Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 291 Old Friend
The strong smell of herbs lingered in the grass army camp, mixing with the dampness of the rainy season, making the air feel stuffy and stagnant.

Painful groans emanated from the rows of tents, occasionally punctuated by weak curses.

"Gao Pian, you childless, assless old dog!"

"May all those surnamed Gao, and their entire clan, die without a complete corpse!"

Even if these weak and feeble curses reached Lei Shuai Gao Pian's ears, Gao Pian wouldn't take them to heart at all.

Gao Pian had already been vehemently criticized when the Turks and their families were massacred in Chengdu. That woman, however, hurled far more vicious insults at them.

"Gao Pian! You have unjustly stripped meritorious soldiers of their titles, rank, clothing, and provisions, inciting the wrath of the masses. Fortunately, you escaped punishment, yet instead of reflecting on your own faults, you have committed fraud and murdered nearly ten thousand innocent people. How can Heaven, Earth, and the gods tolerate such a thing! I will appeal to God, so that one day your entire family will be slaughtered as I am today, you will suffer the same injustice and humiliation as I am today, and live in the same fear and anxiety as I am today!"

What has Gao Pian done now?

He simply took advantage of Huang Chao's large-scale recruitment of young and strong refugees in western Zhejiang to recruit soldiers, and let a group of patients infiltrate the ranks.

These people also secretly put dead rat juices, hairs, and other such things into the rebels' stoves and water sources.

Western Zhejiang is not the humid and hot Lingnan region. Even if it was caused by human error, the epidemic could not have caused the same massive casualties as in Lingnan. However, the local army had been severely affected by an epidemic in Lingnan before, and when they encountered another epidemic, it was inevitable that people would be filled with fear and panic.

Taking advantage of Huang Chao's illness, Gao Pian dispatched his general Zhang Lin across the river. With the cooperation of Dong Chang, Qian Liu, and others, Zhang Lin attacked the rebel army and won several victories. Huang Chao was forced to abandon the Xuan and She prefectures he had recently captured and retreat south, where he fortified himself and defended the area.

The plague continues to claim the lives of the righteous soldiers.

Generals like Wang Chongyin and Xu Tangju, who served under Shang Rang, fought alongside Cao Shixiong to break through enemy lines while covering the rear in Qizhou, and fought their way through Jiangxi and Zhejiang. They rose again from the ashes when Cao Shixiong was killed by Pei Qu and Hua Wang Youdi. However, they could not withstand the onslaught of this epidemic.

Gao Pian then sent people to spread a proclamation: "These bandits have ravaged the land, poisoned the people, and angered Heaven. As a result, they have been punished by Heaven, which has sent the Five Plague Messengers to exterminate their kind. Even if they escape execution, they will still perish under Heaven's wrath."

Not only must we kill people, but we must also destroy their spirit.

Lei Shuai Gao Pian belonged to the Yin-Yang school of military strategy, one of the four schools of military tactics. He was adept at using supernatural powers and ghosts to bewitch people.

Even ghosts and spirits had to comply with Gao Pian's wishes, so why would he take it seriously when others used ghostly or divine words to curse him?

According to Gao Pian, the previous great plague in Lingnan and the current outbreak of plague in western Zhejiang were both punishments from heaven for bandits. If the bandits wanted to survive, they should abandon their evil ways and join the light, or even kill the bandits to serve the country, and they could turn misfortune into fortune, and even the plague god would no longer bother them.

Someone will definitely believe that.

Several local militias that had responded to the Grass Army surrendered to the government without a fight after learning that the Grass Army had been hit by the plague. Panic and desertion also occurred within the Grass Army itself.

In this gloomy and pessimistic atmosphere, an old friend arrived at Zhu Wen's Luoyandu camp.

"Zhu Wen, come out here, you old lady!"

The person who came shouted at the top of their lungs.

The sky has been overcast for a long time, and the sun hasn't come out for more than ten days.

The moment she stepped into the military camp, the clouds that had been blocking the sunlight suddenly dispersed, and the golden sunset shone on her honey-colored profile, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Zhu Wen's worries suddenly vanished.

This reunion will surely bring good fortune.

He strode forward and, in full view of everyone, embraced Tian Jun.

"Beautiful Lady Tian, ​​what brings you here to see me, Zhu Sanlang?"

Zhu Wen smiled and said.

"Of course I have important business to discuss." Tian Jun rolled her eyes at him and said coquettishly, "Did I just come to reminisce about the past? Let's talk in private."

As she spoke, she took Zhu Wen's hand, and the two walked together toward the main general's oil pavilion. Zhu Wen, of course, did not think that Tian Jun had come here to try and reconcile with him.

Compared to usual, she was unusually cheerful and confident, and her optimism could inspire anyone.

Tian Jun chose to let go because she realized that staying with Zhu Wen would make her feel inferior.

Once inside the tent, the two embraced and shared a passionate kiss.

Zhu Wen moved his hand down from Tian Jun's waist and kneaded her with force, causing the beauty to occasionally let out low moans.

Tian Jun's eyes were unfocused, and she suddenly whispered, "I... am now a subordinate of Yang Xingmi, the governor of Luzhou."

"He proposed to me."

Zhu Wen froze, staring blankly at her.

After Tian Jun finished speaking, her eyes curved into crescent moons: "However, he likes people to listen to him in everything. If I were to follow him, I'm afraid I would suffer."

Zhu Wen then noticed the fox-like cunning in Tian Jun's eyes.

This lizard has really become much smarter.

“So, I’ve decided to never get married.” As Tian Jun said this, a bright smile appeared in her eyes, without a trace of self-pity: “It’s not because of anyone else, but because I feel so free and happy.”

"I can now recite those military books that Zhizhen gave me by heart. You showed me the world of intelligent people, and one day I suddenly didn't want to continue being a fool. I wanted to be like you, a wise and brave general, commanding thousands of troops."

"By the time we meet again, I may have already surpassed you in military strategy."

"Nonsense." Zhu Wen pinched Tian Jun's high, delicate nose: "If I capture you alive on the battlefield next time, I'll execute you on the spot."

"What if I capture you alive?" Tian Jun retorted defiantly.

Zhu Wen chuckled mischievously: "The same, do with me as you please."

Men rarely suffer losses in this kind of matter.

Tian Jun's words, however, provided Zhu Wen with an important piece of information.

After Yang Xingmi launched a mutiny and occupied Luzhou, his status as prefect was recognized by the imperial court, or at least by Gao Pian, the military governor of Huainan.

In other words, Yang Xingmi accepted Gao Pian's offer of amnesty and is now Gao Pian's subordinate.

This is the real reason why Tian Jun came to find him.

"Yang Xingmi wants to join forces with me?" Zhu Wen revealed a hint of regret: "What a pity, I can't fight him to the death in this battle."

Yang Xingmi clearly had enough confidence in the strength of Huang Chao and Zhu Wen, and knew that what Gao Pian was doing was not enough to defeat the bandit army.

As a native of Huainan, Yang Xingmi's ambition also lay in controlling the Jianghuai region. Accepting Gao Pian's offer of amnesty was merely a temporary measure. If the rebel army defeated Gao Pian, it would be highly beneficial for Yang Xingmi to expand his power.

"That's too easy to say," Tian Jun said somewhat indignantly. "You should know that Gao Pian won't easily believe a rebel who has been granted amnesty. If you can't create an opportunity for him, he can only take advantage of your misfortune, relentlessly pursue you, and use your army as a pledge of allegiance and a stepping stone for his advancement."

Zhu Wen certainly understood this principle.

We must be strict in defending against the enemy, and even consider whether Yang Xingmi intends to lower our guard by taking advantage of Tian Jun's mission, and then launch a surprise attack to curry favor with the court.

Even if Tian Jun hadn't reminded him, Zhu Wen wouldn't have been able to trust Yang Xingmi completely.

(End of this chapter)