The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 169 Lao Li: Finally I don’t have to play the villain anymore

Everything remains the same!
Li Yi issued the latest instructions. At present, everything about the situation in Hebei is still unknown.

It is unknown whether Yuan’s army will move south next year or the year after.

How can we let the slightest disturbance throw us off balance?
"When faced with a major event, you must remain calm. If an enemy comes, we will fight him. If a flood comes, we will block it with earth."

"No need to panic..."

Li Yi immediately expressed his attitude.

But next, he set his sights on the Jizhou area.

"Shi Yuan, do you know what I am thinking about?"

Li Yi's eyes moved as he stared at a corner of Jizhou on the map, as if thinking about something.

Pang Tong smiled and said:

"I guess you are considering recruiting new forces?"

Oh?
Li Yi couldn't help laughing when he heard this, "Shi Yuan is really smart, really smart..."

After saying this, he turned his gaze to the map of Jizhou.

"Then Shi Yuan, tell me, is there any other force in the Jizhou area that is worthy of our Henan reinforcements?"

"…Black Mountain Army."

Pang Tong said in a decisive tone.

In the past, Zhang Jue called himself General Tiangong and gathered the disciples to start an uprising.

Because their followers all wore yellow scarves on their heads, they were called the Yellow Turban Army.

The uprising was so massive that it spanned states and counties and almost swept the entire world.

But it was ultimately suppressed by the three heroes of the late Han Dynasty: Huangfu Song, Lu Zhi and Zhu Jun.

Although the Yellow Turbans were defeated, bandits still rose up all over the country.

There were countless bandits in Baoshan who gathered in the woods.

In the mountains of Jizhou, there were bandits traveling back and forth, and they were called the "Black Mountain Bandits."

There are so many of them that they frequently disturb the villages.

The most powerful group was led by Sui Gu, Yang Feng, Yu Du, Li Damu, Bai Rao and others who raised troops in the mountains and valleys.

In the second year of Chuping, Sui Gu gathered more than 100,000 Black Mountain troops to attack Weijun and Dongjun, and compete with Cao Cao for Yanzhou.

Later, Cao Cao won the victory, and Sui Gu became a general under Zhang Yang, the governor of Henei.

However, as the emperor was visiting Chen, Zhang Yang, following Dong Zhao's advice, abandoned Henei and moved to Chen.

He stayed in the Chen court as an official, but his former Black Mountain general Sui Gu and others did not follow Zhang Yang to the Chen court.

After all, they are Black Mountain bandits, not to mention whether the court is willing to pardon their crimes.

Just considering their huge number, the Chen court could not afford to support them.

It would be better to stay in the mountains of Jizhou and live a carefree and happy life.

How can I allow others to snore on my bed?

Jizhou is Yuan Shao’s base camp. How could he share the country with this group of Black Mountain Army?

Therefore, the Black Mountain Army has a core conflict of interest with Yuan Shao.

Although Gongsun Zan was trapped in Yijing, he still found a way to contact the Black Mountain bandits and invited them to join him in attacking Yuan Shao from the north and the south.

Although it did not cause any serious harm to Yuan Shao, it did disgust the people of Hebei.

Regardless of the combat effectiveness of the Montenegrin Army, their numbers alone are a force that cannot be ignored.
The history books say, "The Black Mountain bandits Yu Du, Bai Rao, Sui Gu and others led more than 100,000 people to invade Wei County."

Is the number of these more than 100,000 Black Mountain bandits inflated?

This is just like the millions of Yellow Turban bandits, they actually included their families in the count.

Each bandit brought his family with him, so the number of people easily exceeded 100,000.

However, this does not mean that the Black Mountain Bandits are not worth winning over.

"Since Sui Gu and his ilk had followed Sima Zhang before, if they want to subdue the Black Mountain tribe, they should discuss the matter with Sima Zhang first."

Pang Tong advised.

"...Well, what Shi Yuan said makes a lot of sense."

"You should immediately bring my seal and invite Sima Zhang to Xia Pi to discuss this matter."

Li Yi immediately handed his seal to Pang Tong and entrusted him to go to the court in Chen to invite Zhang Yang to Xuzhou.

Pang Tong took the order and rushed to Chen State overnight.

Since the State of Chen was nearby, it didn't take much time.

Soon I saw Zhang Yang.

After Zhang Yang returned to the court, he lived a day-to-day life.

Use it when you are hungry and throw it away when you are full.

The main goal is to play badly...

After court that day, Zhang Yang was having a banquet in his mansion.

However, it was Dong Zhao who first brought the seals and tokens from Xuzhou.

"Sima Zhang is so comfortable, but he doesn't know that disaster is about to happen?"

As soon as Dong Zhao entered the gate, he started to speak alarmingly.

Zhang Yang was shocked when he heard this, he sat up in shock and asked hurriedly:
"Why do you speak like that, Gongren? What harm do I have to do with it?"

Dong Zhao handed him Li Yi's seal and said, "Take a look at it."

This is……

Zhang Yang took the token, not understanding its meaning.

"This is the seal of Marquis Li Tan."

Hey!

When Zhang Yang heard that it was Li Yi's imperial seal, he almost lost his balance with both hands.

He gently placed it on the table, slapped his head, and said in surprise:

"I have never had any grudges against Li Ziyu, so why does he want to summon me to Xuzhou?"

Zhang Yang couldn't understand what he meant and looked at Dong Zhao, but Dong Zhao didn't reply.

Then Zhang Yang walked up to Dong Zhao, bowed respectfully and said:
"Yang Shi is ignorant, please teach me, Mr. Gong Ren!"

After a slight pause, he said loudly, "Please teach me, sir!"

Dong Zhao then smiled and analyzed for Zhang Yang calmly:
"The world is bustling for profit, and the world is bustling for profit."

"Although the general has no grudge against Li Tanhou, can you guarantee that you have not violated the interests of Xuzhou?"

This……

This made Zhang Yang even more confused, as he had previously been an official in Hanoi.

After arriving in the State of Chen to protect the king, he devoted himself to making trouble and enjoying the rest of his life.

How could it infringe upon Xuzhou’s interests?

"General, do you still remember why Zhao advised you to abandon Hanoi and stay in Chen?" Dong Zhao asked.

"Because the gentleman said that Hanoi is a place of trouble and will be involved in war sooner or later."

"……exactly."

Dong Zhao nodded and said with his hands behind his back, "Yuan Benchu has swept the world and dominated the country, thinking himself very proud and successful."

"Sooner or later, we will cross the Yellow River to attack Henan."

"It was with this in mind that Cao Sikong and General Liu put aside their old grudges and formed an alliance to fight against the troops from Hebei."

"What does this have to do with me?" Zhang Yang asked.

Dong Zhao rolled his eyes at him but continued talking.

"When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact?"

"Once the war starts, how can a small country like Chen escape the calamity?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Yang was instantly reminded.

Yes, although the State of Chen was located in Yuzhou, it was the northernmost part of Yuzhou.

Once Yuan's army breaks through Yanzhou, how can Chen State escape?

It seems that Zhang Yang has lived a comfortable life for too long, so much so that he almost forgot that the world is not peaceful nowadays.

Dong Zhao looked at Zhang Yang and said seriously:
"The general is in Chendi, thinking he has nothing to worry about."

"Little do they know that this peaceful life was not given by the emperor, but by Cao Sikong and General Liu."

"It is because of these two that the State of Chen was able to avoid war and invasion."

"If these two fail, the State of Chen will perish!"

Dong Zhao's words were not alarmist, but a statement of fact.

The State of Chen was already one of the most peaceful and prosperous counties in the world.

There is no other reason. With the protection of the two powerful forces, Cao Cao and Liu Bei, who dares to invade?

Besides, Chen State was originally a prosperous place, and it was the ancestral home of the Yuan family.

"……I see."

Zhang Yang gradually came to his senses and sat down on the ground, "Sir, do you want me to surrender to Cao and Liu?"

Although Chen was a small country, it had all the necessary facilities.

The entire Han Dynasty court is here, so the government agencies are naturally not simple.

But the most important thing is that the State of Chen actually has an armed force that cannot be underestimated.

There are three main strands:
The first group was naturally the personal troops of Prince Chen Liu Chong, who were armed with powerful crossbows to defeat Zhang Shi.

Although their number is small, their combat power is extremely strong.

The second group was Dong Cheng, the uncle of the King who served the King all the way and was in charge of the Imperial Guards.

Previously, when he was protecting the emperor, he was the one who dealt with the two thieves, Jue and Si, and invited Yang Feng, Han Xian and others to come and protect the emperor together.

Although Dong Cheng's troops were not large and their combat power was not the strongest, he was the emperor's close attendant and had a high status.

The last group is Zhang Yang's troops who stayed in Chen.

When he came to the State of Chen with the king, his followers were naturally raised here.

Zhang Yang's troops are the strongest and largest in number.

Because this tribe originated from the border and has been fighting against foreign races for many years, its combat power is amazing.

But they are naturally not immune to the shortcomings of border troops.

When the army had poor discipline, they liked to plunder the local civilians.

When Zhang Yang first arrived in Chen, his generals secretly raided the counties and prefectures of Chen.

For this, he was specifically criticized by Liu Chong.

At first, all the generals in Henei did not take Liu Chong seriously, but Zhang Yang was afraid that the matter would become a big deal and end badly.

So he discussed with Liu Chong and decided that King Chen should provide money and food every month to support the Qu people in Henei.

Zhang Yang would be restrained by this and promised to defend the national defense of the State of Chen.

The two sides hit it off and finally resolved the coexistence issue peacefully.

If the three military forces of Chen State were to be combined, even if Cao and Liu joined forces, it would still take some effort to defeat them.

Now that the war is raging in Henan and Hebei, how can these landlocked countries stay out of it?
Even if they wanted to stand by and watch, their geographical location did not allow them to do so.

"Zhao doesn't want the general to join Cao and Liu, but in the battle between Hebei and Henan, the general must choose a side."

"Yuan Shao is far away in Hebei. If we surrender to him, the armies of Cao and Liu will arrive tomorrow. Who will save the State of Chen from danger?"

"On the contrary, if they rely on Henan, they will only aim to deal with Hebei."

"My Chen land will have Yanzhou and Xuzhou as my wings and protection, and the general will be able to protect himself and his men."

“Isn’t this the best of both worlds?”

After hearing this, Zhang Yang pondered for a moment.

After a long while, he held Dong Zhao's hand and sighed:
"Gongren's words really opened my eyes, like the clouds have been cleared and the sun has been shining!"

"Sir, you are right! The war in Hebei and Henan concerns the whole world."

"Yang Duan can't stay out of this!"

In this battle, Zhang Yang must choose a side.

Help Cao and Liu to defeat Yuan Shao, and you can also get the credit of being a dragon follower.

If you lose, it's all over.

"...Then Marquis Li Tan summoned me to Xuzhou?"

"Li Ziyu is a man of wisdom and strategy, why would he need to use a knife to kill someone?"

"Since he summoned the general, why should the general be suspicious?"

Dong Zhao spoke up and tried to persuade Zhang Yang with kind words.

"General, it would be best if you only take a dozen light cavalry with you."

"First, it shows the general's sincerity, and second, the light cavalry can pass through, so don't make the Marquis of Tan wait too long."

Zhang Yang followed his advice and immediately selected a dozen light cavalry to follow Pang Tong to Xia Pi.

Along the way, Zhang Yang was still quite nervous.

He had met Li Yi once before in the court, but it was only a brief encounter.

The two had never had direct communication, and it was unknown whether this young county marquis was easy to get along with.

Someone had already reported Zhang Yang's whereabouts to Li Yi, so Li Yi went out of the city in person to greet him.

He gave orders to prepare chariots, tents, banners, and armor, and to make sure they were bright.

Zhang Yang's men saw Li Yi from afar and sighed, "I didn't expect the Marquis of Tan to treat me with such courtesy!"

Pang Tong was beside him and said, "I will inform Marquis Tan first. General, please wait a moment."

Zhang Yang thanked him and said thank you for your trouble.

Pang Tong immediately urged his horse to rush to Li Yi and told him what had happened.

Li Yi agreed and ordered his men to give Zhang Yang 100 taels of gold.

Zhang Yang was surprised, happy, and a little frightened.

I didn't expect that I got the gold just after arriving in Xuzhou and before doing anything.

Is there really such a beautiful thing in the world?
"I have heard for a long time that Xuzhou is rich. Now that I see it, I can see that people are not lying to me."

Zhang Yang was thinking this when he was pulled into the city by Li Yi.

He was then introduced to the officials of Xuzhou and reminisced about the past.

Then the real business is revealed.

"To be honest with you, General Zhang, I summoned you here because of the matter of Sui Baitu."

Sui Gu, whose courtesy name was Baitu.

A very cute name.

"Oh? So the Marquis of Tan summoned me here for the white rabbit!"

Zhang Yang suddenly realized and felt relieved.

Sui Gu was born a bandit from the Black Mountains, but now everyone is at least a regular member of the imperial court.

We must not associate with traitors.

Fortunately, Zhang Yang had already cut ties with Sui Gu and the others, so he secretly rejoiced.

"To be honest, I summoned General Zhang here to subdue the Black Mountain tribe."

Do you want to recruit?
Zhang Yang frowned and sighed, "This is difficult to handle."

"I know this is a difficult matter, so I came to you, General Zhang."

"Sui Gu and others were your former subordinates. Are you sure you can make them submit to the imperial court?"

Li Yi deliberately emphasized that the Black Mountain Army surrendered to the imperial court, not Cao Cao or Liu Bei.

As I said, politics is a game of face.

Even if he surrendered to the imperial court, it would be equivalent to surrendering to Cao and Liu.

But Li Yiming couldn't say that.

"...Alas." Zhang Yang sighed, "To be honest, my Lord, although Sui Gu and others are my old subordinates, I am not able to control them."

"If not, they wouldn't have returned to Jizhou and become bandits again."

"...Then the general can summon him, is that possible?"

Li Yi had to settle for the next best option since he couldn't directly subdue the Black Mountain tribe.

Then just call these people over.

"That's worth a try. After all, we're working together. I can talk to you as brothers."

"I didn't think you would do that. You won't even give me this little bit of face."

Zhang Yang is still quite confident about this matter.

"...Well then, I'll trouble you, General, to write a letter and send it to Jizhou."

"Invite Sui Baitu and others to come over."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone else brought paper and pen.

It seemed that this matter could not be discussed and Zhang Yang had no choice but to refuse.

Only then did Zhang Yang realize that Li Yi was a smiling tiger, appearing harmless.

But in fact, he is extremely strong and powerful.

Since Zhang Yang had made up his mind to help Henan, he dared not disobey Li Yi's orders.

He picked up the pen and put pen to paper, and finished it quickly.

Pang Tong came over and checked the letter.

After confirming that there was no problem, he picked it up and handed it to Li Yi who was standing beside him.

Zhang Yang saw this and was very happy and touched by the working atmosphere in Xuzhou.

This young man named Pang Tong is also smart and capable.

He looks like he is not even 20 years old, but he has become Gongcao in the mansion of Marquis Tan. It is really amazing.

"I have long heard of Pang Shiyuan's reputation. When I was in the court of Chen, I also often heard Gongren talk about Shiyuan's great virtues."

"It is a great pleasure to meet you today."

Zhang Yang suddenly had an idea and took the initiative to get close to Pang Tong.

Pang Tong thanked him, but his face remained calm and he just said:

"What's the point of talking about a minor official in Xuzhou?"

“I have heard that a horse neighs when it meets a good friend, and a man dies when he meets a good friend.”

"If Tong had not come to Xuzhou with his uncle to study, how would he have met the Marquis of Tan?"

"Having the Marquis of Tan listen to my teachings is the greatest comfort in my life."

Zhang Yang was silent, it seemed that he did not flatter the emperor well.

Pang Tong was the one who truly flattered others invisibly.

Alas, it is in vain that I have served as an official for so many years.

When it comes to observing people's words and expressions, I'm not as good as the younger generation. I feel ashamed.

"I have never heard that Marquis Tan invited Sui Baitu and others to Xuzhou. What is the purpose of this?"

"It's about inviting each other to merge."

Li Yi said calmly, his words were already euphemistic.

It is said to be a merger, but in fact it is an annexation.

Zhang Yang was cautious and optimistic about this, and said worriedly:
"Sui Gu and his ilk are all desperate criminals."

"It's not easy for a human to control it!"

Li Yi smiled upon hearing this and raised his eyebrows.
"Am I an ordinary person?"

This……

Zhang Yang was speechless for a moment, and after a long pause, he continued:

"My Lord, if Sui Baitu and his men are not willing to offer their troops, what should we do?"

Well this...

Li Yi pretended to be embarrassed, looked at Pang Tong, and said quietly:

"If Sui Baitu is unwilling to offer his troops, then I really can't think of a good solution for the time being."

"Why don't you come and think of one for me, Shiyuan?"

Pang Tong has been with Li Yi for some time. With his talent, he has already mastered the skills of observing people's words and expressions.

Don’t you understand what Li Yi means?

I understand. In front of the leader, you have to be the bad guy.

Just like when Li Yi was in front of Liu Bei, he always played the good guy.

Now that we have the young Pang Xiaoniao, there is naturally no need for Li Yi to play the good guy role anymore.

"Sir, the Black Mountain bandits are gathering in the mountains and forests, and it is difficult to wipe them out."

"Moreover, these people are inherently fickle and profit-seeking."

"In the past, Sui Gu and his people had raised troops to attack Weijun and Dongjun. We should not conspire with them."

"If he really comes to Xuzhou for the banquet, we might as well ambush a hundred swordsmen and axemen."

"Your Excellency threw the cup as a signal, and we will lead our men to attack and kill them all at the banquet."

"If this happens, the sword will not be unsheathed, and the bow will not be strung. The Black Mountain bandits can be wiped out in one sitting!"

I go!

Zhang Yang was stunned as he listened. He thought to himself that although Pang Tong looked honest and simple, he did not expect him to be so cruel and ruthless.

Fortunately, I didn't offend him before, otherwise it would be terrible.

"is this okay?"

Li Yi asked calmly.

Pang Tong said with absolute certainty:
"Your Excellency is doing this for General Liu's great cause, for the Han Dynasty and for the people of the world!"

"Why not use extreme?"

Ok……

Children can be taught.

Pang Tong is worthy of being a saintly official, he is very capable of handling things.

Li Yi was very satisfied with this. He put the letter away and said to Zhang Yang with a smile:
"During this period of time, please ask General Zhang to stay in Xuzhou."

"Let's meet at the banquet tomorrow to avoid Su Gu's suspicion."

The tone was still uncompromising.

The difference from before is that
After Zhang Yang was assigned something by Li Yi, he felt that if he refused, he might offend Li Yi.

He doesn't do anything to himself.

But now, Zhang Yang felt that if he dared to refuse.

Then he would probably have to go into Xuzhou vertically and return to Chendi horizontally.

"...Then, I'm sorry to bother you, sir."

How could Zhang Yang dare to refuse? He immediately bowed and expressed his gratitude.

Not stated.

……

Changsha County, Taishou Mansion.

The prefect of Changsha at that time was a native of Nanyang, Zhang Ji, also known as Zhang Zhongjing, who was later revered as the "Medical Saint".

Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the system of recommendation has been the standard for selecting officials.

For every 200,000 people, one filial and honest person would be selected and then appointed to an official position by the imperial court.

Zhang Zhongjing was the son of an official, so naturally he was able to inherit his family's reputation. He was recommended as a filial and incorrupt official and appointed as the prefect of Changsha.

However, although Zhang Zhongjing was a high-ranking official at the prefectural level, he did not have much official airs.

In this world where medicine is not taken very seriously, Zhang Zhongjing always carefully examines the patients who come to him for medical treatment and does not charge a penny.

With such a kind-hearted person, the people of Changsha will be happy.

Whenever someone fell ill, the prefectural government's residence would be crowded with people.

On this day, a group of people rushed to the gate of the mansion.

“…Huh, we’re finally here.”

Jian Yong dismounted from his horse and brushed the dust off his body.

A waiter had already handed over the kettle and muttered quietly:

"The Marquis of Tan is really a fool. He asked us to come all the way from far away to see a doctor who can diagnose patients with hanging needles."

Jian Yong scolded:
"Tan Hou always has his reasons for doing things."

"You are a young man, how can you know what the Marquis of Tan is thinking?"

After being scolded by Jian Yong in such a harsh voice, the waiter hurriedly shut up.

He was just complaining about the tiring journey.

After all, traveling from Xuzhou to Changsha, both by boat and on horseback, almost made my butt hurt.

"...This Changsha is quite impressive."

Looking at the crowds of people outside the mansion gate, Jian Yong was stunned.

However, these people did not make loud noises, but lined up in an orderly manner.

Almost every time one person came out of the yamen, another person would go in.

No one cut in line to complain.

Although Jian Yong was still surprised, he did not dare to forget his business.

When he reached the main gate, he approached a steward in black and asked:
"May I ask if Zhang Changsha is in the government office?"

The black-clothed steward didn't even look at Jian Yong, and just said calmly:

"My master is currently consulting patients. If you need treatment, please queue up in the back."

Hey……

What a weirdo.

Jian Yong became more and more curious about Zhang Zhongjing and immediately stated his purpose:

"To be honest with you, sir, I am here to deliver a letter to Governor Zhang on the orders of my governor."

Ok?
Upon hearing that it was a high-ranking official at the level of governor, the black-clad steward raised his head and looked at Jian Yong.

After all, the governor is one level higher than his lord.

"Who is the governor of your province?" asked the steward in black.

Jian Yong raised his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of pride on his lips, and said:
"The governor of my province is Liu Bei, the Left General of the Han Dynasty, a descendant of the imperial family, the Marquis of Xia Pi, and the governor of Xuzhou!"

Today, Liu Bei’s reputation is definitely well-known throughout the world.

Especially after joining forces with Cao Cao to destroy Yuan Shu, the whole of Xuzhou became famous.

So Jian Yong certainly has the right to be proud.

As a childhood friend of Lao Liu, he can even say Liu Bei's name with great pride.

I thought that the black-clad steward who had been indifferent to me would start to respect me.

Unexpectedly, he just laughed and said lazily:
"The names are too long. I can't remember so many of them."

Hey you!!
Jian Yong suddenly became angry and secretly cursed you for being so stupid and ignorant.

He doesn’t even recognize my master!
But a strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake, so just be patient on someone else’s territory!

Jian Yong was a man who had seen many ups and downs. When he followed Liu Bei in his early years, he had suffered all kinds of hardships.

Are you afraid of your disrespect as a junior?

"Then please, sir, just say that Xuzhou Governor Liu Bei Liu Xuande sent an envoy to visit."

Jian Yong endured it for a while and settled for the next best option.

But who would have thought that the black-clad steward still ignored him and said:
"My master said that unless it is an urgent matter, he should not be disturbed for consultation."

"If you want to see him, please get in line."

Hey you!!
Jian Yong's anger, which he had just suppressed, was ignited again, and he cursed:
"I am here on the orders of the governor. Is this not a big deal?"

"Your master is just a governor of Changsha. How can you bully me, Xuzhou, who has no one to rely on?"

Jian Yong also became angry. He had already tolerated the repeated neglect from this steward.

But now, he has said that he came here on behalf of Xuzhou.

This bastard is still so stupid, he really can't tolerate it anymore.

The black-clad steward was not afraid at all and said:
"What about Liu Bei, the governor of Xuzhou?"

"Even if Yuan Shao, the governor of Jizhou, or Cao Cao, the governor of Yanzhou, came to Changsha, they would have to queue up."

"Even if Jingzhou Governor Liu Jingsheng sends someone, I have to report first."

Logically speaking, Changsha belongs to Jingzhou.

In other words, Liu Biao was Zhang Zhongjing's immediate superior.

It would be fine if Zhang Zhongjing looked down on people from other states.

After all, they are far away from each other, so they can just talk nonsense. Anyway, they can't be real offline.

But Liu Jingsheng is in Xiangyang. How dare you treat your immediate superior like this?
Jian Yong immediately asked his own question, saying, "Aren't you afraid of being dismissed from office if you do this?"
"Dismissal? Hahaha..."

When he heard the word "dismissal from office", the manager actually laughed.

"My Lord has long since given up on this job, if he could really be dismissed."

"I will return to my hometown and specialize in treating patients."

"It's a blessing that I've been longing for..."

Zhang Zhongjing was the son of an official, so naturally he came from a wealthy and powerful family.

So I can definitely afford to lose my job and still treat people's illnesses for free.

"He is really a crooked governor."

Jian Yong finally understood why Li Yi asked him to come find Zhang Zhongjing.

This kind of weirdo must have some life in him, otherwise he wouldn't be so crazy.

Immediately...

Jian Yong waved to the people behind him.

The servant hurriedly handed over a heavy bag.

It was filled with bits and pieces of gold.

Jian Yong weighed it in his hand and put it directly into the hand of the black-clad steward.

Yo!
The manager opened the bag and took a look, his eyes suddenly lit up.

He then quickly closed the bag, glanced quickly left and right, and then put it quietly into his sleeve.

"...Ahem."

With a light cough, the steward turned around and said to Jian Yong.

"You all can tell from the looks of it that there is something important going on. This matter must be reported to Lord Zhang."

"Please wait a moment. I'll be in right away."

Jian Yong thanked him, and the black-clothed steward walked quickly into the yamen.

Jian Yong waited quietly outside the house for news.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of hurried horse hooves coming from the street.

Looking up, I saw a sturdy general in his early fifties, carrying a two-stone longbow on his back.

The prancing horse came galloping.

No one around dared to stop him.

Seeing that the horse was approaching in a hurry, Jian Yong quickly retreated and avoided it under the cover of his followers.

……

(End of this chapter)