I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 143 Gradually Breaking Through Defenses
Taishi Ci once again raised a full moon and shot it at the target three hundred paces away.

However, a single arrow seemed to carry a thousand troops, crashing into the target with the roar of dragons and the howl of tigers.

"General Taishi has hit the target!"

The soldiers shouted this from afar.

Hitting a target 300 paces away with a five-stone bow is like a fairy tale to the soldiers!

On any other day, everyone would have cheered and celebrated Taishi Ci's victory.

But everyone remained silent, clearly waiting for Huang Zhong.

Huang Zhong took the hard bow, firmly planted his feet in a horse stance, and used his waist and back strength to slowly pull the bowstring back!

Just as the bowstring was about to be fully drawn again, Huang Zhong's arm began to tremble. Before he could straighten his body, the arrow flew like a white rainbow toward the target.

"General Huang Zhong, hit the target!"

As the soldier shouted this again, the other soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment.

How does this count?
All three shots hit the target.

Moreover, both of them played the strings at full strength.

Both are exactly the same in terms of precision and strength, so how can one be considered superior to the other?

Huang Zhong also cast an admiring glance at Taishi Ci at this moment.

In Jingzhou, where could anyone rival him in archery skills?
The current contest with Taishi Ci is undoubtedly a great pleasure for Huang Zhong!

"In the end, I was the first to exhaust myself, so the battle can be considered a victory for the general."

Taishi Ci shook his head.

"Before our duel, your arms were bound. If an ordinary person were in that situation, they would be unable to move for three to five hours. How could I take advantage of someone in such a vulnerable state?"

"General Huang was the sole victor in this battle!"

"No, no, it's still General Taishi."

"No, it's still General Huang."

"..."

The two who were just about to compete now showed mutual respect and began to yield to each other.

Liu Miao then slapped Huang Zhong on the back: "Hansheng, why be modest? Ziyi said you won this time, so you won! Anyway, there's plenty of time in the future. You two can challenge each other anytime if you're not satisfied! Does Hansheng still want to go back to Jingzhou?"

Huang Zhong quickly shook his head.

"That's right! Come on, Hansheng! Let's celebrate properly for you today!"

Liu Miao grabbed Huang Zhong's arm: "General Huang, you have won this battle!"

"General Huang is mighty!!!"

"General Huang's archery skills are unparalleled; I wonder how good his hand-to-hand combat skills are?"

"How did General Huang train his archery skills? Did he also do what the legendary archer Ji Chang did, hanging a louse by the window and staring at it for three years until it grew as big as a cartwheel?"

"..."

The soldiers of Danyang are known for their fierceness and belligerence, and they do not easily submit to others.

Anyone who has ever touched a bow and arrow knows how amazing it is to be able to draw a bow with a strength of five stones and hit a target three hundred paces away! An ordinary person who can accomplish one of these feats can become famous in the army and become a strongman or archer admired by thousands, let alone someone who can accomplish two of them at the same time.

Therefore, the soldiers' shouts at this moment came entirely from their hearts.

Surrounded by these soldiers, Huang Zhong sighed inwardly once again.

Not long ago, he was just a scapegoat and a prisoner sent here, but now he is standing in the training ground, revered by thousands!

Such expectations are truly bizarre!

And the one who brought about this spectacle was undoubtedly Liu Miao.

However, when Huang Zhong looked at Liu Miao, he found Zhou Tai behind Liu Miao looking at him with a resentful expression...

"Captain Zhou, that bet doesn't count."

"Bullshit! I'll take it one spit at a time! If I say ten, then I mean ten!"

Zhou Tai was also decisive in his actions, taking on the task of finding a wife for Huang Zhong himself.

"Old general, tell me, why are you still so brave at your age? Is there any secret to it? Tell me so I can learn from you!"

After pondering for a while, Huang Zhong hesitated before giving his answer: "It's probably because I'm not interested in women."

"Oh, forget it..."

Subsequently, Liu Biao sent an envoy named Yi Ji with three thousand gold pieces and five hundred bolts of silk, requesting Liu Miao to withdraw his troops.

Liu Miao was already overjoyed to have such a fierce general as Huang Zhong, and now he had also received so much wealth. He couldn't stop smiling and couldn't even restrain himself in front of Yi Ji: "In that case, I will naturally withdraw my troops."

Seeing Liu Miao so easily flustered by a small amount of money, Yi Ji's opinion of Liu Miao lowered somewhat. Even upon returning to Jingzhou, he told Liu Biao, "Liu Miao is easily pleased by a small amount of money; this is clearly not the behavior of a wise ruler. With such a neighbor, you need not worry any longer!"

Upon hearing these words, Liu Biao and his officials in Jingzhou were completely relieved.

------

In fact, before Liu Miao led his army on a "western expedition" to Jingzhou, Jinling was already receiving a constant stream of visitors.

Han Yin was an envoy of Yuan Shu.

Han Yin's trips to Jiangdong had increased from once a month to once every ten days. Each time he came, Han Yin's purpose was the same—

Give me money!

As for Liu Miao, regardless of who received Han Yin, the response was always the same two words—

No!

This time, Han Yin stayed at the ferry for more than ten days. Just as Liu Miao disembarked and before he even had a chance to go back and take off his armor, Han Yin intercepted Liu Miao and asked, "Is Zhongshan avoiding me?"

"Brother, what are you saying?"

Liu Miao pointed to his armor and said, "You know I just led 10,000 infantry and cavalry to Jingzhou to attack Liu Biao. Why would I deliberately avoid you?"

"Don't say things like that!"

Han Yin gritted his teeth in anger: "Zhongshan! Let me ask you, General Hou has repeatedly sent me to demand money and provisions, why do you always have an excuse? This time, you've even gone so far as to hide in Jingzhou!"

"Zhongshan, whatever your reasons, I must take the money and supplies back with me this time!"

As an envoy, one should be dignified and courteous to the world.

As Yuan Shu's envoy, Han Yin frequently traveled between various warlords and was renowned for his refined taste.

But Han Yin was completely unprepared at this moment, clearly not caring about his reputation, and insisted on taking the money and grain with him!
Upon seeing this, Liu Miao couldn't help but ask, "Huainan is wealthy, how could the General be in such dire straits?"

Han Yin, disregarding the need to expose his own shameful deeds, directly told Liu Miao the truth: "Where in Huainan is there wealth? It's far inferior to Nanyang in the past!"

"Now we can't even pay the salaries of officials and the rations of soldiers! Those two beasts, Chen Lan and Lei Bo, have even deserted the General and led their troops to Qianshan to become bandits! If the situation weren't so urgent, why would I be in this state in front of you?"

Han Yin was determined to bring the money and grain back to Huainan this time!

"If you don't give me money and food, I'll starve to death in Jinling City today!"

Liu Miao: "..."

It's clear that both Yuan Shu and Han Yin have been pushed to the brink of disaster.

The fact that his generals would rather become outlaws than continue to obey Yuan Shu shows just how dire Yuan Shu's financial situation had become.

Yuan Shu desperately needs to find a blood bag to suck a lot of blood right now!
And who else could this blood bag belong to besides Jiangdong, which is openly completely subservient to Yuan Shu?

However, Liu Miao did not sympathize with Yuan Shu.

"Brother, there are many people and suspicious eyes at the ferry crossing. How can you lose your composure here?"

Just then, Zhou Tai arrived with his carriage, and Liu Miao immediately invited Han Yin to come up.

Han Yin looked around and, sure enough, found many people pointing and whispering about him. He blushed and followed Liu Miao into the carriage.

But Han Yin realized something was wrong after he went up there.

"Is Zhongshan not returning to the city?"

"There are some things I need to show you."

Zhou Tai drove his car, not directly back to Jinling City, but gradually heading out of the city.

Liu Miao pointed to the scenery outside the city and gestured for Han Yin to look.

Farmland stretches across the land like a chessboard grid. Farmers are working in the fields, oxen pulling plows slowly breaking up the soil to soften it for planting and a bountiful harvest. Alongside each field, irrigation canals from the Huai River or other waterways flow gently. Free-range chickens and ducks roam freely, creating a vibrant and lively scene.

"Why did Zhongshan bring me here?"

"Brother Han, doesn't this place look familiar to you?"

Han Yin looked around, but still couldn't recall anything.

"This is actually where we first met. But back then, it was overgrown with thorns, and the river didn't flow through it; it was a completely barren place."

Liu Miao led Han Yin on a long detour before finally entering the city of Jinling from the south via the Zhuque Bridge.

Beside the Zhuque Bridge lies the West Market.

As dusk settled, the hustle and bustle had already drowned out the sound of the night watchman's drum. On the more than three-zhang-wide bluestone bridge, carriages with carved saddles and fragrant saddles, drawn by four horses, frequently passed by. On the boats on the Huai River below, both Wu-Yue folk songs and elegant Central Plains music were played, and the occasional playful banter further demonstrated the peaceful and comfortable life of the people of Jinling.

Liu Miao then asked, "Brother Han, do you remember this place?"

“You came here before the city of Jinling was built. At that time, this place had nothing at all, and it was not even comparable to a random county town in Huainan. But today, its prosperity has surpassed that of Shuxian County, the former seat of Lujiang Prefecture. Can’t you see such a change?”

Han Yin finally broke down in the car: "Liu Zhongshan! Are you deliberately humiliating me?"

"Brother Han has been kind to me, how could I possibly humiliate him?"

Liu Miao simply explained, "You know that Huainan is far wealthier than Jiangdong. But now, Jiangdong is so prosperous, while Huainan is so poor. Don't you really have any doubts?"

Han Yin slammed his fist heavily on the cart frame: "Zhongshan! I don't want to hear your grand theories! I'll only ask you one question: are you going to give me this grain or not?"

"Give."

Han Yin received an unexpected reply and looked at Liu Miao in surprise.

"Really?"

"I am the governor of Yangzhou appointed by the imperial court. How can I disregard the emperor's grace and sit idly by while Huainan suffers from disaster?"

"But Brother Han must promise me that all the grain transported to Huainan will be distributed to the disaster-stricken people! Can Brother Han do that?"

Han Yin certainly couldn't do it!
Even Yuan Shu couldn't do it!

The most pressing matter right now is feeding the large number of scholars under Yuan Shu who are leeching off him, as well as the arrogant and fierce soldiers that Yuan Shu has nurtured at any cost. How can they have the mind to care about the common people?
Han Yin was heartbroken: "Liu Miao! I never thought you were this kind of person! Are you really going to stand by and watch the General die?"

(End of this chapter)