C103. Wu Shanshi's Advisors.
The messenger retrieved a letter from his pocket, and Chuhechao accepted it with a smile.
What could Yuan Li be writing to him?
Would he mention missing him in the letter or share some intimate secrets?
Filled with anticipation, Chu Hechao opened the letter, only to see the name "Chu Mingfeng" written several times.
His smile vanished instantly, replaced by a blank expression. Annoyed, he tossed the letter on the table and dismissed the messenger, saying, "Leave for now."
The messenger withdrew to stand guard outside the tent.
Chu Hechao gripped the letter tightly, closed his eyes, and wrestled with complex thoughts.
"Chu Mingfeng" was like a thorn in his heart.
He had nothing left, and Yuan Li was his last lifeline, a person snatched from Chu Mingfeng. Every mention of Chu Mingfeng by Yuan Li made Chu Hechao anxious, fearing he might regret being with him.
What did Yuan Li mean by mentioning Chu Mingfeng in the letter?
Was he trying to say that after a month and a half apart, he had made up his mind and preferred Chu Mingfeng, not wanting to continue with Chu Hechao in a reluctant relationship?
Chu Hechao swallowed hard, his eyes clouded with uncertainty.
After a long while, he calmed down and unfolded the crumpled envelope to read further.
He needed to see what Yuan Li had to say about Chu Mingfeng.
The letter was short, with scarce content. As he read on, Chu Hechao's pupils dilated, and he abruptly stood up. The chair crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
The nearby messenger was about to rush in, but Chu Hechao halted him, saying, "Do not come in!"
After shouting out, Chu Hechao stared fixedly at the words in the letter. His emotions fluctuated like a winding mountain road, shifting from disbelief to doubt, then to elation. His expression contorted.
He read the letter repeatedly, his fingers trembling with excitement, fearing he might have misread the words.
The supposed mutual affection between Yuan Li and Chu Mingfeng was all a lie!
Yuan Li did not love Chu Mingfeng, and Chu Mingfeng did not love Yuan Li either.
They were just friends, deceiving Chu Hechao to keep him obedient.
His heartbeat quickened, and Chu Hechao's emotions were indescribable at that moment. It was as if a flower had bloomed in his heart, and all the beauty in the world was directed towards him.
He hadn't stolen Chu Mingfeng's love, and Yuan Li's heart had never belonged to anyone else. The weight that had burdened his chest for so long suddenly lifted, and Chu Hechao realized he was sweating profusely without even noticing.
He wiped away the sweat, sat back in the chair, and after a while, he lowered his head and chuckled softly.
He felt like he was floating, with a fiery excitement in his heart. If Yuan Li were standing in front of him, he might have already been pulled into his arms and teased.
Happy, very happy.
Happier than winning a battle.
Yuan Li and Chu Mingfeng had no relationship, and this was truly fantastic.
No one knew how much Chu Hechao had been suppressing in his heart.
Taking his brother's wife, with his parents already dead, he couldn't even confess the truth. This relationship seemed buried in darkness, never seeing the light of day. But letting go of Yuan Li was something Chu Hechao couldn't do, not even in death.
If his parents were still alive, let them scold Chu Hechao for Chu Mingfeng, it wouldn't trouble him.
Upon learning the truth this time, Chu Hechao suddenly felt the thorn of Chu Mingfeng no longer pricking him.
After laughing, he felt a bit angry. Irritated to the point where his molars itched, he pressed his head against the armrest, oscillating between laughter and anger.
So, it turns out they had been deceiving him all along.
The letter mentioned that it was Chu Mingfeng's idea.
"Chu Mingfeng..." Chu Hechao gritted his teeth, suspecting whether Chu Mingfeng had deliberately wanted to cause trouble even in death, to torment him.
But Chu Mingfeng was already dead, and Chu Hechao had no one to ask. If he wanted to inquire, he could only ask Yuan Li.
With a smile on his lips, Chu Hechao straightened the letter and carefully folded it before tucking it into his chest.
His heart was racing to return and reprimand Yuan Li. However, he had to deal with the present situation first. Chu Hechao had to focus all his excitement on conquering Shangdang County, seizing Bingzhou as soon as possible, so he could return home early.
*
That night, Chu Hechao had a dream. The next morning, in the freezing cold, he had to get up and wash his pants.
During the pants-washing, he thought of Yuan Li again. Embarrassed by the dream from last night, Chu Hechao blushed and felt like a young lad despite being in his late twenties. The water was bone-chilling, but he didn't feel it. His heart burning with discomfort and itching like straw, he yearned to go back.
Bowing his head, he asked his 'little brother' quietly, "Missing your wife?"
Answering himself, he murmured, "I do miss him, it's time to pick up the pace."
After vigorously scrubbing his pants, he continued to pursue the Huanglong army with his men.
The soldiers were divided into three routes, advancing from east to west, like a unstoppable force.
The Huanglong army in Shangdang County wanted to resist, but Chu Hechao's tactics were exceptionally swift and decisive.
His ten thousand cavalrymen, trained in an unknown manner, were fierce and valiant, armed with rapid-firing divine crossbows. The Huanglong army was terrified and forced to retreat all the way to the Taihang Mountains.
After half a month, the Huanglong Army fled to Jizhou.
*
At that time, the Governor of Jizhou, Wu Shanshi, also received news of the troops advancing from Youzhou to Bingzhou.
In the Wei County of Jizhou, at the Governor's Mansion.
Wu Shanshi and his subordinates were discussing Chu Hechao's military campaign to attack Bingzhou.
Furrowing his brow, Wu Shanshi asked, "How do you all view Chu Hechao's campaign to attack Bingzhou?"
A short, middle-aged man among the strategists, who was highly regarded by him, Mitei, stepped forward. After bowing, he sighed anxiously, "Your Excellency, I'm afraid the current situation is not favorable to us."
Wu Shanshi said with a solemn tone, "Please advise me."
"If Chu Hechao seizes control of both Bingzhou and Youzhou, it would encircle Jizhou. These two regions are vast and sparsely populated, equivalent to three Jizhou's combined. North of the Yellow River, by capturing two states, he would establish himself as a dominant figure. Youzhou and Bingzhou are interconnected east and west, and with intentions to invade Jizhou, we would be defenseless," Mitei explained.
These matters were already known to Wu Shanshi. He humbly sought advice, "What should I do then? Liu Quan, the Governor of Bingzhou, has escaped, leaving Bingzhou unattended. Should we intervene?"
Another strategist with a stern face, Wang Yun, immediately stood up and advised, "Your Excellency, we cannot! Jizhou is still dealing with the effects of the snow disaster. Many civilians are displaced, fields are destroyed. The soldiers lack warm clothing and footwear, huddling together for warmth daily, struggling with hunger. How can we involve ourselves in the affairs of Bingzhou? Jizhou's food supplies are severely limited, and without food, how can we attack Bingzhou?"
Wang Yun was Wu Shanshi's treasurer, and when he said they had no money, they truly had none. Hearing his words, Wu Shanshi's expression changed slightly, somewhat displeased as he said, "It is unfortunate that the natural disaster has caused such suffering to the people and soldiers. However, I heard that Youzhou is also facing a snow disaster. How can they still send troops to attack Bingzhou?"
At this remark, the strategists exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to respond.
Finally, Mitei spoke, "Perhaps it is because of the Governor of Youzhou, Yuan Lejun."
Wu Shanshi was surprised, "Oh?"
Mitei continued, "When Cai Ji sought refuge with you, he mentioned various actions taken by Yuan Lejun in Youzhou, such as cultivating wasteland and raising livestock. Isn't that soap made a means for Yuan Lejun to hoard wealth and grain? Though Chu Hechao is a renowned general, he is not well-versed in governance, and in the past, Youzhou suffered losses year after year until Yuan Lejun's arrival. Now Youzhou is able to accommodate refugees from other regions after the snow disaster, giving them the confidence to send troops. In Youzhou, only Yuan Lejun has the ability."
"Yuan Lejun," Wu Shanshi sighed, "I have heard many rumors about him recently. They say greatness comes at a young age, and he is outstanding among the youth. Accompanying Chu Hechao to kill the Xiongnu Chieftain at such a young age, truly worthy of being a disciple of the great scholar Ouyang Ting."
Mitei's expression suddenly turned serious as he spoke in a deep voice, "Your Excellency, this person should not be underestimated. With such abilities at a young age, letting him grow further may pose a great threat to us!"
Wu Shanshi laughed heartily and dismissively, "Mitei, you are too anxious. He is just a young newcomer!"
However, Mitei dared not belittle Yuan Li and continued to advise, "Your Excellency! Jizhou is so wealthy, with granaries full before winter sets in. We can't even find the flexibility to intervene in the affairs of Bingzhou. While Youzhou seems to have enough resources to support Chu Hechao's attack on Bingzhou, Yuan Lejun, despite being young, possesses remarkable skills!"
Wu Shanshi still didn't pay much attention. Sure, letting him deal with Chu Hechao was acceptable, but letting him deal with a young kid who just entered adulthood?
Then Wu Shanshi wouldn't even need to consider his reputation anymore.
Wu Shanshi waved his hand, signaling Mitei to not say more, and turned to ask the top strategist who had remained quiet, Wei Ji, "Uncle, what do you think of Chu Hechao's attack on Bingzhou?"
Wei Ji, now sixty-three, with white and dry hair, and long white beard, was sitting hunched over with his eyes closed, as if dozing. Only when Wu Shanshi spoke did Wei Ji slowly open his eyes, his dull gaze scanning the crowd before settling on Zhou Wenning, and said slowly, "I would like to first hear what Zhou Wenning has to say. If I remember correctly, Zhou Wenning used to seek refuge with Yuan Lejun."
All eyes turned to Zhou Wenning.
Six months ago, Cai Ji, the Governor of Guangyang County in Youzhou, had come to Jizhou to seek refuge with Wu Shanshi. To demonstrate sincerity, he informed Wu Shanshi of the impending death of the emperor and various situations in Youzhou.
Cai Ji knew a lot of things, even if most of it was superficial, it still gave Wu Shanshi and others some insight into the situation in Youzhou. More importantly, Cai Ji brought a valuable piece of information - Chu Hechao and Yuan Li had a rift.
It was based on this information that Wu Shanshi had treated Cai Ji as an honored guest.
Unexpectedly, a few days later, a strategist named Zhou Wenning also arrived riding a donkey, bringing with him two boxes of something called cotton and potatoes to seek refuge with Wu Shanshi. He provided Wu Shanshi with even more detailed information about Yuan Lejun than Cai Ji knew.
Initially, Wu Shanshi didn't believe him and asked Cai Ji for confirmation. Cai Ji told Wu Shanshi that Zhou Wenning did indeed serve as a strategist for Yuan Lejun, but only for a few months.
How loyal could a strategist be who served a previous lord for only a few months?
Wu Shanshi's heart was relieved to an extent.
Zhou Wenning was handsome, intelligent, and particularly persuasive in speech. In just half a year, he had won Wu Shanshi's growing admiration and had already secured a place in Wu Shanshi's circle of advisers.
However, Mitei, Wang Yun, Wei Ji, and other astute strategists found it difficult to easily believe in Zhou Wenning.
At this moment, Wei Ji's questioning of Zhou Wenning was also an attempt to test him.
Zhou Wenning, who was originally drinking tea, raised his eyebrows in surprise at the question. He quickly stood up, bowed, and humbly said, "I have limited knowledge, how dare I show off in front of all of you? I dare not speak."
Wei Ji's voice sounded weary, like a harmless old man, and he said, "It's no trouble, feel free to speak. Among us, only you are most familiar with Youzhou and Yuan Lejun. Whether you speak well or not, the Lord will not blame you."
Wu Shanshi nodded, "Wen Ning, go ahead."
Zhou Wenning tried to refuse but then said, "I will humbly offer my opinion."
He bowed again, straightened his back, looked at Wei Ji and Wu Shanshi, and confidently said, "Why not take advantage of Chu Hechao's attack on Bingzhou to send troops to capture the vacant areas of Youzhou?"
At this proposal, everyone present was shocked.