exploding.

Xiao Yi helped An Shenqi up at the right moment and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Prince of Nanyang! Not only are you being granted the title of prince, but you are also reunited with your daughter."

“Lord Xiao is a man who observes proper etiquette. Your manners are far too complicated.”

"The proper etiquette must not be disregarded; please forgive me, Prince of Nanyang."

"I have taken note of what you said, Lord Xiao."

The axe seemed about to strike Xiao Yi's face.

Just then, An Yuanzhen rushed over and pounced on An Shenqi.

"Father! It was you who made a mistake. Everyone said you wouldn't be empress anymore, and you almost caused your daughter to die in Kaifeng."

"Hey, don't be angry. Didn't Grandpa just want to give you the best?"

Like a tiger turning into a cat, An Shenqi's expression changed instantly; his anger vanished, replaced by hearty laughter.

An Yuanzhen snorted and said, "Is it best if Father knows everything? Why not let your daughter choose for herself?"

"Alright, alright, Grandpa was wrong. From now on, you're in charge."

"That's more like it. Where's my brother? He's putting on airs. Why didn't he come to pick me up?"

"How can the father and son both leave the city? What if they get wiped out by the enemy?"

The father and daughter were talking nonsense, but Xiao Yi pretended not to hear them and did not go far.

Sure enough, after everyone mounted their horses, An Yuanzhen took the opportunity to lightly step on his foot.

An Yuanzhen whispered, "What are you trying to prove? If you anger my grandfather, how will we ever get along?"

"That's the way things are according to etiquette."

"Alright, you'd better behave properly towards me next time."

When no one was looking, the two secretly hooked their fingers together and quickly separated.

The ceremony was completed, and they boarded the ship.

Arriving in the Jianghan Plain, things were different; even the air was humid. As the oars cleaved through the blue water, Xiao Yi stood at the bow, gazing into the distance, when he suddenly heard a chorus of vomiting behind him.

"what happened?"

He suddenly turned around and looked at the dozen or so newly formed elite Imperial Guards under his command.

"Fei Wu, Lao Tian, ​​are you seasick?"

"Reporting to the general, it is... ugh!"

"Aren't you right by the Yellow River?"

"I... have never crossed the Yellow River."

Li Guanxiang stroked his beard and said, "After reaching Xiangzhou, it will all be by water."

"vomit!"

Another ship drew closer, and An Shoulin sneered, "Haha, so this is the elite Imperial Guard under Lord Xiao's command? I've really learned something new today."

Xiao Yi had no intention of arguing with him, but seeing him clutching his stomach and looking rather unwell, he asked with genuine concern, "Brother An, are you feeling better? It must be difficult to relieve yourself on the boat."

An Yuanlin's expression changed instantly, and he frowned.

"Why bring this up... Boatman, row faster! Hurry!"

The boat reached the south bank and the outline of Xiangzhou City came into view.

The ship entered the Linjiang Water Gate and docked at the pier.

Xiao Yi looked around and sensed an atmosphere that was completely different from that of the Central Plains.

The city walls were high and wide, clearly having been repaired. The waterways were bustling, with merchants coming and going in an endless stream. Although most of them had weathered faces, one could still see the prosperity brought by the stability of the Central Plains over the past decade or so.

"Prince Yi of Nanyang has arrived! Silence the streets!"

"Get out of the way."

"Are you in such a hurry to take a dump...?"

The people retreated to the sides of the street, cheering for An Shenqi, but ignoring the imperial envoy's banner.

They didn't take the imperial envoy seriously at all.

It wasn't until some young women noticed Xiao Yi that whispers began to circulate.

"Look at that imperial envoy, he's so young!"

Wow, so young and already wearing a purple robe.

"Haven't you heard? That's Guo Que'er's mistress..."

Xiao Yi frowned, wondering where such an outrageous rumor came from, and how it was presented with such certainty.

Turning my head, I saw shops lining the streets, wine flags fluttering in the breeze, and faint sounds of string and wind instruments drifting from singing houses. Further away, several temples were bustling with incense offerings.

He took out his binoculars and saw several monks in magnificent robes standing on the railing of the pagoda, pointing and gesturing in this direction with serene expressions.

It seems that the imperial decrees have not been implemented here at all.

Upon arriving at the Marshal's Mansion, a magnificent architectural complex unfolds before your eyes.

The high walls and black tiles reveal the profound heritage of the powerful local warlords and the meticulously crafted atmosphere of wealth and prosperity.

The vermilion gate was only slightly smaller than the Xuanwu Gate, and the gate tower was towering. Before he was conferred the title of Prince of Nanyang, it was clearly beyond the prescribed size.

In front of the mansion gate, a young man stood leading a group of people; he must be An Shouzhong.

An Shouzhong was in his early twenties. He wasn't wearing armor, but rather a moon-white robe and a scholar's cap. He was tall and slender with a fair and handsome face, which contrasted sharply with the murderous aura of An Shenqi.

"Your son congratulates you, Father, on being granted the title of Prince."

An Shouzhong's voice was clear and gentle. After the ceremony, he bowed gracefully to Xiao Yi and the others.

"I have met with Lord Xiao and all the angels. Please forgive me for not greeting you properly."

"Young Master An, you're too kind."

"Haha, this kid."

An Shenqi's tense expression relaxed a little, and he smiled, "Let's see who's back."

"Brother!"

"My little sister is finally back..."

Xiao Yi observed carefully and saw that An Shouzhong first showed a smile, but then paused for a moment, his expression froze, and then his posture suddenly became a little stiff.

He followed his gaze and saw An Yuanzhen waving from his carriage, with Li Zhaoning, who was equally beautiful, beside him.

An Shouzhong took a few steps forward, his hands and feet moving in unison.

"Little sister, knowing you're arriving home today, I specially had your favorite candied dates and poria cocos cake prepared, just waiting for you to arrive... Oh, and who is this?"

"Why are you holding on like that, brother? You must have been scolded by Grandpa a lot, right? I saw you when you were little. You were playing with her brother Li Can and you broke Du Chongwei's eight-treasure vase."

"So it's Miss Li! I didn't recognize you at all. My apologies, my apologies..."

Xiao Yi was watching them talk when suddenly Li Zhaoning looked over.

The two looked at each other without saying anything, yet it seemed as if they had said something. She curtsied and glanced in their direction again.

After a brief greeting, An Shouzhong quickly turned around and politely invited everyone to dismount and dust themselves off.

"Please, Your Excellency."

Xiao Yi noticed that An Shouzhong's fingers were long and fair without calluses. He also noticed that An Shouzhong was thin and had slightly hunched shoulders, unlike a martial artist. He was also humble and cautious in his speech and behavior.

"Brother An, you have never practiced martial arts?"

"No, my talent is average. No matter how much I practice martial arts, I will only become mediocre. It's better not to learn at all."

"Why?"

"Among us, the most vulnerable to death are the mediocre."

Xiao Yi was taken aback, then smiled and said, "A unique insight."

"You flatter me, Your Excellency. By the way, my younger sister once wrote to say that Your Excellency wanted to purchase cotton cloth. I have already prepared the best cotton from Sichuan, which Your Excellency can take with you when you return to the capital."

"Good work."

"Please rest in the courtyard for a while... Oh, please wait a moment while we change the plaque."

An Shouzhong gave a slight wry smile and glanced at An Shenqi.

As they were speaking, a group of servants carried a large plaque and stood right in front of Xiao Yi, defiantly hanging the four characters "Nanyang Prince's Mansion" on the lintel before he, the imperial envoy, could enter.

Let them demonstrate; it's better than stabbing them in the back.

Xiao Yi smiled faintly, stepped into the room, and had a general understanding of An Shenqi's temperament.

(End of this chapter)