Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

"Humph!"

Watching Zhang Liao turn and leave, Wang Han, sitting in the hall, snorted coldly: "What kind of thing is he, daring to challenge me!"

"Does he really think he's something special just because he's fought a few battles?"

Wang Han looked disdainful, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Zhang Liao's retreating figure.

“He complained about me to my uncle on several occasions.”

"Zhang Liao, if it weren't for the fact that you're from a powerful family in Mayi, you'd really think I couldn't handle you!"

"Bring me pen and ink," Wang Han said, glancing at the maid standing to the side.

The maidservant quickly bowed in response and then brought over a brush and ink.

After receiving the brush and ink, Wang Han took a piece of silk and began writing on it.

After writing, gently shake the paper in front of you to dry the ink, then fold it up.

"Give this letter to Wang Meng and have him deliver it to my uncle at the Yin Pavilion as soon as possible," Wang Han said, looking at the maid beside him.

The maid took the letter with both hands and nodded.

Wang Han sneered.

..........

Zhang Liao's face turned ashen after leaving Wang Han's residence.

Even the few men who had followed him could see the displeasure on Zhang Liao's face.

He glanced back at the two closed gates of Wang Han's mansion.

Zhang Liao clenched his fists tightly.

Then he turned and walked toward his warhorse.

The soldiers who were waiting nearby quickly stepped forward.

"General, we..."

Zhang Liao's gaze darkened as he uttered two words in a low voice: "Return to the manor."

Seemingly unwilling to linger any longer, Zhang Liao immediately mounted his horse after saying he was going back to his residence and headed towards his mansion inside the pass.

Compared to Wang Han's luxurious mansion, Zhang Liao lived in an ordinary house.

The courtyard, with its single entrance and exit, is devoid of any superfluous decorations; it's a simple courtyard with a house made of adobe bricks.

After returning home, Zhang Liao began packing his belongings inside the house.

The simple, clean room contains only a bed, a few cabinets, and a desk.

Next to the desk was a small bookshelf, piled high with bamboo slips.

Zhang Liao took out clothes from the cabinet, put away the bamboo slips one by one, sat down behind the desk, picked up the brush on the inkstone, dipped it in ink, and began to write vigorous and powerful characters on a blank page of a scroll.

It begins with the words "resignation".

As he wielded his brush and splashed ink, Zhang Liao's face turned extremely grim.

Since Wang Han arrived at Loufan Pass, embezzling military rations has become the norm.

There are not many civilians living inside Loufan Pass; most of them are soldiers' families.

Moreover, poverty at this time was another hurdle.

There are almost no ways to make money.

However, Wang Han abused his position to sell military rations and horses.

Finally, they sold inferior rice at the price of selling whole grain rice, but bought brown rice instead.

Replace superior warhorses with inferior dwarf horses.

This isn't the first or second time this has happened.

Zhang Liao was determined to expose them.

Moreover, he wrote several letters to Wang Rou, who was the governor and the Protector of the Xiongnu.

But all the letters of denunciation and whistleblowing disappeared without a trace.

Zhang Liao was well aware that Wang Rou and Wang Han were uncle and nephew.

At first, Zhang Liao still held onto the hope that Wang Rou, as the prefect, would uphold the law in Bingzhou and put righteousness above family ties.

However, after several attempts to expose the matter, the news all disappeared without a trace, and Zhang Liao knew that he could not control these things.

It was thought that Wang Han would become more restrained after making money.

But in retrospect, this idea was completely wrong.

Of the 5,000 shi of military rations, Wang Han withheld more than 3,000, nearly 4,000.

Although it was said to be full of supplies, Zhang Liao knew without a doubt that Wang Han would sell these military rations and then use the money to buy some coarse rice, and in much smaller quantities.

Since he disapproves of this kind of thing, he can't control it.

Then we can only try to avoid seeing it.

I resign!

We left Loufan Pass and returned to Mayi.

I just want to never see Wang Han's face again.

Outside, the deputy general walked into the house.

When I saw the tidy room and the packed luggage.

The deputy general already knew what Zhang Liao was planning.

"General..." the lieutenant said reluctantly, "Is the general leaving?"

The deputy general was five or six years older than Zhang Liao.

But regardless of his abilities or his character, the deputy general was completely convinced of Zhang Liao's abilities.

Loufan Pass was a difficult place, but Zhang Liao's family was a powerful clan in Mayi.

They were quite wealthy.

However, Zhang Liao did not receive any special treatment at Loufan Pass. He lived in an ordinary civilian house and ate the same grains of rice as the soldiers.

He would climb the city walls daily to patrol and train the soldiers, without fail, regardless of whether it was winter or summer.

Moreover, he would occasionally use his own salary to subsidize the soldiers.

Such a good general commands the respect and obedience of every soldier.

Zhang Liao put down his brush, as if he had a thousand words to say.

"It's not that I want to leave, but this place can no longer accommodate me."

"After I leave, everything here will be in your hands," Zhang Liao said to his deputy.

The lieutenant sighed and said, "With the general gone, the soldiers' lives will be even harder."

"With the general here, we can still fight for some benefits for everyone, but if the general leaves, this Loufan Pass... will probably be completely ruined."

"If the Xianbei and Xiongnu were to invade in the future, I fear it would be difficult to resist them."

"General, is the general really leaving?"

Zhang Liao nodded.

The deputy general knew perfectly well why Zhang Liao was leaving, and also knew that there was nothing he could do to stop him.

So all I could do was nod in agreement.

"Since the general is leaving, let the soldiers say goodbye to him."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao stood up.

I lived in Loufanguan for more than a year.

Zhang Liao also felt a pang of pity, so he got up and followed his deputy on horseback toward the Loufan Pass.

...........

When the afterglow of the setting sun falls on the earthen yellow city walls of Loufan Pass, it seems to gild them with a faint layer of gold.

The soldiers standing on the city wall looked solemnly at Zhang Liao as he walked past them, their eyes filled with reluctance and pleading.

Upon learning that Zhang Liao was going to resign, the soldiers who had once received favors from Zhang Liao and who only trusted him felt indignant.

As the garrison commander of Loufan Pass and Wang Han's deputy, it was common knowledge that the two had always been at odds.

Zhang Liao sought to benefit his soldiers, while Wang Han exploited them.

The difference in their abilities is immediately apparent.

Wang Han was the garrison commander, and Zhang Liao was the deputy commander.

My arms can't hold my thighs.

Wang Han's uncle was the governor of Yanmen Commandery and the Protector-General of the Xiongnu.

Despite Wang Han's exploitation of soldiers and resale of military rations, no one could do anything about him.

The soldiers were well aware that if Zhang Liao continued to stay at Loufan Pass and continue to oppose Wang Han, he would likely be harmed.

Therefore, even though the soldiers were reluctant, they all knew that Zhang Liao had to leave.

After exchanging glances with the hundreds of soldiers on the city wall to bid them farewell, Zhang Liao stood on the city wall and gazed at the distant mountains that were just beginning to sprout green leaves.

Suddenly, right in Zhang Liao's line of sight, a gray earthen dragon rose up from the south.

Zhang Liao's eyes widened instantly.

Xiongnu?

Xianbei?

Zhang Liao, leaning on the battlements with both hands, gazed into the distance.

But when I saw the black flag fluttering in the wind, my heart finally settled down.

Not long after.

Chen Qing'an led three hundred cavalrymen to the foot of Loufan Pass.

Chen Qing'an, who had stopped his horse, looked up at the soldiers on Loufan Pass and then asked loudly, "Is the garrison commander of Loufan Pass here?"