Chapter 72 Drunk and Dreaming (Part 2) Guo Fengxiao is possessed by his wife after his own death...
Huai Niang barely slept that night. She listened to Guo Jia's noises in the bedroom and wandered between the front yard and the side room. When she found that Guo Jia had locked her in the study in the middle of the night, she mustered up her courage and went into the bedroom. Despite her fear and sadness, she cleaned the room.
The next morning, after comforting his wife, Ayu went to knock on the door to ask where it would be appropriate to lay Guo Jia's body to rest.
Guo Jia's voice came through the door: "Just set up a shed in the front yard, pick a date, and send them off as soon as possible."
Ayu choked on her words and left sheepishly.
He had just set up the tent and had people bring in the inner coffin when Cui Yan and Chen Qun, who were the East and West Cao Yuan respectively, rushed over, with Xun Wei naturally following closely behind.
Ignoring Xun Wei's weeping by the bedside, Chen Qun first went with Cui Yan to knock on Guo Jia's study door.
Who is it?
"Guo Fengxiao!" Chen Qun suddenly flung open the lattice door, and he and Cui Yan were both stunned into place.
He stared in disbelief and stammered, "Guo... Guo Fengxiao...you..."
Xun Wei heard that Chen Qun's voice sounded strange and worried that Guo Jia might also be having a breakdown, so he immediately wiped away his tears and got up to rush to the study.
Guo Jia looked up at their strange expressions with red eyes, "What's wrong?" His hoarse voice revealed indifference.
Xun Wei's tears rolled down her cheeks instantly. She had always remembered the spirited young man from back then, how could he have come to this overnight?
Chen Qun pointed at his hair, her voice trembling, and asked, "You...you...didn't you sleep all night?"
Guo Jia unfolded the documents and maps on the table: "Where is there any time to sleep?"
He leaned out and glanced at the sky outside: "Oh, it's dawn. Jia should head to the Sikong Mansion now."
He rolled up the documents on the table and prepared to leave.
Chen Qun grabbed him: "Wait! What are you going to, the Minister of Works' residence?!"
Guo Jia held up the document and said, “Wuhuan, this matter was advocated by me. How can I entrust the task to a child like Wenzhi? Wen Yuan, a general from another clan, will find it difficult to stand up to them.”
Chen Qun lifted a gray hair from his shoulder to show him: "Do you know that yourself?"
Guo Jia paused for a moment in slight surprise, brushed his hand away, and started to walk away: "It's not important, it's all in the past."
Seeing that he was really about to leave, Xun Wei grabbed his sleeve to stop him: "Guo Fengxiao! You..."
Guo Jia straightened his sleeves and turned his head towards Chen Qun: "Madam Xun, don't lay a hand on Jia in front of your husband. It's not a good look."
Xun Wei took a deep breath, his eyes lowered with guilt and regret: "Was it... that I hurt her by being so heartless yesterday...?"
Guo Jia gave a bitter smile: "Do you really have that much ability? That's my problem... but it's all in the past now."
Xun Wei leaned on Chen Qun's shoulder in anguish, seeking comfort: "If I had been more patient yesterday... listened to her properly... thought more about her... perhaps, perhaps she wouldn't have..."
Chen Qun gently patted her shoulder at the opportune moment.
Guo Jia shook his head and sighed, "Don't worry, it has nothing to do with you."
Ayu stood outside the door, hands tucked into her sleeves and bowing, reporting to Guo Jia, "Chief Minister... we must place the lady in her coffin..."
Guo Jia frowned slightly and glanced at the erected tent: "Alright, I'll do it."
Everyone watched as he calmly carried Deng Jie into the inner coffin, without glancing at him again. He straightened his clothes, bowed to them, and said, "Alright, I have to go now."
Cui Yan could no longer contain himself and spoke up to advise, "Chancellor Guo, your wife's funeral is not yet over, there's no need for you to be in such a hurry. I have already sent someone to invite a diviner; we still need to choose a burial site, offer thanks and condolences, and select an auspicious day for the burial..."
Lu Hong stared at him in shock: "Sacrificial...Sacrificial Master?! Your hair..."
Qingwu looked up at Guo Jia in disbelief: "Sister, she really...?"
Guo Jia pushed Lu Hong aside, saying, "You guys are busy, I'm leaving now."
Qingwu burst into tears as she went to see Deng Jie, but Xun Wei helped her up, and the two of them leaned against the coffin and sobbed.
After that, Guo Jia never returned, and Xun Wei took the initiative to take responsibility and work with A Yu to arrange the funeral.
Guo Jia entered the council hall of the Sikong Mansion as usual, but his appearance clearly caused quite a stir.
In Cao Cao's eyes, Guo Jia, beneath his terrifying gray hair, possessed a resolute gaze that brought him a sense of peace.
He sternly shut out the noise in the hall, beckoned Guo Jia to come forward for discussion.
Ignoring the strange looks from the crowd, Guo Jia unfolded the documents and maps, and said with all his might, "The Yuan brothers have colluded with the Wuhuan Tadun. If this problem is not eliminated, there will be endless troubles in the future! Yuan Shao has been managing four provinces for a long time and has been benevolent to the Wuhuan and Xiongnu for many years. Once our army marches south, there will surely be former officials of the Yuan family who will respond. At that time, our army will be unable to attend to both ends!"
“Fengxiao, you are mistaken!” Cao Hong immediately objected. “The Wuhuan have long been driven back to their stronghold by our forces, terrified! Why bother sending troops on another long expedition to that barren and cold land? We’ll go all that way, only to gain little profit. Wouldn’t that be a losing proposition?”
Xiahou Yuan frowned and said, "Fengxiao, this matter is indeed too dangerous. The entire army has been mobilized, leaving the rear vulnerable. Although Liu Biao is not a major concern, Liu Bei is watching us like a tiger eyeing the land. How could he let such a golden opportunity slip by?"
Xiahou Dun nodded in agreement with Xiahou Yuan's point of view: "A distant expedition to the Xu state is a major taboo for military strategists. The three provinces still need time to be established, let alone to penetrate deep into the land of the Hu. The timing and terrain are not in our favor, and if we are not careful, we may be in danger of collapse. Mengde, I also think this matter is inappropriate."
Guo Jia's gaze swept over the imperial clan generals without fear: "I understand your concerns. However, you only see the immediate danger, not the long-term consequences!"
Liu Biao was merely a guest in conversation; he feared Liu Bei, who was right beside him, even more than he feared us, who were far away in the north. How could he dare to let Liu Bei grow too powerful?
Zhang Liao immediately and tacitly responded with a cupped-hand salute: "I am willing to lead the vanguard!"
Upon hearing Zhang Liao's impatient tone, Cao Hong pointed at him and shouted, "Zhang Wenyuan, are you crazy for military merit?! Guo Fengxiao is already obsessed with his wife after her death, what are you doing stirring up trouble here?!"
These words made everyone present feel slightly embarrassed. Guo Jia felt a surge of anger and retorted sharply, "General Zilian! This is a matter of great importance to the military and the nation. I am perfectly clear-headed. What nonsense are you spouting?! Instead, General, you are here to roar about military matters, letting personal feelings interfere with public affairs and disrupting the order of things. What is your intention?!"
Qian Zhao stepped forward with a cold face and said, "That's right! We have been planning the Northern Expedition for a long time and are determined to succeed. If you, General, are unwilling to share the burden of the country, please have some self-respect and do not undermine the morale of the army here!"
Cao Hong's face flushed red with embarrassment and anger, and he sneered, "Only outsiders like you would even look at such thankless scraps..."
"General, be careful with your words!" Guo Jia interrupted him sharply, cutting off his potentially controversial remarks. He bowed deeply to Cao Cao, then turned to the crowd, earnestly explaining the implications: "Do you all still think this is a petty squabble among warlords over a piece of land or a city?! This is about eliminating future troubles and stabilizing the world. It's not just my personal wish, but your plan for all of you and for the sake of the world!"
Seeing that Cao Hong was still unconvinced, Cao Cao slammed his fist on the table to support Guo Jia: "Zilian! Fengxiao's words are all pearls of wisdom and every sentence is reasonable. Everyone present only sees the immediate interests, but only Fengxiao understands my meaning!"
Cao Hong, intimidated by Cao Cao's imposing presence, lowered his head dejectedly, muttering to himself, "If the emperor of Xuchang or Liu Bei of Xinye causes trouble again, let's see who will bail you out..."
Cao Cao glared at him fiercely and ignored him. He turned to Xiahou Dun: "Yuan Rang!"
Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao stared at each other for a moment, and Xiahou Dun understood the determination in Cao Cao's eyes. Xiahou Dun took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist and said in a deep voice, "So be it. Since it is Mengde's plan, we will naturally guard the gate for you and ensure that you have no worries about your rear!"
Cao Cao then relaxed and revealed a satisfied smile: "This is the foundation I rely on!"
Cao Chun was greatly alarmed and stepped forward with his hands clasped, saying, "My lord, there is no need to worry! I swear to follow you to the death!"
Cao Cao deliberately lowered his voice: "But this time, your Tiger and Leopard Cavalry must be commanded by Wen Yuan. Are you willing to accept that?"
Cao Chun firmly replied, "I will obey your orders, my lord!"
"Excellent!" Cao Cao stood up, flicked his sleeves, and waved his hand: "Five days from now, the army will set off to conquer the Wuhuan in the north! Wen Yuan and Feng Xiao, you two stay behind. The rest of you, quickly prepare the army for battle!"
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.
After the crowd dispersed, Cao Cao discussed the deployment of personnel with the two men. Guo Jia presented the carefully prepared map and said, "My lord, now that this matter has been settled, I will have someone redraw the military map and assign it to the various camps."
Cao Cao's initial fervor and excitement finally subsided after the noise subsided, and he was moved by Guo Jia's graying hair. He softened his voice and said, "...Hmm. These trivial matters are complicated, you...don't have to do them yourself anymore."
Guo Jia forced a fake smile: "Don't worry, I'll leave it to Lu Hong. The staff of the School Affairs Office are meticulous and the internal affairs are clean, so we can rest assured."
"Alright," Cao Cao nodded, stood up, and patted him on the shoulder: "It's getting late, you should head back early!"
“…My lord.” Guo Jia suddenly grasped Cao Cao’s hand, and Zhang Liao quickly stepped back.
"...I wonder if your lord has any spare rooms to accommodate Jia for a few days?"
Hearing this, Zhang Liao felt a pang of sadness. He slightly raised his eyes to steal a glance at the reluctance in Cao Cao's eyes, and heard him solemnly reply, "...Yes."
Guo Jia no longer appeared at the Guo residence, only hastily instructing that the burial be carried out as soon as possible. Xun Wei had no choice but to invite the funeral director and act as the mourner himself, presiding over the funeral procession on that day.
As evening fell and the mourners dispersed, the front yard returned to its quiet state, leaving only Qingwu and Xunwei behind.
After seeing off the last group of people, Xun Wei came to Qingwu's side, who was guarding the coffin: "Where is that Lady Zhongjun? She usually calls me 'elder sister' so affectionately."
Qingwu said in a hoarse voice, "They said they went out of the city with Magistrate Gao..."
Xun Wei snorted coldly, full of dissatisfaction: "By the time she returns to the city, she will probably already be buried."
Qingwu stared blankly at Deng Jie's face, without saying another word.
As the evening drum sounded, Xun Wei looked up at the twilight descending upon him and sighed softly, "It's time for you to go back too."
Qingwu simply nodded, showing no intention of getting up.
Just then, Chen Qun came to the courtyard looking for Xun Wei. Xun Wei glanced behind him and asked, "Is Guo Fengxiao really not coming back?"
"He's been at the Sikong's residence all day... He had a long argument with General Cao and General Xiahou, and he's determined to launch the northern expedition... Let's go back."
Xun Wei took Chen Qun's arm and looked back at the stunned Qing Wu: "Well... we'll take our leave now."
Qingwu nodded blankly, without even glancing at him as he left.
After everyone had left, Huai Niang came over to Qing Wu, wanting to persuade her: "Madam..."
Qingwu simply waved her hand and said, "I'll stay with her a little longer... I'll be back soon, you go ahead and do your work."
“…Eh…” Huai Niang left, turning back every few steps, and returned to the side room.
As dusk fell, a person draped in a cloak entered the courtyard and quietly stood behind Qingwu.
A clear female voice rang out: "Are you Lady Qingwu?"
Qingwu turned around and saw the man slowly lower his hood, revealing a full head of white hair, his face filled with shock: "You...who are you?"
The woman gently shook her head and lit an incense stick for Deng Jie: "Does Madam know why Madam Deng died?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
