Chapter 63: Guo Que’er
The generals received their orders and departed, like a receding tide.
Guo Wei turned his head and looked at Guo Rong, his face regaining a look of sorrow.
“Father Marshal, I asked…”
“You all go out. I want to ask him myself.”
Guo Rong was silent for a moment, bowed deeply, and retreated with the guards.
Only Guo Wei and Xiao Yi remained in the tent.
Xiao Yi initially thought he would be nervous, but he actually felt Guo Wei seemed even more so.
Guo Wei beckoned him closer, pursed his lips as if to ask a question, swallowed, and then said, “You saved my son, daughter, and grandson. I should thank you. What do you want?”
“I wish to serve Your Lordship.”
“Good.”
Their eyes met, and at that moment, Xiao Yi saw not ambition in Guo Wei’s gaze.
He then understood that Guo Wei had kept him not to discuss the grand undertaking of seizing the empire, nor did he have the mood to discuss Li Tao’s letter at the moment.
“Cao Wei said that my entire family, old and young, women and children, were brutally slaughtered. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Xiao Yi’s tone was restrained, but he recounted everything he had seen and heard at the Great Xiangguo Temple in meticulous detail.
He felt that every word he spoke was a spiritual dismemberment of Guo Wei, destroying Guo Wei’s stubborn, last sliver of hope.
“In the end, more than seventy bodies were carried out by the soldiers… no survivors were escorted out.”
The tent fell into dead silence.
Guo Wei rested his hands on the marshal’s desk, his mountain-like physique swaying.
“Yu Niang… when was the last time you saw my Madam? What did she say?”
“That night, Madam sat upright in the Flower Hall, dressed neatly, her hair in place, with a calm demeanor and graceful bearing. She entrusted San Lang, Wu Niang, and Yi Ge’er to me, as if for an ordinary farewell.”
“I want to hear what she said, every word. What was she like during her final days in Kaifeng?”
Anyone else might have advised Guo Wei, reminding him to first attend to the important matters at hand.
Xiao Yi, however, merely recounted the two times he met Chai Shouyu as detailed as possible.
He wasn’t thinking about his future at that moment.
At this moment, Guo Wei was no longer a symbol of historical trajectory in his mind, nor a cunning, cold-blooded emperor.
In their interaction, he saw him as a living, breathing person, a parent who had just lost his entire family and was overcome with grief.
Tens of thousands of people expected Guo Wei to achieve great things, but in private, he was also entitled to be vulnerable.
As he spoke, Xiao Yi mentioned something Chai Shouyu had said in front of the Great Xiangguo Temple that day.
“Madam then said, ‘My husband’s family was also poor when they were young,’ but she had a smile in her eyes…”
“Yes, I was so poor back then that I had nothing.”
Guo Wei finally spoke, his voice gradually gaining a faint warmth as he recalled the past.
“That year, I was down and out, wandering everywhere. I encountered a torrential rain on the south bank of the Yellow River, getting soaked like a drowned rat, starving with my stomach sticking to my back. I was stuck in a small inn. As I was walking past the front of the main room, someone suddenly called out to me. She said, ‘Hey, fellow, here’s a towel for you to wipe yourself.’ When I turned around, my heart nearly jumped out of my throat, as I had never seen such a beautiful young lady. You wouldn’t believe what happened next.”
“What happened?”
“When she saw me, her eyes lit up. ‘Eh, you look rather extraordinary, different from ordinary soldiers.’ I said, ‘Of course I’m different, I’m much poorer than ordinary soldiers.’ She then laughed, so beautifully that my heart trembled. Even more unexpectedly, she turned and ran to tell her parents she wanted to marry me, which infuriated them.”
“Madam had good judgment.”
“You didn’t see it yourself, such a delicate young lady, we met only once, and she was so determined to marry me that no one could stop her. She was from the Tang imperial concubines and had saved a lot of valuables. She gave half to her parents as filial piety, and the other half became her dowry. We got married in that dilapidated inn room with only a dirt kang. I watched her dress and adorn herself, and I felt that place was better than the Imperial Palace…”
At this point, Guo Wei suddenly sniffled, tears streaming down his face.
He looked around the vast military tent, as if searching for something.
The tent was empty, and candle tears slowly dripped from the candles on the marshal’s desk.
“Ever since we got married, she used her gold and silk to help me get by, managed things for me, encouraged me to study, and paved the way for me. I liked wine and gambling, but because she watched over me, I managed to quit gambling and didn’t dare to drink too much. From now on, no one will manage me… I am a worthless husband and father!”
Overwhelmed with grief, Guo Wei suddenly slammed his fist down heavily. The marshal’s desk snapped in two and collapsed with a crash.
He staggered back a step, his sturdy physique swaying precariously.
Xiao Yi stepped forward, supported Guo Wei’s arm, and helped him sit on the marshal’s chair, which was covered with wolf fur.
His heart ached, and he spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.
“In Madam’s eyes, Your Lordship is a great hero.”
“What kind of hero am I? I’ve spent half my life killing people, yet I couldn’t even protect my own wife and grandchildren.”
“I’ve heard that true death is not the end of life, but to be completely forgotten.”
“What do you mean?”
Xiao Yi, searching his mind for the lines he had memorized, slowly said, “As long as someone still remembers Madam, she has not truly disappeared. Her vision was extraordinary; her decision to marry Your Lordship was not for wealth but because she knew Your Lordship was a peerless hero. What is said is that ‘to bear the nation’s shame is to be the master of the state.’ The tragic fate of the Guo family is a reflection of these chaotic times. Madam was kind-hearted and deeply hoped Your Lordship could end the chaos. She didn’t misjudge you; history will remember her, and she will live on forever in people’s legends, for generations to come.”
Guo Wei paused.
Anger and grief would not be dispelled by these words. He opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but in the end, he said with a firm, resonant voice, “You don’t need to comfort me.”
Xiao Yi said, “Then… doesn’t Your Lordship want to avenge your family?”
Guo Wei clenched his bleeding fist, and after a long while, two words escaped his lips.
“Liu Zhu.”
The confusion in his eyes turned to hatred. Gritting his teeth, he said hatefully, word by word, “When I break into Kaifeng, I will have him cut into a thousand pieces, exterminate his entire clan, blood for blood, tooth for tooth!”
The support of hatred is sometimes more effective than rational comfort.
Just then, a cautious yet urgent voice from a personal guard sounded from outside the tent.
“Marshal, Secretary Wei has returned to report on the supply matters.”
Guo Wei closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, the fragility, grief, and hesitation were gone. His fierce eyes held only stern majesty and decisiveness.
“Announce him.”
Soon, Wei Renpu strode into the tent. His gaze swept over the broken marshal’s desk but he said nothing further. He placed the ledger on a low stool beside the tent and bowed.
“Your Lordship.”
“Since Xiao Yi is willing to serve in the army, arrange a military position for him. After we take Kaifeng, he will be generously rewarded.”
“Thank you, Your Lordship.”
“Rest assured, Your Lordship, Renpu will arrange it properly.”
Wei Renpu accepted the order and turned to Xiao Yi, his tone steady yet gentle.
“There are junior officers waiting outside the tent who can lead you to the others who have arrived. Please wait here temporarily. After I finish reporting on military affairs, I will discuss your appointment arrangement with you.”
“Yes, I will take my leave.”
Xiao Yi knew they had military matters to discuss and tactfully withdrew from the large tent.
The guard led Xiao Yi through an orderly camp area and to a barracks crowded with newly recruited soldiers.
Before entering, he heard a gruff voice shouting.
“Really?! Damn it all, when I go back to Kaifeng, I’ll chop up those donkey-ball players and avenge the Marshal…”
Xiao Yi lifted the curtain and entered. He saw Zhang Mantun gesticulating wildly to Chen Guang Sui’s soldiers.
Hearing the commotion, the rough man suddenly turned around, his large round eyes widening. He strode forward.
“You’re finally here! I heard they said you were borrowing troops in Chan Prefecture. Why do you have to get involved in everything? Well done. Do you know? Guo Que’er plans to return to Kaifeng…”
“Tie Ya.”
“What is it?”
“Speak less, do more.”
Xiao Yi gently pressed Zhang Mantun to sit down and then turned to Chen Guang Sui, cupping his fists. “General Chen, we meet again.”
“Captain Xiao, are you well?”
Chen Guang Sui’s demeanor was much more passionate than before, his excitement almost uncontainable. He took a couple of steps closer, slung an arm around Xiao Yi’s shoulder, and whispered, “An opportunity to do great things has arrived.”
“Indeed, to remove corrupt officials and pacify the nation.”
As they were speaking, another commotion erupted outside the barracks.
Guo Xin was the first to charge in, followed by a large group of people, including Hua Nong, Lu You, Fan Si, Wei Liang, Old Pan, Xi Hou, Hu Deng, and Wu Gouzi.
The scent of alcohol had not yet dissipated from their bodies, but their faces were filled with irrepressible excitement.
“Captain, we are here!”
“Captain Xiao! Huh? General… General.”
Xi Hou was about to rush towards Xiao Yi, but upon seeing Chen Guang Sui, his expression turned serious. He lowered his head and retreated behind Chen Guang Sui.
Hua Nong showed no such restraint. Perhaps he didn’t recognize the others in the tent and walked directly to Xiao Yi.
“Young Master, I heard Duke Guo intends to sweep away the traitors and restore the state?”
“Yes, the atmosphere is fervent, and the army’s morale is ready.”
Hua Nong said, “If you accompany Duke Guo south, I will follow.”
“What about your wife and children?”
“San Lang has them temporarily staying at the Commander’s Mansion.” Hua Nong smiled. “I think what you said about ‘unity after division’ will start from this battle, and I cannot miss it.”
“Good.”
Suddenly, someone outside the tent called out loudly, “The army’s morale is ready!”
Everyone’s gaze turned. Wei Renpu strode in, his eyes showing the fatigue of long sleepless nights, but his gaze remained bright and sharp.
“Esteemed officials admire Your Lordship’s righteous cause and have traveled from afar to join us. We should bestow upon you high positions and allow you to utilize your strengths. However, the army must march south at dawn, and military matters are pressing. We can only temporarily organize you all into one command, with General Chen as the commander, to lead the troops. Xiao Lang will be the deputy commander, and Tie Ya will be the training instructor. The remaining positions will be decided by General Chen and Xiao Lang based on your abilities. As for the troop numbers, once the army is stable, we will supplement them accordingly, so as not to underutilize any of you. Is that acceptable?”
Xiao Yi’s heart settled upon hearing the word “command.”
A command consists of five hundred men. Just the military positions from deputy commander down to deputy commander, and above, number twenty to thirty, not to mention the captains. With over fifty people in this tent, everyone was bound to be promoted.
These appointments, made in haste, were undoubtedly generous.
He had not bet on the wrong person. Guo Wei was not only brave and capable of commanding his subordinates but also valued loyalty and was able to accommodate and treat people generously.
Indeed, after Wei Renpu finished speaking, there was a moment of silence in the tent, followed by a burst of great cheers.
