The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 181 Redeeming Cai Wenji, Zhuge Liang Fights for Liu Bei's Reputation of Benevolence and Righteousness (1st Update)
After sending Yuan Xi to Ye City, Zhuge Liang immediately summoned Generals Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan.

Following Liu Bei's successive merits, the thoughts of Generals Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan became very pure: whoever prevents me from following General Zuo to make merits is my enemy; I must obey Yuan Xi's military orders, and I must obey General Zuo's military orders even more.

"military adviser!"

The two generals arrived and respectfully bowed to Zhuge Liang.

Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan dared not show the slightest disrespect to the young man before them, who was not yet twenty.

Zhuge Liang took out a letter and handed it to Jiao Chu, instructing him: "Go to Pingyuan yourself and deliver this letter to Hua Yan, the Chief Clerk of Pingyuan. Then stay in Pingyuan and wait for Yuan Tan to arrive."

Jiao Chu carefully took the letter and asked, "This humble general is dull-witted. Does the strategist have any further instructions for me?"

Although not as intelligent as others, he can still distinguish between what is important and what is not.

Since Zhuge Liang specifically sent him to Pingyuan and to wait for Yuan Tan in Pingyuan, the importance of this letter is self-evident.

To avoid jeopardizing Zhuge Liang's important plans, Jiao Chu hoped that Zhuge Liang could provide even more detailed instructions.

Zhuge Liang then took out three more brocade pouches and handed them to Jiao Chu, saying, "After meeting Hua Yan, you can look at the 'A' pouch; after meeting Yuan Tan, you can look at the 'B' pouch; when you encounter danger, you can look at the 'C' pouch. At other times, just act according to the situation."

Looking at the three characters "甲", "乙", and "丙" on the brocade pouch, especially the one with the character "丙", Jiao Chu was even more moved: The strategist ordered me to do this, but also prepared a brocade pouch to protect my life. If I cannot fulfill the strategist's instructions, I will have no face to see General Zuo again!
"Rest assured, strategist, I will certainly live up to your expectations!" Jiao Chu respectfully accepted the brocade pouch, then bowed and left.

Zhang Nan, standing to the side, watched with great envy. After Jiao Chu left the hall, he turned to Zhuge Liang with expectant eyes: "Strategist, do you have any important matters to entrust to this humble general?"

Zhuge Liang chuckled and waved his fan: "I need a trusted person to attend to me these days. If General Zhang has nothing else to do, he can temporarily serve as my halberd bearer."

Zhang Nan's eyes lit up, and he quickly patted his chest, saying, "This humble general has nothing else to do and is ready to follow the strategist's orders at any time!"

Zhang Nan is no fool. Although he may be temporarily serving as a halberd bearer, he can actually do errands for Zhuge Liang anytime, anywhere, which is something that is hard to come by in normal times!
After reviewing the important documents at hand, Zhuge Liang took Zhang Nan to the garrison area and found Huchuquan, who was rolling up his sleeves and cutting grass.

During this period of labor reform, Huchuquan's arrogance as the Chanyu was completely worn away, and he no longer fantasized about returning.

"Huchuquan, step forward and obey my command."

A loud shout interrupted Hu Chuquan's grass-cutting.

Hu Chuquan did not refute, but mechanically stepped forward with his head hanging low.

"News has come back from Bingzhou that Liu Bao, the Left Wise King, has inherited the Luan Ti surname and succeeded to the position of Chanyu." A calm voice rang in Huchuquan's ears, startling him so much that he suddenly looked up.

According to the custom of the Xiongnu royal family, only those who succeeded to the throne as Chanyu could change their surname to Luanti; the rest could only change their surname to that of their mother.

The Left Wise King Liu Bao was a descendant of a Han princess who was sent to marry a foreign ruler, hence he took Liu as his surname. After succeeding to the throne as Chanyu, he changed his surname to Luanti.

But soon, Huchuquan's eyes dimmed again. With Luan Tibao becoming the Chanyu, the former Chanyu had even less chance of leaving this place.

"General Zuo has always been benevolent; if you intend to return to Bingzhou..."

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, looking at Hu Chuquan with a gentle expression, and deliberately paused on the second half of his sentence.

"Can I go back?" Hu Chuquan's dim eyes suddenly brightened.

Seeing that Zhuge Liang remained silent, Hu Chuquan hurriedly added, "As long as we can go back, I'll agree to any condition!"

"There aren't any special conditions. After you return to Bingzhou, you only need to send one person back." Zhuge Liang first reassured Huchuquan, then began to offer promises: "To show my sincerity, I will let you return to Bingzhou first. Not only that, you can also take back the more than eight thousand Tu Ge and Wuhuan people who have been clearing land here. In addition to the Wuhuan people, I will also provide each of your Tu Ge people with a horse."

Hu Chuquan's eyes widened, and he gasped for breath: "Is this really true?"

Sending back just one person would not only allow them to return to Bingzhou, but also take all eight thousand people with them. Such a condition is like a divine blessing!
With these eight thousand men, Huchuquan was confident that he could reclaim the position of Chanyu!
Zhuge Liang smiled, fanning himself: "I am Zhuge Liang, the strategist under the Left General, and I never lie. I just wonder if you, Huchuquan, will keep your word?"

Hu Chuquan nodded repeatedly: "It's just one person, I promise to return him. But I don't know who he is? Do you have a portrait?"

Zhuge Liang said calmly, “You know this person too. She is Cai Yan, the daughter of the late General Cai Yong (Cai Bojie). Several years ago, she was abducted by you and taken to Bingzhou, and has not returned since. The Left General has a past relationship with General Cai and could not bear to see his orphaned daughter suffer in Bingzhou, so he entrusted me to find her. Of course, if you feel it is difficult, you can refuse.”

Difficulties?

Hu Chuquan's heart was in his throat.

As long as I can return to Bingzhou and continue to be the Chanyu, what difficulties could there be!
Even if Cai Yan were Liu Bao's wife, Hu Yan, Hu Chuquan could seize her and give her to Liu Bei if Liu Bei wanted her.

"Absolutely no difficulty!" Hu Chuquan declared confidently, "I swear by blood that as long as I return to Bingzhou, I will send Cai Zhonglang's daughter to Changshan!"

"Good!" Zhuge Liang was quite familiar with the customs of the Xiongnu people, and immediately ordered people to prepare the necessary ceremony for the oath, thus completing the agreement with Huchuquan.

In the following days.

Huchuquan led eight thousand Hu people to work hard to reclaim wasteland, striving to complete the work and return home as soon as possible. What originally required ten days of labor was completed in five days.

Zhuge Liang kept his word and released Huchuquan and more than 8,000 Hu barbarians as agreed. He also gave Huchuquan more than 3,000 horses for transportation and more than 4,000 sheep as food for his return home. Huchuquan also solemnly promised that he would not plunder again on the way.

Watching Hu Chuquan and the others leave in a hurry, Zhang Nan, who had been following Zhuge Liang, could no longer contain his doubts: "Strategist, I don't understand. Why let Hu Chuquan and the others go? If you want to retrieve Cai Zhonglang's daughter, you can just send Zhang Yan and the others with troops to take her back."

Zhuge Liang chuckled: "The most arduous task of reclaiming the wasteland has already been completed by Huchuquan and the others. If we don't release them, are we going to keep them around? Besides, Liu Bao has already succeeded as the new Chanyu. Letting Huchuquan go back to fight Liu Bao is the best strategy. After both sides have exhausted each other, whether Huchuquan wins or Liu Bao wins, their strength will be greatly reduced in the end."

“Cai Zhonglang is a renowned scholar, but his daughter is trapped by the barbarians. His students and friends are all heartbroken. If General Zuo were to exchange Huchuquan and more than 8,000 barbarians for Cai Zhonglang’s daughter to return to Han, it would be a great act of benevolence and righteousness. Those who admire his reputation would surely flock to serve General Zuo. If you send troops to forcibly seize her, firstly, it is difficult to guarantee the safety of Cai Zhonglang’s daughter, and secondly, no act of ‘redemption’ would be as moving as it is to people’s hearts.”

　Chapter 1 is here! (This author doesn't get holidays; I slept in this weekend.)
　　
　
(End of this chapter)