The commander of the Xue Lin City border army, the scattered count of Ning Shuo, the general of the left, the governor of the three passes of Guigu Pass, Qilin Pass, and Xue Lin City, Hu Yan Sheng, led a heavy army to guard the border. His strategy was to defend and not retreat. No matter how the northern steppe barbarians provoked or harassed him, he simply did not leave Xue Lin City. The northern steppe barbarians attacked the city forcefully several times but suffered crushing defeats. For a long time, Xue Lin City and other passes stood like a rock. The northern steppe barbarians could not enter the passes, and therefore, could not move south. They were helpless against the experienced and steady Hu Yan Sheng.
Duo Yong Jian, the Chanyu, who always wanted to move south and had long coveted the Central Plains, hated Hu Yan Sheng to the bone but was also helpless against him.
However, the overseer of the border army, Marquis Luo Qi, disagreed with Hu Yan Sheng. He had always advocated for proactive attacks to expand the territory of the Great Yan, and of course, he would receive generous rewards from the Yan court for this.
He wondered why an eunuch was so keen on seeking out the enemy's main force for battle and expanding territory?
Zhou Fugui understood Luo Qi's words, but he had been in Xue Lin City for less than a year, and for several months, he had been training hard in the Bing Gu Camp. Therefore, he knew nothing about the situation in Xue Lin City.
Whether it was better to proactively attack and seek out the enemy's main force for battle or to hold Xue Lin City and not retreat, Zhou Fugui dared not make a hasty conclusion.
At the same time, Zhou Fugui understood the power struggle involved. It was best to stay out of such matters. Otherwise, a single mistake could lead to his death.
At this moment, Luo Qi's words implied that Zhou Fugui should choose sides, either as an enemy or a friend. If Zhou Fugui sided with Luo Qi, he would surely offend Hu Yan Sheng. If he disobeyed Luo Qi, he would naturally offend him as well.
Zhou Fugui could not afford to offend either side, and he found himself in a dilemma.
Normally, Hu Yan Sheng treated Zhou Fugui as a servant, while Luo Qi elevated him so much. Zhou Fugui should have immediately joined his ranks, sworn allegiance to the heavens, and expressed his gratitude. However, Zhou Fugui was unwilling to do anything unclear, and he had some unexplainable reasons or feelings.
"Eunuch Hou..." Zhou Fugui said to Luo Qi after a long period of deliberation, "Who wouldn't desire to achieve great deeds, be enfeoffed as a marquis, and even have beautiful wives and concubines? It is my wish! As long as you have any commands, Eunuch, I will go through fire and water for you. But my status, my actions, you should know, Eunuch. I have offended quite a few people in the court. What can be done? Some people in the court hate me to the bone and wish for my quick demise. Therefore, I only seek to survive and dare not have any other extravagant desires."
Zhou Fugui's reply was ambiguous, neither agreeing nor refusing, not closing off all possibilities, leaving room for maneuver.
"What exactly are you afraid of?" Luo Qi was somewhat displeased upon hearing this. He looked at Zhou Fugui, wanting to know if he was deliberately evading or if he truly had concerns.
If it were anyone else, upon Luo Qi showing a little favor, they would swear to the heavens, even kneeling and weeping profusely, expressing immense gratitude, and immediately pledging loyalty like a dog.
But Zhou Fugui was neither obsequious nor arrogant, and his words were ambiguous, making it impossible for Luo Qi to ascertain his intentions.
However, if Zhou Fugui were anyone else, Luo Qi would have immediately expelled him and held a grudge, ensuring Zhou Fugui would have no good fortune in the future.
But Zhou Fugui was too special, which made Luo Qi patiently ask.
"Eunuch Hou knows," Zhou Fugui replied, spreading his hands.
"General Zhou..." Luo Qi said coldly to Zhou Fugui, "To waver between both sides is never a long-term plan. You are a Han Chinese, and in our Great Yan, a Han Chinese needs to attach himself to a strong tree to achieve anything. Otherwise, you will eventually be like duckweed in the wind and floating on the water."
"I... This..." Zhou Fugui was immediately speechless. In his helplessness, he could only stand up, walk to Luo Qi, and kneel on one knee, saying, "I am a humble person. To receive such appreciation from you, Eunuch, how dare I be ungrateful? From now on, I am willing to obey your every command!"
Zhou Fugui had intended to give Luo Qi an ambiguous answer, but thoughts were thoughts, and many things in this world were not as one wished. Luo Qi's words had left Zhou Fugui with no room for maneuver. He could either leave in a huff or bow his head and obey; there was no third option.
So, in his helplessness, Zhou Fugui could only bow his head and obey, putting on a show of willingness to serve. As for whether this tree was a towering tree or a sturdy one, that could only be determined later.
"General Zhou, please rise quickly, please rise quickly." Luo Qi was overjoyed upon seeing this. He helped Zhou Fugui up and said with a smile, "You will not suffer any loss by following me, General Zhou. Wealth and honor will be within easy reach in the future."
Beauties, treasures, and power – no one in the world could resist such temptations. Zhou Fugui was also human, and with a little maneuvering, he could make him comply and willingly obey, Luo Qi thought triumphantly.
Do you have that much ability? You dead eunuch, Zhou Fugui muttered inwardly and then hastily thanked him, "Your subordinate thanks Eunuch Hou."
"Someone, Chen Jinshi, prepare music and silk," Luo Qi said happily, "Today, I will drink to my heart's content with General Zhou!" He summoned musicians to play in the courtyard, and dancers to perform. The musicians and dancers were all beautiful, with bright eyes and white teeth. The musicians were all highly skilled. Moreover, the musicians and dancers were not entirely from the Central Plains. There were many with blonde hair and blue eyes, from the Western Regions, or even further west.
"Her origins are as graceful as swallows, her makeup bright under the candlelight, the first beat of the羯鼓 signals the start of the Six Pao. All the spring's charm is on her, her dancing form swaying. I have seen her before in the deep chambers. Her movements are like a sorrowful Chu wave, she pauses slightly, her heart's words unfinished. A handful of willow strands are powerless, leaning against the east wind."
As an eunuch, Luo Qi had good taste. He must have been educated. His dancing girls were graceful and elegant, and his musicians played beautiful music, with the sound of silk and bamboo, like a paradise.
This elegant and beautiful singing and dancing, music, was the first time Zhou Fugui had experienced since coming into this world. It was incomparable to the decadent music and dance he had seen in the Yan imperial court.
What was this dead eunuch doing in Xue Lin City? Zhou Fugui wondered disdainfully as he watched the performance.
"General Zhou, do you know that the Grand Empress has high hopes for you?" Luo Qi suddenly said to Zhou Fugui after several rounds of drinks.
So this dead eunuch is from Empress Murong Qing's faction? Then this strong tree is Murong Qing? Zhou Fugui muttered inwardly. However, this was not certain. Perhaps this old dead eunuch was testing him? So Zhou Fugui said, "How can someone as insignificant as I be placed in high hopes by the Grand Empress, who is like a celestial being? Eunuch Hou is joking."
If Luo Qi was indeed from the Great Yan's Empress Murong Qing, then it was not inappropriate for Zhou Fugui to join his ranks. The reason was that no matter Murong Qing's purpose, she had always been kind to Zhou Fugui. Without Murong Qing, Zhou Fugui would have been a corpse by now, quickly vanishing into nothingness.
Zhou Fugui had always kept this kindness in his heart.
"General Zhou..." Luo Qi shook his head and smiled. "Heroes are not judged by their origins. Why do you still dwell on your background? Do you know why the Grand Empress has such high hopes for you?"
"I have always been puzzled by this matter. Please enlighten me, Eunuch," Zhou Fugui asked after some thought.
"It is because..." Luo Qi suddenly felt he had drunk too much and spoken too much. Drunkenness often leads to mistakes, and too much talk can also lead to trouble. He shook his head and said, "We will talk about this another day, General Zhou. As long as you can achieve great military exploits at the border, the Grand Empress will be extremely pleased."
"Oh, I would like to achieve great military exploits, but there is no war at the moment. And even if there were a war, I haven't achieved any merit yet, and I might lose my life first..." Zhou Fugui said with a wry smile.
"Haha!" Luo Qi burst into laughter, and the surrounding beauties also giggled, covering their mouths.
...
"You are Liu Xia?" Zhou Fugui asked Liu Xia, who was slightly slender.
"Master, I am," Liu Xia replied.
"Are you Fei Yun?" Zhou Fugui asked Fei Yun, who had an oval face.
"Master, I am Fei Yun," Fei Yun replied in a low voice, her fair oval face flushed with a blush.
Zhou Fugui was temporarily under Luo Qi's command, and he dared not refuse the two maids gifted by him. If he refused, he didn't know what that dead eunuch would think?
So Liu Xia and Fei Yun simply packed their belongings, left Luo Qi's mansion, and followed Zhou Fugui.
Zhou Fugui was utterly helpless. After leaving Luo Qi's mansion, he didn't know where to go...
Zhou Fugui was destined to return to the military camp. Would two young maids follow him back to the camp? Such an absurd situation would make him lose face.
"Alas, two young ladies, there's no need to call me Master." Zhou Fugui shook his head.
Liu Xia and Fei Yun looked at Zhou Fugui blankly, not understanding his meaning.
Liu Xia and Fei Yun had been servants since childhood, meaning they had always had a master. Now that Zhou Fugui told them not to call him Master, what should they call him?
"Master, are you trying to send us away? Do you dislike my sister and me?" Liu Xia asked with tears in her eyes.
"Master, if you want to hit us, hit us. If you want to scold us, scold us. Just don't send us away," Fei Yun said, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Alas, two young ladies, why would I hit or scold you?" Zhou Fugui said hastily, "It's not that I dislike you. I can barely protect myself, so how can I dislike you?"
In fact, Zhou Fugui meant for them to leave on their own, but the pitiful appearance of the two girls made him feel very reluctant.