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

Chapter 71 Brother, you have to help me!

Su Shuang has been building a horse farm in the Juma River area for some time now. There were bandits in Taihang Mountain a while ago, and Su Shuang hasn't been home since.

Actually, Su Shuang's current home is not in Zhongshan, but in Anping.

Because the horse tax in Zhongshan was too heavy, Su Shuang couldn't bear it... He was from Anguo in Zhongshan, only thirty miles away from Anping, and he had been doing business for many years, and already had a residence and horse farm in Anping.

That's why Jian Yong took the horses he brought to Anping to be raised by Su Shuang.

Su Shuang did know Wang Men, because Wang Men had also gone to see him.

Moreover, Su Shuang gave Liu Bei some startling news: "Lord Xuande, Wang Men's real name is Wang Dou. He used to work for the Yuan family of Runan. A few years ago, he came to me and asked to borrow my horse trading route. He and I are from the same hometown, so I pointed out the route to him."

"Unexpectedly, from then on, the trade route was controlled by merchants under the Yuan family, and the employees of Su's household were all expelled."

“This matter caused me great losses… The Yuan family merchants acted domineeringly, so I had no choice but to change my business route and find another one, no longer taking that route.”

"When Su met Wang again, he had transformed into Zhongshan Shangji and even became the Minister of State's Secretariat."

At this point, Su Shuang sighed: "I am just a merchant, and I can't afford to offend such a high-ranking official. In addition, after that Prime Minister Zhang came to Zhongshan, he imposed heavy taxes and levies. Therefore, I have been living in Anping for the past few years to avoid such troubles and prevent my family from being ruined."

The Wang family is actually working for the Yuan family...

This news caused Liu Bei to fall into deep thought.

It's normal for Yuan's retainers to serve as officials in other places, but it's not so normal for them to change their names and join the Zhang family of Yuyang as retainers.

This means that either Zhang Chun has a close relationship with the Yuan family, or Wang Men is an undercover agent sent by the Yuan family to Zhang Chun's side.

However, it is very difficult for an undercover agent to become a supervisor in a short period of time.

This is the position of commanding Zhang Chun's personal guards... Usually, those who hold this position are the most trusted confidants, even if they are not members of the Zhang family, they should be close retainers who have followed Zhang Chun for many years.

Moreover, Wangmen was also the Zhongshan Shangji, which was the position representing the Zhongshan State to pay tribute to the court or report on the financial and tax affairs of the prefectures and states.

In other words, Wang Men can represent Zhang Chun when he is outside the family.

Therefore, it is very likely that Wang Men was recommended to Zhang Chun by the Yuan family, and that he was the contact person between the two families.

This is similar to how Liu Bei recommended Qian Zhao to Zou Jing. Zou Jing trusted Liu Bei, his savior, so he directly appointed Qian Zhao as an Attendant Gentleman to manage the affairs of his department. The Attendant Gentleman was also a close subordinate official who could represent Zou Jing.

This situation is very important.

In addition, Zuo Yuan brought intelligence that Wang Men was discussing a horse deal with Liu Wei.

After discussing the matter with Zuo Yuan for a while, Liu Bei came up with a plan.

……

The next day, Liu Bei, accompanied by Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zuo Yuan, arrived at Shili Pavilion.

At this time, Shiliting was already quite dilapidated. The Taihang bandits and Gongsun Zan fought fiercely here, leaving the place in a mess.

But Liu Bei still had people reorganize and clean it.

Instead of building any more houses, they erected some fences to enclose a very large courtyard, inside which was only a thatched cottage.

That thatched cottage was formerly the Taoist temple of the Taiping Dao. It was quite large and was the only intact building in Shiliting at that time.

Now this place looks like a racecourse, and the thatched cottage looks like a stable.

"Brother, isn't it inappropriate to host a banquet here? Why not hold the banquet at a tavern?"

Zhang Fei felt that drinking should be done in a tavern or canteen... and luckily, his family had one—Liu Bei had brought him here to be his cook...

"Because there's no one here... it's convenient to say things that are inconvenient for others to hear."

Zuo Yuan stood by and explained on Liu Bei's behalf. Guan Yu turned his head and glanced at him, seemingly quite impressed with Zuo Yuan.

"No, I mainly don't want Fei Lang to get drunk and cause trouble at the tavern..."

Liu Bei turned around, patted Zhang Fei's shoulder, and shook his head: "Fei Lang, you always sneak a drink while cooking, and you get drunk as soon as you drink. When you're drunk, you start making a fuss with your fists and feet, and I don't even recognize you... The brothers can't control you, and they've injured several of you. From now on, this place will be your residence, and you're forbidden from drinking alcohol to prevent you from harming innocent people in the city."

"Brother... I don't remember ever acting crazy while drunk.... I've been drunk and confused a few times, but was it really that serious?"

Zhang Fei asked awkwardly.

"It's true, I was almost accidentally injured by you before... Oh right, I took my brothers and moved all the wine from your warehouse yesterday."

Zuo Yuan said this was absolutely true: "Fei Lang, go ask your husband for the money for the wine. You won't be able to drink it."

"Money is a small matter... Oh? They've all been taken?! Not a single jar left?"

Zhang Fei cried out in anguish, "How am I supposed to live now?!"

Guan Yu glanced at Zhang Fei, then at Liu Bei, and remained silent, but his expression softened considerably, no longer displaying such fierceness.

"You can't blame me for this, the brothers didn't dare let you drink..."

Zuo Yuan spread his hands and turned to look at Guan Yu: "But now that Brother Yun is here, if Brother Yun can control you... and is willing to manage you, then perhaps my lord can lift your ban."

"You can control him! You can control him! Brother Yun is clearly a fierce warrior, I, Zhang Fei, am no match for him... right, Brother Yun?"

Zhang Fei went to Guan Yu to curry favor: "Brother, please stay with me, I'll provide you with plenty of wine and meat..."

"Ahem...Guan..."

Guan Yu was taken aback by Zhang Fei's sudden enthusiasm and didn't know what to say, so he could only smile and shake his head.

"Brother Yun, you must help me! They all bully me because I'm young... Oh, by the way, I have a good gift for you, Brother Yun. Please help me get that warehouse full of fine wine back..."

Zhang Fei pulled a treasure from his pocket, mysteriously stuffed it into Guan Yu's hand, and loudly plotted.

He has a loud voice; even when he speaks softly, he can't hide it from people...

Guan Yu looked at the treasure in his hand, and his already rosy face turned blood red in an instant.

It was a wooden tablet painting of a beautiful woman... without any clothes on, very artistic.

Guan Yu glanced at Liu Bei and Zuo Yuan, and seeing that the two had entered the thatched cottage without turning back, he hurriedly stuffed the wooden tablet into his bosom, looked Zhang Fei up and down, and asked with a rather incredulous expression: "This...you made this?"

Zhang Fei was not yet fifteen years old at this time, and his beard was still fine downy hair. He was just tall and had plenty of food and drink.

"Yes, yes, if Brother Yun Chang likes it, Fei can do it anytime... but he can only do it after drinking some wine."

Zhang Fei clasped his hands and pleaded with Guan Yu, "Brother, you must help me..."

"I tried my best... cough, I tried my best..."

Guan Yu was both amused and exasperated, but his expression had softened, and his desperate look had diminished considerably.

……

"Brother Wang has delivered the summons to me, for which I am deeply grateful. Tomorrow I will host a family banquet at the Ten Mile Pavilion outside the city, and I would like to invite Brother Wang to join me for a chat..."

After cleaning the Shili Pavilion, Liu Bei took some gold ingots as gifts and went to invite Wang Men to dinner.

This was expected and customary, so Wang Men did not refuse, but their gazes toward Liu Bei were somewhat unnatural.

After leaving the building, Guan Yu, who was serving as Liu Bei's bodyguard, whispered behind him, "That man has murderous intent."

(End of this chapter)