Ji Han Liu Zhang

The second year of Jian'an, summer.

Liu Zhang, the Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry, traveled from Chang'an to Chencang in early summer. He was accompanied by a small number of people, only a hundred or so of his personal guards. After several days of long journey, he arrived at Chencang.

"My lord." General Wu Yi of the Ming Han Dynasty, led by Generals of the Central Army Meng Da, Yin Pu, Xu Meng, Xi Su and others, stood at the gate of Chencang and saluted in unison to Liu Zhang who had arrived at Chencang.

"The military and the country are in turmoil, so why bother with all this red tape?" Liu Zhang first accepted the greetings from everyone, then he waved his hand and said with a smile.

Wu Yi came forward and said with a smile, "Mingsir, although there are many military affairs, we must not abandon etiquette. Besides, there is nothing important at the moment. A group of civil and military officials are willing to come out to greet him. I hope you will accept my advice."

"Yes." Liu Zhang nodded in agreement, then waved his hand to signal everyone to enter the city.

Speaking of it, although there are constant small disputes in the world today, as Wu Yi said, there are no major disputes. Yuan Shao of Hebei and Gongsun Zan of Yi County met the beginning of Xia, and both sides were short of food and grass. Now they have stopped fighting and are waiting for Xia to recover some blood before fighting again.

Cao Cao of Xudu had been welcoming the emperor to Xudu for less than a year, and now he was busy managing the internal affairs of the court and the farming and grain storage, so he did not resort to war for the time being. Lü Bu of Xuzhou had just marched to Huainan, and was now curled up in Xiapi to recuperate. Yuan Shu of Huainan was defeated by Lü Bu, and was silently grieving in Shouchun.

As for Liu Biao of Jingzhou, he was always as steady as an old dog and did not make any moves. Sun Ce of Jiangdong was willing to obey the imperial order and send troops to attack Yuan Shu, but in fact he wanted to seize the land of Huainan. However, the six counties of Jiangdong were full of clan bandits, so Sun Ce was trapped in the place for a while and could not attack.

As for Liu Zhang, who was in Guanzhong, he was also unable to send troops to Longyou due to the lack of food and grass. As a result, the world now seemed peaceful and tranquil, with no troubles in all directions. The princes were all trapped in internal affairs and could not launch large-scale expeditions.

Chencang, county temple.

Since Chencang was once the capital of the Qin Dynasty, and Chencang was a very important place, being a strategic location between Guanlong and Bashu, Chencang, as a city, actually had two layers of inner and outer city walls, and the county temple of Chencang was located in the inner city of Chencang.

Liu Zhang immediately stepped into the county temple in the inner city of Chencang. As he walked, he asked Wu Yi, "Have you seen any movement from Han Sui in Longyou recently? I heard that he has recruited a lot of Qiang and Hu people to help him, with a total number of tens of thousands. Is this true or not?"

Wu Yi heard Liu Zhang's question and nodded, "My Lord, it is true. Han Sui has been in Liangzhou for a long time, living among the Qiang and Hu people. He is deeply supported by the leaders of the Qiang and Hu people in all directions. Now Han Sui waved his hand, and the Qiang and Hu people rushed to Longxi County to help Han Sui, wanting to fight against our army... And the Qiang and Hu people, regardless of whether they are soldiers or civilians, all six-foot-tall men must take up swords and fight in the battlefield. Even women and children must beat drums and go out to fight, and serve as cooks and horsemen. Therefore, the number of people and horses that Han Sui has gathered at the moment is already tens of thousands."

"What do you think?" Liu Zhang asked Wu Yi's opinion.

"A mob cannot be a king's army." Wu Yi said with certainty, "Your Excellency does not need to take action. Just hand over a brigade to you for command, and add your own troops. I will conquer Liangzhou for you and behead Han Sui."

Wu Yi's words were very heroic, which brought a smile to Liu Zhang's face.

"Ziyuan is bold and courageous. He can be rivaled by the famous generals in ancient times." Liu Zhang praised him, but did not accept Wu Yi's request. He had his own ideas about the expedition to Liangzhou. Sending a general might be able to temporarily pacify Liangzhou, but if Liangzhou was to maintain long-term stability, Liu Zhang had to go there in person. After all, other people's actions might not satisfy Liu Zhang.

Time is like a white horse, leaping happily, slipping into the narrow crevices between the mountains, drifting away and disappearing without a trace.

It has been a month since Liu Zhang came to Chencang. During this month, he did not stay quietly in Chencang, but patrolled and explored everywhere, either marching on the narrow road of Chencang or wandering towards Longdao, investigating the place and understanding the geography and human conditions. Guanzhong is his base, and he needs to firmly root himself in Guanzhong and grow into an unshakable towering tree.

Today, Liu Zhang did not wander around as usual, but stayed safely in the Chencang County Temple. He stood at the gate of the county temple, waiting quietly for a guest to arrive.

Soon, the guests arrived.

"Mr. Jiang, this is the Grand Marshal." Fa Zheng, the General of the Military Advisory Committee who came with the guest, introduced him to the guest.

The visitor's expression immediately became solemn upon hearing this. He straightened his face, walked quickly forward, and knelt down to pay homage to Liu Zhang at the gate of the county temple: "Tianshui Jiang Jiong, whose courtesy name is Ziguang, has long heard of the name of the Grand Marshal, but has never had the chance to meet you. Fortunately, we meet now, which is a great honor for Jiong."

"Zi Guang, no need to be polite. Please stand up." Liu Zhang, showing an attitude of treating a wise man, personally reached out and helped Jiang Jiong up. As a time traveler who was familiar with the Three Kingdoms and knew history, Liu Zhang knew Jiang Jiong, and knew that he was the biological father of Jiang Wei, the great general of Shu Han. In fact, it was also because of Jiang Wei's reputation that Jiang Jiong, a mere Gongcao assistant official of Tianshui County, would have his name recorded in history and known to people in later generations.

While helping Jiang Jiong up, he sized up Jiang Jiong's face. Jiang Jiong's appearance was not very outstanding. In terms of appearance, he was just an average person. But looking at his expression, he could see a hint of strong and unyielding spirit between his brows. His personal style was quite good. It could be said that Jiang Wei, the great general of Shu Han, inherited Jiang Jiong's perseverance, which was why he was still thinking about restoring the Han Dynasty and living up to the will of Prime Minister Zhuge Liang when even the Han Emperor Liu Chan raised the white flag.

Jiang Jiong stood up, and he said with a slightly touched look: "Jiong, I am just a despicable man from Liangzhou. How dare I face the Grand Marshal to greet me at the gate of the county temple? It must be a disgrace to me."

As the head of the Jiang family, one of the four families in Tianshui County, and serving as the assistant officer of Tianshui County, Jiang Jiong was not proud of his origin. He knew clearly that his family name was just a big family name in a small place, and he was just a Gongcao. In front of Liu Zhang, the Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry, he was a very small person.

Not to mention, the Grand Marshal in front of him had just rejected the title of King of Shu granted by the court, and did not take the prestige of the title seriously. He was in a high position and had power, controlling Bashu and Guanzhong. He was one of the most powerful princes in the world, and he could be the second most powerful.

Liu Zhang listened to Jiang Jiong's sincere and modest words. He smiled, stretched out his hand and held Jiang Jiong's. He said loudly: "Zi Guang, don't be too modest. Although I am in Guanzhong, I have heard of Zi Guang's name. People all say that Zi Guang is a man of both civil and military talents, and is fond of Zheng's school of thought. He is the best in Tianshui. Such a great man, why should I welcome him in person, so as not to lose the principle of treating a man of talent well."

"Your Excellency's words are too kind." Jiang Jiong said modestly again. He felt a little guilty about Liu Zhang's compliments. He thought that his fame might not be so widespread that even Guanzhong had heard of it.

"It is just as people say, the Grand Marshal is kind to the wise and humble, just like Zhou Gong." After talking with Liu Zhang for a few words in front of the door, Jiang Jiong was led into the county temple by Liu Zhang. He sighed in his heart. As a person recommended by the Tianshui family to go to Chencang to meet Liu Zhang, he did not expect to receive such treatment. He was afraid that the treatment that the governor of Tianshui County could get was just ordinary.

In the hall of the county temple, everyone sat down as host and guest. "I was recommended by the county to come here to meet you, sir. Thank you for your concern for the common people and for standing up for the people of Liangzhou. The county has agreed that you will not be disloyal and will fight the bandit Han Sui to the end."

As a guest and envoy, Jiang Jiong stood in the middle of the hall and saluted solemnly to Liu Zhang, expressing the submission and loyalty of the noble families of Tianshui County and their determination to serve him without regrets.

"But please rest assured, Zi Guang. I will never let down the people of Tianshui." Liu Zhang straightened his face, and he calmly accepted the surrender of Tianshui County and Jiang Jiong.

The necessary procedures were followed, and after this conversation between Liu Zhang and Jiang Jiong, Tianshui County in Liangzhou completely surrendered to Liu Zhang and became the territory ruled by Liu Zhang. The people of Tianshui also became the people under Liu Zhang's rule.

Then, a grand and lively welcoming banquet was held for Jiang Jiong. There were no usual singing girls and beauties at the banquet, but simplicity was the priority. Everyone talked about stabilizing Liangzhou and rallying the scholars and common people, which were things a real man would do.

At night, the party ended and everyone went back to their rooms.

After Liu Zhang finished washing up, he stepped into the courtyard and thought of Jiang Jiong, whom he had received today.

'Jiang Wei, Bo Yue.'

Thinking of Jiang Jiong, Liu Zhang couldn't help but think of Jiang Wei, the great general of Shu Han, who was not born yet. It was now the second year of Jian'an, and Jiang Wei would have to wait until the seventh year of Jian'an, which was the year 202, to be born.

But times have changed, the world is changing, and the course of history is completely different. Liu Zhang predicts that under the flapping of his wings, the probability of the Shu Han general Jiang Wei appearing is probably very small. The world will lose a man who is as determined as iron until death.

……

Xiangyang.

Recently, Jingzhou Mu Liu Biao welcomed a distinguished guest. This person was sent by Grand Marshal Liu Zhang to Jingzhou to discuss an extremely important matter with Liu Biao. This person was none other than Zhang Su, Gongcao, who had traveled between Shu and Jingzhou many times.

As Liu Zhang's envoy, Zhang Su was greeted by Liu Biao and rode in the same carriage with Liu Biao towards the government office in Xiangyang.

"Jun Jiao has come from a long way and must have been very tired." Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, comforted Zhang Su, the travel-tired envoy from Guanzhong.

Zhang Su smiled calmly and said, "I have received great favor from my lord. Even though it is thousands of miles away, I am just walking. What's more, it is a thousand miles away. How can I say it is hard work?"

"I heard that there are many loyal men under the command of the Grand Marshal. Today, I hear what Jun Jiao said, which is true." Liu Biao was touched. There were few loyal and brave men under his command. If something happened to him, he didn't know how many of the civil and military officials in Jingzhou would die for him, and how many would sell out their master for fame.

The carriage carrying Liu Biao and Zhang Su was heading from the gate of Xiangyang all the way into the city, and of course it had to pass by the market. Fortunately, the road had been cleared early by Liu Biao's soldiers, and a smooth road for the carriage to pass was right in front of them.

When the people on both sides of the road saw the carriage of the Governor of Jingzhou, they all looked up. One of them wondered, "Who is that man and how come he is riding in the same carriage with Envoy Liu?" This person recognized Liu Biao, but not Zhang Su.

However, someone soon gave an answer, but someone sneered: "You don't even know this person? This person is the Gong Cao of the Grand Marshal in Guanzhong. His surname is Zhang and his name is Su. He is a well-known scholar in Shu."

"Hey, who are you? How do you, a butcher, know Zhang Gongcao?" the man who asked the question earlier continued.

"Hey." The butcher continued to answer, "Last year, Zhang Gongcao was sent to Jingzhou as my envoy. I was invited by the Kuai Mansion to be a guest there. You were lucky enough to be there, so you know what Zhang Gongcao looks like."

"Oh, I thought you had a drink with Zhang Gongcao, but I didn't expect that you just had a lucky glimpse of Zhang Gongcao from afar." The person who asked the question mocked back, "That's the truth. With your status, you are only suitable to stand on the side of the road with me and look at other people's prestige. There is no need to shake off your own prestige."

"Humph." The butcher snorted coldly, and then he boasted: "Fan Kuai was just a dog butcher in the past, but he became a nobleman in the end. I am a butcher today, but I will become a nobleman in the future... Blind Li from Dahuai Lane said that according to his pair of discerning eyes, my face is invaluable, invaluable."

"Bah, you are just a butcher, yet you dare to aspire to be a noble. It's a farce to say that you are a toad wanting to eat swan meat. You are pig shit on the ground, yet you want to turn into pure gold... Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself? You don't have the appearance to be a noble. You are a butcher because of the good deeds of your ancestors. You take the nonsense that Liu the Blind made up for a mouthful of pig intestine as the true words of an immortal. It's really ridiculous."

"Your mother..."

Amid the whispered arguments of the people in the city, the carriage of Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, arrived at the gate of the government office in Xiangyang. Liu Biao and Zhang Su got off the carriage, and after a push and shove back and forth, the two walked into the government office hand in hand.

"Last year, the Grand Marshal conquered Guanzhong and beheaded Li and Guo. His reputation spread far and wide, and spread throughout the country. I am far beyond his reach." After Liu Biao took his seat, he first expressed his admiration to Zhang Su, expressing his admiration for Liu Zhang's extraordinary achievements.

Zhang Su smiled calmly when he heard this, without any arrogance in his expression. "My lord conquered Guanzhong and beheaded Li and Guo. This is meritorious service. I heard that you established a school in Jingzhou, sought Confucian scholars, and widely sought posthumous books, so that all the classics in Jingzhou and Xiangyang were collected and filled in the prefectures. You also ordered doctors Qi Wukai, Song Zhong and others to compile the Five Classics, which has now made some progress. This can be called making a statement... Making a statement is what a sage seeks. The two are equally important. How can you say that you are not as good as my lord?"

When Liu Biao heard this, a hint of pride appeared on his face. Zhang Su's words hit the spot. He might not be as good as Liu Zhang in fighting on the battlefield, but in terms of literature, Liu Zhang was indeed far inferior to him. Just as Zhang Su said, he and Liu Zhang each had their own strengths, and it was difficult to tell who was better.

Liu Biao said modestly: "Now the world is in turmoil and the four seas are in turmoil. This is not the time to study the classics. We still need pillars of the country like the Grand Marshal, brave people who can fight against the enemy for the country and stand up for the scholars and common people. My expertise in writing can't help the world." (End of this chapter)