gnovel Chapter 25 The Two Heroes Meet to Plot a Grand Plan
Chapter 25 The Two Heroes Meet to Plot a Grand Plan
Outside Yanzhou City, dozens of riders galloped at breakneck speed from the northwest.
A cluster of black dots quickly shrank to the size of peas, and gradually the rider and his horse became clearly visible, their iron hooves clattering on the ground, raising clouds of dust wherever they went.
The city tower was equipped with bells and drums. When the state soldiers on lookout saw the large cavalry force approaching menacingly, they quickly sounded the alarm, closed the city gates, raised the drawbridge, and prepared to defend against the enemy attack.
Gao Xingzhou sat upright in his mansion. Hearing the bells and drums ring out, he gave a wry smile. He had clearly already experienced the temperaments of these guests. He tidied himself up and got up to leave.
The riders charged to the city moat in one go. The man in the lead suddenly reined in his horse, which raised its head and neighed. The horse then circled and stopped.
He held a large, gold-backed cleaver upside down, and before he even arrived, his voice preceded his appearance as he shouted towards the city wall, "Brother Gao, why aren't you opening the gates to welcome guests? Yang Hongxin from Linzhou has arrived!"
A rider beside him sneered, "With your whirlwind of activity, those who know you will think you're a guest, but those who don't will think you're launching a surprise attack on the city. Getting the cold shoulder is entirely your own fault."
He called out towards the city wall, "Prefect Zhe Congyuan has come to visit at the invitation of Commander Gao. Please inform him to lower the drawbridge."
Yang Hongxin muttered, "So what if he has an official position? Is that all there is to it?"
As the two were talking, Gao Xingzhou had already ordered the city gates to be opened and personally came out to greet them.
Although the procession was simple, the governor's journey was still no small matter.
Four flag bearers in blue, yellow, white, and black led the way, with two people blowing horns on each side, one holding a spear and a banner on each side, one official leading the way, and ten guards on the left and right, responsible for monitoring the road conditions.
Gao Xingzhou was followed by a horse's length behind him, with his advisors, deputy envoy, military commander, staff officer, and chief clerk accompanying him, and then six riders bringing up the rear.
Upon seeing Gao Xingzhou come out to greet him, Yang Hongxin forcefully shoved his broadsword into the ground and dismounted.
He had a ruddy complexion, a tall stature, and was in his early forties. He laughed heartily and said, "Upon receiving Brother Gao's letter, I originally intended to rush over immediately, but how could I leave Xiao Zhe behind? Who would have thought that I would wait for several days, causing Brother Gao to wait so long? You can only blame him."
As he spoke, he pulled the man who claimed to be Zhe Congyuan, the prefect of Fuzhou, to his side.
Zhe Congyuan was of medium height, with a fair complexion, a high nose and deep-set eyes, which differed from those of Han people. He had a slight mustache, and some people would believe he was thirty years old.
Yang Hongxin, with his red face and long beard, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, their appearances contrasting sharply, much like Cao Cao standing next to Guan Yu in a traditional opera.
Gao Huaide had the same idea. Hearing that guests were coming, he couldn't suppress his curiosity and mingled in the welcoming party to peek. Gao Xingzhou caught a glimpse of him but, not wanting to reprimand him in front of the visitors, let him be.
"If I remember correctly, I am five years older than you, so how did I become 'Little Zhe'?" (Note 1)
"Who told you to have such a youthful face?"
In front of Gao Xingzhou, the two started arguing back and forth, showing that their relationship was quite good.
Zhe Congyuan retorted calmly, "Yang Jun's beloved son is marrying my granddaughter. In terms of seniority, I am a generation above you. As a nation of etiquette, the order of seniority should still be observed."
Yang Hongxin was speechless for a moment. Gao Huaide suspected that his red face was about to turn purple from holding it in. After a long while, he blurted out, "It's only because your son Zhe Congyuan was born early that I, Yang, have suffered such a loss for no reason and have been lowered by a generation for no reason."
Knowing the personalities and temperaments of the two men, Gao Xingzhou was certain that they wouldn't truly damage their relationship. He still smoothed things over, saying, "Your Yang and Zhe families have been neighbors for a century, and now you have another joyous occasion to celebrate. I am extremely grateful for your presence. Tonight, I will host a feast for all of us. Please."
Zhe Congyuan, with his sharp eyes, spotted a child mingling among the ranks of the military governor's mansion, looking completely at ease. The others seemed unfazed, ignoring him and not bothering to chase him away, though they knew what was going on.
"This must be your handsome son, Gao Shuai?"
Seeing that Gao Huaide was also looking him over, Zhe Congyuan explained gently, "My ancestors were from the Zhejue tribe of the Xianbei, which is why I have this appearance."
"When we were in Shuozhou, my son was still young and had not met you two."
Gao Xingzhou said to Gao Huaide, "Why don't you come over here quickly and greet your two uncles, Zhe Yang and Zhe Yang?"
"Greetings, Uncle Zhe and Uncle Yang. Your nephew greets you."
Gao Huaide bowed and sang a greeting, then followed his father, surrounded by a retinue, into the city.
Gao Xingzhou led the two on a tour of the city. The people on the street, who had not seen the governor on his first day in office, gathered around and praised him.
Yang Hongxin clicked his tongue in admiration and said, "Brother Gao is really impressive."
Zhe Congyuan, having been appointed governor, was accompanied by his own entourage. He smiled nonchalantly and said, "With Commander Gao in charge here, it seems the Li family of the Dangxiang will have no peace of mind."
Yang Hongxin retorted sharply, "Isn't your Zhe clan also a prominent Dangxiang clan? Why does it sound like you're gloating?"
"My ancestors were descendants of the Great Wei, a branch of the Yuwen clan. Our ancestors were a prominent family in Daibei, and later migrated to Hexi. It's one thing for ordinary people to have this misunderstanding, but don't you know our origins?" (Note 2)
Zhe Congyuan retorted, "Linzhou is also inhabited by both Han and non-Han peoples. Does that mean your Yang family is also of the Dangxiang ethnicity?"
Before they could exchange more than a few words, the two began arguing again. This was a common occurrence when Gao Xingzhou served as the Protector-General of Anbei.
No matter how much they quarrel, the Zhe and Yang families have been allies for centuries; one is an official in the imperial court, and the other is a local tycoon.
He immediately invited the two to his residence, held a banquet to welcome them and wash away their dust, and arranged for them and their attendants to eat, drink, and rest.
"I have only been in office for a short time, and the prefecture and counties are short of supplies. I can only serve wine and meat to my guests, and the tableware is also very simple. I hope you two will not blame me."
Each person is presented with a plate of meat and a jar of wine, while Gao Xingzhou pours a full bowl of wine over a sieve, and they raise their bowls in a toast.
"Eat meat in large chunks and drink wine in large bowls; this is how a true man should live."
Yang Hongxin picked up the glass and drank it all in one gulp. As soon as the wine went down his throat, he exclaimed, "This wine is quite potent!"
He grabbed a few slices of beef, popped them into his mouth, and chewed them vigorously, mumbling, "This meat is delicious, Xiao Zhe, you should try some too."
Zhe Congyuan was much more refined than him. He picked up a piece with his chopsticks and savored it carefully. The braised beef was reddish on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. It was indeed delicious.
"A cow happened to die, and the governor's office took it in. It was lean yellow beef with some fat, soaked in salt water overnight, and then seasoned with the braising liquid from the old shop in Yanzhou for half a day. It was finally presentable. Otherwise, how could it be worthy of the two of you who traveled hundreds of miles?"
Gao Xingzhou spoke modestly, saying that being able to eat beef was already a privilege reserved for government officials, and being able to obtain the secret braising sauce from a century-old shop was something that ordinary people could not do.
After eating and drinking for a while, Gao Xingzhou inquired about the two men's recent situation and how they were getting along with their successors. (Note 3)
"Sigh, the new military governor may share the same surname as me, but he's not as easy to talk to as Brother Gao."
Zhe Congyuan joked, "Yang Tan also has the surname Yang. Didn't he consider our shared kinship and offer your family any special treatment?"
"My Yang family of Linzhou settled in Xinqin and traces its lineage back to the Han Dynasty. We have no connection whatsoever with Yang Tan, this Shatuo person who changed his name."
Yang Hongxin said irritably, "This man is harsh and strict in his official duties, far worse than your father was when he was governor. He seizes power and makes decisions arbitrarily, meddling in everything. He truly lives up to his title of 'top leader'."
Zhe Congyuan's father, Zhe Silun, rose to the position of Prefect of Linzhou. He investigated the people's hardships, encouraged farming and animal husbandry, and governed with leniency, attracting many to his service. He died in office at the age of fifty, more than twenty years ago.
Upon hearing the nickname Yang Hongxin gave his successor, Gao Xingzhou smiled and said, "When Yang Tan was under Zhou Dewei's command, he resisted the Khitan at Xinzhou. He was isolated and suffered a defeat, losing an arm in the process. This is why he has been sidelined for many years. Do not underestimate him because of this."
Zhe Congyuan stopped teasing Yang Hongxin and said to Gao Xingzhou, "Although Yang Tan is illiterate, he is eloquent and knowledgeable in official matters, making him difficult to deal with. Local strongmen like us find this kind of person the most annoying."
"Yes, with Brother Gao in charge, as long as we do our part to deal with the Khitan, he won't bother with anything else. That's what it means to focus on the big picture and let go of the small details."
Yang Hongxin casually remarked, "Why don't we just get rid of that bald bastard Yang Tan and let Brother Gao lead the Zhenwu Army again? Wouldn't that be better?"
Yang Tan suffered from bald patches, commonly known as tinea capitis. Initially, white scabs would appear on his scalp, spreading and causing unbearable itching. Over time, his hair would become dry and fall out, leaving him bald.
The topic gradually became serious, and Gao Xingzhou said solemnly, "The imperial court has its own laws and regulations; how can we act arbitrarily?"
This time, Zhe Congyuan didn't mock Yang Hongxin. Instead, he chimed in, "Commander Gao's letter instructs us to build fortifications at Hengshan to reap the benefits of the river valley's fine horses and barbarian troops. This is beneficial to both the country and our families, so we naturally obey. But has Commander Gao considered his plans for the future?"
"What are your plans after this?"
Zhe and Yang exchanged a glance. Yang Hongxin then stated the purpose of their trip, word by word: "Fengxiang is in turmoil, and the Northwest is in unrest. After we subdue the Dingnan Army, we are willing to serve Brother Gao as our lord, seeking only to ensure peace in this region. What do you say?"