In the official office of Ye Duxingying, Guo Wei got up early, had some light meals, and then practiced martial arts in the courtyard.

Guo Wei only wore a coarse brown linen robe, his hair was tied up casually with a scarf, and he held a wild goose feather knife in his hand. He opened his tiger eyes angrily with a stern look on his face, and danced the long knife step to walk around the dragon. The wind blew under his feet and stirred the whole body.

Scattered snowflakes were flying.

This Yanling knife was brought back by Chai Rong from Jingzhou. The blade is straight, the tip is curved, and it looks like a wild goose feather. It is made of fine steel and is extremely sharp. It is a rare sword. Guo Wei couldn't put it down as soon as he saw it.

It's just that the handle and scabbard are covered in gold, which looks a bit tacky. It's too eye-catching to wear with you. Guo Wei doesn't like it very much and plans to find a craftsman to make the handle and scabbard again.

Just after practicing for a while, Chai Rong ran over excitedly carrying a Yanling knife with a silver handle. Both father and son were stunned when they saw it.

"Good morning, Father!" Chai Rong bowed and smiled.

Guo Wei stood up with his sword put away and said with a smile: "Dalang just came back from Shenzhou, why don't you take a good rest for a few days? Or did the news of practicing swordsmanship for your father wake you up?"

Chai Rong said hurriedly: "My son rested for a whole day yesterday and his energy has recovered. Yedu seems to be peaceful, but the hidden risk of war in Hebei has not been eliminated. The Khitan people have stationed troops in Jixian and are watching with eager eyes. My son dare not slack off!"

"

Chai Rong raised the sword in his hand and said with a smile: "I am more diligent than playful. I haven't practiced swordsmanship for a long time. The child is worried that his martial arts will deteriorate and he will not be as handsome as his father!"

Guo Wei stroked his beard with an appreciative look on his face. He was about to say a few words of praise when he suddenly realized the meaning of Chai Rong's words. He glared and cursed with a smile: "Good boy! Are you saying that my father's martial arts skills are not as good as yours?"

Chai Rong said with a smile: "The boxer is afraid of young people. If it were twenty years ago, when the handsome father was the same age as the child, the child would naturally not dare to compare with the handsome father! Now... haha~"

Chai Rong shook his head. The meaning was obvious. No matter how ferocious the tiger was, it would eventually grow old.

Guo Wei laughed loudly like thunder: "Da Lang is arrogant! As a father, I will teach you a lesson today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Guo Wei shoveled the snow on the ground with his toes and flew it towards Chai Rong.

Chai Rong drew his sword out of its sheath with a clang, took a step back and slashed with the sword, breaking into pieces the pieces of snow flying towards him.

"Haha~ My father is waging an undeclared war. He wants to catch his son by surprise, but the trick is actually a little more insidious!"

"On the battlefield, there is only victory or defeat, and there is no difference in whether the means are sinister or despicable, as long as they work! Be careful, you man, I will kill you!"

The father and son immediately swung their knives and beat each other from one end of the courtyard to the other. The whole courtyard was filled with sharp swords, mud and snow splashed everywhere, and it was a mess.

"Stop!~"

A quarter of an hour later, Guo Wei suddenly stopped. He bent down with a long knife and gasped for air. Thick white breath came out of his mouth, and hot sweat broke out on his head.

Chai Rong was also sweating profusely. Taking advantage of his youth, he became more energetic the more he fought. He held the knife in his hand and smiled with unfinished content: "How do you think your sword skills are with these hands? Father please correct me!"

Guo Wei felt his throat was dry, waved his hands and said angrily: "I'm getting old, I feel exhausted after fighting so fiercely for a while."

Chai Rong put away his sword and walked over to help him: "My father's martial arts skills are still the same as before, but my son only relies on his youth and strength to win a small victory."

Guo Wei handed him the knife, returned to the corridor and sat down on the steps, beating his back and sighing: "Time is really not forgiving! I remember that in Yaoshan, I fought alone against more than a dozen green-skinned bullies. From the village

I chased my head to the end of the village and ran around all over the mountains and plains without breathing for two or three hours..."

Chai Rong also sat down beside him and said with a smile: "My father was only sixteen or seventeen years old at that time. He was about the same age as Shouyun and Fengchao. He was a newborn calf and was not afraid of tigers. How could he know he was tired?"

"Yes~" There was a look of nostalgia in Guo Wei's vicissitudes of life, and there was deep tenderness in his eyes.

"Brother Qing, Brother Yi has grown up, Shouyun and Fengchao are as strong as calves. Even Brother Ding, Brother Yi and Brother Cheng are almost as big as us."

Gao! I can’t do it if I don’t accept it~”

Chai Rong said with a smile: "Before I left home, Shouyun and Fengchao pestered me to tell my father that they would also have the opportunity to go out with the army. I promised that when they turned seventeen, I would allow them to join the army and go into battle to kill the enemy.

"

Guo Wei smiled and said: "You and I are about the same age when we set foot on the battlefield. Shouyun and Fengchao will be seventeen next year. Then you can take them with you as personal guards and teach them well."

Chai Rong was startled, "Shouyun and Fengchao are father's nephews and sons of the Guo family. Wouldn't father personally take them with him and teach them? Wouldn't it be too unfair for them to start as personal guards?"

Guo Wei waved his hand and said seriously: "When my father joined the army, he was just a soldier under the command of Li Jitao, the governor of Luzhou. When you joined the army ten years ago, my father also asked you to remain anonymous and serve in the Tianxiong Army.

Started as a small town soldier.

Nowadays, Shouyun and Fengchao are many times better off than our father and son used to be, so it is even more necessary to strictly control them and never develop a arrogant, lazy and lazy temper!"

Chai Rong nodded: "My father taught me, and my son has remembered it."

Guo Wei looked at him and said with a smile: "There is one more thing you have to remember. You are my eldest son at any time. In the future, this family fortune will still be handed over to you. Shouyun and Fengchao are the children of my Guo family.

, and more importantly, your brother. Only by supporting and helping each other can you take good care of this family!"

Chai Rong could feel the deep affection between father and son in his words, his eyes turned slightly red, he clasped his fists and whispered: "The child will definitely live up to his father's expectations!"

Guo Wei patted his shoulder with his rough and gentle hands and laughed: "Help me up! After resting for a while, it won't be a problem for us to fight for another hundred and eighty rounds!"

Chai Rong laughed: "My father has a destiny, how dare I refuse to accompany him!"

Just as the father and son were about to get into a stance and compete with each other in swordsmanship, the supervisor Wang Jun arrived with two servants.

"Shuai Guo has worked hard at practicing martial arts. Please drink a cup of hot tea to relieve your fatigue!" Wang Jun diligently served the tea with his own hands, "This is the winter buds that Xiaguan specially found from Yedu City last year. It is fragrant and delicious!"

Guo Wei took the tea and tasted it. He thought it tasted good and drank it all in one gulp: "It's really good tea! Wang Jianjun is really interested!"

Wang Jun smiled like a chrysanthemum, and offered tea to Chai Rong with a flattering smile: "General Chai, please have a drink too!"

Chai Rong glanced at him coldly, put the sword back into its sheath with a clang, and said coldly: "Thank you Wang Jianjun. Chai Rong is a warrior and is used to being vulgar. I'm afraid he won't be able to enjoy the treasures that Wang Jianjun has collected everywhere!

"

Wang Jun hurriedly explained: "General Chai has wrongfully accused me! These were all given to me by the proprietor of the tea house. He said he asked me to give them to Mr. Guo as a token of my filial piety to Mr. Guo!"

Chai Rong said calmly: "The general has heard about what Wang Jianjun did in Yedu City. Please Wang Jianjun take care of yourself and don't ruin the reputation of our Tianxiong Army! Otherwise... hum~"

Chai Rong snorted heavily, with a strong warning, bowed to Guo Wei and strode out of the courtyard.

"Alas~ General Chai misunderstood the subordinates deeply!~"

Wang Jun's eyes flashed with annoyance, but his face looked sad and he sighed.

Guo Wei smiled and comforted: "Wang Jianjun, there is no need to worry about it. I have said that all previous festivals are in the past. My uncle is not a narrow-minded person. He will not hate you because of old conflicts. After a while, I will see you again."

Find an opportunity to resolve the gap between you two."

"Thank you Guo Shuai for your understanding! I am deeply grateful!" Wang Jun thanked him hurriedly.

"Wang Jianjun came to see me, but what's the urgent military matter?" Guo Wei asked.

Wang Jun took out an official letter and said: "This is the military report just sent from Zhenzhou. General Shi Yanchao received a detailed report, saying that a rebellion broke out in Dading Prefecture in Zhongjing of the Liao Kingdom (in the Chifeng area of ​​Inner Mongolia), and Princess Abli and

The prince-in-law Xiao Han conspired with Yelu Anduan, the leader of the Dongdan Kingdom, to rebel. When it was revealed, Emperor Yelu Ruan of the Liao Dynasty was furious and mobilized heavy troops to encircle and suppress him. The two sides fought in the city, causing heavy casualties!"

Guo Wei was overjoyed and hurriedly took the military report and read it carefully.

"Hahaha~! Khitan is once again in civil strife. God is really blessing me!"

Guo Wei raised his head and laughed heartily, his mood suddenly became extremely refreshing, just like a bowl of iced sour plum soup in the dog days of summer, cooling his whole body.

Wang Jun complimented: "Before the expedition to Hebei, Guo Shuai judged in front of the officials that the Khitan people's southward march was just a bluff. Now it seems that Guo Shuai had foresight, and the Khitan chaos was not what Guo Shuai expected!

Guo Shuai sees opportunities and strategizes, and he is worthy of being the pillar of our court!"

"Wang Jianjun is so polite. Guo doesn't dare to accept your compliment! What Guo did was just to be loyal to the country and share the worries of the king!"

Guo Wei was in a good mood and did not blame Wang Jun for going too far with his flattery.

Wang Jun looked up at his old chrysanthemum face and said flatteringly: "Shuai Guo is the pillar of the country, and he is favored by God. As soon as Shuai Guo arrived in Hebei, the Khitan people ceased their activities, and the royal family continued to fight among themselves. As a result, the Khitan people had no intention of going south.

Guo Shuai was able to keep Hebei safe for several years without even using a single soldier! The people of Hebei must be grateful for Guo Shuai's achievements and sing praises for Guo Shuai!"

Guo Wei shook his head and said sternly: "With the chaos in Dading Mansion, we don't know how many years of peace we can keep in Hebei. Wang Jianjun shouldn't be too happy too soon!

According to my opinion, Yelu Ruan is quite capable, and with his outstanding military exploits, he has a deep reputation among the Khitan nobles.

Xiao Han, Yelu Anduan and these people are just a mob, and they may not be able to shake Yelu Ruan's throne as emperor.

In less than half a year, the upper echelons of the Khitan will be stable again. No one can say whether Yelu Ruan will organize his troops to go south by then.

Therefore, Hebei’s defense cannot be relaxed at all!”

Wang Jun pretended to listen carefully to the instructions, cupped his hands and said: "Guo Gong's admonition is correct, I will definitely keep Guo Gong's words in mind."

Guo Wei showed the military newspaper and said with a smile: "But the Khitan chaos has really helped us a lot. Within three to five months, Hebei should be safe and sound. Our army's troops, horses, money and food can be mobilized calmly, and the people's

The burden can also be reduced.”

Guo Wei saw that Wang Jun was still holding a letter in his hand and asked: "In addition to military reports, are there any important reports on the front line?"

Wang Jun said with a smile: "This is a private message from General Shi Yanchao. Please ask me to help you plead with Duke Guo and allow him to stay in Ye for a while..."

Guo Wei took the private letter suspiciously, opened it, and glared angrily: "This bastard! He really deserves a beating!"

Shi Yanchao said in a private message that he was not acclimated to the climate in Zhenzhou, suffered from vomiting and diarrhea, and became seriously ill. He hoped that Guo Wei would be kind and allow him to temporarily return to Yedu to recuperate.

"This guy must have gotten sick from eating and drinking in Zhenzhou. Now that he has learned that the Khitans are in civil strife and is unable to go south for the time being, he wants to be lazy and slip back to Ye to live a good life! You bastard!"

Guo Wei was so angry that he cursed loudly.

Shi Yanchao had been following him for many years, and he could guess right what his virtues and thoughts were.

Shi Yanchao had extraordinary martial arts skills, fought bravely and was not afraid of death. He was the most powerful general under his command and relied on Zhong as his confidant.

The shortcomings and advantages of this guy are equally obvious. He is greedy for food, addicted to alcohol, loves beauty, has a rough and reckless temperament, and sometimes likes to play tricks and be lazy and enjoy himself.

Shi Yanchao served as the commander of Longjie's military capital and was ordered to guard Zhenzhou. He did not dare to violate the prohibitions in the army. Now that he knew that the Khitan people were in internal strife and were unable to go south, he thought of returning to Yedu to enjoy himself.
To be continued...