Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 178 The Yellow Turban Rebellion Resurfaces?
"Though the Heavenly Emperor is dead, his heroic spirit will not perish; the Sea God shall uphold justice on behalf of Heaven!"

"The dynasty is about to perish, and the world is falling apart. Lord Long begs the Great Han to die."

"You people have eaten the people's blood and sweat and squandered their wealth. Did you know you would end up like this?"

"The sky is dead, Huang Tian must stand!"

Outside Qu County, amidst the deafening shouts of slogans, inside the county government office, the county magistrate's face had already turned ashen.

At this moment, he seemed to recall once again the terrifying upheaval that occurred several years ago, which shook the entire world and caused eight out of the thirteen provinces of the Han Dynasty to rebel.

"Yellow Turbans!"

The unfamiliar and long-forgotten name came from his mouth: "The Yellow Turbans are coming?"

He slumped in his seat, his face deathly pale.

This poor magistrate... he just doesn't understand!
How many years have passed? The body of Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher of Virtue, has already rotted away. How can the Yellow Turban rebels still be alive and kicking people and killing officials in rebellion?

Seeing that Magistrate Li Ping appeared incompetent, County Lieutenant Chen Can disagreed and stepped forward.

"They are just a few Yellow Turban rebels, what is there for the county magistrate to fear?"

I still have five hundred county soldiers under my command, enough to defend the city and fight them off.

Upon hearing such confident words, a glimmer of hope appeared in the magistrate's eyes. "Is County Commandant Chen truly so certain? I've heard that the Moth Bandits are numerous, numbering at least ten thousand. I'm afraid a mere five hundred are nothing."

"Your Excellency is unaware of this."

Before the magistrate could finish speaking, Chen Can interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

"Tens of thousands of moth thieves, they are still moth thieves."

I had long heard of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Although the rebels were numerous, they were nothing more than a mob that had rallied the masses. Not to mention that their morale would collapse at the first sign of trouble, they were even short of weapons and equipment.

Although I have only five hundred men, we are able to defend the city, with its walls several feet high, giving us a commanding position.

A group of Yellow Turban rebels, armed with sickles and hoes, stared at the city wall, helpless and frustrated.

Regardless of whether the Yellow Turban rebels could manufacture siege equipment, even if they did, General Lü's elite troops would probably have already arrived to provide support.

"Please sit still, Your Highness. I will hold out for three to five days until General Lü arrives to reinforce us. Then we will have accomplished a great feat."

The magistrate felt somewhat relieved after hearing his words of comfort, and grasped Chen Can's hand firmly, saying, "Then everything will depend on County Commandant Chen. I will wait here for good news."

"Don't worry, what are these mere Yellow Turban rebels? Who knows, I might just slay their general in battle and cause their army to collapse without a fight?"

Chen Can laughed loudly, puffed out his chest proudly, and led his five hundred county soldiers to the city wall to garrison.

He was originally from a collateral branch of the Chen family. Due to his low status, he did not receive much support from the family and only obtained a minor county magistrate position in this remote county of Donghai Prefecture.

However, he had been well-versed in military strategy since childhood and was skilled in martial arts. He believed that he was full of strategic knowledge and no less capable than Chen Yuanlong. He was skilled enough to be a general.

It's a pity that my bloodline is a collateral branch, and I have no chance to display my talents and become famous throughout the world.

Upon hearing of the Yellow Turban rebels' attack, Chen Can, unlike the bewildered scholar-magistrate, was not alarmed but rather delighted. He believed that the time had come for him to display his skills and achieve unparalleled merit.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Yellow Turban rebels numbered in the tens of thousands. Did those farmers think that just because they had a yellow turban wrapped around their heads and were carrying hoes and sickles, they could attack the city?
Don't be so naive!
All it takes is for County Magistrate Chen to close the four gates, and these poorly dressed rabble will be unable to attack the city, let alone stand in the face of the towering city walls.

At that time, he only needed to order his soldiers to fire arrows and drop rolling logs and stones, which would be enough to scare away the tens of thousands of moth bandits and make him famous throughout Xuzhou.

Having made up his mind, Chen Can confidently climbed to the top of the city wall, and then...
He was surprised to see this Yellow Turban rebels, a large group of nearly 10,000 men, fully armed with swords, spears, halberds, and armor, pushing ladders, battering rams, and catapults as they approached.

What made him most desperate was that he actually saw a Lu Gong chariot that was taller than his city wall.

Damn you, magistrate, you've screwed me over!

You call this thing the Yellow Turban Rebels?
Your Yellow Turban rebels are better equipped than his county soldiers?

However, war is dangerous and opportunities are fleeting, so there was no time for him to hesitate.

Seeing that the "Yellow Turban rebels" were about to climb up with ladders, Chen Can quickly ordered his soldiers to throw rolling stones and logs to stop the enemy's offensive.

But even rolling logs and boulders could not stop the Lü Gongche, which was higher than the city wall, from approaching.

The only way was to order the soldiers to keep firing arrows, forcing the people in Lü Gong's chariot to stay inside and not dare to come out to fight.

Unfortunately, just as the rain of arrows began, the most speechless scene unfolded for Chen Can.

The hundred or so leading members of these Yellow Turban rebels were all heavily armored, making them impervious to arrows.
Right in front of him, they braved the rain of arrows and jumped out of Lu Gong's chariot, easily storming the city wall.

Moreover, the leader's marksmanship was superb, and the five hundred county soldiers on the city wall were routed.

Damn it!
Chen Can drew his sword and angrily rebuked them, "You are definitely not Yellow Turban rebels! Why are you hiding yourselves, you cowards? State your names!"

The young general wielding the silver spear pointed to the yellow turban on his face and laughed, saying:
"I am Zhang Long, the posthumous son of the Great Teacher of Virtue and Learning, and I will never change my name or surname!"

"Men, show them whether we are Yellow Turbans or not!"

These naval troops, who had already been trained by Jiang Qin on the ships, immediately shouted in unison upon hearing the order:

"The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise!"

The year is Jiazi, a time of great fortune for the world!

His voice resounded in the heavens!

This scene infuriated Chen Can, whose eyes were practically popping out of their sockets.

"Nonsense! Zhang Jiao's entire clan was wiped out, how could there be any posthumous child left in the world?"
Besides, where would the Yellow Turban rebels get your heavy armor, which makes you impervious to swords and spears?

"This"

Zhao Yun, an honest young man, was suddenly speechless upon being asked this question, unsure how to answer. Just then, Jiang Qin also climbed onto the city wall, saw this, and burst into laughter, saying:
"Have you not heard that under the command of the Great Teacher of Virtue are Yellow Turban Warriors, who are impervious to swords and spears, and cannot be harmed by water or fire?"

Chen Can: "."

"How dare you spout such nonsense and humiliate me! Do you think I'm uneducated?"
"You scoundrel, you are truly hateful! Today I will show you what I, Chen, am capable of!"

As he spoke, he drew his sword and engaged Zhao Yun in battle. However, before he could finish a single exchange, Zhao Yun, harboring his great ambitions and aspirations, died tragically on the spot.

With Chen Can dead, the remaining county soldiers had no will to resist. Qu County fell in one fell swoop, and the county magistrate surrendered the city.

Hearing that the Yellow Turban rebels had stormed into the city, how could the people not be terrified and uneasy? But to the people's surprise, these Yellow Turban rebels actually raised the banner of peace and did not harm them in the slightest.

Not only that, they would also ask the people which families were rich and heartless, which officials oppressed the good and kind, and let those who had grievances seek justice and those who had grudges seek revenge.

How could these be Yellow Turban rebels?

This is clearly the arrival of the Yellow Emperor!

At that time, under the leadership of General Hai Gong, ten thousand Yellow Turbans swept across the land, robbing the rich and powerful who oppressed the people, as well as the county government treasuries, to help the poor, obtaining countless amounts of money and grain. What could be loaded onto ships was loaded onto ships, and what could not be loaded was distributed on the spot. The people of Qu County were so grateful that they cried out that seeing General Hai Gong and General Long Gong was like seeing a great and wise teacher.

Seeing the people's gratitude, General Hai immediately announced loudly to the crowd:

"The people need not thank him; he is merely following the ways of Heaven."

If you want to give thanks, go and thank Heaven!
If one had to thank one person, he had heard that Lord Yuan of Huainan was a son of Heaven, deserving of the incense offerings of countless people.

Having defeated the local tyrant, avenged their grievances, and received grain, what hesitation could the people possibly have? They cried out, "The Blue Heaven is dead! The Yellow Heaven shall rise! Lord Yuan of Huainan shall be the Emperor!!!"

Jiang Qin and his men were in a hurry. After emptying and distributing the money and grain, they rushed to the next house.

So Ganyu County and Zhuqi County followed suit, but how could the soldiers of these small counties possibly stand up to the "Yellow Turban Warriors"?
Soon after, Ganyu County and Zhuqi County were captured in succession. Then came the crackdown on local tyrants and the distribution of grain. The local people were overjoyed and welcomed the Yellow Turbans, shouting, "The Yellow Turbans bring peace!"

Speed ​​is of the essence in war. Based on General Hai Gong's years of experience as a bandit, the Yellow Turbans adopted a strategy of looting and running away.

After the large ships, laden with cargo, sailed away, Lü Bu, upon hearing the news, dispatched Zhang Liao with 5,000 cavalry to their rescue.

However, looking at the devastation in the three counties and the people shouting "Yellow Turban bandits" everywhere, where could he find the so-called Yellow Turban bandits?

I only vaguely heard that the bandit leader, General Hai Gong, had received the true teachings of Zhang Jiao and possessed the magic of flying through the sky and escaping into the sea.

They could only gaze futilely at the vast, boundless sea, sighing in despair.

Not long after, when Zhang Liao returned empty-handed to report, he heard that Zhang Liao had led his cavalry in hot pursuit, but had not even caught a glimpse of the bandits, only bringing back some items such as:

General Hai, Zhang Hai, the fourth brother of Zhang Jiao, possesses magical abilities; he can fly and escape into the sea, appearing and disappearing without a trace.
General Longgong, Zhang Long, was the posthumous son of Zhang Jiao. He possessed magical abilities and could summon Yellow Turban warriors who were impervious to swords and spears.

Lu Bu's brows twitched as he listened. Wasn't this utter nonsense? What was all this about?

To be honest, let alone Lü Bu, even Zhang Liao himself had a wry smile on his face when he came to report these messages, looking extremely embarrassed.

But there was nothing he could do. He went on the trip with great enthusiasm, but he didn't even see the enemy. What intelligence could he possibly provide if he didn't truthfully report the rumors he had gathered?

Seeing Lü and Zhang staring at each other in silence, Chen Gong, standing to the side, laughed.

"General Lü, do not be angry. I already know who the enemy is."

Lu Bu looked at Chen Gong in astonishment, utterly amazed. "No way? This Hai Gong, Long Gong, who also knows magic, how can you know who the enemy is?"

Why doesn't Gongtai speak up?

"In my opinion, this must be because Lord Yuan of Huainan was angered by the general's two-faced attitude in the matter of marrying off his daughter."

Therefore, they pretended to be the Yellow Turbans attacking, as a small punishment to serve as a great warning.

"It turns out that Yuan Shu has attacked. Are you sure, Gongtai? How can you be so sure?"

"Where in this world can one find magic that allows one to fly or escape into the sea? If the enemy attacks, they must be coming by sea."

If we ask which large ships today can navigate the coast as easily as walking on flat ground, who else but Yuan Shu's Jiangdong Navy could do it?
Not to mention the Yellow Turban warriors who are impervious to swords and spears. In the previous battle against Liang, Yuan Gong had eighteen armored cavalrymen who pierced through the enemy lines and treated the large army like grass. Doesn't that perfectly match the description of being invulnerable to swords and spears?

Furthermore, these Yellow Turban rebels not only fail to alleviate the suffering of the people, but even open granaries to distribute grain, thus promoting Yuan Shao's reputation as the Son of Heaven. If they are not Yuan Shao's soldiers in disguise, then who else could they be?

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu flew into a rage!
“Okay, okay!

I even discussed marriage with him to reconcile our relationship, but I never expected him to do such a despicable thing, sending his troops to impersonate the Yellow Turbans and rob my county.

"Outrageous! This is outrageous! Quickly! Gongtai, write a letter to rebuke him. If Lord Yuan doesn't give me an explanation on this matter, I will never let him get away with it!"

Unexpectedly, Chen Gong shook his head and advised against it.

"General, you mustn't!"

"what?"

Lu Bu could hardly believe it. "Yuan Gonglu is an inhuman man who robbed my counties. I am now ordering you to send a letter to denounce him, and you actually say you can't?"

"Chen Gongtai! Whose side are you on? Don't tell me you also dream of enjoying wealth and luxury on that golden platform in Shouchun?"

Chen Gong sighed helplessly and offered an explanation.

"To say that this matter was said by Lord Yuan is merely my speculation. General, what evidence can you provide to prove that these Yellow Turban rebels are Lord Yuan's army when you send a letter questioning them?"
As for the large ship and armor, if he didn't insist that they were the magic of flying and escaping the sea, or the Yellow Turban warriors, how could we prove that they were false, given the ignorance and superstition of the world?
Even today, many people still believe that the great teacher Zhang Jiao possessed supernatural powers such as healing with talismanic water and commanding thunder and lightning.

Even if the Yellow Turban rebels didn't harm ordinary people, but instead spread the name of Lord Yuan, he could still casually say:
So there were righteous men among the Yellow Turban rebels!

If he were to claim that all of this was a spontaneous act by the Yellow Turban rebels, how would the general refute him then?

Lu Bu was completely bewildered and furious.

"Am I supposed to swallow this insult? Ji Ling's previous act of secretly hiding spiked armor and using me to gain fame has already made countless people laugh at my incompetence, Lu Bu."

Now you expect me to swallow my anger and keep quiet about some worthless Yellow Turban rebels? If this gets out, where will my lifelong reputation as Lü Bu be?

The Yuan family has held high office for four generations, their reputation spreading throughout the land. Does that give them the right to sophistry and resort to extortion and fraud?

Chen Gong: "."

What kind of illustrious reputation do you, Lü Bu, have?

In Chen Gong's view, this is nothing more than you using your daughter to string someone along, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Now that Lord Yuan is angry, it's not unusual for him to send troops to plunder.

It's estimated that if it weren't for Liu Bei in Pei State blocking things, Yuan's army would have already fought several major battles this year and would need to recuperate.

If you keep them hanging like this, they might not just plunder them, but send troops to attack.

It was clear that Lü Bu seemed completely unaware of the injustice of his previous actions.

Instead, he was only resentful that Yuan Shu had committed such an inhumane act, and that he had to suffer in silence. Chen Gong didn't say anything more about it, and only asked:

"Yuan Gong's actions today serve two purposes: warning and coercion. He is clearly already angry. What are your plans, General? The matter of marrying off your daughter should be decided as soon as possible, otherwise, you may not become in-laws but enemies."

When Chen Gong inquired about this matter, Lü Bu hesitated for a moment before finally handing Chen Gong a royal edict that he had kept close to his body.

Chen Gong was surprised and unfolded the imperial edict to read it.

In the past, the treacherous Dong Zhuo was cruel and took advantage of my youth, causing the Han Dynasty to collapse and the world to decline.

"Who else but you, General, could have helped me, to understand the greater good and plan the restoration, to serve the king diligently and punish the traitor Dong Zhuo, to save me from danger and protect the nation and its people?"
I will forever remember your great kindness and virtue. Whenever I think of your bravery, which is unparalleled in the world, I wish I could always be by your side.

Today there is a traitor, Yuan Shu, who is following the example of the traitor Dong Zhuo, outwardly claiming to be loyal to the emperor, but inwardly harboring extraordinary ambitions.

He stole the imperial seal, deceived the emperor, and arrogantly declared himself regent; he is intolerable to Heaven and Earth.

I hereby appoint you, General of the Guards, grant you the authority to command troops, and appoint you Governor of Xu Province to punish the traitor Yuan Shao. Do not fail my expectations.

(End of this chapter)