My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

On the seventh day after the fall of Guangzong City, while the imperial court's bestowals and rewards were still in effect, the imperial envoy arrived again.

The newcomer was no more than thirty years old. His name was Zuo Feng. He had a fair complexion, no beard, and long, narrow eyebrows and eyes. He wore a brocade robe and a Jinxian hat. Behind him were more than a hundred Imperial Guardsmen. He was truly awe-inspiring.

However, her eyes always carried a hint of femininity and a hint of greed, making her unpleasant to look at.

This man was Zhang Rang's confidant and enjoyed Emperor Ling's deep trust.

Lu Zhi led his troops to greet them in front of the prefect's residence.

Ji Xuanyuan, wrapped in a fox fur coat, stood beside Lu Zhi. His face was so pale in the sunlight that it was almost transparent. The moment his peerless beauty appeared, Zuo Feng's eyes lit up.

"Lord Lu has done a great service." Zuo Feng's voice was high-pitched and drawn out.

"I heard about the great victory at Guangzong when I was in Luoyang. Zhang Jiao was killed and 150,000 enemy soldiers were defeated. This is an incredible achievement."

Lu Zhi cupped his hands in thanks: "It is all thanks to the soldiers' bravery and the Emperor's great fortune."

Zuo Feng smiled and scanned the crowd, his gaze finally settling on Ji Xuanyuan, pausing for a full three breaths: "This must be General Ji Xuanyuan, the one who defeated 50,000 with only 2,000 men and lifted the siege of Qingzhou, right? Truly... a dragon among men."

That gaze, like a venomous snake's tongue, roamed over Ji Xuanyuan's face and body.

Ji Xuanyuan felt his hair stand on end, but he forced himself to bow and said, "This humble general, Ji Xuanyuan, greets the Left Attendant."

"Okay, okay." Zuo Feng stepped forward and reached out to support Ji Xuanyuan's arm.

Seeing this, Dian Wei's large eyes widened, and his twin halberds twitched slightly. The Imperial Guard behind Zuo Feng immediately drew his sword, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Lu Zhi calmly stepped aside to block him, cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency Zuo has come a long way and must be tired. Please come inside and rest. A banquet has been prepared."

The banquet was held in the main hall of the prefect's residence.

Zuo Feng sat in the main seat, with Lu Zhi and Ji Xuanyuan on his left and right respectively.

The generals lined up according to their ranks, with Tian Feng and Ju Shou sitting below Ji Xuanyuan. After a few rounds of drinks, Zuo Feng became more talkative.

"General Ji, how old are you this year?" Zuo Feng asked with a smile, holding a wine cup.

"This humble general is seventeen years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning)."

"Seventeen... truly a young hero." Zuo Feng's gaze lingered on him again.

"I've seen many young men in the palace, but I've never seen anyone with such looks and abilities as General Ji. I wonder if General Ji... is he/she married?"

This question was presumptuous. All the generals in the hall frowned.

Lu Zhi said in a deep voice, "Left Attendant, General Ji is a great general in the army. At this victory celebration banquet, we should discuss important military and national affairs."

Zuo Feng glanced at Lu Zhi, his smile fading slightly: "Lu Zhonglang is right. However, besides rewarding the troops, I have another matter to discuss with you..."

He put down his wine cup and took out a roll of yellow silk from his sleeve: "Lu Zhi receives the imperial decree."

Everyone in the hall knelt.

"The imperial edict reads: Lu Zhi, the General of the Northern Army, besieged Zhang Jiao at Guangzong but remained inactive, waiting for divine punishment. This has wasted resources and caused delays in the battle. He is hereby dismissed from all his posts, arrested, and brought back to the capital for questioning. This is the imperial decree."

The hall was deathly silent.

Lu Zhi knelt on the ground, his body trembling slightly, but he raised his head and said, "Your subject Lu Zhi receives the imperial decree, but the statement 'remaining inactive and awaiting divine punishment' is a complete fabrication! I besieged Guangzong for two months, attacking day and night, and my soldiers suffered over ten thousand casualties. How could I have remained inactive?!"

Zuo Feng sneered, "Lu Zhonglang, this is His Majesty's will. Are you going to disobey the imperial decree?"

"Your subject dares not," Lu Zhi said through gritted teeth.

"However, I must appear before the Emperor to plead my case!"

"To meet the Emperor?" Zuo Feng scoffed.

"Lu Zhonglang, you should think about how to plead your case in the Imperial Court prison. Guards—"

The Imperial Guard stepped forward and, in front of everyone, removed Lu Zhi's hat and put him in shackles.

Ji Xuanyuan knelt to one side, his mind racing.

He was well-versed in history and knew that Lu Zhi would be imprisoned upon his return to the capital, and that he would have almost lost his life if not for Huangfu Song's protection.

This great Confucian scholar of our time, the progenitor of the future "Northern State Elite Clan" of Fanyang Lu, must not be lost!

More importantly, if we could acquire Lu Zhi, his reputation among scholars would make it much easier to recruit talented people from all over the country!

He looked up and met Zuo Feng's gaze.

Besides greed, there was also a hint of...amusement in those eyes?

Ji Xuanyuan felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that the eunuch was deliberately making trouble at this moment to see how everyone would react.

"General Ji," Zuo Feng suddenly said.

"With Lu Zhi gone, you will temporarily take charge of the Guangzong campaign. As for the merit of capturing the city... I will report the truthfully after I return to the capital."

There's more to that than meets the eye.

Report truthfully?

If this is true, Lu Zhi should be credited first. He is implying that he has the final say on who gets the credit.

Ji Xuanyuan lowered his head: "This subordinate...understands."

That night, at Zuo Feng's lodging.

Ji Xuanyuan brought only Dian Wei with him, carrying a wooden box, to request an audience.

Zuo Feng dismissed his attendants, leaving only Ji Xuanyuan in the room.

"General Ji, what brings you here so late at night?" Zuo Feng leaned against the couch, his clothes half-open, revealing his fair chest.

That sight made Ji Xuanyuan's stomach churn.

"This humble servant will come to pay respects to Attendant-in-Ordinary." Ji Xuanyuan opened the wooden box.

The box was filled with glittering gold, weighing a hundred pounds. At the very top, a luminous pearl the size of an egg lay quietly, its warm glow shimmering under the candlelight. This was a treasure found in Zhang Jiao's bedroom.

Zuo Feng's eyes lit up. He reached out and stroked the luminous pearl, then weighed the gold in his hand: "General Ji... is very sensible."

Ji Xuanyuan forced a smile and said, "You've worked hard, Attendant. This is just a small token of my appreciation. There's another matter I'd like to ask for your assistance with."

"Oh? Tell me about it."

"Lu Zhi is a stubborn and self-willed man who has repeatedly humiliated me," Ji Xuanyuan fabricated his explanation.

"Now that he has been escorted back to the capital, I fear that he may rise again and take revenge on me in the future, so... I plan to arrange for someone to escort him on his way."

Zuo Feng raised an eyebrow: "You want to kill Lu Zhi?"

"Yes, but the Attendant-in-Ordinary must cooperate," Ji Xuanyuan said in a low voice.

"When you return to the capital to report, please only say that Lu Zhi was killed by bandits on the way and his body was never found. This pearl... is a token of my gratitude."

Zuo Feng played with the luminous pearl, then suddenly laughed: "General Ji, you are indeed ruthless, but... I like it."

He stood up and walked to Ji Xuanyuan. Ji Xuanyuan was tense all over.

Zuo Feng stretched out his finger and lightly drew a circle on Ji Xuanyuan's chest, his voice ambiguous: "General Ji, with such looks and such skills... you really make my heart flutter. Come to the palace to see me often in the future, I'm... quite lonely."

He leaned closer, his breath brushing against Ji Xuanyuan's ear: "I agree to this, but..."

His fingers traced up his chest and down his neck: "General Ji, you must remember our kindness. When we return to Luoyang, we will host a banquet, and you must come."

Ji Xuanyuan suppressed his nausea and took a step back: "This humble general... has remembered."

"Hahaha..." Zuo Feng laughed loudly.

"Go. In three days, our chief, Lu Zhi, will set off. You... know what to do."

As soon as he stepped out the door, Dian Wei came to greet him.

Seeing Ji Xuanyuan's pale face, the simpleton cried out anxiously, "General! That eunuch didn't do anything to you, did he?!"

"It's alright." Ji Xuanyuan took a deep breath.

"go back."

On the way, Dian Wei was still muttering, "The way that eunuch looked at the general...it gave me goosebumps all over! My mother said that all the eunuchs in the palace are no good, and she was right..."

Upon returning to the military camp, Ji Xuanyuan immediately summoned Tian Feng and Ju Shou for a secret meeting. He then explained the plan to the two of them.

Ju Shou clapped his hands: "This plan is brilliant! By faking death to escape, we can save Lord Lu and avoid the court's suspicion. However... Lord Lu is of a strong and unyielding nature, and I'm afraid he will not be willing to do such a treacherous thing."

Tian Feng pondered, "I will go and say that I once served as a censor in the court, and I have a past relationship with Lord Lu. Moreover... if he is really imprisoned, his life will be in danger. Between two evils, we should choose the lesser one."

That night, Tian Feng secretly met with Lu Zhi.

Inside the cell, Lu Zhi sat in shackles, his face ashen. Seeing Ju Shou enter, he said with a bitter smile, "Is Yuan Hao here to see me make a fool of myself?"

"Why do you say such a thing, Lord Lu?" Tian Feng asked solemnly.

"Feng has come to rescue you."

He explained Ji Xuanyuan's plan in detail, and Lu Zhi listened in silence for a long time.

"Wen Lie... is he going to bribe Zuo Feng for me? And even fake his death?" Lu Zhi's voice was hoarse.

"Does he know that throughout my life, I, Lu Zigan, have hated nothing more than those who flatter and fawn, and those who offer and accept bribes!"

"That's why General Ji is all the more admirable," Tian Feng sighed.

"He knew that Lord Lu would despise such an act, yet he was still willing to take the risk to save you. Lord Lu, General Ji, despite his illness, feigned compliance with that eunuch Zuo Feng... Do you know how much humiliation General Ji has suffered for you, that Zuo Feng has a penchant for pedophilia..."

Lu Zhi's body trembled.

"General Ji endured such humiliation to save you, and even offered a hundred gold pieces and precious pearls," Tian Feng continued.

"Lord Lu, ask yourself honestly, among all the feudal lords in the world, who would go to such lengths for someone they've only known for a month or so?"

Lu Zhi closed his eyes, and after a long while, he sighed, "Zhi...I have failed Wenlie."

"So, Lord Lu has agreed?"

"However, there is one thing." Lu Zhi opened his eyes, his gaze sharp.

"After faking my death, I will live in anonymity, but if you want me to help Ji Wenlie conquer the world... I need to see if he is truly a wise ruler. If he wreaks havoc on the world for his own selfish desires, I, Lu Zhi, would rather die than leave!"

Ju Shou smiled and said, "Lord Lu, rest assured. After observing you for more than a month, I can say with certainty that our lord truly has the will to bring peace to the world and the heart to save the people. Lord Lu, you can remain hidden in the army and observe for yourself."

Three days later, Zuo Feng escorted Lu Zhi on his journey.

Upon reaching Black Wind Ridge, fifty li southwest of Guangzong, they were indeed "attacked." A group of masked "mountain bandits" attacked, and the Imperial Guards suffered "heavy casualties." Lu Zhi "fell to his death from a cliff," while Zuo Feng "escaped by sheer luck" and returned to the capital to report.

That night, Lu Zhi was secretly brought back to Xuanyuan's army, disguised and given an alias, and temporarily became Tian Feng's "advisor".

The scene before Zuo Feng left had already spread throughout the army.

"You didn't see it!" Yang Zaixing gestured in the camp.

"That castrated dog's fingers were drawing circles on Big Brother's chest! My goodness, I got goosebumps all over!"

Lu Bu, with his youthful spirit, laughed so hard he almost fell over: "That eunuch must have taken a liking to you, brother! Hahahaha! Even a eunuch would be tempted by your looks, brother!"

"Bullshit!" Dian Wei said in a muffled voice. This simpleton had been traumatized that day, and when he got back, he actually hugged Li Cunxiao and cried.

"If that castrated dog dares to touch the general again, I'll tear him to eight pieces!"

Li Cunxiao pushed him away with a look of disgust: "Get lost! You've got your snot on my armor!"

The generals laughed.

Ji Xuanyuan sat in the main seat, rubbing his forehead and smiling wryly. What on earth is all this...?

After laughing, Guan Yu said seriously, "Brother, although Zuo Feng promised to cover for us, eunuchs are fickle and unpredictable, so we must be careful."

"What Yun Chang said is absolutely right." Ji Xuanyuan nodded.

"Therefore, we must go south to Yingchuan as soon as possible, make new contributions, and the greater our achievements, the less likely the court will dare to touch us."

He looked at Tian Feng and Ju Shou: "Gentlemen, the Battle of Yingchuan still requires planning."

He then looked at the "new advisor" in the corner: "Mr. Lu, you have been in the court for a long time and are familiar with the general situation of the world. I hope you will not hesitate to give me your advice."

Lu Zhi, using the alias "Lu Yin," rose and bowed deeply to Ji Xuanyuan: "General, you saved my life. I dare not express my gratitude. Zhang Liang of Yingchuan is brave but lacks strategy. Although his army is numerous, it is no match for Zhang Jiao's..."

He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "General Zhu Jun is cautious in his military tactics, and I'm afraid he won't achieve a quick victory. If you want to make another great contribution, you should use a surprise attack."

Ji Xuanyuan's eyes lit up: "Please explain in detail, sir."

Lu Zhi walked to the map. At that moment, the imprisoned criminal was gone, replaced by a great Confucian scholar and military strategist of the time:

"Zhang Liang's 100,000 troops are stationed at Changshe outside Yingchuan City. The terrain there is flat, making it advantageous for defense but not for attack. General Zhu Jun's 40,000 troops would suffer heavy casualties if they launched a direct assault, however..."

He pointed with his finger: "To the west of Changshe is Mount Song, and to the east is the Ying River. If an army sneaks out from Mount Song and cuts off their supply lines, and another army lies in ambush on the banks of the Ying River, waiting to intercept and kill them when they collapse... Zhang Liang can be defeated."

Tian Feng clapped his hands: "Lord Lu's plan is exactly what I wanted!"

Ju Shou added: "We also need to spread rumors that Zhang Bao has been defeated in Nanyang and that General Huangfu Song is leading his army to his aid. This will surely throw Zhang Liang's army into disarray."

Ji Xuanyuan listened to the three brilliant strategists discuss their plans, and his heart was filled with excitement.

With such generals and such strategies, how can the world not be at peace?

He coughed a few times, a blush rising on his pale face: "Then we shall follow the plan of the three gentlemen. Three days from now, the entire army will set off south to Yingchuan!"

"promise!"

After the generals left, Lu Zhi remained alone.

He looked at Ji Xuanyuan and suddenly bowed deeply to the ground: "I will never forget Wenlie's life-saving grace. My words in the prison cell were just my naivety. From now on, I am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse and help Wenlie to bring peace to the world."

Ji Xuanyuan quickly helped him up, saying, "Lord Lu, you flatter me! It is my great fortune to have your assistance!"

The two looked at each other, and everything was understood without a word.