Dahan: A 100-year-old veteran, I will build the strongest family

Chapter 105 Zhou Yu formally becomes Li Hong's disciple! (Over words long chapter)
A crisp, childish voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

Li Hong looked at the cute young man with eyes sparkling with wisdom. Zhou Yi, who was standing next to him, was even more shocked by his son's words that the Yellow Turbans were not that powerful.

"Shut up, what do you know, little kid?" Luoyang magistrate Zhou Yi scolded his son.

Then Zhou Yi hurriedly looked at Li Hong, as if he was afraid that Li Hong would be angry.

The Yellow Turbans were now gaining momentum, destroying states and counties. The three armies sent by the imperial court were all defeated and could not achieve any success.

No one thought that the Yellow Turbans were weak and easy to defeat.

Now all the officials in the court are anxious and panic-stricken. The emperor is willing to spend all his family's wealth, and Li Hong is also collecting various things to prepare for the expedition to fight the Yellow Turbans.

A young boy denied the power of the Yellow Turbans.

It would be fine if people just treat it as childish talk, but if people take it seriously, it would be annoying.

"This is? Lingzi?"

Li Hong looked at the cute young man, but he was not angry. Instead, he smiled and stroked his gray beard and asked Zhou Yi.

When Zhou Yi heard Li Hong's question, he did not hesitate and said to Li Hong:

"General Li, this is my son Zhou Yu, he is nine years old this year, and he pestered me to bring him along today. My son speaks without restraint, so please don't be angry, General!"

"Huh?" Li Hong, who was stroking his gray beard, was startled, but he was familiar with the name and could not help but look up and down at little Zhou Yu.

Even though Zhou Yu was only nine years old.

But he is neither humble nor arrogant, and exudes a unique temperament that does not belong to teenagers of the same age.

Zhou Yu, Zhou Gongjin!

Li Hong looked at the young man in front of him, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

But in my mind I recalled the young man's historical life.

Zhou Yu was a native of Shu County, Lujiang (now southwest of Lujiang, Anhui) in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, with the courtesy name Gongjin.

A military strategist, tactician and famous general of Eastern Wu in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

Born into a prominent family, he showed extraordinary talent and courage since childhood. He was proficient in music, and was both civil and military, and was known as "the beautiful Zhou Lang". There is a saying in Jiangdong: "If there is a mistake in the song, Zhou Lang will look back."

When they were young, he was a good friend of Sun Ce. The two of them devoted themselves to the great cause of Jiangdong and made great contributions to the establishment and development of Eastern Wu.

He led his troops to assisted in pacifying Jiangdong and was granted the title of General of Jianwei. He was 24 years old at the time and everyone in Wu called him Zhou Lang.

Ce wanted to take Jingzhou, so he appointed him as the Central Guard General and made him the prefect of Jiangxia, and participated in the attack on Wan and captured it.

In the Battle of Chibi, Zhou Yu served as the Grand Commander of Eastern Wu, and together with Zhuge Liang and others, he planned the tactic of using fire to attack Cao's army, successfully defeating Cao Cao's army of hundreds of thousands and laying the foundation for the situation of the Three Kingdoms.

In the 210th year of Jian'an ( AD), he proposed a strategy of taking Shu, annexing Zhang Lu, and allying with Ma Chao, and then using Xiangyang as a base to erode Cao Cao and seize the north.

In history, Zhou Yu's military talent and courage were fully demonstrated in the war, and he became a famous general.

In addition to his outstanding military talents, Zhou Yu was also known for his humility, tolerance, and loyalty. He was tolerant and generous to his subordinates, good at listening to others' opinions, and got along well with veteran generals such as Cheng Pu. He was loyal to Sun Quan and always considered the interests of Soochow.

However, Zhou Yu's untimely death is also a pity. He died of illness at the age of only 36.

In general, Zhou Yu was a famous general who was talented, courageous, loyal and humble.

According to historical records, Zhou Yu was "broad-minded", "noble and noble", and "a real genius". He was both civil and military, and had great talent and strategy. He was one of the main contributors to the military success and separatist status of the Eastern Wu forces. He was praised as "a great hero in the world, a handsome and elegant man in Jiangzuo".

Li Hong looked at the young man in front of him and couldn't help but admire him. He smiled and said:

"Little Zhou Yu, you said the Yellow Turbans are not that powerful? Why do you say that? The emperor and the ministers all regard the Yellow Turbans as a scourge."

When asked by Li Hong, Xiao Zhou Yu was neither humble nor overbearing, and did not show any fear. Instead, he raised his head and said in a crisp and serious tone:
"The Yellow Turbans are only powerful in momentum, but they have many weaknesses. Without a stable supply of money, food and supplies, they can only rob. But if the people in each city hide in the city, the Yellow Turbans will not be able to rob, and they will have no food."

"Also, most of the Yellow Turbans are from poor peasant families. They don't have any qualified generals and are completely in disarray. How can they win a war? Even if they can defeat ordinary armies by relying on their numbers, the Beiwei Army is very powerful and can fully resist. The Yellow Turbans will only be defeated!"

Little Zhou Yu spoke very seriously.

After listening to this, Li Hong was even more fond of little Zhou Yu's performance.

Is this something a normal nine-year-old would say?
"Haha, you're right. Luoyang Ling, you have a good son. Who knows, he may become a general in the future!" Li Hong stroked his gray beard and was not stingy with praise. He said with a smile.

Luoyang magistrate Zhou Yi was very happy to hear what Li Hong said.

He was naturally very satisfied with this intelligent son, otherwise he would not have brought him to see Li Hong.

However, Zhou Yi said modestly:

"Old General Liao praised me. My son is a naughty boy and he doesn't know how to fight. If he could become a general, I would wake up laughing even in my sleep."

Zhou Yi was modest, but little Zhou Yu's eyes sparkled, and he said to Li Hong crisply:

"Old General, can I really lead an army to fight? Can you teach me the art of war?"

"This... Yu'er, what nonsense are you talking about? The old general is busy fighting, how could he have the time to teach you a stubborn boy the art of war!" Zhou Yi was stunned by what little Zhou Yu said, and then he scolded little Zhou Yu. However, while Zhou Yi was scolding little Zhou Yu, he was looking at Li Hong expectantly.

Little Zhou Yu wanted Li Hong to teach him the art of war. Would Zhou Yi be unwilling?
No! Zhou Yi was too willing!
Zhou Yi was extremely satisfied with his intelligent son Zhou Yu, and he also knew that little Zhou Yu had the potential to become a general.

Li Hong had guarded the Han border for decades in his early years, so he had rich experience on the battlefield and had taught many Han generals, such as Zhang Wen, Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, Lu Zhi, Xia Yu, Tian Yan, and Zang Min. All the Han generals had some favor to Li Hong.

In recent years, as Li Hong's martial arts realm broke through and he created a great health-preserving boxing technique, his power and ability to command troops skyrocketed. In his first northern expedition, he achieved unprecedented success, and in his second northern expedition, he directly captured the vast grasslands in the central part of Monan.

Among the warriors of the Han Dynasty, Li Hong is undoubtedly the best.

In Zhou Yi's eyes, Li Hong is definitely the best master, with both ability and background resources.

If little Zhou Yu could be taught by Li Hong, Zhou Yi felt that Zhou Yu's future would be bright.

Li Hong was a little surprised when he heard that little Zhou Yu wanted to teach him the art of war, but he was not surprised. Especially when he saw Zhou Yi's eager look, Li Hong understood that Zhou Yi might have brought his son Zhou Yu to his house today with this idea in mind.

However, when Zhou Yu asked for advice on military strategy, Li Hong did not immediately agree.

The reason why becoming a disciple was a very important matter in ancient times was that the master-disciple relationship carried far-reaching significance and responsibility in society.

First of all, becoming a disciple means that the disciple will receive comprehensive guidance and education from the master. The master not only imparts skills and knowledge, but also bears the responsibility of shaping the disciple's character and passing on moral concepts. This relationship is a lifelong commitment and trust for the disciple, and it is also a great responsibility and mission for the master.

Secondly, the master-disciple relationship had a very high social status and influence in ancient society. An excellent master can often train outstanding disciples, who may become elites in the fields of politics, culture, and military in the future, winning honor and respect for the master. At the same time, the inheritance between master and disciple also represents the continuation of a culture and spirit, which is of great significance for maintaining social stability and development.

In addition, paying respect to a teacher involves a series of solemn ceremonies and etiquette, which are not only a sign of respect and gratitude to the teacher, but also a confirmation of the disciple's identity and status. These ceremonies and etiquette have extremely important symbolic significance in ancient society, representing a commitment and responsibility.

Therefore, the reason why becoming a disciple was such a big deal in ancient times was that the master-disciple relationship carried far-reaching significance and responsibility, had a very high social status and influence, and also involved solemn ceremonies and etiquette. This relationship was an extremely precious wealth and experience for both the master and the disciple.

"Little Zhou Yu, do you want me to be your master? Or do you just want me to take some time to teach you about military strategy? If it's the latter, then of course I can. As long as what you learn is for the cause of defending the Han Dynasty's frontiers, I will do my best to teach you."

"But, if it is the former, and you want to take me as your master, I need to examine your character and whether you have the ability to be diligent and hardworking and to learn with an open mind. This is no small matter."

Li Hong stroked his gray beard and said to little Zhou Yu with a smile.

When little Zhou Yu heard Li Hong's words, he thought for a moment, a serious look appeared on his face, he bowed deeply to Li Hong, and said crisply:

"Yu'er is willing to take the old general as my master, follow the master to learn the art of war, and hope to defend the borders of the Han Dynasty like the master!"

Little Zhou Yu decisively chose Li Hong as his master.

Although young Zhou Yu was not very old, he understood that being able to learn the art of war from Li Hong and go further in the army was probably something that many people outside could not even dream of.

When Li Hong heard little Zhou Yu opening his mouth to ask to become his disciple, he could not help but look at Zhou Yu's father Zhou Yi and said with a smile:

"Loyang Ling, you came here with a plan, right? Now your son has given me a problem, what do you think we should do?"

Zhou Yi was quite excited that his son Zhou Yu was determined to become Li Hong's disciple.

Hearing Li Hong's question, Zhou Yi hurriedly smiled at Li Hong and said:
"General Li is the best general of our Han Dynasty. He is well versed in military tactics and strategies. If he can teach Yu'er 50% of them, Yu'er will benefit from them throughout his life. I would like to trouble you to teach this naughty son of mine. Don't worry, my son can endure hardships and treat people kindly. He is not beyond teaching. After you pass away, Yu'er can serve you in your old age."

Zhou Yi patted his chest and begged Li Hong to accept little Zhou Yu as his apprentice.

Little Zhou Yu standing by was even smarter and knelt down directly in front of Li Hong.

"I beg the old general to accept Yu'er as his disciple and teach him the art of war and the ways of battle formations!" Little Zhou Yu said to Li Hong in a crisp voice.

In the hall, Li Hong listened to Zhou Yi's statement, and then looked at little Zhou Yu's obedient request to be accepted as a disciple. A smile appeared on his face, and he said:

"It seems that you, the Zhou family, are sure of me. Okay, Yu'er, get up. I will accept you as my disciple for the time being. However, I have to say this: if you are unruly and unruly, I will not accept you as my disciple. Don't blame me for kicking you out!"

After a pause, Li Hong continued, "Taking on a disciple is no small matter, but since I am about to go to war, I will hold a simple apprenticeship banquet at noon tomorrow and invite some people to witness it."

Li Hong chose to take little Zhou Yu as his apprentice without much hesitation.

On the one hand, Zhou Yu is indeed talented and intelligent. As long as he is well trained, he will become a rare general in the future.

On the other hand, since Zhou Yi had already made such an offer, he couldn't refuse.

Although the Zhou family is not as powerful as the Yuan family, it is not much worse. Zhou Yu is the son of Zhou Yi, the magistrate of Luoyang. His great-grandfather Zhou Jing and his uncle Zhou Zhong both served as Taiwei. It can be said that the Zhou family is a well-deserved aristocratic family. With the rise of the Li family, if the Zhou family can also attach themselves to them, the power and reputation of the Li family will increase even more.

Little Zhou Yu is a direct descendant of the Zhou family, so it would be a win-win situation no matter how you look at it by accepting him.

"Okay, okay, everything will be arranged as the old general arranges!" Zhou Yi, who was standing aside, heard Li Hong say that he would hold a teacher-apprentice banquet at noon tomorrow and accept Zhou Yu as his apprentice, and immediately responded happily.

"Thank you, Master!" Little Zhou Yu said to Li Hong obediently.

Li Hong stroked his gray beard, smiled and nodded.

The next day.

Because the amount of money and grain to be raised had already been decided, teams of strong and elite soldiers of the Beiwei Army poured into Luoyang City early in the morning and transported cartloads of grain from the treasuries and granaries of the major aristocratic families.

It has to be said that the aristocratic families in Luoyang City really suffered a heavy loss this time. The pulling out of cartloads of grain and five-zhu coins made many family heads feel heartbroken.

However, the Yellow Turbans had to be suppressed, and they could only reluctantly contribute a large amount of money and food.

Throughout Luoyang city, the main streets were filled with the Beiwei Army transporting money and food, and many Luoyang citizens gathered to watch.

Upon learning that the money and food were provided by the aristocratic families to support the Beiwei Army in its expedition against the Yellow Turbans, the onlookers could not help but praise it. They thought that the aristocratic families, who were usually stingy, actually took the initiative to raise money and food, and did not even exploit the people?

However, the people of Luoyang soon found out that they were not the ones being considered for raising money and food for the Beiwei Army this time. It turned out that it was Li Hong who warned them in the court.

"General Li really cares about us ordinary people. He knows that it's not easy for us."

"Yes, General Li is not only brave and good at fighting, but also caring and considerate of the people."

"The Beiwei Army's expedition to fight the Yellow Turbans is a big deal. Although the noble families have raised money and food for the Beiwei Army and do not need us, no matter how poor we are, we cannot let the Beiwei Army go to war without food. I still have a lot of food at home. I can give thirty kilograms to the Beiwei Army and contribute my part."

"That's right. I still have some food stored at home. Although I can't give you too much, 20 kilograms of food is still my contribution."

"I will also give the Beiwei Army 20 kilograms of food and 50 coins!"

……

As the Beiwei Army transported money and food in the city, the onlookers became excited. Some of the wealthy people ran back to their homes and took out bags of money and food to send to the Beiwei Army.

Thousands of Luoyang citizens took action, delivering large quantities of bulk money bags and grain bags to the Beiwei Army camp.

Just when the whole Luoyang city was bustling with people sending money and food to the Beiwei Army.

The residence of the General of Chariots and Cavalry was decorated with lights and full of joy.

In the hall.

Li Hong, whose hair and beard were all white but exuded a strong aura, sat in the main seat with a big horse and a golden sword.

The area was crowded with guests.

For example, the eunuchs Zhang Rang, Yang Ci, Zhou Zhong, Huang Wan, Ma Ritian, Xi Dian, counselor Cai Yong, Zhang Xun, Han Shuo, Grand Historian Shan Yang, Kong Rong and other guests from both Li Hong and Zhou's families came to watch the banquet to congratulate little Zhou Yu on his becoming a disciple.

"Zhou Yu greets the master. From today on, Zhou Yu will study the art of war diligently and follow the master's instructions."

Little Zhou Yu knelt before Li Hong and spoke in a clear and serious voice, presenting Li Hong with the six gifts he had prepared.

The six gifts are celery (symbolizing diligence and love of learning, and success comes from hard work), lotus seeds (symbolizing painstaking education), red beans (symbolizing good luck), red dates (symbolizing early success), longans (symbolizing perfect merit), and dried lean meat strips (to express the disciple's heart).

Li Hong accepted the six gifts, took out a prepared horse whip, handed it to Xiao Zhou Yu under the gaze of everyone, and said in a deep voice:
"This is the gift from Master. This whip has accompanied Master during his twenty-plus years on the frontier. I hope you can live up to it."

"Thank you, Master!" Little Zhou Yu's face flushed as he took the whip.

Then, young Zhou Yu offered three bottles of tea to Li Hong, and the apprenticeship ceremony ended under the gaze of the two families' guests.

Zhou Yu formally became Li Hong's disciple!
(End of this chapter)