Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 235 Visitors from Gaoliang
Zhu Wen woke up from his dream and found that his tears had soaked the soft pillow made of dragon's beard grass under his head.

Recalling the scene in his dream, he felt a sense of bewilderment and confusion.

A man doesn't easily shed tears, yet he couldn't suppress his emotions even in his sleep.

When I woke up, my face was already covered in tears.

The image of Tian Jun's free-spirited and unrestrained face in my dream remains so vivid after I wake up.

From the death of his second brother Zhu Cun to the departure of Tian Jun, Zhu Wen experienced two major separations of life and death in just a few months.

Life is about watching one close person after another leave, some of whom may be reunited, while others will never return.

Wiping the tears from his face with his palm, Zhu Wen murmured to himself, "So be it."

He had always loved Xingxiang, but they had been separated for so long that he didn't even know if she was still alive.

Humans are not plants or trees, but flesh and blood. With Tian Jun constantly by his side, Zhu Wen couldn't have been unaware that she had already taken a small place in Xingxiang's heart.

Even when he was dating Tian Jun, he still wore the handkerchief that Xingxiangzhi had given him to keep warm in the winter.

In this fierce battle with Gao Yan, Gao Yan's spear shattered a jade pendant that Xing Xiang had given him before piercing his body. Without the jade pendant's intervention, Zhu Wen's injury would have been far more severe, perhaps even a matter of life and death.

After killing Gao Yan, Zhu Wen originally planned to wait until Huang Chao conquered Guangzhou and the righteous army's rule in Lingnan was stable before sending people to search for Xingxiang. He even went north himself to carry out the mission of collecting intelligence and traveled all over the country to find Xingxiang's whereabouts.

This decision was very unfair to Tian Jun, leaving Zhu Wen unsure how to explain it to her.

Zhu Wen undoubtedly liked Tian Jun; otherwise, he wouldn't have accepted her confession.

However, the presence of Xingxiang made him constantly hesitant in his relationships, preventing him from being passionate and reckless.

A long and complicated love affair can only become a tangled mess, leaving one at a loss and unwilling to think about the final outcome.

Zhu Wen had considered marrying Tian Jun, such a wonderful girl, several times.

As independent and confident as Tian Jun is, it would be too unfair to make her a concubine.

Men don't immediately escape emotional entanglements after maturing. Killing the boy within doesn't instantly make one so cold-blooded as to treat women as prey.

After the Battle of Guilin, Tian Jun's hands were completely clean, without a single wound. A few days later, however, Zhu Wen discovered that her hands were wrapped in gauze, with blood seeping out from within.

He asked Tian Jun what was going on, but Tian Jun just smiled and didn't say anything.

After Tian Jun left, Zhu Wen learned from Lan Suting that after Tian Jun, that fool, started dating him, she secretly began learning needlework.

Although Tian Jun's talent in needlework was limited, Lan Suting often had to step in and help with modifications.

On the eve of her departure, Tian Jun finally finished her wedding dress. After putting it on, she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled as brightly as a flower.

She took off her wedding dress, folded it neatly, put it into her trunk, and chose to leave, as free and easy as the wind.

He left Zhu Wen with the words, "May you one day meet the important person again."

Love is about fulfillment, not control.

Zhu Wen knew that Tian Jun truly loved him in this relationship.

She fully respected Zhu Wen's doubts, and since Zhu Wen was unwilling to cross the line, Tian Jun did not make any further attempts to seduce him.

Otherwise, out of a sense of responsibility as a man, Zhu Wen would have arranged the marriage in the army after the matter was settled.

It is most difficult to accept the kindness of a beautiful woman.

With Tian Jun gone, Zhu Wen was no longer troubled by emotional entanglements.

It also became a mark on his heart that he could never forget in his lifetime.

For heroes and great men, love is ultimately just an embellishment to their achievements. After weeping and wailing, they temporarily set aside their emotions, devote all their energy to their careers, grow into stronger men, and realize their lofty ambitions.

This is also what my second brother, Zhu Cun, hoped to see.

Zhu Wen straightened his clothes in front of the mirror and left the tent.

After the Battle of Guilin, Guilin, a key town in western Lingnan, and surrounding areas such as Liuzhou, were occupied by the rebel army.

The Lingnan West Circuit government forces retreated to Yongzhou and Rongzhou in the south, cutting off their connection with the area north of the Five Ridges and becoming an exclave.

They held their positions in the strategic pass, living in constant fear and trembling, their lives hanging by a thread, terrified that the rebel army would pursue and kill them.

With the exception of Guangzhou, all the cities in Lingnan East Circuit surrendered to the rebel army and paid tribute, leaving Guangzhou completely isolated.

At that time, the layout of Lingnan East Circuit could be roughly divided into four parts.

The Yangtze River Delta region, where the river flows into the sea, is the center of Lingnan East Road. The accumulated silt should make it fertile and suitable for cultivation. However, the terrain is low-lying and damp, the climate is hot, and the excessive swamps and river branches make the area teeming with mosquitoes and flies.

Draining the floodwaters to create arable land requires a significant investment of manpower. In summer, the Yue River overflows its banks, and the newly reclaimed land is easily destroyed, necessitating additional flood control measures.

This resulted in the Guangdong Delta region, which would later become the most prosperous area, actually having a small population and slow development during the Tang Dynasty.

Guangzhou was the only exception. Its strategic location for maritime trade made it a hub for rare and precious goods from all over the world since the Han Dynasty, and its wealth was renowned throughout the land. The city had a population of 200,000, of which more than 20,000 were foreigners living in the foreign quarters.

The northern part of Lingnan East Circuit borders the Five Ridges, a region characterized by high mountains and barren soil, which was the habitat of the barbarian tribes. Only Shaozhou, a major passage in and out of Lingnan, had some Han Chinese settled there.

Chaozhou and Xunzhou in the east, bordering Fujian to the north, were historically important passages for Han Chinese entering Lingnan, and possessed coastal plains suitable for intensive farming. However, severe coastal inundation and flooding slowed development. Rapid development only began after the An Lushan Rebellion, especially after Han Yu (Han Wengong) governed Chaozhou. Both prefectures are vast, and many ethnic minorities still inhabit the northern mountainous areas.

Surprisingly, the western prefectures of Gaozhou, Xinzhou, and Enzhou were the most densely populated areas in the eastern part of Lingnan. During the Han Dynasty, the Gaoliang Commandery was established in this region.

Gaoliang Prefecture derives its name from Gaoliang Mountain, named for its dense forests and the autumn-like climate even in the height of summer. Although the region is mountainous, it has abundant water resources provided by rivers, allowing for cultivation in the valleys. In case of floods, the people can also seek refuge in the mountains.

In addition, the climate was relatively habitable, so before the Han people migrated there, a large number of Baiyue people with relatively high agricultural levels lived in this area. They intermarried and integrated with the Han people who migrated there, forming a series of large surnames that claimed to be Han people but had significant barbarian characteristics.

Lady Xian, a famous heroine of the Sui Dynasty, was the daughter-in-law of the prominent Feng family in Gaoliang County. Gao Lishi, a famous official during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong who once removed the boots of the poet Li Bai, was a fifth-generation descendant of Lady Xian and originally surnamed Feng.

Those who visited Caojun today were prominent figures from various western prefectures of Lingnan East Circuit.

There are long-established prominent families in Lingnan such as the Feng, Xian, and Tan families, as well as emerging families such as the Cen, Huang, and Nong families.

Some of them didn't even speak Mandarin several generations ago.

When they entered the army camp, they were dressed in ramie-lined robes, wearing square headscarves and traveling shoes, looking exactly like scholars of the Tang Dynasty.

While outlaw heroes like Zhu Wen disdained applying face powder, it was quite common for aristocratic sons to do so during the Tang Dynasty.

The prominent figures in the Gaoliang area all applied powder to their faces to cover their dark complexions, and also applied lip rouge and face cream.

Several people had piercing marks on their noses and ears, which were then covered with powder.

Their clothes emitted a strong, overpowering fragrance, so much so that it was almost cloying, causing Zhu Wen to wrinkle his nose almost imperceptibly.

"The righteous army has been advancing with unstoppable momentum lately. We look up to the might of Heaven and are honored to be a part of it!" Feng Cheng, the head of the Feng family, said with a flattering smile, "General Yan must have a clear plan for taking Guangzhou and how to govern the Lingnan region."

Huang Chao remained calm, but his gaze towards the old fox was as bright as a torch.

During the Battle of Guilin, Feng Cheng sent three hundred elite soldiers to help the imperial court. Now, most of them have been killed or wounded. He suffered a crushing defeat and is now trying to curry favor with the government.

However, these local tyrants are deeply entrenched and rely on the high mountains and dense forests, making it extremely difficult to eradicate them.

Feng Cheng appeared respectful, but in reality, he wanted to negotiate with Huang Chao.

(End of this chapter)