Chapter 1093

Weisa, walking beside Hu Xiaotian, also sensed his gloom, and softly asked: "Master, are you unhappy?"

Hu Xiaotian calmly smiled: "I'm not unhappy; it's just that seeing the brutality of this battlefield stirs some feelings in me." He had Xiong Tianba escort Weisa back to the city first, and together with the others he arrived at Xia Sha Port.

Liang Yinghao and Tang Tiehan were both directing battlefield cleanup at Xia Sha Port; hearing that Hu Xiaotian had returned, they hurried over to meet him. Hu Xiaotian asked for the general situation: so far they had captured 11,300 people, fished over 2,000 corpses from the river, and adding the over 7,400 bodies previously dead on the shore, the enemy's confirmed death toll was nearly 10,000, while their side had suffered 456 killed and 1,230 wounded in total, losses not great compared to Da Yong's side. Currently everyone was cleaning the battlefield; because the task was heavy, they had temporarily conscripted 10,000 laborers from the city to help, most of whom came from the refugee camp.

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "Give the fallen soldiers a proper burial, provide compensation to their families, have the state support their parents and children; if they come from the refugee camp, they may freely choose to reside in Dongliang Jun or Wuxing Commandery, and we will take responsibility for all of this."

Liang Yinghao and Tang Tiehan, upon hearing Hu Xiaotian finish, immediately realized that the situation in Wuxing Commandery had also been settled by Hu Xiaotian; his ability truly exceeded imagination, with just over twenty people he had pacified Wuxing Commandery. In fact, when they had just seen the thirty warships of Wuxing Commandery approaching, they had already guessed this, and now it was fully confirmed.

At that moment, Yu Tianxing, who had been commanding from afar, also came over to meet him, arriving before Hu Xiaotian. Yu Tianxing gave a deep bow.

Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but laugh: "Master Yu, why such a grand ceremony?"

Yu Tianxing said: "Only now do I understand the lord's true intent in going to Dongliang Jun; it seems the lord has already eliminated the hidden danger."

Hu Xiaotian patted Yu Tianxing's shoulder, walked aside with him, and lowered his voice: "Tang Boxi is dead!"

Yu Tianxing let out an "oh", not feeling too surprised.

Hu Xiaotian also said: "Zhao Dengyun is dead too!"

Yu Tianxing widened his eyes in disbelief; although he had anticipated that Hu Xiaotian's trip to Wuxing Commandery was to persuade the Yongjiang Navy, he never imagined Hu Xiaotian would actually kill Zhao Dengyun—removing that obstacle meant that from now on Hu Xiaotian held Dongliang Jun and Wuxing Commandery, and also commanded the Yongjiang Navy's 30,000 troops. Overnight their strength increased tenfold, meaning their previously passive situation of being attacked began to gradually reverse.

Yu Tianxing glanced at the thirty warships already moored on the north bank of the Yongjiang River, and said in a low voice: "Are these thirty warships here to transport grain and fodder?" His mind was extremely sharp; he immediately grasped the main point.

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Not bad!"

Yu Tianxing said: "After the great battle, people are panic-stricken; the common folk believe this war will thoroughly provoke Da Yong, inviting even fiercer retaliation."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "They still have no confidence in me."

Yu Tianxing said: "It's necessary to kill a few rioters to set an example; otherwise we might stir up a major disturbance." Yu Tianxing showed great decisiveness in handling internal affairs—even Hu Xiaotian couldn't have imagined that a frail scholar would possess such an iron fist.

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "To truly conquer Dongliang Jun, now is not the time for more killing; for these two days we will impose a strict curfew in Dongliang Jun. As for those who dare spread rumors and mislead the masses, we will first detain them and then decide. Right now is not the time for killing; killing is not the goal—subduing them and making them feel fear is the ultimate aim."

Yu Tianxing respectfully said: "My lord, your insight is lofty." His face involuntarily showed shame; it seemed Hu Xiaotian was blaming him for being too bloodthirsty.

Hu Xiaotian said: "The cleanup and tidying of the battlefield must be sped up; within three days we must thoroughly clean this place. Moreover, the battlefield cleanup should as much as possible be done by laborers. To let the soldiers rest, perhaps before long we will again face an invasion by the Yong army."

"Yes!"

After entering the city, Hu Xiaotian did not return to his mansion but went straight to Zhuge Guanqi's house; there was no joyous celebration in the city, and for most of the people of Dongliang Jun this defensive victory was by no means a good thing—first, it shattered their wish to return to Da Yong; second, this victory might well provoke Da Yong, and before long Da Yong's troops would come for revenge. Many regarded Hu Xiaotian's victory as mere luck; Dakang fundamentally lacked the strength to oppose Da Yong, otherwise it would not have fallen to its present state of withdrawing to defend Jiangnan.

Arriving outside Zhuge Guanqi's door, Hu Xiaotian peered through the crack and saw Hong Lingxue sitting in the sunlight, stitching shoe soles; he did not see Zhuge Guanqi's figure, and he gently knocked on the door.

Hong Lingxue said softly: "Come in!"

Hu Xiaotian gestured for his attendants to stay outside, entered alone, and smiled: "Greetings, sister-in-law!"

Seeing it was him arriving at the door, Hong Lingxue hurriedly rose, bowed with the traditional salute, and lowered her head: "This common woman pays her respects to the city lord, Sir."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Sister-in-law, no need for formalities—is Brother Guanqi in?"

Hong Lingxue smiled warmly: "He stayed up too late last night and still hasn't woken up; I'll go call him!"

Hu Xiaotian hastily waved his hand: "Don't disturb Brother Guanqi; I'll just wait here." Although his time interacting with Zhuge Guanqi had been brief, Hu Xiaotian had already seen that this man was a great talent for securing the state and peace; compared to Yu Tianxing, the former was like a surging, rushing great river—mighty in momentum, with sharp edges exposed—while the latter was deep as an immeasurable ocean, profound and unfathomable, talent inwardly restrained; the former could for him overthrow cities and seize strongholds, while the latter possessed the ability to plan strategies from behind the scenes, a stabilizing divine needle; how fortunate he was, having met two such talents upon arriving in Dongliang Jun—Yu Tianxing harbored grand ambitions and had already willingly stayed by his side to expand territory, while Zhuge Guanqi's nature was modest and inwardly restrained; though young, he already bore the air of transcending the mundane, and to win Zhuge Guanqi over to his cause he must win him with sincerity.

If he could gain Zhuge Guanqi's approval and receive his sincere assistance, then waiting a moment for him, or even making three visits to his thatched cottage, would be no trouble at all.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian insist on waiting, Hong Lingxue poured him a cup of tea, while she herself continued stitching shoe soles.

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Sister-in-law, how many years have you been married to Brother Guanqi?"

Hong Lingxue stopped her needlework, a faint happy smile appearing on her lovely face: "Five years!"

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought: Five years on they still had no offspring; it seemed the couple had encountered some difficulties in having children, and Hong Lingxue's ovarian cyst was likely one cause, though their marital affection remained strong and unaffected.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Brother Guanqi is learned as the Five Carriages, his talent outstanding—why does he not go take the imperial examinations?"

Hong Lingxue smiled: "Everyone has their own aspirations; my husband looks down on fame and profit, and dislikes going with the flow; even if he earned official rank, his temperament would not suit a bureaucratic career."

Hu Xiaotian sighed: "The court of Dakang is in disorder, corrupt officials run rampant; Brother Guanqi's choice to stay clear of trouble is indeed wise. But Dongliang Jun formerly belonged to Da Yong, and I recall the Da Yong emperor thirsted for talent, surely would give important posts to true worth—why then did Brother Guanqi not go to Da Yong to take the examinations?"

Before Hong Lingxue could answer, a voice came from inside the room—Zhuge Guanqi's: "Seated in the calming carriage, I alone worry while the skies clear; the traveler hopes for rain unlike others; I dare say it is for the myriad peoples!"

Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but laugh; Zhuge Guanqi had awakened.

Zhuge Guanqi yawned and said: "Lingxue, is there a guest?"

Hong Lingxue gave Hu Xiaotian a beaming look and called into the room: "Husband, Lord Hu, Sir has arrived!"

Zhuge Guanqi said: "Even if my benefactor has come, you didn't wake me!" Speaking, he already appeared at the door; he had not yet washed up, his hair disheveled, wearing a faded gray cotton robe washed to whiteness, his feet in wooden clogs, he clasped his fists and said: "Benefactor, please don't blame me—I stayed up too late last night, this sleep lasted until mid-morning, making you wait long, my apologies, my apologies!"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Brother Guanqi, no need for such ceremony—I just returned from Wuxing Commandery, passing by your gate, saw it was just noon, and feeling hungry, so I thick-skinnedly came to mooch a meal."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said, "Brother Guanqi, no need to be so polite; I just came back from Wuxing Commandery, and passing by your gate I saw it was just noon and I felt hungry, so I shamelessly came to mooch a meal."

Hong Lingxue nodded, thinking Hu Xiaotian had changed so quickly—just now he hadn't even mentioned coming to eat; it wasn't that she begrudged this meal, but rather that there really was nothing good in the house to entertain guests, and given Hu Xiaotian's status, it would be a shame to treat him poorly.

Zhuge Guanqi said: "I buried a jar of fine wine under the osmanthus tree; Lingxue, go buy a soy‑sauce duck from the Wangjiang Tower."

Zhuge Guanqi said, "I also buried a jar of fine wine under the osmanthus tree; Ling Xue, go back to Wangjiang Pavilion to buy a soy sauce duck and bring it over."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Sister-in-law, you don't need to go yourself, nor go to all this trouble; I don't even want wine right now—just give me a bowl of plain noodles."

Zhuge Guanqi also didn't stand on ceremony with Hu Xiaotian, nodding to Hong Lingxue: "Then go roll out the noodles—I want some too."

Hong Lingxue replied and turned to go.

Zhuge Guanqi said excuse me, letting Hu Xiaotian wait alone; he went into the room to wash up, and when he came out he was clean, his hair tied up, yet he still wore that old cotton robe—Hu Xiaotian saw that although the robe was worn, it had been laundered crisp and clean, even the patches and stitching neat and orderly, showing Hong Lingxue's meticulous care.

Zhuge Guanqi's gaze was plain yet warm; in his eyes one could find no trace of ** and greed, the warm sunlight already bathed him, adding a touch of languor, which lent him an air of mystery. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to come.)