The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 61 The Governor's Mansion
A bathtub was placed in the side room, with hot water already prepared and steam rising from it.

Xiao Yi finally took off the armor he had been afraid to remove for many days, buried his body in the hot water, and felt indescribably comfortable.

Looking down to examine it, the wound on my leg had scabbed over, and the soreness from a few days ago had been replaced by firm muscle.

After washing away the dust and bloodstains of the journey, and changing into a clean linen undergarment and a thick brocade robe, there was a knock at the door.

"Chief Xiao, the food has been served in the main hall."

"Just come."

Xiao Yi was the last to come out. As soon as he entered the hall, Guo Xin shoved a wine cup into his hand and said with a laugh, "So slow, why don't you just wash up? Come on, have a drink and warm yourself up."

Inside the hall, low tables were pushed together and displayed a dazzling array of food: large bowls of boiled mutton, roast chicken, braised goose, steamed white flour cakes, millet rice, pickled vegetables...

Everyone sniffed and drooled, but didn't start eating, clearly waiting for him.

"Eat."

"Damn it, it's been so long since I've had white flour."

"Haha, to be honest, I've never actually eaten a steamed white flour pancake before."

With his mouth full of food, Wu Gouzi suddenly remembered something and asked Lao Pan, "Are General Chen and the others also at the Guo residence?"

"Of course not," Little Monkey said with a grin. "No matter how great a general's achievements are, it's just a job. Unlike us, protecting Marshal Guo's family, that's... oh!"

Old Pan kicked him hard, interrupting him, and cursed, "So much food can't shut your stinking mouth."

Guo Xin laughed heartily and said, "You're right, this is a favor. Come, let me toast you all!"

"Well done! Sanlang is a true hero, a man of great righteousness!"

Hu Deng had been secretly glancing at Guo Xin. Seizing the opportunity, he immediately raised his cup to praise him, gulped down a bowl of wine, and said, "If I could serve under Sanlang, I would be willing to die!"

"Alright," Guo Xin said readily. "General Chen and I are here to ask for the people. What about you few?"

Xiao Yi took a sip of wine, knowing Hu Deng's thoughts and that Guo Xin was simple-minded. Asking Chen Guanghui for an unknown soldier was nothing to him.

He was more curious about the reactions of others and observed them silently.

Hua Nong squinted and saw that the chopsticks were holding a piece of chicken butt. She then placed it in Hua Heng's bowl and replied, "I have always followed Xiao Lang and served General Guo."

Lu You, Fan Si, and Wei Liang immediately relaxed, saying "That's right, that's right," and buried themselves in drinking and eating meat.

Little Monkey quickly poked Old Pan and said, "Hu Deng and I are also... inseparable."

Wu Gouzi's face was also full of anticipation.

Old Pan hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, saying, "My family is all in Chanzhou..."

"It's alright. I'll just go up and say hello when Grandpa sees Wang Yin. Haha, from now on we're all brothers. Let's drink!"

Xiao Yi glanced at Guo Xin, trying to figure out if he intended to build a team, but clearly, the kid hadn't thought that far ahead.

Indeed, they are all just nobodys.

He realized he was overthinking things, so he chuckled to himself, put his mind at ease, and focused on eating and drinking.

Guo Xin was in high spirits and kept urging people to drink. He toasted Xiao Yi's skills with one cup, thanked Hua Nong's family for their care with another, and cursed Zhang Mantun for being disloyal and abandoning him. When he got excited, he stood on the table and declared that he would kill his way back to Kaifeng and cut off the heads of those traitors to vent his anger.

Inspired by him, everyone opened up and released the tension, fear, and exhaustion of the past few days, creating a lively atmosphere.

Jiang Erniang also raised her bowl to toast Guo Xin and Xiao Yi, saying that her husband was ignorant and asking them to help him in the future, her eyes full of joy.

As night fell, Xiao Yi left the banquet alone and practiced martial arts in the courtyard to aid digestion.

Guo Xin kept saying that he wanted to sleep side by side with him later, and then he started bragging to everyone.

As the laughter echoed from the lobby, the night deepened. Xiao Yi finished his workout and returned to his room to wipe his sweat and rest.

He lay on the soft, comfortable bed, thinking that Guo Wei was too busy with military affairs to see him today.

With this arrangement, his future prospects should not be too bad.

Before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep.

I had a good night's sleep until I was woken up by a clear knock on the door.

When Xiao Yi opened his eyes, the night was still deep, so Guo Xin must have come over.

"The door isn't latched, come in yourself."

There was a moment of silence outside the door, followed by a gentle, clear voice that couldn't hide its weariness.

"Guo Rong from the camp, I apologize for disturbing you so late at night."

Xiao Yi felt a chill run down his spine and immediately came to his senses.

He actually knew who the person who came was: Chai Rong, who was more famous than Guo Wei in history textbooks.

He got up, put on his clothes, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Standing outside the door was a man nearing thirty, tall and imposing, without armor, wearing a worn indigo linen robe over a dark fur cloak. His face was handsome and angular, with a short beard, sharp eyebrows that conveyed a sense of authority and fortitude, and eyes that shone like stars, revealing a gentle and kind nature.

He was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked extremely tired.

Xiao Yi was momentarily stunned and didn't know how to greet him.

"I apologize for my unauthorized visit, but I thank Commander Xiao for protecting my family and friends."

Guo Rong actually took half a step back, bowed deeply to him, his gaze sincere, yet filled with a deep sorrow.

"Cao Wei said that his family in Kaifeng... has been murdered." His voice was low and he spoke almost word by word. He then asked, "But I still have a sliver of hope that it might be a rumor. My father is still alive, how could they dare to do that?"

"It's not a rumor."

Xiao Yi shook his head.

Guo Rong's expression darkened, unable to hide his disappointment, but he still asked softly, "Where are the survivors?"

"I'm afraid not. At the time, I was hiding in the Daxiangguo Temple and heard Liu Zhu order 'leave no one alive,' and afterwards... I didn't see any soldiers bring out any prisoners alive." Guo Rong was stunned.

After a long while, he came to his senses, pursed his lips a few times, and took out a letter from his pocket.

Xiao Yi's gaze fell upon the letter, where the handwriting was delicate, though some parts were blurred by tears. He knew this was the letter Liu had entrusted him to deliver to Guo Rong.

The fingers holding the letter had large knuckles, yet they were trembling slightly.

"Did she... leave me any last words before she departed?"

Xiao Yi remembered that he was in a hurry that day and Liu didn't have time to say a word.

He finally shook his head.

Guo Rong looked dejected, sniffed, carefully put the letter away, forced a polite smile, and spoke. His voice returned to normal, though it was low and hoarse.

"It made you laugh."

"Condolences."

Guo Rong nodded, his expression turning serious, gradually becoming as unreadable as a rock.

"When my father heard that you had come, he was eager to see you and inquire about the situation in the capital. However, he was still in the camp handling military affairs, so I had no choice but to ask you to come with me to the camp overnight."

"I dare not be negligent in the summons of the commander. Please wait a moment while I tidy my clothes."

Xiao Yi was surprised that Guo Wei wanted to see him so soon. He bowed and went back into the house, looking at the military robe and armor.

He moved swiftly, immediately changing his clothes and donning his armor. As he was putting on his breastplate and reaching for the straps at the back, Guo Rong stepped forward and lent him a hand.

"Thank you, sir."

"No need to be so polite." Guo Rong spoke quickly, without any deliberate warmth, but it made people feel very close to him. "You protected my family, your kindness is immeasurable. If you don't mind, you can call me 'brother' in private."

"This……"

"I'm more than ten years older than you. How about I call you 'A-Yi'?"

"Yes, brother."

"That's right."

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yi had already put on his armor and was dressed neatly. Guo Rong patted him on the shoulder and praised, "What a handsome young man! Come with me."

"My men..."

“Someone led them to the military camp.”

The two quickly walked out of the courtyard and into the stable, where soldiers had already prepared the horses.

He mounted his horse and stepped onto the empty street outside the gate.

The torches held by the soldiers swayed stubbornly in the wind, their light tearing through the thick darkness of Yedu.

Guo Rong's fur cloak billowed in the wind, like eagle wings unfolding, exuding a somber and murderous aura.

"Ayi, tell me about the situation in Chanzhou?"

"it is good."

The two rode side by side, and Xiao Yi recounted his journey to Chanzhou in detail.

The biting wind whipped snow into his mouth, yet he noticed every detail, even the subtle changes in Li Hongwei's expression.

The only thing not mentioned was that Wang Chengxun obtained the Imperial Guard's military tally and the Privy Council's seal.

Guo Rong didn't overlook this detail and asked, "Where did you find the talisman? Tieya said it was taken away by an Imperial Guard on the night the Shi family was destroyed."

“I tracked down that Imperial Guard.”

Where is he headed?

“Yedu,” Xiao Yi said, “He also intended to join you, but unfortunately he was seriously injured and died.”

"He is indeed a righteous man. Do you know his name?"

"Lin Chong, instructor of the Imperial Guards."

Guo Rong didn't press the matter further, and Xiao Yi temporarily let the matter drop for Wang Chengxun.

The topic then shifted to Cao Wei's group.

"Your father had already sent men to fetch you, but Cao Wei stopped them. Do you know why?"

"I don't know."

"The tyrannical emperor sent Cao Wei north to assassinate my father, and also gave him a secret edict, ordering him to contact Guo Chongwei. If this matter is not handled properly, even my father may not be safe."

Xiao Yi asked, "Is it Guo Chongwei, who refused to serve the Khitan and resolutely abandoned his official post to go south?"

"You know him?"

"I once saw his resume in the study of the Shi family. He had followed General Guo in pacifying three towns and made many military achievements."

Xiao Yi had some respect for Guo Chongwei's experience in fighting the Khitan, and then said, "Presumably, he wouldn't be acting on a secret edict from a tyrannical emperor, would he?"

"It shouldn't be the case." Guo Rong said with a hint of worry, "But my father didn't let me get involved in this matter. We'll have to wait until we get to the camp to find out the specifics. If anything goes wrong, you'll come with me to protect my father."

"clear."

As they spoke, the city gate in front slowly opened.

They spurred their horses out and rushed onto the official road outside the city, saying no more.

In a short while, the military camp came into view, with the campfires blazing brightly.

As he rode closer to the gate, the oppressive aura of iron and killing intent pressed down like a mountain, yet Xiao Yi felt a surge of heroic spirit. He had staked his fate on Guo Wei, and the moment had finally come to reveal his trump card…

(End of this chapter)