The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 55 Urgent March
The candlelight in the guest room was dim.

Xiao Yi carefully wrapped the Imperial Guard's military tally and the Privy Council's seal in layers of oilcloth, put them into his inner pocket, blew out the candle, and lay down fully clothed.

He had about an hour to rest, after which Wang Yin would prepare men to accompany him north.

I don't know how long I slept, but I heard a very faint "click" from outside the door.

Xiao Yi vaguely thought, it's time to set off.

The next moment, he felt someone reach into his arms, the target being the oilcloth bag wrapped with the talisman.

"Who?!"

Xiao Yi suddenly woke up with a start. Before he could even open his eyes, his left arm swept across like an iron whip, striking the other person's wrist.

The man dodged with a flick of his right wrist, then transformed his left hand into a blade, aiming straight for the man's neck.

Xiao Yi dodged and jumped off the bed. The dark figure chased after him. The guest room was narrow and there was nowhere to dodge. He had no choice but to shove his shoulder and take the punch head-on.

With a muffled thud, the two men each took a half step back.

The pale moonlight shone through the window, and Xiao Yi could see a figure in the dim light. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and it must be Wang Chengxun.

"Wang Erlang..."

"Humph."

Wang Chengxun's moves became even more ferocious, his fists slamming towards the face like a whirlwind.

Xiao Yi retreated into the shadows, using the moonlight to spot an opening, turned to the side, hooked his right leg around the other man's ankle, pressed his left hand on the other man's shoulder, and twisted him with the force.

Wang Chengxun stumbled, and Xiao Yi seized the opportunity to press forward, kneeing him in the lower back and choking him with his right arm, pinning him to the ground, rendering him unable to move.

"Cough...cough..."

Wang Chengxun, unable to break free, angrily said, "Let go! I went to great lengths to obtain the talisman, not so you could give it to Guo Que'er as a wedding dress."

"Second Brother, don't you understand yet? Since Commander Wang and Eldest Brother have no ambition to contend for supremacy, you can't succeed by acting on your own impulses. I'm taking the talisman with me to correct your mistake."

"What have I done wrong? The historians and the Guo family have fought for it, but my Wang family can't?!"

"Did you see the fate of the entire Shi family, who were all slaughtered?"

"If I don't fight for my family today, will I be able to rely on Guo Que'er's whims for the safety of my entire family in the future?"

"Oh!"

The wooden door was pushed open, and Wang Yin entered carrying a lantern.

The dim candlelight illuminated the mess inside the room.

Xiao Yi let go and stepped aside.

Wang Chengxun staggered to his feet, panting heavily, and said, "Grandpa, how can you so easily... obtain this important artifact that I've worked so hard to acquire..."

"shut up!"

Wang Yin interrupted sharply, shouting, "Can't you see? How can the balance of power in the world be reversed by a mere inanimate object? Yedu has troops, morale, and provisions. Even without this talisman, Guo Que'er's iron cavalry can still sweep through Bianliang. Without this power, even if you have ten talismans, you'll only be guilty of possessing a treasure, and will only bring disaster upon yourself!"

Wang Chengxun stubbornly insisted, "Even if you want to help Guo Que'er compete for supremacy, wouldn't it be foolish of you, Father, to entrust this important weapon to a boy of unknown origin who you've only known for a day?"

"He risked his life to save the Wang family with unwavering courage, and instead of being grateful, you attacked him. You lack even this basic tolerance, yet you dare to talk about competing? You're a piece of trash!"

After saying that, Wang Yin's tone softened, and he patted his second son on the shoulder, his eyes full of disappointment.

"When you try to fight with those fools in the capital over these two pieces of copper and iron, you've already lost. I ask you, which is more important: Cao Wei, Xiao Yi, and the others' willingness to join Guo Que'er, or the military tally?"

Wang Chengxun's chest heaved violently, and he finally gritted his teeth in resentment, swallowing the words he had left unsaid.

Wang Yin sighed softly and looked at Xiao Yi.

"I will send my trusted lieutenants with a large sum of money to infiltrate Kaifeng and try to protect Cao Wei's family. In these chaotic times, I dare not say that everything will be foolproof, but since I have promised him, I will do my best."

"Thank you, General."

"Your men outside the city have been brought here. I have ordered Chen Guanghui to lead a team of elite troops to wait for you at the stables. Go now."

"Yes, farewell."

Xiao Yi clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around and went out.

Wang Chengxun replied, "I'll give it to you. Don't worry, I won't steal the talisman. I was too impulsive just now, so I apologize to you."

Having said that, he picked up a candle from the table, lit it, and led the way.

“We became friends after our fight. I have no complaints about you.” Wang Chengxun was quite magnanimous and said, “On the contrary, I admire your skills.”

"I didn't take it to heart, I'm just a young person."

"Here, consider this an apology."

Wang Chengxun patted his chest, but found nothing else. He then took out a scroll.

Xiao Yi took it and saw that it was a copy of "Zhenguan Zhengyao" (Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era), which had been read very well and was covered with tiny notes.

"This is something you cherish."

"It's no use. Weren't you going to correct my mistakes? Take it away. I don't want to see it anymore."

As he spoke, Wang Chengxun lost his focus, and finally murmured a sentence with a resolute tone.

"Grandpa will regret it sooner or later."

Xiao Yi said, "The commander is far-sighted and cares deeply for the common people. I can only admire him."

"No amount of polite words will change anything. If we are destined to meet again, let's drink and have a good time."

"must."

Upon arriving at the stables, more than thirty riders were already fully prepared and ready to depart.

A stocky old general with a scar on his forehead led Fan Si to greet them, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Wang Chengxun, and then turned to Xiao Yi.

"Under the command of the military commander, Chen Guanghui and Commander Xiao went north together."

"General Chen, please take good care of me."

Chen Guanghui’s voice was rough and powerful. He continued, “The thirty brothers have been assembled. They are all skilled fighters who can take on ten men each. They are well-equipped with saddlebags and arrows, as well as patrol uniforms. They are ready to depart at any time.”

"Let's go."

"Boys, let's go!"

Before dawn, the procession passed through the streets of Chanzhou at night and emerged from the slowly opening city gate.

More than thirty riders roared into action, their iron hooves crushing the snow like a torrent.

When we arrived at the banks of the Yellow River, it was just beginning to get light.

The river was swift and not yet completely frozen; the turbid water carried a large amount of ice floes as it rushed downstream.

At the ferry crossing, several large, flat-bottomed ferries rocked violently in the turbulent waves. The boatmen shouted mournful chants as they struggled to push aside the floating ice with long poles. Chen Guanghui's experience as a veteran quickly became apparent.

"The Yellow River ferry is bumpy, and warhorses are often afraid of water. When boarding the boat, the horses' eyes are covered, and two people lead the horses while two people push them to prevent them from losing their footing."

"Here."

As expected, when boarding the boat, the horses all reared up and neighed, refusing to approach the gangplank.

Everyone followed the plan, but one of the warhorses suddenly reared up, nearly kicking a soldier into the river. Chen Guanghui reacted quickly and lashed the horse's neck with his whip.

Xiao Yi secretly studied and wrote down similar military experiences.

As the ferry set off, the icy river water splashed onto the deck, gradually freezing into a thin layer of ice.

As the boat reached the middle of the river, the rocking became even more intense. Xiao Yi pressed his inner pocket to make sure the talisman was intact before gripping the gunwale tightly.

"Damn it, this weather is freezing my balls."

Despite his cursing, Chen Guanghui did not sit down, but instead stood at the bow of the boat, his hand on his knife, peering around.

Xiao Yi asked, "Is the general worried about an ambush?"

“Water bandits, there are plenty of them on the Yellow River,” Chen Guanghui said. “Judging from this scene, they’re still holed up in the village, cuddling their wives.”

Xiao Yi's gaze swept across the reeds on both banks, and he asked, "General Chen, are you familiar with this place?"

"How could I not know?" Chen Guanghui chuckled, patted his sword, and said, "Officer Xiao, don't be fooled by the fact that the roads are blocked by heavy snow. It's actually the time when money thieves make their fortune. But with our forces like this, unless someone has the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, who would dare to provoke us?"

Afterwards, Xiao Yi explained the details of Cao Wei's group, and the fleet safely arrived at the north shore.

The group led their horses off the boat and inspected the saddles and arrows.

Chen Guanghui counted the number of people to ensure there were no omissions, and then immediately gave the order.

"Xihou and Hudeng, scout Liyang Post Station and keep an eye on Commander Cao. Report back immediately!"

"Here."

"The rest of you, line up and mount your horses!"

"..."

Once you cross the Yellow River, the scenery changes dramatically.

The land of Hebei has been ravaged by war for many years, making it even more desolate and dilapidated. Ruins and broken walls can be seen everywhere along the official roads, and skeletons that have been gnawed clean can be seen in the barren fields.

Chen Guanghui led the group through narrow paths, taking shortcuts and moving quickly.

They were going to Baigouqu, forty li north of Liyang County, a distance of over one hundred and twenty li, and they had to get ahead of Cao Wei.

Even though Cao Wei intentionally slowed down the journey and rested overnight at Liyang Post Station, Xiao Yi still traveled nearly a hundred li more round trip than them, making their journey extremely rushed.

All I can say is that the veteran's orders were too harsh.

The reeds on both sides flew by quickly.

Xiao Yi's horse, Wuzhui, was a fine steed chosen by Chen Guanghui. It ran as steadily as a rock, but after galloping for half an hour, the muscles on its back began to tremble.

He couldn't see the road clearly, so he bent down and buried his face in the horse's mane, letting the horse follow the group and letting the wind and snow hit his armor. His palms were warm from being rubbed by the reins, but his fingers were so frozen they felt like they were about to break.

The hardest part wasn't his lack of willpower, but rather that his body was still too immature to withstand such a high-intensity march.

Just as Xiao Yi felt he was about to vomit, Chen Guanghui finally reined in his horse.

"Uu——"

He fell off the horse and felt dizzy.

Despite a strong will, my internal organs were desperately rising to my throat.

My hands are blistered, and my head is throbbing with pain.

Xiao Yi took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay upright, and looked up to see the twilight glow spreading across the reeds.

In his ears, he heard Chen Guanghui's command.

"Dismount and rest, eat dry rations, but only eat until you are half full!"

"Wu Gouzi, stop the hell out of here! Don't let the horses drink water, or they'll explode."

"Third brother, take two brothers to scout ahead. The area is deep in the wilderness. See if Cao Li's scouts have come. If you see fresh footprints or tattered cloths hanging in the reeds, don't disturb them. Come back the way you came and report!"

"You monkeys, gag your horses! Who let them graze on the grass? They're like icy bastards, running all the way to Yedu on foot! You stupid donkeys..."

Xiao Yi rubbed his forehead, still trying his best to listen and learn from the experience.

Before long, the two groups of scouts that had been sent out returned.

"Report! General, the Fengguo Army is ten miles behind us, with over a hundred cavalrymen, and Hu Deng is still keeping watch."

"We'll be there in about half an hour, there's not much time left."

"General, Cao Li turned back after reaching the woods ahead."

"understood."

After Chen Guanghui finished speaking, he walked over and patted Xiao Yi on the shoulder.

"Commander Xiao, how are you?"

"I'm fine."

"See Old Lin at the intersection ahead?" Chen Guanghui pointed and spoke quickly, "I'll take twenty brothers over there, disguised as Hebei soldiers to check things out. Once Commander Cao's troops arrive, we'll launch a frontal attack."

"it is good."

"Take ten men and hide deep in the reeds on the right. When you hear my battle cry, attack from the flank immediately. Make sure to kill Liu Jirong and his accomplices completely, and do not let a single one escape."

"clear."

"Old Pan, you take a team and follow Chief Xiao."

"Here!"

Old Pan was a veteran in his forties. Dressed in his uniform, he didn't say a word, called to a group of people, led their horses, and headed into the reed marshes.

Xiao Yi and Fan Si followed.

"Commander Xiao, you two are guarding the palace, so don't think I'm being long-winded. Walk carefully, don't break the dry reeds, or the noise will be heard ten miles away."

"it is good."

The withered reeds were tall and dense, and the ground beneath our feet was half-frozen mud, icy cold.

More than ten men hid their horses, sat down, and lay in ambush.

After that, there was a long wait.

(End of this chapter)