I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 44: Turning against guests
His appearance was magnificent, like that of a god.

Only when Liu Miao approached did they all bow together.

"Wu Jing (Sun Ben, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Zhu Zhi, and Han Dang) greets Prefect Liu!"

"There's no need for you to thank me."

Liu Miao scanned the generals one by one, observing their appearances; they were all warriors, and his heart was filled with excitement.

As Sun Jian's nephew, Sun Ben was the first to ask, "I wonder why Lord Liu is using such lavish gifts to reward us defeated generals?"

Sun Ben adopted an extremely humble posture in front of Liu Miao.

The things Huang Gai brought from Liu Miao's camp were obviously very expensive. Such a large sum of money and supplies was being thrown at him for no reason. Even if Sun Ben was usually aloof, he had to force a smile at Liu Miao and bow his head in the face of money.

Liu Miao smiled and said, "It's just a little money and grain; how can it be considered a generous gift?"

Sun Ben, Wu Jing, and the others were unaware that the money, grain, and soldiers they possessed were all of Liu Miao's wealth. Therefore, they were immediately shocked when they heard Liu Miao's disdainful tone!

Then, recalling Liu Miao's heroic act of tying silk to the military flag, these generals suddenly realized that Liu Miao might indeed be quite wealthy, and these things were just a drop in the ocean for him!
"As for why the reward is?"

Liu Miao tucked his riding whip under his thigh and bowed to the crowd.

"You all responded to the General's call to support the Han Dynasty and raise an army to punish Dong Zhuo, making you pillars of the Han Dynasty. As a member of the Han imperial family, I know that you are staying here, so how could I not come to reward and express my gratitude?"

We are rewarding you because you are loyal subjects of the Han Dynasty!

The generals, especially the veterans of Youzhou such as Cheng Pu and Han Dang, were all moved to tears!

They were not from Sun Jian's hometown, yet they followed him through thick and thin, fighting in the south and north. Wasn't it all for the greater good they believed in?

Hearing Liu Miao's words today, I feel a sense of joy that makes my life complete!
Liu Miao waved to the back, and immediately a figure moved behind him.

The generals tensed up, thinking that Liu Miao had summoned the armored soldiers. They gripped their weapons in fear, ready to resist at any moment.

However, once the figures approached, the generals relaxed.

What came were not some fierce warriors, but rather some delicate and charming women!
“I know you have been staying in Wankou for some time and the camp must be a bit boring, so I have specially sent these female entertainers for your entertainment.”

"I would appreciate it if you could take care of these women for me. However, I must make one thing clear: these actresses are all from respectable families. If you take them into your homes, I hope you will take good care of them and not let their hard work go to waste!"

Female entertainer, not prostitute.

A staff is called a "ji" (技), and an art is called a "heng" (珩).

Although entertainers were not considered to be of noble status, they were not people who could be bullied at will.

Given that it was a gift from Liu Miao, Liu Miao was certain that these officers would not treat him badly.

Similarly, if Liu Miao really incorporated this army, the status of the military officer would inevitably rise, and his family would gradually become wealthy, which would also be a good thing for those women who had lost their support.

The way the generals looked at Liu Miao at this moment gradually changed...

They're sending grain, and they're sending women...

Such a reward was something even General Yuan Shu had never given them.

Some generals looked at Liu Miao with great interest, clearly thinking of something else.

Sun Ben and Wu Jing, unable to refuse, thanked Liu Miao again and invited him to their camp for a chat.

"it is good!"

Liu Miao went there with a clear conscience, showing no fear of entering someone else's camp. He seemed to trust Sun Ben, Wu Jing, and other generals as if they were his own people. This open and honest attitude undoubtedly made the generals think more highly of Liu Miao!
Liu Miao rode his warhorse and took the initiative to talk to Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and others, while Sun Ben and Wu Jing walked at the front, whispering to each other.

"Isn't this Prefect Liu being a little too generous?"

"Who says it isn't?"

Wu Jingchao glanced back and saw Liu Miao looking eager, talking at length about the customs of Yan and Zhao with Cheng Pu and the others, as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years. For a moment, he couldn't figure out what Liu Miao wanted to do.

"However, I don't think that Prefect Liu has any ill intentions." "Besides, my sister and Bo Fu are in Shu County, so Prefect Liu must have spoken with them. Nothing serious will happen."

"If all else fails, I'll have a private talk with him later and ask him about his true intentions."

"So good."

……

When Liu Miao entered the camp, the soldiers around him knew that this was the man who had delivered the grain, and they all gathered around to watch.

Upon seeing Liu Miao's imposing appearance, the soldiers were all filled with admiration and praised him highly!
"Thank you, Magistrate Liu!"

"Long live Lord Liu!"

"If it weren't for Magistrate Liu, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to return home alive!"

The sounds were incessant, and for a moment Liu Miao even seemed to have taken over the place, as if he really regarded this place as his own military camp!

Upon hearing the sound, Liu Miao also raised his arms high—

"You are all heroes who restored the Han Dynasty, how could you have fallen so low?"

"Rest assured, everyone, as long as I, Liu Miao, am here, I will never let any of you soldiers lose heart!"

Cheers erupted once again from the soldiers!
After Sun Jian's death in battle, these unparalleled elites fell into darkness and confusion.

But today, Liu Miao shines like a ray of light in their hearts, how could they not be happy?
"Thank you, Magistrate Liu!"

Liu Miao also followed the soldiers' lead, turning around to make sure that all the soldiers could see his face and recognize what he looked like, so that they wouldn't mistake him for someone else in the future!

Just as they were about to enter the central command tent, Liu Miao suddenly suggested, "Today we are in a joyous occasion, and the soldiers should share in the celebration. How can we go inside the tent while the soldiers are left outside?"

Sun Ben, Wu Jing, and the other generals dared not refute Liu Miao in front of everyone, so they all sat together and drank in the open air.

The first frost of the wind is crisp, and the campfire blazes. Soldiers, their iron armor still on, sit in a circle like stars in the sky; bronze goblets are passed frequently, and thick wine is poured out like a rushing spring. Wild boar is roasted over firewood, its scorched aroma filling the air; a bowl of broad bean soup is shared, its simple flavor lingering sweetly.

With beautiful women singing and dancing, these vigorous soldiers forgot their sorrow and danced with abandon!

Wu Jing sat down next to Liu Miao and, under the pretext of urging him to drink, asked Liu Miao, "When you were in Shu County, did you see Bo Fu?"

"Of course, I met Bo Fu when I went to pay my respects to Marquis Wucheng with a funeral gift. He is indeed a handsome man, quite like his father!"

Upon hearing this, the generals were once again astonished and moved: "Lord Liu actually went to pay his respects to the general?"

"Of course! General Sun was a loyal and valiant man, how could I not go to see him off on his final journey?"

At this, all the generals present rose to their feet, their faces solemn, and raised their cups to Liu Miao.

"Thank you, Magistrate Liu!"

"We are all currently preoccupied with military affairs and cannot raise funds and provisions to present the general with a gift. Now that Lord Liu has performed this act of kindness, it has relieved us of a great concern!"

Whether it was the usually calm and collected Cheng Pu, the hot-tempered Huang Gai, the courageous and resolute Han Dang, or the frugal Zhu Zhi, they all had tears in their eyes and were willing to thank Liu Miao!

Liu Miao, of course, would not disappoint everyone's good intentions, and he also stood up, raised his cup, and drank it all in one gulp!

"The Marquis of Wucheng was a hero, and he should be a model for all the officials of the Han Dynasty! I was overwhelmed with emotion when I stood before the Marquis of Wucheng's spirit, and I even wrote a poem to mourn him."

The people around him started egging him on, urging Liu Miao to read the poem aloud.

Unable to refuse, Liu Miao gazed at the horizon and saw the moon palace appear. He immediately rolled up his sleeves and recited the poem once more.

"The moon of Qin shines on the pass of Han, but the soldiers on the long march have not returned."

"But if the flying generals of Dragon City are here, I won't teach Hu Ma to cross the Yin Mountains!"

(End of this chapter)