Jinting Han people

Upon hearing that Lu Yun had a suitable candidate, Liu Xian was overjoyed. He immediately went to a simple tavern next to the privately-run shop, ordered a few bowls of light wine, and said with a smile, "Come, Shilong, let's sit down and talk slowly."

After everyone sat down, Liu Xian took a sip of wine and said, “I have always heard that the scholars of Jiangzuo are both literary and martial. But unfortunately, most of the famous scholars I have met in Luoyang are brilliant in literature, and I have not yet had the opportunity to witness their martial prowess.”

Speaking of his hometown, Lu Yun naturally became very enthusiastic and introduced it as follows: "What you say is true, my lord. The Jiangnan region, including Wu and Yue, is beautiful with its mountains and rivers, and has many wonders. Traveling there can inspire one's spirit and attract talent. However, it is a remote place, inhabited by barbarian tribes who roam freely. Snakes, insects, and miasma are a nuisance, making it a truly desolate place. To live there permanently, one must have a strong physique."

"In addition, the people of the south are familiar with water and the hot and humid weather makes them irritable. This has created the fierce character of the warriors of Jingyang. They are both resilient and combative. I dare say that the best among them are enough to be called first-class warriors even among the heroes of the world."

Lu Yun spoke happily, but most of the people present were from the north and still looked down on the southerners. Fu Chang chuckled and teased, "So, does that mean the Wu people are without flaws and invincible?"

Lu Yun then said seriously, "Of course not. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. The Southerners are indeed not lacking in brave warriors, but firstly, they are not good at riding, and even the best swimmers will have little use in Huaibei. Secondly, they are undisciplined and not united. When it comes to individual competition, they may not lose to others, but when it comes to troop deployment, they lack discipline. They are fine for defense and small-scale raids, but for large-scale attacks, I'm afraid that would be asking too much."

These words were extremely fair, surprising everyone listening. After all, there were quite a few Wu people in Luoyang now, and due to the discrimination they suffered from the ethnic minorities in the capital region, they were extremely united. Everyone thought that Lu Yun, as the leader of the Wu people, would speak so eloquently in defense of his fellow villagers.

Liu Xian tapped the table and said, "Let's get back to the main topic. Shilong, which martial artists do you know?"

Lu Yun's expression relaxed again, and he spoke fluently: "Among our generation, the most outstanding one is naturally Zhou Qi, also known as Zhou Xuanpei. He is the eldest son of Zhou Chugong. He has practiced martial arts since childhood and is fond of reading military strategy. He has mastered almost all sword techniques and made them superb. After the fall of the Sun family, he had no interest in officialdom, so he carried his sword and visited famous sword masters all over the country. No one was his match."

Zhou Qi? Upon hearing this name, Liu Xian immediately recalled Zhou Chu's words, and then touched the Everlasting Victory Sword at his waist. Before his death, Zhou Chu had said that Zhou Qi was similar to himself, also a man who wanted to restore his country; it turned out he was also a master swordsman.

Xi Jian said, "I heard of Zhou Qi's name when I was at the Imperial Academy. It is said that the court has repeatedly summoned him to serve as an official, but he has refused each time. Only once, when someone invited him to take the imperial examination for the title of Xiucai, he came to Luoyang. During the examination, his literary talent was slightly inferior, but his boldness and strategic thinking impressed the examiners, who wanted to rank him as a second-grade scholar. However, he declined, citing his unwillingness to enter officialdom. I never expected that he would also have such high martial arts skills?"

Lu Yun said with a smile, "This is not surprising. Besides Zhou Fang, there are also Gan Zhuo, Zhou Fang, Tao Kan, Zhao You, and Zhu Si. They are all skilled warriors. It would be an exaggeration to say that they can defeat ten thousand men, but it is not a pipe dream for them to fight against a hundred men on the battlefield."

Liu Xian had met Gan Zhuo before; judging from his stature, he was indeed quite skilled in martial arts, which left a deep impression on Liu Xian. If he could gain the service of this group, it would certainly make up for Liu Xian's current shortcomings.

Liu Xian asked, "Shilong, can you recruit these talents for me?"

Lu Yun shook his head slightly and sighed, "My lord, I'm afraid it's difficult to recommend any of these people."

He then explained the reason: during the Three Kings' usurpation, most of the Wu people, due to their low status, were not valued and had no right to choose sides. Therefore, those who remained in Luoyang supported the King of Zhao, while those who remained in Huainan and Wu supported the King of Qi. After the battle, those who had rendered meritorious service were not given important positions, and those who had committed crimes were not severely punished. Seeing the increasingly dire situation at court, everyone became disheartened and resigned, returning to their hometowns. Now, only Lu Yun remained as a high-ranking Wu official in the capital region.

Moreover, Liu Xian's identity is sensitive, and he has a long-standing feud with the Wu people. Even if Lu Yun writes a letter back to recommend him, there will probably be very few people willing to come.

Hearing this, Liu Xian was greatly disappointed. After taking a sip of the bland wine, he lowered his eyelids and muttered a complaint: "Oh? Then why did Shilong tell me that there was a suitable candidate?"

Lu Yun smiled and said, "When did I say that I would recommend Wu people to you, sir? It's just that you brought it up, so I have to say a few words."

"Then you mean..."

"If Your Excellency needs to recruit warriors, why go to such lengths to find them?" Lu Yun pointed to the civilian camp in front of him and said seriously, "As Han Feizi said, 'Therefore, the officials of an enlightened ruler, such as the prime minister, must rise from the local government, and the fierce generals must emerge from the ranks.' How could Your Excellency know that among these laborers, there might not be the warriors you desire?"

Liu Xian was taken aback. He looked around, his eyes gradually brightening, and exclaimed, "So that's how it is! It seems I've been walking into a treasure trove without realizing it! Then I'll trouble Shilong to introduce me."

Lu Yun said, "There's no need for introductions. You just need to wait with me for a moment, and I'll be able to see his talent."

After finishing their drinks, the group moved to the granary at the canal embankment. There were about thirty thatched huts, with sacks of grain piled high behind them. Clerks borrowed from the local counties sat before the grain, checking the figures on previous documents. Over four hundred soldiers, armed with long spears, stood guard around the area, protecting the grain from theft.

“There are five such pay stations on the construction site, and this is the largest, distributing rations to nearly 10,000 people every day.” Lu Yun introduced the station while arranging seats for Liu Xian and the others. He then glanced at the position of the sun and judged, “In another quarter of an hour, it will be time to distribute the daily rations. Please be patient, my lord.”

At four quarters past noon, as the sun set, the sound of gongs signaling the end of the workday echoed across the construction site. The laborers gathered in twos and threes, then formed a surging crowd, heading towards the granary where wages were distributed. Despite a long day's work, they moved with remarkable speed, quickly forming a dense, sea of ​​heads, a sight to behold.

They stood in nearly a hundred long lines, each carrying a sack in one hand and a bamboo slip indicating the amount of work to be done in the other. When they reached the clerk, the clerk would take the slip, record it, and then announce a number to the soldiers behind him. The soldiers distributing the rations would then use a specially made bowl to scoop the rations into the laborers' sacks, according to the number they had heard. The laborers kept a close eye on the bowls used for distributing the rations, afraid of being cheated.

Liu Xian sized up the laborers; most of them were young and strong men. Although digging canals was hard work, they were able to get what they were supposed to get, so they weren't too thin. But at first glance, Liu Xian didn't find any particularly strong men who caught his eye.

Feeling a little tired, Lu Yun patted Liu Xian and pointed to a person in the distance, saying, "My lord, what do you think of that person?"

Liu Xian's spirits lifted, and he immediately looked around. He saw a nine-foot-tall man standing out like a crane among chickens in the crowd, shirtless, slowly approaching the granary. The people around him seemed to have great respect for him, and consciously kept a foot's distance from him.

Even from a distance, Liu Xian could see his broad shoulders and powerful muscles; he looked strong and capable. As he drew closer, he could see the dense, coarse hair on his arms, and couldn't help but chuckle, "What a fine man! I've never seen anything like him before in Xing County!"

"He came from Hanoi about two months after you went to Xing County. He is very famous here and his name is Guo Mo."

As they spoke, Guo Mo had already reached the grain official. Amidst the envious glances of the onlookers, he produced a large handful of bamboo slips, enough for more than ten ordinary people to work with. The grain official was clearly used to dealing with him before, and after counting the slips, he instructed the soldier beside him, "Give him two bags of grain." Each bag of grain weighed about seventy or eighty jin, so he easily lifted it onto his shoulder, his back only slightly bent, without even panting.

He was about to turn and leave when he was stopped by Lu Yun. He then introduced Lu Yun to Liu Xian and said, "My lord, what do you think of this man?"

Liu Xian approached and sized up the burly man, who resembled a bear. Surprisingly, although the man had a rugged appearance, his eyes were very cunning and clever. Seeing that Liu Xian was of high status, he immediately unloaded the grain, bowed to Liu Xian, and said, "May I ask, sir, is there anything I can do for you?"

He was tall, and his bowing posture was an imitation, which looked rather awkward. Moreover, he addressed everyone as "Sir" in the most obsequious way, his posture was extremely humble, which made all the staff members smile.

Liu Xian didn't reveal his purpose directly, but instead planned to test him first, deliberately asking in a mocking tone, "How can you take so much grain by yourself? Did you bribe the officials or pull some strings?"

Guo Mo quickly replied, "Sir, you are unaware that this is not just my salary. I have seven fellow villagers with me, and this is what I am paying on their behalf."

"That's just wishful thinking! Eight people could have that many?"

"Ha, that matches, that matches. It's no secret here that I can do the work of five people. You can find out if you ask around. This is not an exaggeration."

Liu Xian glanced at Lu Yun, who nodded slightly, then turned back and asked, "With your strength, why didn't you join the army? Instead, you've ended up here as a laborer?" Guo Mo blushed slightly and said, "Reporting to you, sir, I did serve in the army, but although I was strong, I also ate a lot. That's why my superiors disliked me and kicked me out. Although it's harder here, as long as I do more, I get enough to eat, so I came with everyone."

His words were plausible, but Liu Xian, a man of many experience, sensed his lie and felt a slight displeasure. However, he outwardly restrained himself, turned and pulled Lu Yun aside, whispering, "Shilong, do you know his background?"

Lu Yun said, “My lord, this man is probably not from a respectable family. During the time he’s been here, he’s frequently been to brothels, fighting with others over prostitutes and injuring several people. He’s also a heavy drinker, so his minor conduct is rather mediocre. But he’s generally decent in his dealings with others, has some fighting skills, and is always ready to stand up for the underdog. If any official bullies the people, regardless of whether it’s his business or not, he’ll be the first to cause trouble, and he’s quite popular.”

"Therefore, I think that although his background is probably not very clean, he is still generally usable. I have heard that the Xianbei have the art of taming wolves, which is ferocious and can hunt tigers and leopards without harming themselves. If you want to accomplish great things, you will probably need to use such a person."

Lu Yun's guess was correct; Guo Mo's background was indeed tainted. He was originally a commoner from Shanyang County. Due to his poverty, he sought to become wealthy by robbing merchants, and over the years he had amassed considerable wealth. However, lacking any powerful connections, he inadvertently robbed the local magistrate, becoming a wanted man. He had no choice but to flee to Hanoi with his accomplices to save their lives.

However, Guo Mo was a unique and principled bandit. He didn't rob locals or small merchants, but targeted wealthy families. Besides squandering his loot, he often helped the local poor, which is why some of his fellow villagers fled with him.

Liu Xian only learned these things much later. After some internal struggle, he thought: Indeed, his great-grandfather Zhang Fei had a cruel side, but under the guidance of his great-grandfather Liu Bei, he was generally a hero. One should judge a person by their actions, not their intentions. Since Guo Mo doesn't have any major problems, comes from a humble background, and is a talent he needs, he should be given important responsibilities. Some things can be gradually taught and guided.

With that in mind, Liu Xian finally recruited Guo Mo, saying, "I am still short of guards. Would you be willing to work for the Sili Prefecture?"

Guo Mo then learned that the simply dressed middle-aged man before him was actually the renowned Commandant of the Capital Region. Although he had been a bandit, he had also dreamed of being a hero who would pacify the borders for the country. He was naturally overjoyed to be under the command of the famous general Liu Xian, and immediately bowed and said, "I will serve you to the death, my lord!"

Seeing this, the surrounding laborers stirred, drawing even more attention. Liu Xian then patted Guo Mo's waist and laughed, "You're quite strong; I wonder just how much strength you have?"

Guo Mo glanced around and spotted a stone at the corner. He chuckled twice and said to Liu Xian, "My lord, take a good look!"

This stone weighed approximately four hundred pounds, normally requiring four people to lift it. But Guo Mo walked to the stone, squatted in a horse stance, placed his fingers on the stone, and suddenly took a deep breath. The burly man's face flushed red, veins bulged on his arms, and his fingers clenched like eagle claws. He actually managed to lift the stone above his head. Then he shouted to the sky and threw the stone back to the ground, causing a thunderous roar and raising endless dust.

Everyone's expression changed, and they all exclaimed in unison, "Lord Guo's strength is divine!"

Liu Xian also laughed heartily, clapping his hands repeatedly, and said to his advisors beside him, "Having Lord Guo is like having a peaceful night's sleep!"

He then asked Guo Mo, "Do you have any writing skills?"

Guo Mo shook his head and said, "I was born into poverty and have never been given a courtesy name."

Liu Xian then said, "Then I'll give you a name! You're so brave and valiant, how about I call you Yuanxiong?"

Guo Mo was overjoyed. He knelt down and bowed to Liu Xian again, saying loudly, "Thank you, my lord, for bestowing this calligraphy!"

Just as they were rejoicing, a voice suddenly came from the side and interrupted them, saying, "What is the point of strength alone? When it comes to fighting on the battlefield, you still need archery, horsemanship, and swordsmanship."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian looked at the speaker and was surprised to find that he was a seven-foot-tall young man. He was dressed in coarse linen clothes, and although he was not short, he was not tall either. Moreover, he had no beard and looked rather childish.

When Liu Xian first met him, he couldn't see anything special about him and was a little puzzled. How dare this kid make such a boast? Then he heard Lu Yun introduce him: "My lord, this is Mao Bao, Mao Shuozhen, a poor scholar from Xingyang. He just came of age this year. Don't let his young age fool you; he is incredibly brave and strong, and skilled in both archery and horsemanship!"

"This boy is only fifteen years old?" Liu Xian was taken aback. Examining Mao Bao's height and build, Liu Xian had assumed he was twenty, but he was unexpectedly so young. "Then he certainly has the potential to become a martial arts prodigy." But why would a poor fifteen-year-old be here?

Liu Xian approached Mao Bao, met his gaze, and said, "So, you could say your skills are quite formidable?"

Mao Bao replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Reporting to Your Excellency, let's proceed according to the proper etiquette."

"Sure, could you show me what you've got?"

Mao Bao smiled confidently and said with bright eyes, "Then I'll need the Lord to lend me a bow."

Liu Xian waved his hand, and Zhuge Yan took out a longbow and handed it to Mao Bao. Mao Bao practiced drawing the bow slightly to familiarize himself with its tension, and then said, "Please give me three more arrows."

After receiving the arrows, he pointed to a pine tree about a hundred paces away and said, "There are three shrikes on that tree. I will shoot them for you, my lord."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked towards the pine tree, but the setting sun cast a dim light, and the dense pine needles made it difficult to see clearly. Just as everyone was squinting at the tree, they heard a whooshing sound, and three arrows flew out one after another, followed by something falling from the tree.

Liu Xian was greatly surprised: This young man can actually fire three arrows in succession! What superb archery skills!

Then a soldier went to check the harvest under the pine tree and returned with arrows. The arrowheads had actually hit three fist-sized shrikes. The crowd cheered again, and Liu Xian was genuinely impressed, exclaiming, "This archery skill reminds me of my youth!"

He then asked Mao Bao, "Good lad! With your skills, you should be in the Imperial Guard. Why are you doing manual labor here?"

When this topic came up, Mao Bao seemed a little embarrassed. He said, "Reporting to the Lord, I came out to help supplement the family income."

It turned out that although Mao Bao belonged to a gentry family, his father had died early, and his mother was seriously ill. Although the family had some savings and received assistance from relatives, these had been exhausted in order to pay for her medical treatment. Forced by circumstances, and being too young to take up an official post, Mao Bao had no choice but to use his spare time from farming to do this kind of hard labor, which was unbecoming of a scholar, to supplement the family income. Since he was a local, these matters could be quickly verified and investigated.

Faced with such a filial son, Liu Xian naturally had no reservations. He immediately promised Mao Bao, "Shuozhen's filial piety is truly touching. I can cover your mother's medical expenses. But I wonder if you could join my ranks?"

Mao Bao had always admired Liu Xian, and at this moment he was moved to tears, thanking him repeatedly and expressing his willingness to serve Liu Xian.

With this, Liu Xian had temporarily made up for his lack of troops.

For the next period of time, Liu Xian continued to oversee the repair of the irrigation canals. At the same time, he used Shanggu Camp as a base to gradually fill the vacancies in Songzi Camp, allowing Guo Mo and Mao Bao to join and train them.

Although he was in Xingyang, a hundred miles away, Liu Xian closely monitored the changing political landscape in Luoyang. With the issuance of an imperial edict in July, the atmosphere of peace suddenly became tense, and the approach of war seemed ever closer. (End of Chapter)