Chapter 403: Homeland, Old Friends (Part 2) [Two-in-One]

silence!

A deathly silence!

The commander was stunned for a few breaths, but quickly came to his senses. He rushed forward, and after confirming again that the face was indeed his childhood friend's, he exclaimed excitedly, "Wu Hui! It really is you!"

He struggled to process the surprise before him, then turned to the registrar and said, "Teacher, Wu Hui is still alive!"

His words and tone conveyed genuine, unadulterated ecstasy.

The registrar, however, wanted to grab the man's head and shake it.

What's with the ecstasy?

Doesn't he have eyes to see a living person sitting here? Does he need to be repeatedly reminded that this is a living Chu Wuhui? The key question now is whether Chu Wuhui can rise from the dead and live again?

The main concern isn't about the head on someone's neck?

All my words are buried deep in silence.

These are things you shouldn't say; saying them will anger people.

Whom will be angered?

Enraging the creditors.

Who is the creditor?

Hehe, it's naturally Chu Wuhui.

Speaking of this terrible debt, Registrar Yu wanted to curse inwardly—this debt was not easy to sort out.

Chu Yao was originally the son of a poor tenant farmer. His father was lazy, and his mother lost her family's fortunes during childbirth. She was unable to support her children on her own and had no choice but to sell them to make up for the loss caused by her husband.

Just then, the eldest son of the Chu family was choosing a pageboy. The steward in charge of purchasing saw that Chu Yao was thin but had bright eyes and a clever look, so he bought him.

The eldest son is naturally the commander-in-chief at this time.

This fellow has been fond of martial arts since childhood and dislikes literature.

However, his studies still needed to be managed, so he asked his page, Chu Yao, to take his place. Chu Yao had started his studies at the same time as his eldest son, and their learning progress was the same. However, no one knows a son better than his father, and the master of the Chu family knew exactly how bad his mischievous son was.

Upon hearing from his tutor how outstanding his son's studies were and how he had the potential to govern the world, the master of the Chu family knew that the homework was faked.

Without much investigation, Chu Yao's ghostwriting was exposed. However, the master of the Chu family did not reprimand Chu Yao for it. Instead, after a period of teaching and testing, he greatly appreciated him, bestowed upon him the surname "Chu," took him on as a student, and grew to like him more and more as he taught him.

In the Chu family mansion, apart from his status, Chu Yao received almost the same treatment as the eldest son. In fact, he even received more attention from the master of the Chu family, who was also his teacher. It was hard to tell which of the two was his biological son.

Regardless, Chu Yao, the son of a tenant farmer, had risen to prominence overnight, becoming a scholar of the Literary Heart School. From the day he was accepted as a disciple until the year before his coming-of-age ceremony, these years could only be described as "spirited and vigorous." As a young man, he traveled to the northern border of the desert, where he commanded a coalition of nations and nearly wiped out the northern desert map. At the same time, he was also bestowed with the reputation of being one of the "Three Heroes of Chu Kingdom."

Three scholars of the second rank, possessing profound literary talent.

He was the youngest of them all. Back then, the young man, dressed in an elegant long robe and wearing a turban, with tinkling ornaments, rode alongside a group of seasoned warriors. With a wave of his hand and a flick of his sleeve, he commanded the thousands of troops on the battlefield. How unrestrained and carefree he was!

If Heaven is unjust and shows favoritism, then Chu Yao is definitely one of those favored, his fame even surpassing that of the small state of Chu at one point. Yu, the registrar, witnessed all of this firsthand, and also watched him go from dazzling to obscure.

He was also one of the driving forces behind this process.

"...My eyes aren't blind, I saw it." Registrar Yu steadied himself and continued, "Didn't you see the look in his eyes that wanted to draw his sword and kill you? How many years has it been and you still haven't learned your lesson..."

The commander seemed to remember something, and his face turned deathly pale.

He awkwardly withdrew his outstretched hand.

Lu Jue and Xu Quan tried to understand this situation, but without any explanation, they could only rely on their own deduction and comprehension, while also preparing to support Chu Yao.

The garrison commander frowned and asked, "Does Wu Hui intend to kill me?"

At this moment, Registrar Yu wanted to close his eyes and turn his head away. Wasn't this fool afraid that Chu Yao would take the opportunity to say that he should pay for his father's debts?

Chu Yao's teacher was a man of extreme loyalty and a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince. At that time, the Crown Prince was not favored by the King, and the other princes each had their own advantages. The most favored prince even had a favored concubine who whispered in his ear to help him...

The position of the crown prince is extremely precarious.

At this time, the Crown Prince, having heard of Chu Yao's great reputation and knowing that Chu Yao was a favorite student of an official in the Crown Prince's court, conceived an extremely audacious idea. If he could obtain Chu Yao's second-rank senior literary talent, he would naturally gain more support from the court officials.

after all--

Those literary scholars arrogantly claimed that the rank of a literary scholar cannot determine their strength? Then, whether Chu Yao is a second-rank upper-level literary scholar or a seventh-rank lower-upper-level literary scholar shouldn't matter, right? The decision was made, and he consulted with his trusted confidants.

Teacher Chu Yao was initially somewhat hesitant.

He did have some genuine affection for Chu Yao, otherwise he wouldn't have treated him like his own son for so many years. Chu Yao was intelligent, humble, and filial, a person who remembered kindness, and would be the greatest help to the Chu family and their eldest son in the future. The two, one a scholar and the other a warrior, had grown up together since childhood and shared a deep bond and tacit understanding. No matter what happened to the Chu Kingdom, they could always support each other, gain a foothold, and bring glory to their family.

But after the Crown Prince's repeated pressure, he wavered, comforting himself—after all, the Crown Prince only wanted to exchange his literary talent, not to completely plunder it; Chu Yao was still a scholar with literary talent, and with a little effort, he could achieve something in the future. Without the Crown Prince's kindness in recognizing and nurturing him, Chu Yao, if not completely illiterate, might have already died of hunger and cold, and would never have had a chance to rise in society.

He should learn to be content and grateful.

And so the royal banquet took place.

Chu Yao was caught off guard and imprisoned.

The one who personally replaced the two literary hearts was Yu Shizhong, who possessed the rare scholar's skill of "stealing the beams and replacing the pillars".

This Yu Shizhong was a man from another country who had fallen on hard times and came to the State of Chu. The Crown Prince had once given him a meal, and later promoted and appointed him to an important position. In private, he also had a very good relationship with Chu Yao, the teacher of the Crown Prince's lineage, and even became the teacher of the latter's eldest son.

After this incident, both Attendant-in-Ordinary Yu and Teacher Chu Yao felt extremely guilty towards the young man and tried their best to make amends. Chu Yao learned his tea ceremony from Attendant-in-Ordinary Yu, and his calligraphy had also been carefully instructed by him. But their relationship...

In any case, Yu Shizhong had never truly understood Chu Yao since then. His intuition told him that Chu Yao was not the type to passively accept his fate, yet Chu Yao's actions showed no resentment. He even felt that if the Crown Prince hadn't deliberately ruined him, giving Chu Yao enough time to accumulate power, the young man would definitely have sought revenge.

well--

If I had known this crown prince would be so incompetent, not only being defeated by his brothers and falling into the "curse of witchcraft," but also drowning in the latrine in the middle of the night while in captivity... He's dead, but he's wasted his precious second-grade upper-level literary talent!

Yu Shizhong felt even more guilty towards Chu Yao.

But he had no energy left to help Chu Yao.

Because the Crown Prince's supporters were eliminated, he was also affected and imprisoned for two months. When he came out, he heard that the Chu family had been raided and the members exiled, and Chu Yao was among them.

He was puzzled. What did this have to do with Chu Yao?

Upon investigation, wow!

Teacher Chu Yao did not release this student back to his original status; he kept him registered under the Chu family name. Therefore, Chu Yao's property was confiscated as "Chu family property," his alchemy studio was abolished, and his property was confiscated and sold off.

If it weren't for the many good friends Chu Yao had made, who helped him get into Chu Ji's household as a retainer during Yu Shizhong's confinement, his fate would have been even worse.

Afterwards, in order to curry favor with the King of Xin, the King of Chu sent his beloved daughter, Chu Ji, to the Xin royal court, and Chu Yao also left Chu as a retainer in the dowry. Later, Yu Shizhong only learned that Chu Ji had died suddenly and that the dowry had been disposed of.

In other words—

Chu Yao died just like that.

Years later, the man came back to life.

Not only did he not die, but he also regained his literary talent. Sensing its power, it was probably comparable to that unfortunate literary talent from back then, and it was even a second-rank upper-middle! Attendant Yu didn't know whether to be happy, relieved, or curse.

Because Chu Yao clearly came with ill intentions this time!

But this simpleton, the commander, still asked if the other party was there to kill him! Just as Yu Shizhong was going through a thousand thoughts, Chu Yao calmly asked his childhood friend, "What if I said yes?"

The commander paused for a moment.

It seems I didn't expect this answer.

However, the answer is not difficult: "Then you must have the ability to kill me. If you don't, please do it next time."

"Yao thought that, given your temperament, you would have offered your neck for execution."

After Chu Yao finished speaking, he sneered.

The commander naturally heard the sarcasm in Chu Yao's words.

He softened his voice: "Times have changed. I promised to defend Yonggu Pass. If I fail to close the gate or die on the battlefield, you may dispose of my body as you see fit. You can grind my bones to dust or hang them to dry in the sun, it's up to you!"

When the Chu family suffered disaster, he was still leading troops on the border. He was only spared because of his status as the son-in-law of the king. After rushing back, he brought his parents, who had been demoted to commoners, to their ancestral home to care for them.

After the fall of the Chu Kingdom, they endured numerous hardships and displacements...

He had always believed that Chu Yao was dead.

A cenotaph was erected for him in his ancestral home.

Later, by chance, he was rescued by the governor of Longwu County.

Chu Yao wanted him dead, and he had nothing to say.

The son should pay for the father's debts; this is the proper way.

But—times have changed, and in the more than ten years they were separated, he had experienced many things and could no longer indulge himself or do as he pleased. If there was anything that brought him the most comfort, it was when he saw Chu Yao again, and Chu Yao regained Wen Xin and emerged from the mire.

“How about this—” The general pulled out a dagger from his armor and handed it out, saying, “I’m good at fighting with my right hand, so consider this left arm as interest for you, Wu Hui. Is that alright?”

Chu Yao stared silently at the dagger.

He was very familiar with the appearance of the dagger.

This was a coming-of-age gift he gave to his childhood friend.

Lu Jue and Xu Quan watched with growing tension, especially when Chu Yao raised his hand to grasp the dagger, while their commander, unusually, let out a sigh of relief. However, Chu Yao's next action surprised everyone. He actually pushed the dagger back.

Mo Sheng said, "I don't want to bring up what happened back then. No matter what, your father was right about one thing—without the Chu family's years of careful cultivation, there would be no 'Chu Yao'. As for that second-class upper-level Chinese literature degree, I made up my mind back then to just consider it as repaying a debt of gratitude from many years ago. Putting aside this grudge, I owe you both nothing, and I don't want your arm."

Doesn't Chu Yao hate him?

Of course he hated it.

From the year he was not yet of age, he had spent more than a decade consumed by hatred, his heart burning with resentment. The reason he can speak so lightly now is simply because he has regained everything, and can therefore calmly reconcile with all the grudges of the past.

He was clear about his gratitude and resentment, and would not deny his mentor's kindness over the years because of later events. Neither his mentor nor Attendant-in-Ordinary Yu could be considered purely good people, nor purely evil people; they were merely ordinary people who had no choice but to comply under the oppression of royal power.

In this world, Chu Yao will not be the first, nor the last, to suffer a similar fate.

Our friendship ends here.

Chu Yao said this in an extremely calm manner.

The general nearly dropped the dagger from his hand, and after a long pause, his lips moved slightly: "...Ah, so be it, so be it...You've always been magnanimous, insightful, and upright...If Father knew you were still alive, perhaps he could die in peace..."

Chu Yao merely frowned slightly, showing no emotion.

Registrar Yu sighed from the side, "But..."

That was the last time.

Chu Yao said, "Please speak."

Registrar Yu swallowed his words, seemingly wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Chu Yao was able to restore Wenxin only by pledging allegiance to Zheng Qiao, but Zheng Qiao had recklessly pushed his luck to the point where the border defenses were on the verge of collapse, and the ambitions of the Shiwu had swelled to the point where they could launch a southward invasion at any moment. Zheng Qiao was beset by internal rebellions and threatened by external threats; his power was hanging by a thread. His self-destruction was only a matter of time. And once Zheng Qiao died, Chu Yao would die too…

Would those proud scholars of yesteryear really do such a thing?

Is it really worth it?

However, Registrar Yu found it difficult to ask.

The commander was stunned for a moment, and then belatedly realized this.

His gaze suddenly sharpened.

He blurted out, "...Wu Hui, you followed Zheng Qiao?"

Chu Yao: "..."

Lu Jue, who was just watching the drama unfold: "???"

Xu Quan, who was just watching the drama unfold: "???"

Ah, no—

Where does this idea come from?

When did Mr. Chu of their family become Zheng Qiao's son?

Xu Quan was so angry his braid almost stood on end. He yelled, "What nonsense are you spouting? Don't register someone's household registration without their consent!"

The commander's gaze fell on Xu Quan. Although he didn't speak, the imposing aura he exuded made Xu Quan extremely uncomfortable. He subconsciously avoided the commander's sharp edge, and after regaining his senses, he felt even more embarrassed and ashamed.

He emphasized: "Mr. Chu is my lord's chief clerk!"

It has absolutely nothing to do with Zheng Qiao.

"Your Lord?"

Chu Yao quickly realized what his childhood friend had misunderstood and said, "My lord, it is Shen Youli, the prefect of Longwu County."

Commander: "...Your lord?"

Chu Yao said, "Yes, my lord."

The main character is followed by another long ellipsis.

Why are there such coincidences in this world?

He felt like he was being manipulated.

Seeing the young man's hesitation, Chu Yao said, "We each serve our own masters and have our own duties. You don't need to feel awkward because of our relationship. As I said, our friendship ends here. I'm here on my lord's orders to inspect Yonggu Pass and arrange subsequent supplies. Although you are the garrison commander of Yonggu Pass, my lord is the governor of Longwu County, and the authority over military supplies is—"

Chu Yao looked up at his childhood friend, his eyes calm and devoid of any emotion. He spoke bluntly—based on his friend's past behavior, if he had been asked to be tactful, the guy would have likely just gone along with it and pretended not to understand. He had seen the letter from Registrar Yu and recognized the handwriting. He had originally intended to come and collect the debt, but upon finding his friend there, he changed his mind.

Debts can be collected slowly at any time.

He wants to get his hands on military power.

Before Clerk Yu could speak, the commander spoke first.

He resolutely refused.

His tone was firm and left no room for negotiation.

"no!"

Chu Yao's tone became somewhat dangerous: "No way?"

The commander-in-chief changed his demeanor, abandoning his childhood friend persona with Chu Yao, and spoke to Chu Yao as the commander of Yonggu Pass. He took his seat in the main position in the tent and said decisively, "Yes, that won't work!"

He asked again—

"Does your lord have that ability?"

_(:3」∠)_

Although, the kindness of the Chu family cannot be erased from the fact that Old Master Chu Yao was able to rise from the hopeless son of a tenant farmer to where he is now (upon closer examination, it's not just about the educational resources they provided, but also the indebtedness of their upbringing, which is even harder to repay. They were more like a foster father than a teacher, though this foster father had ulterior motives). The difficulty for ordinary people to rise above their circumstances is unimaginable; the probability is practically zero.

Reading "Sending Off Ma Sheng of Dongyang" again as an adult evokes a completely different feeling than simply memorizing it when I was a student.

There are plenty of talented people in the world, but without opportunity, they're nothing.

Refer to the previous Lü Jue.

Therefore, Old Master Chu Yao has actually let go of what happened back then, and the grudges are even (this is also related to his age; as he gets older, he has a more peaceful mindset and a fondness for peace). Putting aside this relationship, he was Tang Mei's envoy, and his childhood friend and Registrar Yu were people who held military power in Longwu County. This was official business, and public and private matters should not be mixed up.

It is not easy to get the other side to hand over the command of more than 20,000 garrison troops.

Because you have to convince the other party with your strength.

(End of this chapter)