"If you don't mind, please listen to what I, Zhang Wenyuan, have to say..."
Standing in front of this temporary craftsman's workshop in Hefei City, Zhang Liao was encouraged by Liu Ye several times before he stepped in the door and shouted like a broken jar.
Zhang Liao's voice didn't seem to cause much trouble.
The shirtless men were shouting slogans while doing the work in their hands, and some were completely silent, without even raising their heads.
Zhang Liao honestly has never encountered such embarrassing treatment.
At that moment, he couldn't hold it any longer.
I wanted to come here to apologize with good intentions, but these men didn't take care of me at all.
This makes him, a general and a prefect, where should he put his face?
However, Liu Ye continued to comfort him and said to Zhang Liao:
"Come here, finish your conversation and tell me what's on your mind. They won't fail to understand."
After Liu Ye said this, Zhang Liao couldn't care less.
He cleared his throat and continued shouting:
"It doesn't matter if you don't care about what I say - I'm here today just to apologize for having slighted you a few days ago. Before that, I, Zhang Liao, was impatient and just looked at your slovenly appearance and acted without permission.
I thought you were all those people who don’t care about the lives of the soldiers and civilians in Hefei City - the facts prove that I, Zhang Wenyuan, was wrong!"
Zhang Liao's voice became louder and louder, and his heart seemed to become clearer as he shouted.
This wonderful feeling lingered in Zhang Liao's chest for a long time until he finished his last words:
"Please all of you! Regardless of past grievances! Give me, Zhang Wenyuan, a helping hand! Let's defend Hefei City together! For this...I, Zhang Wenyuan, am willing to bear all the blame and insults! Just say it! If it can make you feel happier!"
Such a sincere speech is rare in the military, but even so, after Zhang Liao said this, it seemed that the response was not very good.
The craftsman's workshop at this moment was quieter than before he arrived.
Everyone's hands were still moving, and the more this happened, the more anxious Zhang Liao became.
He couldn't figure out what these guys meant, and he couldn't figure out whether he was doing useless work or was just being sentimental...
But...since these people are ungrateful, he has nothing to blame. After all, the other party is the hero. The city wall that made the Soochow people despair was built by this group of craftsmen on the ground by working non-stop for three days——
There is such a group of companions, but they look down upon them. As long as they can defend Hefei, what's the point?
"Zi Yang... Zhicai... I've finished my words. It doesn't matter that they don't want to talk to me. We still have things to do... let's go -"
"General Zhang! Please stay -"
The frustrated Zhang Liao had already planned to cheer up and leave with Liu Ye and others. At this time, someone suddenly called Zhang Liao, making Zhang Liao feel a little relaxed.
Yes, who doesn’t want to be recognized by others?
It is easy to admit one's strength, but it is valuable to admit one's shortcomings, be willing to admit mistakes, be willing to accept criticism, and be willing to make corrections.
And at this time, once someone recognizes it - the effect it has on shaping a person is absolutely difficult to describe in words.
"Who are you…"
Zhang Liao turned around and saw a somewhat familiar face.
The man was still unkempt, with an unkempt beard, and his eyes were indescribably tired. The key thing was... he was scratching his armpits just like last time.
"It doesn't matter who we are. What matters is that General Zhang is willing to accept lowly and humble people like us. This heart is enough."
"Everyone was hesitating just now... hesitating whether to tell the general a fact - you... actually don't need to apologize, because sir has already laid the groundwork with us, so... we all know, General Zhang -"
After the man finished speaking, the men around him also smiled and nodded.
"You said...are you talking about sir?"
"Sir, did you already know that this would happen?"
When he heard this, Zhang Liao thought there was something wrong with his ears, but the man opposite him shrugged and repeated what they had been told before:
"The gentleman said: 'General Zhang Wenyuan is outspoken. Don't pay attention to the nonsense he speaks when he is anxious. Just try your best to help him complete the city defense. In the future, he will definitely realize his mistakes and maybe go to visit him personally.
I apologize to you - 'We all thought that the general would come to look for us again after this battle is over, but we didn't expect that the general would be such a reasonable person... Sir, it turned out that he was not wrong about the general. In this way, we can rest assured about our lives.
Give it to the general."
"Yes...that's it..."
Zhang Liao didn't know why, but he suddenly laughed, a little silly, but more... he felt relieved.
Guarding Hefei was a task that Yi Xiaotian gave him because of his trust. Later, when Cao Cao said that Hefei needed candidates to stabilize the eastern front, Zhang Liao, who had always remembered Yi Xiaotian's instructions, volunteered to step forward.
For him, if he fails to defend Hefei, that is what he really doesn't want to see.
"It turns out that sir already knew..."
But now that he knew that even though he was far away in Chang'an and Xiangyang, Yi Xiaotian still did not forget to lighten his burden, Zhang Liao felt even more grateful.
"So...the general has put down his burden now? By coincidence, we already have a way to deal with the Soochow people digging underground tunnels. General, why not give it a try?"
"Ha ha ha ha…"
"You are truly worthy of being an expert in your craftsman's workshop! Okay! I, Zhang Liao, underestimated you before, but now I ask you to show your talents! I, Zhang Liao, will not refuse anyone who comes!"
Seeing Zhang Liao, who was mingling with the cheerful men in the craftsman's workshop, Liu Ye and Xi Zhicai looked at each other and felt relieved.
In a war, no matter what the process is, whether it is a victory or a defeat, the important thing is that the leader must always maintain a winning mentality and persist in not giving up - becoming the support of all soldiers. Only in this way can everyone be united and united.
, only then can the war be possible to win.
——
Finally, after learning from the painful experience, Zhou Yu decided not to look down on Cao Jun, and used all his methods, whether vicious or aboveboard, to quickly start organizing the final fierce attack on Hefei City.
Zhang Liao's side also responded one after another and was prepared for the most difficult period of resistance.
In such a fierce war, whoever can persevere will be victorious, and the victorious side will be able to have a great impact on the Cao and Liu armies who are fighting far away in Hanzhong.
The two wars that occurred almost at the same time had different impacts on each other in different ways. To a certain extent, they also affected the general trend of the world for who knows how many years to come.
