Ji Han Liu Zhang

The first year of Jian'an, June 15th.

A wide-ranging school ground was opened on the boundary of Hechi County. On the school ground, there were forests of swords and swords, flags fluttering, and tens of thousands of Shu soldiers gathered here to perform the ceremony of setting off under the red sun.

Sacrifice flag.

Sacrifice to the flag is a superstitious practice in the feudal era. Before the army goes to war, they often kill one or two living creatures. The living creatures may be important people, or special cattle and horses, to pray for the gods' blessings and blessings for the upcoming war. win.

As a person with a modern soul, Liu Zhang did not agree with the practice of flag sacrifice, but since he had entered the late Han Dynasty, he was naturally not exempt from the custom, and the flag that should be sacrificed still had to be sacrificed.

Speaking of which, the killing flag is the best sacrifice to the gods, and the people killed can be those who deceived and swayed the morale of the army before going out for the expedition, or they can be spies sent by the enemy.

Of course, not all cats and dogs are worthy of being dragged out to sacrifice the flag. Ordinary soldiers are not eligible for the flag sacrifice. Only important figures are worthy of this solemn and solemn activity.

It's just that Liu Zhang didn't have any intention of killing people to sacrifice the flag. In his mind, going to Guanzhong to conquer Li Jue, Guo Si and other Liangzhou thieves could be called a happy day. Killing people on a happy day is a bit unscrupulous.

So Liu Zhang sent his scribe Meng Jie to find an ox and a white horse, intending to use the ox and the white horse as sacrifices to worship God, and to encourage and stimulate the morale of the soldiers.

On the general stage, Liu Zhang gave instructions, and the chief secretary Xun You took a step forward. He read out Liu Zhang's message to conquer Guanzhong, and read it loudly to the soldiers below.

The content of the memorandum was mostly about criticizing the crimes committed by the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si. For example, Li Jue and Guo Si looted and killed people in Guanzhong, which made the sky angry and people resented them. Another example was the disobedient behavior of Li Jue and Guo Si who forced the emperor and Ling Gongqing.

All in all, all in all, Li Jue and Guo Si are not sons of man and deserve to die. But he, Liu Zhang, the shepherd of Yizhou, as a clan relative and an important official of the imperial court, naturally has to stand up at this time and serve as the emperor. The public minister washed away his shame, and secondly, he made decisions for the people of Guanzhong and killed the two Liangzhou thieves Li Jue and Guo Si.

The content of the proclamation came from the hand of the chief clerk, Xun You, and the reading was also read aloud by the chief clerk.

As for the soldiers who were far away from Xun You, they could also hear the content of the proclamation. After all, every hundred steps, there were soldiers who were proficient in diction and read aloud what Xun You read on their behalf. Naturally, there was no need to worry about the soldiers not hearing it.

'The wording is very good, the sentences are also very concise, and it is very good to inspire people. Listening to the sound of Xun You's recitation, Liu Zhang, who stood still and had nothing to do, commented on Xun You's essay, and he gave it a high evaluation.

However, Liu Zhang felt that even if Xun You's message was written in a concise and easy-to-understand manner, due to the literati's wording habits, it would still be somewhat difficult for the soldiers below to understand the words in this message. Most of the soldiers below would not understand it. .

However, it didn't matter if they didn't understand the motto. The soldiers were concerned about the ox and the white horse for the flag sacrifice. However, while Xun You was reciting the proclamation, the executioner who sacrificed the flag first drank a cup of hot wine and sprayed it on the sword on the ghost's back. , used to hone the sword.

Then the executioner, with blood flowing and murderous intent on his face, came in front of Yellow Ox and White Horse. He first lifted up the long sleeve on one side of his body, revealing his thick muscular arms, and held the ghost-backed sword firmly in his hand. Lift it high.

As the executioner of the flag sacrifice, he strives to make the cut beautiful, clean and beautiful. At the moment when the sword on the ghost's back falls, the head of the cow or horse falls to the ground, and the blood from the necks of the cow and horse will spray out. The tooth flag turned bright red during the sacrifice.

Following two short to inaudible wails from the cows and horses, the heads of the cows and horses fell to the ground, and the blood was sprinkled on the tooth flag, rendering it a bright red color, which was revealed in the eyes of the soldiers below.

"Wan Sheng."

"Wan Sheng."

Seeing the body of the ox and the white horse falling to the ground and the fang flag being dyed red, the soldiers who went on the expedition shouted. They could not understand the slogan that Xun You was reading, but when they saw the fang flag dyed red, they thought that the flag sacrifice had been completed and it was time to arrive. The time has come for the expedition, and it is time to express good expectations. I hope that this expedition to Guanzhong will have a good result.

Listening to the tsunami-like roar of the soldiers below, Xun You, who was almost reciting the slogan, put away the slogan in his hand, took a few steps back, and gave up his position to Liu Zhang who was stepping forward.

Liu Zhang, wearing a helmet and armor and a large cloak, strode forward a few steps and appeared in front of the soldiers. He waved his hand downwards with flat palms to signal the soldiers to stop shouting.

As a shepherd of Yizhou and having led troops in many battles, Liu Zhang's prestige among the soldiers was unparalleled. He had no words and only made one movement. The soldiers below him stopped shouting for victory in an instant and fell silent. Waiting for his words.

Liu Zhang coughed lightly, cleared his throat, and then raised his voice: "Go to war."

Without too much preaching or unexpected encouragement, Liu Zhang only shouted "Go to war", and then the word "Go to war" was spread by the soldiers who carried the message, until all the soldiers in the school heard it.

"Go to war."

"Go to war."

At this moment, the sound of drums sounded like raindrops, stirring in the chests of the soldiers and invigorating their spirits.

It's time to go to Guanzhong!
Liu Zhang said what he said, and he followed it up with his words. However, under the command of the school captain and the captain, and under the leadership of the commander and the corps commander, the army standing on the school ground began to flow towards the entrance of the school ground like running water. Without rest, embark on the road north.

Liu Zhang stood where he was, with a serious face as he watched the soldiers leave. Behind him, the chief secretary and military advisor Zhonglang General Xun You, the soldier Cao Pengyi, the military commander Fazheng, and the army officer Zheng Du, etc. also had a straight face and looked quietly. Waiting for the soldiers to leave the school grounds.

When most of the soldiers in the school grounds had left, Liu Zhang looked back and said, "Gentlemen, it's time for us to leave."

"Promise." General Xun You, the chief secretary and military advisor, Zhonglang General Xun You, Bing Cao Pengyi, Military Academy Lieutenant Fazheng, and Army Joiner Zheng Du all agreed in unison.

The quota of soldiers for this expedition to Guanzhong is 50,000 to 60,000. In addition to the more than 10,000 soldiers led by Wu Yi, the pioneer, the more than 10,000 people leaving the school field now are the second batch of troops, and there are three, four, and five batches behind them. This team is ready to go and will soon follow the Chencang Road and march to Guanzhong.

And when all the teams arrived in Chencang and the army gathered together, it was the time when the war in Guanzhong really started, and it was also the time to show off with Li Jue, Guo Si and other Liangzhou thieves.

All the way north. When he set foot on Chencang Road, Liu Zhang had a sense of fate. Since arriving at the end of the Han Dynasty, he had been in a trance and lived in a daze. Then he couldn't bear to see the return of the Three Kingdoms to Jin and the five chaos of China happening again. He decided to do something. Do your business to save the common people in the world.

So today, after fighting and conquering all the way from Bajun in Xiping, Nanzhong in Nanding, and Hanzhong in Beike, he came to the intersection of Chencang Road and arrived at the place that seemed to be his destiny.

Liu Zhang stopped where he was and looked towards the depths of Chencang Road. It was this road where Liu Bang, the king of Han, sent his general Han Xin to conquer the Three Qin Dynasties. The power of the Western Chu Overlord dimmed. Later, after several generations of Han Gaozu, Han Wen, and Han Wu, the Han Empire, the Han family, and the Han people became deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The people in this land took the name Han and called themselves Han people.

Now the Han Empire is weakening and falling apart. Although it has been a country that has been destroyed since ancient times, if the Han Dynasty dies, it will die. It cannot be said that it is impossible, at most it is a pity.

But, behind the majestic man, what kind of group of insects are making their appearance on the stage of history, Luo Shui swears to kill the emperor in the street, the Fuwei Holy Dynasty rules the world with filial piety, the rebellion of the eight kings, the southward migration of clothes, and the five chaos of China …

'All this will be killed by my hands. '

Liu Zhang secretly made a vow. He swore that he would never let history repeat itself again.

As Liu Zhang stopped to advance, the personal guards protecting him also stopped silently, waiting quietly for Liu Zhang to continue to move forward.

Qingqiang was eight feet tall, ten feet tall and eight inches wide in waist. He stood beside Liu Zhang, bored, waiting for his Ming Gong to wake up from his meditation. At the same time, he scanned the surroundings vigilantly.

As a Qingqiang, Zhangba was first favored by the late Yizhou shepherd Liu Yan and became his personal guard. Liu Zhang then placed Zhangba beside him as his personal guard.

He was simple-minded and unconventional, and his whole mind was devoted to Liu Zhang. He protected Liu Zhang during the day and guarded the house at night, dedicating everything he had to the special treatment given to him by the two generations of monarchs Liu Yan and Liu Zhang.

After a long time, Liu Zhang woke up from his deep thoughts and first gave the order to continue marching. Then he glanced at Zhangba, who was not riding a horse but walking on two legs, and asked with a faint smile: "Zhangba, what are we doing here?" The group is going to Guanzhong, do you know where it is?"

Zhangba shook his big head and said: "This is for Duke Ming, I don't know where Guanzhong is, but since Duke Ming is going to Guanzhong, as a personal guard of Duke Ming, I naturally have to accompany him Went together.”

"Villain?" Liu Zhang listened to Zhangba imitating the Han people's self-effacing words, and he shook his head: "Zhangba, you are not a villain, you are a man."

"A real man?" Hearing Liu Zhang call him a real man, Zhangba's eyes became brighter and brighter. He really liked this title. He murmured "big man" twice more, and then smiled and said: "Ming Gong said that the villain is a real man. , The villain is the real man.”

After saying this, Zhangba couldn't help being happy. He showed a simple and honest smile, and a pair of big white teeth were also revealed.

Taking a look at Zhangba, who was not riding a horse but was almost at the same level as himself sitting on the horse, Liu Zhang smiled and promised Zhangba: "Zhangba, there are many good horses in Guanzhong and Liangzhou. I will find them for you when the time comes." Find a horse that can carry you."

Zhang Ba was a little frustrated when he heard that. He was completely focused on his face. He said with a sad face, "Mingsir, I am quite heavy. I am afraid that ordinary horses cannot carry me. Even good horses may not be able to carry me. So you don't need to worry about it."

"Besides, even if you are on foot, you can catch up with a galloping horse. You really don't need a mount." Zhangba put away his frustrated expression and said with childish pride.

Liu Zhang laughed heartily and talked to Zhangba without any intrigues. After all, Zhangba always said what he wanted. He put all his thoughts on his face and blurted out all his thoughts.

"You are good at walking fast. Finding a good horse that can carry you is what I, a wise man, should do. Don't worry, I will definitely find a good horse for you when we get to Guanzhong." "

"Then I'll thank Duke Ming first." Zhangba responded cheerfully.

At this time, a cavalry from the front army came back and arrived in front of Liu Zhang after passing the message. This man was Zheng Du who joined the army.

Zheng Du, who was wearing a mustache, came to Liu Zhang's side. He bowed hurriedly, and then immediately passed on the news he had received: "Ming Gong, Wu Zhonglang sent back news that it was Li Jue. , Guo Si and other Liangzhou thieves evacuated from Chencang and headed for Chang'an. "

"The Liangzhou bandits have returned to Chang'an?" Xun You, the chief secretary and military advisor, sighed and asked.

"Yes." Zheng Du confirmed: "General Gan Zhonglang personally inspected the camp of the Liangzhou bandits, and the camp was empty..."

Then Zheng Du expressed his conjecture: "Li Jue and Guo Si probably want to show weakness and lure us to lead troops to Chang'an City, and at the same time lengthen our food transportation route, so that we can strengthen our troops and strengthen the city, and our divisions and veterans will be exhausted, and then Waiting for an opportunity to attack our army."

Zheng Du thought of the worst and tried his best to maliciously speculate on Li Jue and Guo Si's intentions.

"Maybe." Xun You vaguely confirmed Zheng Du's conjecture at first, and then expressed his own thoughts: "Maybe it's because Guanzhong has been starving in recent years, and Li Jue and Guo Si's troops are short of food and grass, so they retreated. Chang'an was to be eaten, and Chencang was under my control. Xu Meng defeated the Qiang and Hu who were sent by Li Jue and Guo Si to fight. The battle was not going well and the morale of the army was low, so Li Jue and Guo Si led their troops back to Chang'an. Repair and fight again.”

Liu Zhang showed a cheerful smile: "No matter what the reason is, Li Jue and Guo Si returned to Chang'an. Even if the two thieves are no longer squatting in Chencang and the gates of Guanzhong are wide open, it is convenient for me to recruit the heroes of Guanzhong to march straight in and defeat the two thieves."

Liu Zhang didn't pay much attention to Li Jue and Guo Si's tricks. When the two sides faced each other, he would use his troops to cover up the water and earth, leaving no chance for Li Jue and Guo Si to win.

"We can wait until Wu Yi sends his scouts to investigate the situation at Li Jue and Guo Si's place, and then analyze their intentions in detail. Let's get to Chencang first," Liu Zhang said.

"Yes." Zheng Du accepted the order with his hands in hand.

then.

After a tiring journey, Liu Zhang rushed to the gate of Chencang City and met Wu Yi, Gan Ning and others who came to greet him.

Not only his generals and soldiers greeted him here, but also the elders from various counties who heard that he was about to arrive in Guanzhong rushed to transport cattle, wine, grain and grass to reward the army and show their respect to him, the Yizhou shepherd who was determined to bring peace to Guanzhong. With the highest respect. (End of chapter)