I couldn't help but feel thankful in my heart, otherwise I would be the one saying goodbye to General Liu, and he would be impressed by my politeness, while I would be secretly mourning his impending death.
But now it is no longer necessary, I have an idea, so I will ask these old soldiers for help. I looked back at these old and weak soldiers again, they are really old and weak, pulling them to fight, there are more than 300 young and strong people, some of them can't even tell east, west, north, south, left and right.
"Is there anyone else at home?" I feel it is necessary to have a good relationship with these uncles.
There were various answers. Either he was the only man in the family, or his sons and grandsons were still alive, or they were disabled. There was an even more outrageous one. He was the youngest man in the family, 51 years old. His father was 69, his grandfather was 87, and his great-grandfather was 104. I quickly told him to stop because I saw that he was still not satisfied and wanted to go on. Imagine that there were a lot of old men in their family, one by one... I quickly told myself to stop thinking about it.
"Here is a hundred times the military pay. You are old, so I specifically asked you to stay. I want you to go back if you want to, and stay first if you are willing to help me. After you help, I will tell you that everyone will sacrifice their lives in the battle against the Yellow Turbans. You will all go back too. So, those who want to leave can take the pay and go, and those who stay to help me can eat well, have a good rest, and wait for my order." I felt that my words were simple and humane, and would surely resonate with everyone. I couldn't help but feel proud of myself and thought that I had a great hand.
The result was beyond my expectation. I imagined them shouting, "General, you are kind and righteous. We will fight to the death for you." But they all left. I cursed them for being disloyal in my heart, but I had to smile as I watched them all leave happily.
I made a big mistake this time. I can't play this scene alone. What should I do? Oh, there is still one person who hasn't left. I am so touched. He said nothing when I asked him questions just now. I didn't notice the old soldier sitting in the corner. His skin is relatively fair. He doesn't seem to be a farmer. He seems to be a rich man. But why would a rich man in his fifties join the army to suffer? It's really strange. But there is one person who stayed. Although he is small, he seems to be okay. I made up my mind and went over. I didn't want to let him run away this time. "In fact, this operation is not dangerous."
"Don't worry, General. I won't leave." He seemed to understand what I was thinking, which made me feel embarrassed.
"Then why don't you leave?" I really found it strange.
"General, how is this with you? With luàn, the family is unhappy!"He was reluctant to talk, but he thought that I was alone, and thought, "I live in Luoyang, and my son and I are both footballers, and my family has been rich for many years. But fortune tellers and my son and I are both married, and it's not surprising that three years ago, my wife and I both died of a serious illness. Last year, when I was on my way out in the middle of a drought, I ran into a woman on my way out. When I got over the road, I saved her. I accepted her as a maid because I saw her in a lonely place. In fact, I now have a schi heart. I saw this woman and wanted him to marry us. But I was afraid of getting hurt. I found another person. The woman has a hard life, but should be matched with me. You think that I am in my late 60s, and my son is 41, and marrying one, two or eight people started out to be laughed by outsiders. But when she learned of it, she said she was willing to love her body, and I made a commitment, but she married on the road with her bhai, helpless, and my wife is grateful to me for taking good care of me."I'm thinking of an old sè wolf, and although he's a nice guy, he's half-hearted, and he's looking for a wife like that, and if I haven't held a girl's hand yet, I'd like to rule out my sister first. I wish I could hit him, but he's such a good yàn, he wouldn't remember being a soldier at such an age. I just kept listening.
"That year, goods were in short supply everywhere, but my business was pretty good. I went home occasionally, and my son did the same. Every time I came back, I would leave a letter to ask him how he was doing. I would also always see the letters he left for me asking me if I was safe and telling me not to run around anymore and to take care of myself. I could just let him go out and run around. I would then leave another letter saying I was fine and that I had remarried, and asked him to find one so he wouldn't end up alone. He would ask his new daughter-in-law to serve me tea when I came back..." I was even more puzzled. My son was also filial, so there was nothing wrong with him.
"That winter, my wife got pregnant..." I couldn't help but look at this uncle in admiration, so amazing, and then I thought, it must be someone else's hand. "I immediately went back to Luoyang with her. When I got home, my son really had a new wife. This wife was dignified, hardworking, and treated me respectfully and filially. What's more gratifying is that she was pregnant with my son's flesh..."
I think I'm totally confused.
"Who would have thought that when the whole family was having dinner together that night, my wife and my daughter-in-law looked at each other and were horrified. It turned out that my wife was my daughter-in-law's daughter! The two of them were separated while fleeing, but my son and I met them separately and married them. Such a treasonous thing actually happened in my family. What should I do? I want to marry my wife, and my son also wants to marry his wife. This mother and daughter resisted by dying, saying that they were repaying the grace of saving their lives. Country people are not bound by etiquette. This year is a big rainy season, and it is not safe to go out to do business. Instead of worrying at home, I joined the army in the name of joining the army to protect Luoyang. It is better to die on the battlefield. My wife is still young, and she can remarry after I die, so she will not be criticized by others."
I completely understood his pain, and I felt really sorry for him now. After telling him to have a good rest, I lay alone on the lawn in the camp, which only had a dozen tents, thinking about this matter. This old man was his son's father and son-in-law, and his son was his father and his son was his father's father-in-law. Their wives also had children. After the birth of the children, if they were all boys, the old man's son would be both his son's brother and his son's grandson, and his son's son would be both his son's uncle and nephew. The old man's son and the old man were not only father and son, but also great-grandfather and great-grandson... So naive! I think I would definitely go crazy if I were in this family.
At noon, we rode away from the main camp, leaving an empty camp here, maybe we could scare Zhang Jue for a while. He turned out to be a merchant, so I asked him to dress up as a merchant and carry a cloth bag. I gave the hundred times the salary that Huangfu Song gave me to this poor old man, and asked him to buy some things. As for me...
By the evening, we had entered the area controlled by the Yellow Turbans. He and I always kept a distance of about a mile between us. Groups of Yellow Turban troops often appeared nearby, either going to the front line or retreating, but they didn't pay much attention to us. Some soldiers just looked at me twice. I think it was because of my size.
I entered Puyang before the gates were sealed, saving another day. I was very happy. In summer, it gets dark late, so I still had an hour to go out. There were fewer people in the city than in the Yellow Turban Army, but the order was good, just what I wanted. I am thick-skinned, so I shouted without blushing: "Iron-mouthed diviners, fortune-telling, fortune-telling, fortune-telling before and after!"
At this time, the agent who was discussing business with the person next to him came up and asked, "Is it true?"
"Sir, are you from Luoyang?"
"How do you know?" He pretended to be surprised.
"You speak with a Luoyang accent, I can tell without even trying!" The people nearby burst into laughter and gathered around me. I was overjoyed.
Pretending to be a little embarrassed, he asked, "Sir, can you tell me whether this trip will be successful?"
"Okay, let me check for you," I looked left and right at him, "You should be safe here. The Yellow Turban Army is kind-hearted and will not harm you at all. But you will be robbed three times when you get to the government army. The first time they will rob your horse, the second time they will rob your silver, and the third time, the several pieces of jewelry in your bag will be lost."
"How did you know there were jewels in my bag?" Tuo was shocked and pretended to have no doubts. "Sir, what should I do?" You really acted like a real businessman. He was so good at pretending that everyone on this street believed him. I was planning to leave a few people to do this, but it seems that this one is enough. It would be a good thing if they go back, so as not to expose any loopholes for me.
"The only solution now is to stay here until autumn and then come back."
"Why?"
"At that time, your home had been captured by the Yellow Turban Army." The Yellow Turban Army was obviously very happy to hear this and came to ask me this and that. I answered fluently, no matter whether it was right or wrong, the first thing was to be fast, so that he would feel that I was like a god, knowing everything in the world.
"Then do you think our Yellow Turban Army can take over the world?" Great, someone finally asked this question.
I frowned, and suddenly thought, "There will be a great disaster after the autumn." Then I shook my head and walked away without saying another word. I knew that was enough.
Sure enough, just after I finished dinner at the inn, before it got completely dark, the Yellow Turban Army sent someone to look for me. General Zhang Jue wanted to see me.
I am finally going to meet this legendary great sage.