Tiger Guards

Chapter 310 A Fierce Fire

When the Bingzhou army advanced from Zhiguan Pass, stretching for over three hundred li from end to end.

A group of righteous knights from Youzhou attempted to travel through Dai County and Taiyuan, but were stopped by Jia Kui when they reached Pingyang.

This army could only stay in Pingyang temporarily, while its leader, Tian Yu, followed Jia Kui's messenger through Zhiguan Pass to welcome Grand Marshal Zhao Ji.

The position of Grand Marshal, from its inception to the previous Grand Marshal Li Jue, did not seem like an auspicious one.

South of Wangwu Mountain, Zhao Ji rested in a mountain hollow.

On the road not far away, soldiers and civilians were still trekking.

Now, apart from the vigilant knights, the vast majority of animal power has been converted into pulling power to move vehicles.

When Tian Yu arrived here, he saw that the officials and soldiers were carrying armor on carts, traveling light on foot while also carrying some miscellaneous items on their backs.

The weak and vulnerable disaster victims and refugees mostly walked with the help of carts, so as not to become obstacles or hindrances to the march.

After the army crossed the river at Mengjin, some more people from Hanoi joined the migration.

The marching contingent is now a mix of military and civilians, with only Xu Huang in the vanguard and Zhao Yun in the rearguard fully armed.

Xu Huang led the way, and after the autumn flood, the army could build bridges and roads, and set up camps for the use of the following soldiers and civilians.

Zhao Yun, the rearguard, had an additional task: to clear away the civilians and wounded soldiers who had died of illness or exhaustion along the way and cremate them.

The civilians buried the wounded soldiers on the spot, and their ashes were taken back to Jinyang.

When Tian Yu followed Liu Bei, Liu Bei cooperated with Gongsun Zan to defeat the Yellow Turban Army in Qingzhou. This Yellow Turban Army had gathered 300,000 people and attempted to cross the river to join forces with the Black Mountain Army.

In that battle, Gongsun Zan first crushed the enemy's main force in the field battle at Dongguang, beheading 30,000; then he pursued them across the river and attacked, beheading tens of thousands, drowning tens of thousands, capturing over 70,000, and seizing immeasurable treasures. It was also in that battle that Gongsun Zan's fame spread throughout the land, and later, when he fought against Yuan Shao, many officials and people of Ji Province supported Gongsun Zan because of this.

Compared to Gongsun Zan's glory, the army and civilians migrating now are only two-thirds the size of the Yellow Turban Army back then.

The patrolling knights led the way, bringing Tian Yu and the others to see Zhao Ji.

After handing over the official document, Tian Yu waited outside the curtain, observing the guards on his left and right. These guards all looked tired, but their expressions were indifferent, clearly having suffered greatly from the war and were elite soldiers who had been through many battles.

After reviewing the official document from Xianyu Fu handed over by Tian Yu, Zhao Ji summoned Tian Yu. Tian Yu entered and said, "This humble general pays his respects to the Grand Marshal."

"sit."

Zhao Ji waved the silk scroll in his hand: "Before His Majesty personally led the expedition to Shangdang, I made an agreement with Xianyu Fu. It was agreed that Colonel Tian would lead more than a thousand volunteers south to be organized into the Imperial Guards to protect the Emperor. More than two months have passed, why the delay?"

Xianyu Fu had already explained in his letter, so Tian Yu could only explain in person: "We were ordered by the court to cooperate with the Marquis of Ji. The Marquis of Ji was leading a campaign against the Han and Hu cavalry, which caused unrest among the people, who were worried about the damage to their families' property. Only after the Marquis of Ji had finished gathering his troops were we able to set off."

"So it is you who failed to keep your promise, not me who broke my word."

Zhao Ji placed the silk scroll on a corner of the table and said, "The current Grand General oversees the affairs of the Imperial Guards, and I share the responsibilities of the court and military affairs with the Grand General. The matter of Colonel Tian, ​​the Lieutenant General of the Imperial Guards, and his troops being incorporated into the Imperial Guards is no longer within my control. Therefore, I hope Colonel Tian will carefully consider whether to go to the court. Perhaps you should return to Pingyang, consult with your troops, and then make a decision."

Tian Yu was taken aback. The chances of becoming a Tiger Warrior were few, and the chances of becoming a Feathered Guard were equally few.

It's true that Lü Bu was short of people, but he wouldn't assign these people to the Imperial Guards as a whole.

Tian Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Grand Marshal, we, your humble servants, are from the border regions. We have come to protect the Emperor and uphold the state, not for fame or fortune."

His answer was resounding, and Zhao Ji was taken aback. He turned to look at Han Shu and Tang Xian beside him. The two of them also felt that Tian Yu's words were passionate and very familiar.

"Truly a brave man."

Zhao Ji praised him and said, "I will immediately send a military letter to allow Pingyang to pass. Once you enter Xuchang, take my letter to pay respects to the General. If you have the opportunity to meet Liu Bei of Xuzhou, please give him my regards."

"Yes, Your humble servant thanks the Grand Marshal."

Tian Yu bowed deeply and asked, "I heard that during the Battle of Zhen Ding, the Grand Marshal captured Guan Jin Qian Zhao?"

“I did not kill him. Liu Bei also sent an envoy to inquire about this matter. I also admire Qian Zhao’s talent and hope that he can be used by me.”

Zhao Ji smiled as he spoke: "It's just that Qian Zhao's family is still in Hebei. I will have to discuss with Yuan Benchu ​​before I can decide whether Qian Zhao stays or leaves. If he is unwilling to serve me, I will let him go."

"Yes, I understand."

Tian Yu clasped his hands and bowed again, this time with a greater bow, clearly to express his gratitude to Qian Zhao.

This messy network of connections gave Zhao Ji a headache. He turned to Wei Ji beside him and said, "Bo Yu, issue the clearance order for the troops."

"Here."

Wei Kai sat upright. He had always served under Xu Huang and had fought alongside Zhao Ji throughout the entire campaign.

As long as Zhao Ji doesn't fall, the influence of the Wei family's treasury incident will gradually dissipate. When they return to Jinyang and begin setting up the Grand Marshal's headquarters, not only Wei Ji but even Wei Gu will be able to secure a position within the headquarters.

At the very least, the Wei family's treasury did not benefit outsiders; it brought ten years of tax reduction to the officials and people of Hedong. This favor truly benefited the people of that time, so the hatred was not that great.

Wei Kai quickly wrote down the words, and after Zhao Ji checked and found no problems, Wei Kai carefully copied it again.

Once the draft was filed, Zhao Ji signed and stamped the copy, thus making the approved military document legal.

Tian Yu dared not delay and was also afraid of other unforeseen events.

This southward expedition drew the support of brave men from six counties of Youzhou, who formed a force of over 1,200 knights and more than 3,000 horses.

If it were someone else, how could they possibly let them go so easily?

News from Youzhou was difficult, and they were eager to complete the mobilization as soon as possible, so that they could quickly pass through Taiyuan and Hedong while Zhao Ji was focused on the war, in order to avoid trouble.

However, Gongsun Zan's summoning of Han and Hu armed forces to attack Cao Cao, ordered by the imperial court, was also a major event concerning the safety of everyone.

The back and forth caused delays, but despite their best efforts, they still ran into Zhao Ji, who was withdrawing his troops.

After watching Tian Yu leave, Zhao Ji said to his men, "This man is afraid I'll eat him. I imagine Lü Bu will be overjoyed when he goes to Xuchang."

Wei Ji asked in confusion, "Does the Grand Marshal mean...?"

“That’s right, just as Bo Yu thought.”

Zhao Ji picked up a glass of hot water, took a sip, and smiled: "I thought Lü Bu could hold back, and my opinion of him has changed quite a bit. But with the arrival of this elite cavalry, it's like throwing boiling oil into a fire; Lü Bu will find it hard to control himself."

Wei Kai nodded slowly. Han Shu and the others looked at each other in silence. They didn't care how Lü Bu caused trouble, as long as he didn't interfere with their affairs.

Zhao Ji drank most of the water in his glass, shook the glass to remove the remaining drop, and said, "Prepare to set off."

"Here."

The people around responded and immediately began to pack up low tables, stools, and other similar items, which were easy-to-carry modular components used in military campaigns.

Zhao Ji stood up and walked towards the campfire, reaching out to warm his hands.

His low table was quickly dismantled, and then a curtain was installed to block the wind and obstruct the view.

Four truckloads were loaded, and the surrounding equipment was packed up.

Zhao Ji led his guards away on horseback, while another group of guards drove a chariot and joined the marching army.

The campfire was still burning, and some passing civilians gathered around to warm themselves by the fire.

But soon these people will be driven away by the leading officers. The more they rest, the more tired they become, and the more they hinder the army's passage.

Zhao Ji rode over a hundred riders along the edge of the procession. When they encountered narrow sections of road, only wide enough for one vehicle to pass or turn, the riders had to lead their horses and walk.

He wasn't interested in the scenery near Wangwu Mountain; it wasn't June or July, so there wasn't much to see now.

With so many soldiers and civilians traveling together, even birds and beasts were frightened and kept their distance.

In order to welcome him, Zhao Xu, the governor of Hedong Commandery, had already left Anyi and headed north to Pingyang.

The powerful clans and gentry of Hedong had not been completely destroyed, so many caravans headed towards Jiangyi, hoping to do business with the victorious soldiers.

However, Zhao Xu ordered these caravans to return... The powerful clans and wealthy families wanted to make money from the army's spending spree, and the Hedong Prefecture also wanted to make money.

In the next ten years, Hedong will be exempt from corvée labor and taxes, and he, as the prefect, and the counties will surely live a miserable life.

Although Zhao Ji would allocate money and food to them, the amount allocated was limited, and it could only keep them on the verge of starvation.

Therefore, monopolizing this hospitality can bring the county government a large amount of revenue.

With this income as a foundation, Zhao Xu was able to use his business acumen to expand official industries and make up for the shortfall in tax revenue.

As a native of the commercially prosperous Sichuan region, business skills and commercial acumen were fundamental qualities for Zhao Xu.

The North suffered severe war damage, and everything was rebuilding, creating business opportunities everywhere.

Zhao Xu may not be good at governing the people or managing the government, but he is good at doing business.

When Zhao Xu served as the magistrate of Beijiang County, he was able to support more than a thousand soldiers in the county by relying on the trade routes with the Xiongnu. Zhao Xu also enabled Beijiang to recover quickly from the ruins of the Baibo Rebellion.

If you do what you're good at, it's hard not to get promoted.

(End of this chapter)