33. The dark clouds dissipate and the bright moon rises
"Come on, come on, today is a day of great joy. You can open your stomachs and eat hard, drink hard, and have enough good wine and meat... You have worked hard during this period. No more nonsense. Those who have made contributions will definitely get it.
There is a reward, so please relax, let’s get drunk together tonight!”
"good!"
As one looks to be in his early forties, which is when masculinity is at its peak, the figure may not be called strong, but it is not thin by any means. The tall body is matched with smooth lines and a few well-placed muscles.
With the loud promise of a man who had the typical demeanor of a well-off family in the Han Dynasty, the atmosphere in the venue reached its peak in an instant.
All the men, either rude or elegant, were toasting and drinking at this moment. Although in the past, they often behaved clearly, and even if they occasionally got together, they still seemed so out of place, but today, alone here,
At the banquet, they forgot about their differences in status and their previous antagonistic attitudes. They hugged each other to their heart's content, sang folk tunes loudly, or recited Yuefu poems loudly, enjoying themselves happily and wildly.
.
Looking at the entire banquet hall, except for the slightly tangled expression on the face of someone in one corner of the banquet, the atmosphere in the entire venue was like this - etiquette has been lost, and what is diffused is the "human nature"
thing.
The young maids shuttled through the mess like flying butterflies, while the rude guests were like teenagers catching butterflies, catching them in their arms with their rough or delicate hands and playing with them carefully.
Let those butterflies occasionally make bursts of sounds that will heighten the excitement of the party.
Of course, because of the owner of this place, the activities of the guests are limited to entertainment. Even the most rude guy knows which part of the brain should be kept awake on such occasions. After all, don’t look at the smile of the current owner of this place.
Although he looks amiable and amiable, who doesn't know what the fate of those enemies who were once hostile to him are now.
What's more, this banquet is nominally held to celebrate the marriage between the owner of this place and a beautiful woman.
It's just that in such a slightly chaotic scene, no one noticed that several people had disappeared into it...probably.
The man in the corner who seemed slightly out of tune with the atmosphere in the entire banquet hall suddenly raised his lowered head and looked in the direction of the exit of the venue with thoughtful eyes, but his actions were limited to this, lightly.
He poured the contents of the cup into his mouth, carefully savored the burning sensation coming from the depths of his throat, and then lowered his head deeply again.
Obviously, the current occasion and atmosphere are a bit far away from him.
"Although a great price was paid, this time I finally shot and killed the 'Tiger of Jiangdong'. Without Sun Wentai as a minion, Yuan Gongluo is just a kitten without teeth and nothing to fear. It's just those in the south
Guy..."
In a secret room, several people gathered around a rather huge short table, their faces looking uncertain under the candlelight. Although their eyes were cast in different directions, their goals were unprecedentedly consistent -
—The one that was laid flat on the low table
A huge map marked with mountains and rivers, as well as the names of large and small cities, passes and even Wubao. In one corner of this map, the words "Jingzhou Zhizhang Map" are not conspicuous, but they highlight the
This map is of great value.
The owner of this place who had appeared at the banquet was naturally the most powerful one among the several people, and the speech just now came from his mouth. The originally slightly depressed atmosphere became a little more lively because of his speech.
, the other people sitting around the short table also became more active, and from time to time they stretched out their hands to point and draw on the map, as if they were comparing something.
"Lord, there is no need to worry. Although the four counties in Jingnan returned and rebelled when we had no time to look south, it was just a scabies disease, not to mention the Wuling barbarians in the south. The Lingling barbarians had no intention of assisting us before.
Grateful, Jiaozhou Laigong, Cangwu Wu Ju
They were all ordered by the lord. Even if he could not completely control the local area, there was no problem in sending five thousand troops. Therefore, as long as there was someone who could be recognized by several forces to take command, the Jingnan rebels were nothing more than local chickens and dogs.
On the contrary..."
A middle-aged scribe with a slightly sick look on his face said with a solemn expression while tapping the corner of the map. He did not feel relaxed or happy at all, which was in sharp contrast to the joyful noise outside the secret room.
"Since Zirou said that Jingnan is not a problem, I can put the matter in Jingnan aside. But since Zirou has given me a way to solve the matter in Jingnan, then Zirou can do nothing for two people.
How about telling me the candidate you have in mind? But since Zirou is not worried about the enemies in the north, and regards the rebels in the south as chickens and dogs, he doesn’t know why he is worried?"
"This...please forgive me, my lord, for speaking frankly. Although our powerful enemies in Jingzhou have retreated, we still cannot think that we have nothing to worry about. Whether it is external or internal, in fact, there are still considerable hidden dangers that can inflict heavy damage on us at any time.
"
"Zi Rou's words are always just like that of Yong Ji. They are correct arguments, so there is no harm in saying them. I am here to listen attentively."
"Externally, according to what Fuling tycoon Shen Mi and Linjiang tycoon Gan Ning said a few days ago, Liu Yan still has not given up his desire to conquer our Jingzhou. This time our Jingzhou's vitality has been severely damaged, and there is no guarantee that he will not take advantage of it.
Behind the incident in Jingnan was the shadow of Yizhou. Now in the Su Dynasty, the remnants of Beiyu seem to be getting ready to take action. Relying on the Eight Hundred Miles Dongting, they are fighting against the former Jiangxia thieves.
Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng colluded with each other. Therefore, if this is not handled properly, I am afraid that the peace that Jingbei has so easily gained will no longer exist. What is even more worrying is that as the saying goes, "There will be a great epidemic after the war." I, Xiangyang City
We have been resisting Sun Jian's army for several months, and the bodies inside and outside the city are as high as the mountains. If we don't have a proper way to deal with them, I'm afraid the disaster may not be much less than the military disaster."
"It is indeed very important to dispose of the corpses of the war dead and prevent epidemics. Degui and Yidu, you two will be responsible for handling this matter. Our land in Jingxiang has been ravaged by war. If we suffer from epidemics again,
Chaos, even hell on earth is not enough to describe it, so don’t worry about money and food, and let each family support you, after all, this is also related to their safety and future."
Almost as soon as Kuai Liang's voice fell, Liu Biao, whose expression changed suddenly because of his words, gave the order. Cai Mao and Kuai Yue, who knew the stakes involved, did not refuse and accepted Liu Biao's order with solemn expressions.
errand.
"As for the rebellion..." Liu Biao pondered for a moment, then looked up at Kuai Liang beside him, "Since the thieves are concentrated in the Dongting area, in addition to leaving it to the person in charge of Jingnan affairs, let Huang Zigui lead it
Jiang Xiabing goes to help out. Although he behaved a bit recklessly in the battle with Sun Wentai, Zigui's ability is still trustworthy."
"...What my lord said is true." Knowing that Liu Biao still did not alienate Huang Zu, Kuai Liang did not intend to say anything more. After all, although Huang Zu was a little more arrogant in the past, as a descendant of the Nanyang Huang family, he had nothing to do with Huang Zu.
There are all kinds of inextricable connections between the Jingxiang family. If there is no deep hatred, naturally they can help and not step on them too much.
Of course, this was also because Kuai Liang knew very well that Liu Biao would take this opportunity to "beat and beat" Huang Zu, who dominated Jiangxia and was more like an ally than Liu Biao's subordinate, so there was no need for him to worry about this matter.
only……
"My lord, although Huang Zigui is a meritorious person, the fact that he was defeated and captured in the battle with Sun Wentai is not entirely his responsibility. It's just that whether it is Huang Zigui or his athletes, it will take time to recover after this defeat.
Recover your self-cultivation, otherwise the continuous fierce battles will all fall on Jiang Xiabing..."
Different from the Kuai family, which is mostly based on domestic affairs and diplomacy, although Cai Mao's Cai family is also married to children of aristocratic families, it is from Cai Mao's generation that the Cai family has gradually paid attention to military affairs. Perhaps it is because of this.
At first, he was attacked because he had no identity and background, but because of his soldiers and generals.
Stimulated by Li Shushi who was climbing over him, Cai Mao, who was originally considered to be a literary and romantic man, often went to the army with his younger brothers, and even used the family's shipbuilding business to build and recruit a fairly large naval force.
.It’s just that because of Huang Zu’s existence, this unit has never had a chance to show its face.
"I still can't do without De Gui's assistance. Could it be that De Gui has a talented person who can recommend it to me?"
Because today is the day when Liu Biao got married to Cai Mao's second sister, which means that from now on, Liu Biao will truly tie himself to the interests of the Jingzhou nobles, so he naturally wants to treat his brother-in-law
A generous three points.
"My nephew Zhang Yun is a young and talented man who is more familiar with water warfare. This time is the time to serve the lord. My brothers Cai Zhong and Cai He are all available. If time passes, they can also become Jingzhou
A minister with a strong buttocks."
"This time Wen Zhongye performed well in the battle at Fancheng. The Bajun man named Gan Xingba hit Sun Wen on the goalkeeper with an arrow at Yanshan and knocked him off his horse. It was a great achievement for both of them.
I am a young hero from Jingzhou, and now I have three young talents recommended by De Gui, which makes me really happy. Then I am sure about this matter, and it will be up to De Gui to decide when to launch the army."
"On behalf of my brother-in-law and nephew, I have thanked my lord for his kindness and will never let down my lord's expectations!"
"Okay, okay, we are all a family, there is no need to be so polite. By the way, it's time for Zirou to tell me who you have in mind."
"Yes, so that my lord can know that the suitable person I have in mind is actually right in front of me - my lord's servant Liu Pan and Liu Bojian. My lord, your servant is a brave man. When it comes to force, he can be compared with our Jingzhou army."
Ranked among the top five, it is because of you, my lord, that he is qualified to represent you. Therefore, if he controls the generals in the south, he will definitely succeed immediately."
"In this way, this silly boy can indeed try to add some burdens to him, but the position of commander of Jingnan is still a bit too high for him... Let's let Uncle Yi Ji, Uncle Ma, and Pan Chengming , Xi Wenxiang assists him. These four people are all very capable and stable people. With a few of them around, the silly boy will know how to do things appropriately."
"Great kindness..." After hearing Liu Biao's final decision, several people present expressed their respectful attitude with satisfaction.
At least Cai Mao, who had the opportunity to replace Huang Zu as the first general of the Jingzhou Army, and Kuai Liang, who allowed the Jingbei family to invade the south, were very satisfied. After all, except for Yi Jibo, a fellow countryman of Liu Biao, and Wuling, a native of Jingnan, Pan Jun, a native of Hanshou, and the other two assistants to Liu Pan, Ma Xuan of Yicheng and Xi Zhen of Xiangyang, were all outstanding figures of the younger generation among the Jingbei gentry.
Although Sun Jian's death made the people in Jingzhou who faced him feel unprecedentedly happy, such feelings were still suppressed because they still had to face the unwilling Yuan Shu to the north, the eager Liu Yan to the west, and internal instability. Deep in my heart and unable to vent for the time being.
But for some people, their feelings about Sun Jian's death can be vented freely...
"Hahahaha! He was actually killed by random arrows and rolling stones. What a cowardly way to die. Sun Wentai, you died in such a cowardly way! Your subordinates actually said that they died of infection with wind and cold. You are really ruining the world. Do all people think they are fools, hahahaha!!!”
Although the laughter was loud, the "shadow" hidden in the shadows next to the man who made the laughter could be heard. There was only one point of joy in the laughter, and the rest was indeed six points. Unwillingness and a third of melancholy. Although he didn't know the reason for this complicated emotion, he clearly felt the emotion called "loneliness" spreading in the air.
But compared to the relatively restrained (?) performance of the man who made a complicated laugh, his subordinates were already "excited":
"Commander, once Sun Jian dies, we will no longer have a significant opponent in the south. Once we have a good rest, we will go out of Wuguan next year to capture that young man from the Yuan family and send him to the hound house. See if he's still hard."
"That's right! There is also the guy named Liu Yan from the south, who has no sage, and should also be the target of our crusade."
"Guo Aduo, we have to climb mountains and ridges to get to Yizhou. Just rely on your short legs to avoid getting lost in the mountains."
"Hu Wencai, if you are not convinced, come and challenge me to see if my legs are short or your sword is not long enough!"
"Let's just compete. I'm afraid of you, a bandit!"
"Lao Guo vs. Lao Hu, this match is quite interesting. Come on, come on, place your bets. I bet that Lao Guo will win in fifty moves!"
"I bet Lao Guo can defeat Hu Wencai in a hundred moves!"
"I bet Lao Hu can defeat Guo Aduo with forty moves!"
"..." "..." "..."
So, just like usual, the generals below soon turned the original discussion into a battleground and casino to resolve their personal grievances, while the civil servants not far from them were used to watching indifferently or wandering away. Completely ignoring the scene in front of me.
No, it cannot be said that no one came out to stop these disrespectful guys.
"Shut up, you guys who have no regard for the law of the court! This is the court of my great man. What kind of crime do you guys deserve to be so rude in front of the emperor! Where is I, who has no regard for the emperor? Give me these people who have no regard for the emperor.
Take the traitor!"
Such a shout not only woke up the noisy generals from their respective affairs, but also woke up the man who was sitting on the soft couch in front of the "Dragon Chair" in the center of the court, meditating, and even the eyes that he had just opened.
There was also a moment of confusion and confusion.
Then he was surprised to see a group of tiger-like and wolf-like soldiers breaking into the palace and standing behind the generals who were noisy just now. If these soldiers hadn't all looked at him with asking for instructions, he would still have
He thought that the soldiers under his command were going to rebel against him and capture all of them.
Although if such a thing really happened, he would not be angry because of it, but would reflect on why his soldiers betrayed him, but the current situation made him feel a little angry.
"Wang Situ, what on earth is going on right in front of you!"
Ignoring the two sides who were glaring at each other, the man turned his questioning gaze to the man ranked second in the queue of civil servants.
"Reporting back to the Prime Minister. It is probably because the generals were delighted with Sun Jian's death that they went a little out of their way in their conversation and laughter, which made Taiwei Lu dissatisfied. In exchange for the soldiers under Jinwu's command, the generals were premeditated."
"Is that so? You did make a mistake by disobeying me, and it is natural for Lieutenant Lu to be angry for this. In this case, I will fine you three months' salary. Do you have any objections?"
"I'll admit my mistake later."
"snort!"
Although he really wanted to take the opportunity to have those bastards just pulled down and slapped dozens of times, Lu Zhi could only stomp his feet and return to where he should be sitting. After all, even if Dong Zhuo because of his surname,
His achievements and the knowledge behind him
The relationship involved did not dare to suppress him too much, and even moved his position from Sikong to Taiwei within a few months. However, the only person in Chang'an City who is qualified to decide everything is still Dong Zhuo, and this has never changed.
It cannot be changed.
However, Dong Zhuo's generals, who were originally dissatisfied with Lu Zhi's performance, uncharacteristically did not show a more violent response today. They just ignored Lu Zhi's cold snort, even though they had just been punished by Dong Zhuo for three months.
salary.
But who made these people so happy today?
After all, although it is not without success, the name Sun Jian is like a big stone in the hearts of every Xiliang army general, whether it is the battle of Xuanmenguan or the subsequent events in Luyang, Yangren and other places.
The battles, even older, can still be remembered as the battles against the Qiang people when they were under Zhang Wen's command.
It can be said that Sun Jian's troops have always been synonymous with toughness. Even if they can win the battle, the result will definitely be a miserable victory, or at least they will be bitten off a big piece by the opponent. Not to mention
He said that if he loses, I'm afraid it will be very difficult
He will not be able to return to the battlefield for a long time. Just like Hu Zhen today, all the soldiers under his command are re-recruited from Xiliang. Although their bravery and momentum are not inferior to those of the veterans, after all, their combat effectiveness is sky-high.
Different places.
Therefore, the disappearance of such an opponent is really something that will wake up the generals of the Xiliang Army with laughter. And because of this, in the face of Lu Zhi's reprimand, they also let go of "a large number of adults" today.
passed the other party.
Should this be said to be a kind of sadness?
No, perhaps in the eyes of these people, luck should also be a type of strength, and Sun Jian's luck should actually be e.
Therefore, because of Sun Jian's death, his current and former enemies all felt that the dark clouds that had been suppressing their heads had dispersed... (To be continued.)