Chapter 99

Military camp on the east side of Wanshan.

Black Bear sat cross-legged beside the star-shaped campfire, using a quill pen to write down his battle experience on bamboo paper.

Zhen Mi could roughly recognize simplified Chinese characters, so the words she wrote this time were more distinctive.

He only wrote key words, interspersed with capitalized pinyin initials, leaving only a link for mental deduction.

When he had finished writing, he looked at the quill.

After each adult goose plucks this large feather, its daily goose down production will be reduced.

Through several experiments, he has discovered that he can repeatedly summon the same goose to pluck the hard feathers from the same part of its body.

The cost is that the stored goose down will be reduced proportionally.

It is equivalent to exchanging goose down for hard feathers.

As for calligraphy, he deliberately used a white magic power to strengthen his right hand, making it more flexible and able to write smoothly in the fonts he remembered.

Even if it is only similar in shape, this hard pen calligraphy can be regarded as iron hook and silver painting, which makes him feel pleasing to the eye.

While I was thinking, I heard faint crying in the distance.

I heard the scolding voice again and the crying gradually stopped.

Out of vigilance, Black Bear picked up his leather helmet and put it on his head, then walked towards the direction of the crying, where the Qingzhou soldiers on duty had already lit many torches.

When Black Bear approached, he saw dozens of Cai captives kneeling in a row and the Qingzhou soldiers in a tense standoff.

The Qingzhou soldiers, who were experienced in fighting in many battles, were afraid of causing a stir in the camp, so they just suppressed the crying prisoners and did not dare to take any further action.

Just as he was about to ask Black Bear for instructions, he saw Black Bear approaching, and several Qingzhou soldiers stepped forward and said, "General Qu."

"What exactly?"

"The son of one of the captives died in battle. When the corpse was being carried, it was recognized by the villagers. I just gave it to the deceased's father."

The Qingzhou soldier gave a brief account. He did not want to get involved, so he pointed at the captives and said, "I suppressed them immediately. No one resisted with weapons."

"Well done. When the military market opens tomorrow, I'll give you ten stones of wine."

Black Bear pointed at the captives and said, "Let them go. I will go find Cai Yan and the others. If nothing unexpected happens, we will cook at 3:00 a.m. tomorrow and arrange for 500 captives to escort the deceased back to Caizhou for burial around 4:00 a.m. tomorrow."

His medicinal materials have been in short supply, and he has to find a way to buy them from the Xiangyang market tomorrow.

Arranging some of the lightly injured prisoners to transport the dead back to Caizhou tomorrow will reduce a lot of pressure.

In order to appease the troops, the barracks in this small camp were given to the wounded soldiers from all sides, and the rest of the people camped in the wilderness.

Wooden stakes and ropes were driven into each area to limit the scope of movement. Even when entering and exiting, one had to follow the planned route.

Along this route, the tireless general Lu Bu would patrol on horseback from time to time.

Soon, Black Bear found Cai Yan and told her about his plans and concerns: "You suffered a lot of damage yesterday. Since nightfall, there have been many cries and sadness. I am worried that if this continues, there will be a camp riot."

Including Yi Ji and Wang Wei, there are close to ten thousand people here.

If someone has a nightmare and shouts out unconsciously, there is a high possibility that the camp will be blown up.

In order to prevent the camp from bombing, Yi Ji took two thousand soldiers from the South Township and camped for the night two miles to the south.

In fact, it would be safest to withdraw the troops and return to Nanxiang tomorrow. Every day we stay near Xiangyang is filled with danger.

But if we withdraw our troops directly, Liu Qi will be isolated.

What we are fighting for now is will and determination. I am not afraid of the camp being blown up, so why should I be afraid of fighting you?
The black bear was worried about the howling of the camp, and Cai Yan was even more terrified.

Cai's troops were captives and unarmed.

If a real camp fight breaks out and a chaotic killing occurs, the only unlucky ones will be Cai's troops.

Judging from the current mental state, if a camp roar breaks out, it will most likely be caused by Cai's troops.

Therefore, even if you managed to survive the camp roar, it would be difficult to escape the reckoning during the day.

Cai Yan did not dare to delay, so Black Bear assigned a team of personal soldiers with torches to escort Cai Yan to various places and comfort those Cai soldiers who had trouble sleeping.

The dead are the most important. Sending the dead and injured back to Caizhou first will put most people at ease.

In order to prevent unconscious sleep talking from causing a commotion in the camp, Cai Yan made further arrangements and ordered the villagers and soldiers who were staying overnight in various places to take turns sleeping.

Ensuring that there is always someone awake and alert can give peace of mind to those who are sleeping.

Black Bear had long made it a habit to stay up late, and he distracted himself by remotely controlling Lu Bu to continue his night patrol.

As the sky gradually brightened, smoke filled the camp.

Whether they were Qingzhou soldiers or captured soldiers, they were all busy preparing breakfast in small camps.

The people living nearby even went out before dawn and set up stalls outside the military camp.

Ordinary people would rather avoid war than anything else.

But after the battle, they will actively participate in military market trade.

However, this military market is destined to be difficult to prosper, as the captured soldiers are not eligible for consumption, and the Qingzhou soldiers are temporary reorganizations of the prisoners.

The items captured and cleaned from the battlefield have already been handed over, and the Qingzhou soldiers have no spending power.

The two thousand Nanxiang soldiers were hastily recruited and assembled by Yi Ji, and they were not accustomed to the consumption habits of Xiangyang.

Almost the same as yesterday, the military market is just for show.

After breakfast, under the supervision of the Qingzhou soldiers, the captured soldiers began to carry the wounded and the dead onto the ship.

About 500 lightly wounded prisoners rowed boats, carrying more than 900 dead fellow villagers down the Han River and heading towards Caizhou.

After finishing all these, both the Qingzhou soldiers and the captured soldiers went to Wanshan to cut bamboo and wood.

The army itself is a highly efficient construction team.

The black bear took the time to fall asleep in a barracks filled with the smell of blood.

The battle that broke out suddenly yesterday has only begun to have various influences today.

Also because the battle was over, many people boldly went out and discussed endlessly.

Xu Si also took a carriage back to Xiangyang. He was supposed to return yesterday, but the people in Longzhong who fled south into the Zhonglu Valley brought news of the mutiny.

After Yang Lu's persuasion, Xu Si stopped his return journey.

When Liu Qi issued a notice to reassure the people, grassroots officials were responsible for copying it.

Probably tonight, the most remote Yiling County will receive a notice passed down through layers of government, informing them that the former county governor Cai Mao had rebelled and had been defeated and executed by Prince Liu Qi.

And Prince Liu Qi, starting from tomorrow, will be the new prefect of Nanjun, known to everyone in the counties and towns.

After seven or eight days, he became the well-known county magistrate of Nanjun.

When Liu Qi took over Nanjun, the people of Nanjun were naturally delighted. Especially the local scholars and powerful people, the new members of the Nanjun prefecture government could only be selected from the scholars of Nanjun; the future renewal of the old and the new meant that the people of Nanjun could occupy a more advantageous position in the state government and the Zhennan shogunate.

Xu Si was from Xiangyang. He had been in officialdom for a long time and had witnessed the grand scenes in the Central Plains.

He always suspected that he would be recruited by Liu Qi.

However, with his reputation, he would definitely be given an important position in the new county government, which would attract hostility from many people and go against Xu Si's original intention of preserving his life in the chaotic times.

Even such a brave and powerful man as Lü Wenhou failed. Liu Yuzhou was also very strong-willed, but he still fled to Jingzhou in disgrace.

Xu Si no longer had any extra thoughts about this chaotic world.

When he entered the west gate of Xiangyang by car, he saw many people gathered beside the city gate to watch the new notice.

There was so much discussion and noise that Xu Si couldn't hear clearly what was being discussed.

He got off the deer cart and asked a scholar beside him: "What happened?"

"Zhennan Shogunate issued a notice, appointing Young Master Qi as General Fubo."

The scholar spoke with a Central Plains accent, and was not very excited: "If you are interested, you can go and become a disciple of Master Qi."

Xu Si immediately understood that Liu Biao wanted to delegate all power.

As the prefect of Nanjun, Liu Qi could only unite and win over the scholars of Nanjun. The more he won over, the more he would alienate the scholars of Nanyang, Jiangxia, Jingnan counties and those from other states.

And appointing General Fu Bo meant that Liu Qi could surround himself with scholars from outside Nanjun.

Whether he is temporarily serving as General Fu Bo or acting as General Fu Bo, it is just a transition at the moment.

General Fubo was a general in name only, but this title would cause dissatisfaction among Jiaozhou people.

Maybe it's just a transition, there will definitely be a better general waiting for Liu Qi.

In an instant, Xu Si gave up the idea of ​​going to Yizhou to avoid the chaos.

If given a choice, who would be willing to leave their hometown and live under someone else's roof?
Staying in Xiangyang can bring honor to the family, and retreat can strengthen the clan.

The previous fear was the worry that Cai Mao would become the second Shen Pei; now that Prince Liu Qi had acted decisively and Cai Mao had surrendered, the hidden danger of civil war in Jingzhou was infinitely reduced.

In that case, there is really no need to go to Yizhou.

After thinking for a while, Xu Si bowed to the scholar in front of him, got on the carriage and said to the servant, "Drive to see the new governor."

The servant drove away before saying, "Given the master's reputation, the new governor will certainly recruit me. If I were to become his disciple now, I'm afraid I'd be criticized."

"If you want to do great things, why do you have to pretend?"

Xu Si was fascinated. He looked up at the pedestrians and merchants in the distance. He couldn't help but smile: "If you slow down one step, you will slow down all the steps. There are many people in Lumen Mountain. If I care about my reputation, I can only be a subordinate if I join you, sir."

If you go there now, if you can't become a Gongcao of the county government, you can at least be a clerk in the East or West Cao, or at worst a clerk.

If it is difficult to arrange a job here in the county government, I can also take on an important task in General Fu Bo’s mansion.

If you want to quickly integrate into the new core team of Jingzhou and gain an important position, you must not have any shame!
I have no shame at all. If Prince Liu Qi refuses to give me face, I will decisively go to Yizhou!
Xu Si was thinking about it and noticed that there were familiar faces in the oncoming caravan, so he glanced at them a few more times.

The other party also noticed it and looked at Xu Si in confusion.

Xu Si just smiled. He had traveled all over the country for so many years and had met many people with similar faces.

He did not think it was strange and thought carefully about what words to use when paying a visit to Liu Qi.

On the street, Guo Jia looked back and watched Xu Si's donkey cart going farther and farther away.

The guard following him whispered, "Sir?"

"nothing."

Guo Jia's eyes fell on the baskets of peaches transported by the caravan, which he had asked Kuai Yue to get for him.

Today I will take these peaches to Wanshan Military Market to sell them.

Before meeting up with 'Black Bear', you must first meet the leader of the Qingzhou soldiers.

Kuai Yue’s help was not in vain.

The people of Jingzhou viewed Cao Cao as a traitor to the country, while Cao Cao viewed Liu Biao as a rebel.

It was inconvenient for Liu Biao and Cao Cao to visit each other, but the official exchanges between the Zhennan Shogunate, Jingzhou Prefecture and the imperial court were reasonable.

Liu Biao would present local products from Jingzhou to the emperor every spring and autumn, and the court would also recognize the legal status of the filial and honest people recommended by Jingzhou.

In short, despite the hostility, the Jingzhou side still recognized the sole legitimacy of the Emperor of Xudu; the Emperor of Xudu also recognized Liu Biao's achievements in pacifying the people.

Therefore, it was normal for Liu Biao, in addition to taking in Liu Bei, to reach relevant agreements with Cao Cao through various channels.

For example, at this moment, Cao Cao did not want to be disturbed in his attack on Hebei, and Liu Biao did not want to send troops to assist Liu Bei.

There are needs for both sides here, and as a counselor, it is natural to solve this problem.

When Guo Jia and his companions were about to go out of the west gate, they met Wen Pin and his companions who were entering the city in the corridor of the city gate.

Wen Pin was riding a horse, holding the whip in his right hand and resting it on his leg. His eyes fell on Guo Jia's guards.

In an instant, Wen Pin gently pulled the reins, held the whip in his right hand and stretched out his arm to intercept, and the personal soldiers behind him immediately surrounded them, with spears and halberds lined up like a forest in front of Guo Jia and his men.

Wen Pin tilted his head to look at Guo Jia, who seemed to be the leader, and then looked at the guards' eyes and immediately confirmed that Guo Jia was the leader.

Guo Jia was about to apologize with a smile, but Wen Pin frowned: "Where are you from, and where are you going?"

"Reporting to the general, we are merchants from Runan and are heading to Wanshan. We heard that there is a new military market there."

Guo Jia took out a stack of bamboo talismans and handed them over with both hands: "This is my customs clearance document."

Wen Pin picked it up and saw the signatures of the Guanjinwei of Jiangxia and Zhangling counties, and there was also a silk letter tucked inside.

He spread it out and saw that it was actually an official document with the seal of Kuai Yue, the military advisor of Zhennan Shogunate. He immediately folded it, clamped it between two bamboo talismans, and handed it back.

"Thank you, General."

"I'll remember you. When you're done, leave quickly."

Wen Pin raised his right hand to signal for Guo Jia to let him go, and smiled at him: "Next time we meet, the military advisor's official document will be of no use to me."

"No, no, I'll leave soon."

Guo Jia bowed deeply, Wen Pin looked at him with lowered eyebrows for a few seconds, and said with a little regret: "I am Wen Pin, the Sima of Zhennan Shogunate. Today, my lord has recruited me to become the Sima of Fubo. The next time I see you, I will definitely capture you and bring you to see the master!"

Now is the time to give face to military advisor Kuai Yue.

What you said is very clear, there is no need to wait until next time.

Once I, Wen Pin, complete the job transfer procedure, I will come to catch you!

I was bullied by Tai Shi Wen Gong yesterday. I've been holding this anger in for the whole night and I finally want to let it out.

(End of this chapter)