I was living in the Five Dynasties period, just after crossing the Zhongdu Bridge.

The conversation outside the city gate, seemingly announcing names, was actually a weighing of each other's strengths and bottom lines.

Gao Yan stood atop the city wall of Danzhou, his heart pounding with tension, but his expression remained unchanged.

He earned his position as the governor of Danzhou through his own efforts, but he was also forced into it.

Although a letter of surrender was submitted to the officials in Taiyuan, who knows what those officials were really thinking?

If a civil official were sent, it would be fine; everyone could have a welcoming feast, and everyone would be happy.

But they sent someone with troops...

Are we going to pick peaches?

"Shen Lie, the Defense Commissioner of Yaozhou and Commander-in-Chief of Fuwei, has been ordered to advance westward!"

The shouts from below the city were full of vigor.

Defense Commissioner of Yaozhou?

Gao Yan frowned slightly. Yaozhou was located in the heart of Guanzhong, several hundred miles away from Danzhou.

Why is Shen Lie here in Danzhou when he wasn't staying in Yaozhou?

But he also heard the words "ordered to advance westward".

This indicates that the other party was just passing through.

Since we're just passing through, we're not here to seize territory.

Gao Yan felt a slight sense of relief, but his vigilance did not completely disappear.

"Since it's Defense Commissioner Shen in person!" Gao Yan, clinging to the edge of the battlements, called out loudly, "May I ask what brings you here, Commissioner? If it's to request passage, please show me your official credentials!"

This is just polite talk, but also the last line of defense.

Shen Lie didn't directly pull out the official document; it was just a piece of paper, nothing compared to a real person's head.

"Gao, the Prefect!"

Shen Lie spurred his horse forward, followed by Yang Ting and the others.

A dozen or so warhorses charged forward, each with several bloody human heads hanging from its neck.

The heads were contorted and their hair was disheveled, clearly indicating that they had been cut off recently.

"I have come here for two reasons: first, to borrow your passage, and second, to present a gift to Governor Gao!"

Shen Lie pointed his riding whip at the heads. "Those hundred or so Khitan cavalrymen swaying outside the city have been dealt with by me. These heads are proof!"

A commotion broke out on the city wall.

Gao Yan naturally knew about the Khitan cavalry outside the city. They were like leeches, unable to capture the city but wreaking havoc on the surrounding villages, causing panic among the people of Danzhou.

He considered sending troops to annihilate them several times, but he worried that if he went out into the open and fought, he would be entangled with the enemy and lose the city.

Gao Yan was a discerning man, capable of leading troops to kill the Khitan governor and seize the throne.

He could tell that the heads below the city were genuine, and he could also see the murderous aura emanating from this army called Fuwei Dude.

More importantly, Shen Lie handed him the credit right at the door.

This is not only a way to show off political achievements, but also a way to ensure stability and save face!

Gao Yan's mind raced.

Since they've done the dirty and tiring work for me and are only passing through, it would be too ungrateful to refuse them entry.

Moreover, if one could befriend such a powerful defense envoy, it would be a great help in the future on the Guanzhong Road.

"Quickly! Lower the drawbridge! Open the city gates!"

Gao Yan immediately shouted, "I will personally go out to greet Magistrate Shen!"

······

The back hall of the Danzhou government office.

Gao Yan was quite a remarkable person. Perhaps out of gratitude to Shen Lie for removing the worry from his mind, he hosted a rather lavish welcome banquet.

Gao Yan sat in the seat of honor, Shen Lie sat below him, and Zhao Kuangyin sat next to Shen Lie, tearing apart a chicken in his hand. Although his eating manners were rough, he did not lose his manners.

After a few rounds of drinks, the topic naturally turned to the current situation.

"It will likely be difficult for Prefect Shen to make his way to Yaozhou."

Gao Yan put down his wine cup and seemingly casually offered a suggestion, "Although Zhao Kuangzan is still observing, he has quite a few soldiers under his command. Add to that Hou Yi of Fengxiang, and the ever-watchful Meng Shu..."

Shen Lie smiled but didn't respond to that question. Instead, he asked a different question.

"Governor Gao, who do you think will ultimately control the situation in Guanzhong?"

Gao Yan was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Naturally, it's the Emperor of the Han Dynasty. The Emperor is ordained by Heaven, which is the will of the people."

That's all nonsense!

Shen Lie didn't expose him, but said with a smile in his eyes, "The Emperor is in Taiyuan, and Yelü Deguang has left, so Guanzhong has become a no-man's land."

"Zhao Kuangzan was originally the son of Zhao Yanshou. At this time, Zhao Yanshou returned north with Yelü Deguang. He probably wanted to surrender to Shu. Hou Yi probably had the same idea. It seemed like they were divided, but in reality, they were all waiting for a change."

"What variable?" Gao Yan asked, frowning.

"Who will cause chaos first?"

Shen Lie's gaze was intense. "Whoever makes a ruckus first will be the first to be attacked by the crowd. Zhao Kuangzan dares not move because he is afraid of being made an example of by the Emperor. Hou Yi dares not move because he is afraid of being attacked from both sides by Zhao Kuangzan and Meng Shu."

"And I'm going to Yaozhou to be the one to stir things up... cough, to stabilize the situation."

Gao Yan was secretly alarmed upon hearing this.

He originally thought Shen Lie was just a martial artist who rose to power through bravery, but he never expected his judgment to be so sharp.

Although Yaozhou is small, it is strategically located at the throat of Guanzhong.

Shen Lie's attack, a small effort yielding a large reward, was part of Liu Zhiyuan's grand strategy of conquering Guanzhong.

If it succeeds, Shen Lie will be the one to deserve the greatest credit.

If we lose...

Gao Yan glanced at Shen Lie and felt a surge of respect for him.

In this day and age, those who knowingly venture into dangerous territory are destined to become powerful figures, provided they don't die.

"Your Excellency Shen's insight is brilliant."

Gao Yan raised his wine cup. "Since Your Excellency has such ambition, I will not say anything discouraging. Although Danzhou is poor, the Khitans have amassed a lot of wealth here recently. Your Excellency's journey to Yaozhou is long, and I am willing to provide you with 300 shi of grain and 20 warhorses as a token of my gratitude."

This is the result of a power struggle over interests.

Shen Lie delivered the Khitan heads, helping Gao Yan stabilize the situation in Danzhou.

Gao Yan then reciprocated by sending grain, fodder, and horses, both to repay a favor and to place a bet.

He was betting that Shen Lie would survive and make a name for himself in this crisis.

If the gamble pays off, this amount of grain, fodder, and horses will serve as a token of goodwill in the future.

"Thank you, Governor Gao."

Shen Lie naturally wouldn't stand on ceremony. He knew that leading troops was like living life; as the saying goes, a large family and a large business have large expenses.

The original 300 men who helped the city have expanded to more than 550 after the battles at Zhangjiawu and yesterday.

These more than 500 mouths need to eat and drink every day as soon as they open their eyes, so naturally, the more food the better.

"Governor Gao," Shen Lie said, "Our troops captured quite a few Khitan armors during the recent annihilation of that Khitan cavalry force. I'm not used to using these things. I wonder if Governor Gao has any spare spears or lances? If it's convenient, we could exchange them?"

This is another shrewd calculation.

While the Khitans' leather armor was superior, the Liao swords were even more advantageous for mounted combat and slashing, and the current foundation of Fuwei Capital consisted mostly of infantry.

In this era of cold weapons, the prevailing principle was "an inch longer, an inch stronger".

With spears like a forest and lances like dragons, forming square formations, that is the foundation for the infantry's survival.

Gao Yan was delighted to hear this.

There happens to be a batch of weapons left over from the former Jin dynasty in the Danzhou warehouse, mostly long-handled weapons. Why not exchange them for some armor to arm our personal guards?

"Change it! Send someone to the warehouse to move it right away!"