Tiger Guards

Chapter 230 Changshan Zhao Yun
When Zhang Yang arrived in Jiangyi and set out for Chenguanxing with the ministers, officials, and 5,000 Henei soldiers, he immediately sent an envoy to Lü Bu.

Zhao Ji did not detain Zhang Yang, nor did he annex the Henei troops. Instead, he sent reinforcements and food to Zhang Yang.

During the large-scale military training in Jinyang, Zhang Yang did not waste his time.

After absorbing many people from border counties and towns, Zhang Yang also went through a round of internal training and adjustments, which greatly increased his control over these 5,000 people.

This long-lost feeling of stretching one's arms also gave Zhang Yang a surge of confidence.

Zhao Ji, Yuan Shao and Zhang Yang, who launched operations around Shangdang, all marched at a distance of forty to fifty miles a day, and were not in a hurry to travel or fight.

Even Zhang Yang, who had lived a hard life in Hanoi for so many years, had accumulated a heavily armored force.

July is not a good time for heavy armored troops to play a role.

On the contrary, Zhang Yan, who had lightly armed troops and a relatively loose organization, could not wait to take action first. His tens of thousands of troops were like mercury pouring out of the ground, penetrating every hole and spreading to irrigate Zhongshan and Changshan.

When Zhang Yan's troops broke in, the rare peace in Jizhou was broken.

But the people of Jizhou were accustomed to this kind of turmoil. Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Jizhou had also experienced the rebellions of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun, and later the struggles between Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, and Gongsun Zan.

During the autumn and winter of last year, the allied forces of Ju Yi and Liu He confronted Gongsun Zan, and there was an opportunity to destroy Gongsun Zan in one battle.

However, due to insufficient military supplies, they were dragged down and defeated by Gongsun Zan, who relied on the Yishui military garrison, allowing Gongsun Zan's power to rise again.

Therefore, Jizhou, especially the counties at the junction of Youzhou and Jizhou, became de facto border counties, and the people here have adapted to war.

When Zhang Yan sent out his troops, the people rushed to flee to various cities, forts and manors to avoid the chaos.

No one is trying to fortify the city and clear the countryside, although this may be suspected of aiding the enemy... but if you don't feed the Black Mountain Army or don't rob them of some food, these Black Mountain Army will gather superior forces to attack small cities and manors.

Just treat it as feeding the dogs. Whether it is the Black Mountain Army, the Xianbei or the Youzhou Hu Cavalry, the people of Hebei responded in this way.

They have a mature survival strategy that continues to this day.

They did not even expect Yuan's army or the county troops to rescue them. They just gathered in various cities and held on, waiting for the bandits and Hu cavalry to retreat after looting.

Outside Zhending County, a branch of the Zhao family also gathered fellow villagers to hold their ground.

This branch of the Zhao family is different from other Zhao families around it. Most of the Zhao family are descendants of the royal family and dukedom of Zhao Dynasty.

Although this branch of the Zhao family was also a descendant of the royal family of the State of Zhao, their blood relationship was distant, and they were able to gain a foothold thanks to Zhao Tuo.

They were members of Zhao Tuo's clan. In order to win over Zhao Tuo in the early Han Dynasty, the sacrificial standards for Zhao Tuo's clan tombs were improved. This branch of the Zhao family that guarded the ancestral temple had a place to stand and multiplied for hundreds of years.

In this turbulent time, Zhao Yun, who resigned from his official position and returned home, had to take on the responsibility of leading his fellow villagers and resisting the rebels.

When Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao were fighting, Zhao Yun was recommended by the three elders of his county and led the brave men of his county to join Gongsun Zan.

However, there were too many people who defected to Gongsun Zan, and Gongsun Zan regarded Zhao Yun as just one of the many opportunists.

In this way, Zhao Yun was depressed and frustrated, and was later sent to Liu Bei, and followed Liu Bei to help Qingzhou Governor Tian Kai.

However, Yuan Shao defeated Gongsun Zan's main force in the Battle of Longcou on the north bank of the Yellow River. Gongsun Zan had to retreat to Youzhou and lost contact with Tian Kai and Liu Bei.

Immediately afterwards, Gongsun Zan defeated Yuan Shao in the Battle of Jumashui. Then Gongsun Zan was busy settling accounts with Liu Yu, who was dragging his feet, while Yuan Shao also fought with Zhang Yan in the Battle of Changshan.

During the Battle of Changshan, Lu Bu led dozens of brave cavalry to assist Yuan Shao in defeating the Zhang Yan coalition.

For Zhao Yun, the battle of Changshan was related to the survival of his clan and fellow villagers. His brother and clansmen also rose up in arms to fight against their fellow countyman Zhang Yan.

Later, Ju Yi, Liu He and their allied forces of 100,000 attacked Gongsun Zan. They fought at Yishui and suffered a crushing defeat... Zhao Yun's brother was among the allied forces and died of his injuries.

After hearing the news, Zhao Yun left Liu Bei and returned home to mourn.

The brothers who led the villagers to fight were all seriously wounded and died. One can imagine how heavy a blow this battle was to Zhao Yun's relatives and fellow villagers. It is no exaggeration to say that every family around was in mourning. In such a chaotic world, the young and middle-aged people were suddenly wiped out, leaving only the elderly, women and children. Zhao Yun had no choice but to stay in his hometown to support the family.

Even if we have to leave, we have to wait until the next generation of young people grow up.

Otherwise, the nearby bandits and robbers would have many ways to devour these orphans and widows.

After half a year of peaceful life, when Zhao Yun was about to forget the war, this battle that affected the states north and south of the Yellow River broke out. It almost broke out first in Zhending, and it is not an exaggeration to say that this was the place where the first battle took place.

All parties were mobilizing troops and preparing for war, but Zhang Yan, who was eager to return home, wanted to seize this transportation hub as quickly as possible.

By holding on to Zhending, if the war goes badly, the various Black Mountain troops can also smoothly retreat to various valleys with the spoils.

Under such circumstances, Zhao Fan, a member of the Zhao family of Zhending County, returned to his hometown and came to persuade Zhao Yun.

In Zhao Fan's eyes, Zhao Yun was just a man from the county who had gone out to make a living and was not very successful. He could also be considered an unknown person and a down-and-out man.

But no matter how down and out Zhao Yun was, he still had two or three hundred young and strong men who had experienced wars under his command, and Zhao Yun also had a certain influence in Changshan.

Persuading Zhao Yun to respond to the imperial call can accelerate the collective change of the Changshan State's position.

The two men are of the same age and from the same county and clan. One is the son of a prominent family, and the other is the son of a powerful family. They have known each other for a long time.

But their relationship was not very good. When Zhao Yun was still in Changshan, Zhao Fan had already arranged for him to go to Luoyang Imperial College under the arrangement of his family. He also passed the boy's examination and had a bright future.

At the moment, Zhao Fan could only use his power to gain the support of other Zhao clans and build up some merits.

In any case, he did not dare to follow the emperor and the court back to Luodu. As for the series of events that the queen had encountered, when she left Zhao Ji's rule, it was also the time for Zhao Fan to be silenced and secretly executed.

In a dilapidated village, Zhao Fan, dressed in a plain black official uniform and wearing a Jinxian crown, stepped down from a dilapidated ox cart.

The cow is also thin, and at first glance it looks like its legs are very long.

Xiahou Lan, the county official who led the way, came quickly to greet him: "Mr. Zimao, please come in."

Zhao Fan nodded and smiled with a reserved expression. Not many people knew that he had committed a capital crime, and his fellow townspeople didn't know about it anyway.

He is now an envoy of the imperial court and must not lose his proper manners.

Not to mention Zhao Yun here, he can come and go freely even in the counties that are currently fighting against Zhang Yan.

Facing the imperial court, the county and county officials were also very passive... With the righteousness of the imperial court calling on everyone, any subordinate official, powerful person, or even a knight or soldier who suddenly stood up to kill the county and county officials who opposed the imperial court would often not be stopped by anyone.

Therefore, the attitudes of the Prime Minister of Changshan and the Magistrate of Zhending County were very ambiguous. Except that the Black Mountain Army was not allowed to enter the county, all kinds of envoys could pass through unimpeded.

Zhao Yun also came to greet Zhao Fan. He was a sturdy man, nearly nine feet tall, and his armor was bulging with muscles.

Having not seen each other for a long time, Zhao Fan was immediately struck by Zhao Yun's sturdy physique. He stepped forward and bowed, "Zilong, how are you these days?"

"Not bad."

Seeing the refugees from the townspeople crowding the streets to watch, Zhao Yun extended his arms, "Messenger, please come in and discuss this."

"Zilong, please."

Zhao Fan behaved extremely politely. Xiahou Lan, as a county official, also entered to observe the negotiation.

Zhending County has a great geopolitical influence and can lead several surrounding counties to change their positions.

If the county magistrate disagrees, the imperial envoy is here and can immediately appoint a new county magistrate.

Even the Prime Minister of Changshan can quickly nominate a substitute!
(End of this chapter)