Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 45: Not Like a Frontier Child
Zhang Yu stood in the tent. The two big bosses, Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, stroked their beards and remained silent. The atmosphere was eerily quiet.

After a while, Wang Yun suddenly started to scold, saying: "I am just a small official under your command. It is a great favor for you to be allowed to attend the meeting. How dare you criticize state affairs now?"

Zhang Yu was stunned after being scolded by Wang Yun.

Then, Zhang Yu, with his own insight, instantly understood Wang Yun's intention.

His status was low, and he actually refuted Huangfu Song's words in front of everyone. Strictly speaking, he had violated a taboo. Regardless of Huangfu Song's temperament, it would be difficult for him to lose face in front of everyone, and he would most likely be disliked by Huangfu Song.

Wang Yun's words seemed to be scolding himself, but in fact he was protecting himself.

In between breaths, Zhang Yu turned to Wang Yun and said, "I admit my guilt!"

"Get out!"

Seeing Zhang Yu coming up the road, Wang Yun immediately waved his sleeves to persuade him to leave.

"I hope you can forgive me for my mistakes in words!" Zhang Yu bowed to everyone and slowly walked out.

After Zhang Yu left, Huangfu Song smiled and said, "The young man said these kind words, why does Yuzhou have to scold him like this!"

"This youngster is outspoken and is making irresponsible comments on military and national affairs. He should not be allowed to stay," said Wang Yun.

"hehe!"

Seeing this, Zhu Jun stepped forward to smooth things over, saying with a smile: "If our army pardons the Yellow Turban captives, I wonder how Yuzhou will treat them?"

Wang Yun hesitated for a moment and said, "To prevent the surrendered captives from rebelling, I will recruit Lord Kong Wenju and Lord Xun Ciming, and have them educate the people and pacify the counties and states of Yuzhou."

"Mr. Ci Ming?"

Huangfu Song's expression changed slightly, and he looked at Wang Yun to see if he was lying.

Xun Ciming is none other than the one who is known as "Xun's Eight Dragons, Ciming is unparalleled". Since Xun Shuang became famous, the court has summoned him to serve in the government countless times, and the three highest officials in the past dynasties have all summoned him, but Xun Shuang refused without exception.

If Wang Yun's words were true, this would be Xun Shuang's first official post. With the assistance of Xun Shuang and Kong Rong, Wang Yun would not be the governor of Yuzhou for long before he would be highly valued by the court and even appointed as one of the Three Dukes.

Although Huangfu Song was a general, he was also a scholar. Faced with the great god and the small god that Wang Yun brought up, even though he was a man of integrity, he had to give Wang Yun some face.

"Master, is what you said true, that you used Lords Ciming and Wenju to educate the surrendered captives?" Huangfu Song asked.

"It's true!"

Wang Yun was full of confidence and said, "The two generals are here, so I dare not speak nonsense. And if there are any surrendered captives who rebel, I will order people to suppress them."

Zhu Jun, in order to save Huangfu Song's face, said, "Since General Huangfu and Envoy Wang have different opinions, why not submit a petition to the court and let Your Majesty and the officials of the Secretariat decide. What do you think?"

“No objection!”

"feasible!"

The decision of whether to kill the surrendered people was handed over to the court. Based on the behavior of the court scholars and Wang Yun's connections in the court, the surrendered people would probably be pardoned. After all, butchers like Huangfu Song were relatively rare in the court.

Huangfu Song knew that he could not kill the remnants of the Yellow Turbans, so he would naturally follow the path given by Zhu Jun.

"Cough cough!"

"In that case, let's discuss conquering Bo Cai and Peng Tuo..."

Zhu Jun coughed a few times, changed the subject, and moved on from the matter.

After discussing for a while, as the military affairs were arranged, everyone left one after another.

When Wang Yun wanted to leave, Huangfu Song smiled and said, "Master, I want Zhang Ji'an to follow me to fight. What do you think?"

Wang Yun raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "I have just arrived in Yuzhou, I am afraid I can't leave him."

Zhu Jun stood up from the couch and said with a smile: "Ji'an has great talent, but now he is a minor official. It's a pity. If Ji'an wants to fight, he can follow me."

Wang Yun smiled without saying anything and bowed to the two of them and said goodbye.

After Zhu Jun and Wang Yun left, Huangfu Li stepped forward in confusion and asked, "Zhang Ji'an's words offended my uncle, why did my uncle recruit him into the army?"

Huangfu Song glared at his nephew and said, "Am I such a narrow-minded person?"

Then he explained, "Although Zhang Ji'an comes from the frontier, he doesn't act like a frontier warrior. He is so young, yet he has such insight. No wonder Wang Shi chose him as her son-in-law."

"What I said today was just a joke, so how could Master Wang Zi let me go so easily?"

"I was just trying to show my goodwill to him, so as not to offend him with my words just now." Huangfu Song sighed and said, "Wang Zishi was able to recruit Ciming and Wenju as his subordinates. He is not a simple person. Now that I think about it, since he entered the court with a high score, he has been appreciated by Yuan and Yang, and even valued by He Jin. He is an extraordinary person!"

To be honest, the three reasons Zhang Yu gave had actually convinced Huangfu Song. The war between Han and the Yellow Turbans had just begun not long ago. If the surrendered soldiers were directly killed, although it would deter the remnants, it would be disadvantageous to the subsequent battles.

After all, facing the butchers who killed the surrendered soldiers, knowing that they have no way out even if they surrender, they will most likely fight to the end, which will be very disadvantageous for the fight to quell the rebellion.

At the same time, Zhang Yu, who was driven out of the tent, stood guard nearby with his sword, waiting for Wang Yun to come out.

When Zhang Yu saw Wang Yun, he stepped forward immediately.

"Envoy, what's the situation?" Zhang Yu asked.

Wang Yun smiled and said, "The two generals will divide their forces to fight against the two bandits, Bo Cai and Peng Tuo. The matter of the captives will be decided by the court."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu understood and said with a smile: "If the court were to make the decision, they would definitely pardon the surrendered people!"

After a pause, Zhang Yu asked curiously, "May I ask, sir, how can we persuade General Huangfu to change his mind?"

Wang Yun stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "Ji'an's words have already refuted General Huangfu, and the reason why he remained silent is that I said I had recruited Xun Ciming and Kong Wenju as my subordinates."

"Xun Ciming?"

Zhang Yu was immediately surprised and said, "Your Excellency, since Lord Ciming became famous in the Han Dynasty, he has been studying classics at home. Even if the three ministers summoned him, he would not take office. Now you are only a governor, how can you summon Lord Ciming to serve?"

Xun Shuang's reputation was so high that almost all scholars in the world knew about it. In Zhang Yu's eyes, if someone like Xun Shuang wanted to serve in the government, unless the emperor ordered it personally, the ordinary three officials would not be able to recruit him, let alone Wang Yun, who was only the governor of Yuzhou.

Wang Yun smiled mysteriously and said, "When you go to Yingyin in the future, Ji'an will know why I was able to recruit Xun Ciming to serve as an official!"

Seeing that Wang Yun was trying to keep things a secret, Zhang Yu frowned and thought deeply, and said, "Since you can't persuade him with an official position, I think the reason for recruiting Lord Ciming is reputation, not fame and fortune."

Seeing that Zhang Yu understood it immediately, Wang Yun couldn't help laughing.

"Jian, you don't look like the son of a powerful frontier lord."

Wang Yun looked at Zhang Yu seriously and said.

Zhang Yu was a little surprised and asked, "Then where am I from?"

Wang Yun slowed down his pace and said with a smile, "The sons of the powerful people on the border have been fighting with the Hu people for many years, so they act rudely and rarely read the scriptures, so they are not familiar with current affairs. Although you have not read much, you are flexible and good at speaking. If it were not for your martial arts, I would have thought you were the son of a noble family."

"My brother has chosen you as his son-in-law. You must have a good eye for talent!" Wang Yun praised.

Zhang Yu was actually a little panicked, he knew his own background very well. Without the experience of being a human in two lives to make up for each other's shortcomings, with his original level, he could fight well, but it would be hopeless for him to make a name for himself in the Central Plains.

Seeing that the issue of the captives had been resolved, Zhang Yu hurriedly mentioned Cheng Pu and said, "Sir, now that you want to pardon the remnants of the Yellow Turbans, you must also strictly prevent them from surrendering and then rebelling."

"Yu has met a talented man in the army. His name is Cheng Pu, with the courtesy name Demou, and he is from Youbeiping. Although he was born in the frontier, he was a county official in his early years and is good at answering questions and making plans. If you can recruit him as a military officer and make him your henchman, you can strengthen the military force."

"Although Yu serves the envoy, he is afraid that he will be recommended as a filial and incorrupt official and will go to Luoyang to be a palace guard. Although this man's martial arts are not as good as Yu's, he is better in intelligence and should be able to succeed Yu." Zhang Yu said sincerely.

Wang Yun pondered for a long time and asked, "Who is this person? What is his character?"

"Replying to the envoy, Cheng Demou is the cavalry commander under General Zhu. He is not appreciated by the nobles and currently commands ten cavalrymen. If the envoy can recruit him, Cheng Demou will regard you as his benefactor."

"As for his character, when Sun Wentai was seriously injured and lying on the grass, his horse returned to the camp and asked for help. Cheng Demou had no ties of gratitude to Sun Wentai, but when he saw his colleague in trouble, he rescued him without hesitation."

Zhang Yu picked out the important things and said carefully: "Although the above matters are small, they can show Cheng Demou's character. If you recruit such a righteous man as a military officer, you will be able to get his life-long efforts!"

Wang Yun nodded slightly. After spending so many days together, he gradually believed Zhang Yu's judgment.

"In that case, Ji'an invited him to the camp and told him that I wanted to recruit him as a military officer."

Wang Yun looked at Zhang Yu and said with a smile: "If Cheng Demou can serve as a military officer, then Ji'an can serve as a military officer."

Dudu Congshi is a military officer under the provincial governor. He leads more troops than Wumeng Congshi, and as the name suggests, he is in charge of the battles of various armies. If Cheng Pu is Wumeng Congshi, Zhang Yu can be the Dudu Congshi of Cheng Pu in battles with Wang Yun's approval.

Zhang Yu remained calm and said, "Thank you for your appreciation, nephew!"

"Book of Tang: Chronicle of Taizu" states: "A separate group of Yellow Turban bandits rose up in Yuzhou. Wang Yun, the governor of Yuzhou, appointed Taizu as his assistant, under the command of Zhu Jun, the Right General of the Central Army. At that time, Huangfu Song was surrounded by bandits in Changsha, and there was no news from him. Taizu asked to go there himself, and Jun was very strong."

"Before he set out, he said to Li Song: 'The enemy camp is well guarded, and they will surely lead their cavalry to create a false alarm. If they see us rebelling...' Song followed Taizu's advice, and Taizu immediately put on his crossbow and took his bow and mounted his horse. When no enemy could stand up again, he whipped his horse and galloped away."

"By the time the bandits realized that Taizu had passed by, they shot and killed several people, their shields broke and the men fell. Everyone was terrified and no one dared to pursue them...."

(End of this chapter)