The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 99 In the Name of Radish

Chapter 99 In the Name of Radish

"General, Pingshui Town is just ahead."

The staff member held up a simplified military map and pointed to the location on it.

Huang Qi waved his hand and said, "I know this place better than you do, no need to look around. Order the vanguard to occupy the Zhangnan County government office, send out several scouts to find out the movements in Fenggu City, and do not linger in battle."

After a pause, Huang Qi said, "Looting of Pingshui Town and the surrounding villages is strictly prohibited. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

The aide paused slightly, then said, "General, you're dealing with the local tyrants and distributing their wealth—this is your doing—"

Huang Qi's eyes swept over them. Years of fighting had given him a decisive and ruthless aura, despite his background as a salt worker.

The aide quickly bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "Your subordinate obeys. I will go and inform them immediately."

"Please, General, rest at the county government office first."

Huang Qi thought for a moment, then spurred his horse and galloped away.

Soon after, we arrived in Zhangnan County.

The county government office has been breached, and the yamen runners, constables, and officials have all been imprisoned.

Huang Qi did not go to rest, but went straight to the public school in the county town.

Amidst the chaos of war, students who received the news had already fled for refuge.

The school was empty.

When they were still a hundred paces from the school, Huang Qi had already dismounted.

Walking slowly forward, I saw the middle-aged man pinned to the ground in a nearby hut.

He waved his hand, signaling to bring the person over.

After entering the school, Huang Qi looked around.

The tables, chairs, and benches were replaced with new ones a few years ago.

Only the plaque proclaiming "Learning by Doing" still hangs in the very center.

Huang Qi walked to the signboard and looked up at it.

The plaque was written by the old master himself, and after so many years, it has certainly weathered many storms.

This reminded him of when he was just an eight or nine-year-old child who secretly learned this skill.

He was often slapped on the hand by the old teacher, which made him a laughingstock among the students.

Having offended the provincial education commissioner, he went to Changming Prefecture to take the imperial examination instead.

He was gone for nearly twenty years.

When he returned, he was already middle-aged with graying temples.

The middle-aged man living in the hut was brought over.

Although he was disheveled, there was no panic in his eyes, only resentment.

Huang Qi didn't look at him, but asked, "Where is the old teacher who used to work here?"

"What's it to you! Traitors and rebels deserve to be killed by everyone!"

The soldier raised his knife to strike, yelling, "You bastard, how dare you speak to our commander like that!"

The middle-aged man showed no fear, sneering, "What general? He's nothing but a bandit leader who wreaks havoc on the world! Kill him if you want, why all this nonsense!"

He was of a fierce temperament and fearless in the face of death.

Huang Qi signaled the soldiers to release the man, then turned around and said, "I was once a student here, and Master Fu was my mentor."

The middle-aged man was taken aback. The leader of the refugee army that was wreaking havoc on the world was from Zhangnan County.

He suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, "You're Ah Qiao?"

Huang Qi raised an eyebrow. This nickname hadn't been used since his parents passed away.

"I am Qiao Ziyan," the middle-aged man said, then spat and said, "Fortunately, before his death, the Master said that if you return in the future, you can stay here to study."

"I never imagined that you, who secretly studied these things as a child, would not only fail to change your ways as an adult but would instead intensify your ambition to usurp the country!"

Huang Qi then remembered that the other person was one of his students from back then.

He was only a few years older than me, and before he left, he was already a scholar who had passed the imperial examination.

His words caused Huang Qi's eyes to darken slightly.

The Master has passed away.

When I think about it, the Master was already very old when he left.

So many years have passed, he should indeed no longer be alive.

Turning his head to look again at the plaque hanging in the classroom that read "Learning by Doing," Huang Qi felt a pang of sadness.

He sighed and said, "I will order people not to disturb you. The students can continue their classes as usual."

Qiao Ziyan remained indifferent and ignored him.

Huang Qi didn't linger and turned to leave, hearing Qiao Ziyan's fierce cursing behind him.

"Wielding weapons and causing chaos throughout the world, harboring wolfish ambitions, they are intolerable to Heaven and Earth!"

"How can such behavior be worthy of the Master's teachings! Traitor!"

The soldiers, filled with murderous intent, ran over to Huang Qi and said, "General, this man is spewing vulgarities. Let's just kill him as an example to others!"

Huang Qi shook his head again. He knew that what he was doing was considered heinous by many people.

Qiao Ziyan possessed the integrity of a Confucian scholar, preferring death to dishonor, so it was perfectly normal for him to be criticized.

"General, you should go to the county government office to rest," someone advised.

Huang Qi did not respond, but instead rode his horse towards Pingshui Town.

Every household here kept their doors and windows tightly shut. Although orders had been issued not to disturb them, the stalls that were still exposed and not taken away were still looted clean.

The refugee army, who had fought and looted their way in, was already showing the utmost restraint by not kicking down doors and entering houses.

After taking a walk around Pingshui Town, I found that the houses from back then were long gone, occupied by other families.

The only shops I was somewhat familiar with were a few.

After a slight hesitation, Huang Qi led a few guards toward Songguo Village.

The Master has passed away; I wonder if he is still alive.

If he's not here, then there's nothing left to worry about.

Songguo Village also received news of the impending attack by the refugee army, and the villagers all hid in their homes, not daring to come out.

Hearing the sound of horses' hooves outside, some people were so frightened that they hid under the bed.

Huang Qi had been here many times, and compared to his memory, the changes were not significant.

As he approached the familiar residence, he dismounted ahead of time.

Huang Qi tied the horse to a nearby tree and walked over.

The closer I get, the faster my heart beats.

The Master taught him a lot of knowledge, helped him learn many characters, and made him understand many principles.

But his life enlightenment came from this gentleman in Songguo Village.

Huang Qi's respect for Chu Xun was no less than his respect for his teacher.

Upon arriving at the courtyard, the gate was not closed, but rather ajar.

The soldiers behind him looked up at the row of crows perched on the eaves, their faces filled with horror.

What a huge crow! It's almost as tall as a person!

Huang Qi wasn't too surprised; on the contrary, he felt a sense of familiarity as he looked at the crows.

Just as he raised his hand to push the door open, he seemed to remember something.

He immediately took half a step back, removed his armor and weapons, straightened his clothes, and tidied his hair.

He then took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door: "Ah Qiao, I've come to pay my respects to you, sir."

The soldiers, holding their armor and weapons, looked at each other in bewilderment.

Is the commander so respectful to the people here?

A young man's voice came from the courtyard: "The door is open, come in."

Huang Qi did not hesitate any longer and pushed the door open to enter.

There were young people, around seventeen or eighteen years old, sitting beside the vegetable garden in the courtyard, picking vegetables.

Two freshly pulled green radishes lay at my feet, still covered in fresh soil.

Huang Qi looked at him, hesitating, unsure of how to begin.

Chu Xun turned to look at him and asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Huang Qi was certain that this was not the person he was looking for.

If I remember correctly, the gentleman should be almost seventy years old. Even if he hadn't passed away, he should be too old to walk.

The person in front of me is so young that he looks more like a grandson.

Even a great-grandson wouldn't be surprising.

But when Chu Xun spoke to him, he felt no fear, but rather the illusion that it was the casual remark of an elder.

Huang Qi asked, "Mr. Chu Xun, who is he to you?"

"It's my grandfather."

"Where are the others?"

"He has gone to wander the world and will not return."

Huang Qi was stunned. "Sir, you're so old, why are you still traveling around?"

It would be easier to accept if we said it was a passing away.

Chu Xun knew he didn't quite believe him, so he said, "I know you, A-Qiao. You used to be a tenant farmer in my family. Later, you failed the imperial examination and became a salt worker."

The soldiers were even more confused. Was the commander a tenant farmer of this family?

Shouldn't we hate it even more?

Huang Qi's eyes lit up slightly: "The master mentioned me to you?"

"nature."

Chu Xun walked to the water vat, scooped water to wash the mud off the radish, and then handed one to Huang Qi.

"Try it, it's delicious."

His movements were so casual that Huang Qi instinctively took it with both hands, but after realizing what had happened, he felt surprised.

This kid—

Several weasels dragged over a stool, and Chu Xun sat down, saying, "You've come so far, sit down."

The soldiers looked at the stools that had been pushed over, then ran to the vegetable garden to pull up a few radishes, carried them to the water vat, and stood on tiptoe to wash the weasel.

His eyes were practically popping out of their sockets.

Is this thing about to become sentient?

Huang Qi had seen the weasel in the yard before, but it wasn't as intelligent as it is now.

He suddenly felt a greater sense of respect for the young Chu Xun.

He immediately sat down, then turned to his head and said, "You all go out first."

The soldiers dared not disobey and quickly withdrew from the courtyard.

Chu Xun smiled and said, "It seems you are very strict with your subordinates. It would be a pity if you really became a civil official."

Huang Qi held the radish in both hands and unconsciously sat up straight.

He didn't know why he was sitting so formally in front of this young man; it was just an unconscious act.

Chu Xun asked, "You've already conquered this far, occupying half of Jing Kingdom's territory. What are your plans next? Do you really intend to become emperor yourself?"

Huang Qi did not answer immediately. After breaking through Hongfeng Pass, many people below did indeed say that he should overthrow the Jing Kingdom and establish a new dynasty.

Some of them are genuinely supportive, while others have ulterior motives.

As long as the Jing Kingdom still exists, they are traitors.

When the new dynasty was established, they were the founding heroes.

The difference is huge!

"Hesitation means you want to," Chu Xun said.

Huang Qi looked at him but still didn't answer. Instead, he asked a seemingly unrelated question: "How old are you this year?"

"Seventeen."

A hint of admiration flashed in Huang Qi's eyes as he said, "When I was your age, I didn't have such demeanor. You truly deserve to be the master's grandson."

He took a slow breath in and then slowly exhaled.

Then his eyes gradually hardened, and he said, "You're right, I do want to."

"The salt workers' uprising was initially intended to alleviate the people's suffering and promote wealth distribution."

"But along the way, I have witnessed countless instances of corruption and abuse of power."

Chu Xun interrupted him: "So if you become emperor, all of this will disappear?"

Huang Qi said, "I've asked myself that question too, and the answer is maybe there are, but definitely not as many as there are now."

How did you know?

I believe in myself.

""

Chu Xun shook his head: "You're too idealistic. It's like when you were taking the college entrance exam. You thought that if you had talent, you should pass. But you forgot that many things in this world can't be decided by talent alone."

"Just like the radish in your hand, it's fresh now, but it won't be long before it rots."

"The same goes for dynasties; no matter how many dynasties come and go, they are just fresh radishes that haven't rotted yet."

"It's just that some radishes rot quickly, and some radishes rot slowly."

Huang Qi understood the logic behind this analogy.

But he didn't agree.

"Jingguo, this radish, is already rotten."

"Minister of Revenue Zhang Jingheng has proposed a national policy that can save the situation."

"If I become emperor, I will also implement his national policies."

"Emperor Chongming was also promoting this, so what difference does it make who is emperor?"

Huang Qi was stumped and didn't know how to answer the question.

Chu Xun said, "If you have other reasons, I can ignore them."

"But if it's just for the sake of becoming emperor, that won't do."

"So, do you have any other reasons?"

The guardian of Fenggu City is stone.

Huan'er was the one guarding Hulao Pass.

Even more so, Tang Shijun risked his life to fight for the Jing Kingdom and its people, and died for it.

Jing Kingdom is indeed like a rotten radish, but there is a knife cutting away the rotten parts.

Based on what I've heard over the years, the refugee army is not suited to create a new dynasty.

There are too many selfish people who have lost their belief in serving the people.

If it weren't for them, Chu Xun would actually be quite happy to see Huang Qi become emperor, since they were considered his own people.

Unfortunately, I knew Huan'er and Shi Tou earlier and was closer to them.

Huang Qi slowly stood up and stared at Chu Xun.

He did indeed have a reason that had faded from memory, but it was now being brought back to mind.

But he didn't want to say the reason.

Or rather, they knew in their hearts that the reason was no longer the main cause.

He stared intently at Chu Xun and said, "You want to interfere? How are you going to do it?"

A hint of anger gradually rose in his eyes.

Even if he were the master's grandson, he shouldn't speak to him like that!

Theoretically speaking, the other party is a junior.

Chu Xun could sense his anger. A man who had experienced war and held a great advantage was not one to listen to advice.

He sighed and said, "You should go."

Huang Qi did not get angry; he calmed down after a few breaths.

He patted the radish in his hand and said, "When I become emperor in the future, I will come to find you again. At that time, I will give you radish to eat."

After saying that, he turned and walked out the door.

The soldiers outside the door rushed forward, and Huang Qi casually tossed a radish to one of them: "Here, have some."

The soldier quickly accepted the gift, saying, "Thank you for the reward, Commander!"

Huang Qi put on his armor, mounted his horse, and took the weapon.

He glanced at the crows on the eaves, his gaze darkened slightly, and then without a word, he pulled on the reins, spurred his horse, and rode away.

As the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, Chu Xun, sitting in the courtyard, shook his head slightly.

This Ah Qiao is just like he was when he was young; he won't listen to advice.

Several weasels, holding radishes, nestled beside him, happily munching on them.

The radish peel was slightly spicy, and they ate it while wagging their tails.

Chu Xun patted the weasel's head: "Being greedy is bad."

Huang Qi returned to the county seat and took over the Zhangnan County Government.

"Retrieve the military map, and allow the entire army to rest for three days. Once the scouts report back, we will immediately attack Fenggu City!"

"I will take Fenggu City and decide the fate of the world in one battle!"

Inside the county government office, the soldier who had been rewarded with radishes was pestered by three other men who insisted on sharing some with him.

I've eaten radishes before, but this is a gift from the commander-in-chief; it can't be the same as this.

The soldier, unable to find a way out, had no choice but to take out a knife and cut the radish open.

However, when the knife struck, he exclaimed in surprise.

"Huh, why is this radish rotten?"

The radish, with its shiny outer skin, was hollow and shriveled inside, as if all the moisture had been drained.