Volume One, Chapter Five: The Grace of King Liyang

At that moment, Zhao Yi approached without making any immediate move.

“Your Highness, I find this inappropriate!”

The Commander of the Black Stone Regiment’s eyes lit up with joy—Zhao Yi was actually pleading on his behalf.

Not only him, even Gu Changfeng was somewhat surprised.

Zhao Yi continued, “Although we are all subjects of the Great Qian Empire, is it impossible that no one is impersonating the White Tiger Army?”

“Your Highness, I believe the Commander of the Black Stone has committed four offenses.”

“First, failing to scout, resulting in the enemy’s approach undetected—dereliction of duty; second, cowering in the face of encroaching enemy forces—cowardice; third, offering flimsy excuses when confronted—disloyalty; fourth, neglecting the responsibility of defense—misconduct.”

“According to the military laws of Great Qian, the penalty is death by beheading!”

“I suggest he be taken outside Liyang City and beheaded publicly as a warning to others!”

Wow!

A false alarm, but you really are ruthless!

Gu Changfeng even wanted to applaud—this was a clever tactic.

However, the Black Stone Commander was stunned, his mind buzzing as he contemplated whether to fight to the death, thinking Gu Changfeng was just a mediocre weakling.

Before he could decide, Zhao Yi suddenly kicked him.

The Commander reacted too slowly, flying several meters, tumbling several times before fainting on the spot.

“Daring to harbor murderous intent against Your Highness adds another charge—insubordination and treason!”

Zhao Yi disdainfully waved his hand, and the guards quickly bound the Commander.

Before he had fully regained his strength, the Commander could not detect any murderous intent, but now Zhao Yi had already reached the early eighth rank in cultivation.

To make a move in front of him? That’s like looking for a light in the toilet after defecating!

At this, Guo Kai’s scalp tingled.

Wasn’t Zhao Yi supposed to have been crippled?

Here they had spent a fortune hiring a top-tier expert, but one kick was enough to incapacitate him.

“General Zhao, have you recovered?”

Zhao Yi glanced at him casually. “Ha! That’s none of your concern. When Your Highness returns to Liyang City, the entire prefecture will be informed.”

“Everyone, let us enter the city! We will proceed tomorrow!” Gu Changfeng said to the old ministers behind him.

Led by Guo Kai, the convoy entered the city, with the citizens kneeling on both sides.

As they proceeded, Gu Changfeng observed that most of the city’s residents were elderly, gaunt to the point of emaciation, some even barely able to stand.

He stopped and asked, “Guo Kai, is Liyang really in such dire straits?”

“Well... yes, Your Highness!” Guo Kai replied.

Upon hearing this, Gu Changfeng cast a sharp glance at Guo Kai, making the man’s hair stand on end.

“Your Highness, the oppression from Great Qian has been unbearably harsh; countless able-bodied men have been taken away.”

“I truly…”

Gu Changfeng withdrew his gaze, understanding everything, and said coldly, “Your city lord’s mansion should have reserves. Opening the granaries ought to hold out for a while, right?”

Guo Kai’s face immediately showed reluctance. “That... I will comply, Your Highness!”

After some inner deliberation, he reluctantly agreed.

After all, Liyang was now under Gu Changfeng’s command; keeping his head was important.

“That’s good!”

“Rest assured, within ten days, I will resolve this problem!”

Gu Changfeng said this as he strode forward.

He was well aware that these corrupt officials had stockpiles; not just for a short time, they could hold out for three months without issue.

Upon hearing this, Guo Kai brightened, recalling that even Ye Liuyun could be summoned—so what was the matter of food?

“Rise! Everyone, rise!” Guo Kai shouted loudly. “Tonight, all shall receive grain from the city lord’s mansion—this is a grace granted by His Highness the Prince of Liyang!”

The people were initially stunned upon hearing this, then disbelief crossed their faces, quickly replaced by boundless joy and gratitude.

They all stood, shouting in unison:

“Thanks to the Prince of Liyang’s grace!”

“Thanks to the Prince of Liyang’s grace!”

Hearing these cheers, the ministers behind wept; they were finally home.

Thirteen years of torment—this was not just bodily suffering but a spiritual torment as well.

During their enslavement, many civil and military officials had taken their own lives because they could not endure the torture. Surviving was even harder than dying.

Gu Changfeng’s face remained impassive, but his heart was a tumult of emotions.

This temporary opening of the granaries would solve nothing.

That battle years ago had damaged Liyang’s fortune, and the continuous oppression by Great Qian was a wound upon a wound.

He recalled how Liyang once stood undefeated against Great Qian.

Now, they were nothing but prisoners at the mercy of their oppressors.

Upon arriving at the city lord’s mansion, Guo Kai laid out all the available food, setting a banquet.

The old ministers had long since abandoned decorum and were devouring the food greedily, their mouths dripping with grease.

Guo Kai sat upright and solemn; this room gathered the old ministers of Liyang and a peerless expert like Zhao Yi.

As a minor ninth-rank official, he was inwardly very nervous.

All the chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep at the mansion had been slaughtered; only through overtime had this feast been prepared.

After a while, Gu Changfeng also picked up chopsticks.

It had been over ten years since he had eaten so well.

In the slave camps, the food was unfit for humans—pigs had better rations.

The taste of roasted meat sliding down his throat was like breaking through to grandmaster level—utterly satisfying.

Zhao Yi also began to eat, maintaining the dignity of a former general.

No one spoke; all focused on their meal—it was delicious.

Guo Kai ate while observing these great figures.

They looked like starving ghosts.

Only Gu Changfeng and Zhao Yi at the head table maintained some composure.

Of course, for Guo Kai, these were everyday fare; the suffering of the people was none of his concern.

After a moment, he grabbed a rib bone and swallowed it greedily.

Otherwise, he would appear out of place—like a beggar among wealthy nobles.

He understood the ways of the world.

After a while, with the food nearly finished, the old ministers raised their wine cups and toasted Gu Changfeng.

Of course, they spoke nothing but flattering words.

Everyone knew this was no place for serious discussion.

Guo Kai flailed and bowed, toasting one by one, performing the art of flattery to perfection.

Gu Changfeng saw clearly that the position of the Black Stone City lord seemed precarious.

This was the face of a corrupt official, clever and cunning.

Many people had starved to death, yet the city lord’s mansion still managed such a sumptuous feast.

This was a blatant declaration that Guo Kai was a confirmed corrupt official.

But at this moment, even though everyone knew, they still smiled.

After all, one’s mouth is soft when fed, and one’s hands are short when taken care of.

Guo Kai thought the same: he had embezzled so much, it was impossible to keep it hidden forever—it would eventually be uncovered.

If he tried to hide it, throwing together a shabby banquet with a few bowls of chicken soup to show hardship, it would surely displease these people.

Just because others don’t accept gifts doesn’t mean he can withhold them; just because others don’t ask doesn’t mean he can refuse to give.

After the earlier rounds of observation and testing, these old ministers all wore satisfied smiles.

Guo Kai’s anxious heart finally settled.

This gamble was right; with Ye Liuyun backing him, Liyang Prefecture might soon be turbulent again.

And he had secured a path to survival.

Of course, there was also the possibility that Gu Changfeng would execute him upon returning to Liyang City.

Guo Kai still had to gamble once more: either beheaded or survive.

If he did not host a grand banquet to curry favor, death was the only path.

If he gambled on the young beauty of Liyang and lost, his head would fall.

These old ministers of Liyang would become the de facto rulers of the entire prefecture—heavenly fortune would shine upon their ancestral graves.

Fortune favors the brave; opportunity must not be missed.

Guo Kai was all in!