Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator.

Sitting in his tent, Li Ji put down the bamboo scroll in his hand and carefully examined the man before him, then spoke.

"You can be considered a true man, but if you had succeeded in your attack, would you have spared our lives? You think you can simply take responsibility with such a casual statement? There's no such easy thing in this world."

The man's expression visibly trembled, and then he kowtowed to Li Ji.

"We only seek wealth. Even if we scattered you, we would never commit further killings."

"Seek wealth?"

Li Ji was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't carried much money or grain on this trip, and supplies were obtained from the various county towns along the way.

However, Li Ji quickly realized the truth and sneered. "You have quite the nerve. So, you were after our warhorses."

One should know that even the cheapest packhorse costs over 4,000 coins in the northern lands.

A good horse suitable for war, even in the north, costs between 10,000 and 20,000 coins.

If it were in the Jiangdong region, warhorses would be a true hard currency, each one comparable to a high-end BBA car of later generations.

Not only would each warhorse cost between 100,000 and 200,000 coins, but they would also often be available only in name.

This is why a large number of horse traders like Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang emerged. The profit margin of almost tenfold was enough to make them travel long distances and risk various dangers.

The man did not refute but continued to prostrate himself, begging for the victor's mercy.

Li Ji narrowed his eyes and began to think. According to Zhao Yun's report, this group was likely Jiang thieves, and they had also discovered their two Mengchong ships and a dozen common civilian boats and skiffs docked on the Yangtze River.

Furthermore, compared to ordinary bandits, this person also knew to increase the number of torches and create more noise to confuse the enemy, and only attack one side of the camp. If they were to encounter someone timid, they might even frighten them into abandoning the camp and fleeing, leaving behind a large amount of supplies and some warhorses.

"Who are you? And how did you target the warhorses?" Li Ji asked.

"I am Jiang Qin from Shouchun, Jiujiang, courtesy name Gongyi. My brothers are all from the same village. This year's harvest was poor, and most of us can hardly guarantee enough food and clothing for the coming year. Unwilling to sell ourselves into slavery, I encouraged my brothers to pull off a few heists to make ends meet."

Jiang Qin said slowly, not forgetting to take all the responsibility on himself, and then continued.

"We were unwilling to act in Jiujiang, fearing it would harm our fellow villagers and damage our reputation, so we went down the river to Wu Commandery, and then inadvertently discovered your Excellency's team, which gave rise to malicious intentions."

"Your courage is not small. Instead of plundering defenseless civilians, you set your sights on a team of cavalry," Li Ji said.

"Although I, Jiang Gongyi, am not a gentleman, I am a man who knows what is good and bad. I cannot do things that rob civilians," Jiang Qin replied.

"Then you can do things that rob me?" Li Ji retorted.

"Your Excellency is a young master of a noble family. Even if you lose some supplies and warhorses, it is only a drop in the bucket, and I never intended to harm your life," Jiang Qin replied.

Li Ji couldn't help but laugh when he heard this, saying.

"It seems you are truly new to Wu Commandery if you don't even recognize me. I am not some young master of a noble family, nor am I a playboy traveling around with three hundred retainers."

Jiang Qin looked at Li Ji, his face full of surprise.

In Jiang Qin's view, Li Ji was undoubtedly the son of a noble family.

Not to mention Li Ji's extraordinary temperament, he also traveled with a pageboy, and although there were many cavalrymen guarding him, they did not carry any flags.

Moreover, Jiang Qin had followed Li Ji from a distance for two days, and watched Li Ji seem to be wandering around Wu Commandery aimlessly, and happened to camp by the river tonight.

This made Jiang Qin couldn't help but lead his brothers to take action, intending to rob this young master and then retreat from the river back to Jiujiang with the spoils.

At that time, even if the young master had a deep background and investigated frantically, Jiang Qin was not worried that the other party could find Jiujiang Commandery to take revenge.

Before Li Ji could speak, Xiahou Lan, who was beside Li Ji, couldn't help but say loudly.

"Thief, how dare you compare an ordinary noble family's son to my lord? The one you face is Li Zikun, the Commandant of Wu Commandery!"

When Jiang Qin heard this, he blurted out almost subconsciously.

"Li Sanqian! ! ? ?"

Immediately, Jiang Qin's face turned pale instantly, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead, completely understanding that he had probably caused a catastrophe.

"Oh, it seems you also know my name."

Li Ji said with some surprise, not expecting that his reputation would be heard even by bandits and civilians in the Jiangdong region.

"Who doesn't know Li Sanqian, who shakes the world with his name?"

Jiang Qin seemed to have had most of the strength in his body emptied in an instant, and then said.

"Moreover, the matter of Li Sanqian overturning the 50,000 bandits in Wu Commandery between his palms has already spread throughout the Jiangdong region, causing all the bandits in Yangzhou to change color upon hearing it."

"Since you have heard my name, you still dare to rob in Wu Commandery?" Li Ji asked.

"I was only harboring a fluke, thinking that acting on the river would not be noticed, and planning to do a big deal, targeting those horse traders to rob a wave and leave, but I didn't expect to run into Li Sanqian's face, it's really that heaven wants to destroy me."

Jiang Qin sighed and said, and then kowtowed to Li Ji again.

"Please, sir, leave a way out for my brothers. Jiang Qin is willing to be a cow or a horse in the next life to repay your great kindness."

Li Ji slowly said, "The next life is too long… …"

Jiang Qin's body visibly shook, his face as pale as if there was no blood, and just as he was about to completely collapse on the ground, Li Ji continued.

"Let it be this life."

Suddenly, Jiang Qin seemed to realize something, and his eyes showed a few traces of hope as he suddenly looked up at Li Ji.

Jiang Qin!

His name may not seem obvious, but he is listed alongside Gan Ning, Zhou Tai, Huang Gai and others as one of the "Twelve Tiger Generals of Jiangbiao."

More importantly, being in Jiangdong, the navy is also of utmost importance.

However, all the generals under Liu Bei are northerners, none of whom are good at naval warfare, and Jiang Qin is one of the "Twelve Tiger Generals of Jiangbiao" and also a former water bandit, so he must have some understanding of naval warfare.

Therefore, Li Ji naturally had the idea of ​​recruiting him, and establishing the initial prototype of the navy as soon as possible.

However, Li Ji would naturally not rashly speak about recruiting people's hearts, whether based on the duty of a minister or based on his ability in this area, but said.

"Seeing that what you have done has not robbed the people, the death penalty can be avoided, but how to decide the living crime still needs to be decided by the lord himself."

"I will send someone to send you to Wu County, and then the lord will personally interrogate you. Do you have any objections?"

Where would Jiang Qin, who had escaped from death, dare to object, and he repeatedly thanked Li Ji, saying.

"Sir, your great kindness, I will definitely repay you generously in the future."

"There is no need to flatter me. Whether you can spare you depends on the lord's thoughts, but the lord is benevolent. You only need to state the truth, and I think you will not be severely punished."

Li Ji stepped forward to appease Jiang Qin, and then asked someone to押押 Jiang Qin down.

Afterwards, Li Ji personally wrote a letter, mentioning Jiang Qin's character and ability, suggesting that Liu Bei could recruit Jiang Qin to establish the prototype of the navy, and sent a cavalryman to send this letter to Wu County to Liu Bei.

Otherwise, Li Ji was really worried that Liu Bei would be so angry when he learned that there were bandits who dared to attack him at night that he would directly decide to kill all those bandits as a warning to others.

A few days later, when Li Ji mobilized 200 county soldiers nearby to **** the prisoners headed by Jiang Qin to Wu County, Liu Bei's reply also arrived.

However, after reading Liu Bei's reply, Li Ji couldn't help but laugh and cry.

In the reply, the matter about Jiang Qin was only briefly mentioned, and the rest, in addition to his concern for Li Ji, vaguely contained a bit of complaint that Li Ji's letter only mentioned Jiang Qin in every sentence, but did not add a few more greetings to the lord.

Moreover, Liu Bei's letter requested that Li Ji must return to Wu County for the festival and rest on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day no matter what.

'Really is… …'

Li Ji smiled and shook his head, then slightly calculated the days and found that it had been nearly two months since he inspected various places, and there were still seven or eight days until New Year's Eve.

No wonder Jiang Qin's mind was hot and he actually risked attacking Li Ji.

Generally, Jiang Qin was also eager to make a fortune, and then take his brothers back to their hometown for the festival.

It's a pity that Jiang Qin will probably have to spend the festival in Wu County this time.

'It seems that I have to speed up, at least inspect the northern Yangtze River coast of Wu County before New Year's Eve, and then return to Wu County to spend the festival with the lord.'

Li Ji thought secretly, and couldn't help but feel a little more urgency in his heart.

After all, this is also the first New Year's Eve festival for Liu Bei's rise and Li Ji's worship of Liu Bei as the lord, which is of great significance.

After solving Jiang Qin's problem, Li Ji speeded up his inspection of the Yangtze River along the northern part of Wu County, and shortened unnecessary time as much as possible. Except for the necessary rest, he was almost always on horseback.

As New Year's Eve approached, and tomorrow was New Year's Eve, Liu Bei, who was in Wu County, watched that Li Ji had not returned, and even had no reply, and his heart became more and more anxious.

This made Liu Bei, who was clearly approaching a good festival, always unable to show a smile on his face, and said.

"Jichang, I will write another letter, and you send someone to send it to Zikun quickly, telling Zikun that if he doesn't come back, Bei will personally tie him back."

Seeing this, Xiahou Bo couldn't help but persuade with some helplessness.

"My lord, in these past three days, you've already sent six letters. Including the previous replies to Mister Zikun, you've written twelve letters summoning Mister Zikun back."

"But Zikun hasn't even sent a single reply. What does he intend to do?! Does he even have me in his eyes anymore?"

Liu Bei's tone carried a hint of anger as he shouted. "Or is it that a general abroad need not accept the ruler's commands? I only wish to summon Zikun back to celebrate the festival and rest for a while. Is it so difficult for him?"

Then, becoming increasingly anxious, Liu Bei waved his hand.

"Prepare the horses! I must personally go and find Zikun. No matter what, I must bring him back."