Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3862 The People's Immunity is Shameless

Whether Cao Cao could have a second Xu You was uncertain, but Wei Yan in Chenliu territory truly did have a "Xu You"!
On the open fields of Chenliu County, the winter north wind whipped up dry, yellow dust and gravel, which pelted the armor and robes of the vanguard of the Flying Cavalry Army, making muffled thuds.

There are many people from the Central Plains of Shandong.

There are at least more people than in other parts of the Han Dynasty.

However, a large number of people will bring many problems...

For example, more farmland is needed, but farming will destroy the original vegetation. Once it becomes barren, or like in autumn and winter, when strong winds blow, not only clouds fly, but also sand and dust fly.

However, Wei Yan didn't care about the sand and dust at all. He stopped his horse on a hillside and looked at the smoke and dust that gradually appeared on the distant horizon, with a hint of joy in his eyes.

Zang Ba has come to join!

Zang Ba was a long-standing figure in Shandong and the Central Plains, active in the region since the beginning of the chaos. He served various factions, and even after surrendering to Cao Cao, he only obeyed orders and not formal summons, making him a local strongman. Now that Cao Cao's army was in decline, it seemed reasonable for such a figure to lead his troops to surrender.

Before long, the group arrived at the hillside and slowly came to a stop.

One person from the group, accompanied by three or five guards, stood at the bottom of the slope.

The leader appeared to be middle-aged, with a slightly dark complexion and some scars on the skin exposed outside his armor.

He was physically strong, with sharp eyes that also revealed his shrewdness, and he exuded a wild and untamed spirit.

It was Zang Ba.

Zang Ba dismounted, handed his weapon to his attendant, and stepped forward alone. He gave a solemn salute to Wei Yan, who was still mounted, and said in a loud voice, "I have long admired General Wei's illustrious name! I am unworthy, having mistakenly followed the traitor Cao Cao in the past. Now, observing the celestial signs, I know that the Han Dynasty is destined to rise again, and that General Wei is the chosen one! Therefore, I have led my men to join your ranks, willing to be your vanguard and together punish the traitors to serve you! I hope you will not reject me!"

Zang Ba adopted a humble attitude and spoke eloquently.

Wei Yan was naturally pleased. He needed a guide familiar with the situation in Shandong and also needed to expand the effectiveness of his harassment raids deep within Cao Cao's territory. Seeing Zang Ba's performance, he immediately dismounted, stepped forward to help Zang Ba up, and laughed loudly: "General Zang, you are truly righteous, abandoning darkness for light! This is a wise move! I welcome you with open arms! From now on, we are comrades, serving under you, and together we will achieve great feats!"

What?
An old friend from Wu?

He has already been beheaded.

Wei Yan's temperament has always been like this.

The two embraced and chatted happily, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wei Yan invited Zang Ba and his main generals into the army camp and prepared a simple feast for them.

During the banquet, Wei Yan focused on inquiring from Zang Ba about Cao Cao's troop deployments in Yanzhou, Qingzhou, and Xuzhou, the strength of their supply lines, and the situation of the garrison commanders in each region.

Zang Ba was quite straightforward and spoke his mind, telling Wei Yan about the relatively weak rear of Cao Cao's army, the insufficient defense of many cities, and several important grain and fodder transport nodes. Some of this intelligence could be corroborated by the scattered information gathered by the Flying Cavalry, which gave Wei Yan more confidence.

"General Zang has long been stationed in Qing and Xu provinces and is familiar with their geography and people. His arrival to join us is truly a blessing for our army!"

Wei Yan raised his cup in a toast, showing considerable appreciation for the "value" displayed by Zang Ba.

Zang Ba also repeatedly expressed his humility, saying that he was willing to serve as a dog or horse, and for a time they got along very well.

However, happiness is always fleeting, sometimes lasting only a moment.

For the first few days, the two armies camped together and lived in peace.

Zang Ba's troops were placed in a separate battalion, and Wei Yan also allocated some grain and fodder as a gesture of reassurance.

Zang Ba and his generals maintained a facade of respect for Wei Yan and his cavalry.

Wei Yan even felt that with the addition of this force familiar with the local situation, he could be bolder in his activities in Yuzhou.

However, this superficial harmony was quickly shattered after Zang Ba's troops donned some of the armor and uniforms of the Flying Cavalry and began to display their banners...

The incident stemmed from a "small problem".

People always need to eat.

We also need warhorses.

Although Wei Yan's military discipline was not as strict as that of Zhao Yun and Zhang Liao, it was fundamentally based on Fei Qian's military discipline. One of the most basic rules was that it was strictly forbidden to plunder or kill civilians without cause.

Because the speed of obtaining food supplies slowed down and became scarce after entering Chenliu, Gan Feng deliberately led his troops back to collect food supplies and went to those large local households in areas outside of Yuzhou to "purchase" or "requisition" them.

As for ordinary people, especially poor farmers, the cavalry had strict orders not to commit any offenses against them.

Although Wei Yan occasionally felt constrained by this order, he knew it was the foundation of the Flying Cavalry Army's existence, and generally complied with it.

But Zang Ba's troops were different.

Zang Ba's troops were essentially a mixture of warlord private soldiers, mountain bandits, and local strongmen's retainers who survived the chaos of the times. Their fighting strength and survival philosophy were completely different from the relatively regular army, the Flying Cavalry, which could even be said to have certain political ideals.

For Zang Ba's troops, looting and killing were important means of maintaining morale, obtaining supplies, and even making money; they had almost become instinctive.

That day, Wei Yan was in his tent discussing the next course of action when a scout captain rushed in, his face filled with indignation, and reported: "General! Something's happened! A group of men under Zang Ba, flying our banner, were 'requisitioning grain' in the vicinity of Lijia Village, about twenty miles to the northwest, and... and they massacred the entire village!"

"Slaughtered them?" Wei Yan frowned. "What happened? Did Cao Cao's troops rebel in Li Family Village?"

The scout captain gritted his teeth: "It wasn't about Cao Cao's army at all! After those people went in, they looted everything they saw and killed everyone they saw! An old man from Li Family Village tried to reason with them, and they were hacked to pieces on the spot! Almost everyone in the village, hundreds of people, was killed! The village was also set on fire! They even... they abducted dozens of women and took them to the camp for sexual intercourse! Now everyone's saying we ordered them to do it!"

"What?!" Wei Yan jumped to his feet, his desk swaying from the impact. His eyes blazed with fury. "They dare to do this under the banner of the General of the Cavalry?!"

Wei Yan immediately realized the seriousness of the problem. This not only violated military discipline, but also tarnished the reputation of the Flying Cavalry!
In his view, killing a few people to establish authority over provisions was not a big problem, but wantonly slaughtering civilians and robbing women was the act of thieves, and it was a disgrace to him, Wei Wenchang, and to the banner of the Flying Cavalry!
"Go! Bring Zang Ba here!" Wei Yan shouted sternly.

Before long, Zang Ba rushed over, his face still showing some confusion: "General Wei, what is the matter that is so urgent?"

Wei Yan suppressed his anger and repeated the scout's words, staring into Zang Ba's eyes. "General Zang, is this how your men 'requisition grain'? Using the banner of the Flying Cavalry to act like mountain bandits?!"

Upon hearing this, Zang Ba showed little fear; instead, he felt Wei Yan was overreacting. He carefully chose his words, then cupped his hands and said, “General Wei, please calm your anger. I have heard of this matter… Most of my men are of humble origins, and their natures are unruly. As for Li Family Village… well, they have a long-standing connection with the Cao family… well, their attitude was arrogant and disrespectful first, that’s right! They also have weapons hidden in the village, plotting something… Perhaps my men’s methods were a bit harsh, but it was to uphold the prestige of the General of the Cavalry, to raise military funds, and to intimidate the locals… In chaotic times, harsh measures are often necessary… Besides, the spoils can replenish the army… I will have someone bring the spoils to you, General…”

"Bullshit!" Unable to contain himself any longer at this blatant lying, Wei Yan slammed his hand on the table, making the cups and saucers rattle. "What do you mean by 'heavy punishments in chaotic times'? That's massacring villages! That's looting! That's ruining the reputation of my Cavalry! Our lord has repeatedly ordered that we not disturb the people! You're disobeying orders! You're slaughtering civilians without cause! Are you trying to make the people think that my Cavalry is no different from Cao Cao or bandits?!"

Zang Ba was taken aback by Wei Yan's anger, but he was also somewhat displeased. He felt that Wei Yan was making veiled accusations, saying on the surface that Cao Cao's army was like thieves, but in reality, he was slandering Zang Ba's background as a thief.

However, now that he was under the banner of the General of the Cavalry, Zang Ba still held back, patiently smiling as he explained, "General Wei, no matter what, people still need to eat, right? And to establish a foothold in Chenliu, sometimes showing force is more effective than showing kindness. Those local strongmen and commoners are mostly opportunists; if we don't let them know the consequences, how will they obediently listen? As for killing... in chaotic times, what's a human life anyway? Who cares about such things? As long as we can win the battle, minor flaws will be overlooked. General, rest assured!"

"No one's investigating?" Wei Yan laughed angrily, pointing at Zang Ba's nose. "I'm investigating! My Flying Cavalry isn't a band of bandits! To establish ourselves, we rely on a righteous army! Not on burning, killing, and looting! You immediately bring here all those who committed atrocities in Li Family Village! Deal with them according to military law!"

Zang Ba's face darkened.

If he were to hand over his subordinates, and especially if he were to be punished according to the "strict" military law of the Flying Cavalry, Zang Ba's prestige within his own troops would vanish.

These retainers have followed him for many years, largely maintained by this indulgence and shared benefits. If he were to hand them over like this...

Zang Ba pondered for a moment, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared into the scar on his face.

After a moment of silence, Zang Ba tried to explain again: "General Wei, this matter is perhaps inappropriate. Although those people made mistakes, they were acting with the public good. If we punish them severely, it might discourage the soldiers. Perhaps… I should go back and give them a stern reprimand, ordering them to hand over most of the spoils and release the kidnappers. What do you think? That would be a satisfactory explanation for you, General."

Zang Ba wanted to smooth things over, to protect his subordinates and his authority.

Wei Yan looked at Zang Ba and suddenly understood.

This wasn't about being "wild" at all; the two armies were fundamentally different. Zang Ba's troops were a typical private army group under feudal separatism, loyal only to their personal commander, with plunder and survival as their primary goals, and no regard for political ideals or long-term popular support. On the other hand, the Flying Cavalry, at least under Fei Qian's guidance and discipline, was transforming into a disciplined and purposeful new army.

However, the problems that have arisen at this moment cannot be left unaddressed.

The anger in Wei Yan's eyes gradually cooled, turning into a cold sharpness.

Wei Yan said no more to Zang Ba, but spoke in an unquestionable tone: "General Zang, military orders are absolute. The laws of the Flying Cavalry are inviolable. You must hand over the man. I will decide how to deal with him. As for whether it will demoralize the soldiers…"

Wei Yan paused, his gaze sweeping sharply over Zang Ba. "That depends on whether they'd rather follow a disciplined and promising army, or continue being bandits."

Wei Yan waved his hand, not allowing Zang Ba any further argument, "Go. I want to see the man and the stolen goods within an hour. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Zang Ba stood there, hesitant to speak, his expression shifting uncertainly. He sensed Wei Yan's determination; if he disobeyed, he would likely face immediate hostility, and a fight with Wei Yan now would certainly end badly.

Zang Ba was no match for Wei Yan, and Zang Ba also knew that Wei Yan knew he was no match for him.

Finally, Zang Ba sighed heavily, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Since the general has given the order... I... will obey..."

Watching Zang Ba's somewhat dejected figure leave, Wei Yan sat back down at his desk, his brows furrowed.

The recruitment of Zang Ba was initially thought to be an aid, but now it seems it might be a source of trouble.

Zang Ba compromised.

Among his subordinates involved in the Lijiacun incident, he handed over three low-ranking leaders and several of the most violent soldiers.

Along with most of the looted goods, they were sent to Wei Yan's central command tent.

Zang Ba's face was gloomy. He didn't say a word throughout the entire process. After handing over the person, he turned and left. His back view clearly showed a strong sense of dissatisfaction and suppressed anger.

The news spread like dust and sand stirred up by a cold wind, sweeping through Zang Ba's camp.

"Why should I?!"

A roar suddenly erupted from one of the tents, followed by a cacophony of shouts and curses.

"That's Cao Cao's territory! Cao Cao's people! What if we rob and kill them?! What harm does it do?!"

"This is war! Damn it, what war doesn't kill people? Those who picked up swords and spears to resist are the enemy! What's the point of talking about morality and righteousness with the enemy?!"

Hypocritical! False benevolence!

"Exactly! We've been living on the edge for years, we've never heard of having to take care of ordinary people!"

"Those are the enemy! What kind of bullshit civilians are you?! If you're taking care of the civilians, then who will take care of us?!"

"The Flying Cavalry are so arrogant! They think they can control everything, even how I fight!"

"They really handed us over?! The tyrant just handed us brothers over like that? This is heartbreaking!"

"Those were the enemy! They were bandits! We were heroes to kill them! Heroes! And then they handed our heroes over?! What kind of nonsense is this?!"

"Benevolence and righteousness? Can benevolence and righteousness put food on the table?!"

"You want military discipline? Fine! Bring me the wine and meat! Send me the women! I have food, drink, and fun; what kind of military discipline can't I have?!"

"Bah! What utter nonsense about military discipline! All pretense! If you really wanted to be benevolent, why didn't you talk to Cao Cao about benevolence and righteousness and make him surrender?"

Anger, confusion, contempt, mockery...

Various emotions spread wildly within Zang Ba's troops.

These soldiers included veterans who had followed Zang Ba in his early years, outlaws struggling to survive in the chaos of war who only cared about fists and personal gain, and local strongmen who had been recruited by Zang Ba.

Their worldview is simple yet cruel.

The law of the jungle prevails; the victor takes all.

Soldiers get paid and soldiers get rich from fighting; it's only natural.

What public opinion or long-term plans are too distant and unrealistic for them.

All they could see were wealth, food, women, and violence.

As for Wei Yan's set of military rules and regulations that "must not disturb the people" and "must not violate military discipline," they found them to be utterly outdated, laughable, and even hypocritical!

"Commander! Just give us an answer! We brothers risked our lives to follow you out here, what were we hoping for? Just to have some fun, to improve our future! Now look what we've done, treated like thieves, and we have to follow other people's rules to get any credit. This is too much for us brothers to bear!"

A burly military officer with a fierce face blocked Zang Ba's tent, shouting loudly, and a group of equally indignant soldiers gathered around him.

"Yeah, Commander! That Wei guy clearly doesn't trust us! He treats us like outsiders! He makes a few brothers today, but tomorrow will he disarm us and dismantle our camp?"

"We voted for him out of respect, not to be humiliated!"

Inside the tent, Zang Ba paced restlessly. He could hear the commotion outside clearly. His subordinates' reactions were exactly what he expected; in fact, these sounds, to some extent, reflected some of his own thoughts.

But he saw further than those brutes.

Zang Ba felt that Wei Yan might be pedantic, but the cavalry force was powerful, and Fei Qian was able to accomplish things, so he probably did have some unique abilities.

Turning against them directly is definitely not the best course of action.

However, the crowd is currently in a state of high morale. If the situation cannot be controlled, the troops may collapse on their own, or even cause a mutiny and conflict with Wei Yan's troops.

He had to step in and appease them.

Zang Ba abruptly flung open the tent flap and strode out. He was a powerfully built man, exuding an imposing presence without anger. As soon as he stepped out, the commotion outside immediately subsided, but countless eyes remained fixed on him, filled with anticipation and dissatisfaction.

"What are you all shouting about?!" Zang Ba shouted in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "General Wei's orders have their reasons! Now that we have pledged allegiance to the General of the Cavalry, we must abide by the General of the Cavalry's rules!"

"But he's the domineering commander..."

Some people disagreed and wanted to argue.

"No buts!" Zang Ba interrupted him, his tone firm, but then he changed the subject, "However, General Wei is not an unreasonable person. His actions in the Li Family Village incident were indeed excessive, giving others ammunition against him! Those people have only themselves to blame! But General Wei has also promised to handle the matter according to military law, not to be overly harsh."

Zang Ba paused again, softening his tone, and said, "Now that Cao Cao's power is waning and General Huo Qubing is at the height of his power, it is our time to make a name for ourselves! What's wrong with enduring a few minor inconveniences for now? When we achieve great merit and are ennobled as marquises and generals, what will this little grievance matter? Let's think long-term!"

"All of you, immediately return to your posts and guard your camps! Without my orders, no one is to move an inch, and certainly no one is to cause trouble in front of General Wei's camp! Those who disobey will be punished without mercy by me, Zang Ba!"

Zang Ba concluded with a stern remark, then ordered everyone to return to their respective places.

Under Zang Ba's accumulated power, the unrest was temporarily suppressed.

Although Zang Ba's soldiers were still full of resentment and muttered under their breath as they dispersed, they did not immediately erupt into conflict.

However, this estrangement and distrust stood like an invisible wall between Wei Yan's main force and Zang Ba's surrendered army.

Wei Yan's camp was reinforced with security, and the patrolling soldiers looked on with vigilance as they passed near Zang Ba's camp.

Zang Ba's subordinates responded with indifference, hostility, and even provocation.