The truth is 046

  The person outside the door heard Gao Fei's impatient voice and said, "Lord... Lord Hou, it's me, Fu Xie. I know it's already very late, but there's something I must say to you in person..."

  The door creaked open, and Gao Fei and Yan Yuese bowed their hands: "It's Lord Fu, I apologize for not welcoming you from afar. The things I just said were just some complaints, please don't mind them, Lord Fu. Please come in and take a seat!"

  After entering the house, Gao Fei closed the door and lit a candle. He then said to Fu Xue: "Sir Fu's visit at midnight must be for an important matter, please speak clearly."

  Fu Xie glanced at Gao Fei and remained silent for half a day before hesitantly saying, "Lord Hou... do you know that you did something wrong today?"

  Gao Fei shook his head, indicating that he didn't know and besides, he didn't think he had done anything wrong. Guarding the city and handling post-war affairs was enough to keep him busy. He cupped his hands together and asked: "Please instruct me, Lord Fu!"

  Fu Xiangdao said, "Although I haven't spent a lot of time with Master Hou, it's clear that he is a man with great ambitions and is very considerate to his subordinates. However, when subordinates make mistakes, Master Hou must not cover for them."

  The higher he flew, the more confused he became. He thought to himself that he and his subordinates had been resisting the rebel army's attack all day, where would they have the opportunity to do other things? But then he thought again, Hua Xiong and Ma Chao were in the rear, could it be them? As soon as he thought of this, he cupped his hands and said: "Lord Fu speaks reasonably, but today the sky is already late, besides everyone has been tired for a day, tomorrow I will definitely teach Hua Xiong and Ma Chao a lesson..."

  "Hua Xiong? Lord Hou, I'm talking about Lu Heng!"

  "What's wrong with Lu Heng... what's wrong with Lu Heng?" Gao Fei never thought that there would be anything wrong with Lu Heng, and today he had been fighting alongside him, and after the battle was over, they had even cleaned up the battlefield together. What could have gone wrong? Moreover, Lu Heng always did things with restraint, in accordance with his preferences, and would not dare to overstep his authority. Unable to think of what mistake Lu Heng might have made, he asked.

  Fu Xiangdao said, "Lord Hou, have you forgotten that after repelling the rebels, the whole city shouted 'Long live Lord Hou'? I've investigated and found out that the first person to shout this was Lu Heng. Even if you used your subordinates to win people's hearts, shouldn't you be shouting such treasonous words? 'Long live' - what does it mean? I'm sure you understand better than me."

  After Fu Xue said that, Gao Fei seemed to realize something, but the word "long live" was not important to modern people like him. It was normal to shout "long live" after a victorious battle, and even when he was a kid playing video games, he would excitedly shout "long live" several times after passing a level. He had gotten used to hearing it, and at the time didn't think much of it, but unexpectedly, it became a serious offense with Fu Xue. He thought carefully and realized that in ancient times, there were indeed taboos surrounding such words.

  "Mr. Fu's words are reasonable, but I believe this is Lu Heng's unintentional mistake, and not..."

  "Lord Hou, let's just forget about today's matter. I know you're loyal to the Han Dynasty, otherwise you wouldn't have risked your life defending Chen Cang. However, your subordinates can't be too excessive either. You are who you are because of the Emperor's favor, aren't you? If this incident reaches the Emperor's ears, you'll likely face disaster. Fortunately, everyone is still excited from repelling the rebels and no one has taken it to heart, otherwise things would get complicated."

  "Mr. Fu's lesson is that I've learned from it and will absolutely never let such a thing happen again."

  Fu Xiang said: "I believe that Lord Hou can discipline the people under his command, so today this is what I and Gai Zhangshi will not argue with Lord Hou about. In addition, I have already discussed it with Gai Zhangshi, and we two are preparing to jointly petition the Emperor, requesting that Lord Hou be appointed as the General to Suppress the Rebellion, hoping that Lord Hou can continue to work hard and vow to protect our great Han dynasty."

  Gao Fei politely said: "Certainly, certainly. Thank you both for your recommendation, but the matter of my killing the Governor of Liangzhou has not been resolved yet, I don't know how the imperial court will handle it."

  Fu Xiantao said, "I came for this matter. Ten days ago, I and Gai Zhangshi wrote the memorial and clearly stated the killing of Liangzhou Governor. All this is because Zu Changgong brought it upon himself by colluding with rebels. Now, today the imperial court issued a decree that your merits and demerits cancel each other out, and you are temporarily acting as the Governor of Liangzhou. Once General Huangfu Song arrives, you can hand over military power to him."

  After finishing speaking, Fu Xie took out the imperial edict and handed it over to Gao Fei.

  After Gao Fei took over, he looked at the firelight and found that it was indeed as Fu Shuo had said. Fu Shuo and Ge Xun were also offset by their merits and demerits, continuing to serve as Taishou of Hanyang and Longshi respectively. Moreover, Gao Fei let Fu Shuo and Ge Xun jointly assist him in defending Chen Cang.

  "Master Hou, it's getting late, Master Hou should rest early." Fu Xie stood up and bowed to Gao Fei before turning around and leaving.

  Gao Fei sent Fu Jia out of the door, then returned to bed and felt a bit psychologically unbalanced. He said loudly: "Damn it, this dog emperor, I'm fighting bloody battles here, can't you give me some rewards? Instead, it's a tie between merit and demerit, and I have to hand over my military power to Huangfu Song. This is infuriating! It seems that the tens of thousands of soldiers under my command will soon belong to someone else."

  "No way, I need to get some private soldiers as soon as possible and form the Gao family army that only answers to me. I'll select them from the current Han army. Otherwise, I won't be able to survive here. As for Lu Heng, forget it, there's no need to punish him for this small matter, besides, he did it for my own good."

  Fu Shuo and Gai Xun, these two old men, are quite reliable in handling things. In the future when I conquer the world, I will indeed need such talents who are skilled in handling internal affairs and logistics. However, these two old men are loyal to the Han Dynasty, so it's a bit difficult for me to get them to work for me. It seems that from now on, I should start cultivating this kind of talent within my own ranks. Liao Hua and Lu Xiang should be able to handle such things, shouldn't they?

  The night was deep and quiet, the long night was endless, Gao Fei thought and thought, and unknowingly fell asleep.

  The next day, Gao Fei woke up and washed his face with his own toothbrush and toothpaste. Having been in ancient times for several months, he found it difficult to accept the hygiene habits of ancient people, such as not brushing their teeth. Although they had dental floss and other things, cleaning their mouths was still not as clean as brushing their teeth.

  Gao Fei used to watch videos about the invention of everyday items, such as toothbrushes. He once searched for it on Baidu and didn't expect to have a chance to use this small piece of knowledge. He made a simple and practical toothbrush with a boar bristle and a bone handle, and mixed bone powder and salt together to make toothpaste. Although it's not as comfortable as modern toothbrushes, he still insists on brushing his teeth every day to keep them clean.

  After washing up, Gao Fei put on a thick cotton-padded jacket and opened the door. A blast of cold air hit him in the face, and outside the door was a thick layer of snow that had accumulated overnight. The wind howled with anger, blowing the snowflakes on the ground into a frenzy, and the tiny snowflakes danced in the air, shining beautifully in the golden sunlight.

  Gao Fei looked up at the sky, which was clear and vast. Although the sun finally showed its face today, it was different from the summer sun, and could no longer bring warmth to the earth with its passionate sunlight.

  Lowering his head, Gao Fei was surprised to find a familiar figure walking across the snowy ground in front of him, and he couldn't help but mutter: "Is it him?"

  As soon as the words fell, Gao Fei's eyes were already filled with hatred. He stormed out of the room, his fists clenched tightly, and shouted loudly at the person who had just arrived at the county government gate: "Lord Zuo! The world is really small, we meet again!"

  The person at the county government gate was indeed Zuo Feng. He heard this loud shout and appeared somewhat flustered, but had no choice but to stop in his tracks, turn around, and with a smiling face, bow to Gao Fei: "Haha, it's actually Lord Hou, what a coincidence...what a coincidence."

  Gao Fei strode to the county government office, seeing that Zuo Feng still had the same expression, but his attitude towards himself was greatly different. However, thinking about how he spent 60 million and only got this small title of Duke of a minor prefecture, Chen Cang Commander, he was very dissatisfied. His request wasn't high, just wanting to be the governor of a remote corner of Liaodong, yet even this small request wasn't fulfilled by the person in front of him. Can you say he wouldn't get angry?

  "When did you arrive, Governor Left? Why didn't you notify me so I could prepare a feast to welcome you?" Although Gao Fei was angry in his heart, he couldn't act rashly. After all, the man in front of him, Zuo Feng, was still the Marquis of Huanguan and an official appointed by the imperial court. He just wanted to ask Zuo Feng for an explanation.

  Zuo Feng's face was a bit embarrassed, and he felt a little guilty when he saw Gao Fei. He hastily waved his hand and said: "No need, no need, Master Hou is busy with millions of things, and also in charge of important military affairs, I don't need Master Hou to treat me like this."

  Gao Fei looked out of the county government office and saw a horse-drawn carriage and several attendants waiting there, seemingly ready to leave. He asked: "Is Lord Zuo leaving?"

  Zuo Feng came to deliver the imperial edict on the emperor's orders, but he didn't want to come. However, he couldn't shirk his duty, so he steeled himself and arrived yesterday. He handed over the imperial edict to Fu Xie and Gai Xun, but was afraid of running into Gao Fei, so after delivering the edict, he hid in his room without daring to show his face. Today, he wanted to leave early, but unexpectedly ran into Gao Fei head-on - what bad luck! He hastily replied, "Yes, yes, I have an imperial order to carry out and cannot linger."

  Gao Fei sneered and would no longer try to curry favor with Zuo Feng as he had before. The fact that he had killed the Governor of Liangzhou was surely known to Zuo Feng. Although Zuo Chang and Zuo Feng were brothers of the same clan, Gao Fei's merits and demerits had already balanced each other out. Moreover, Fu Xie and Ge Xun had conspired together to frame Zuo Chang for rebellion, making it a flawless plan. Even if Zuo Feng was angry, he couldn't do anything about it. He grabbed Zuo Feng's arm and asked, "Lord Zuo, I have something unclear on my mind, could you please enlighten me?"

  When Zuo Feng saw the person in front of him, he saw a hint of anger in his eyes. He naturally knew what was going on. However, Gao Fei is no longer an unknown military officer now. The main reason is that Gao Fei's killing of Zuo Chang has shocked the Emperor, and this matter was personally handled by the Emperor. Fu Shou and Ge Xun's memorials were also convincing, so the Emperor believed it, not only pardoning Gao Fei for killing Zuo Chang but also letting him temporarily take over as the Governor of Liangzhou. Although he and Zuo Chang are brothers of the same clan, after Zuo Chang became the governor, he looked down on him. He didn't have to openly oppose a person who had nothing to do with him and the powerful Governor of Liangzhou.

  His arm was aching from being grabbed by Gao Fei, and his face showed even more pain. He immediately cried out: "Lord Hou, Lord Hou, I know I'm not worthy of you, but I was also forced into this. As a small yellow door servant, what great power could I have? It's reasonable to say that using 60 million to buy the position of Liaodong Governor is foolproof, but people can't compare to heaven. Who knew Zhou Shen would intervene and tell Zhang Rang that you're Lu Zhi's confidant? Zhang Rang hates Lu Zhi, so in a fit of rage, he arranged for you to be a county magistrate. I felt guilty towards you, Lord Hou, so I strongly spoke on your behalf to Zhang Rang, which is why he gave you the title of Marquis of Douchuang. Besides, Liaodong is remote and not worth going to. Although it's just a Chen Cang Magistrate, at least there's still the title of Marquis of Douchuang, so it's somewhat worthwhile. Please, Lord Hou, be understanding."

  Gao Fei let go of Zuo Feng after hearing this, he never thought that because he didn't sign the false accusation against Lu Zhi with Zhou Shen and others at that time, it would bring him so much trouble, nor did he expect Zhou Shen to treat him like this. He understood the truth behind it and couldn't help but vent his anger on Zhou Shen, saying: "Zhou Shen, one day I will make you pay for what you have done."

  Zuo Feng hastily said: "This matter from start to finish is all Zhou Shen's fault. A petty person who takes people's money and property to help others get rid of their troubles, how can they not get along with the God of Wealth? Lord Hou, this time the General of the Cavalry and Chariots, Huangfu Song, will lead 100,000 elite soldiers to come to Liangzhou to quell the rebellion. Zhou Shen, who is also a General of Quelling the Barbarians, is among the troops quelling the rebellion. Lord Hou can confront Zhou Shen face-to-face and question him, and at that time, Lord Hou will know that what I say is true."

  Gao Fei said: "Damn it, I didn't expect this guy to be a general already. Lord Zuo, I was wrong to suspect you, and I apologize for my earlier offense, please forgive me."

  Zuo Feng smiled and said, "Lord Hou is being too serious. Now Lord Hou is already a prominent figure in the imperial court. Although it's just temporarily taking over as the governor of Liangzhou, I believe Lord Hou's future is bright. Who knows, after the rebellion is put down, Lord Hou might even be able to return to the capital and take office again due to his merits. At that time, I'll have to rely on Lord Hou even more."

  Gao Fei also laughed and didn't expect Zuo Feng to be quite eloquent. He immediately said, "I heard that Zuo Chang is a cousin of Mr. Zuo's..."

  Zuo Fengdao said, "Zuo Chang colluded with the Qiang and Hu to rebel, his crime is deserved, there is no such person in the Zuo family anymore, Master Hou doesn't need to worry. Moreover, I only have a superficial relationship with Zuo Chang, how can it compare to my relationship with Master Hou?"

  "Haha, well said, Lord Zuo. Why don't you stay for a while and let me host a banquet to treat you?"

  Zuo Fengdao said, "No, I've already conveyed the imperial edict and it's time for me to leave. Besides, General Hou is busy with military affairs, how can I trouble him? This humble person will wait in the capital for news of General Hou's triumphant return, and when that day comes, this humble person will personally host a banquet at the White Cloud Pavilion to celebrate."

  "Alright then, I won't keep you any longer, Lord Zuo, take care on your journey."

  "Lord Hou, please stay, I bid you farewell."