Chapter 35: Recruitment
The night was as deep as ink, and a single oil lamp cast a faint glow.
Xiao Yi’s resolute words echoed in the small hut.
“The fractured structure will inevitably end and move towards unification, and the chaotic and disordered state of brutal killing will also be replaced by order.”
“Really?” Hua Nong asked. “How can you be so sure, Young Master? I’ve never heard anyone else say so, yet you speak as if you’ve witnessed it yourself.”
“Because…”
Xiao Yi closed his eyes, feeling very tired.
Rummaging through the lines he had memorized from his mind to answer various questions had exhausted his spirit. He vaguely realized that what moved the other person was because he had seen the prosperity they yearned for.
“Harmony within the six directions, unity across the nine provinces—this is the great righteousness of the Spring and Autumn period, the eternal truth of our Huaxia Nation for thousands of years.”
Hua Nong’s expression shifted, filled with joy and curiosity. He quickly asked, “Hearing your words is like the clouds parting to reveal the sun! But what do you mean by ‘Huaxia Nation’? Our dynasty was actually founded by the Shatuo people…”
“The topic is too vast, and the night is too deep. Let’s rest.”
“This… yes, I will ask you again in the morning.” Hua Nong reluctantly got up and said, “I have two inner rooms here. Please make do with them, Young Master and your servant.”
“And you?”
“I’ll manage in the outer room for the night. I’m not sleepy yet; I want to savor your words again.”
Xiao Yi did not stand on ceremony, sharing one room with Guo Zongyi and giving Guo Xin the other.
Each room had only a simple adobe kang. Hua Nong found old but clean bedding, prepared for the festival, for them.
Guo Xin was a little uneasy and whispered, “He won’t betray us, will he?”
“No, sleep soundly.”
“Let me change your wound dressing first.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s what Qing Wen should do.”
After finally changing the dressing, Guo Xin went to the next room. Xiao Yi finally lay down fully clothed.
Guo Zongyi covered him with the bedding and snuggled up to him, unable to help but say again, “You are so amazing; you convinced him in just a few words.”
“I just met someone on the same path.”
“When no one else is around, can I call you Older Brother?”
“I’m about the same age as your Third Uncle.”
“But you are only a few years older than me. Uncles and aunts are unavoidable. Sometimes you protect me like Father, but you look more like an older brother. I’ve always wanted an older brother…”
“As you wish.”
Xiao Yi yawned and looked over. The oil lamp was still lit in the outer room. Through the crack in the door, he could see Hua Nong still awake, squinting at a piece of paper, reviewing today’s notes.
He, however, fell asleep shortly after.
After an unknown amount of time, just as all was silent—
“Thump! Thump! Thump!”
The sound of rough knocking on the door suddenly broke the night’s silence!
“You good-for-nothing, open the door!”
Xiao Yi, though sleeping soundly, woke up quickly and sat up. Guo Xin also rushed over immediately, her clothes neat and her hair tidy, clearly having not slept.
“Did he betray us?”
“No rush,” Xiao Yi said. “I’ll go see.”
He picked up his sword, walked to the door, and looked out through the crack.
Hua Nong hastily stood up, looking at him with a bewildered and questioning expression.
“An acquaintance?” Xiao Yi asked.
Hua Nong nodded.
Xiao Yi glanced at the desk and said softly, “Put away the teacup.”
“Okay.”
Hua Nong quickly complied, knocking over many items.
The urging from outside the door became more insistent.
“Don’t be nervous, act natural,” Xiao Yi said. “Open the door.”
“Okay.”
Hua Nong took a deep breath and called out, “Is that Captain Zhao? Coming, coming!”
As the door opened, a gust of cold wind, carrying three armored patrol soldiers with swords, rushed in. The light from their lanterns blinded them.
“Damn it, I’m freezing to death.”
“Captain, don’t say that. This lousy shack of a good-for-nothing feels colder than outside.”
“In any case, I’m too lazy to stay. Captain Zhao rubbed his hands and cursed. “Everyone’s been dispatched to hunt down fugitives. You stop slacking off here and hurry up. Leader Sun wants to see you about something.”
“What is it about?”
“Go ask him yourself! I still have to patrol the streets!”
“Yes, yes, I’ll go after I change.”
Hua Nong said, about to close the door.
Captain Zhao, however, propped his hand against the door and casually scanned the room.
“Oh, good-for-nothing, you even have guests at your cold hearth? You never begrudge yourself that expensive tea, who did you bring it out for today?”
His tone was familiar and teasing.
Xiao Yi frowned, worried that Hua Nong lacked quick wit and might not be able to handle this.
Hua Nong was indeed flustered, chuckling awkwardly, unsure how to answer.
“I’m asking you,” Captain Zhao said impatiently.
“Please don’t tease me, Captain. My brother-in-law came to visit and unexpectedly encountered the city lockdown. He had nowhere else to go, so he’s just staying the night.”
“Brother-in-law?”
Hearing this, Captain Zhao turned and looked towards the inner room.
Xiao Yi had already moved his gaze away, concealing himself in the shadows.
“Perfect. The city walls are short-handed. Take him with you; consider it a night of labor.”
“This…”
“Stop with the ‘this and that’,” Captain Zhao’s voice grew more impatient. “Look after your relative and don’t run around causing trouble. I’m leaving.”
“Captain, safe travels.”
Xiao Yi looked again through the crack in the door, seeing Captain Zhao turn to leave, but then he turned back.
“I say, you good-for-nothing.”
“W-what is it?”
“Use your head! What time is it? Something major happened in the capital, and they’re cutting people down like grass, one after another. You should try harder! Whether you succeed or not depends on this one chance. If you don’t get reinstated, at least you can take my place later. You’re living like this, will you have the face to see Old Captain after we die? Damn it, take a piss and look at yourself! What are you like? Even if you were just a fart, you’d still have some air!”
After a long scolding fueled by disappointment, Captain Zhao, shivering from the cold, rubbed his hands and turned to leave, muttering to himself.
“Damn, not even a fart…”
The night wind blew into the dilapidated hut from the open door. Hua Nong did not close it for a long time.
Xiao Yi emerged from the shadows and looked at the middle-aged man’s somewhat lonely back as he faced the wind and snow alone. He raised his hand and silently wiped away a tear.
The two stood in silence.
After a while, Hua Nong sniffled, wiped his face, and turned back. Seeing Xiao Yi looking at him, he managed a fawning smile.
As for his hardships and helplessness, there was nothing worth mentioning.
“Young Master, I didn’t intentionally not put away the tea leaves, truly, I was just too nervous.”
“I know.”
“They want me to take my brother-in-law to the city walls. Don’t worry, I’ll find a neighbor to help. You can stay until morning before leaving, alright?”
Xiao Yi pondered for a moment and then suddenly asked, “Do you wish to make a name for yourself and achieve great deeds?”
Hua Nong was startled and subconsciously nodded, then immediately shook his head vigorously.
“Don’t you believe me, Young Master? Although I’m useless, I’ve never thought of betraying you to gain merit! I’m just worried that if I don’t go to the city walls, they’ll come back…”
“That’s not what I meant.” Xiao Yi took a few steps forward, looked directly into Hua Nong’s eyes, and asked, “Do you know Guo Wei, Commander Guo?”
“Yes, I’ve long heard of Commander Guo’s great name and have always admired him.”
“Good. I won’t hide it from you. I’ve heard that Commander Guo governs his troops strictly, cares for his soldiers, and pacifies the regions, earning the deep affection of the people of Hebei. He is a pillar of the state. Therefore, I intend to leave the city and head to Ye Du to meet him.”
Xiao Yi paused here.
He could have learned from Li Tao and Li Fang’s cunning and probed with false words first, but after thinking about it, he decided to be straightforward.
“Earlier, we discussed going with the flow. So, I will tell you what ‘flow’ means. The current Son of Heaven is fond of executing the appointed successors, implicating the innocent, appointing sycophants, and being suspicious of border generals. The officials and the populace are estranged, and the dynasty is unlikely to last. I wish to follow the opportune moment and defect to Duke Guo to achieve great deeds. However, I am trapped in the city and need like-minded individuals to assist me. If you trust my judgment, are you willing to follow me for a chance at a future, a gamble for stabilizing the world and leaving your name in history?”
Xiao Yi seemed mad, spewing out these wild words without reservation, not considering at all whether Hua Nong could accept them.
He had no more time for probing or testing.
To persuade Hua Nong, it had to be tonight, and he could only show sincerity.
“Clink.”
The door bolt in Hua Nong’s hand fell to the ground.
The room fell into dead silence, with only the occasional faint crackle of the oil lamp wick.
Xiao Yi did not rush, using calmness and certainty as his persuasion.
They stood in silence for a long time again.
Hua Nong took a deep breath, his voice hoarse.
“Young Master, I…”
His throat caught, and he couldn’t finish his sentence for a while.
“Young Master… you… why dare you say these things to me? I’m just…”
“Because I understand.”
Xiao Yi looked around the room, as if seeing his own past dwelling, impoverished and struggling.
He couldn’t forget the unwillingness and yearning he felt when he lived there.
At that time, he always thought that if someone allowed him to be the protagonist and not a substitute, he would do so without hesitation.
Without a second thought, regardless of how many resources the other party had.
At this moment, he was certain he was giving Hua Nong what he yearned for.
“You seem to be in hardship, but in reality, you have principles in your heart. You are content with the present, but you know that the present shouldn’t be like this. You call yourself useless, but you are unwilling. You are not useless; you have ambitions, which is why you never gave up studying, wanting to find a way…”
Xiao Yi spoke and then stopped.
Because Hua Nong had already started to cry uncontrollably.
Initially, it was just tears, then he squatted on the ground, covering his head and sobbing, his cries growing into wails.
A grown man, inexplicably weeping profusely.
Xiao Yi stood there, letting him cry for a while, then reached out and patted his shoulder.
“Hua Nong, I originally intended to bribe you, to pay you to open the city gate, but after I arrived, I realized you were different.”
“I’ve wronged my wife and children! I’ve wronged my father! I’m nothing!”
“Then come north with me and show them that you are a Man of Integrity, that you are not like those muddle-headed, contemptible cowards. The world is not right, so let’s change it! The world has been in disarray for decades; it’s time for a new era!”
“Hiss—”
Hua Nong loudly snorted back a tear.
He looked up, his eyes red, his chest heaving violently.
Finally, he gritted his teeth fiercely. The force was so great that his jaw trembled slightly.
“Alright!”
With another loud snort, Hua Nong almost leaped to his feet.
He faced Xiao Yi, bowed respectfully and slowly, his voice still trembling, but emanating an unprecedented resolve.
“Your words are like a divine revelation. Although I, Nong, am dull-witted, I am willing to serve you with all my might! From this day forward, I will follow you, Young Master, and we will pursue great matters together!”
