Chapter 14: The Great Building Will Collapse, Alone Supporting It (Part 1)

  The next day, after the rooster's crowing, a thin line of white will appear on the distant horizon. It is the time of year when daylight is shortest, and the weather is cold enough to make people shrink in their houses and not want to come out.

  However, in this quiet morning, the distant sound of horseshoes came quickly, getting closer and closer. Within a radius of several miles around Lin's residence, there were no other households, so the knight on horseback must have been rushing towards this place.

  Because he couldn't fall asleep at all, Zhou Wenbo was the first to react and got up to put on his outer clothes, while also waking up Hong Zhuang who was sleeping at the foot of the bed.

  When the knight rushed to the gate of the courtyard, Zhou Wenbo and his second brother Wang Yuan had already stood up and walked out of the wing room.

  "Bang, bang, bang", the knight turned over and got off his horse, making an effort to knock on the wooden door.

  Taking advantage of the moonlight reflected off the snow-covered ground, Zhou Wenbo finally made out the knight outside the door to be their own servant, Zhou Xiaoqi. This Xiaoqi was on good terms with Liu Meng in daily life, which is why Zhou Wenbo had an impression of him.

  He pulled out the door bolt, and Zhou Wenbo opened the large gate. Outside, the horses were running with sweat all over their bodies on this winter day. Zhou Xiaoqi, who usually liked to laugh and joke, now had a look of anxiety and panic on his face.

  Zhou Wenbo immediately realized that something big had happened, and it was probably a very bad thing!

  "Yesterday, the battle report from Ping Shu arrived in the capital... Young Master... is dead! Young Master is dead!" Zhou Xiaoqi panted heavily, but still managed to say the shocking words with great difficulty.

  "The mansion received the news that it was already nighttime and the city gate had been closed. This morning, the old madam ordered me to wait at the bottom of the city gate, and as soon as the gate opens, I will come to inform you, Young Master. The old madam is telling you to hurry back to the mansion!"

  This news was like a thunderbolt, beyond Zhou Wenbo's imagination. After all, in his mind, Guo Chongtang had destroyed Shu in 70 days without encountering any obstacles along the way. Zhou Wenbo was still secretly planning how to save the Zhao State after the pacification of Shu, but unexpectedly, his old father had died in battle!

  "Can the battle report say how Father died?" Zhou Wenbo tightly grasped Zhou Xiaosi's collar, his tone somewhat mysteriously fierce.

  Zhou Xiaoqi was already choked with sobs: "The battle report didn't say that! The old lady only said to let you hurry back to the manor!"

  At this moment, more than a dozen people in the courtyard had almost all gotten up. When they heard the bad news, they were almost speechless.

  Although he had only been here for ten days and hadn't even met this Lord Zhao, the memories belonging to this body and the blood flowing through his veins made him burst out with an unbearable sorrow.

  Under the anxious and worried gaze of a group of people, Zhou Wenbo seemed to have only been dazed for a moment. He then let go of Zhou Xiaogui who had come to report the news and turned to walk towards his master Lin He.

  "Master Lin, I have a major family emergency at home and must take my leave immediately!"

  In Lin He's eyes, his youngest disciple's eyes were already slightly red and his voice was a bit hoarse. He could only pat Zhou Wenbo's shoulder forcefully: "Go, mourn in moderation, take care of your body, and also take care of Guo Gong's wife."

  Zhou Wenbo knew that at this moment, the one who was most heartbroken was not himself, but Zhou Deyan's wife, Lü Shi.

  "Xiao Qi, you go back with Liu Meng and the others by horse carriage, I'll leave first." After finishing this sentence, Zhou Wenbo strode out of the courtyard gate and mounted a fine horse.

  Zhou Wenbo held the reins in his hand and made a fist with both hands: "Master Lin, fellow masters, don't worry too much, I'm leaving!"

  A fine steed galloped on the post road, although anxious like a burning fire, but because there were too few messages that could be used for analysis, Zhou Wenbo had no idea what the situation was like at the front line and in the capital city of Luoyang.

  However, as a pillar of the state, the passing of Zhou Dewei will inevitably create a huge power vacuum in the Later Tang regime, and a new round of jockeying for position is about to begin.

  The Zhao State Duke's mansion, which had lost Zhou Dejian, was clearly in a very unfavorable position in this reshuffle. Zhou Wenbo only hoped that his elder brother Zhou Wenshuang could still control enough troops and the war to destroy Shu would be successful, so the emperor might not vent his anger on the remaining people.

  When Zhou Wenbo returned to the Zhao Guo Gongfu, he found that the gate was tightly closed. The several guards who usually stood at the door were nowhere to be seen. Zhou Wenbo knocked on the side door for a long time before an old doorman came out to open it.

  Zhou Wenbo walked through the vast and deserted mansion all the way to the innermost hall.

  The hall, which was over a hundred square meters in size, was now warm with a temperature of over twenty degrees. In the corner, a stove had been set up, burning the best "Rui carbon". Right opposite the main entrance, Mrs. Lü sat in a large chair with a tiger skin cushion, next to her sat an old man over fifty years old, who was the fourth uncle of Zhou Wenbo.

  Zhou Wenbo hurriedly went forward to pay his respects, but all he saw was Lü Old Lady waving her hand and dismissing him.

  "Wenbo, our family has encountered a great change. Your father has passed away. I have already sent someone to Zhengzhou to ask your third uncle to return quickly. Now there are only a few pillars left in our family! The more we face difficulties and dangers, the more we must stand firm and not let others look down on us." Madam Lü's voice was filled with an indescribable fatigue.

  Zhou Wenbo sat at the bottom, looked up and found that Mrs. Lü, who was still in high spirits three days ago, seemed to have changed into another person, with almost all her hair turned white. Looking at her expression, Zhou Wenbo could guess that she probably didn't sleep all night yesterday.

  Zhou De-yuan's only two living brothers were Zhou Wen-bo's fourth uncle, Zhou De-xiu, who was incompetent and relied on Zhou De-yuan for support. He held a sinecure position with no real power and spent his days enjoying cockfighting and dog racing. Zhou Wen-bo's third uncle, Zhou De-yu, however, was quite capable and currently served as the Surveillance Commissioner of Zhengzhou (equivalent to a mayor and reserve commander).

  Originally carefree and relaxed, Zhou Dexiu now had a worried and troubled look on his face. Unfortunately, at this time, it was futile to expect him to come up with any ideas.

  After a moment of silence, Zhou Wenbo asked: "Do you know how Father died in battle? What is the current situation with Big Brother and Nephew?"

  Mrs. Lü shook her head, "Yesterday's urgent military report from 800 miles away only said that your father was shot by several arrows and died of his injuries."

  "Does King Wei have a memorial?" asked Zhou Wenbo again.

  The King of Wei was Li Jiqian's title, as the nominal commander-in-chief of this expedition to conquer Shu, and the memorial that Li Jiqian submitted could be said to be the final draft of the entire front.

  "There is no news. Zhang Shou's secret envoy is stationed at the center, and as soon as there is any news, he will come to report." Lü Old Lady informed Zhou Wenbo of the source of the news.

  At this time, the news of Zhao Guo Gong Zhou Deyan's death in battle was still a top-secret message. Just looking at the unhurried pace of life within Luoyang City, it can be known that if not for someone from the central government sending a message, the Zhao Guo Gong Fu should have taken several more days to receive the news.

  Zhang Suo was a eunuch named Zhang Juhuan, who was recommended by Zhou Deyan. The two men held the position of Shumishi at the same time, and in daily life they followed Zhou Deyan's instructions without relying on their power to manipulate things.