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“What does being titled a County Marquis even mean?”
In the Eastern Han’s five-tier marquis system, county marquises could imitate the Western Han’s marquises to establish their own commanderies, and normally wouldn’t be granted titles casually. So, being made a rural marquis is pretty much the ceiling of initial rewards.
But now Liu Hong is saying he wants to grant a ten-year-old kid the title of a rural marquis.
Sure, marquis estates in the Eastern Han period weren’t based on the number of people in the land; you could grant a rural marquis with just five hundred or a thousand households, not the average three thousand.
But you gotta know, Leping isn’t just some random rural name; it’s actually a county in Bingzhou.
Bingzhou has nine commanderies—Taiyuan, Shangdang, Xihe, Yunzhong, Dingxiang, Yanmen, Shuofang, Wuyuan, and Shang Commandery.
Leping County is situated between Taiyuan and Shangdang, temporarily belonging to the Shangdang area.
Zhang Rang had heard His Majesty casually mention that Leping, located between Bing and Ji provinces, has several rivers flowing through it and fertile fields, surrounded by auspicious names like Heshun, Pingding, and Shangai. Why not gather them all and create a new Leping Commandery?
With that impression, Zhang Rang doesn’t believe Liu Hong will just assign a hundred households if he’s granting the title of marquis to this kid. It’s more likely he’s leaving room for further promotions later.
Right now, it’s just a rural marquis of Leping, but what about later?
Will he be a marquis of Leping County? Or after the three-year mourning period, will he be given more responsibilities?
From the name Leping alone, Zhang Rang sees way too much information.
This Liu Hong isn’t just some “love you to life, hate you to death” kind of ruler; he has his own thoughts in this power play. Whether or not they’ll work is up for debate, but even those of us who seem to have his grace, like the eunuchs in those days, have to tread carefully to avoid the same fate as those who faced Liu Hong’s wrath years ago.
So what expectations does this kid carry?
“Does Zhang Changsir find this inappropriate?” Liu Hong, who had just sounded like he was discussing everyday matters like eating and drinking, suddenly turned cold.
Zhang Rang realized he’d been gaping a bit too long while holding that seal. He quickly responded, “I was just thinking, Your Majesty is truly a kind ruler.”
Seeing Liu Hong raise his eyes in a gesture to continue, he let out a small sigh of relief and added, “Master Qiao expressed his wish to serve the Han dynasty in life and protect its borders in death, but Your Majesty chose him for this place, Leping. With Taiyuan, Yanmen, and Yunzhong as shields above, even as a border region, it’s impossible for battles to affect this spot, ensuring Master Qiao’s burial site remains undisturbed. It counts as your great grace, Your Majesty.”
Noticing the hint of satisfaction on Liu Hong’s face, Zhang Rang knew he had hit the nail on the head.
His ability to read the emperor’s mind has certainly brought him this far.
But the next moment, he felt he shouldn’t have spoken so much.
Because Liu Hong next said, “Well said! Since you understand my intentions so well, then you and Zuo Feng shall go to oversee the military in Ji Province and deliver the rewards I arranged for the Middle General and that Qiao family’s rising star.”
The light from Yutang Hall faintly illuminated Liu Hong’s smile at the corners of his lips, but his words sent chills down Zhang Rang’s spine: “You wouldn’t disappoint me for a second time, right?”
Qiao Yan and Huangfu Song were completely unaware of the scheming in the capital.
Marching through the source of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Ji Province’s Julu County was no easier than bypassing Qinghe before; they didn’t have the energy to ponder such things.
Though they tried to imitate the Yellow Turban’s attire decently, they still didn’t truly resemble the Yellow Turbans when gathered in one place.
Luckily, the continuous intense marching made these elite border soldiers feel a bit overwhelmed, showing signs of fatigue on their faces.
They placed eerily fierce-looking figures and wandering knights at the front, and surprisingly, it did lend them some deceptive credibility.
But that alone wasn’t enough.
The Yellow Turbans had set up three strongholds within Julu, and defensive lines still existed through its central area, like Ningjin County, and the military camp stationed in front of Daluze.
Huangfu Song’s thousands-strong army counts as a sizable force.
If they acted without explanation, they couldn’t convince the Yellow Turban leaders stationed in these locations.
Even without the authority of the rebel leaders, they could still notify Zhang Jiao if something felt off.
Yet Huangfu Song’s army wasn’t suited for a gradual assault capturing each city and county one at a time.
Thus, they absolutely couldn’t afford to fail due to one lapse in discipline.
Fortunately, they now held the most fitting bait.
It was Zhang Bao.
Even though Huangfu Song told Zhang Bao he needed his head, for now, he kept his life.
This wasn’t just a reason for entering the city; it could also act as a smokescreen on the road.
Though it was nearly May, during the period later known as the Little Ice Age, the climate still brought colder, heavy dew at night in Ji Province.
Zhang Bao hung around outside without even a single layer of clothing provided by Huangfu Song. After a few days of this, even before reaching Ningjin, he fell prey to the chill and fever from the conflicting food and water he had been consuming. Even if he had previously boasted of being strong and healthy with Talisman Water, he now lay burning with fever and completely out of it.
This held much more persuasive power than simply knocking him out.
The Yellow Turban guards in Ningjin didn’t recognize these disguised Han troops, but they did recognize Zhang Bao.
Years ago, when Zhang Jiao founded the Way of Great Peace and spread disciples everywhere, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang had also gained a reputation as “great physicians.”
Especially within Julu, when Zhang Jiao needed to maintain an air of mystery, it was Zhang Bao who would publicly champion the cause of justice. He was a living proof of identity.
Now, when they suddenly saw Zhang Bao lying on a fairly well-made carrier bed, his complexion red and his spirit unclear, they were thrown into a panic.
How could they be in the mood to interrogate them in detail?
Worry for General of the Earth’s health naturally took precedence over identifying the identities of these escorting troops.
It especially struck Qiao Yan as ironic that the leader among the guards hurried back to the city, bringing along a portion of Talisman Water, claiming it was granted by Zhang Jiao years ago.
This guy thought it could serve as a lifesaving medicine and needed to keep it close, but since General of the Earth was critically ill, he didn’t want to hoard it for himself, so he offered it up instead.
However, after administering this so-called miraculous medicine to Zhang Bao, the next day the little leader could plainly see Zhang Bao was in worse condition.
Qiao Yan remarked, “When it comes to treating illness, one must prescribe the right medicine. The Talisman Water left for General can’t possibly address the symptoms he has now; it must require another kind of remedy for his current affliction.”
Hearing Qiao Yan call him “General,” the little leader quickly waved his hands and replied, “I wouldn’t dare!” After examining Zhang Bao’s condition for some time, he confirmed that his good intentions seemed indeed to have been futile. How could he still dare to stop them from taking Zhang Bao toward Guangzong?
As for having slightly more people—that was hardly a problem!
General of the Earth was the second-in-command of their uprising organization; if anything happened to him, it would be a huge loss for them. Pooling their resources and ideas was certainly better than being caught off-guard while escorting a couple of hundred people.
If the Han troops caught wind of it and sent reinforcements to snatch General of the Earth away, that would indeed be a deadly affair.
“Miss’s mouth surely has the power to turn black and white upside down.” After moving out of the Ningjin guards’ line of sight, Lu Yuan said with some sentiment.
Qiao Yan glanced at her, unsure whether to take it as a compliment or a jab.
This woman, recently freed from the city of Xiaquyang, truly didn’t dwell on her past submission and still appeared quite bold and eloquent in her behavior. Disguised as a Yellow Turban soldier, she carried an air of heroism.
But Qiao Yan still couldn’t fathom why she chose to follow her so-called “savior” instead of returning to her family.
Fortunately, while she claimed to want to help as Xu Fu did, she didn’t appear timid at all.
Having a few female companions who could converse was indeed something that brought comfort to Qiao Yan’s heart.
She spoke, “That can’t be termed as clever rhetoric; just simple logic applied for argument. The talk of gods and ghosts using charms to heal is inherently absurd. Even physicians need to prescribe medication based on symptoms; charms are hardly a universal cure, which is itself quite funny.”
Next to them, Cao Cao overheard and laughed, “If that’s how you feel, why did you ask Lady Lu to inform the closest Buddhist temple in Ji Province and let Xu Fu’s little brat lead the people there, intending to capture them if they refused to come to Guangzong?”
At this stage, Buddhism was far from flourishing as in later times; initially, there was a language barrier; thus, it was harder for those who scarcely interacted with Buddhism to escape certain stereotypes.
It wasn’t until Emperor Huan’s reign, when the prince of Anxi, An Shigao, abdicated to become a monk, coming to Han to spread the teachings, translating scriptures, that they had any capital for communication.
There was also the monk Zhili coming from the Yuezhi country, who was well-versed in Han, furthering Buddhism’s spread in Han territory.
But to Cao Cao, who had little contact with monks, the introduction of Buddhism to the Han was just to get blessings in response to the dream Emperor Ming had of a golden figure flying in the palace—
It’s no different from the Talisman Water you disdain for treating all ailments.
Yet he soon noticed Qiao Yan smiling back, responding, “Uncle, you’ve got it wrong. Do you really think my actions are some kind of fighting fire with fire strategy?”
“How could it not be?” Cao Cao asked curiously.
“Of course not! The reasons behind it I’ll keep to myself for a few more days,” Qiao Yan said with a somewhat mysterious smile, “If you pay attention to my previous actions, you’ll find I didn’t just invite those Buddhist disciples.”
Qiao Yan didn’t explain to Cao Cao that it wasn’t merely about seeking blessings, as that was something not so easy to articulate in a few words.
Her true intention wasn’t to have the Buddhist philosophy of transcending life and death compete against Zhang Jiao’s divine Talisman Water; she actually had something else in mind.
Cao Cao couldn’t help but ponder Qiao Yan’s earlier behavior.
After thinking over, he realized that since leaving Changshe, she indeed had engaged in some curious actions.
Once, while still in Yanzhou, even before they reached Liang, she conversed with Huangfu Song about selecting a few elite soldiers from his ranks to head toward Pei State’s Qiao County.
Qiao County was Cao Cao’s homeland, but he couldn’t figure out why Qiao Yan would visit his ancestors.
Then, upon reaching Dong’e, she sent someone toward Qingzhou at Huangfu Song’s behest.
Counting it all, this was the third time she had sent people away without sufficient explanation.
Now that she pointed it out, Cao Cao inevitably grew curious.
Noticing the spark of curiosity in Cao Cao’s expression, Qiao Yan simply gestured towards the front, saying, “Uncle, if you’re genuinely interested in my intentions, it would be best to hurry up and assist General Huangfu in capturing Guangzong. The purpose will become clear then.”
She projected a posture of determination and composure, which didn’t seem like someone who could be easily swayed by familial relationships. This only left Cao Cao feeling a bit vexed.
However, this younger generation was hard to fool. She had already shown her clarity when inviting him to visit the Xun family back in Changshe, and Cao Cao felt secure in that.{/tistory}
Cao Cao pondered, thinking Huangfu Song might well know what she was up to.
Given that Qiao Yan had repeatedly achieved merit, her standing with Huangfu Song must be rising, making her far more likable than him—a guy who forgot to remind him to include Qiao Yan’s gender in the report. Consequently, Huangfu Song wouldn’t casually mention it.
Moreover, as commander of the army this time, Huangfu Song had the responsibility to strategize and prepare for battle. As they approached Guangzong and Quzhou, he would become increasingly tense, so it was quite inappropriate to disturb him.
At this time, it genuinely was difficult for this commander to loosen up his anxious heart.
With Xiaquyang fallen, although the two leaders Zhang Jiao and Zhang Liang remained in Ji Province, the essential battle still lay at Guangzong.
Whether he could seize this opportunity to strike swiftly and accomplish the task in one go, earning himself the title and promotions for quelling the Yellow Turban Rebellion, thus leaving a name in history, all hinged upon this battle!
This undoubtedly placed immense pressure upon him.
As they reached the lower part of Julu’s Daluze, he found himself entirely unable to sleep.
He stepped out of the tent, gazing at the humid air from the wetlands, mulling over whether to head towards the lakeside.
However, to his surprise, besides him not having slept, he found others also awake.
Under the moonlight by the lake, two silhouettes stood at the water’s edge.
To be exact, their way of “standing” was rather peculiar.
Huangfu Song saw clearly that they were practicing the horse stance.
Even from a distance, he could guess that the ones who were awake and training their leg and core strength at this hour were none other than Qiao Yan and Dian Wei.
He had only stepped out impulsively for a walk, and without making any noise, he reached closer without being noticed.
Upon drawing near, he confirmed he hadn’t misjudged the shapes standing there.
In fact, he wasn’t too surprised to see Qiao Yan engaging in such training.
Earlier on their way to Xiaquyang, he heard Cao Cao mention how talented Qiao Yan was in horsemanship. If not for that, she wouldn’t have been able to ride out alone. But now, it seemed it might not solely be down to talent.
While the stirrups provided aid in preventing falling off during combat, the contact between person and horse through the cushioned saddle is prone to slide around and creates quite a burden on the legs.
Just two days earlier, he’d casually discussed with Qiao Yan that if she didn’t come from a military background, with her lineage, she didn’t need to endure this hardship. If she got the chance, she should train to strengthen her core, enabling her to tighten up against the horse’s belly to improve her riding skills.
After all, it’s not something theory alone can achieve to reach combat readiness.
Contemplating how brave she was to dive deep into enemy territory, risking it all, it wouldn’t be surprising if that partly stemmed from a refusal to back down, spurred on by his words prompting additional training.
But upon seeing Qiao Yan pause her movements and rub her seemingly fatigued legs, he couldn’t help but speak up, “You need to take this horse stance training step by step; doing too much today will make for a tough journey tomorrow.”
Noticing her turn her head at the sound of his voice, a thin layer of sweat glistening on her forehead, she appeared surprised at his presence, quite different from her earlier shrewd demeanor. Huangfu Song couldn’t help but show a slight smile on his usually solemn face.
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“Tomorrow we’ll be on the road again, it’s best to head back and get some rest.”
However, right after that, Qiao Yan shot back, “… But by that logic, General shouldn’t be here either.”
Huangfu Song hesitated for a moment before replying, “I’m different.”
That sounded pretty hypocritical.
Qiao Yan could guess what Huangfu Song was thinking at this moment.
For a commander, perhaps the worst fear wasn’t the lack of opportunity to achieve greatness, but to secure impressive victories across multiple battlefields, only to fail at the last moment in wrapping it all up.
Then, whether those previous achievements could be counted as successes would depend on the extent of the failure and the Emperor’s judgment.
Whether it’s success or failure, there’s too much uncertainty.
Compared to Zhu Jun, who came from a humble background, Huangfu Song undoubtedly had more to worry about in this situation, since he carried the expectations and responsibilities of a distinguished military family.
“You’re mistaken, General.” Qiao Yan stood up straighter and looked at Huangfu Song, “You don’t have any extra hands, legs, or eyes compared to others. The only difference is that you’ve experienced far more battles than I have. If we both wanted to seize the city gate, though there are clever methods, a solid foundation and a trial-by-fire scenario are quite different. But when it comes to staying up late…”
Qiao Yan smiled, “I’d say I’m probably stronger in that department.”
Huangfu Song couldn’t help but cough.
Was her emphasis on the first half or the second? It was hard to tell if she was boasting or trying to reassure him, but Huangfu Song was smart enough to catch that.
At that moment, he didn’t know whether to chuckle at her comparison of staying up late or to feel reassured about his upcoming attempt to storm the city gate based on her mention of building up skills.
Before he could sort through his thoughts, he heard Qiao Yan say, “But what you said is also right. To avoid falling off my horse tomorrow, I think it would be best if I head back to rest early.”
So, the kid who managed to practice horse stance at night didn’t intend to say more, and it seemed he had interrupted her late-night training. She just waved at him and gestured to Dian Wei before dashing off towards the camp.
…She didn’t even give Huangfu Song a chance to say, “Mind the nobility’s demeanor.”
But his words got stuck in his throat.
During the earlier battle at Changshe, if the Yellow Turbans had faced defeat, with their chaotic pillaging, how much prestige could the aristocratic families of the Ruying still hold against the tide of war? That wasn’t an unanswerable question.
On the contrary, Qiao Yan’s living state conveyed a vivid vitality.
That was pretty good.
“What made you think to come and encourage Huangfu Song?” the system asked after Qiao Yan entered her resting tent.
Huangfu Song might not have realized it, but the system figured Qiao Yan had intentionally shown up.
Although she had an urgent need to train her leg strength, or rather, her muscular endurance, there was no need to do it outside.
Right now, cramming before the upcoming battle at Guangzong wasn’t particularly useful.
Unless something insane happened, like the Yellow Turbans not only discovering their intentions under the guise of Zhang Bao to seize the city gate but also countering so fiercely that she had to flee for her life.
The system wasn’t mistaken; she had indeed come to see Huangfu Song.
This operation had only been ongoing for two days.
Fortunately, her judgement was correct, and they had waited long enough to see that rabbit.
“A commander’s mental state can be discerned from the tone in which he gives orders. Fooling the Yellow Turban guards at Ningjin certainly eased Huangfu Song’s pressure by a bit, but his anxiety was rising day by day. I fear it’s not just me, Cao Cao sees it clearly too. I just wanted to see if I could hit the jackpot.”
Qiao Yan then said, “Though Huangfu Song may not be a ruler, in this siege he is the commander, so he counts as half a ruler. They say a monarch and his ministers support each other; top strategists must be adept at gauging their monarch’s intentions, providing relief at the right time. I wonder if my actions can—”
“Earn me some strategist points?”
“Although you’re dedicated, it seems you won’t.”
The system coldly shattered Qiao Yan’s fantasy.
It went on to inform her that there wasn’t even an achievement like “Completed once as a comforting strategist” for her to reach.
“Alright, I get it, but at least influencing the smoothness of the battle is enough.”
Qiao Yan didn’t feel too regretful about not getting double points. After all, her relationship with Huangfu Song wasn’t just for the sake of the system’s strategist points.
She was open-minded, and after wiping her face a bit, she flopped down onto her military cot.
The tents in this temporary camp were closely situated; she didn’t consider herself too delicate and hadn’t made Huangfu Song arrange anything special for her.
By now, the night was deep, and the surrounding sounds of snoring were quite noisy.
Qiao Yan rolled around, pulling the covers over her head.
No matter what, now that she’s come to this chaotic era at the end of the Han, there was no need to think about anything like soft pillows.
Live or die, it was that simple.
She had spent the last few days sitting in wait for Huangfu Song, training her horse stance to exhaustion, fully burning through her boosted physique stats of 50, and now she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, waking up just at dawn.
However, she didn’t expect that when she saw Huangfu Song the next day, although he seemed a lot more relaxed than the night before, he had some surprising news for her—
He had directly assigned some bodyguards to prepare to send her off to Lu Zhi.
“In a city siege, swords and blades are unpredictable, and stray arrows fly about, accidents are bound to happen; Lu Gong’s place is much safer,” Huangfu Song said. “Besides, if we are to deceive Zhang Bao to open the gates, we are still somewhat short on personnel without the Northern Army Five Divisions, and I had originally intended to let Mengde handle this, given he has met Lu Gong before. But after last night’s thoughts, it’s better if you go.”
Huangfu Song had weighed it in his heart.
Once arriving at Guangzong, to make Zhang Jiao believe it was indeed the ailing Zhang Bao under escort, Cao Cao’s eloquence would be sufficient to handle it.
On the other hand, Qiao Yan privately hoped that this would allow her to become familiar with Lu Zhi, so that after the war, when rewards were discussed, she would have a commander to speak on her behalf.
This blatant favoritism was clear enough that Qiao Yan found herself slightly dazed.
But before she could speak up, Cao Cao had already chimed in, “You’re right, I was originally the tallest person in the army, but I will now defer that title to you; it’s better for the young lady to go to Lu Gong.”
“…”
Cao Cao seemed completely oblivious to the exasperation on Qiao Yan’s face, continuing, “Archers typically need to practice their concentration by watching the target closely. In such a situation, anyone unusually eye-catching would compel them to instinctively draw their bow. General Huangfu’s concern is not unfounded.”
Qiao Yan pressed her fingers to her temples, “Uncle, if it comes to that, I will definitely dive under Zhang Bao’s couch the moment it’s urgent, I don’t need to enter the city. You keep that shield for yourself.”
Cao Cao burst into hearty laughter, “What a great place, truly a wonderful place. I should not have underestimated your quick wit.”
This bit of banter effectively obscured Huangfu Song’s blatant favoritism.
Qiao Yan couldn’t help but admire Cao Cao’s magnanimity.
However, she thought for a moment and then said to Huangfu Song, “Yan thanks the General for your kindness. Since you’ve entrusted me with the task of contacting the Northern Middle General, I will set off for Quzhou today, but before I leave, there are two things I’d like to say to the General.”
Huangfu Song nodded for her to go on.
Qiao Yan continued, “The first is that Zhang Jiao does indeed lead his followers through religious methods, and it may not yet be clear in Yan and Yu, but the origin in Jizhou is likely to be different.”
It is said that many Yellow Turbans drowned in the river, but whether they died from the chaos of the battles or as rumors state, for Zhang Jiao’s Great Peace, was lost to history.
As the first person to rally up 300,000 in insurrection, Qiao Yan wouldn’t dare to have any illusions about this final battle just because the plan had gone smoothly thus far.
And for the various recorded religious extremists in later history, their actions often come as unexpected surprises. Suicide attacks are usually the hardest to guard against.
They might not follow the ancient rule that if a certain percentage of the opposing force was defeated, they would fall apart.
In this context, Huangfu Song’s past experiences might cause him to make incorrect judgments.
She cupped her hands towards Huangfu Song, “Please do not underestimate any of Zhang Jiao’s confidants and do not celebrate victories prematurely.”
Qiao Yan spoke earnestly. Though Huangfu Song felt he likely wouldn’t fall into that trap, he still sincerely agreed and had Cao Cao remind him, just to ensure he didn’t trip over his own feet.
“As for the other thing, if you have the opportunity to capture Zhang Jiao alive, please spare his life.”
“A dead Zhang Jiao would undoubtedly serve as a spiritual benchmark for the surviving Yellow Turbans, but a living Zhang Jiao still has the chance to come down from that pedestal.”
After Qiao Yan finished speaking, Huangfu Song met her gaze for a moment.
Cao Cao sensed there was something cryptic in their exchange, likely related to the people Qiao Yan had previously sent out.
But these two seemed to share a tacit understanding without mentioning a word, and Huangfu Song finally replied, “I understand. If I get the chance, I will try to capture him alive; you may go.”
Qiao Yan didn’t hesitate and turned to exit the tent.
She had been somewhat worried that her presence might create a butterfly effect, thus wanting to follow Huangfu Song’s group into Guangzong.
But Huangfu Song’s protective reasoning made sense.
It was easier to conclude that she might encounter unexpected dangers during the chaotic battles than Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi’s alliance might face risks.
She called for Lu Yuan, Cheng Li, and Dian Wei, along with the subordinates Huangfu Song had assigned her, and after agreeing on the date for the siege, they immediately set off for Quzhou.
Choosing to travel by night, distinctly different from the Yellow Turbans, she deliberately avoided encounters and arrived outside Lu Zhi’s camp on the third night.
With two days until Huangfu Song’s planned invitation for Lu Zhi to join the battle, it was just the right timing.
Lu Zhi…
This was also a legendary figure from the end of the Han dynasty.
Every general must have their unique characteristics when organizing military defenses.
Qiao Yan arrived under the moonlight. While she couldn’t see the complete situation within Lu Zhi’s camp, she could infer some of Lu Zhi’s traits by observing the tight defense.
Unlike Huangfu Song, who came from the borderlands, Lu Zhi was known for his unyielding demeanor, still rightfully placed in the category of Confucian generals, as seen by the stringent defenses of his encampment.
Compared to the invading Yellow Turbans, he certainly gave the feeling that it was hard to tell who the actual aggressor was.
But defense shouldn’t be viewed as a lack of aggression.
Lu Zhi clearly understood the urgency building up from the Yellow Turban uprising’s hasty gathering, and he knew that as long as this steadfast rock held its ground, the Yellow Turbans in Jizhou couldn’t proceed westward.
Once the moment arrived, it would be his time to strike back with thunder.
Qiao Yan circled around the camp once, feeling assured of Lu Zhi’s setup before leading her people to the camp’s main entrance.
However, before she could reach the gate, she saw a line of torches accompanied by galloping horses coming towards her, blocking her way.
Both she and Huangfu Song’s subordinates were wearing Han military uniforms, so the figures in the dark hadn’t gotten a clear look yet, but it was obvious they weren’t dressed like the Yellow Turban bandits. They simply called out, “Halt, who goes there?”
Maybe due to Lu Zhi’s authoritative style, Qiao Yan heard the sounds of bowstrings being drawn, but the opposing cavalry had already spread apart before they were within range and halted their advance.
This was a safe position for both sides to talk.
Qiao Yan tightened her grip on a small shield, ready to raise it overhead, while her other hand held the reins, commanding her group to stop.
The next moment, she heard the voice from across again, “Who goes there? Please state your name. During night duty, if there is any offense, please forgive us.”
She promptly replied, “I am Qiao Yan from the command of the Left Middle General, here under orders to report to Lu Gong. To prevent the Moth Bandits from knowing of our arrival, I had no choice but to come by night, kindly relay the message.”
Upon hearing this, several from the opposing side paused.
Under the Left Middle General?
Huangfu Song’s subordinate?
It was possible for Huangfu Song to send someone, but—
Enveloped in torchlight, Lu Zhi’s men exchanged glances; none had ever heard a voice quite like that of a child coming from across.
This sounded quite different from their usual subordinates.
But the confident reference to being under Huangfu Song’s command didn’t seem like a lie.
It was indeed an unexpected visitor.
“What does Xuande think?” The hesitance invited the lead man of Lu Zhi’s company to inquire.
In the firelight, this leading figure’s face was illuminated; he appeared quite young and approachable, his notably long ears giving him a friendly demeanor.
After a moment of contemplation, he replied, “If the Yellow Turbans were to launch an attack, they wouldn’t select a child as their leader. After all, the son of the Left Middle General, Huangfu Jianshou, has already come of age and does not resemble this. Moreover, my master never mentioned any unique individuals among the Left Middle General’s subordinates, so it’s likely that this is indeed a subordinate of General Huangfu. I shall approach and confirm.”
The young man, called Xuande, had barely finished speaking when he voluntarily dismounted, heading towards Qiao Yan and her companions.
Now, holding a torch, he was no longer swayed by the galloping horses, allowing Qiao Yan a clear view of his appearance.
Her brows instinctively twitched.
Aside from those distinguishable long earlobes and noticeable hands that reached past his knees, she couldn’t miss the name he’d been just called—
That was enough to evoke the image of one person instantaneously.
Liu Bei, the Emperor of Shu Han!
Sure enough, the next moment, as he cupped his hands and faced Dian Wei, who had already drawn his spear, he still calmly said, “I am Liu Bei, a subordinate of the Northern Middle General. Please enter and wait at the camp gate; we will promptly report to the General.”
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