Ji Han Liu Zhang

November, the first year of Jian'an.

Liu Zhang, who was in Chencang, thought of Peng Ying and Lou Qi who were sent by him to Tianshui County.

At this time, Peng Ying and Lou Qi, who had arrived in Tianshui County for some time, were continuing to carry out their mission - to contact, communicate, and win over the powerful families in Tianshui County, so that the powerful families in Tianshui County would stand on the side of Liu Zhang.

At that moment, Peng Ying and Lou Qi were on their way to the location of Jiang, one of the four Tianshui surnames. Peng Ying and the patriarchs of the other three of the four Tianshui surnames, Yan, Ren and Zhao, had already agreed that as soon as Liu Zhang sent troops to Liangzhou next year, these wealthy families would raise troops to protect themselves, change their flags, and serve Liu Zhang.

"Mr. Lou, when will you be promoted to captain? I remember that you have been serving as captain for quite some time." On the way, Peng Ying asked Lou Qi to kill time and boredom on the journey.

Hearing this, Lou Qi showed a slightly embarrassed smile on his dark face, but shook his head and said, "Military officer, Guanzhong has been settled. Without war, there will be no military merit. It is difficult for me to be promoted to the position of captain at this time... But I hope that when you attack Longyou, I can gain some military merit. Then I may have a chance to be promoted to captain..."

"It's not a possibility, but a certainty." Peng Ying said loudly: "In Liangzhou, the powerful, Qiang, Hu, Rong and Di people are scattered all over the place, each occupying one side and not subordinate to the other. Under such circumstances, it is impossible to settle down. We need to gnaw at each fortress and kill each tribe one by one, only then can we sweep down Liangzhou and win peace for Liangzhou."

Not long after Peng Ying arrived in Tianshui County, he realized that the situation in Longyou was indeed somewhat complicated, and it was difficult to sort out the right and wrong in all aspects at once.

Take Peng Ying's view on the situation in Liang Province for example. Peng Ying previously believed that Liang Province was the same as Guanzhong. It was only necessary to eliminate Ma Teng and Han Sui, two military leaders similar to Li Jue and Guo Si in Guanzhong, and the land of Liang Province could be conquered by a single order.

But today, after Peng Ying went deep into Tianshui County and learned about the situation in Liangzhou, he clearly understood that getting rid of Ma Teng and Han Sui, the two heroes of Liangzhou, was only the first step in pacifying Liangzhou, and there was still a lot of detailed work to be done.

From the two heroes of Liang Province, Ma Teng and Han Sui, there were many powerful families in Longyou, and the Qiang and Hu tribes were like stars. They all relied on their remote and dangerous locations to gain power and usurp power.

For example, Song Jian, a native of Longxi who gathered people in Fuhan, took advantage of the rebellion of the Qiang people in the first year of Zhongping and later established his own regime in Fuhan. He changed the era name, appointed officials and a prime minister, and because Fuhan was located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, he called himself "King of Heshou Pinghan". His arrogance was simply impossible to replicate.

In addition to Song Jian who gathered his people in Fuhan, there were many Qiang and Hu tribes in Longyou. The largest tribe had more than 10,000 people, and the smallest tribe had three to four thousand. They all ruled their own territories, surrendered from time to time, and rebelled. They posed a great threat to the stability of Liangzhou. Sometimes they would even join forces to overthrow Liangzhou.

All of the above hidden dangers to the stability of Liangzhou must be eliminated one by one. In this way, the war to stabilize Liangzhou will last for a long time, and the number of wars will be more than a hundred.

As such, Peng Ying said to Lou Qiyan: "Tomorrow we will send troops to Liangzhou to conquer one side. There will be many battles, perhaps hundreds of battles to win...Lou Jun, you will shine among them and be promoted to the position of captain in one fell swoop."

Peng Ying expressed his blessings and expectations to Lou Qi.

Lou Qi bowed to Peng Ying and thanked him, saying, "If what the military officer said is true, when I become a lieutenant in the future, I will host a banquet for him."

Peng Ying laughed out loud, waved his hand and said, "Lou Jun, you have to treat me to this banquet... In addition, in my opinion, Lou Jun's future career should not be limited to being a lieutenant. If Longyou is pacified in the future, there is still Guandong to be conquered. Guandong is so big, and I don't know how many wars there will be."

At this point, Peng Ying stroked the short beard on his chin, smiled and said: "In the future, Lord Lou will be awarded a title of nobility for his merits, and people will call him 'Lord', which will bring honor to the family."

Hearing the words "general" and "lord", Lou Qi, who was riding on his horse, waved his hands quickly. He said humbly: "I am just a common man, born in the countryside, very humble, how dare I hope to become a general or a lord? If I can get a lieutenant, this life will be enough."

After saying this, Lou Qi sighed. He knew clearly his background and his own worth. To be honest, he was already very satisfied with his current position as a captain. If he could make some progress in the future and was lucky enough to be promoted to the position of a lieutenant, he would be satisfied with his life and would have no more thoughts.

As for the "general" and "marquis" mentioned by Peng Ying, Lou Qi felt that with his status, he should not have such extravagant hopes. Perhaps his leader Lou Fa could do it, but he would never be able to do so.

"What are you talking about?!" Peng Ying sneered, but this sneer was not directed at Lou Qi, but at Lou Qi's humble words.

Peng Ying's eyes flashed with a gleam of light. He looked straight ahead of the carriage and expressed his thoughts: "It is not a shame to be born in a humble family. Only a man can bend and stretch himself... What kind of person is Fan Kuai, Marquis of Wuyang? When he was poor, he made a living by slaughtering people. He was just a butcher. Prime Minister Xiao was just a county official. However, he followed Emperor Gao and eventually became a prince and left his name in history."

"Now we have a wise ruler who does not judge people by their background, but only by their talent. Lord Lou, if you are loyal and diligent in your work, and fight without regard for your own safety, you will be able to take advantage of this time when the wind and clouds are gathering. Why can't you become a general and receive a title and salary?"

"Princes, generals and ministers would rather have the seed!!!"

Peng Ying's words were moving and heartfelt, because he did not come from a wealthy family. So although he was eight feet tall, had a sturdy face and great talent, he was no ordinary man. However, when he entered the government, he started out as a clerk. He buried himself in paperwork and wasted his time unaware of the passing of time.

Now that he heard that Lou Qi felt inferior because of his origin, he could not help but encourage Lou Qi and teach him to take Xiao He and Fan Kuai of the past as role models and not to feel inferior because of his origin, but to be loyal and diligent in his work in order to seek a bright future.

"I am grateful for the teachings of the Military Officer." After hearing Peng Ying pour out his heart, Lou Qi immediately bowed to Peng Ying and expressed his sincere gratitude.

"General", "Marquis", after Lou Qi expressed his thanks, he turned his gaze from Peng Ying on the carriage to the main road. His eyes flashed and his sight swept into the distance, as if he saw a bright future.

The carriage moved forward at a leisurely pace, and after a quarter of an hour, it arrived at a fortress.

When they were some distance away from the fort, Peng Ying looked around to examine its style. He saw that the fort in front of him, although not as good as a real city, was not inferior in any way and had all the necessary defensive equipment.

The moat, battlements, and gate towers are all fully equipped, giving people the impression of a strong city that cannot be taken lightly. From the complete defense of the Jiangjia Fort, it can be seen that the Qiang threat in Liangzhou was indeed extraordinary and somewhat serious, otherwise the Jiang family in Tianshui would not have built such a strong fort to protect their people and supplies.

After looking around the fort, Peng Ying turned his gaze to the people who came out to greet him at the gate of the fort. Among the group of people coming out of the Jiang fort, the leader was eight feet tall, with a dignified appearance and an extraordinary aura.

"This person must be the head of the Jiang family - Jiang Jiong, the current Gongcao of Tianshui County." Peng Ying only took a glance and determined the identity of Jiang Jiong, the head of the Jiang family, among the Jiang clan members who came out to greet him.

When the carriage was about a hundred steps away from Jiangjiawu Fort, Peng Ying stopped the driver and asked him to stop the horses. After the carriage stopped, Peng Ying got off and walked step by step towards the people surnamed Jiang who came out to greet him.

Peng Ying's actions revealed a humble attitude. As an envoy entrusted with an important task by Liu Zhang, he knew that he should curb his former arrogance and be as honest and calm as possible, so that he could make the mission perfect without any mistakes.

Peng Ying walked towards Jiang Jiong, and Jiang Jiong noticed that Peng Ying had an extraordinary temperament among the visitors. He sighed in his heart: "The civil and military officials under the command of the Grand Marshal are indeed extraordinary. This man is eight feet tall, has a burly face, and a majestic aura. He is really a great man."

While admiring Peng Ying's appearance and temperament, Jiang Jiong hurriedly stepped forward, and while maintaining a dignified demeanor, he took two steps at a time towards Peng Ying to show his respect for the envoy of Grand Marshal Liu Zhang.

"But Mr. Peng." When he was a few steps away from Peng Ying, Jiang Jiong asked with a bow.

"That's right. I am Peng Ying, a military officer under the Grand Marshal. My courtesy name is Yongnian. I am here on a mission to Tianshui." Peng Ying responded and told the origin of his name. At the same time, he asked back, "Are you Jiang Ziguang?"

"That's right." Jiang Jiong nodded in response, and then he said, "This is not a place for meetings. Please come into the fort to have a chat. I heard that Mr. Peng was coming this morning, so I have prepared a banquet and have been waiting in front of the door for a long time. As soon as Mr. Peng arrives, we will start the banquet."

Jiang Jiong was respectful to Peng Ying, without any rudeness. The reason was that the current Grand Marshal Liu Zhang was very prestigious and awed the barbarians. Peng Ying was the envoy of Grand Marshal Liu Zhang, so Jiang Jiong could not be rude when receiving him.

What is more important is that Jiang Jiong heard that the Shu army had entered the Guanlong Road and captured the important place of Lueyang, and had penetrated deep into the heart of Liangzhou. In addition, the two heroes of Liangzhou, Ma Teng and Han Sui, joined forces to attack but to no avail. Now Ma Teng and Han Sui have led their troops to retreat due to the severe cold weather, one retreated to Longxi County and the other retreated to Jincheng County.

Judging from the current situation, any discerning person can see that Liang Province will sooner or later be acquired by Grand Marshal Liu Zhang. Although Ma Teng and Han Sui may make some noise for a while, they will ultimately achieve nothing.

That is, Grand Marshal Liu Zhang will be the governor of Liangzhou. As the head of the Jiang family in Tianshui, Jiang Jiong naturally knows what to do and what level of rank he should use to receive Grand Marshal Liu Zhang's envoy Peng Ying.

"Mr. Peng, please." Like a servant, Jiang Jiong pointed the way for Peng Ying, and his figure slowly lagged behind Peng Ying by one body length.

"Mr. Jiang, please." Peng Ying said politely.

Under the guidance and reception of Jiang Jiong, Peng Ying stepped into the Jiang family's fortress, and a banquet that had been prepared for a long time began.

At the beginning of the banquet, Jiang Jiong introduced the elders of the Jiang family who were sitting with Peng Ying one by one, and then offered three glasses of wine to Peng Ying to show his respect and courtesy to this guest.

After finishing his glass of wine, Jiang Jiong put the glass down. Without waiting for Peng Ying to speak, he said, "Mr. Peng, my Jiang family has been Han officials for generations and we have no contact with rebels, Qiang or Hu people... I heard that the Grand Marshal has conquered Guanzhong and killed Li and Guo. I have admired him for a long time, but I have not been able to meet him. I wonder if you can introduce him to me."

"Of course." Seeing Jiang Jiong's attitude of serving the country, Peng Ying patted his chest and agreed. In fact, his mission in this trip to Tianshui was to recruit the wealthy and powerful families in Tianshui County. If Jiang Jiong was willing to serve the country, he would naturally accept him.

At the same time, Peng Ying felt very grateful. He was on a diplomatic mission to Tianshui County with the mission of recruiting people. He easily captured the four surnames of Tianshui, Yan, Ren, Zhao and Jiang, and received the surrender from them easily. Many of them expressed their intention to surrender without waiting for him to open his mouth to recruit them, such as Jiang Jiong in front of him.

As for the relaxed and brisk pace of this mission, Peng Ying knew that it was not due to his fame and eloquence. After all, he had no reputation in Longyou. As for eloquence, Jiang Jiong expressed his intention to surrender before he even opened his mouth, so there was no eloquence involved.

"This is all due to your benevolence and military power." Peng Ying attributed this to his own master Liu Zhang. He knew that he was just relying on the power of the tiger, and it was only because of the master's reputation that the trip was so smooth and unimpeded.

After Jiang Jiong expressed his intention to submit to Liu Zhang, the relationship between the host and the guest became closer, the atmosphere of the banquet became more harmonious, and the banquet, in which both the host and the guests enjoyed themselves, gradually reached its climax and also gradually came to an end.

When the banquet was over, Jiang Jiong kept Peng Ying overnight. At night, he discussed with Peng Ying the details of surrendering to Liu Zhang and agreed on some things. The next day, he eagerly invited Peng Ying to have lunch, and then sent Peng Ying all the way out of the fort, and only turned back to the fort after walking a mile or two.

"Commander-in-chief, the four surnames in Tianshui, Yan, Ren, Zhao and Jiang, have all expressed their intention to surrender. This trip can be said to be a great success. We can now go back and report this to you, my lord." On the way, Lou Qi said to Peng Ying with a smile on his face.

"Yeah." Peng Ying nodded with a complacent smile on his face. Just as Lou Qi said, he was very successful in this trip. He conquered the four most important clans in Tianshui County, Yan, Ren, Zhao and Jiang. He only needed to send troops to Liangzhou next year, and Yan, Ren, Zhao and Jiang would raise their flags and submit to him.

At this time, a gust of north wind blew, and Peng Ying wrapped himself in his cloak. He sighed and said, "It is cold and freezing in the year. The winter in Liangzhou is very harsh. It is indeed colder than that in Shu. It is indeed a bitterly cold place. No wonder there are so few households in this state. Most of them are Qiang and Hu people."

"What the military officer said is absolutely right. I originally thought that the population of Guanzhong was small, but upon closer inspection, the population of Liangzhou is even smaller." Lou Qi responded.

"We have changed the carriage in the pavilion ahead, which means we are going back to Guanzhong. There is no need to act like an envoy. We should change the horses, return to Guanzhong as soon as possible, and report to you, my Lord." Peng Ying instructed Lou Qi. At this moment, he only hoped to return to Guanzhong as soon as possible to serve you, my Lord.

"Yeah." Lou Qi nodded heavily. He was thinking the same thing. (End of this chapter)