Tiger Guards

Chapter 577 Life-saving straw
In late May, Zhao Ji's vanguard finally arrived at Chouyang Road in the middle of Yinshan.

More than 30,000 infantry and cavalry under the command of Xu Huang, the Western Commander, who had gathered at the Helan Mountain camp, also crossed the river to the north to participate in the raid and killing of the various tribes in the north of the mountains who were fleeing westward.

Zhao Ji's cruelty towards the tribes in the north of the mountains was also beyond Xu Huang's expectations.

However, as the pursuit and suppression efforts continued, many details about the tribes in the northern mountains were gradually discovered and spread.

Regarding cannibalism... even during the great famine in Han China, people would fall into such a miserable situation.

However, on the whole, the people of Han China were extremely disgusted and abhorred cannibalism.

However, things are not absolute. When dealing with an enemy with whom you have a deep-seated hatred, no method is too much.

However, for the tribes north of the mountains, cannibalism has transformed from a necessity for survival into a symbol of status or a tradition.

They even develop a habit and experience of cannibalism, which can lead to the development of other subcultures.

Eliminating and killing cannibalistic tribes was a politically correct practice among Han Chinese scholars, just as the Zhou dynasty abolished various bloody sacrifices and cannibalistic traditions when it replaced the Shang dynasty.

Zhao Ji launched a fierce pursuit north of the mountain. Due to the slow pace of the main force's march, this was a relatively long and complex undertaking.

He made steady progress in the north of the mountains, and the relevant news and battle reports were sent to Jinyang, Guanzhong and Hedong, and also spread rapidly to Youzhou, Liangzhou and Xudu.

Compared to Zhao Ji's sweeping purge, this brutal extermination of cannibalistic tribes... has caused an even greater shock.

To some, Zhao Ji's actions were somewhat cruel, involving killing someone without prior instruction.

For warlords and county officials in various regions, their perspective was slightly different from that of ordinary people. They believed that after Zhao Ji swept away the Xianbei and Xiongnu, his strength had increased dramatically and there was no need to hide anything anymore.

This ruthless, hunting-like pursuit of enemies may be Zhao Ji's true nature.

This also means that when Zhao Ji leads his troops south and re-enters the Central Plains, he is very likely to adopt similar brutal tactics!
Inside Xuchang, as Lü Bu began to mobilize his troops to migrate to Luozhong, the officials, civilians, and scholars in the city, who had initially watched with interest, became increasingly worried.

I originally thought the worst that could happen was that the war would stop outside Xuchang.

However, the brutality displayed by Grand Marshal Zhao Ji's troops in the Yinshan Mountains and the desert shattered everyone's beautiful illusions.

As a result, the residence of Minister Zhao Wen was bustling with visitors, but Zhao Wen claimed to be ill, stayed indoors, and did not receive any guests.

In the backyard of Situ's residence, Zhao Wen, dressed in short clothes and wearing straw sandals, was catching insects and picking vegetables in the vegetable garden, a scene of idyllic rural life, just like an old farmer.

But there was little joy. Zhao Wen and his old servant worked together to boil the picked vegetables and hang them to dry, making various kinds of dried vegetables.

If possible, Zhao Wen would also like to eat fresh vegetables at every meal.

For example, when he was in his hometown of Yizhou, Zhao Wen could eat fresh vegetables all year round. Even if they weren't that fresh, they were still better than what northerners, who ate pickled vegetables and dried vegetables every day, could have.

After a busy afternoon, Zhao Wen gently fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan, looking at the densely packed dried vegetables hanging on the shelf, and only then did he feel a little at ease.

He wasn't afraid of Zhao Ji; he believed he knew Zhao Ji well and didn't think Zhao Ji would go on a killing spree in Xudu.

Rather, he feared other armies. Xu Du's population was growing rapidly, and if the food supply became insufficient, not to mention the other unfortunate ordinary people, even he, the current Minister of Works, would go hungry.

Whether it was the National Protection War against Yuan Shikai last year or any other war, it was always caused by food shortages or forced to stop due to food supply difficulties.

For example, last year Lü Bu lacked food, which allowed Yuan Shu to survive until now.

After Yuan Shu's former subordinates in Huaibei and Huainan broke away from him, they couldn't bear to attack him... After all, Yuan Shu was a very unpredictable person. If he suddenly rose to power again, he would still forgive their betrayal, and they would still have the possibility of returning to his command.

Especially after Zhao Ji achieved unparalleled merit in annihilating the various Hu tribes, the court delayed in rewarding him... which indirectly extended Yuan Shu's life.

Zhao Ji had a bad temper and would break the legs of high-ranking officials at the drop of a hat when he first rose to power. In particular, he allowed Zang Hong's former subordinates to attack and kill Cao Cao, which shows that Zhao Ji was fierce and unconventional and difficult to understand.

For example, many people are now convinced that Zhao Ji would not suffer such a great loss. They believe that if the emperor delays Zhao Ji's achievements, Zhao Ji will surely come to demand an explanation. At that time, with Grand Marshal Zhao and the imperial army locked in fierce combat, who will care about Yuan Shu, who was defeated in the war to protect the country and suppress Yuan Shu?

If things get desperate, Grand Marshal Zhao or the imperial court might forgive Yuan Shu, giving him a new political life. Yuan Shu could then turn his fortunes around and perhaps even lead the Huaihe River coalition into the war.

With all these possibilities combined, many people in Lianghuai began to hope that Yuan Shu could rise again.

As long as Yuan Shu can resolve the surrounding problems, the surrounding forces wouldn't mind following him again.

In any case, the imperial court was focused on the big picture and neglected the small details, making it difficult to seriously address the problems, and naturally they couldn't do anything to the powerful warlords of Yangzhou.

However, Yuan Shu was intermittently besieged by Gao Shun, who was sent by Lü Bu. Although the siege has now been completely lifted, there is a severe shortage of food in Shouchun City.

Yuan Shu was once again in dire straits due to food shortages. Unwilling to sit idly by and wait for his death, he had no choice but to set his sights on Xuzhou once more.

The changes in Yuan Shu's power and the changes among the Liu families in Yangzhou were all potential threats in Zhao Wen's eyes.

He was reluctant to give up his position as Minister of Works. It was precisely because he held this position that Zhao Yan often corresponded with him, as if they were very good friends.

But in reality, before the world fell into chaos, when Zhao Yan, who was older, went to carry shoes for Zhao Wen, Zhao Wen complained that Zhao Yan was more handsome and taller than him.

If he lost his position as Minister of Works, Zhao Wen knew very well what he would face.

The reason he is being treated with such respect by the Zhao family is that he is the Minister of Works, a surviving veteran who followed the emperor eastward, and thus holds special political significance.

As for his Zhao family background, it was only a minor advantage; the points he gained were not as significant as Zhao Wen's skillful positioning.

At this moment, Zhao Wen looked at the half-damp vegetables in the garden, put his hands on his hips, and couldn't help but say, "Even if things change in the court, my family can still survive with these. Once the Grand Marshal's troops arrive, everything will be alright."

The old servant, squatting to one side, fanned the charcoal brazier to boil water. He looked up and asked, "Does the master mean that there will be a rebellion in Xuchang?"

“I don’t want it to happen, but it’s not something an old man like me can decide.”

Zhao Wen took a few steps back, sat under the eaves, and looked up at his dried vegetables, feeling at ease.

He really couldn't understand the people lining up outside the door to give him gifts and invitations. Weren't these people afraid of dying?
Now even he, the current Minister of Works, is terrified. Those people outside are ignorant and fearless, and they even think of currying favor with Zhao Ji through him.

Didn't they know that the Zhao family was already in a dangerous situation?

Only Zhao Ji was ruthless enough and also more skilled in battle; otherwise, he might have contracted the disease in the army by now.

Zhao Yan was also very shrewd and settled down in Jinyang.

If either of these two, grandfather and grandson, has a problem, it will cause a gap in the Zhao family's foundation, leading to the overall collapse.

Fortunately, it seems that Zhao Yan and Zhao Ji both held on.

If the Zhao family could hold on, then the imperial court could not.

Since you can't hold on any longer, there's no need to pretend to be a good person.

If no one is going to pretend to be a good person anymore, then what peace, law, and order can be found in Xudu?

If he could run, Zhao Wen would have run away long ago.

He couldn't run away, nor could he bear to, so he could only stay here and tough it out.

They relied on these dried vegetables, which were unpredictable to outsiders, as their last lifeline.

(End of this chapter)