Chapter 6: An Unexpected Encounter

  After uploading chapters, the protagonist's name always automatically becomes Yang Xi, and it can't be changed back no matter how many times I try to change it! If such a situation occurs in the book, please forgive me, fellow book friends!

  For the next few days, Yang Hui did not see Yang Guozhong again.

  Yang Guozhong never returned to the mansion, which made Yang Hui, who was eager to persuade Yang Guozhong to change his mind again, anxious and worried.

  He knew that the more days dragged on, the worse it would be. Perhaps the imperial court would issue an order to dispatch all troops from Tongguan Pass, followed by news of a disastrous defeat at Tongguan. Then one tragedy after another would occur: the Emperor would flee, Chang'an would fall, and his entire family, including Yang Yuhuan's sisters, would be killed. The Tang Dynasty would plunge into chaos and fragmentation. This was something he did not want to see happen no matter what.

  Yang Hui has been thinking of ways to leave the mansion, wanting to find Yang Guozhong again to discuss the matter, or directly find Emperor Li Longji to plead his case, so that they can change their minds and not order Geshu Han to go out and fight, in order to avoid bringing disaster to the Tang Dynasty. Even going directly to Tongguan, to pass on the emperor's edict, letting Geshu Han guard tightly and not come out...

  However, he was unable to leave the mansion because Yang Guozhong had given strict orders to the servants to take good care of him and not let him run around.

  In the scorching heat of June, everywhere was hot, and Yang Hui was only allowed to stay in a room with ice blocks, resting well.

  Yang Guozhong had great prestige in the government, and none of his subordinates dared to disobey him. Whenever Yang Hui tried to leave the mansion, they would stop him, even when he beat or scolded them or threatened them with a knife; instead, they would kneel on the ground and let him punish them as he pleased.

  There was no way to find Yang Guozhong again to discuss the Tongguan matter, so Yang Huiyi couldn't eat or sleep, and he couldn't confide in anyone. He was very depressed all day long, and even the beautiful and plump little maid Ping'er who was always by his side was almost ignored.

  The mistress of the Yang household, Pei Rou, also did not allow Yang Hui to leave the mansion.

  She is like Yang Guozhong, fearing that her precious son's body has not recovered, and if something goes wrong when he goes out, she lets Yang Hui stay in the mansion.

  In the past few days since waking up, Yang Hui went to his mother's place every day to pay respects and ask about Yang Guozhong. He repeatedly asked to convey a message to Yang Guozhong, asking him to return home once, as he had something very urgent to say. Pei Rou, being a loving mother, also listened to Yang Hui's request and sent someone to inform Yang Guozhong, hoping that he could find time to return home for a visit.

  However, Yang Guozhong had someone pass on a message that he was busy with court affairs and often stayed up late to deal with things, so he didn't have time to return to the mansion.

  But he also promised that as long as he had time, he would definitely return home once.

  His mother's letter also received such a reply, and Yang Guifei was somewhat disappointed. He could only think of ways to find that busy old father himself, further clarify the situation, no matter what method, even pretending to be crazy or kowtowing, to make Yang Guozhong change his mind, together with him to persuade the emperor not to order Geshu Han to lead the army out.

  He wants to use "soft feelings" to persuade his mother to agree to let him out of the house. Once he is out, he will have a way to go and find Yang Guozhong to discuss matters.

  He also repeatedly blamed his previous self in his heart. In the mansion, he was so unconvincing that even the servants couldn't be handled, and as a person, he was very unsuccessful!

  "Mother, I've fully recovered and nothing will happen to me. I want to go out for a walk and find a place to have some wine, is that okay? Yang Hui sat in front of her mother Pei Rou's bed, shaking her arm with a coquettish tone: "I've been stuck in the mansion for so many days without going anywhere, it's suffocating. I want to go out and take a walk, find a place to have some wine, just let me go out for a stroll!"

  He had made similar requests many times before, but to no avail. In the past, he had always spoken seriously, but today he changed his strategy and used "coaxing" to deal with his mother.

  This method still has some effect, Pei Rou hesitated for a moment and finally agreed. "Alright, mother agrees with you, go out and have a drink, but you must go to the nearest Drunken Cloud Pavilion, and come back after drinking. It's hot today, so don't stay outside for too long. You must be back before noon!"

  "Yes, Mother! The child will definitely be back soon!" Yang Hui was overjoyed and immediately stood up straight to guarantee it.

  However, Pei Rou's next few orders extinguished Yang Hui's excited mood by more than half.

  "Yang Dong, follow Fourth Master out and take good care of him. Except for Zuiyun Building, don't go anywhere else. After Fourth Master finishes drinking, escort him back home. Remember, you must return before noon!" Pei Rou's words were an order to Yang Dong, the head of the guards in the manor, but they also gave Yang Hui a bad premonition.

  "Yes, ma'am!" The burly Yang Dong was as gentle as a lamb in front of the delicate and weak Pei Rou.

  However, Yang Dong only showed this side in front of Yang Guozhong and Pei Rou. In front of others, he became a leopard-like man who didn't care about reason at all. Yang Hui felt this as soon as he walked out of the mansion, and his bad premonition when Pei Rou ordered Yang Dong also came true.

  No matter how he begged, reasoned, threatened with his identity, deceived, and even used force, Yang Dong simply ignored him, only agreeing to go drinking at the Drunken Cloud Building, refusing to go anywhere else. The group of people led by Yang Dong, including Yang Zheng and others who followed Yang Hui, added up to almost twenty people, all of whom were skilled fighters. Yang Hui tried his luck, but with his physical abilities, it was impossible for him to defeat so many people and escape, so he could only obediently surrender and enter the wine building to drink. He also gave up on his plan to slip away from his followers during their journey, thinking that he would come up with a new plan after getting drunk!

  Entering the Drunken Cloud Building, Yang Hui refused Yang Dong's request to go upstairs to the private room where he often drank, instead wanting to sit in the main hall.

  There were many guests in the hall, and there was no empty seat. As the war was going on in front, many people who liked to hear the news often came to the wine building. There were all kinds of people in the wine building, and many people would discuss the situation of the rebellion and the war in front. Many rumors were spread here, so although there was a battle at Tongguan Pass, the business of the wine building was still very good.

  Not finding a separate empty seat, Yang Hui glanced at a window seat with only one person sitting and ordered his followers a few words before walking over.

  When he saw the bustling scene inside the wine house, with not even a single empty seat available, Yang Hui also felt a sense of melancholy. It seemed that no one had anticipated the defeat at Tong Pass in just a few days' time, nor did they expect Chang'an to be occupied by the rebel army. The people of Chang'an were still indulging in music and dance, oblivious to the impending doom. Who knows how these people drinking and chatting here would react when news of the defeat at Tong Pass arrives!

  "Excuse me, sir. May I join you at your table for a drink? There are no more empty seats available!" Yang Qi politely stepped forward and greeted the middle-aged man sitting alone at the wine table with a serious face.

  Drinking with others at the same table is best, he can get rid of the strict "supervision" of his entourage to some extent and find an opportunity to slip away.

  The man who was drinking and lost in thought did not expect to be disturbed, so he looked up in surprise. Seeing Yang Hui's extraordinary demeanor and the many attendants by his side, he knew that he was no ordinary young master. After a moment's thought, he agreed and smiled as he made a polite gesture: "Young brother, please sit down, I'll be leaving soon anyway!"

  "Thanks a lot!" Yang Hui also sat down without hesitation, and the waiter quickly brought him the wine and dishes he needed.

  Yang Zheng and another attendant stood behind Yang Hui, ignoring Yang Hui's request for them to stand aside, so in the end Yang Hui had no choice but to follow them.

  Yang Hui poured a full cup of wine in front of himself, just as he was about to toast the people at the same table. However, he saw that this man, who looked like he was in his forties or fifties, had already drunk several cups by himself. Yang Hui couldn't help but ask with a puzzled expression: "Looking at your gloomy face, drinking alone and getting drunk, don't you have some worries on your mind?"

  A middle-aged Han man put down his wine cup, looked at Yang Hui's sincere face, and replied with a sigh: "I came to Chang'an on business, but unfortunately, things didn't go well, I don't know how to report back!" As he spoke, he glanced twice at the soldiers eating quietly at the next table.

  "Ah, I see!" Yang Hui was also very tactful and didn't ask what had gone wrong, but instead raised his cup in a toast: "This brother, there's no threshold that can't be crossed, just let it go! Come on, let me treat you to a drink, being able to share a table and drink together is a fortunate thing!"

  "Thanks for your kind words, little brother," said the middle-aged man with a bitter smile, and then he downed the wine in his cup in one gulp.

  Yang Qi wanted to ask more questions, but then she heard a loud voice from the next table and her attention was immediately drawn over.

  "Hey, brother, have you heard that An Lushan is afraid of his retreat route being cut off and is preparing to withdraw from Luoyang? If General Geshu can lead the army out of Tongguan City at this time, it's possible that one battle will annihilate all the rebel troops outside Tongguan City, thoroughly shaking the morale of An Lushan's rebel army, and soon the rebellion will be put down!" This was shouted loudly by a certain Han man after drinking too much wine and chatting with his companions for a while.

  "Gao Xian's words are not wrong, and according to what I have seen, it is indeed the case. Now that the northern express reports are frequent, the rebel army's morale is unstable. If we take advantage of the situation and lead a large army out of the pass, we will definitely be able to defeat the rebels, and it is even possible to quickly quell the rebellion!"

  Another person at the same table as the loud-mouthed man who was discussing national affairs also spoke up loudly: "Unfortunately, General Geshu's courage is too small, he dares not lead his army out of the pass to fight, only daring to defend the pass!"

  Yang Qi was extremely astonished when he heard someone in the hotel openly discussing these points and saying such things.

  He didn't expect a retort from a rustic simpleton, what's there to refute?

  Now most people in the court of the Tang Dynasty hold this view, and his father, who is in a high position, has repeatedly persuaded Emperor Li Longji to do so.

  However, when he turned back to continue drinking with the middle-aged man at the same table, he saw that his face was full of anger, holding the wine glass tightly in his hand, and his veins were exposed.

  Yang Qi's heart moved slightly, and he asked in a calm tone: "I wonder if this brother has a different opinion on the views of those two people just now?"

  "A frog in the well!" The middle-aged Han man's eyes showed anger, and he gritted his teeth as he said: "The high-ranking officials in the court have such an attitude, I didn't expect that even the common people would also think this way. No wonder it has come to this! Alas, great disaster is approaching!"

  Yang Qi's strange expression made the middle-aged man immediately vigilant, and he asked in response: "Could it be that young brother also has a different view?"

  "Of course, my views are diametrically opposed to those of the gentlemen who spoke earlier!" Yang Hui had already noticed that the person sitting at the same table as him was no ordinary person. From his demeanor, it was likely that he was an official in the imperial court, and one who disagreed with his own father's political views, to the point where they had even quarreled over their differences in opinion. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so enraged by the words of those two men just now.

  Listening to this person's last words, I suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.

  "Tell me more!" The middle-aged man suddenly became interested and asked.

  "Alright, I'll just say a few words!" Yang Hui looked at the two people beside him who were still discussing and hoping that the imperial court would order Geshu Han to go out of the pass and fight, then raised his voice and said: "I think that what the imperial court should do now is to concentrate all its strength to defend against the rebel army's attack on Tongguan, ensure that Tongguan does not fall, rather than going out of the city to attack! If Tongguan is held, Chang'an will also be safe! If the imperial court forces General Geshu to go out and fight, but the battle is unfavorable, then Tongguan may fall because of this! If Tongguan falls, Chang'an will also have no way to defend itself!"

  Yang Kai raised his voice and said: "The imperial court has already summoned the King's army to come and quell the rebellion. The King's army gathered in the capital will become more and more numerous, and the supply of grain and grass will be sufficient, which can be defended for a long time. This is very unfavorable for the rebels! Now the rebels are eager to take down Chang'an, so as to avoid encountering more imperial troops, they are even more eager to fight against the defending officials in the capital! In my opinion, the government army should not go out of the pass to fight, but should defend the danger and make the rebels have no way to do it! If the troops of Tongguan are sent out of the pass to fight, it will be exactly what the rebels want. Outside Tongguan City, the terrain is narrow and not suitable for large-scale battles. Even if General Gesu leads 200,000 troops out of the pass to fight, the maximum number of troops that can be deployed head-on is less than 40,000 or 50,000, which is not advantageous compared to the rebels, and may even be ambushed by the rebels and suffer a great defeat! Therefore, we must never go out of the pass to fight, but must defend the pass and refuse to let the rebels in!"

  Yang Hui's words stunned the man sitting next to him, as well as the few people who were just discussing loudly and the diners who were listening with their ears perked up. Everyone's gaze turned towards them.

  "This young brother, your insight has surpassed any official in the court, even the prime minister is not as good as you!" The middle-aged man stood up and made a bow to Yang Hui, then said: "This is the most pertinent suggestion I have heard since coming to Chang'an these days, unfortunately..."

  Because he saw too many eyes falling this way, the middle-aged man stopped talking. He looked at the military officer's table next to him with a hesitant expression, but in Yang Hui's confusion, he finally said: "It's an honor to meet and get to know you, young brother, and hear your unconventional words. I really want to drink and chat with you, but unfortunately, I have something important to attend to and don't dare linger. I'll take my leave now!"

  The middle-aged man said and was about to get up and leave.

  "Sir, please stay a moment, I don't even know your esteemed name!" Yang Qi hastily called out to the middle-aged man, cupping his hands in respect and saying: "I am Yang Qi, courtesy name Ziliang, may I ask your honorable surname and given name?"

  Yang Qi always felt that this middle-aged man was no ordinary person!

  The middle-aged man stopped in his tracks and returned the courtesy: "I am Gao Shi, styled Dafu. Today I have the good fortune to meet Brother Yang Xiao, which is a great joy. However, I have an urgent matter to attend to and must return to Tongguan before nightfall today. I bid you farewell, please forgive me, Brother Yang!" With that, he didn't linger any longer, and after another courtesy, he strode out of the wine tower, mounted his warhorse, and galloped away. Several military officers who were drinking at another table also followed closely behind him in a hurry!

  "Gao Shi? What a coincidence, could it be that famous border poet Gao Shi from historical records?" Yang Hui hurriedly followed him out of the wine tower, wanting to ask again, but couldn't catch up in time, and muttered to himself, "He's going back to Tongguan, what is he doing going back to Tongguan?"

  "Fourth Master, it's almost noon and the sun is scorching hot. Let's hurry back to the manor or Madam will scold us!" Just as Yang Hui was muttering to himself, Yang Dong came over uninvited and whispered a request.

  "This young master still has important matters to attend to, you can't stop me!" Yang Hui once again put on the airs of the fourth young master of the Yang Manor.

  However, his pretentiousness did not have the desired effect. Yang Dong still ordered others to follow Yang Guozhong and Pei Rou's orders and escort Yang Hui back to the mansion. Yang Hui, who couldn't think of any other way out, could only curse and scold his followers for ruining his big plan, he was so angry that he wanted to kill someone.

  But in the end, she could only return to the Wei State Duke's manor with a sense of righteous indignation under the escort of her attendants.

  Once again, I feel that my predecessor failed in being a human being. Even the lowest-ranking servants in the palace couldn't be controlled, and yet he was the son of the powerful minister Yang Guozhong!