Wei Ni

Han Long claimed that the person who could be the envoy was Zuo Jie, a hero who was more famous than himself and a powerful son of Feiru County.

This name is almost unknown and rarely mentioned in western Liaoning.

Because when Zuo Jie was very young, his family was in danger due to war and natural disasters, and happened to be helped by an elder in the state with the same name as Jie to overcome the difficulties. Therefore, Zuo's family asked him to avoid using the taboo word "Jie" to show respect, and thus he went by his name in the world.

His courtesy name is Junbo.

After hearing this name, Xiahou Hui knew who he was.

When he was in Luoyang, he made a special trip to find the bureaucrats who had been sent to Liaodong to inquire about the situation, so he also knew about the little episode caused by Zuo Junbo.

Previously, the imperial court conferred titles on Gongsun Yuan as Grand Marshal and Duke of Lelang, and sent Fu Rong, Nie Kui and others as envoys to confer the titles.

After Fu Rong and others arrived in Liaoxi County, in order to avoid being disturbed and find a way around when traveling on the sea route, they asked the Zuo family to arrange a young man to be the guide for the delegation, on the grounds that the Zuo family had friendship with the Zaohu tribe in the northeast of the Yanshan Mountains.

The Zuo family, whose family has served as officials in the county for generations, would certainly not refuse such a request.

The young man who was arranged was Zuo Junbo.

He was fond of traveling when he was young, and became the leader of his family's caravan when he grew up. He often led the caravan to go out of the border to exchange what he needed with the various Hu tribes. It was most appropriate for him to be a guide.

But the Zuo family forgot one thing.

Zuo Junbo was an extremely strong man, over eight feet tall. Before he reached the age of twenty, he became famous in the county for killing a frightened horse with one punch. He was a well-known strongman.

After he joined the diplomatic corps, Gongsun Yuan thought that Luoyang was using him as "Zhu Hai"!

In fear, Gongsun Yuan led his soldiers to besiege the envoys in the academy. Only after ensuring their safety did he accept the emperor's edict. He also behaved unruly and spoke ill of the envoys several times.

This was also one of the reasons why Emperor Cao Rui was so eager to attack Liaodong.

What puzzled Xiahou Hui was why such a brave warrior was still a commoner?

With Zuo Junbo's family background, bravery, and reputation, wouldn't it be easy for him to recruit a thousand generals in Youzhou?
I found out the reason after asking Han Long.

Firstly, Zuo Junbo was not very enthusiastic about his official career.

Because there were many descendants of the Zuo family serving in counties and prefectures, he felt that whether or not he, who was accustomed to a leisurely life, took up an official position would make little difference to the benefits of the clan.

The other reason is to avoid suspicion.

The Zuo family, which is rooted in Feiru County, is too familiar with the Zahu tribes in the northeast of the Yanshan Mountains.

Previously, when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao, incorporated the Wuhuan in three counties and the Xianbei repeatedly invaded the border, Zuo Junbo did not want to serve in the army and bring unnecessary suspicion to his clan.

Han Long had only spent four or five days with him.

Because he had been employed by other powerful families, when he was escorting a caravan out of the border, he met the Zuo family's caravan on the road, so the two families traveled together for a while, and thus he became acquainted with Zuo Junbo.

But Han Long vowed that he could accomplish it.

In his words, the Zuo family has always been submissive to the State of Wei, and Zuo Junbo is a public-spirited person. As long as Xiahou Hui speaks, the Zuo family will serve wholeheartedly and be determined to surrender the remaining Wuhuan tribes on the north side of the Yanshan Mountains.

After all, with Xiahou Hui's identity and status, personally visiting the Zuo family in Feiru County to entrust matters to them would greatly enhance the reputation of the Zuo family.

This kind of opportunity is hard to come by.

The Zuo family would not miss this opportunity, and would get it done even if it meant damaging the clan’s interests.

Otherwise, the Zuo family would become a laughing stock in the county.

Xiahou Hui also agreed with this.

He immediately decided to let him lead the way to visit the Zuo family.

Anyway, Feiru County is also on Wuzhong Road. Starting from Han Long's home, you only need to pass through Lingzhi County to reach it. And going south from Feiru County is Haiyang County and Guzhu City, and going east is Yuguan, which will not delay Xiahou Hui's journey.

The confluence of Xuanshui (Qinglong River), which originates from the Yanshan Mountains, and Lushui in Feiru County has always been one of the supply points before entering the mountains via the Lulong Road, and it is also the place where the Zuo family settled.

There is abundant grass and water here, and the fields are fertile, making it suitable for farming and animal husbandry. As a result, the Zuo family has developed into a powerful family, with four to five hundred people wielding swords and spears.

But the Zuo family did not have a bad reputation for robbery.

Their main source of income was trade with the various barbarians north of the Yanshan Mountains, rather than relying on swallowing up the people's land and seizing pastures to make a fortune.

In general, it is a powerful family worthy of government support and conducive to maintaining local stability.

On the way to Feiru, Xiahou Hui was thinking, if the Zuo family really helped him to surrender the remaining Wuhuan tribes, should he repay the favor by recommending Zuo Junbo to Guanqiu Jian, or should he report to the imperial court to confer an official position and reward?

But he didn't expect that Zuo Junbo was ready to follow him.
However, when Xiahou Hui and his party arrived at Zuo's house, Han Long had just stepped forward to inform them of their purpose when he heard a loud commotion in Zuo's fortress. The gate of the fortress was immediately opened, and led by an old man in his seventies with a cane, more than a dozen men, young and old, with happy faces, filed out and saluted Xiahou Hui without saying a word.

It also made Xiahou Hui confused for a moment.

Obviously, I have never been to Youzhou and my reputation is not well-known in the world! Why did the Zuo family, young and old, who I have never met, come out to welcome me in such a grand manner?
Of course, I still don’t understand.

When he saw his father-in-law, he hurried forward and supported him so that he wouldn't have to bow to him. Respecting the elderly has been a social custom since the Qin and Han dynasties.

If he accepted the greetings from his father-in-law who was in his seventies, he would be drowned in impeachment.

"General Zhenhu has come in person. I am sorry that I failed to greet you from afar. I hope you will forgive me."

"Today, our Zuo family is honored, and our humble home is glorious!"

"My family is poor, so I prepared some wine and meat to show my appreciation. I hope General Xiahou will not mind the simplicity."

After entering the dock, the father-in-law of the Zuo family kept saying polite words along the way, appearing very friendly and gracious.

This made Xiahou Hui, in addition to being repeatedly humble, also feel a little alert in his heart - he hadn't even taken up his post at Yuguan yet, but the Zuo family already knew his official position. It seemed that the Zuo family also had connections in the government!
And the old man was also very tactful.

Knowing that Han Long had informed Xiahou Hui that he was looking for Zuo Junbo, he chatted with him for a few words and then left with the rest of his family, citing lack of energy, leaving only Zuo Junbo behind to entertain the guest.

Xiahou Hui had recognized Zuo Junbo a long time ago.

Because he stands out among the crowd.

For example, Wei Shu who came with him was also eight feet and two inches tall, but still a little shorter than Zuo Junbo, and his body width was only half of Zuo Junbo's.

The so-called waist size of ten is probably something like this.

After his family left, he came over to pay his respects to Xiahou Hui, and said with emotion, "General, you have just arrived in Liaoxi Yuguan to take up your post, and you have come to see me. I am deeply grateful for your attention."

Huh?
How do you know I just arrived in western Liaoning?
A powerful family in Feiru actually knew my whereabouts and were going to be stationed in Yuguan?
Could it be that the Zuo family has become so powerful in Youzhou?
In a moment, Xiahou Hui became more and more surprised.

Even Wei Shu, who was following beside him, looked alert and quietly signaled his followers to move closer to Xiahou Hui.

"He is truly a brave warrior!"

Xiahou Hui praised him first, and then smiled, "Jun Bo, there is no need to be polite. I came here without asking, which is a bother to your family. Oh, by the way, how did Jun Bo know that I had just arrived in Liaoxi?"

"Prefect Fu had previously informed my family."

After standing up, Zuo Junbo replied without hesitation.

But he quickly reacted, showing a very surprised expression and asked back, "General, do you mean that you haven't met Governor Fu yet?"

Prefect Fu Rong?

My mission in Liaoxi is related to the attack on Liao. Why did Fu Rong tell the Zuo family?

"Not yet."

With doubts, Xiahou Hui remained calm and pointed at Han Long beside him and said, "To be honest, I came from Wuzhong County, Youbeiping."

"what!"

After exclaiming in surprise, Zuo Junbo turned his head to look at Han Long, and then he suddenly realized it, and his expression became more grateful, "I didn't expect that Governor Fu hadn't yet recommended me to the general, but the general already knew that there was Zuo Junbo in the world!"

He just sighed and quickly led Xiahou Hui and others to the banquet place to sit down. After the servants served them wine and apologized that the food would be delivered soon, he explained the matter.

It turned out that after being instructed by Guanqiu Jian, Liaoxi Prefect Fu Rong could guess what Emperor Cao Rui was going to do by sending Xiahou Hui to Yuguan.

Therefore, he also wrote a letter to the Zuo family.

He claimed that the imperial court was going to attack Gongsun Yuan in Liaodong, and Xiahou Hui, who was the general of Zhenhu, must be the chief general. Then he asked Zuo Junbo if he was willing to avenge the humiliation he suffered from Gongsun Yuan in the past. If so, he would recommend him to Xiahou Hui.

The reason why Fu Rong did this was that he felt he owed Zuo Junbo a favor.

Previously, the Zuo family had kindly sent Zuo Junbo to serve as a guide for the diplomatic delegation, but after arriving in Liaodong, he was humiliated by Gongsun Yuan, which made Fu Rongting feel very guilty.

So I wanted to repay this favor by recommending you.

Well, when they were on a diplomatic mission in the past, Gongsun Yuan, who thought that Zuo Junbo was going to be a "Zhu Hai", sent soldiers to besiege the diplomatic delegation and then spoke ill of everyone, among whom he humiliated Zuo Junbo the most!
It is said that a gentleman can be killed but not humiliated.

Zuo Junbo was in the diplomatic corps at the time, and he could not act rashly in order to protect everyone's lives.

But after returning, he secretly vowed to avenge this humiliation one day.

Therefore, when Fu Rong's letter arrived, he immediately sought consent from his family, selected a hundred moves and practiced day and night, quietly waiting for Xiahou Hui to write to summon him to join the army.

Unexpectedly, Xiahou Hui went to Wuzhong County first, and Han Long took the lead in recommending him.

That's it!

Ha, there is really no coincidence in the world~
I used to feel sorry that it was such a waste for such a brave man to waste his time among the people!
Unexpectedly, Fu Rong had actually facilitated his coming here.

After hearing this, Xiahou Hui was delighted and expressed his honor to have Zuo Junbo serve him. He then told him the purpose of his visit and finally said earnestly, "To be honest with you, Junbo, I am the commander of the central army. The soldiers under my command are not in Youzhou, and I do not have the power to appoint myself as a general. If you follow the advice of Governor Fu, I can only ask Guanqiu to appoint Junbo as an assistant. But if Junbo is willing to go and recruit the remaining Wuhuan tribes to join us, I can ask Your Majesty to accept Junbo as my subordinate!" (End of this chapter)