Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 36 Crossing the River
That night, Wang Hong hosted a banquet for Zhang Ji, Zhang Yu and his son, and asked his clansmen to join them.

At the banquet, Zhang Yu met his mother-in-law Chen, who was gentle and listened to Wang Hong's opinions on important matters. Wang Hong wanted to take Zhang Yu as his son-in-law, and Chen had no objection. And because Zhang Yu was handsome, his mother-in-law Chen liked him.

At the same time, Zhang Yu met his brother-in-law Wang Ling at the banquet. Under the guidance of Wang Hong, Wang Ling, who was twelve or thirteen years old, had learned both civil and military skills. Knowing that Zhang Yu was an expert in archery, Wang Ling pestered Zhang Yu to learn the secrets of archery. Zhang Yu patiently taught and corrected Wang Ling's shortcomings in archery.

Everyone left the banquet in high spirits, and Zhang Ji even drank until he was drunk. He was only able to go back to his room to rest with the help of Zhang Yu.

Late at night, under the guidance of Hongniang, Zhang Yu met Wang Ji, whom he had not seen for many months.

In a remote cottage, under dim candlelight.

Zhang Yu came drunk and saw Wang Ji, who greeted him with a faint smile. He said with a smile, "I haven't seen you for a few months. Shu Lan has changed again."

"What changes?"

“It’s even more beautiful!”

Wang Ji rolled his eyes at Zhang Yu and said, "What nonsense!"

Zhang Yu came up to Wang Ji and asked with a smile, "How should we address each other from now on?"

Wang Ji's beautiful eyes moved, and she said with a smile: "We haven't gotten married yet, so we should address each other according to etiquette."

As he spoke, Wang Ji leaned slightly closer to Zhang Yu and asked, "I was behind the screen and heard that General Zhang was going to Yuzhou. Is this true?"

"Can't bear to leave me?" Zhang Yu sniffed the woman's fragrance and, getting drunk, teased.

Wang Ji smiled and said, "The Central Plains is in chaos, and it is time for men to make contributions. I am afraid that because you are engaged to me, you will indulge in love and forget the heart of making contributions."

Zhang Yu took a sip of water, cleared his mind, and understood the real meaning of Wang Ji's words.

After sorting out his thoughts, Zhang Yu said, "I wonder if Shu Lan has any advice for me?"

Wang Ji smiled and said, "I dare not say that I will give you any advice. It is just that if Zhang Lang is coldly treated by the scholars in the Central Plains during this trip south, he should be content and not get angry or argue with them. Moreover, Zhang Lang should make good use of his uncle's reputation and make more friends with the scholars in the Central Plains."

"It's natural!"

Zhang Yu nodded slightly. He was mentally prepared for discrimination based on identity and region.

"Any other instructions?" Zhang Yu asked.

Wang Ji nodded in thought, then smiled and said, "I have no other instructions, except that when you are making achievements, please stay away from swords, weapons, water and fire to avoid getting hurt."

Shu Lan reminded me, I will keep it in mind!" Zhang Yu said with a smile.

Zhang Yu lowered his head slightly, but saw the delicate face under the candlelight, eyes like autumn water, and elegant lips, which were particularly heart-moving.

"Close your eyes, I have a gift for you!"

Wang Ji didn't understand and closed his eyes obediently.

Then, she felt a soft and warm touch on her lips. Wang Ji blushed instantly and her breathing became rapid. It seemed that the world had become quiet and she could even hear Zhang Yu's heartbeat.

Soon, this feeling disappeared. Wang Ji opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Yu, who seemed to be smiling. He felt embarrassed and intoxicated at the same time.

"I'll make sure you never forget my taste." Zhang Yu said with a smile.

"Pooh!"

Wang Ji pretended to be disgusted and said, "You reek of alcohol, how can you smell good?"

"Ha ha!"

Zhang Yu and Wang Ji teased each other for a while, but finally, at Hongniang's reminder, they left reluctantly.

The next day, with the cooperation of Wang Hong, Zhang Ji stayed for three days and completed the ceremony of Nacai, which was regarded as an announcement of the relationship between Zhang Yu and Wang Ji to the outside world.

With the completion of the marriage proposal ceremony, Zhang Ji was really not used to the life in Dalu Mountain and had no intention of staying there for long. After instructing Zhang Yu on the details of using the horses, Zhang Ji returned to the dock with a dozen of his trusted riders.

However, Zhang Yu had to wait in Dalu Mountain for many days because of problems with customs clearance documents and personnel assembly.

When Zhang Yu was in Dalushan, the situation in the Central Plains became increasingly tense while the Eastern Han Dynasty was preparing for military preparations. Zhang Jiao, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang raised an army in Jizhou, killed officials and defeated the army, occupied many cities, and their power extended to Youzhou in the north and Bingzhou in the west, with great momentum.

In the Henan region, Zhang Mancheng rose up in Nanyang, Bo Cai rebelled in Yingchuan, and Bu Ji caused chaos in Dongjun. The three states of Jing, Yu, and Yan were in constant turmoil, which echoed the three brothers Zhang Jue in Hebei.

In addition to Henan and Hebei regions, Yellow Turban uprisings also occurred in Qing and Xu.

In just a few dozen days, the Yellow Turban Army was unstoppable, states and counties were lost, officials and soldiers fled, and the war spread to seven states and twenty-eight counties.

The momentum was so fierce that it showed how deeply the common people were oppressed. Now, taking advantage of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, it was like a volcano erupting, shaking the Central Plains. In order to suppress the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the court appointed He Jin as the general and led the five battalions of the left and right Yulin soldiers to station in Duting and block the eight passes. As a result, the defense of Bingzhou became strict, and the road to Jizhou was blocked.

Immediately afterwards, similar to what Zhang Yu and Wang Hong had communicated, Emperor Ling of Han, under the persuasion of wise men such as Huangfu Song and Lu Qiang, pardoned the party members and encouraged the gentry and powerful people to actively join the army.

In March, Lu Zhi was appointed as the General of the North, with Zong Yuan, the General of the Wuhuan Army, as his deputy. He led the elite five schools of Hebei and troops from various counties in Hebei to attack the three brothers of Zhang Jue.

Huangfu Song was appointed as the Left General of the Central Army, and together with the Right General of the Central Army Zhu Jun, he mobilized the knights of Sanhe and recruited elite warriors from all over the country, a total of more than 40,000 people. They set out in two groups to fight against the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan.

Against this background, heroes such as Sun Jian, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei recruited soldiers and joined the team to fight against the Yellow Turbans.

After waiting for about ten days, at the call of Zhang Yu, Shi Yi, Li Song, Buluhutuli and others led more than fifty riders down and joined the more than forty riders who stayed in Dalushan to form a hundred riders.

In order to better manage the Han and Hu 100 cavalry, Zhang Yu divided them into four groups, ordering Hao Zhao, Shi Yi, Buluhutuli, and Li Song to lead 25 cavalry each, all under the command of Zhang Yu's military orders.

After all the troops had arrived, through correspondence between Wang Hong and Zhang Yu, Wang Yun recruited Zhang Yu as a military official in Yuzhou and would follow Wang Yun east to take up the post.

Wu Meng Cong Shi was a military officer in the provincial governor's office, with the power to lead troops. His salary was 100 shi, and he had a bronze seal and a yellow ribbon.

With a pass and food prepared for the journey, Zhang Yu did not dare to waste time as Wang Yun was anxious to take up his post.

Before leaving, Wang Hong gave Zhang Yu a set of iron armor, but Wang Ji was unable to see him off, so he asked Hongniang to deliver a Shu brocade cape to Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu should accept all the gifts given by everyone and express his gratitude in return.

In early spring, the wind was cold and the wind was blowing. Zhang Yu led a hundred cavalrymen south.

Wang Yun was the governor of Yuzhou, whose capital was in Qiao County. However, due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yingchuan, Wang Yun's first task was not to go to Qiao County first, but to go to Yingchuan to cooperate with the armies of Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun to eliminate the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yingchuan.

According to Wang Hong, Wang Yun set out from Luoyang after accepting his post, and he left from Hulao Pass, intending to go east to Chenliu, and then south to Yingchuan. Therefore, Zhang Yu had to go to Mengjin first, and then cross the Yellow River to meet Wang Yun at Hulao Pass.

Starting from Dalu Mountain, in order to meet up with Wang Yun as soon as possible, Zhang Yu first went to Zhongdu, then crossed Taiyue Mountain and entered the territory of Shangdang County.

In Shangdang, Zhang Yu borrowed a batch of grain from Li with the help of Wang Hong's letter, and then continued to move south, through Taihang Mountains, to Henei County.

The journey was nearly two thousand miles long. Zhang Yu led the cavalry and traveled day and night. It took about fifteen days to finally reach Mengjin Pass in Henei County.

Mengjin Pass had been blocked by the imperial court. Zhang Yu was able to pass through with the help of Wang Yun's official document. With the help of Mengjin boatmen, they crossed the Yellow River.

The Yellow River flows eastward, with several boats floating on it.

On the boat, Zhang Yu stood with his clothes on and his sword in hand, gazing at the rolling Yellow River.

Li Song held onto the side of the boat and carefully moved closer to Zhang Yu.

"How are you brothers?" Zhang Yu asked.

Li Song stood up, shook his head and said, "Brothers, this is your first time crossing the river by boat, and many of them are feeling unwell. I have asked those who are seasick to rest on the side."

As he spoke, Li Song was worried and asked, "The guards at Mengjin Pass said that the battle in Yingchuan was not going well. Is this true?"

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and said truthfully: "The Yellow Turbans had many soldiers and horses. The Left and Right Generals of the Central Army were at a disadvantage in their initial battle with the Yellow Turbans. The two armies retreated to the city. The details are unknown now."

Li Song frowned and thought, and said: "The left and right armies are not doing well in the fight. If they are defeated by the Yellow Turbans, the rebels may head straight for Luoyang. Then you and I will go south this time, isn't it ~"

After so many days in the south, Li Song had already figured out the situation in the Central Plains.

The Yellow Turban Army had two strategic focuses. First, the three Zhang Jue brothers attacked the counties in Hebei and quickly seized Hebei's resources in an attempt to cut off the Eastern Han Dynasty. Second, a large number of rebels rose up in Yingchuan, Runan, and Nanyang, targeting the Eastern Han capital Luoyang.

Previously, Zhang Jiao sent Ma Yuanyi to Luoyang, where he actually planned to cooperate with Bo Cai, Zhang Mancheng and others to attack from both inside and outside in order to first capture the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun are not doing well in the battle against the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan. If they are defeated again, the Yellow Turbans in the Central Plains will come knocking. Then the Eastern Han court will have no choice but to move the capital to Chang'an to temporarily avoid the Yellow Turbans.

Zhang Yu said calmly, "Although the Yellow Turbans are numerous, they are not as elite as our soldiers. The Left and Right Lieutenants have experienced hundreds of battles and are both capable generals of the country. How could they be easily defeated by the bandits? Moreover, since the court issued the public carriage order, heroes and warriors from all counties have gathered here. Therefore, although the Yellow Turbans are powerful, they are unlikely to become a force to be reckoned with."

The Eastern Han Dynasty still had the support of the people. Since Zhang Yu went south, the gentry and powerful people in various counties had all sent out their armor and troops, led by their sons and daughters, to the battlefield in order to defend the Eastern Han Dynasty.

In Zhang Yu's eyes, the Yellow Turbans were able to achieve their initial victory over Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, mainly due to their preemptive strike and their own advantages in terms of military strength.

As time goes by, the Eastern Han Dynasty will react, and armed forces from all over the country will arrive one after another, and the Yellow Turbans' first-mover advantage will disappear completely.

Listening to Zhang Yu's analysis, Li Song thought for a moment and said, "It's Song who is so narrow-minded!"

Zhang Yu leaned on the Han sword, looked at the rolling river, and sighed: "The Han family has lived for 400 years, it should not end here!"

If Zhang Yu had traveled back in time to the heyday of the Han Dynasty, he would have roamed the desert, made achievements on the frontier, and revived the Han Dynasty!

Unfortunately, it is now the last years of the Han Dynasty, the world is about to collapse, heroes emerge, and the people are living in misery!
(End of this chapter)