Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 29 Gongsun Zan, Commander of a Separate Division

Leading his horse to the riverbank, Liu Bei began to take off his clothes in preparation for going into the water.

Horses can swim too, and Liu Bei still brought Cao Cao's black horse with him. This horse always helped him escape from death, so he had to keep it.

But just as Liu Bei stuffed his clothes into his saddlebag and was about to plunge into the river, a timid voice came from behind him.

“My lord… I can swim and ride a horse.”

She was a musician, and she had already rolled up her skirt and tied it around her waist: "Last night, my lord rode alone to fight the enemy to the death. His heroism was unparalleled. I wish to play music for you again!"

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, after rolling up her sleeves and tucking in her skirt, this musician had an unforgettable appearance.

Her face wasn't exactly stunning, but her figure...

It was quite thrilling.

"You're not going back?"

Liu Bei turned around and gently shook his head: "Following me is very dangerous; I might lose my life."

"I was conscripted by the magistrate of Zhuo to be a tribute musician. If I do not go to Luoyang to report this, it will be considered desertion..."

The musician lowered her head slightly, speaking softly but firmly: "I know that my lord has been deceived by Zhuoling, and we musicians are probably just bait that he can discard at any time. I think it's impossible for Zhuoling to go to Luoyang. Whether I return to Zhuojun or go to find Zhuoling, I will only end up being punished for escaping the war. It's better to follow my lord to Luoyang."

"That's true... What's your name?"

Liu Bei nodded, showing some appreciation for the musician.

There weren't many clear-headed people back then. Although this musician was only a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, she not only understood Liu Bei's situation but also her own.

It's impossible for Gongsun Zan to have gone to Luoyang; he's probably currently searching for Liu Bei's body in his camp...

"My surname is Zuo, and I have no given name. I am from Guzang in Wuwei. If you would like me to serve you, please grant me a courtesy name."

The musician bowed his head slightly, but did not appear servile; he spoke with great skill.

Most female entertainers in those days did not have formal names, but they certainly had stage names, or rather, the names they registered as entertainers—names that had nothing to do with surnames.

Instead of revealing his name, the musician told Liu Bei his original surname and asked him to bestow a courtesy name upon him, which was an expression of his willingness to serve and follow him.

If Liu Bei is willing to give her a name with her original surname, it means he is willing to redeem her from her servitude and let her become a respectable woman again.

"Since you're here by the water to invite me to write, then from now on, I'll call you Zuo Yuan... Go and fetch a horse to follow me."

Liu Bei looked at the clear river water and nodded to her: "The drumming was very well done last night."

……

Zhuojun.

Prefect's Mansion.

"...Zan was on his way to pay tribute to Luoyang when he was ambushed by county soldiers at the Zishui ferry crossing. All the tribute was stolen, and countless servants were killed or wounded... Fortunately, Yi Cong came to his aid, and Zan captured prisoners as evidence that those county soldiers were all Zhang Chun's troops!"

Gongsun Zan gritted his teeth: "That Zhang Chun is so arrogant, it's outrageous! I beg you, Lord, to raise an army and punish him!"

"How could Zhang Boren do this..."

Prefect Liu Wei paced anxiously back and forth in the hall, lamenting, "How could this be? How could this be..."

"Where is Liu Bei, who was traveling with Bo Gui, now?"

Zou Jing was also sitting in the hall. He didn't pace around, mainly because his injuries hadn't healed and he couldn't get up.

However, Zou Jing was even more anxious than Liu Wei.

He was clearly thinking about his own robbery and murder.

“Xuande has disappeared without a trace. I found the bodies of two of his followers in the camp... but only their bodies were in the camp, their heads had been cut off.”

Gongsun Zan's expression was one of indignation: "Moreover, the ten pavilions near the Zishui Ferry have been turned into a wasteland, devoid of people and livestock! This was also the work of Zhang Chun's troops! Lord, Commander Zou, I request that we punish Zhang Chun and bring this traitor to justice!" "Xuande has disappeared?!"

Zou Jing trembled all over as he tried to stand up, but perhaps aggravating his injury, he sat down again, clutching his waist, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles cracking.

"This matter should be reported to Luoyang; we cannot wage war arbitrarily..."

Prefect Liu Wei stopped in his tracks, speaking hesitantly as if he were talking to himself.

"But Lord! The road to Luoyang has been cut off by Zhang Chun! All the boats at Zishui Ferry have been sunk, and the area around the ferry is deserted. I was building a boat at the ferry when I was attacked that very night... Zhang Boren probably has no intention of letting anyone cross the Zishui River! This thief has cut off all communication, so I'm afraid no one can report to Luoyang!"

Gongsun Zan clasped his hands and became more and more excited as he spoke.

"Then what should we do?"

Liu Wei started scratching his head, even pulling off his crown: "A detour, a detour... We have to take a detour through eastern Hebei to get the message to the court first, otherwise..."

"My lord! Since Zhang Chun dared to cut off the transportation routes, he must have been planning this for a long time! Our prefecture is north of Zhongshan, and the southern route to Zhongshan is already cut off. Zhang Chun is obviously plotting against our prefecture! At this critical moment, if we delay any longer, by the time the order comes back from Luoyang, we will probably be dead without a burial place!"

Gongsun Zan bowed deeply and said, "Please, Your Majesty, order the mobilization of the troops in this prefecture to prepare for war! Even if we do not attack the rebels, we should at least defend against the enemy from the outside and take precautions as soon as possible!"

"This...the county's finances and provisions are insufficient...Commander Zou, what do you think?"

Liu Wei sat down on the ground, clutching his thinning hair, and hesitated before turning to Zou Jing for help.

Without the imperial order, if the prefect were to gather troops from various prefectures to form a large army, it would be easy for someone to report him to the Court of Justice, and Liu Wei would not know how to fight.

The most critical problem is... summoning troops from various prefectures to form a large army would consume a huge amount of money and food!

The money and grain originally shared by each county and pavilion had to be raised entirely by the prefect's office after being gathered together. Moreover, the loss of grain and fodder on the way to the gathering was more than the amount consumed by the county soldiers.

“If we don’t have enough money and grain, we will levy taxes… Now that Zhang Chun’s intention to rebel has been revealed, it concerns our lives, so we should take precautions as soon as possible.”

Zou Jing nodded in confirmation, his gaze shifting between Gongsun Zan and Liu Wei, but he ultimately did not mention the details of his own abduction and murder.

"But the soldiers of this prefecture are weak and slippery, and I'm afraid they are not up to the task... Could Commander Zou lead the Wuhuan cavalry into this prefecture to assist in the battle?"

With life and death at stake, Liu Wei no longer hesitated, but simply asked Zou Jing to summon the Wuhuan.

“I am injured and unable to move easily. Moreover, the Wuhuan are not law-abiding and are accustomed to plundering. If they enter the prefectures and counties, I fear they will cause chaos.”

Zou Jing shook his head: "But if the rebels launch a large-scale attack, I will certainly lead the Wuhuan to their aid."

Zou Jing wasn't making excuses; it was the truth. Although the Wuhuan had submitted to the Han Chinese, they were still barbarians and couldn't possibly abide by the law.

If the Wuhuan cavalry were to enter the counties, the consequences might be even more severe than if the rebels attacked.

Unless it is confirmed that the rebels have already mobilized a large army to press on the border, it is best not to use the Hu people.

"My lord, Gongsun Bogui is a renowned and valiant general from Liaodong, and he is also skilled in training troops. If the local soldiers are unfit for service, it would be better to have Bogui recruit a new army."

Zou Jing naturally knew what kind of people the county soldiers in the inland prefectures were like; most of them were more like bandits than bandits themselves. So he suggested forming another unit.

Moreover, Zou Jing understood that Liu Wei actually wanted him to propose the matter of recruiting soldiers again—because the number of county soldiers was definitely not enough…

Drawing a salary without working is an essential skill for every prefect and military commander.

If the county troops were to be assembled for war, the discrepancy between the number of soldiers and the authorized strength would be too great to justify.

Therefore, we absolutely must recruit new troops, and not only recruit, but recruit twice as many...

"In that case, I will appoint Bo Gui as the commander of a separate division and recruit new troops!"

Liu Wei glanced at Gongsun Zan, nodded, and gave the order.

"My lord, please rest assured, Zan will surely defend our prefecture from the enemy!"

Gongsun Zan bowed respectfully, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)