“Zhou Cang, Zhou Cang, it sounds very nice, thank...thank...thank you, brother.” It is really difficult to ask others to thank me for my last name, so he just paused and said each word one by one.
"What about me?" My younger brother wanted one too.
"I'll give you another one when you get back." My brain has never been good at thinking about this kind of thing. I just made an excuse, because he might have forgotten it by the time I got back.
After that, I waved my hand and rode my horse towards the north.
On the way, I suddenly realized that after being called Zhou Cang, Zhou Yin's name had to be changed, otherwise it would be a fly.
Because I wasted a lot of time, by the time I arrived at the city of Xinye, it was already completely dark. Fortunately, I had official documents, otherwise I would have to stay outside for another night.
The county magistrate is an acquaintance. After the teacher became the governor of the state, Brother Chen Liang was sent here. Chen Liang is about the same age as the teacher. He used to be a soldier and an officer. He is good at martial arts. Later, for some reason, he returned to Xiangyang and went to the teacher's thatched cottage to study. So he became our elder brother. Usually when we see him, we will salute him like a teacher. It should be that Brother Chen's moral character and courage make him undoubtedly our second teacher. Although I am not very serious, I still respect Brother Chen. But Zishe, mainly because I am sure that I can't beat him.
It may be that the city guard informed me. Brother Chen knew I was coming, and he did not change his official uniform, but came to the post station in casual clothes to see me. When I knew he was coming, I also went to the post station door to greet him early.
"Zirui, why are you here?" Brother Chen smiled and helped me up while I was bowing.
"It's not convenient here. Please come in, Brother Wendong, and I will tell you in detail." I don't want the whole world to know what I'm going to do.
After entering the inner room, I told Chen Liang in detail what had happened in the past few days. Obviously, Chen was very interested in the long plan of Zisheng and Zishe in the meeting room. When it came to the exciting part, Chen couldn't help but applaud. However, he was also very surprised by Zisheng's change, and even told me the jokes about Zisheng in the past.
"Okay, Xinye is adjacent to Wancheng in the north. General Zhu has sent people to ask for help several times, but Xinye only has 3,000 old, weak, sick and disabled soldiers. If the Yellow Turbans attack, Xinye may not be able to be saved. We are unable to mobilize troops from outside. If you can transfer a troop of more than 10,000 to me, I may be able to lift the siege of Wancheng."
"What's the plan?" The Yellow Turban army surrounding Wancheng is said to have 100,000 people. If it weren't for the defense of Luoyang sending troops to rescue, they could just pull out a few people to take down Xinye City. It's impossible for more than 10,000 people to save Wancheng, at least I can't think of it. I originally planned to enter Wancheng first if I could enter, and if I couldn't, I would go north to find General Huangfu and lead the troops to the south. But if I heard that I could lift the siege of Wancheng, wouldn't it be better? Otherwise, once Wancheng was taken, Jingzhou would be in danger. In fact, Zisheng and Zishe's strategies were all built on the basis of not losing Wancheng. If we lose it, we will lose everything.
"Food!" Brother Chen said firmly. "The Yellow Turbans surrounded Wancheng, and military rations were transported from Xuchang every 0 days. I have sent people to verify the route, and the closest point is only 50 miles outside Xinye. But every time, there are more than 10,000 Yellow Turbans guarding. With our army, we have no power to rob, but if there are more than 10,000 troops..."
"Brother Wendong, I don't think it's appropriate." Smart people don't need to say much, I already understood "Although this plan is good, there are several dangers. First, can the temporary army recruited from various counties fight and defeat the Yellow Turban Army, which is in full swing?" In fact, I was still imagining that the Yellow Turban Army was escorting the grain and grass team, and was itching to fight with them. And those who were going to die, I unconsciously looked at Brother Chen. And Brother Chen was listening to me with a smile.
"Secondly, even if we succeed in robbing them, once the Yellow Turbans become angry and lead their troops to attack us, Xinye City will be left without help."
"Yes, I have considered that."
"Hmm? I'd like to ask for details."
"You think the Yellow Turbans are eager for us to go. That's right. The Yellow Turbans' grain transport army is warlike. I led a hundred cavalry to test them several times. Each time, the Yellow Turbans used half of their soldiers to chase me, and the other half of their soldiers escorted the grain and grass to follow the front team. In this way, even if a large army went to rob, we would still have time to return to rescue. There are two roads facing north outside Xinye, one is the official road, and the other is Bowangpo. Every time I led people to take the official road and retreated quickly with cavalry. The Yellow Turbans retreated when they saw that they could not catch up. This time, I led them to Bowangpo, and mainly used infantry. They collapsed at the first touch and retreated to Bowangpo. The Yellow Turbans must have thought that they could annihilate the invading enemy, and they must follow them in as before. The slopes on both sides of Bowangpo are very steep and the road is narrow. I can ambush a group of people and horses first, and prepare battering rams and rolling logs. If the Yellow Turbans dare to advance, they will be buried here."
"As for your Yellow Turban Army coming to attack the city, I have already considered that they may come to attack. I already have a countermeasure, Zirui would like to hear it."
"Please speak. I am all ears."
"I have ordered people to strengthen the city defense day and night. Moreover, when the Yellow Turban Army comes, hundreds of thousands of people in Quanxinye will help me defend the city. The Yellow Turban Army is nothing to worry about."
"Why would the people help us defend the city? I heard that wherever the Yellow Turbans went, they opened the granaries and released food without harming anyone. They were deeply loved by the people. It would be a blessing if there was no internal strife in the city. How can we expect them to defend the city, and there are hundreds of thousands of people? Xinye City, where are there hundreds of thousands of people?"
"Every time I saw the Yellow Turbans coming, I would send people to dress up as the Yellow Turbans and plunder everywhere. Since the Yellow Turbans had indeed been here, the people near Xinye no longer had any doubts and almost all of them had fled to Xinye and Xiangyang. I would recruit them as laborers to build the city walls, and they would also have something to do and food to eat and shelter. Isn't this the best of both worlds?"
Brother Chen looked at me with great pride, but I was confused and said nothing. I didn't expect this plan to be so cruel. If the Yellow Turbans really robbed the people, then this plan would be perfect. Soon, the news of the Yellow Turbans' burning, killing and looting would spread throughout Jingzhou. Recruiting soldiers in the autumn would be smooth sailing. The siege of Wancheng was also forced to retreat to Xuchang because the Yellow Turbans' food was robbed. The emergency in Xiangyang can be solved, and the emergency in Luoyang can be solved. The Yellow Turbans only have a few months left in the autumn. But now the government troops are burning, killing and looting in the name of the Yellow Turbans. Who is the thief
"It's already very late, Brother Wendong, please go back and rest?"
"Oh." Brother Chen didn't expect me to order him to leave, but I felt that I couldn't change my mind.
"I know you think my plan is too cruel, and I was forced to do it. If not... If Wancheng falls, Luoyang will be in danger, and the world will be in chaos. Don't be merciful. This is chaos."
"The last life... Is this what they call the last life?" I don't know when Brother Chen passed away, but I know I kept thinking about this question until I fell asleep.
I had a nightmare that night. I dreamed that the Yellow Turban Army was burning, killing and looting in Xiangyang City.
The next day, I was going to leave, but I went to see Brother Chen and asked him to tell him the plan to defeat Huang when Wancheng was relieved. I believed Brother Chen could do it. I planned to go directly to General Huangfu.
"Are you okay?"
I smiled and said that I was fine, but in fact I still couldn't let it go. I think Brother Chen also knew that. We were all just deceiving ourselves.
"I'm glad you're okay. Here's a letter. I used to be a lieutenant general under General Huangfu, and we had a good relationship. Please help me bring this letter to say hello."
I thought there was no reason not to do this, and I also knew that Brother Chen was a general in the past, so I agreed.
I left Xinye City and continued my journey.
More than a month later, I arrived in Youzhou and found out the location of General Huangfu's camp. I also heard the unsurprising news that Wancheng had been relieved.
That day was the ninth day of the sixth lunar month. The Yellow Turban Rebellion had been going on for four months and summer was almost over.