Chapter 102: Iou
The Guo Residence is now the center of power in Kaifeng, with officials and generals seeking an audience lining up all the way to the Great Xiangguo Temple.
The mansion gate is the old wooden gate reinstalled, but its imposing aura is very intimidating.
Old Pan and Hua Nong were not mentally prepared and quickly tidied their clothes, walking stiffly with their hands and feet out of sync.
Xiao Yi did not join the queue, stepped forward, and informed the gatekeeper that he was looking for Guo Sanlang.
“Is that General Xiao?”
“You recognize me?”
“General, please come in. Please wait under the corridor.”
“I’m just here to see Sanlang.”
“Please.”
Upon entering the Guo Residence and looking around, the bloodstains in the front courtyard had been cleaned up. Yet, Guo Tong’s words, “Those who break in shall die,” seemed to echo in his ears.
The mansion was also in mourning, but very discreetly, without hanging mourning banners, to avoid affecting state affairs… No, Xiao Yi thought again, Guo Wei probably didn’t want the tragedy of his entire family being murdered to be used as a tool for soliciting sympathy.
After all, it was a military family; mourning was in their hearts, not in outward displays.
Old Pan and Hua Nong were quite uneasy, unsure where to place their eyes.
They had never been so flustered at the Ye Du Military Governor’s Mansion or in the Imperial Palace.
“General, the officials outside are all watching you…”
Soon, a middle-aged man emerged. He was of medium build, with a square face and a neatly trimmed short beard, his eyes full of spirit.
“I am Wang Pu, courtesy name Wenbo, from Dongping. I humbly serve as the Gatekeeper of the Military Governor’s Mansion. May I ask if you are General Xiao?”
“Greetings, Mister.”
“Haha.” Wang Pu laughed heartily and said, “I and Xiao Lang have the same fate and have admired each other from afar for a long time. This autumn, I passed the imperial examination and became a secretary in the Grand Tutor Lord Yang’s residence. Seeing the Late Emperor employ Li Ye, and knowing Lord Yang had fallen out with the ministers and generals, I foresaw great disaster. My advice was useless, so in late autumn, I bid farewell to Lord Yang and returned east, narrowly escaping. We both suffered calamity but were fortunate to survive.”
Xiao Yi then realized that Wang Pu was a retainer of Yang Bin, and he himself, a servant of the Shi Residence, had a similar experience.
“Mister’s foresight and understanding of fortune and misfortune are remarkable; you truly possess the talent to govern the world.”
“And the General possesses extraordinary skill and quick wit.”
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Wang Pu said, “I heard the General captured Su Fengji again yesterday, achieving remarkable feats. Is there something you need to report to my Lord today?”
“I dare not disturb the Marshal. I am here to see Sanlang.”
“Please.”
Xiao Yi then left Old Pan and Hua Nong under the corridor and followed Wang Pu towards the rear hall.
He surmised that Guo Xin had probably gotten into some major trouble again and was kneeling in the ancestral hall.
Entering the hall, he saw a person sitting there, dressed in a plain robe. It was Guo Wei.
“Your subordinate greets the Marshal.”
“Wenbo, you may go. I will speak with him alone.”
“Yes.”
Only the two of them remained in the hall. Guo Wei sighed slightly, revealing a rare glimpse of paternal helplessness, and said, “Sanlang ran off to Ye Du himself.”
“This… Your subordinate was unaware.”
“I merely wanted to arrange a marriage for him, not coerce him, and I picked a few families for him to choose from. Yu Niang’s mourning period is not yet over, and he wanted to arrange it beforehand. This little monkey! Tell me, who is being unreasonable?”
Xiao Yi replied, “Sanlang is too impulsive.”
“Mm.”
“Marshal, shall I go and chase him back?”
“Never mind. I’ve already sent guards to protect him, and Da Lang will look after him. Did you come for the reward money for capturing Su Fengji?”
“Yes.”
“Su Niupi is also worth a thousand strings of cash?”
“Replying to the Marshal, this is the reward amount set by the Kaifeng Prefecture. Su’s properties and assets are priceless.”
“Are they Su Niupi’s? That is the people’s blood and sweat!”
Xiao Yi could tell that Guo Wei also did not want to pay this thousand strings of cash.
“The military values its rewards.” Guo Wei paused, remaining silent for a long time before shamelessly saying, “But this reward for capturing a fugitive only motivates outsiders.”
“Yes, your subordinate understands.”
“I don’t consider you an outsider, that’s the honest truth. To tell you another truth, governing a country is like running a household. I, a widower, only realized after taking over this mess that this household… is too poor.”
Xiao Yi thought that exchanging the reward money for capturing Su Fengji for Guo Wei’s statement of “one of us” was not a loss.
He honestly replied, “Your subordinate understands and has no complaints. I will continue to do my best.”
Guo Wei nodded with satisfaction and said, “You have earned merit and will be rewarded. You will also concurrently hold the position of Official of the Tianxiong Army Governor’s Mansion. Come back later to collect a token.”
“Thank you, my Lord.”
Xiao Yi then smoothly reverted to his previous form of address.
Guo Wei pointed at him and said, “At such a young age, you are quite astute.”
As he was about to take his leave, Guo Wei stood up first and walked towards the front hall, leaving behind two words.
“Wait here.”
Xiao Yi did not understand his meaning. He bowed and saw him off, waiting alone in the hall.
After a while, faint footsteps could be heard from behind the screen in the rear of the hall.
A head with a double-ring bun peeked out from behind the screen and glanced over. Then, Guo Xin, holding up her skirt, ran out and lightly leaped down the stone steps.
“I thought so, who would be looking for me.”
She had regained her fair complexion. Since she was still in mourning, she wore no hairpins or ornaments and was dressed plainly. She also wasn’t wearing deer-skin boots. Lifting her skirt revealed white socks and embroidered shoes, which reduced some of her spiritedness and added a touch of grace.
That double-ring bun still looked childlike.
“Greetings, Fifth Lady.”
“Hmph, you finally remembered me… us. Third Brother has been gone for a whole day.”
“Yesterday was busy, and I didn’t have the time.”
“You were clearly on duty yesterday, you have no loyalty at all. If you had told Third Brother about capturing Su Niupi, he definitely wouldn’t have run off. I’m talking to you, what are you looking at?”
“Your eyebrows have grown back, congratulations.”
Xiao Yi knew that to praise a girl, one had to praise her eyebrows, as they were an important yet easily overlooked detail.
As expected, Guo Xin pursed her lips slightly and stopped pursuing the matter.
“Tch, it was you who shaved them, you donkey.”
“Where did you learn such foul language?”
“I learned it long ago, I just never had the chance to use it… I still haven’t asked, why are you looking for me?”
“I came to collect the reward money from the Marshal, but it was reneged upon.”
“Who reneged on your reward money? Just wait.”
Without waiting for Xiao Yi to speak, Guo Xin ran off in a hurry. Shortly after, she returned holding a box and handed it directly to him.
“Here.”
“This is your personal savings, it’s different.”
“You saved my life, so don’t say such things. Well… besides, I am in mourning for my mother and won’t be going out for a long time. I can’t even play dice. Where would I need money?”
“Weren’t you planning to buy a dagger to kill Second Young Master Shi?”
“To kill you… no, I’ve put down my butcher’s knife. Father told me to copy scriptures for Mother, saying Mother believed in this most when she was alive. I don’t want to copy them, I wish I could copy those bald monks.”
Mentioning monks, Xiao Yi thought of interest, and said, “Consider it a loan from me, with an interest rate of four percent per month.”
“I always borrow money at eight percent interest, but for your sake, four percent it is. Let’s draw up an IOU.”
“You write it, my handwriting is bad.”
“You actually have some self-awareness. Bring me the ink brush and ink.”
As Xiao Yi leaned over to watch Guo Xin write, he couldn’t help but say, “You don’t have much self-awareness.”
“What do you mean? In my family, besides eldest brother, my handwriting is the best.”
“Your handwriting on your betrothal letter was also very beautiful.”
“Don’t mention the betrothal letter!”
Guo Xin pouted angrily, put down her brush, and said, “Sign it, sign it.”
Xiao Yi picked up the IOU and looked at it. It only read, “This is to certify that Xiao Yi has borrowed three hundred strings of cash from Guo Xin, with a monthly interest rate of four percent, and cannot be denied.” There was no deadline.
“When I receive my salary…”
“Broke! Your salary is gone as soon as you get it.”
“Does this box really contain three hundred strings of cash?”
“This is all gold and silver, and it can be exchanged for even more copper coins now.”
“Alright.”
Xiao Yi dipped his finger in ink and made a handprint.
Guo Xin blew it dry and carefully put it away.
“I’m leaving.”
“Oh.”
As he left, Xiao Yi looked back. Guo Xin sat alone in the vast hall, looking somewhat bored, the hint of a smile at the corner of her eye gradually fading, making her appear quite lonely.
As if sensing something, she looked up at him.
He, however, withdrew his gaze before their eyes met and quickly departed.
…
After leaving the rear hall, he walked through the corridor back to the front courtyard.
He happened to see Wang Pu speaking passionately with someone, his voice quite loud.
“Who says a wise ruler doesn’t know about finances? Soon, I will make you see me in a new light. I’ll go welcome someone first…”
This person was outgoing, unlike the steady Wei Renpu, but he was also knowledgeable.
As he turned, he also saw Xiao Yi and asked, “General Xiao, is there something you need?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, please wait a moment.”
Wang Pu walked away briskly towards the side door. After a while, he forcibly brought an official of about fifty years of age through the front courtyard.
“Brother Li, you’ve finally arrived! My Lord is keeping the position of Three Judicial Offices vacant for you and eagerly awaits your return to the capital to manage money and grain matters. Stabilizing people’s livelihoods and controlling prices cannot be delayed any longer!”
“Slow down, slow down, Wang Wenbo, why the rush?”
“How can we not be eager to recommend talent for the realm?”
Xiao Yi’s gaze followed them, just in time to see the two enter the main hall.
Yet, he felt as if he saw the signs of a new era and believed that Guo Wei could manage this poor household well.
Not long after, Wang Pu emerged and said with a smile, “Congratulations, General Xiao, on concurrently holding a position in the staff office.”
“Thank you, Mister Wang. I will go collect an official token.”
“Haha, from now on, we will both serve my Lord in the staff office, so we should interact more…”
After leaving the Guo Residence, Xiao Yi had a “Tianxiong Army Governor’s Mansion Official” token added to his belt.
