Chapter 9: The Acting of the New Monarch

When Chai Rong saw the grim expressions of his close followers, hesitating and stammering, he sensed that something was amiss

Guo Wei immediately extended his arm, "I, Guo, am willing to swear to the heavens that I harbor no ulterior motives, and I ask the esteemed elder to discern this!"

The young knight, surrounded by his companions, deeply penetrated the enemy's formation, charging left and right, fighting to the death without retreat. ... Finally, there was not a single enemy left before them ... . ... The forces of the Later Han were breached, and they immediately turned their horses around, charging back once more.

Hurry and send the order, open the city gates, I want to return to the palace

Liu Chengyou, in a wretched state like a lost dog, was finally not far from Kaifeng; once he returned to the capital, he would be able to catch his breath

At this moment, on the city walls of Kaifeng, Liu Zhu deeply bowed to an elderly man in a purple robe

Guo Wei swayed his body slightly, closed his eyes, and with immense willpower, calmed his emotions, slowly said: "I would like to take a look, please lead the way, Master."

"Guo Liushou, you are not in Yecheng resisting the Khitan, but have come to the capital. Are you planning to rebel?" Feng Dao asked calmly

Feng Dao squinted his eyes and said, "Guo Shuxiang, do you truly only wish to assist the emperor in maintaining his authority, and not to usurp the throne?"

It took less than half a day to make the arrangements.

Feng Dao hesitated for a moment, while Guo Wei's brows furrowed, nearly roaring: "Is it possible that not even a corpse was left behind?"

Hahaha, Your Highness, have you been well?

Feng Dao finally nodded, "I hope that Guo Shuxiang can be a man of his word"

Chai Rong was energetic, possessing great talent and vision, assisting his adoptive father, and exerting himself to the fullest extent

Li Ye felt something was wrong and was about to speak when Liu Zhu waved his hand, and arrows rained down like a storm. Li Ye hurriedly dodged, but ended up getting hit on the backside, causing him such pain that his face turned pale.

My lord, I have just asked a few Han army captives, and they said...

Feng Dao smiled calmly and said, "Lord Liu, you just need to prepare to welcome the new ruler, everything will be arranged by me!"

Guo Wei nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern, Grand Tutor."

This time, Guo Wei resolutely decided to raise an army to rebel, and Chai Rong also exerted great effort. The Later Han army is insignificant, and the change of dynasties is just around the corner

Feng Dao's old face fell, "This old minister is incompetent, please punish me, my lord"

Just by looking at the expressions of these two individuals, it seems as if Feng Dao is the victor. The civil and military officials of the Later Han observed this and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Guo Que'er, despite his reputation, turned out to be a coward and a fool, not worth mentioning. Even if he were to become emperor, it would be nothing remarkable, as everyone has already grown accustomed to it.

Go tell that kid, starting today, he is my direct subordinate!

Guo Wei, with tears streaming down his face, sighed and said: "Your Excellency, I, Guo, have deeply benefited from the grace of the late Emperor. Everything I have today is granted by the late Emperor. Anyone can rebel, but I, Guo, cannot! The reason I have raised troops this time is to eliminate the treacherous officials around the ruler. The late Emperor was benevolent, and Your Majesty is purely filial. If it were not for the instigation of petty individuals who have deceived the sacred ears, how could it have come to this? As long as we eliminate these petty individuals and restore the righteous path of the ruler, I, Guo, am willing to lay down my armor and return to the fields, content to be a farmer!"

Feng Dao sighed, somewhat self-pitying, but then immediately changed his expression and decisively issued an order

Feng Dao stood proudly in the center, as the victor, while Guo Wei unexpectedly stepped forward and took the initiative to pay his respects

Having spoken, Chai Rong urged his horse forward, charging straight towards Kaifeng to engage in battle.

Upon hearing this, Chai Rong swayed on his horse and nearly fell off.

Liu Zhu turned and went down, while Feng Dao looked at his back and revealed a faint cold smile. Everyone envies the old man, but one must understand that it is not so easy to securely hold a high position

After Guo Wei finished speaking, he began to cry again

In fact, Chai Rong had the opportunity to enter the city, but he was determined to pursue Liu Chengyou. Upon hearing that the emperor had fled with his defeated troops, he did not even enter the city gates. Even if he had to chase to the ends of the earth, he was resolute in seeking revenge and settling scores

Initially, Liu Zhu had some hesitations and had not made up his mind to betray the emperor, but when Feng Dao personally arrived at Kaifeng Prefecture and spoke a few words, Liu Zhu was completely convinced and obediently turned against him.

Changing dynasties is indeed a highly specialized matter; if it were left to an ordinary person, they would be flustered and at a loss. However, Feng Dao is different; this old fellow manages it every few years, as if it were second nature—an experienced hand

What makes him greener is Liu Zhu's betrayal

While Li Ye was in a state of confusion, a sudden sound of a gong emerged, and a head peeked out from the stack.

Regardless of who sits on the throne, Old Feng remains steadfast and unshaken, his official rank rising ever higher, his fame growing ever greater. Today, he is a distinguished Grand Preceptor, holding a position of utmost authority beneath the emperor. Truly, it is an impressive skill!

However, a surprising scene unfolded.

Seeing his own people, Li Ye felt delighted

It is the duty of all loyal ministers to fulfill their responsibilities

Say

Chai Rong had no time to capture them; he merely had this group kneel by the roadside, waiting for the subsequent soldiers to gather them. Chai Rong had only one goal, which was Kaifeng

The individual who emerged is precisely the talent recommended by Li Ye, Liu Zhu, who is in charge of the Kaifeng Prefecture affairs

Old Feng's forehead was beaded with sweat as he repeatedly explained, "The bodies are all there, but the people I sent cannot approach them. A group of righteous citizens is protecting the bodies, and they cannot be approached casually"

Quickly open the city gates and come out to receive the carriage

Chai Rong squinted his eyes, revealing a smile of appreciation

Feng Dao actually accepted it calmly

Hmm

Chai Rong was full of vigor, but the only thing that troubled him was his family: his aunt, Madam Chai, the two cousins from the Guo family, his own wife, and his young son... They were all in the capital, and there was no time to rescue them. Whenever Chai Rong thought of them, his heart bled.

Understood

The term "from the horse's back" refers to the imperial guards. As Chai Rong was the adopted son of Guo Wei, he was in high demand, and being able to become one of his personal guards was akin to taking a shortcut to success. When Zhao Kuangyin received the news, he was particularly delighted, disregarding the six or seven arrow wounds on his body, and after a simple bandaging, he pursued Chai Rong towards the capital.

He was so enraged that his teeth chattered, and without saying a word, he urged his horse on, pursuing them like a madman. At this moment, Chai Rong had only one thought in mind: to capture Emperor Liu Chengyou, to seize Prime Minister Su Fengji, and to apprehend the royal uncle Li Ye. He intended to execute each of them in turn, seeking vengeance for his deceased relatives.

The wrath of the emperor is truly extraordinary

The imperial uncle Li Ye urged the horse in response, racing ahead, and shouted loudly towards the city tower.

Open the city, open the city gates

Guo Weidun paused and asked, "Master, my family..."

After waiting in vain for more than half a day, Guo Wei finally arrived with his army

Under the escort of his soldiers, Guo Wei arrived at the gates of Kaifeng, where the city gates were wide open. Feng Dao led the civil and military officials to welcome him.

In theory, upon the arrival of the new ruler, with Feng Dao's shameless personality, he would certainly kneel and shout "Long live!" treating Guo Wei as an ancestor, welcoming him into the city

Li Ye wants to understand Feng Dao's character; it might just infuriate him to death

I respectfully greet the esteemed elder master

Laozi was blind to promote a venomous snake; had I known this would happen, it would have been better to hand Kaifeng over to the old fox Feng Dao! ... Perhaps he has more integrity than Liu Zhu ... . ... Li Ye gritted his teeth in hatred; unable to enter Kaifeng, he could only protect Liu Chengyou as he continued to flee

He is not yet thirty years old, which is the prime of his youth, a time when he is full of vigor and ambition

Truly deserving of the title "Valiant Warriors of a Hundred Battles," their speed of advance was astonishingly swift. Along the way, the troops of the Later Han scattered in panic, and some, unable to escape, could only kneel on the ground to surrender

Liu Zhu blinked his eyes and suddenly burst into laughter, "Your Majesty, where does 'Your Majesty' come from? I haven't seen it at all!"

These individuals let their guard down, but once Guo Wei was welcomed into the city, Feng Dao immediately became respectful, saying, "My lord, the timing is not yet ripe; I have been quite presumptuous, please forgive me, my lord"

A battle flag, charging forward recklessly

Chai Rong ordered a pursuit, but what about Liu Chengyou? Under the protection of a few trusted aides, he fled in a disheveled manner, losing his ceremonial robes along the way, his shoes were also lost, and even his thighs were rubbed raw and bleeding, forcing him to grit his teeth and endure

Truly a valiant general

I humbly thank the Grand Preceptor for the life-saving grace

It is said that the family of the Chancellor, as well as the wife and children of the Governor, have all fallen victim to foul play

Li Ye called out three times, but all that greeted him was a deathly silence

In his early years, he served as the chief secretary to the Yan King Liu Shouguang, and later entered the service of the Later Tang, where he was appointed as a minister. In the following decades, the political landscape shifted from the Later Tang to the Later Jin, and then to the Later Han, with the Khitan Emperor Yelü Deguang also interspersed in between.

"Master, what should we do next?"

It turns out this old fellow is the renowned Feng Dao

This is merely a corner of the front line, as Guo Wei's army continuously breaks through, while the Later Han forces are collapsing one after another, completely disintegrating. This is a resounding victory, a one-sided massacre