I practiced magic in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 11: You can't defeat the Yellow Turban Army, just hang up
In Qiao County, Cao Ren learned that Wang Jing had arrived and happily invited him to his home as a guest.

"Yuanxu, how are you?"

"Zixiao, I haven't seen you for a few days. You look much stronger now."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two men burst into laughter.

The Cao family was a prominent and powerful family in Qiao County.

Cao Cao's grandfather Cao Teng was a eunuch. Because of his contribution in planning the enthronement of Emperor Huan, he was promoted to the position of Grand Chamberlain, and was granted the title of Marquis of Feiting and the rank of special advancement.

Because he knew how to behave, he stood firm in the palace for thirty years without falling, served four emperors, and never committed any taboos. As a result, after inheriting Cao Teng's title, Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, was able to continue to have a successful career in officialdom with the help of his adoptive father's connections. He served as the Inspector of the Imperial Guards, the Minister of Rites, and the Grand Minister of Agriculture, ranking among the Nine Ministers with high power.

In the fourth year of Zhongping, which was the previous year, Cao Song spent 100 million yuan by bribing eunuchs and donating money to Xiyuan, and successfully moved himself to the position of Taiwei, ranking among the Three Dukes. His official career can be said to be successful.

However, in April this year, the Yellow Turbans in Nangepi attacked the counties and prefectures. Cao Song, as the Taiwei and nominally the highest military commander in the country, had to bear the blame and was dismissed. He just returned to his hometown in Qiao County not long ago.

Although 100 million yuan was wasted, the impact on the Cao family was actually not great. Cao Song had been frantically amassing wealth as an official for many years. Even now that he has retired to enjoy his retirement, the Cao family is still very wealthy and even has enough money to support Cao Cao in raising private soldiers.

I can only say that the Cao family is really rich!

Cao Ren clapped his hands, and a groom appeared in front of Wang Jing, leading a jet-black horse.

"This is?"

"Yuan Xu, do you still remember? When we said goodbye that day, I said I would give you a horse that can run a hundred miles."

After Cao Ren finished speaking, he took the reins and whip from the groom and handed them to Wang Jing. He then proudly introduced: "This horse is from Dayuan. It can travel 800 miles a day. It is as fast as chasing the wind and lightning. Its shadow cannot be caught up, so it is named Jueying."

The horse in front of me was majestic and upright, with a proud posture, and every part of its body, including its mane, was as black as ink. Its full muscles were lined with violent power that almost overflowed.

Then there was a long neigh of a horse, and two streams of white air were seen spewing out of Jueying's nostrils, blowing up a large amount of dust on the ground.

Wang Jing stepped forward and held the reins. He was in a good mood. He was in need of a good horse, so he gladly accepted the generous gift: "Zixiao is really helping me in my time of need this time."

"As long as Yuanxu likes it."

Cao Ren naturally came here today on behalf of the Cao family. Last time, Wang Jing gave the Cao family a big gift, so the Cao family naturally had to return the favor. In addition to the hundred-mile famous horse that Cao Ren promised, Cao Song also took the initiative to send a hundred good horses and a thousand pounds of jerky, obviously treating Wang Jing as a partner with whom he could cooperate on an equal footing.

Apart from the fact that the method of refining crude salt is indeed valuable, the more important thing is of course that Cao Song intends to make friends with the Wang family of Taiyuan.

After all, as long as there is no conflict of interest between the aristocratic families, they still have to observe the etiquette of the world when necessary, otherwise they will leave a bad reputation of being "impolite" in the circle.

After settling his soldiers, Wang Jing pulled Cao Ren aside and asked about the specific battle situation.

Cao Ren did not hide anything and told Wang Jing directly: "The situation of this battle is not optimistic. There are 37 counties in Runan County, and most of them have been occupied. The bandits are taking refugees everywhere and looting the local areas. Now the war is spreading to Yingchuan."

Yuzhou is the heart of the Central Plains. The strength of the local county and state soldiers can be roughly described in four words - weak.

It was a stretch for them to fight off bandits on a normal day, so to rely on them to quell the massive Yellow Turban Rebellion was pure wishful thinking.

Wang Ling was listening in confusion: "During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Zhang Jue was so powerful, but in the end, wasn't he killed by the government troops and local volunteers? In Runan today, the rebels are only Liu Pi, Huang Shao, He Yi, and He Man. How come they can capture counties one after another and set the prairie on fire?"

Wang Jing sneered: "Why else? I messed up."

Wang Ling was stunned, and even more confused: "Failed? Second brother, what do you mean?"

"When Zhang Jue started the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the imperial court was already running out of money, so the government kept delegating military power to local tyrants, allowing them to recruit volunteers to help the government army suppress the rebellion. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion ended, many tyrants suddenly realized that they had made a fortune. Why do you say that?"

"Think about it, before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, there were still some farmers who could barely hold on to their land and survive. But when the war broke out, the first to suffer were the common people who had no power to protect themselves, because the rich families had built forts, and with high walls and deep fortifications, they could barely resist a few attacks."

"After the government troops put down the rebellion, guess who will own the land owned by these farmers?"

Wang Ling and Cao Ren were both shocked when they heard this: "How could this be?"

"Why not? People won't cry until they see the coffin. Anyway, the government troops will definitely suppress the rebellion. The court can't just let the rebels grow stronger, right?"

Wang Jingshen knew that people could abandon their moral bottom line for their own selfish interests.

As for the Yellow Turban Rebellions that broke out one after another in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the aristocratic families and local tyrants must bear the greatest blame, because they were the root of the problem.

At the beginning, some people were playing with fire, hoping to get something out of it.

But now, the fire is getting bigger and bigger, and it is about to set their houses on fire, so these people are starting to get anxious.

The rebellion broke out in April, and it is now August, but the wealthy families in Runan have not reacted at all, and have completely allowed Liu Pi, Huang Shao, He Yi, and He Man to grow in power.

Who would believe that there is no trick here?

Wang Jing said sarcastically, "Even if you find evidence of collusion between the local nobles of Runan and the Yellow Turban Army, I wouldn't be surprised."

Cao Ren had a solemn expression on his face, because some things that he had not understood before suddenly became clear to him after Wang Jing's guidance.

Wang Ling, who went to the battlefield for the first time, realized for the first time that the complexity of war was far beyond his imagination.

"Second brother, if that's the case, then this battle will be fraught with difficulties, right?"

"It's easy to eliminate the rebels, but it's hard to put down the rebellion. However, the court should consider the fundamental solution. As for us, we should wear a hat that fits our heads. Let's first think about how to solve the problem in front of us."

Wang Jing’s goal is still very clear, to practice martial arts to become stronger, and at the same time control a combat-ready army.

Only in this way can we survive in this troubled world and live freely and calmly.

The Yellow Turban Army in Runan is the first level that Wang Jing needs to upgrade his combat record. It is also a practical test. If he cannot even clear this low-level copy of the Yellow Turban Army, he thinks it is better to give up the development of the military field as soon as possible and concentrate on practicing martial arts.

After resting in Qiao County for three days, Wang Jing suddenly received an invitation from Huang Wan, the governor of Yuzhou: "Wang Lang, my envoy invites you."

After arriving, Huang Wan got straight to the point and said, "The military situation is urgent, so I'll be brief."

"Please speak, sir."

"This is a letter from the State of Chen asking for help. The Yellow Turban bandits in Gepi have already broken through Xiang County and are marching towards the State of Chen."

Huang Wan's expression was solemn, and it was obvious that he took this matter very seriously.

It was because Chen State was different from other places. It was the fiefdom of the royal family. As the governor of Yuzhou, Huang Wan dared not neglect it, so he wanted to send troops to rescue it.

But he is currently short of troops, so how can he find the manpower to support the State of Chen?
As a last resort, they could only find Wang Jing, hoping that he could lead his troops to provide support immediately.

Of course Wang Jing was not happy about this.

"Your Excellency may not know that my soldiers are new here and may not be able to adapt to the local climate. I am afraid they are unable to take on such a heavy responsibility. Moreover, Qiao County is blessed with outstanding people and talents. Why should Your Excellency go to a distant place instead of a nearby one?"

Wang Jing had no intention of devoting his life to the Han Dynasty until his death. After all, he came all the way here to gain military merit, not to be a volunteer.

You can't just ask me to go and I will do it stupidly, right?

Huang Wan is also an old fox. How could she not see what the little fox Wang Jing was planning?
So he didn't waste any words and promised directly: "The State of Chen cannot be lost. If the royal family's fiefdom falls into the hands of thieves, the majesty of the court will be gone. Therefore, as long as you can save the State of Chen, I will petition the court and ask for merit for you. The position of captain is not easy to say, but I can still fight for a few military officers for you."

The rank of a captain is equivalent to two thousand stones, which is equivalent to the fifth grade, which is not low. At present, official titles in the imperial court are still very valuable. Without sufficient military merit, don't even think about getting a position of this level. Gongsun Zan almost lost his life in a life-and-death battle with the Wuhuan people in Youzhou, and in the end he was just a cavalry captain.

The military officer was under the rank of the commander, and according to the regulations, he could command a group of soldiers, which meant he could legally have a staff of two to three hundred people. His rank was equivalent to six hundred stones, which Wang Jing felt was barely acceptable.

He immediately changed his tone and said, "Your Excellency is too kind. It is our duty to share the country's worries. Merit and achievements are nothing to me."

Huang Wan was also amused by Wang Jing's shamelessness, and deliberately teased: "So, I guess it was unnecessary for me to ask the court for credit for you?" Wang Jing said righteously: "Have you ever heard of the story of Zilu accepting the ox and Zigong giving up the gold? If you take the gold, it won't hurt your journey, but if you don't take the gold, you won't be able to redeem the people. The Master can see the big picture from the small details and understand human nature. Although Jing is far from being as good as him, he has also been taught by the saint since he was a child. Therefore, in order not to disappoint the meritorious people in the world, I can only accept this meager military achievement with shame."

Huang Wan stroked his beard and laughed: "Well, well, Master Wang Zi really has raised a good son."

"I accept your praise, Lord."

Afterwards, Huang Wan replenished Wang Jing's military force to a thousand men, gave him a hundred sets of iron armor, five hundred long swords, and replenished bows, crossbows and arrows, and then personally sent him out of the city.

In order to achieve military merit, Wang Jing rode day and night, and in just a few days, he led his army to Chen County, the capital of the State of Chen.

At this time, Chen County was filled with smoke and the flames of war were raging.

He Man's Yellow Turban Army had gathered 20,000 soldiers and was besieging the county town in an attempt to capture it in one fell swoop. However, after several days of fierce attacks, they could not even reach the top of the city walls. Only then did they realize that they had run into a tough nut to crack.

Wang Jing chose a high slope outside the city with a good view. He looked down at the battlefield from above and saw a huge crowd of people outside the city.

When there are more than ten thousand people, there is no end.

In the ranks of the Yellow Turban Army, most of the soldiers were refugees who had lost their land. They were skinny and looked like zombies, but in order to survive, they were inspired to show strong fighting power.

What’s more, the Yellow Turban Army really has some Taoist magic!
Bowls of diluted talisman water were brought out, and each of the Yellow Turban soldiers in the front row was given a sip. Although it was not much, it was enough for them to have the strength to fight against the stronghold.

Soon, the skinny "zombies" turned into "yellow giants" on the spot. Their muscles bulged, they were furious, and they rushed towards the city wall with ladders, howling.

During this period, there were demons standing in the rear casting spells, summoning yellow sand and strong winds, intending to interfere with the defenders' vision and cover the advance of the siege troops.

At this time, a tall and strong general in armor appeared above the county gate.

He took out a golden crossbow slowly.

Boo~hoo~hoo~
Ten sharp noises were fired, and ten shots hit the target. In the rear position of the Yellow Turban Army, ten Taoists who were practicing Taoist magic fell down, all of them killed by arrows shot through their eyebrows.

"Ah! It's the magic arrow that breaks the law!"

"There's a sharpshooter in the city!"

The remaining Taiping Dao priests didn't dare to show their heads and could only hide in the crowd, fearing that they would be hit on the forehead.

The yellow sand and strong winds in the sky suddenly stopped, and the morale of the soldiers and civilians in the city suddenly increased. They rushed forward to push down the Yellow Turban soldiers who had climbed onto the top of the city wall and defended the city wall.

"From a distance of a hundred feet, the arrows never miss their target?"

Wang Jing was shocked. If the people on the city wall had not looked very young, he would have suspected that he had met the veteran Huang Zhong. This archery skill was truly much more impressive than shooting an arrow through a target from a hundred paces away.

Wang Ling was equally shocked: "There is such a master in the State of Chen?"

Xu Lan, who was accompanying the army, had traveled extensively with Wang Hong, so he had a wide range of experience and recognized the identity of the general defending the city: "This man should be Chen Wang Liu Chong. I heard that he is extremely brave and good at using bows and crossbows. His archery skills are very superb. He can hit the target ten times out of ten, and all of them are shot at the same place."

Wang Jing laughed and said with joy: "So, even without our support, with a strong man like Liu Chong, Chen would not have fallen. This is a credit that we got for free."

Xu Lan rolled her beautiful eyes upon hearing that, and couldn't help but roll her eyes at Wang Jing, thinking that he was really useless.

Wang Jing seemed to see Xu Lan's eagerness to fight, and immediately ordered: "Qiyun, listen to my order. I order you to lead a hundred sword guards to harass the left wing of the enemy army and defeat them. Do not pursue them."

"Lan, I obey your orders."

After Xu Lan clasped his fists, he immediately led a hundred cavalrymen and charged straight into the enemy formation.

The one hundred men she led were all selected and trained using the methods of the Qin elite warriors of the past. Each of them was skilled in archery and horse riding, and had superb sword skills. Now they were wearing iron armor and charging in formation, and soon they tore a hole in the enemy's formation.

The Yellow Turban army had just suffered a defeat, and the morale of the army was in turmoil. When they were attacked unexpectedly, their morale collapsed immediately. Many of the defeated soldiers shouted, "The government troops are coming, let's run for our lives!"

He Man was terrified at first, but then he saw that the enemy had only a thousand soldiers and horses, and he immediately realized that he had been tricked. He was furious and said, "Stop right there, the government troops are not coming! Anyone who dares to shake the morale of the army will be killed without mercy!"

After waving his mace and killing several deserters, he managed to stabilize his position. When he was about to fight back, he saw Wang Jing taking advantage of the chaos to enter the city.

The swaggering look on his face clearly showed that he didn't take him seriously.

"It really pisses me off!"

He Man slammed the mace in his hand to the ground. His eyes were red with anger rising in them: "If this boy falls into my hands, I will tear him into pieces!"

In the city, Wang Jing was soon received by Chen Wang Liu Chong.

"Jing, I meet His Royal Highness Prince Chen."

"Please get up quickly."

Liu Chong was a man of heroic character. After learning that Wang Jing was from the Wang family of Taiyuan, he was even more determined to win him over: "In the old battle of Chenxia, ​​Emperor Gaozu got the help of Guan Ying and defeated Xiang Yu. My getting Yuan Xu is like Emperor Gaozu getting Guan Ying."

"Your Highness is welcome."

Wang Jing knew that Liu Chong was trying to win him over, but even if he had to work for someone else, he would definitely choose a boss with a promising future.

And it is obvious that Liu Chong is not a reliable boss.

If you follow him, you may not go hungry for nine meals out of three days, but at least you will have no idea where to eat next.

Therefore, in the face of Liu Chong's enthusiasm, Wang Jing just responded with a few words and then started talking about the current war situation.

Liu Chong had been in the state for a long time, so he knew nothing about the outside world. He could only ask Wang Jing for help: "Yuan Xu, do you know when the imperial reinforcements will arrive?"

Seeing Liu Chong's eager eyes, Wang Jing chose to tell the truth: "The court has decided to send the lower army lieutenant Bao Hong to lead the troops to rescue Yuzhou. As long as Yuzhou can hold out for three months, there will be hope of repelling the bandit army."

Yes, there is just hope.

Today, the enemy army is powerful, with a force of one hundred thousand men.

Even if there are many refugees and civilians who were forced here, Yuzhou is full of refugees. Wouldn't He Yi and others just run away if they can't defeat them?

If they lose, they will run away and hide for a while, and then they can gather another group of people to continue the rebellion.

Under this hide-and-seek tactic, it was not difficult for the government troops to win, but it was extremely difficult to annihilate the main force of the Yellow Turban Army.

Wang Jing was well aware of this, but of course he didn't care at all. After all, he came here just to gain military merits, and other things were not something a small person like him should worry about.

For several days, He Man launched a fierce attack on Chen County.

But Wang Jing's arrival injected new vitality into the people and defenders in the city, making them realize that the court had not given up on them and that reinforcements would arrive soon!

When people have hope and confidence, their fighting spirit will naturally become high, and therefore the resistance in the city will become more and more determined.

After He Man found that Chen County was a tough nut to crack, he quickly decided to back out.

After all, he is a bandit, and what he pursues in war is a quick victory and benefits. Once the snowball tactic doesn't work, he will be close to defeat.

Two days later, the bandit army that had covered the mountains and plains outside the city finally disappeared, and the soldiers and civilians of Chen County cheered loudly: "Victory! The bandits have retreated!"

After days of fierce fighting, Wang Jing also breathed a sigh of relief: "No danger, no surprises, and the credit is in hand."

(End of this chapter)