Chapter 487

In late August, the rain let up slightly. Cowed by Zang Ba's authority, the vast majority of Langya's power brokers — Wu Dun, Yin Li, Xiao Jian, Sun Guan, Sun Kang, and others — sailed down the Yi and Shu rivers one after another, massing their forces at Kaiyang, then set up linked encampments along the Yi River's western bank.

By Zang Ba's estimate, the final troop strength would reach an unbelievable fifty thousand — theoretically matching the combined forces of Guan Yu and Zhou Yu!

Of course, the truly seasoned would not be surprised by this... In reality, Guan Yu's fifteen thousand Qingzhou troops and ten thousand naval troops were sustained by the hard toil of over a hundred thousand military-farming households in Qingzhou, while in Xuzhou, which handled Zhou Yu's supplies, at least a hundred Battalion Commander had been forced to halt production because of the war.

Fighting on home ground, with chaotic organization, no distinction between soldier, bandit, civilian, and laborer — it was perfectly normal for a large commandery like Langya to field fifty thousand troops! The hundred thousand Bobo bandits of Hedong, the million Purple Mountain and Black Mountain bandits of the Taihang range, the million Yellow Turbans of Taishan, the hundred thousand water bandits of Chaohu, the two hundred thousand barbarian bandits of Bashu — all these great armies that once ran rampant during the chaos are watching their class brothers in Langya from heaven or from the earth!

Returning to the matter at hand, on the twentieth day of the eighth month, the last Langya power broker, Chang Xi, finally — under the urging of nearly all his peers around him — brought seven or eight thousand troops down the Yi River to the vicinity of Kaiyang, grudgingly yielding to the greater situation... But though he had arrived, he would not go to the western bank to link his camp with the others. Instead, he led his troops to halt on the eastern bank and began setting up an independent camp, merely positioning it next to a pontoon bridge Zang Ba had earlier built when the Yi River swelled, as a token gesture.

His defiant arrogance was plain for all to see!

And it was on that very day, when Chang Xi set up camp on the Yi River's eastern bank, that at dusk, taking advantage of the crisp, clear autumn weather after the rain, Guo Jia suddenly held a banquet at the military camp outside the Duting Posthouse east of Kaiyang city, where he himself was stationed. He invited Zang Ba's son Zang Ai and all four hundred soldiers and one hundred attendants from his own mission to drink.

The banquet was slightly delayed because Xu Shu was initially unwilling to come, but when Xu Yuanzhi did finally enter, this wandering knight-errant of Yingchuan, who had traveled far and wide, instead had a sudden realization in his heart, and immediately straightened his expression and took his seat.

It turned out that when Xu Shu saw Guo Jia had changed back into his two-ribbon jinxian cap, matched with brocade robes and leather shoes, and hung a fine sword at his waist, then sat stiff as a log in the host's seat with a stern face and no trace of a smile... he knew at once that this fellow was on official business!

"Gentlemen, first, let us drink a full cup!" Seeing Xu Shu take his seat, Guo Jia did not move a muscle, his face expressionless, and without any extra words, directly raised his cup.

The assembled crowd outside the Duting did not dare be negligent; including Zang Ai and Xu Shu, over five hundred people hastily poured wine and raised their cups in unison.

"Drink another cup!" Guo Fengxiao drained his cup in one gulp, immediately refilled it himself, then once again raised his cup and drank alone.

Zang Ai and some Langya officials who had been ordered to attend as company could not help but exchange bewildered glances. But everyone else was Guo Jia's subordinate; they had either received military orders earlier or knew Guo Jia's ways. They paid these people no mind, simply following the man at the head seat by refilling their own cups and draining them. Even Xu Shu, after a brief moment of dazed hesitation, simply raised his cup and drank it all in one go.

And so, over five hundred people finished two cups of wine in two sentences. There was none of the usual atmosphere of an ordinary banquet whatsoever, which made the mood at the banquet set within the military camp unavoidably tense, even giving off a sense of murderous solemnity.

"Pour wine, carve the meat!" After pouring himself a third cup of wine, Guo Fengxiao did not raise it again, but instead, with a stiff face, issued further orders.

It should be said that of the five hundred men Guo Jia had brought, a little over a hundred were officials and clerks, staying with their superior at the Duting inside the east gate. The four hundred armored soldiers, serving as guards in two companies, were encamped outside Kaiyang's east gate, separated from the Duting by a single wall, under the leadership of two company commanders. And this banquet was being held within that military camp...

Originally, this was an ordinary matter; after all, there was no other place nearby that could provide such a large, wind-sheltered open space.

However, at this very moment, as Guo Fengxiao gave his order, the banquet scene — where five men shared one table, over a hundred tables in total, arranged in ten rows of ten — suddenly saw ten fully armed armored soldiers stand up in unison! The ten armored soldiers stood at the end of each row, hands on their swords, staring at the ten tables before them like military judges overseeing a battle.

Not only that, but after the ten armored soldiers took their positions, at every table, an officer also stood up, drew a gleaming dagger from his waist, and began carving the pre-placed stewed cooked meat into portions right on the table. Even beside Zang Ai, Xu Shu, and Guo Jia, officers stepped forward, drew blades, and carved the meat... Over a hundred gleaming daggers danced in unison, yet not a single superfluous sound was made. Even worldly and experienced men like Xu Shu and Zang Ai could not help but feel their scalps tingle.

One could only say that after eating meals for half a lifetime, today they had truly broadened their horizons.

"Divide the noodles!" Seeing the meat carving was complete, Guo Jia finally spoke the fourth sentence of the day's banquet.

At these words, those same officers put away their daggers, then picked up chopsticks and lifted the plain boiled noodles, which had been rinsed in water, from the table, dividing them into five portions for their tablemates... By this time, men like Xu Shu and Zang Ai had actually grown accustomed to it.

"Eat!" With that single word, Guo Jia led by example, lowering his head to eat the meat and noodles.

And the five hundred-odd men still fell into two categories: the majority, including Xu Shu, lowered their heads and ate quickly; a minority, like Zang Ai and his attendants, appeared particularly ill at ease, but still forced themselves to lower their heads and eat... For no other reason than that Zang Ai at this moment assumed Guo Fengxiao was deliberately using military law to govern the banquet in order to intimidate him, and he was unwilling to lose face.

However, half a quarter-hour later, when the entire assembly had finished eating, Guo Fengxiao issued his sixth command of the day, and it was the one that finally made Zang Ai unable to sit still:

"Those who have finished eating, don your armor on the spot and inspect your weapons! The discipline officers may sit down and eat now!"

Nearly four hundred armored soldiers began checking their equipment where they sat — donning armor, girding on swords, wiping down long spears. Even the hundred-odd accompanying officials and clerks, though they had no armor to don, began straightening their clothing and cleaning their sabers. The ten armored soldiers sat down and hurriedly ate their own portions... Throughout, there was still no speech. Xu Shu's heart was stirred beyond measure, but he said not a word, merely sitting upright with his head held high, ceaselessly stroking his long sword.

Presently, someone brought over a suit of iron armor, but Xu Shu refused it.

"Vice Envoy Guo..." After a long silence, Zang Ai finally mustered his courage and asked with a serious expression, "What does Vice Envoy Guo intend to do?"

"I intend to launch a surprise attack and kill Chang Xi!" Guo Jia's expression did not change.

"Chang Xi has seven thousand troops..." Zang Ai instantly felt only absurdity.

"What of seven thousand troops?" Guo Fengxiao countered sternly. "Is Chang Xi not a commander of the Langya army? Is Langya not a commandery under the governance of our Lord Yan? I bear the plenipotentiary orders of the General Who Guards the East and the Governor of Qingzhou to kill a criminal official under their jurisdiction. Why should I be concerned about how many troops he has?"

Zang Ai was silent for a long time, but as the sound of metal clashing rang ceaselessly in his ears, he finally asked again from his seat: "Vice Envoy Guo... may I ask what crime Chang Xi has committed?"

"That is a question your father, perhaps by virtue of his office, is qualified to ask. But you, a mere thousand-bushel Army Major, are not qualified to ask it!"

"Then may I be permitted to report to my father? This matter is of great importance..."

"Not permitted. I precisely need to borrow you, a local Army Major, to trick open the gate of the pontoon bridge camp!"

"..."

"Unwilling? Major Zang, so long as your father does not rebel for a single day, he is for that day a subject of Lord Yan. And the reason he toiled half a lifetime to rise from a fugitive to this position is his personal valor and a lifetime of trustworthiness and honor. If I let him know what I intend to do today, he would either have to help me kill Chang Xi and sever himself from the Langya commanders, or openly shield Chang Xi and sever himself from Hebei. I fear that would truly force him to destroy the very foundation of his standing, would it not?" Guo Jia's expression remained unchanged, his words sharp as blades. "As for you, as a son, why not be a little muddled and weak, and thereby fulfill your filial duty? Sometimes, thinking oneself shrewd is perhaps the truly foolish act, is it not? Besides, now that matters have reached this point, is it up to you to decide whether to help or not?"

Having said this, Guo Jia finally cast off that deadpan mask, his face now carrying a hint of mockery — a look that stirred something in Xu Shu's heart nearby.

As for Zang Ai, with the armored soldiers behind him drawing their blades and baring steel, he fell silent once more.

A short while later, when the soldiers in the camp had finished their preparations, Guo Fengxiao lifted the final goblet of wine, which he had left untouched all this while, and rose proudly: "The third cup — to the long life of Lord Yan!"

Throughout the camp, armor clanked as all raised their cups and echoed in unison:

"To the long life of Lord Yan!"

The drink finished, Guo Jia himself, hand on his sword, led the way out of the camp and mounted his horse. The armored soldiers on the outside, the officials within, all rose and followed in succession — they set out immediately. As for Xu Shu and Zang Ai, one composed, one resigned, they could only mount their horses under the escort of armored soldiers and follow closely. Zang Ai's attendants, however, were locked inside the military camp.

It was the time after the autumn harvest when the great army of Langya was massing; inside and outside Kaiyang city were all troops of the various Langya commanders. Though a column of four or five hundred armored soldiers was conspicuous, it did not cause much disturbance. In particular, Guo Jia had prepared long ago, specifically having men bring along all the pack animals from his mission and loading them at the front of the column with the goods and supplies Zang Ba had gifted over the past days. Thus, whenever they occasionally encountered a checkpoint along the way, such as the Yi River pontoon bridge, a single shout of "come to reward the troops by order," combined with Zang Ai's face, allowed them to pass unimpeded.

In this manner, the five hundred men swaggered along and actually crossed the Yi River directly. By the time dusk fell, they were right in front of Chang Xi's camp.

"Halt, approaching party!" Although Chang Xi's governance was chaotic, he placed extreme importance on military matters. For one thing, though they had arrived in haste and their camp was only half-built, they still knew to assign sentries for duty. At dusk, seeing such a column, they even took the initiative to step forward and challenge them.

Guo Jia reined in his horse and halted, as direct as before: "Our Young Master Zang, by order of Prefect Zang, has come to reward the troops!"

An officer under Chang Xi stepped forward to look. First seeing the pack animals and supplies, he was naturally overjoyed. Then, seeing Zang Ai sitting stiff-faced on his horse, how could he not recognize him? As for Zang Ai's unpleasant expression, that was only normal... It must be understood that Chang Xi was the first man here in Langya to defy Zang Ba. The relationship between the two families had always been delicate, and now, with Chang Xi setting up camp alone across the river, it was even more sensitive.

And so, this man quickly sent someone back to report to Chang Xi, while he himself stood below the horses, grinning awkwardly and saying nothing.

A moment later, Chang Xi sent word to allow them passage, but forbade the armored soldiers from entering the camp. The man's smile grew even more awkward — Zang Ba had sent his own son to reward the troops, a gesture of extreme humility, yet Chang Xi, as a subordinate, not only did not come out to greet them, but even put on a defensive posture. Such was his arrogance. No wonder Zang Ai was so angry he had not spoken for half the day. It was just that the handsome official accompanying him seemed to have official duties, and took the initiative to order the armored soldiers to remain outside the gate, while the rest urged the pack animals into the camp.

A little over a hundred men, ordinary officials and clerks who wore no armor, entered carrying supplies under the leadership of their own officers. Naturally, they passed without hindrance, going straight into Chang Xi's camp, only stopping when they reached the front of the central army tent, where torches had just been lit.

Yet upon arriving there, when attendants went in to report, Chang Xi merely said he was in the middle of a military conference and still showed no intention of coming out to greet them — truly excessively defiant.

"Before coming, Prefect Zang gave an order," Guo Jia said, hand on his sword, to the officer guiding them, under the shimmering torchlight. "We must see Commandant Chang in person for it to count... I do not know whether your Commandant Chang is truly in this tent or not. If he is, I must ask you to report once more, and request that he grant us an audience without fail."

That officer also felt his own master was putting on too many airs. He nodded and entered the tent. A moment later, a loud, rough voice could be heard from within, speaking crude words, followed by a burst of jeering laughter and agreement.

Guo Jia heard it clearly. Without the slightest hesitation, he directly shoved Zang Ai beside him, then drew his sword and advanced. With no armored soldiers around, only a hundred or so unarmored clerks, there had originally been some panic and fear — it was just that the dim sky made it hard to see. But now, seeing Guo Jia be the first to draw his sword and charge, not one person, including Xu Shu, felt any further cowardice. They all drew their blades, killed the unprepared attendants before the tent, and then leaped inside.

"Who gave you permission to enter the tent without orders?"

Chang Xi actually was in a military conference, and even wore his armor, only lacking his helmet. At first, seeing someone barge into the tent, especially since the first to enter was Zang Ai, he was not yet alarmed and directly rebuked them. But when he saw the gleaming blades behind the other party, his expression could not help but change. "Old Zang, why go to such extremes? Worthy nephew, do not be rash. I will go with you to see him!" By the time he said this, Guo Jia had also entered the tent with a drawn blade. Chang Xi's face turned ashen, and he dropped to one knee beside his table. "Vice Envoy Guo! I was indeed disrespectful earlier, but that offense does not warrant death! If you kill me, the entire Langya region will surely be alienated!"

Guo Jia paid him no heed whatsoever, but directly raised his voice and declared: "Chang Xi has colluded with the southern rebels and plotted treason. By order of the General Who Guards the East and Prefect Zang, he is to be executed to uphold the law! No others are implicated!"

Before he had finished speaking, while the attendants and officers around the tent were still in a daze, Chang Xi suddenly rose and drew his blade, attempting to cut through the back of the tent and flee.

And it was at this very moment that Xu Yuanzhi, charging at the forefront, strode swiftly forward. First, he kicked the man over beside the table, then with a single thrust of his sword pierced clean through the man's neck, blood gushing forth in an instant. Xu Yuanzhi's expression did not change; he pulled out his sword, switched to a sawing motion, and right beside the many officers of Chang Xi's division, calmly severed the man's head and held it in his hand. The head, separated from the body, still dripped blood ceaselessly, just like a pig's head carried by a butcher during the New Year.

Xi means pig, so one could not exactly call that wrong.

And with Chang Xi dead, the officers and clerks in his tent were all utterly stunned — the matter had clearly been too sudden, and they had not yet come around at all.

At this moment, Guo Jia had long since sheathed his sword at his waist. He swept his gaze around once, then ignored the senior officers of Chang Xi's command in the tent whom he had met once before. Instead, he stepped forward, grasped the hands of the guide officer who was already trembling like chaff in a sieve, and calmly gave his orders right there in the tent:

"Today's affair is Chang Xi's own doing. And as you have seen, Guo has come here under the authority of Guan Zhendong of Qingzhou, with the assistance of Prefect Zang, and the generals west of the Yi River are all aware of it... Now that matters have come to this, I appoint you as Separate Division Major. Go out, admit my four hundred armored soldiers, and then assist them in settling the situation and calming the men. Will you do this?"

The man nodded repeatedly, hastily agreeing.

Guo Jia turned and signaled with his eyes to Xu Shu behind him. Xu Yuanzhi understood, casually placed Chang Xi's head on the table, sheathed his sword, and followed the man out of the camp. Guo Fengxiao, however, paid no heed to the corpse still bleeding beside him or the head on the table, momentarily ghastly. He calmly sat down in the tent's main seat, stained with its former owner's blood, and remained there with awe-inspiring composure.

Only when a gradual clamor arose outside and Xu Shu had gone and returned did Guo Jia finally glance disdainfully left and right and speak to the officers of Chang Xi's division, who had by now recovered their wits: "Gentlemen, you naturally know my background; we have met before... And now that today's matter has reached this point, I do not wish to conceal it. These seven thousand Dongguan troops of Chang Xi's — I intend to command them myself, rather than hand them over to Prefect Zang and the others to divide up. What do you think?"

The several senior officers under Chang Xi looked at one another, and instead each breathed a sigh of relief. Then, save for one man who was weeping, they all bowed their heads.

"What does Major Zhang mean by this?" Guo Fengxiao asked unhurriedly, gesturing toward the officer who had not knelt.

He recognized this man, called Zhang Weiyu... He was a native of Dongguan, originally surnamed Zhang and named Yu. Later, having lost his father, his mother remarried into a family surnamed Wei. The Wei family treated him extremely well, even allowing him to keep the surname Zhang. And he, grateful for his stepfather's kindness, named himself Zhang Weiyu. He could be counted as a local hero of the Dongguan area in Langya.

Returning to the present, this Zhang Weiyu sighed, wiped away his tears, and cupped his hands: "Commandant Chang indeed brought this upon himself, but he showed me the kindness of recognition and patronage. Might I ask Vice Envoy Guo to permit me to collect his body, and then return to Dongguan to farm, no longer..."

Before the man could finish, Guo Jia pursed his lips. Immediately, although Xu Shu hesitated for a moment, he still drew his sword and easily cut the man down in the tent.

The corpse collapsed to the ground, and there was no further sound.

Guo Fengxiao then turned and spoke to Zang Ai, who stood in the tent stunned and uncomprehending: "Young Master Zang, please cross the river and tell your esteemed father of today's events..."

"This Major Zhang was a loyal and righteous man — why kill him?" Zang Ai interrupted, losing his composure and demanding an answer.

"I was just about to have Young Master Zang convey a message to your esteemed father on my behalf." Guo Fengxiao was unhurried. "Righteousness has the distinction of greater and lesser. Lesser righteousness values private kindness and places weight on small affections; greater righteousness uses public law to bring peace to the realm. My killing of Chang Xi today is indeed the path of greater righteousness! As for this man, mourning Chang Xi is merely lesser righteousness..."

"Lesser righteousness is still righteousness!" Zang Ai again interrupted, losing his composure.

"If it were merely lesser righteousness alone, had he gone back to his own tent to weep, and waited until tomorrow after Chang Xi's head had been displayed to the public before seeking burial, would I have killed him? But he insisted on putting on this act at such a critical moment. What if it had stirred unrest in the camp and ruined the greater plan? Would that not be harming greater righteousness for the sake of lesser righteousness?" Guo Fengxiao finally sneered again. "And if he had wept alone today, that would have been one thing. But when he wept, did he remember that the entire county of Dongguan has been weeping without cease for years? As someone close to Chang Xi, unable to persuade Chang Xi onto the right path, so that he ended up with today's fate, and then turning around to weep here... Such behavior is simply hypocritical!"

"This is sheer nonsense!" Zang Ai remained indignant. "If you say this Major Zhang wept at the wrong time, that you feared it would cause unrest in the camp, and so you dealt with him on the spot — I would have nothing to say to that. But to insist that Chang Xi's fate today is the result of this Major Zhang failing to remonstrate with him — is that not laughable? Chang Xi may have brought this upon himself, but this Zhang Weiyu was merely a subordinate. What virtue or ability did he possess to make Chang Xi heed his words?"

"Indeed, he was merely a subordinate. What virtue or ability did he possess to make Chang Xi heed his words?" Guo Jia turned his head away, the mockery at the corner of his mouth unmistakable. "You might try saying those words to your esteemed father, and let him have a good listen!"

Zang Ai's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

——————I am the deathly-pale dividing line——————

"...When Xun heard of it, he sighed: 'A man like Guo Fengxiao — his belly holds the classics and histories, his breast is filled with armored soldiers. His courage and boldness, even Wenyuan and Mengqi may not necessarily match! Only Zilong is comparable!'" — Records of Late Han Heroes, by Wang Can

(End of Chapter)