There is not much time left until the autumn harvest. I think maybe I am a little late, but fortunately, although I encountered many large-scale battles between the government troops and the Yellow Turbans along the way, I was relatively safe. Finally arrived at the camp, I suddenly felt that I had no strength left. After more than a month of running, I was so tired that I just wanted to go home early. My sister must have lost weight. I wonder if the Zhou Cang brothers have caused trouble for her...
Along the way, I heard bad news in the official post station. After Wancheng was relieved, General Zhu Jun was unable to attack Xuchang. The Yellow Turban Army attacked Xinye several times but failed to capture it because they were afraid that General Zhu Jun would attack from behind. They were relieved after a few days. I believe that the common people who knew Xinye helped to defend it. Along the way, I heard good things about the Yellow Turban Army from the common people. I also saw the Yellow Turban Army several times. Except for the yellow turbans on their heads, they were actually some honest and simple farmers. I wonder if we are all wrong to strangle them as thieves, but if we are wrong, what should we do right? Seeing that the autumn harvest is coming, I hope that day will come as late as possible.
My thoughts were interrupted when my horse was about to enter the military camp. I showed my official documents with a blank expression. Then, I was taken to a big tent. There was a guard at the door. I think they still had doubts, but I didn't care that they treated me as a person of uncertain identity because I was too tired. I fell asleep quickly. I had a good dream. My sister was waiting for me at the gate of Xiangyang City, and there was a woman who I didn't know was also waiting for me. In fact, I couldn't see her face. I kept trying to see her clearly, but I was woken up by someone before I could do so.
"The General wants to see you."
I was led into the tent in a half-asleep state. I saw those eyes, the eyes that made me shudder. My sleepiness disappeared. If it weren't for those eyes, I really wouldn't have recognized the general. He looked much older.
"General Huangfu, I'm Xie Zhi, the garrison commander of Xiangyang. I've been ordered by the governor of Jingzhou, Wei... Dingguo... to see you on important military business." I didn't expect that the gentleman's name would be so difficult to pronounce. Maybe it was the first time I heard his name. It felt so awkward.
The general looked at me for a long time, and I think he must have remembered something.
"You're not dead?"
"I'm dead, why?" I was really confused. I didn't know why General Huangfu thought I should be dead. I looked at General Huangfu, he was lost in thought, suddenly he laughed, waved his hand and asked everyone to leave, leaving only me in the tent with him.
When he saw everyone leaving, he smiled at me and said, "Your teacher, or your governor, is really amazing." He was still smiling and shaking his head from time to time.
"You know that when we were in the Thatched Cottage and you were not here, your teacher was still feeling sorry for one of his students, who was very talented, but unfortunately he was seriously ill and would not live long, so he asked you to come and ask for your opinion. You also know that at that time, in addition to you and me, Lord Wei, there were two other people in the Thatched Cottage. They were the confidants of Zhang Rang, the head of the Ten Constant Servants. You also know that there were no four people here with you and me at that time, and there were definitely no eight ears listening. In fact, there were five people and ten ears in this hall, so I did not lie to you."
Seeing that I was speechless, he continued to explain, "At that time, the court wanted to invite Mr. Wei to be an official, so I went to find Mr. Wei to join the government. Unexpectedly, Zhang Rang was afraid that Mr. Wei might be hostile to them once he became an official, so he sent people to accompany me. Your teacher is really powerful. He didn't say a word to criticize the current politics, and those fatal words were answered by you, a man who was half dead in his mouth. The two eunuchs really fell into the trap and thought that Mr. Wei was just an ordinary scholar who wanted to be famous. And the powerful character was just a short-lived ghost. You know that it was because of your comments that the court ordered people to sneak into Taipingqing Road, and only then did they see through the ambitions of the Yellow Turban bandits in one fell swoop. However, Zhang Rang's followers... it's better not to mention it."
He seemed to have a good impression of me, I think it was because I dared to curse the eunuchs in power. I roughly understood what he said. No wonder Mr. Wei said some irrelevant things in the thatched cottage that day, but I was just a fool and didn't care at all. If it weren't for Mr. Wei, I really wouldn't know why I died. Thinking of this, I broke into a cold sweat.
"Fortunately, I thought at the time that it was a pity that you died. You must be happy working under the governor of Jingzhou now." His tone was very casual, and it seemed that he was very familiar with our master. So he also treated me as his own.
"Everything is going well. I came here this time because I hope you can lead your troops south and join forces with Lord Zhu Jun to defeat the Bo Cai tribe with all your strength. In this way, the Yellow Turbans can be defeated in the autumn."
Then I listed Zishe and Zisheng's ideas one by one. I saw the expression on General Huangfu's face change from suspicion to realization, and then to surprise.
"Zi Rui," the general actually called me by my given name, as if he had treated me as a friend. "With your talent, it's a waste of your talent to be a mere garrison commander of Xiangyang. With this plan, you can probably become a..."
Seeing that he seemed to be thinking of an official title for me, I told him the truth that this plan was not my idea but was set up by others.
"How do Jiang Yong and Zhong Wenjie compare to you?"
"I'm not as good as them." I have always been very confident, but since I heard their plan that day, I knew I was not as good as them.
"General Huangfu..." Seeing that he seemed to be lost in thought, I knew that he must have many talented people under Mr. Jingyi. But in order to go back and rest early, I was really too tired, so I interrupted his thoughts, finished all the things I had to do, and went back. "General Huangfu, I have a letter from your former subordinate Chen Liang, who asked me to bring it to you."
"Chen Liang?" He took the letter and kept repeating the name, "I don't remember having this person under my command."
He thought for a while and said to me affirmatively: "No."