Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 104: Seizing the throne
The post-war chill blows differently on different people.

For the officers and soldiers of Baoyidu who had won the bloody battle, it was a time of triumph and joy, but for the Nanzhao army that had surrendered, it was a time of utter desolation.

The Nanzhao general Duan Baolong was very pragmatic. Surrounded from both sides, if he wanted to break out, the warriors of the Duan clan would inevitably suffer heavy losses. However, this was the capital for him to revitalize his family business, so how could he bear to give it up?

Moreover, to put it bluntly, based on his understanding of his own ruler, even if he managed to break through the siege, he wouldn't be in a good situation.

These nobles in the country shared a consensus about Chief Dragon: although their ruler was not good at fighting, he was a first-rate ruler when it came to power struggles.

But what else can we do but not fight, not retreat? Surrender? But that would mean risking our lives for the Tang army, especially since they launched the ambush.

But in a flash, he suddenly thought of a way out: the abandoned deposed crown prince Longshun. Wasn't he right there in the Tang army? He could use Longshun as a shield to ask for a way out!

As for whether the Tang army on the other side would accept Long Shun's reputation, Duan Baolong was not confident, but did he have any other choice?

At this moment, in the valley, squads of Nanzhao soldiers, their hands bound with hemp ropes, were herded to the stream. They were as terrified as pigs and sheep, praying and hoping for the south.

There, their clan chief, Duan Baolong, was kneeling on the ground negotiating with that Tang general, begging for their lives. Our clan chief had actually knelt down.

For a moment, many people's eyes welled up with tears.

Beside them, groups of armored Baoyi warriors stood with their swords drawn, waiting for their commander's order to kick them into the stream and chop them to pieces.

……

Zhao Huai'an sat on a stool. At that moment, Yang Mao, He Wenqin, and several other members of the Yishe Society were setting up curtains around them. This was a valley, a place where the mountain winds could pass through.

After the curtain was drawn, the mountain wind billowed the curtain, and Zhao Wenzhong and his adopted sons removed Zhao Huai'an's armor and wiped their adoptive father's body with the dry cloth they had brought.

As Zhao Da raised his left hand to let his adopted sons wipe their bodies, he smiled and beckoned Liu Zhijun over with his right hand.

At this moment, Liu Zhijun had already removed his armor, dried himself off, and changed into robes in the makeshift tent before rushing to the general's side.

Because he knew that everyone would definitely praise him.

Sure enough, upon seeing the dashing Liu Zhijun, Zhao Huai'an addressed the crowd:

"How about that? If Sanlang knew that I only used ten warhorses to acquire Xiao Liu, this peerless cavalry general, I wonder how much he would regret it! Hahaha!"

Zhao Huai'an was overjoyed. He was stunned when he first heard Han Tong say that Liu Zhijun had scattered six hundred Nanzhao soldiers with only ten riders.

What nonsense is Old Han spouting? No matter how powerful the cavalry is, they can't possibly break through an infantry force sixty times their size!
Later, after hearing Han Tong's detailed explanation, Zhao Huai'an realized that it wasn't the cavalry that was powerful, but rather that Liu Zhijun was inhumanly powerful!

From his decisive killing of his cowardly colleagues to his leading the charge, his relentless advance, and finally his pursuit of the fleeing enemy, Zhao Huai'an was deeply moved by this series of events.

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an knew all too well what a formidable cavalry general he had acquired in exchange for ten warhorses.

The thought that Shi Sanlang had failed to gain anything from him only intensified the sense of satisfaction.

In his delight, Zhao Huai'an asked Liu Zhijun:

"Little Liu, tell me, what reward do you want?"

Liu Zhijun had already made up his mind. Being a very straightforward person, he didn't hesitate at all before saying to Zhao Huai'an:

"I want that lance worth two hundred strings of cash!"

Zhao Huai'an didn't mind at all; he liked the straightforward nature of our ancestors from northern Jiangsu. He turned to Old Mo, who was in charge of the items in the tent, and shouted:

"Old Mo, go and fetch the horse spear!"

Old Mo sighed and led the two men off.

Zhao Huai'an then asked:
"Little Liu, this is a trivial matter involving a horse spear. What reward do you want?"

Liu Zhijun scratched the back of his head. He had been thinking about getting a spear like the one used by the captain, but now that he was suddenly asked what he wanted, he couldn't think of anything for the moment.

Money? He has enough for himself. He's all alone, so he keeps all the money he receives as rewards in the army's treasury. He can't even spend it all.

Women? They're no good either; they'll only hinder his martial arts training. Besides, he'd noticed that those warriors who were lustful stopped building muscle after a short time. Although he didn't know why, Liu Zhijun was determined to stay far away from them.

Thinking of this, he secretly glanced at his own general and was surprised to see that his general's muscles hadn't shrunk at all. Could it be that the Hu women didn't affect his muscle growth?
Just as Liu Zhijun was lost in thought, Zhao Huai'an, seeing that the kid couldn't get anything out of him, directly made arrangements for him.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Huai'an said:
"Therefore, I will record your great achievement today. I will be forming five cavalry squads, and you will be one of the squad leaders!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhijun was overjoyed. How long had he been here? He had already risen from a knight to a cavalry general commanding fifty riders! Coming to Baoyi was absolutely the right decision!
At this moment, Liu Zhijun's face turned red with joy. He knew that always being around Dudu must be a good thing.

Liu Zhijun wasn't a truly uncouth man, and suddenly said to Zhao Da:

"I'll dance for you, everyone."

As he spoke, Liu Zhijun, this rough and uncouth man, began to dance in front of everyone. He tripped over his right foot with his left foot, and as his right foot rose, his right hand moved in sync.

The way they move their hands and feet together is just ridiculous.

Zhao Huai'an was terrified of Liu Zhijun; when this old ancestor from northern Jiangsu became abstract, he really couldn't handle it.

Fortunately, Lao Mo returned at this moment, followed by two burly men carrying spears. As soon as these men entered, Liu Zhijun stopped dancing and stared intently at the spear with his two copper bell-like eyes.

Just from that look in his eyes, you could tell that no matter how beautiful a woman in the world was, she couldn't compare to this eighteen-foot-long spear in Xiao Liu's eyes!
Zhao Da laughed heartily at Liu Zhijun's simple and honest nature.
"Go, get your lance, and let me try it out."

Liu Zhijun chuckled and rushed over, snatching the lance from the hands of the two burly men with just one arm. He then gently stroked it, causing the guards to break out in a cold sweat.

This Xiao Liu seems to have some mental issues.

Liu Zhijun, of course, had no idea how repulsive his appearance was. He suddenly thrust his lance, then swung it around his waist, his whole body like a dancing windmill. He then thrust, slashed, blocked, and swept, making the eighteen-foot lance seem like a wick in his hands.

At this moment, on the open ground below the curtain, all the warriors made way, leaving enough space for Liu Zhijun to unleash his full power.

It has to be said that Liu Zhijun truly embodied the saying at this moment:

"Why shouldn't a man wield a spear? A single spear's gleam chills five hundred states!"

This is the true hero of the army, seeking fame and fortune across thousands of miles, relying solely on this eighteen-foot-long horse spear, a true man will take it for himself!
At this moment, Zhao Da also felt a surge of pride and addressed the group of warriors:

"Very well! I have gained a formidable general today. Does anyone else wish to demonstrate their skills?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a man stepped out from the arduous procession. He was eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a full beard around his chin. It was none other than Huo Yanchao, the fake monk recommended by Dong Gongsu.

At this moment, Huo Yanchao felt extremely aggrieved.

When he first met Zhao Huai'an, he was ready to perform, but Zhao Huai'an didn't mention it, so he had to give up.

Today, a great battle had finally taken place, and he, as a Beiwei, followed Zhao Huai'an, thinking that he would finally have a chance to show his skills. But who would have thought that the Nanzhao people on the other side would surrender?

Do you think these Nanzhao people deserved to die? They prevented Huo Yanchao from performing.

He was in a bind. He came to join Zhao Da's forces, and if he couldn't showcase his skills, how could he fetch a good price? So even knowing it was Liu Zhijun's home turf, he still stepped forward. You can't blame him; it's just that I, too, lack opportunities.

Seeing Huo Yanchao come up, Zhao Huai'an laughed heartily:
"Monk, you have a skill too?"

Huo Yanchao was no longer modest this time. He realized that he might have been too conservative in his introduction last time, which made Zhao Da think that he was really a monk!
Yes, everyone! We joined the army to seek wealth and status, not to chant scriptures.

Therefore, Huo Yanchao clasped his hands in a fist salute:

"General, I, in my humble capacity, offer my exceptional skill to you!"

After saying that, he sang loudly:
"This skill is disarming someone of a spear with bare hands!"

Upon hearing this, not only Zhao Huai'an was stunned, but all the warriors below the curtain were also stunned, and even Duan Baolong, who was kneeling with his head down, perked up his ears.

Why? Because this skill is extremely difficult, but those who master it become fierce warriors in every battle.

Zhao Huai'an then looked at Liu Zhijun beside him, as did the others.

What kind of person is Liu Zhijun? He knows perfectly well that this fake monk named Huo Yanchao is here to step on him and climb to the top. He angrily curses:

"Alright, alright, you monk, you don't know how to chant scriptures and eat vegetarian food, but you're here spouting nonsense. Didn't you say you could snatch a spear? Here's what I'll do, this spear is right here in my hand, if you can grab it, this spear is yours."

At this moment, Liu Zhijun was furious. If they weren't all here, he would have killed this fake monk with a spear.

Huo Yanchao gave a wry smile. He didn't want to offend Liu Zhijun either. Anyone with eyes could see that this man had gained Jiang Du's favor. If he walked right into Jiang Du's place like this, wouldn't he be making Jiang Du lose face?
But he realized he was overthinking it, because Zhao Huai'an immediately stepped onto the field, took the lance from Liu Zhijun, and then smiled at Huo Yanchao, saying:
"Come, take it from my hand. If you can disarm me, I'll grant you a spear."

Just as Liu Zhijun was about to speak, Huo Yanchao grabbed his hand, and before Zhao Huai'an could even see the other's hand clearly, the lance in his hand was taken away.

Huo Yanchao shouted, "Excuse me, General!" and tried to seize the lance.

But the next moment, his smile froze, because the lance seemed to be welded to Zhao Huai'an's hand, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pull it away.

At this moment, Huo Yanchao was greatly shocked. He knew that the generals were known for their martial prowess among the armies of western Sichuan, but he did not expect them to be so strong.

So, without hesitation, he knelt down and exclaimed:

"You are truly a master of skill; I was blind to your greatness!"

But Zhao Huai'an knew perfectly well that Huo Yanchao was real, so he quickly pulled him up and said to him:

"Good, good! What's going on today? Heaven is so kind to me, Zhao Da, that heroes like Xiao Liu and you have appeared one after another. With your help, how can we not conquer Nanzhao!"

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an was truly experiencing double happiness, or rather, triple happiness.

He then looked at Wang Jin, who was standing guard with his helmet on, among the generals, and praised him directly in front of everyone:
"Old Wang deserves much credit for intercepting the Nanzhao army this time. He was able to observe the enemy's movements from the slope and coordinate with our main force in a timely manner. This foresight truly shows his talent as a great general!"

Having said that, Zhao Huai'an turned to Wang Jin and said with unusual sincerity:
“Old Wang, cutting off their retreat is a good idea, but it’s risky. You are my right-hand man. What if the Nanzhao army, cornered, charges at your troops and wounds you? If I were you, I would unleash the army and pursue them relentlessly. If we bleed them dry like this, how can the enemy survive?”

Zhao Huai'an's words were reasonable and persuasive, and Wang Jin was moved and kept them in mind.

At the time, he wanted to gain merit as a reporter, and he didn't really think that much about it, but now that he thinks about it, it was indeed a risky move.

At that time, the team he intercepted was only a little over a hundred people, not even enough to block the mountain road. If he cut off the enemy's retreat, and the enemy fought desperately, he might not only fail to achieve his goal of blocking the enemy, but also cause losses to his brothers.

So Wang Jin bowed deeply and learned from it.

Zhao Huai'an gave Wang Jin a word of advice: Old Wang is a smart man, but he is too confident. In the battle, the only way to survive is to be extremely careful. If you win many battles, but die in the last battle, wouldn't that be a pity?

As the saying goes, the fierce and reckless are easily broken. Old Wang always likes to lead small elite troops into dangerous positions, as he did at Qiongzhou, and he is doing the same here at Lushan Pass. Generals are bound to die on the battlefield, and if he continues to be so reckless, how can this be a sustainable strategy?

But he didn't want to lose Lao Wang's edge, and he just hoped that Lao Wang would listen to him and think things through more.

Seeing that the atmosphere was getting a bit tense, Zhao Da directly called on the military's atmosphere-building team.

He handed the lance back to Liu Zhijun, then grinned at Fatty Dou, who was talking to Wang Jin:
"Fatty, you should lose some weight. Look at your armor, isn't it already the largest size? If you keep getting fatter, the armor won't be able to hold your belly. Don't die on your own belly."

Fatty Dou grinned and flattered Zhao Da:

"Big Brother, don't you know me? I just love to eat. I thought that once I joined our Baoyidu, with training every three days and exercises every five days, how could I not lose weight? But who would have thought that in our Baoyidu, it's a small drink every three days and a big drink every five days? My belly is like a sheep's bladder, getting bigger and bigger. It's really not my fault."

Upon hearing what Fatty Dou said, Zhang Guinian, who had been smiling all along, suddenly stood up and bowed to Zhao Da:

"My lord, since that is the case, I suggest that the army be prohibited from drinking alcohol from now on, so that no one, whether high or low, may drink a drop. This will better discipline the troops."

Upon hearing this, Fatty Dou was dumbfounded, his mouth agape. Even Zhao Da, who had been joking with Fatty Dou, was stunned. Finally, he looked left and right, forcing a smile.
"Secretary Zhang, are you really joking?"

When Fatty Dou saw Zhang Guinian say this, and then saw Zhao Da's expression of wanting to give in, he regretted it so much that he wanted to slap himself.

If I were to be banned from drinking alcohol in the army because of this, wouldn't those soldiers risk their lives against me?

So, Fatty Dou couldn't care less about saving face anymore and rushed forward to support Zhang Guinian, forcing a smile:

"Secretary Zhang, you're really joking. I'm fat because I eat a lot and exercise little, how could it have anything to do with alcohol? Besides, brothers, this alcohol makes you more energetic the more you drink. Ask everyone, aren't you energetic!"

The warriors in the tent had long noticed Zhao Huai'an's respect for Zhang Guinian, which was completely different from that of the other advisors. Although they didn't know the reason, they were really worried that Zhao Huai'an would ban alcohol in order to take care of Zhang Guinian, which would be the death of them!

So, even the most unruly soldiers now fawned over Zhang Guinian, saying that this wine was made from the essence of grain, and that the more they drank, the younger they would become.

They even gave Zhang Guinian an example, saying that Old Ding from Beiwei was slashed by the Nanzhao people and dragged back, howling and screaming. But guess what, Secretary Zhang, Old Ding just took a sip and he was full of energy again.

So this isn't wine at all, it's clearly nectar of the gods!
These soldiers were all talking at once. Zhao Huai'an sat there, watching Zhang Guinian's face turn ashen, and he suddenly had to make up his mind.

Suddenly, Zhang Guinian smiled broadly and said to the chubby boy who was hugging him:

"Doulu-kun, I was just joking!"

Fatty Dou became insecure, looked Zhang Guinian up and down, and asked suspiciously:
"Secretary Zhang, were you really joking just now?"

Zhang Guinian touched his nose and said to everyone:
"I've seen how the magistrate usually deals with you, so I was just joking. You didn't take it seriously, did you?"

Now, Fatty Dou was completely relieved. He patted Zhang Guinian on the back and jokingly scolded him:
"Alright, alright, Old Zhang is just joking, but don't drive it again!"

The soldiers burst into laughter, creating a joyful and harmonious atmosphere inside the tent.

Only Zhao Da, sitting on his stool, looked at the chubby Dou over there grinning foolishly, and sighed inwardly:
"Fatty Bean, Fatty Bean, with your tiny brain, if you don't stick with us, you'll be the one getting sold out and everyone will be cheering."

Zhang Guinian wasn't joking with the soldiers at all; he was using this opportunity to assert his presence. This old Zhang used to be as quiet and unassuming as a wooden figure in the tent, but now that he had revealed his true feelings, he began to actively integrate into the team. His purpose was quite clear.

At this moment, looking at the smiling Zhang Guinian, Zhao Da had only one thought in his mind:
"Sigh, this old Zhang is indeed a genius. Just his conversation with me this morning was the best he could do in Sichuan. But while his methods are very useful, he's also quite cunning."

However, Zhao Da was not offended by this. Zhang Guinian's attitude showed that he had given up his past mentality of lying down and getting by, and was now really going to make a name for himself in Baoyi.

As for how to get close to Zhang Guinian, no one knew better than Zhao Huai'an. Later, when no one was around, he pulled Zhang Guinian aside to drink alone. After a few rounds of drinks, he asked him about his past in Chang'an and listened to Zhang cry. That's how feelings developed.
That Zhao Da! He's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve!
Seeing that everyone was still laughing and joking, Zhao Da coughed twice and then looked at Duan Baolong, who was kneeling below the curtain.

(End of this chapter)