Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 68 Nanyang Wancheng (Please read 4k words)

Huang Zhong's lips twitched a few times, and he quietly loosened his grip on the bowstring.

He stepped closer: "The patriarch's attire is indeed a bit exaggerated."

He was a man of discerning taste, having seen many soldiers in armor, but almost none of them possessed such robust armor as his own patriarch's.

Yes, he was robust. At this moment, Zhang Xian in his eyes was at least half again as muscular as he had been before.

"No exaggeration, no exaggeration, it just suits me perfectly."

Zhang Xian waved his hand, causing the armor plates on his body to rustle.

Seeing this, what could Huang Zhong say? He could only respond by asking, "What brings you here, Master?"

"Shi Jia, Han Sheng, you've worked hard. Play a match with me!"

As he spoke, he walked to the weapons rack, picked up a long spear, and brandished it a couple of times.

But swiping left and right just doesn't feel right.

"Does the head of the family find it difficult to exert force?"

Huang Zhong was quite perceptive; he noticed Zhang Xian's incongruity almost immediately.

He stepped forward and picked up a long spear as well: "The patriarch's armor should be paired with a weapon with a more forward center of gravity; these spears are all too symmetrical."

Huang Zhong tossed his spear up and down, maintaining the more than two-meter-long weapon in his hands with perfect balance.

Zhang Xian nodded: "I do have that feeling, but I've already asked Blacksmith He to forge the Golden Gourd Hammer. I should be able to handle that kind of weapon."

Heavy armor requires heavy weapons, and these weapons, which weigh only two or three pounds and are considered heavy even in the hands of ordinary soldiers, are still too light for him now.

What he wanted was an unconventional weapon that would kill instantly upon contact, or at least severely injure the target if it didn't die.

Hammer, axe, halberd – he ultimately chose the hammer.

The reason is simple: it's easy to build.

The blacksmiths of Taoyuan still have a long way to go in terms of skill.

Huang Zhong kicked the butt of his spear and twirled it: "Master, don't you really think this armor is heavy?"

Zhang Xian nodded, holding the spear horizontally with both hands: "It's not heavy, Hansheng, use all your strength!"

The two faced each other for a while before he nodded: "Then, Patriarch, be careful!"

Huang Zhong took a deep breath, and the spear in his hand hummed and tumbled with a wave the size of a bowl. He had seen too many generals in heavy armor, and those armored men were often slow to move. But the patriarch in front of him was like a cheetah in iron armor, and the two-meter-long spear was as light as a bamboo branch in his hands.

With a roar, the spear tip shot straight for Zhang Xian's throat like a venomous snake spitting its tongue. The strike was so fast that it left afterimages, and the spear shaft even bent into a dangerous arc in the air.

"clang--!"

Sparks exploded on Zhang Xian's neck armor, causing the stacked armor plates to dent slightly. The spear tip slid to the side, and Huang Zhong's pupils contracted sharply. The thrust, delivered with seven-tenths of his strength, didn't even leave a white mark!
"Excellent armor!" he couldn't help but praise, only to see Zhang Xian neither dodge nor evade, but sweeping his spear horizontally.

Huang Zhong retreated three steps, the butt of his spear barely grazing his chest, the resulting wind pressure causing him to gasp for breath.

"Hansheng, there's no need to hold back." Zhang Xian's voice came through the visor, booming like thunder. He suddenly abandoned his gun and charged forward, his iron boots shattering the floor tiles, the sound of armor plates clashing like raindrops hitting tiles.

Huang Zhong spun around and thrust again, aiming straight for the gap in the breastplate. But Zhang Xian turned nimbly during the charge, the tip of his spear grazing his arm armor and sending sparks flying. Before he could recover, his right shoulder, covered in iron armor, slammed into him!

"boom!"

Huang Zhong was knocked backward and flew out of the air. He staggered back seven steps before regaining his balance upon landing.

Rubbing his chest, which felt stuffy, Huang Zhong gave a bitter smile. He could tell that the patriarch had just held back ninety percent of his strength; otherwise, he might have broken two of his ribs.

But what kind of monster is this patriarch who can stop himself from escaping the impact? Could it be that the patriarch was actually disciplining him during their sparring sessions?
"Again!" Zhang Xian laughed, and jumped back a few steps. The paving stones beneath his feet cracked, but he showed no sign of slowing down.

The blazing sun spread out behind him, and his heavy armor, in the light and shadow, resembled a ferocious bird spreading its wings.

Huang Zhong narrowed his eyes; this one man alone could defeat an entire enemy army!

After thinking for a moment, he rubbed his chest and waved his hand: "I'm not coming. With the patriarch wearing this armor, Zhong has no chance of winning. The patriarch's movements are too agile, and Zhong's moves cannot penetrate the gaps in the armor at all. There is no point in continuing this battle."

However, I have a question, and I wonder if the head of the family can answer it?

Upon hearing Huang Zhong say that the fight was over, Zhang Xian had no choice but to put away his spear and place it on the weapon rack.

"What's the problem?" He turned his head, but it still felt awkward; he couldn't see anyone even when he turned around.

Huang Zhong walked to the weapon rack and placed the spear on it: "How long can the patriarch last in this armor? I'm referring to when we're fighting."

Zhang Xian tapped his helmet with his fingers, pondered for a moment, and replied, "If it were like the fight I had with you before, half an hour would be no problem."

"If we combine it with enough 'medicine and food'..." He looked at Huang Zhong hesitantly, "...fight for a whole day?"

Huang Zhong looked up at the sky and after a long while, he finally uttered a sentence.

"From now on, anyone who opposes the patriarch will be in for a world of trouble."

"Haha, who can argue with that?"

Zhang Xian burst out laughing.

This is only the armor that nine points of strength attribute can support. As he continues to train and his strength attribute continues to increase, will it reach ten points? Eleven points?
The greater the strength, the greater the load-bearing capacity: 9.99 jin, 10.111 jin, 11.122 jin.

One day, he will still be able to move nimbly even when he is fully clad in armor weighing over a hundred pounds.

This is his most powerful trump card, for himself!

Zhang Xian spent the entire day at the training ground, having the Peach Blossom Clan practice their endurance in battle formations.

As he had expected, wearing armor and wielding a ring-pommel wooden sword, he was able to easily break through the encirclement of most of the enemy forces.

This is under the condition that he doesn't use lethal force. If he were on a real battlefield, where he could go all out, it would be even simpler.

He even said that he didn't need to exert much effort; he only needed to kill a few, and most of the enemy troops surrounding him would collapse and flee.

What does it mean to be invincible?
That's what you call invincible.

Lu Bu?

Xiang Yu?

Come, come, if you can fight me for ten rounds, I'll call you the strongest in the world!
At night, Zhang Xian's mouth was crooked after he removed his armor.

This is a smile.

Several people sat around a square table beside him.

"My lord, why have you summoned us in the middle of the night?"

Han Ji looked up at the crooked-mouthed lord and asked in confusion.

The others, Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun, and Xiahou Lan, also looked at Zhang Xian with suspicion.

I was half asleep when I suddenly woke them up.

"I have something I'd like to ask Gongzhi's opinion on, which is why I woke you up so late at night. It's best to keep quiet now, as walls can't hear you."

He patted the corner of his mouth, rubbing his crooked mouth back to its original shape.

The group exchanged glances, still somewhat puzzled, and patiently waited for what would happen next.

"What does my lord wish to ask?"

Han Ji stood up, bowed, and asked.

Zhang Xian waved his hand: "Sit down. I just want to ask you, do you want to kill Chen Mao, the governor of Nanyang, with your own hands, or is it enough if he is dead?"

"Why do you ask such a question, my lord?" Han Ji's eyes flickered.

Zhang Xian continued, "If you want to kill him with your own hands, you'll have to wait a few more years. But if you just want him dead, I'll personally go to Nanyang tomorrow!"

"Lord!"

Han Jiteng stood up abruptly, his expression somewhat agitated.

"If the revenge for Ji can be taken, then Ji will be at your command from now on!"

"So, you just want him dead?"

"I only wish for his death!"

“I understand now,” Zhang Xian nodded, pointing to the stool: “Sit down, don’t get too excited.”

“Alan.”

"Brother Xian, my lord." Before Han Ji could even sit down, Xiahou Lan jumped up again, clasping his hands in a fist salute upon hearing Zhang Xian's call. "You—" Zhang Xian glanced at him, "Never mind, whatever makes you happy."

"I will be leaving Taoyuan for a while. During this time, you will be in charge of everything in Taoyuan, with Gongzhi as your assistant."

"promise!"

Han Ji and Xiahou Lan accepted the order.

"Hansheng, Ayun."

"exist!"

The two men also stood up and clasped their hands in greeting.

"Come with me to Nanyang tomorrow! Prepare the troops!"

"promise!"

The four people inside bowed to the only person sitting.

Zhang Xian snapped his fingers: "Gongzhi, during the time I'm away from Taoyuan, you must make it seem to the outside world that I'm still there, including Hansheng and the others. You can figure out a way yourself; I believe you can do it."

"Rest assured, my lord!"

"That's the matter. Let's send them back."

"I'll take my leave!"

After saying that, the group left the house together.

outside the house.

The four people were walking along the same road, and their houses were all in the same direction.

"From now on, the way we address each other will have to change. It seems that our lord has already decided to enter officialdom." As they walked, Huang Zhong suddenly laughed.

Xiahou Lan nodded: "Brother Xian... our lord should be starting to make plans."

Zhao Yun's eyes flickered, and he asked softly, "Can't I call you Brother Xian anymore?" He was still a little unaccustomed to it.

Han Ji glanced at him: "You and Alan don't need to change how you address each other in private. The lord treats you two like brothers, but you should still be careful in front of outsiders."

Huang Zhong nodded in agreement: "That's right."
-
The next day.

A group of three people and nine horses quietly set off, galloping southwards.

In a single day, they traveled south along the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains, passing through Jingjingkou, Handan, and finally Yecheng, covering a distance of 180 li. The men and horses were exhausted.

They stopped to rest wherever they could in the countryside, where people ate and horses ate their fill. After a good night's sleep, they hurriedly continued their journey.

They crossed the Yellow River at Xingyang and arrived in Luoyang.

They didn't have time to take a closer look at the most prosperous capital city at the end of the Han Dynasty, and continued their hurried southward journey.

After passing through Yique Pass and Fangcheng Pass, they arrived in Nanyang, taking more than eight days and covering 600 li.

Fortunately, with one person and three horses, the journey was long but manageable.

On the day he arrived in Wancheng, the capital of Nanyang Prefecture, Zhang Xian was dressed in a fur coat, with a full beard and dark skin, looking every bit like a barbarian.

The same applies to Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun, who are also like nomadic barbarians from beyond the Great Wall.

Even the travel permits he used along the way were all from the naturalized Hu people, and he spent a lot of money bribing them for this.

It must be said that it is easy to forge identity information in this era, and the three of them still managed to enter the city smoothly despite their foreign appearance.

When questioned by others, they claimed they were there to do business. They had already purchased a batch of supplies before arriving in Wancheng and placed them on their horses. When the soldiers tried to check, they even eagerly dismantled the cloth bags.

What's on display are ordinary goods.

It was not uncommon for non-Han people to do business these days. During the four hundred years of the Han Dynasty, many non-Han people were assimilated, and many even migrated to Han lands to live.

After successfully entering the city, they went to the market to sell their goods, just like normal merchants.

While selling, the three of them went in different directions.

At dusk, the three met at a tavern, rented a room and a warehouse, and then went to rest.

Eight days of rapid travel had left them exhausted; what they did during the day was merely a cover-up.

The next morning, the three of them left their room and found a low couch by the window to sit down.

"Shopkeeper! Three bowls of mutton soup weighing two jin each, and six wheat cakes!"

"Okay, sir, wait a moment!"

The waiter responded and left.

Zhang Xian lifted the straw curtain hanging on the window and looked down at the bustling street below, asking in a low voice.

What were discovered yesterday?

Huang Zhong shook his head: "The intelligence is extremely scarce, and we dare not inquire openly."

Zhao Yun didn't get any useful information; he just went off to sell goods.

Zhang Xian lowered the straw curtain and nodded: "No rush, let's stay in Wancheng and gather information first."

"clear."

The two responded in hushed tones.

Fifteen minutes later, several waiters came running over with trays of food.

"Three esteemed guests, here is your order of two jin of mutton soup. There is two jin of mutton, and the soup is unlimited."

"Six wheat cakes, all freshly made. Enjoy, gentlemen."

Zhang Xian took out a string of copper coins from his sleeve and handed them over. There were several hundred coins, and he didn't count them carefully. It was enough for this meal, and there was at least a large surplus.

"Shopkeeper, please excuse us. We are newcomers to Wancheng. Where should we go to find a good owner?"

The waiter, familiar with the situation, stuffed five coins into his sleeve and smiled even more broadly: "Sir, you've come to the right person. I know the most about Wancheng."

"I can tell that all three of you are capable people. If you want to find a good family, the He family, the Yin family, and the Deng family are all good options. Moreover, I have heard that the daughter of the He family has been favored by someone in the palace and has now entered the palace."

If the three of you are looking for a good job, then this He family member should be your first choice.

Seeing the waiter's eloquent speech, Zhang Xian's eyes lit up. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out another half string of copper coins, handing it over.

"Young man, you have exceptional insight. Would you mind staying to answer our questions?"

"Of course." The waiter handed the tray to one of the men who had come with him: "Please have some drinks later."

The man took the tray, nodded, and left.

It's clear that this isn't the first time something like this has happened here.

The waiter looked around and lowered his voice, saying, "Since you three are from out of town, let me tell you about the ins and outs of Wancheng."

After a brief conversation, Zhang Xian watched the waiter leave with satisfaction. He learned about the main forces in Wancheng from the waiter and analyzed some key information.

Although Wancheng is a large city, it is a place where powerful forces are deeply entrenched.

The struggle between the old and new powerful clans was intense.

Among them, the He, Chen, and Deng families fought the most fiercely.

Among the three clans, the He clan was the weakest, being a newly powerful clan. Its patriarch, He Zhen, came from a butcher family, but the family's status rose rapidly after his daughter, He Lian, entered the palace as a concubine.

This person is not important; what is important are his children. His daughter, He Lian, entered the palace, and his eldest son, He Jin, is now the governor of Yingchuan.

If Zhang Xian remembered correctly, these two should be the future General He Jin and Empress Dowager He.

The He family controlled the South City Market and the Grand Canal Wharf, which happened to be exactly the businesses the Chen family wanted most. So, Chen Mao had been targeting them openly and behind the scenes.

The fact that the two sides were fighting so fiercely that even a waiter at the tavern knew about it shows the key to the situation.

The key to breaking the deadlock has been found.

Go to the south of the city to watch the tigers fight.

Fish in troubled waters!

(End of this chapter)