Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 82 Why did Meng De draw his sword?

The north wind was as sharp as a knife, carrying goose-feather-like snowflakes to the ground.

A five-hundred-mile-long road winds its way north from Changsha City to Jizhou. Forty thousand Han army infantrymen drag their exhausted bodies and trudge arduously on this icy and snowy road. The vanguard follows the official road marked by the scouts, while the rear army follows the footprints left by the vanguard, one step deep and one shallow. Their iron armor is frosted, their bowstrings are stiff and cold, and every step they take is as cautious as if they were walking on a knife edge.

Apart from the scouts at the front who had to poke the ground with their guns to prevent themselves from stepping on empty air, the flag bearers had the hardest time. The big flags were fluttering in the strong winds carrying snow, and the knuckles of the flag bearers' hands had already been cracked.

Blood slowly dripped down the flagpole, leaving a long trail on the snow. The black flagpole was also dyed dark red, and the flag bearer's hand was firmly glued to the flagpole. Every time the flag bearer rotated, he would let out a heartbreaking scream as the wound stuck to the flagpole was torn open.

Huangfu Song reined in his horse and stood on the slope, looking at the queue that stretched like a black snake, with an unmeltable frost between his brows.

"General, we have traveled twenty-four miles today. Should we set up camp here?" Chief Clerk Liang Yan shrank his neck, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and spoke in a hoarse voice. The white mist he exhaled was instantly torn apart by the wind.

Huangfu Song did not respond. Wherever his eyes passed, he saw a soldier accidentally stepping on empty air and falling to the ground. His light leather armor was frozen stiff, and now it was like a heavy iron armor pressing down on him, making it impossible for him to stand up. He could only move forward with the support of his comrades.

A trace of pity flashed across Huangfu Song's eyes, and his fiery heart seemed to have been frozen by frost. He turned his head away, not looking at the soldiers below. He gritted his teeth and said word by word, "Don't stop until we reach Neihuang!"

Liang Yan opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he just let the snowflakes fall into his mouth and turn into drops of ice water. In the end, he only responded to Huangfu Song with a "Yes". Then he turned around and left, his steps were a little heavy, and he couldn't help but look back at Huangfu Song's upright figure on the horse.

After Liang Yan left, Huangfu Song breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hand to gently rub his temples. He was not sure if he could stick to his own opinion if Liang Yan persuaded him again.

Huangfu Song stretched out his hand, looked at the snowflakes falling on his palm, and remained silent for a long time.

Such wind and snow are rare even in border counties like Beidi County. Even though His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has prepared warm winter clothes for the army, more than 300 soldiers have suffered frostbite due to the cold weather in recent days, and more than ten have even frozen to death.

Even the army that has taken precautions against the cold has a difficult time. I wonder how many civilians will die of starvation and cold in this ice and snow.

After marching another twelve miles, the army finally arrived at Neihuang County. Military officer Yan Zhong and Sima Zhang Chao, who had arrived earlier with the vanguard, brought the Neihuang order to the gate of the camp set up for the army outside the city to welcome Huangfu Song.

Huangfu Song saw them from afar and smiled. He waved his hand and rode his horse to meet them. After politely thanking the Neihuang commander, he immediately gave the order: "All troops, rest on the spot. The kitchen camp will immediately stew ginger soup!"

As Huangfu Song's military order was issued, a ray of light suddenly ignited in the cloudy eyes of the soldiers, or perhaps it was just the light of the bonfires in the camp.

In the general's tent, Huangfu Song braved the snow to patrol the camp. When he returned, the snow still clung to his armor, and his beard was covered in icicles. With the help of his personal guards, he painstakingly removed the heavy armor and tossed it aside. He sat down on the cushions, frozen hard by the wind and snow, and shivered uncontrollably.

Huangfu Song hurriedly reached out to the brazier to warm his hands together with the Chief Clerk Liang Yan and the Military Officer Yan Zhong. He held the ginger soup in both hands and drank several sips. The warm ginger soup went into his throat, and the fiery warmth spread from his stomach to his limbs. Huangfu Song's brows gradually relaxed.

As the night deepened, the wind and snow became more violent. The campfire flickered in the howling sound. The soldiers ate around the fire. Huangfu Song was also eating with Liang Yan and Yan Zhong, and they drank a pot of pepper wine to warm themselves.

Suddenly, a sparse singing sound came from outside the tent. Huangfu Song, Liang Yan and Yan Zhong paused their chopsticks for a moment, but the singing was completely inaudible over the howling of the wind and snow. The three men thought it was just soldiers singing for fun, so they didn't take it seriously at first. However, as the singing became louder and louder, they finally made out the lyrics.

"Sad songs can be used as tears, and distant views can be used as homecoming—!"

"I miss my hometown and feel depressed—!"

"There's no one home to return to, no boat to cross the river—!"

"My mind cannot express itself in words, my intestines are spinning like wheels--!" The short four-line ballad was sung over and over again. The desolate tune mixed with the whimpering wind, drifting towards the dark sky, with faint low crying sounds. Surprisingly, more and more soldiers joined in the singing.

Huangfu Song's originally relaxed brows were instantly furrowed again, and then he seemed to have thought of something. His face suddenly changed, and the bamboo chopsticks in his hand fell to the ground with a "pop".

Liang Yan and Yan Zhong were also horrified. The hot steam from the charcoal basin hit their faces, but it could not dispel the astonishment in their eyes.

The story of Liu Hou being "surrounded by enemies on all sides" is still fresh in our minds. Even though it is almost impossible for these good family men from the six counties and three rivers to desert, they should not be underestimated.

"General Zhonglang, I'll go. It's my responsibility to appease the officers. You and Boxiao (Yan Zhong's courtesy name) can rest and relax for now."

Liang Yan opened the tent curtains, and a piercing cold wind blew into the tent, making everyone shiver. He tightened his cloak around his neck, wrapped his hands around his collar, and went out to inspect the area, carrying an axe. He shuttled between the tents, loudly scolding the soldiers who were singing and forbidding them to continue their homesick songs.

It took Liang Yan nearly an hour to stop the sad songs from being sung in the army. Just as he was about to return to the tent to report to Huangfu Song, he saw the Neihuang magistrate and a man entering the camp in the wind and snow.

"Why is Meng De here?"

When Liang Yan saw the person coming, he couldn't help but widen his eyes and exclaimed in surprise.

How could he not recognize Cao Cao when they had been together in the army for several months?

However, Liang Yan was cautious by nature. He always considered defeat before victory and habitually considered the worst possible outcome. He secretly wondered, Cao Cao was the General of the Tiger Guards and was supposed to be guarding the prince, but now he suddenly came here. Could it be that the prince had suffered a military defeat and sent Cao Cao to ask for help?
Cao Cao didn't think too much about it. After greeting Liang Yan, he smiled gently and told him that the prince had appointed him as the governor of Qingzhou and the general of the imperial guards. After getting the prince's permission, he was going to go to Baimajin to cross the Yellow River into Yanzhou, recruit 3,000 soldiers there, and then go to Qingzhou.

Also accompanying him were Xun Chen, the former president of Changshe, who was appointed as Gongcao of Qingzhou, Zhu Ling, the former Sima of the Zhao army, who was appointed as Bingcao of Qingzhou, and a hundred knights from Sanhe.

They had originally planned to rest for one night in Neihuang, but unexpectedly they encountered the army. They came to the camp to visit Huangfu Song and ask him for advice on how to pacify the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou.

"Meng De has finally ascended to heaven!"

When Liang Yan heard this, his words were full of envy, a special light flashed in his eyes, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

It was customary for officials in the capital to be promoted one level when they were sent out. Cao Cao was promoted from the rank of General of the Tiger Guards, which was less than the rank of two thousand stones, to the rank of Governor, which was also less than two thousand stones. It seemed like a normal promotion, but in fact, he suddenly became a high-ranking official in a region, holding the military and political power of a state. How could people not envy him?
What's more, Cao Cao is not even thirty years old!
Although Liang Yan was envious, he had also heard Huangfu Song praise Cao Cao more than once, and knew that Cao Cao was a talented and outstanding person. Therefore, he did not feel jealous of this promising young man. Instead, he enthusiastically took his arm and said with a smile, "Come on, since Meng De wants to see the 'rebel', how about you and I come together?"

"Good, please, Master Zizhan."

Cao Cao did not refuse. With a humble smile on his face, he asked Xun Chen and Zhu Ling to lead the hundred Sanhe knights back to Neihuang City to rest, while he and Liang Yan went to the big tent to meet Huangfu Song.

The guards twenty steps outside the tent saw Liang Yan coming back and did not stop him. Liang Yan and Cao Cao walked towards the general's tent unimpeded.

However, when he reached the outside of the tent, Cao Cao suddenly stopped, quietly unsheathed the sword from his waist, and a fierce murderous intent appeared on his face.

Liang Yan was stunned, but also worried that it was a misunderstanding. He asked in a low voice, "What is Meng De doing?"

(2481 words)
(End of this chapter)