Ah, rumble, rumble! Guo Shao's mind flashed with countless iron horses, shining swords, splattering blood, and fragmented images. Intestines flowed out of his stomach, his whole body was on fire, and the soldiers rolled around in pain.
He suddenly opened his eyes, his forehead already covered with sweat.
It was already dawn outside the window. Guo Shao remembered that the emperor's palace would be moved to Shouzhou today, so he got up.
At this moment, Yang, who was sleeping in the warm room, came out in her middle clothes. Her eyes were red and her expression was slightly sad, but her face was extremely gentle. Just like the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River, desolate, misty and gentle, with a faint melancholy in the fragrance.
She called softly, "Master."
Guo Shao was stunned for a moment. Then she took out her handkerchief, walked up to him, and wiped his forehead carefully.
The turbulence in Guo Shao's heart gradually cooled down, and after a while he fell into this inexplicable gentleness. The surroundings were very quiet, quiet and lonely. His restless and rough nerves gradually became delicate.
Master, do you have any official business today? Yang asked softly.
Guo Shao nodded: Go and welcome the emperor.
Yang turned around and took a pile of neatly folded clothes, then stepped forward and untied his belt. Soon, Guo Shao was completely stripped naked by her. Yang bit her lips lightly, her face turning red. Then she changed him into clean white cotton underwear with a fresh fragrance, and then the pleated military uniform, carefully and neatly putting it on layer by layer.
Her soft and slender hands gently held Guo Shao's big hands, letting him hold the corner of his clothes. She stood in front of Guo Shao, stretched her arms behind his back to straighten his clothes, and put the belt around his back, as if she was hugging Guo Shao from the waist.
While serving him, Yang's soft and plump breasts and fair skin inevitably touched Guo Shao from time to time. Her fingers slid over his chest muscles while she was dressing him, and she even squatted down to smooth his military trousers on his thighs, gently caressing his whole body. Guo Shao could smell the fragrance of the woman.
After getting dressed, Yang asked Guo Shao to sit on the stool. Guo Shao said nothing and obediently let her do whatever she wanted. She took a pair of small scissors and gently trimmed the edges of Guo Shao's sword-like eyebrows, trimmed the light beard of varying lengths on his mouth, tied his hair, and carefully wiped his face with hot water.
Her fingers gently stroked Guo Shao's face, her eyes were focused, and her expression was even more shy and charming.
After a long time, Guo Shao washed up, put on a layer of soft mail, picked up his sword, and walked out of the bedroom with a long sigh. He felt that he was refreshed and clean. He suddenly thought that he was an ancient gentleman. Well, it felt good, and his words and deeds seemed to be more refined.
Guo Shao strode out of the room and saw a young woman washing clothes in a wooden basin in the yard. She was a woman he didn't recognize. After a moment, he remembered that this was the young wife who came to look for her husband who died in battle.
When the woman saw Guo Shao, she stood up and stood beside him with her hands down and her head bowed. Guo Shao asked: "I remember asking someone to give you 50 strings of cash as compensation. Have you received it?"
The woman nodded but said nothing.
Guo Shao asked again: Have you found your husband's body
The woman choked up and said: No
Guo Shao sighed and stopped asking her. At this time, the personal soldiers came over with horses, and he took the reins and nimbly jumped on the horse, and walked out of the gate without looking back. Suddenly there was a commotion, shouts of "harness", and the sound of horse hooves.
It was almost noon when they arrived at Shouzhou Camp. Guo Shaoxian met the Privy Councilor Wei Renpu and dismounted to exchange pleasantries with him.
Wei Renpu behaved very calmly, but it was obvious that he liked Guo Shao. Guo Shao also liked him and flattered him. Guo Shao said: In the entire Zhou Dynasty, among all the civil and military officials, the person I admire most is Duke Wei.
Wei Renpu smiled and said: Oh
Guo Shaodao: Duke Wei is strong and powerful, like a mountain; but he is also talented in writing, elegant and indifferent. He is a perfect combination of literature and martial arts, and his every move is like the ancient gentleman. What impressed me most was the first time I went to Yangzhou to meet the emperor. In the main hall of the Yangzhou Palace, Duke Wei pointed to a map and talked about the state's strategy. His demeanor was fascinating. At that time, I thought, I should learn from Duke Wei to treat you as my mentor, and in the future I should also cultivate the temperament of Duke Wei.
Haha Wei Renpu shook his head and laughed, "Marshal Guo is too serious. But the idea of having more experience when you are young is not bad."
Wei Renpu had other things to do, so he left first. Guo Shaoye wandered around the Shouzhou military camp, and when he heard that the emperor was coming to Shouzhou, he followed a group of military officers to greet him on the post road.
The emperor was surrounded by a crowd of people, and his troops were full of flags. However, he did not ride in any important carriage. He came on horseback, which was indeed the style of a warrior.
A large group of civil and military guards escorted Chai Rong into the east gate of Shouzhou, but Chai Rong was in the mood and went up to the tower first. The ministers had no choice but to follow him up the stone steps inside the gate.
Chai Rong slammed his hand heavily on the parapet, his eyes full of emotion, and gazed at the land of Huainan for a long time. The vast and rich wilderness made him exclaim repeatedly: "What a beautiful place!"
He turned around again, looked around and said: The battle of Huainan was fought very well and went very smoothly.
At this time, Wei Renpu said calmly: Your Majesty, Shouzhou is the most important place in this battle. Fortunately, it was successfully captured. If Shouzhou could not be captured, what would the situation of the Huainan Campaign be like now
Everyone started to discuss quietly. If Shouzhou was not captured, the Zhou army had to send heavy troops to besiege it for a long time, otherwise they would be threatened by the Southern Tang whether they were entering or leaving Huainan along the Yingshui River or the upper reaches of the Huaishui River.
Chai Rong pondered and said: "From ancient times to the present, Shouzhou is indeed the most important town to guard Huainan. Once Shouzhou is broken, the Southern Tang army will be demoralized." After he said that, he saw Guo Shao in the crowd.
Wei Renpu smiled and said: Therefore, I think that the greatest credit for this battle should go to General Guo.
Guo Shao hurriedly said: I don’t deserve it, I don’t deserve it. It’s all thanks to Your Majesty’s personal leadership that the soldiers fought hard.
Guo Shao thought: Zhao Kuangyin also made many outstanding achievements. He was the first in killing and defeating enemies. Would he think that he was the first? It would be fine if he showed off in front of all the important officials in the court. If he had to compete for the credit, would Zhao Kuangyin be satisfied? How was Shouzhou conquered and how important it was? Any minister with insight would know his limits. There was no need to laugh and get carried away and emphasize it himself.
Only Li Chongjin would make enemies everywhere and bring himself into trouble. Why would Guo Shao learn from him
Guo Shao immediately said: Your Majesty has many brave generals under your command and millions of soldiers. Shouzhou will surely be conquered. If it weren't for me, there would be other great generals. I started out as a humble soldier, but now I am famous throughout the world. This is all thanks to Your Majesty's wisdom and bravery. You only recruit the talented and impartial people. Only under your Majesty's command can I achieve success.
After hearing this, Chai Rong laughed and said: "It is well said that talents are recruited without any restrictions."
After hearing this, all the generals echoed it, and the atmosphere gradually became lively and relaxed.
Chai Rong moved, and the civil and military officials on the wall hurriedly made way for him, standing on both sides with their heads bowed. Chai Rong slowly walked past everyone, looking at everyone. The generals' expressions became excited, it was really an honor to have the emperor standing in front of them so close.
Chai Rong walked up to General Dong Zunhui and suddenly asked: Dong Zunhui, you seem unhappy.
I dare not, so the general knelt on the ground. Chai Rong held out his hand to help him up, and the general said: "At such a glorious moment, I suddenly thought of my mother. She couldn't see her son happy, so she suddenly felt sad."
What a filial son. His mother was in Chai Rong's house and he did not punish her.
Dong Zunhui said: My mother is in Youzhou. We were separated from her after the war and I don’t know where she is.
Chai Rong's expression changed slightly. Perhaps he could think of more when he mentioned Youzhou. But Chai Rong said: "Return to the court as soon as possible. The world has suffered from the war for a long time and needs to rest and recuperate."
Guo Shao also noticed the little thing just now, and he also felt that Dong Zunhui was really a filial son. However, he was not familiar with Dong Zunhui, had never interacted with him, and did not know where he came from.
After Chai Rong went to the Shouzhou Palace, Guo Shao and others dispersed and met Li Gu in the city.
At noon, Guo Shao discovered that some shops and taverns in Shouzhou City had resumed business. This was thanks to the fact that there was no massacre after Shouzhou was captured, and Liu Renzhan surrendered relatively happily, so Shouzhou City suffered relatively little damage.
Guo Shao mentioned Li Gu's kindness to him twice. This was a heartfelt gratitude: Li Gu had transported the gunpowder raw materials in time, otherwise he would have signed a military order in Shouzhou and he would have been finished.
He invited Li Gu to the tavern for a meal. Li Gu accepted the invitation with a smile and said, "It is better to obey than to be respectful."
The two chatted about all sorts of things, and Guo Shao asked casually: Who is Dong Zunhui
Li Gu put down his chopsticks and said: His uncle is Gao Huaide. Brother Guo, don't you know that Gao Huaide is now the commander of the Infantry Division
Li Gu was a little surprised by what he said. Guo Shao started his career in the Hujie Army and was now the Imperial Guards General Bu Du Yu Hou. The Imperial Guards General Bu Du Xiao was a very important person to him, not to mention that the General Bu was the military commander who directly managed the Hujie Army. That was why Li Gu was so surprised. Maybe he thought Guo Shao should have investigated Gao Huaide's ancestors for three generations long ago.
But Guo Shao really didn't know that Gao Huaide had just been transferred to the Infantry Division and had almost no contact with him. How could he have the time and means to investigate him
So that's why. Guo Shao nodded repeatedly.
Last time, Guo Shao showed concern for the generals sent by Gao Huaide, but Gao Huaide didn't seem to appreciate it. This man was born in a family of generals who had been crowned kings for two generations. Although his position was slightly lower than Guo Shao's, his background and qualifications were not false; Gao Huaide didn't respect Guo Shao as his superior, so it was understandable that he was a little arrogant.
If Gao Huaide was very tactful, he would not have made enemies with people like Zhao Kuangyin.
Guo Shao did not care about it, but recalled Gao Huaide's nephew Dong Zunhui: his mother was in Youzhou and they were separated, and he missed his mother very much. Dong Zunhui's mother should be Gao Huaide's biological sister.