The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 169 The Chu King's Palace

"Boom-"

Zhang Mantun and others drew their swords and rushed forward, protecting Xiao Yi on either side, confronting Tang Shizhu's elite soldiers.

The head on the ground stopped rolling.

Xiao Yi turned around and looked at Xu Wei, his tone impassioned.

"Tang Shizhu is dead. If you wish to realize your great ambitions, you can take his head, storm Tanzhou, and depose Ma Xige. I guarantee that the Great Zhou will bestow upon you the title of King of Chu. If you wish to continue to compromise, then kill me to protect yourself, but think carefully about how you will face the wrath of the Great Zhou in the future."

There's not much else to advise; they've pointed out two paths, so just choose one.

It is certain that Xu Wei is dissatisfied. If he can be persuaded to make a decision, that would be best; if not, Xiao Yi will not simply sit idly by and wait for his doom, but will proceed according to plan.

Xu Wei's facial muscles twitched twice as he asked, "Chu's internal affairs are none of your business, so why are you so agitated?"

Fearing exposure, Xiao Yi actually came to bestow titles upon Liu Yan.

What was the real reason for bestowing the title upon Liu Yan?
"The Great Zhou needs a regime that submits to the Great Zhou, is independent from the Southern Tang, and soothes the people of Chu, in order to prepare for future unification."

Xiao Yi answered smoothly without much thought.

From this perspective, Xu Wei and Liu Yan are not fundamentally different, only differing in their individual characteristics.

Xu Wei probably thought his words sounded plausible, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he began to hesitate.

Seeing that he was interested, Xiao Yi adopted the same attitude he would have when interacting with a woman, returned to his seat, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat the simple meal, oblivious to everyone else.

After a while, Zhang Mantun grew impatient, spat out a mouthful of phlegm, and cursed, "Damn it, you've got a huge scar on your head, and you Chu women are so slow and indecisive."

"Oh!"

Xu Wei slammed his hand on the table, pointed, and shouted, "Kill them all!"

"Puff puff……"

Before Tang Shizhu's soldiers could react, they were hacked to the ground.

Blood flowed all over the floor.

Xiao Yi calmly finished the food on the table, poured himself a cup of cheap wine, and praised, "Well done, General Xu is indeed a hero. I toast you."

Xu Wei remained silent and drank a bowl of wine.

This marks the beginning of our collaboration.

After a moment's thought, Xu Wei said, "Tang Shizhu's defeated army is nothing to worry about; I will subdue it myself. Afterward, I will personally escort Governor Xiao to the capital, and Ma Xige will certainly host a banquet for you."

Xiao Yi said, "At the banquet, we'll kill him?"

"No, imprison him."

"It's that simple?"

"Success is easy, failure... is even easier."

Xiao Yi said, "Alright, I'll stake my life on the State of Chu."

"I cannot directly become the King of Chu, so I plan to support Ma Xige's eighth brother, Ma Xichong."

Xiao Yi said, "What the Great Zhou wants is a stable Chu state that will not be annexed by the Southern Tang."

Xu Wei said, "My prestige is insufficient to command respect, so I need to make him my puppet."

"it is good."

After a hasty agreement, Xu Wei said no more, got up and walked outside, instructing the soldiers to escort Xiao Yi and the others back to their ship.

Zhang Mantun leaned forward and whispered, "General, why didn't he swear an oath of blood?"

He was in a bad mood.

Xiao Yi knew that Xu Wei's rebellion was not out of ambition, but out of helplessness; the rebellion was imbued with a sense of weariness after a period of killing.

The people of the South yearn for stability, but endless strife has led to continuous killings.

Upon exiting the gates of Xiangyin City, Xiao Yi personally held a torch and waved to the merchant ship, letting Li Fang see him and informing him that there was no need to take action.

"Plan failed?"

"No, we have a better plan."

"Oh?"

“We will still go to Tanzhou, but not to confer titles upon Ma Xige, but to kill him.”

Xiao Yi slashed with his hand.

When he plotted to kill Liu Chengyou, he was quite nervous, but this time he was much calmer and even a little excited for some reason.

Li Fang shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I should have refused when the Ministry of Rites offered me a higher official position."

"Since you were born in a chaotic world, why are you so afraid to take your own life, Brother Mingyuan?"

"It is precisely because of the chaos of the times that we should be even more cautious."

“I tore up the fake official letter you made, intending to cover it up, but I didn’t expect to have to go to Tanzhou.”

"Just recreate it."

Li Fang made it sound so easy; the seal was already engraved, so all it took was to stamp it.

Xiao Yi thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "How about changing one word?"

Li Fang understood and asked, "Name?"

"good."

Although Li Fang was cautious, when the large ship sailed into Tanzhou along the Xiang River, he was unwilling to stay on the ship and insisted on going with Xiao Yi.

His reasons were also quite valid.

"If you fail, how can I return north? I might as well do my best to help you get this done."

"Then when a fight breaks out, Brother Mingyuan, please stay far away so that I don't have to protect you."

"Ha, my martial arts skills are mediocre, but I can protect myself more than enough."

Knowing full well that it was a serious matter of killing a king, the two deliberately spoke of it in a joking and lighthearted manner.

They changed into their court robes, raised their banners and ceremonial staffs, played drums and music, displaying the grandeur of a Great Zhou envoy, and disembarked.

Xu Wei was already waiting on the shore, having changed into a Chu court robe, and had only brought a dozen or so men with him.

They rode side by side, and Xiao Yi whispered a few words to him.

"General, is this many men enough?"

"I have my own plans." Xu Wei asked, "What will happen if you tear up the letter of credence?"

"A fake document can only fool people for a while. We still need General Xu to take action soon."

"understood."

Xu Wei should do as he pleases.

Despite undertaking such a momentous task, his plan was remarkably rudimentary.

"The palace is under repair and there are laborers working there. I have arranged for men and prepared dozens of spirited horses. When the banquet is at its most lively, we will drive the horses into the palace to attract the guards. My men will also take advantage of the chaos to storm into the palace and imprison Ma Xige."

"That's... a brilliant plan."

"As long as it works."

Generally speaking, people who always have a stern face are often truly capable. Xiao Yi decided to trust Xu Wei this time.

Looking around Tanzhou, one can see that this great city is full of decay and exhaustion after the war.

Corpses from war and starvation can be seen frequently in the streets and alleys.

Upon seeing the arrival of the officials, the poorly clothed commoners avoided them like the plague, fleeing far away.

"So many monks."

Zhang Mantun suddenly sighed.

Xiao Yi also noticed that the number of temples and monks in Tanzhou far exceeded what he had seen elsewhere.

The capital city was exhausted, yet the temples along the way were magnificent and their incense was burning brightly. Idle people gathered around the monks, listening to their sermons with numb expressions.

This is likely a result of the promotion of Buddhism by the Ma family since they came to power.

The group arrived at the Chu King's Palace.

This is the former site of the prefectural capital, nestled against the foothills of Mount Yuelu to the north and adjacent to the Orange Isle ferry to the south. Benefiting from the natural defenses of the mountains and rivers, it was a thoroughfare for boats and was truly a "metropolis in central Hunan".

From afar, one could see shirtless laborers repairing roads, renovating palace walls, covering city towers with brand-new red sandstone and cylindrical tiles, and installing ceramic roof ornaments.

The spring breeze swept over their thin, bony bodies, sending a chill down one's spine.

However, once inside the Chu King's palace, the scene was completely different from the outside.

Walking north along the imperial road, passing through the square, and up the thousand-step corridor, a bronze vat is placed every ten steps. The intricate brackets under the eaves fully demonstrate the ingenuity of the people of Hunan and Hubei.

Further ahead is the Hall of Diligent Governance, which has nine bays in width. Two dragon-carved pillars are covered with brand-new gold leaf, which shimmers in the midday sun.

To the left of the throne was a blue glazed screen, more beautifully crafted than Xiao Yi's telescope, and the bronze chimes were inscribed with the four characters "Protect the Borders and Secure the People," which was quite humorous.

Xiao Yi had not expected that Ma Xige could maintain such a luxurious palace even in the face of such a dilapidated state of the capital.

In the center of the main hall, a thick red carpet was laid out, and a low table was placed there.

The eunuch courteously led him to a seat, a beaming smile on his face.

"Please wait a moment, Lord Xiao. The banquet will begin shortly, and His Majesty will personally host a welcome feast for you."

Xiao Yi had thought it would be a court assembly or audience with the emperor, but he didn't expect that a banquet would start at noon.

He couldn't help but ask, "It seems like it's still early."

"It's alright, His Majesty has already woken up."

"The King of Chu woke up very early."

"Hehe, Lord Xiao is indeed a young man, quick-witted and outspoken."

After everyone was seated, a middle-aged official dressed in a dark purple brocade robe and wearing a jade belt led his entourage inside, bowing to everyone in a circle.

This person held a string of ebony prayer beads in his hand, and his demeanor exuded an otherworldly air.

"Lord Xiao has come from afar. I am Liu Guangfu, a scholar of the Tiance Academy, and I am here to greet you on His Majesty's orders."

"Greetings, Lord Liu."

Seeing Liu Guangfu's clear features and serene demeanor, Xiao Yi asked, "Is Master Liu a lay Buddhist?"

"It is precisely because I have taken refuge in the Three Jewels that I practice Buddhism while still having hair."

"I see."

"Your Excellency possesses extraordinary bearing, befitting an envoy from a superior nation in the Central Plains. Come, let's eat while we wait."

Liu Guangfu smiled and clapped his hands, and a line of maids gracefully entered carrying delicacies and fine wines.

The dishes included Dongting silver fish, steamed assorted preserved meats, and crab roe with egg white filling. There was also a vegetarian dish that was exceptionally exquisite, which must have been specially prepared for Liu Guangfu.

When everyone arrived at the mansion, the throne and the seats next to it were empty.

Xiao Yi sat on the right and noticed that there was still a seat left on the left.

Xu Wei sat to the left of Liu Guangfu, his face full of displeasure. He picked up his wine glass and silently took a sip.

Not only were they drinking alcohol in broad daylight, but soon after, a song and dance performance also began.

It almost makes you think this is some rich or powerful country.

The melodious sounds of silk and bamboo instruments spread like ripples, and the dancers gracefully entered, their flowing sleeves fluttering, surrounding a stunningly beautiful woman in the center of the palace.

Wearing a Xiangfei skirt adorned with pearls, her skirt cascades like a galaxy as she dances, and a golden hairpin sways in her hair with the tassels.

Her dance moves were graceful, her waist supple, and her eyes were full of affection, sometimes lowered as if in shyness, sometimes flowing as if telling a story.

The music stopped abruptly, and the stunningly beautiful woman swirled up to Xiao Yi, bowing gracefully.

"Greetings, Magistrate Xiao."

Her voice was high-pitched, as sweet as a nightingale's.

But Xiao Yi was stunned and felt a chill.

The beautiful woman before him turned out to be a man; he could clearly see his Adam's apple.

Xie Yanyong?
"Lord Xiao, are you stunned?"

Xie Yanyong suddenly covered his mouth and chuckled, then twisted his waist and leaned forward, resting his head on Xiao Yi's shoulder, wanting to whisper something in his ear.

Xiao Yi immediately dodged, causing him to miss his target.

"Your Excellency is so handsome! After watching my dance, you let me touch you..."

"Tsk."

He couldn't help but click his tongue in disgust.

Xie Yanyong leaned closer again and reached out to take something.

Xiao Yi stood up and stepped aside; if he hadn't wanted to avoid any further trouble, he would have kicked him away.

"I am an envoy of the Great Zhou Dynasty. What kind of behavior is this?!"

Xie Yanyong chuckled foolishly and said in a flattering voice, "Your Excellency does not yet know how good I am."

He picked up Xiao Yi's wine glass, swirled it around, took a small sip, and left a rouge mark.

Scalp numbness.

Previously, Xiao Yi had not believed Yan Jinqing's claim that Xie Yanyong was presumptuous and rude, but now he realized that the rumors were actually exaggerated.

Looking around, Yan Jinqing's pupils dilated, while Li Fang gave a slight sneer.

Just at this time.

"The King has arrived!"

A group of eunuchs escorted Ma Xige to the palace. He was about fifty years old, with a robust build, but he had already gained weight. He was dressed in a magnificent silk royal robe. His voice preceded his arrival in the palace.

"Haha, little Yong'er, how did you displease the Zhou envoy?"

“Your Majesty, I was just teasing Xiao Lang; he’s just a boy.”

"Oh? Let me take a look."

Ma Xige sat down and looked over.

(End of this chapter)