Northeast of Changshan Commandery, Donggangtou.
The wind intensified, and the rain became denser, falling in torrents. Hailstone-sized raindrops hammered down from the sky, violently striking the hills, trees, grassland, and muddy ground, creating sheets and clumps of mist. The "pattering" sound was like falling pearls.
"Heaven, the pinnacle, supreme and unchallenged!" Amidst the heavy rain, Zhou Fugui pointed his Sky-Shaking Dragon Spear at Murong Chi and roared, "What is this 'Son of Heaven receives mandate from Heaven,' 'Feudal lords receive mandate from the Son of Heaven,' 'Chosen ruler, bestowed by Heaven's will'? And what of 'those who claim to be Son of Heaven, should serve Heaven as a father, serve Heaven with filial piety'? 'Life and death are fated, wealth and honor are in Heaven's hands'? This is likely your thinking, isn't it? You believe you are born noble, destined to enslave others, to view all things under Heaven as mere straw dogs? We common folk are meant to be enslaved by you, to be slaughtered at your whim? To hell with that! Though Zhou was born in poverty and raised in hardship, I will never yield, I swear to resist, to offer my life in exchange, and not rest until death!"
Murong Chi was utterly bewildered by Zhou Fugui's inexplicable outburst, as if venting his frustrations.
At this moment, Murong Chi was completely defenseless. Whether to capture or kill him was entirely up to Zhou Fugui. Yet, Murong Chi was spewing curses. Was there any need for this from someone facing death?
However, Pi E, Hu Jue, and other close guards of Zhou Fugui were deeply moved. The reason was that they were also born into humble beginnings, had been enslaved, and some of them had even fared worse than Zhou Fugui.
The Great General was seen by many as someone or a deity sent from Heaven to liberate them from their suffering.
"You cur, kill me if you will, why speak such nonsense?" Murong Chi craned his neck, ready for execution, and shouted at Zhou Fugui.
Hearing this, Pi E and Hu Jue were enraged. Their animosity flared, and they both spurred their horses forward, intending to end Murong Chi's life.
Those who insult their master shall die! It wasn't just that Murong Chi was a Xianbei noble; even if he were the emperor, Pi E and Hu Jue would have acted without hesitation.
"Retreat!" Zhou Fugui, seeing this, rebuked Pi E and Hu Jue before riding his horse to Murong Chi's side and saying word by word, "You may go."
"You intend to let me go? Why would you let me go?" Murong Chi could hardly believe his ears, asking in disbelief.
"If I say you go, then you go. Why ask so many questions?" Zhou Fugui roared, "Before I change my mind, get lost!"
Zhou Fugui let Murong Chi go, of course, for Murong Huiying's sake. Though they had no fate together in this life, he could not bear to see her saddened further.
Zhou Fugui's actions were undoubtedly fraught with great danger, but at this moment, he could afford to disregard such concerns.
Murong Chi nodded, cast a glance at Zhou Fugui, and then, carrying his notched long saber, limped towards the forest.
Despite his previous arrogance, Murong Chi dared not utter another harsh word to Zhou Fugui now.
"Wait..." Zhou Fugui, leading a horse and carrying a parcel, suddenly caught up to Murong Chi and said, "You can't return to Changshan Commandery. Head north, find a place and live in obscurity."
Having said this, Zhou Fugui tossed the parcel to Murong Chi and rode back.
Murong Chi nodded, climbed onto the horse, and galloped into the forest.
"Fugui, that person is cruel. Why are you so insistent on serving her?" Murong Chi called back to Zhou Fugui after riding a few steps away.
"Do I have a second choice?" Zhou Fugui retorted.
Murong Chi nodded and spurred his horse away.
"Master...?" Murong Chi had long since vanished into the forest, but Zhou Fugui still gazed wistfully at the woods. Pi E draped a straw cloak over Zhou Fugui's shoulders and said.
"Alas, let's go," Zhou Fugui sighed deeply and replied.
"Where to?" Pi E asked.
"Back to the capital!" Zhou Fugui answered.
Youzhou, the place Zhou Fugui was most reluctant to go to at this moment, was a place of sorrow for him. Yet, in Youzhou, he had many people he cared about: his mother, elder sister-in-law, sister, Xiao Qing, and Hutou.
...
The wind continued to blow, the rain continued to fall, and it grew increasingly heavy and urgent. The raging wind and torrential rain seemed to want to destroy everything in the world, to wash away the blood and killing, to conceal all the sins of the world.
Murong Chi, on his horse, rode out of the forest and headed north. He felt increasingly weak, his wounds throbbing with unbearable pain. He swayed precariously on his horse, the pouring rain blurring his vision.
At this moment, several figures clad in straw cloaks appeared before Murong Chi.
"Jin Ci A La!" Murong Chi clenched his notched long saber and roared.
"Heh heh heh heh, Heir of the Left Virtuous King, how have you been?" a Jin Ci A La uttered a chilling laugh.
"Gu Yin Qi Dan, I will haunt you even as a ghost!" Murong Chi mustered all his strength and let out his final roar in this world.
"Those who will not let the humble one off, or rather, ghosts... there are too many. The humble one cannot recall them all," Gu Yin Qi Dan sneered and waved his hand.
Upon receiving the order, the Jin Ci A La swarmed forward. Their sharp blades rose and fell, hacking Murong Chi to death outside the forest in the rainy night.
Alas, the eldest son of the Left Virtuous King Murong Bole, the brave warrior of the battlefield Murong Chi, did not die by Zhou Fugui's hand, but tragically perished in this desolate wilderness.
...
Gu Yin Qi Dan!
In the depths of the forest, Helou Shi clenched her fists, biting her lip until it bled. Her reddened eyes, tears streaming down, mixed with the rain and streaked her face.
Helou Shi, with disheveled hair, lunged forward, wanting to die alongside her son.
"Madam... Madam..." Having endured immense hardship and finally found this place, Helou Shi was left with only one attendant from the Fiery Camp. The attendant, named Duoli, first knocked Murong Lin, Helou Shi's grandson, unconscious to prevent him from alerting the cold-blooded Jin Ci A La. Then, disregarding rank, Duoli held Helou Shi down firmly, muffling her mouth and whispering, "The Second Young Master has only this remaining bloodline. Do not make another sound."
Helou Shi's tears were red. Hearing this, she broke free from Duoli and held Murong Lin tightly in her arms, weeping softly.
"They have left, Madam... shall we set off now?" After a long, long time, the heavy rain finally subsided, turning into a drizzle. The Jin Ci A La had also departed. Outside the forest, the rain continuously washed away the bloodstains on the ground until they were completely clean, as if nothing had happened.
The heads and remains of Murong Chi had already been transported to the capital by the Jin Ci A La to claim their merits.
To the Jin Ci A La, Murong Chi's head and remains, and even his family, were treasures more precious than anything in this world.
Helou Shi was already distraught, weeping to the point of nearly fainting, yet she had no plan.
Duoli carried the young master on his back and supported Helou Shi as they headed north.
The deep hatred of blood would be avenged by the younger generation.
...
"Marquis Pingliang..."
In September of the first year of Yanjian, the Yan army captured Changshan Commandery. The rebellion in Changshan Commandery was quelled, and the army returned to the capital. When Zhou Fugui led his troops back to Youzhou, Yan's maternal uncle and regent, Murong Fu, along with many officials, awaited him at the city gate. Upon seeing Zhou Fugui, Murong Fu greeted him enthusiastically.
"Why has the Maternal Uncle come out to meet me personally? This is too much for this humble one," Zhou Fugui asked faintly, not dismounting his horse, with his hands resting on the saddle.
"Marquis Pingliang, with a surprise attack, achieved consecutive victories, defeated the rebels, and captured and beheaded the ringleader and his entire family, achieving such a monumental feat. Thus, the Empress Dowager ordered this subordinate to come out and welcome you," Murong Fu said with a smile.
Though Zhou Fugui's words were polite, his demeanor was extremely arrogant and disdainful, secretly angering Murong Fu. However, Zhou Fugui was currently a favorite of Empress Dowager Murong Qing, so Murong Fu could only suppress his anger and settle accounts with him when the opportunity arose.
"Captured and beheaded the ringleader and his entire family?" Zhou Fugui looked at Murong Fu in surprise and shook his head, "This general has not encountered the ringleader. I heard his other family members also escaped?"
"Haha, why does Marquis Pingliang say this?" Murong Fu laughed. "The Empress Dowager has already proclaimed to the world that Marquis Pingliang captured and beheaded the ringleader and his entire family. The heads of the ringleader Chi and others are still hanging on the city gate."
"What?" Zhou Fugui was greatly shocked.
He had clearly let Murong Chi escape. Where did another Murong Chi come from?
The family or clansmen of Murong Chi in Changshan Commandery might not have been spared, but this was not his concern. Zhou Fugui had already vaguely guessed something.
"Giddy up..." Zhou Fugui, ignoring Murong Fu further, flicked his whip and led his soldiers towards the city gate at a gallop.
...
Indeed, hundreds of heads were displayed at the gate of Youzhou city, their blood long since dried. One of the heads, recognizable from its features as Murong Chi, stunned Zhou Fugui. He stared blankly, his mind in turmoil.
Zhou Fugui had not killed Murong Chi and his family or clansmen. Yet, Empress Dowager Murong Qing had announced that he had captured and beheaded Murong Chi's entire family. While seemingly bestowing a great merit upon Zhou Fugui, it was a remarkably malicious ploy.
The former subordinates of Murong Bole would undoubtedly resent Zhou Fugui. Those in the court and among the populace who sympathized with Murong Bole would also hate and despise him. And these people were not a minority.
No matter how vicious Murong Qing's methods, she could not possibly kill all of them.
In this way, Zhou Fugui would have to rely on Murong Qing, to be her loyal dog, or perhaps a hound, otherwise, he would become a target of public criticism, even a target of death.
Zhou Fugui did not care about these things. What he cared about was Murong Huiying.
Upon hearing this news, wouldn't Murong Huiying hate Zhou Fugui? She would surely hate him bitterly and detest him intensely.
The last sliver of hope in Zhou Fugui's heart was thus shattered.
"Young Master, Young Master..." Just then, a person rushed forward, crying out loudly.