Chapter 142
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The next day, Yuan Li instructed the personnel from the Liangliao Institution several times to find ways to safely bring Zhou Gongdan back to Youzhou.
For this day of return, the Liangliao Institution had been preparing for many years. When they learned that Jia Qing and his subordinates and family would also go to Youzhou, the Liangliao Institution quickly adjusted their plans and made the necessary preparations.
On the second day, Jia Qing’s family was secretly taken out of Yexian County. On the third day, Jia Qing’s subordinates openly attacked the prison with troops and rescued Jia Qing before quickly escaping Jizhou.
With the assistance of the Liangliao Institution, once Jia Qing was rescued, he immediately headed towards Youzhou.
Zhou Gongdan didn’t tell Jia Qing who his master was, and Jia Qing didn’t ask, but they both knew it in their hearts.
The renowned scholar, who had only known Zhou Gongdan for less than two months and had an aide who had served two lords before… Zhou Gongdan basically told him the answer. His enlightened lord was none other than Yuan Li, the Governor of Youzhou and Bingzhou.
Yuan Li, Yuan Le Jun.
Jia Qing had thought of many people, including Chu Hechao, but he never expected that the person behind it all would be Yuan Li.
Could Yuan Li’s ambition be so great? Could he have such a strong influence in Youzhou and Bingzhou?
Jia Qing’s mind was in turmoil. He didn’t know what kind of person Yuan Li was, nor did he know what his future would be. But regardless, since he had come this far, he could only continue. He could only place his hope on Yuan Li and hope that Yuan Li would be as reliable as Zhou Gongdan described.
In Yexian County, Jizhou:
When it was discovered that Jia Qing had taken troops and fled without permission, Wu Shanshi was almost driven to madness.
Although many generals in this world escaped with their troops without authorization, Wu Shanshi never thought that Jia Qing would be one of them. Jia Qing’s loyalty to him had made him overlook the human desire for survival. Due to his carelessness, he hadn’t even ordered to detain Jia Qing’s subordinates.
The rage of betrayal burned within him, and Wu Shanshi slammed the table with a dark expression, “Send people to pursue him! Go quickly! If you can’t catch him, all of you will be beheaded!”
His subordinates trembled and immediately led troops to chase after Jia Qing.
The response from Jizhou was swift, but their hastily organized troops couldn’t compare to the Liangliao Institution’s years of preparation. Even after half a month had passed, Wu Shanshi had gained nothing.
Every day, Wu Shanshi would curse and doubt the loyalty of his subordinates. Especially the generals who led the troops, they were trembling with fear, and many of them entertained thoughts of running away.
While Wu Shanshi’s attention was entirely focused on Jia Qing, nobody noticed that Zhou Gongdan, who was already seriously ill, had quietly “passed away.”
In mid-March, everything was reviving, and spring was in full bloom.
It happened to be the 13th day, Yuan Li’s birthday. Early in the morning, Yuan Li, who was dragged out of bed by Chu Hechao, was waiting for the arrival of Jia Qing and Zhou Gongdan.
Yuan Li perked up and was about to change his clothes to welcome the two, but Chu Hechao held him back firmly and said, “Finish the noodles first.”
“Okay,” Yuan Li obediently complied, biting a strand of noodle and sucking it from end to end. He mumbled vaguely, “Who cooked it today? It’s delicious.”
Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow and grinned, “Your man did.”
Yuan Li gave him a thumbs up.
The noodles were scalding and difficult to chew through. Eating them was quite troublesome, but Yuan Li enjoyed the meal with a serious and happy expression.
Chu Hechao wasn’t very good at making noodles, but the bowl of longevity noodles turned out to taste good. However, some noodles were thin and made Yuan Li nervous that they might break with the slightest force. The thicker parts were sticky and got stuck between his teeth like gnocchi.
Yuan Li’s mouth was stained with noodle broth, and his lips were rosy as he opened and closed his mouth. Watching him, Chu Hechao’s throat gradually felt itchy, and he couldn’t resist any longer. He reached out and picked up the other end of a noodle, eating it together with Yuan Li.
The noodle quickly disappeared as they brought their lips together. Yuan Li bit the noodle and looked displeased, “That was mine.”
“I’ll make some for you tonight,” Chu Hechao grinned mischievously, “You know what? It actually tastes pretty good.”
“It’s quite delicious,” Yuan Li nodded, “It would be even better if we had some pickled vegetables.”
Chu Hechao laughed, “What pickled vegetables? I’ll give you a feast tonight.”
Yuan Li obediently nodded, “Okay.”
He was so well-behaved that Chu Hechao couldn’t help pinching his face.
After finishing their meal, they went outside the city gate to welcome the arrival of the heroes.
From afar, Zhou Gongdan’s group could already see the gate of Jixian County.
Sitting in the carriage, Zhou Gongdan looked at the city gate that he hadn’t seen in years, and the crowd waiting in front of the gate. Unconsciously, tears welled up in his eyes.
He had finally returned to Youzhou.
A mix of complex emotions overwhelmed Zhou Gongdan, making it hard for him to look away from the city gate. Excitement, longing, sadness, and joy… The sense of peace he hadn’t experienced in years rose in his heart, and weariness was washed away by happiness.
The closer they got to the city, the more eager Zhou Gongdan became to return. He wished he could grow wings like a bird and fly to the city gate in the blink of an eye.
Behind his carriage, Jia Qing’s group observed their surroundings, and their expressions were more restrained and thoughtful.
The closer they got to Youzhou, the more they saw, and the more astonished they became. Along the way, they encountered many difficulties and dangers, and saw many displaced people. Only by witnessing the chaos outside could they truly appreciate the value of the stability and peace within Youzhou.
Jia Qing’s gaze scanned the surroundings, understanding the situation. No wonder the refugees they encountered on the road were all heading towards Youzhou.
The early spring weather was still somewhat chilly, but the people were dressed warmly, wearing patched clothes. Their shoes were not straw shoes that would freeze their feet, but rather cotton shoes that Jia Qing was not familiar with. Even the children had clothes to wear, and they were happily playing outside with rosy cheeks, showing their vigorous energy.
Seeing the children’s appearance, it was evident that they were not suffering from the cold or hunger. Such a scene in troubled times almost made Jia Qing doubt his own eyes.
Inevitably, Jia Qing felt a sense of respect towards Yuan Li in his heart.
“My Lord!”
In front, Zhou Gongdan’s excited voice interrupted Jia Qing’s thoughts. Jia Qing raised his head to see Zhou Gongdan, who was usually calm and composed, now hastily jumping out of the carriage, joyfully approaching a young man’s side.
Compared to five years ago, Yuan Li’s appearance had changed significantly. He had grown more handsome, with a more upright posture. The youthful aura that once surrounded him was now barely discernible.
However, his gentle smile and bright eyes remained unchanged, like a refreshing breeze, capable of easing anyone’s guard. Yuan Li’s temperament had also matured significantly, and his every move displayed a sense of ease that brought peace to those around him.
Seeing the strategist whom he hadn’t seen for so long, Yuan Li’s emotions surged. He held Zhou Gongdan’s hands, took a deep breath, and his eyes glistened with moisture, “Wenning, you’ve finally returned.”
He scrutinized Zhou Gongdan up and down, feeling relieved, and whispered, “You’ve worked hard these past years.”
“Not at all, how can I be considered as having worked hard?” Zhou Gongdan’s enthusiasm was boiling. He smiled slightly, then took two steps back, clasped his hands together, and solemnly bowed to Yuan Li, “After five years away, Gongdan has returned, fortunately not disappointing your trust!”
“Excellent!” Yuan Li smiled in response.
Zhou Gongdan stood up slowly and looked around at everyone, then also bowed to Chu Hechao.
Chu Hechao nodded slightly, and Liu Jixin looked at him in admiration, smiling, “Brother Wenning, it’s been a long time since we last met.”
Zhou Gongdan couldn’t help but smile too, “Indeed, Brother Chang Yue, it has been a while.”
Guo Mao arched his hand towards Zhou Gongdan with a beaming smile, “I am Guo Mao, with the courtesy name Pingzhi. I’ve heard many stories about Brother Zhou and now, having met you in person, I can see that your reputation is well-deserved. I greatly admire you.”
“Brother Pingzhi, no need to be so polite,” Zhou Gongdan laughed heartily and replied, “I’ve also heard my Lord mention you. Although we haven’t met before, I also admire your talents. I’ve heard that you are skilled in playing chess, and we should have a good match in the future.”
They chatted and laughed, and this relaxed atmosphere was something Zhou Gongdan hadn’t experienced for a long time.
Jia Qing also watched Zhou Gongdan and the others. It was the first time he had seen Zhou Gongdan laugh so openly and freely. Seeing Zhou Gongdan like this, he could finally see through the insincerity that Zhou Gongdan had shown in Jizhou.
He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of ability Yuan Li possessed that made these strategists willingly go so far for him.
Yuan Li had been watching with a smile, and when the subordinates finished exchanging pleasantries, he asked, “I heard that you brought an unexpected surprise with you this time?”
Only then did Zhou Gongdan remember the group of Jia Qing and the others following behind. He helplessly patted his forehead and, taking Yuan Li with him, walked towards Jia Qing, “My Lord, have you heard of Jia Qing?”
Yuan Li nodded slightly, “I’ve heard of him.”
As Yuan Li walked closer, Jia Qing got off his horse in advance and bowed, saying cautiously, “Governor Yuan.”
“Lord Jia,” Yuan Li smiled and helped him up, “I had heard of your reputation before. I never expected Lord Jia to come to Youzhou. If you encounter any difficulties, and if it’s something I can help with, I’ll definitely do my best to assist you.”
Jia Qing opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and said, “I want to bring my subordinates and family to seek refuge with Governor Yuan.”
Yuan Li had known about this already, so he wasn’t surprised. He just patted Jia Qing’s shoulder with a warm smile and said, “With talents like you coming to Youzhou, it is my good fortune. Please come into the city quickly!”
On the way, Yuan Li asked about Jia Qing and Zhou Gongdan’s journey, whether they encountered any dangers, and what interesting things happened, but he didn’t ask Jia Qing anything related to Jizhou and Wu Shanshi.
Yuan Li’s demeanor was gentle and affable, and his conversations didn’t resemble that of a monarch but rather that of a long-lost friend. However, occasionally, his words and insights showed genuine wisdom and depth, making people unable to resist contemplating and immersing themselves in his thoughts.
Jia Qing didn’t speak much; he observed quietly, carefully studying the expressions of Yuan Li’s subordinates.
As Zhou Gongdan had described, Yuan Li’s subordinates truly admired and were loyal to him. They stood closely united around him, without animosity or intrigue among them. This harmonious atmosphere left Jia Qing with a positive impression.
He wasn’t the only one who liked it; his subordinates were also thoroughly enjoying themselves.
During the banquet, Zhou Gongdan, Liu Jixin, and Guo Mao specially came to Jia Qing to drink with him. Jia Qing didn’t say much, but he couldn’t resist the persuasion of these three strategists to drink. Halfway through, most of the initial awkwardness had disappeared. Jia Qing turned his head and saw that his subordinates were also mingling with Yang Zhongfa, Wang Er, and others, happily drinking and playing drinking games. They seemed to be having much more fun than they did back in Jizhou.
Watching them for a while, the heaviness in Jia Qing’s heart seemed to dissipate into thin air. He smiled and suddenly felt much lighter.
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