Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 1: The Sea Salt Plan
In the first year of Xingping reign of Emperor Xian of Han, the whole country was in chaos, warlords were fighting for power, the people were displaced, and there was no safe land left in the world.

In the Guanzhong area, Li Jue and Guo Si defeated the armies of Ma Teng and Han Sui, took control of Emperor Xian, and used the emperor to command the princes.

In the Hebei region, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan competed for supremacy in Ji and Qing provinces. Yuan Shao, with his legacy of three generations of officials, recruited many talented people, strengthened his army and horses, and gradually became the dominant force in the north. Although Gongsun Zan controlled Youzhou and most of Qingzhou, his power was already showing signs of decline.

In the Yanzhou area, Cao Cao defeated the Yellow Turban Army in Qingzhou, took in their surrendered soldiers, occupied Yanzhou, defeated Yuan Shu and Tao Qian in succession, and gradually became a local hero.

Yuan Shu retreated to Jiujiang and occupied Huainan.

Liu Biao, Liu Zhang, Tao Qian and others held Jingzhou, Yizhou and Xuzhou, but they had no ambition to advance and only sought to protect themselves.

At this time, the Jiangdong region, relatively untouched by war, was plagued by banditry and fragmented. Xu Gong, Wang Lang, Zhou Shu, Yan Baihu, Zu Lang, and others each held their own territory, intertwined with dozens of bandit groups, and the conflict continued.

Wucheng County, located in the southwest of Wu County in Jiangdong, is situated on the shore of Taihu Lake. It has a crisscrossing network of waterways and endless rice fields. It is a famous land of fish and rice in Jiangdong, with merchants coming and going, and the market is extremely bustling.

However, ever since Wucheng was occupied by Yan Baihu, who was born a bandit, it has become visibly depressed. Heavy taxes and levies were levied in the territory, and bandits often plundered the countryside, making the people miserable.

However, the Yan Mansion, located in the east of Wucheng County, is a world away with its carved beams and painted buildings, strange mountains and rocks.

That morning, just as the sky was getting light, the sound of boxing could be heard from the main courtyard of the Yan Mansion.

A tall young man of about eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing a flat turban and a green hakama, was practicing a set of Xiliang boxing with a focused expression.

The flat-top, ear-covering turban, a traditional military headdress, emerged in the Western Han Dynasty. The hakama, with its flat top and ear-covering design, was a signature headdress worn by military officers. The hakama, also known as the "Hakama" (袴折), originated with the Huhu (胡胡) horse and archery campaign promoted by King Wuling of Zhao. Originally a riding uniform, it consisted of a cross-collared, double-breasted jacket and straight-leg trousers.

The young man's surname is Yan and his name is Yi. He is Yan Baihu's beloved and only son. He is also a well-known playboy in Wucheng. He is proficient in cockfighting and horse riding, and he loves all beautiful women.

A month ago, Yan Yi accidentally fell off his horse and was injured while hunting in Shicheng Mountain. For some unknown reason, his temperament changed drastically. He only stayed at home to recuperate every day and rarely went out. It has been more than a month now.

Not far from him stood six or seven servants and maids, some holding towels, some holding tea trays, all with submissive expressions.

After Yan Yi finished a set of boxing, he took a long breath, took a ring-handled sword from the weapon rack, and started to practice it. He practiced for another half an hour before finishing today's training.

A servant hurriedly handed over a towel.

Yan Yi took the handkerchief and wiped his face. He then took a sip of tea from the celadon teacup from the maid and asked casually, "I heard from someone in the mansion last night that a lot of people from Danyang County have come to the county in the past two days. What's going on?"

A clever martial artist quickly replied, "Young Master has been recuperating from his injuries recently, so I dare not disturb him. It is said that Wu Jing, under Yuan Shu's orders, is leading his troops to attack Danyang. These are the people who have fled from Danyang County."

Yan Yi paused holding the teacup and asked in a deep voice, "That Wu Jing from the Sun family?"

The martial arts master said respectfully, "Indeed, this man is the younger brother of Sun Jian's wife, Madam Wu, and the uncle of Sun Ce. After Sun Jian's death, most of his troops were annexed by Yuan Shu, and the remainder was led by Wu Jing and Sun Jian's cousin, Sun Ben."

Yan Yi's face instantly turned gloomy.

As a person reborn from the 21st century, no one knows better than him the significance of Wu Jing's crossing of the river to conquer Danyang. This means that the prelude to the Yuan and Sun families' control of Jiangdong has officially begun.

"I had a terminal illness in my previous life, and now I have to face such a situation again in this life. Is God playing a joke on me?" Yan Yi smiled bitterly to himself, feeling a little panic about his approaching death.

According to historical developments, not long after Wu Jing captured Danyang, Sun Ce, who had just finished mourning, went to Yuan Shu to borrow troops. Yuan Shu sent him to Danyang to recruit soldiers, but he was defeated by Zu Lang. He then attached himself to Yuan Shu and helped him capture Lujiang. More than a year later, he began to sweep Jiangdong. Wherever the army passed, the soldiers and horses were shattered, and the battle line would soon advance to Wucheng.

By then, all the core members of the Yan family will be killed by Sun Ce, and no one will survive!

Yan Yi was puzzled at first. Why did Sun Ce let go of Wujun Prefect Xu Gong, Kuaiji Prefect Wang Lang and others, but chose to kill Yan Baihu?
He had only recently come to his senses that Xu Gong, Wang Lang and the others were all members of the gentry. The Sun family had just occupied Jiangdong and their foothold was unstable, so they needed to appease the gentry. Moreover, Sun Ce was attacking Jiangdong as a general under Yuan Shu. Many of the exiled gentry in Jiangbei and the native gentry in Jiangdong had contacts with the Yuan family, so Sun Ce inevitably had some concerns. Yan Baihu was just a bandit with no political foundation or reputation, so it was not surprising that he was used to scare the monkeys.

If we don't kill Yan Baihu, how can we seize all of his nearly 10,000 soldiers and strengthen our army?

How can we intimidate Jiangdong without killing Yan Baihu?
After realizing this, Yan Yi immediately gave up his plan to join Sun Ce.

As Yan Baihu's only son, how can the Sun family feel at ease if he doesn't die?

Surrendering is nothing but humiliation.

After all, there is no way to escape death, and the list of names has been prepared in advance in the Yama Palace.

"When birds are desperate, they peck; when beasts are desperate, they gnaw. So what if Sun Ce is the enemy? If anyone wants to kill me, I will fight him to the death!"

The experience of lying on a hospital bed with his eyes open waiting to die in his previous life made Yan Yi especially cherish this precious new life. A fierce light flashed in his eyes and he began to think secretly.

"Sun Ce in Shouchun is like a baby in the palm of Yuan Shu's hand, controlled at every turn. Once he crosses the river to conquer Jiangdong and establishes his own territory, his power will snowball. Therefore, the key to countering Sun Ce is to prevent him from successfully crossing the river and gaining a foothold!"

"When Sun Ce crossed the river from Hengjiangjin and Danglikou, he had approximately five to six thousand men. Given the combat effectiveness of the Yan army, they would have needed at least three or four times that number to be able to fight Sun Ce. However, Yan Baihu only had ten thousand troops at the time and lacked a capable general. Therefore, expanding the army, training the soldiers, and appointing generals were the top priorities."

"Wucheng is a small place, and supporting an army of 10,000 has already made the people impoverished and exhausted. If we want to expand the army, we must first expand the land, the people, and the food!"

"Wujun Prefect Xu Gong and the incoming Yangzhou Governor Liu Yao are the main forces opposing Sun Ce in the early stages. We need to get Yan Baihu to form an alliance with them and fight against Sun Ce together."

Yan Yi thought as he walked. After returning to his room to wash up, he went to visit his mother Xu Ying as usual.

Xu Ying is already forty years old, with fair and smooth skin and picturesque features. Although time has left some traces on her face, her every move is full of charm, with a gentleness and composure that comes with the passage of time.

This girl was from a military family. Her father, Xu Mao, was the commander of Wu Commandery, wearing a blue seal and holding a rank equivalent to two thousand stones.

After Xu Mao was convicted and died, Xu Ying hid in the mountains and met Yan Baihu, a son of a wealthy family who was also in trouble. By chance, the two young people who were going through the darkest moments of their lives came together and became a couple in adversity.

Xu Ying is a woman who is as capable as any man and is deeply respected by Yan Baihu's subordinates. In addition, as a mother, she is honored by her son, so even Yan Baihu has to respect her.

"Mother, the taxes on the Hegong are too high. Not counting other things, the annual tax on cloth and silk alone is thirty bolts. How can ordinary people afford it? You need to talk to father about this."

"The frequency of collecting the Suanfu and Gengfu must also be strictly checked!"

"We will reduce corvée labor in the near future so that the people can plant their crops before the spring rains end."

Yan Yi sat on the couch, drinking the fragrant mutton soup, trying to influence Yan Baihu through Xu Ying.

After a month of observation, he found that Xu Ying's words were obviously more effective than his. It was because the original owner's image as a playboy was too deeply rooted in people's minds.

"And you want your father to connect with Xu Gong, Wang Lang, Zu Lang, and Zhou Shu, right?"

"Tell him to give up the idea of ​​submitting to Yuan Shu and be more wary of the Sun family."

"Okay, okay, I've taken note of it. I'll tell your father today."

Xu Ying looked at Yan Yi with a smile, and was extremely happy when she thought of the various changes that the latter had undergone in recent days.

As the mother and son were talking, a steward from the mansion approached quietly, stopped outside the door, and bowed, saying, "Madam, Young Master, the Magistrate of Wu County, Xu, has sent an envoy. The Commander-in-Chief has asked Young Master to accompany the guest at the White Tiger Hall."

At that time, there were five counties in Jiangdong, namely Wu, Danyang, Lujiang, Yuzhang and Kuaiji. Wu County was the Suzhou of later generations, which was under the jurisdiction of Xu Gong, the prefect of Wu County. It had a population of 130,000 and was the seat of Wu County.

"Eating a meal is so troublesome!" Xu Ying raised her eyebrows and said, "Let's go after we finish eating."

"I'm stuffed."

Yan Yi finished the mutton in the bowl in a few bites and ran out.

If his guess was correct, Xu Gong sent the envoy most likely because of Wu Jing's attack on Danyang, because once Danyang fell, Xu Gong's territory would face the threat of Yuan Shu.

Speaking of Xu Gong, although he was mediocre, his influence on the history of the late Han Dynasty was extremely significant.

Historically, it was because Xu Gong secretly submitted a memorial to Emperor Xian, comparing Sun Ce to Xiang Yu and suggesting that Emperor Xian summon Sun Ce to Chang'an and imprison him, that Sun Ce, who had already let Xu Gong go, decided to kill him.

Sun Ce also paid a heavy price for killing Xu Gong and was assassinated by Xu Gong's followers.

Secretly lamenting the cycle of cause and effect in this world, Yan Yi walked through the corridors and halls of the mansion, passed several hanging flower gates, and came to a courtyard.

There is a screen facing north in the courtyard. The screen is painted with green ink and depicts pine trees, cypresses, rocks, and green grass. Among the pines and cypresses lies a snow-white tiger. The tiger has a strong and agile posture, with its front paws slightly raised and its hind legs tense, as if it is about to pounce on its prey at the next moment.

The most eye-catching thing is the white tiger's eyes, which are inlaid with two rare night pearls.

Behind the screen was a spacious and majestic hall, with flying eaves and brackets, imposing and grand. Above the main entrance hung a large plaque on a red gold and green background, inscribed in three large characters in a flamboyant style: "White Tiger Hall." Behind it was a line of smaller characters: "Handwritten by Chen Wenbai, the Governor of Yangzhou."

Yan Yi walked into the hall and saw a burly man in his forties with a thick beard kneeling on the main seat. This man was Yan Baihu, who owned the cities of Wucheng and Baihu and had a high reputation among the generals in Jiangdong.

Yan Baihu values ​​profit over loyalty and is short-sighted, but he loves Yan Yi very much. This makes Yan Yi, who grew up in an orphanage in his previous life, feel disappointed in him. However, after spending a month together, he gradually develops some feelings for Yan Yi, and his heart is quite complicated.

Sitting in the first seat to the right of the main seat was a thin scholar in his thirties, who must be the envoy sent by Xu Gong.

"Meet Father!"

Filial piety is the core value of this era. In front of outsiders, Yan Yi did not dare to be careless. He straightened his back, opened his hands to both sides, placed them flat and together, and saluted properly.

"My son, you've arrived just in time!" Yan Baihu's face lit up with joy, and he was very satisfied with Yan Yi's polite attitude. He nodded and said with a smile, "Come and meet Li Changshi."

Yan Yi bowed to Li Yi as instructed, and the latter quickly stood up to return the greeting. After exchanging a few words, the two men sat down.

Yan Yi's seat was the first seat on the left, which was convenient for him to observe Li Yi.

The story of Xu Gong's three retainers who avenged their master and assassinated Sun Ce became extremely famous in later generations and was cited as a model of loyalty and bravery. However, I don't know if Li Yi in front of us is one of the three.

After Yan Yi took his seat, Yan Baihu turned his gaze to Li Yi and continued the previous topic: "Zhou Xin was a brilliant scholar of his time, well-versed in military science. He commanded 20,000 elite soldiers, and the city was fortified. How could he be conquered by Wu Jing in less than a month?" Li Yi sighed, a hint of respect in his eyes, as if he had great admiration for Zhou Xin. "I was also puzzled at first. Wu Jing commanded only 10,000 infantry and less than 500 cavalry. Even Sun Wu would have struggled to capture the city. Later, I learned that, seeing that the siege was protracted, he drove the civilians to attack the city. Prefect Zhou loved his people like his own children, and said to his subordinates, 'I may not be virtuous, but what are the people's sins?' He then disbanded his troops and ceded Danyang to Wu Jing."

Yan Baihu shook his head and sighed: "Zhou Xin is confused. How can such a big city be handed over to others just because of womanizing?"

Yan Yi frowned when he heard this.

Li Yi blushed and remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Wu Jing's capture of Danyang will undoubtedly fuel Yuan Shu's ambitions. The Yuan army's next target will undoubtedly be our Wu Commandery. I wonder what your plans are, Marshal?"

Yan Baihu leaned forward, staring at Li Yi with his tiger eyes: "What are your plans, Mr. Xu?"

Li Yi bowed his head slightly in humility. "The Marshal and my Lord have always been friends. In this critical moment, we should unite our efforts to resist the enemy. Wucheng is to the west, and Wuxian is to the north. The two cities are less than a hundred miles apart, and with the natural barrier of Zhenze, we can form a pincer attack and provide mutual assistance. I have come here today on the orders of my Lord, hoping to establish a close relationship with the Marshal."

Zhenze is the Taihu Lake in later generations. There are many children's rhymes in Jiangdong such as "The water of Zhenze nourishes Wu and Yue for thousands of years and benefits the people."

Yan Baihu's eyes rolled, and he turned to look at Yan Yi: "What do you think, my son?"

Li Yi also looked at Yan Yi with expectation.

Yan Yi was slightly stunned, then realized that the Qin-Jin relationship was just a marriage.

He smiled awkwardly, and suddenly an idea came to his mind, realizing that this was a great opportunity to tie Yan Baihu and Xu Gong together.

If they agreed, the Yan and Xu families would naturally become relatives, and the anti-Sun camp would immediately take shape.

By then, if we absorb Wang Lang of Kuaiji into the fold, we will be able to create such a huge momentum in an instant, and we may even have the opportunity to win over forces such as Zu Lang of Jing County and Zhou Shu of Yuzhang.

Although he might not be able to defeat Sun Ce, it would probably not be as easy for Sun Ce to sweep across Jiangdong as it was in history.

Whether to marry Xu Gong's daughter or granddaughter, the woman's age, appearance and personality are of no importance in the face of life and death.

Yan Yi thought for a moment and was about to agree, but just as the words were on his lips, Yan Baihu looked away and smiled at Li Yi, saying, "There's no rush for this matter. Let me think about it."

Historically, Sun Ce first eliminated the isolated and weak Xu Gong, and then led his troops south to defeat Wang Lang and Yan Baihu one by one.

Yan Yi suddenly felt a surge of anger in his heart, but Yan Baihu had already spoken, so it was inconvenient for him to refute him in public.

"Then I will wait patiently for your good news." Li Yi bowed and saluted, suppressing his inner disappointment. He took out a scroll from his sleeve and held it in front of Yan Baihu: "My lord has a letter here, please take a look, Marshal."

Yan Baihu took the document, removed the seal, and looked at it for a long while. His face was as gloomy as the dark clouds before a rainstorm. He threw the document to the ground and shouted angrily, "Wu Jing is going too far!"

A barely perceptible smile flashed across Li Yi's face, and he sat down calmly.

Yan Yi stood up calmly, picked up the bamboo slips from the ground, and after examining them for a moment, he nearly burst out laughing. He secretly thought Wu Jing was a real helper, but he feigned indignation on his face: "Wu Jing has a huge appetite! The salt fields in Haiyan County have always been equally taxed by my father and Mr. Xu, and this fellow is demanding 30% of the tax. Does he think I'm alone in Wu County?"

The content of the letter was about the salt profits, which were extremely important to Yan Baihu.

Since the Han Dynasty, first Sang Hongyang promoted the government-run salt fields, and then Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu abolished the salt monopoly law, allowing the people to produce salt and the government to collect taxes, resulting in the coexistence of official and private salt in the late Han Dynasty. But no matter which method was used, the income from salt fields was an important pillar of the government's finances, and it could be said to be huge profits.

Wu County was the largest salt-producing region in Jiangdong, boasting three major salt fields: Haiyan County, Yanguan County, and Shazhong near Taihu Lake. The salt fields in Yanguan County had been appropriated by Wang Lang, while Haiyan County, with its largest production, was controlled by Yan Baihu and Xu Gong.

About one-third of Yan Baihu's army was supported by the income from the salt fields. Wu Jing's demand for the salt profits was tantamount to cutting flesh from Yan Baihu.

At the end of the letter, Xu Gong proposed that Yan Baihu send 3,000 troops to garrison Haiyan County to prevent Wu Jing's navy from spying on him. He himself would lead his troops to Wu County to deal with the threat from Wu Jing head-on. In case of emergency, Yan Baihu would be required to send troops to support him.

"In that case, how about I send a thousand infantrymen to station near Youquan?"

Yan Baihu suppressed his anger, thought for a moment, and then proposed a plan that he thought was the best of both worlds.

Youquan is Jiaxing in later generations, located about 40 miles north of Haiyan County.

Yan Yi sighed secretly. Yan Baihu was like an ostrich burying his head in the sand in the face of a powerful enemy. He didn't want to offend Yuan Shu, nor did he want to lose the salt profits. How could such a good thing happen in the world?

A trace of anxiety flashed across Li Yi's face: "When the lips and teeth are separated, I hope you will think twice!"

Yan Baihu's refusal was obvious, and he said in a deep voice, "We'll discuss this matter later. Li Changshi must be exhausted from riding. Let's go to the posthouse and rest first."

Li Yi had no choice but to say goodbye and leave for the time being.

"The defense of Wu County is Yan Baihu's responsibility. If he keeps hesitating, how can the relationship between the two families last long? Time is running out, and we must facilitate this alliance between the two families no matter what!"

A solemn look flashed across Yan Yi's eyes. After Li Yi left, he took a long breath, stood up and said, "Father, our army will gain three benefits if we enter Haiyan."

Yan Baihu looked surprised: "Where does Sanli come from? Tell me about it."

Yan Yi gathered his thoughts and said in a deep voice, "Even with the might of the Qin Dynasty and the great talent and strategy of the First Emperor, it still relied on making friends with distant states and attacking those nearby. Yuan Shu currently holds only three prefectures: Runan, Chen, and Jiujiang. Shouchun is a war zone on all sides, bordered by Liu Biao to the west, Cao Cao to the north, and Tao Qian to the east. It's in constant danger of overthrow. Yuan Shu is far inferior to the First Emperor. This arrogant and conceited man, with a light force, crossed the river to launch an expedition without informing father, and instead allowed Wu Jing to come and demand the salt profit. This clearly shows that he doesn't take father seriously and is going too far! If father joins forces with the governor of Xu County to deter the enemy, it will firstly demonstrate the unity of the people of Wu County, secondly, boost the morale of our officers and men, and thirdly, reassure the people. That's a win-win."

Yan Baihu fell into deep thought.

Yan Yi continued, "Yuan Shu has been repeatedly defeated by Cao Cao, and the two families are at loggerheads. Lord Tao of Xuzhou is ill and unable to recover, and Xuzhou is already in chaos. Yuan Shu has been plotting against Xuzhou for a long time and will surely seize the opportunity. Yuan Shu must guard against Cao Cao and simultaneously seize control of Xuzhou, so where would he find the extra troops to manage Jiangdong? If father were to station only a mere 1,000 troops in Youquan, it would be a sign of weakness, exposing our strength to Yuan Shu and drawing his attention. Conversely, stationing a large force in Haiyan would deter Yuan Shu, a double advantage."

"Wu Jing was originally a general under Sun Jian, not a direct descendant of Yuan Shu. He's like a tree without roots, water without a source. Yuan Shu ordered Wu Jing to attack Danyang simply to reap the benefits. If Wu Jing dared to march to Haiyan, he would be marching alone deep into dangerous territory, committing a cardinal sin in military operations. Father could defeat him in one blow, and Yuan Shu wouldn't care much. If he didn't come, people would simply think Wu Jing was afraid of father, which would benefit father's reputation. These are the three benefits."

As Yan Yi spoke, Yan Baihu's expression became more and more serious. By the time Yan Yi finished speaking, the seriousness had turned into suspicion.

He looked at Yan Yi in surprise: "Who taught you these words?"

In Yan Baihu's opinion, his stupid son would never say such words.

"These are my child's inner thoughts." Yan Yi looked back at Yan Baihu without panting or breathing heavily. "Father, please don't look at me with the same old eyes. You must know that when a man has been away for three days, he should be looked at with new eyes."

Yan Yi originally wanted to proceed step by step and gradually change other people's views to avoid going too far and causing unnecessary suspicion. However, the precarious situation and the urgency of time made him unable to care about so much.

So what if his temperament changed drastically? So what if there were rumors of demonic possession? Yan Baihu only had this one son, so he had nothing to fear. As long as he held onto this status, he could act with impunity. Time was the perfect filter, filtering out rumors and allowing people to adapt and accept.

Moreover, wasn't he the man Yan Baihu and the others had hoped to see? The memories left by the original owner allowed him to easily discern the true attitudes of those around him towards that dandy boy.

"When a scholar has been away for three days, he should be looked at with new eyes. Very good! Very good! This is my son, Yan Baihu!" Yan Baihu laughed heartily, the suspicion in his eyes disappearing, replaced by the joy and satisfaction of a father seeing his son's progress. "My son, you are right. Since there are these three benefits, I will accept Xu Gong's request and send troops to Haiyan."

Yan Yi observed his expression and said without losing the opportunity, "I am willing to share my father's worries and lead the troops to Haiyan!"

Although Yan Baihu commanded tens of thousands of men, he only had his younger brother, Yan Yu, to whom he could rely. He had long placed great hopes on his son, and after a moment's thought, he agreed: "I intend to have your uncle lead 3,000 troops to Haiyan. You will serve as an assistant military commander and accompany your uncle. Remember to practice military tactics diligently every day, and consult your uncle on everything."

Yan Yi was delighted. In this chaotic world, the army was undoubtedly the foundation of his survival.

Since his rebirth, he has always felt anxious and uneasy about being unable to do anything in the face of crisis. If the person he relies on is Liu Bei, he is happy to be a Liu Adou, but looking at Yan Baihu in front of him, and then thinking of the invincible Sun Ce, he suddenly felt like a thorn in his back.

"Father, the assistant military commander is too restrained. Can I lead a unit alone?" Yan Yi asked tentatively.

The rank of Zuojun Sima is equivalent to Qianshi, which is a middle-level military position. However, his main job is to assist the commander-in-chief in commanding the army, and he will only lead the army alone under special circumstances.

Yan Baihu shook his head and refused without hesitation. He only had this one child, so how could he feel at ease if Yan Yu didn't keep an eye on him?

"So, how many troops does father plan to give me?" Yan Yi asked again.

Yan Baihu thought of his son's past actions and was still worried. He said thoughtfully, "You are new to military affairs. You should learn more and observe more. Two groups of soldiers and horses are enough."

Yan Yi shook his head and refused without hesitation. What a joke. How could two groups of people be enough? It was just enough to fill the gap in their teeth.

After some bargaining, the father and son finally decided on the three Qu troops, but they had a dispute over the selection of Qu Junhou.

Yan Baihu wished that all three Qujunhou would be appointed by his favorite people, but Yan Yi was just the opposite, he wanted to choose by himself.

After another round of bargaining, Yan Yi won the right to appoint two Qu Junhou.

Although this result is not satisfactory, it is acceptable.

When walking out of the White Tiger Hall, Yan Yi couldn't help but smile, his heart pounding.

Today's gains were considerable. Not only did he convince Yan Baihu and Xu Gong to join forces, but he also gained the power to command the troops.

Three Qus means 600 people, plus the logistics and baggage personnel, the number is close to 1,000.

Any man would be excited at the thought of having an army of a thousand men.

In this chaotic era, the generals' control over the army is incomparable to that in later generations.

If you raise them well, they will become a complete private army.

However, it is easy to get thousands of soldiers, but it is difficult to get a good general, especially in Yan Baihu's army, where outstanding generals are rare.

When it comes to his ability to lead troops in battle, Yan Yi is self-aware. Relying on his knowledge that transcends his time and some foresight into historical development, it's fine for him to talk about military affairs on paper and bluff people. But if he is really asked to lead troops in battle, then words like being killed in battle or being defeated will most likely happen to him.

Thinking of this question, the hot blood flowing in Yan Yi's veins gradually cooled down, and his heart became heavier.

(The map of this book is at the top of the discussion thread. Brothers who are not familiar with the geography in the text can go and take a look.)
(End of this chapter)