The Three Kingdoms: Home Travel

(I got stuck in traffic today and didn't get home until 6:30. I'm so frustrated. I'm posting this chapter now, and I'll post another one tonight.)

The Yellow Turban Rebellion was massive, with an unprecedented number of civilians involved. It swept across half of the country with overwhelming force, and the government army could not match it.

Moreover, many of the Yellow Turban rebels were disciples of Zhang Jiao, who practiced the art of turning beans into soldiers and summoning clouds and rain. After suffering heavy defeats in the previous battles, the government troops lost their will to advance and often fled at the sight of the enemy, leading to the decline of the Han Dynasty.

The emperor urgently ordered General He Jin to suppress the rebels, but who was He Jin? He was just a butcher. He was afraid of fighting and dared not go out, claiming that his old illness had relapsed and he could not fight.

Left with no other choice, the emperor ordered Generals Lu Zhi, Huangfu Song, and Zhu Jun to each lead tens of thousands of elite troops in three separate routes to suppress the rebels.

In addition, the emperor ordered all regions to prepare for defense and to fight bandits and achieve merit. Only now did he realize that the vast Han Dynasty had almost no soldiers to eliminate tyranny. As a result, wealthy families in various regions began to recruit soldiers and buy horses in order to advance their careers.

At that time, Zhang Jiao, the leader of the Yellow Turban Army, led an army of 150,000 to confront Lu Zhi at Guangzong. Lu Zhi's army numbered only 50,000, and the government army had little chance of winning.

Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao attacked Yingchuan. Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun tried their best to resist, but the enemy's forces were too strong. Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun had no choice but to retreat to Changshe.

In addition, Zhang Jiao's thirty-six disciples each led Yellow Turban warriors (elite Yellow Turban troops) to attack Jingzhou, Bingzhou, Sizhou, and so on. The flames of war have already been ignited, only the route to Xuzhou is still missing.

The commander of that army was called Zhang Niujiao. Some people may not know him, but his adopted son was very famous. He was Zhang Yan (Zhang Yan's original name was Zhu Feiyan)!

"My lord, why does Zhang Jiao oppose the imperial court?"

"Is that what you call objecting?" Jiang Zhe glanced at him. "That's called rebellion!" Then he muttered angrily, "Fine, why can't you rebel at any time? Why do you have to rebel just days before my wedding? What have you done to me?!"

"Pfft." Xiu'er found Jiang Zhe's rather childish words amusing. She walked gracefully to his side, took his hand, and said, "Husband, don't be impatient, Xiu'er... Xiu'er is ultimately yours. If..." She glanced at Jiang Zhe and said shyly, "If husband... can't wait... Xiu'er..."

Jiang Zhe turned his head and looked at Xiu'er's shy and hesitant expression. He felt a tingling, electric sensation all over his body, which was very comfortable.

"That would be so wrong..." Jiang Zhe said somewhat hypocritically. You can't blame him. He had been sleeping with a beautiful woman for nearly two months, but he still couldn't bring himself to do it. Just thinking about that painful yet pleasurable period every night made him anxious and restless.

"Xiuer is ultimately her husband's woman. What difference does it make whether it's sooner or later?"

"Really..." Jiang Zhe was somewhat tempted, but then he was stunned to see the disappointment in Xiu'er's eyes. Upon further reflection, a chill ran through him. What girl wouldn't want to give her most precious thing to the man she loved most on her wedding day? Especially women in ancient times?

"How can that be?" Jiang Zhe said righteously, "Am I, Jiang Zhe, that kind of person? Xiu'er, don't say any more!"

If I keep talking, I won't be able to hold on any longer...

"My lord, you treat Xiu'er so well..." Xiu'er gently lowered her body and pecked Jiang Zhe's lips, instantly numbing him with a jolt. "Xiu'er was originally planning to...hehe, my lord is such a good man..."

After saying that, she shyly ran into the inner room.

Jiang Zhe stared blankly as Xiu'er ran off, then hesitantly reached up to touch his lips, before suddenly slapping himself. "Serves you right for being so talkative! Waaah..."

Unexpectedly, Xiuer gently opened the door a crack and saw Jiang Zhe's frustrated expression. She was secretly pleased (this secret pleasure indicated that Jiang Zhe had made that decision with great "pain" and was once again certain that he had not followed the wrong person), and her face flushed slightly.

She bit her lip, smiled gently, and slowly closed the gap.

Walking to the bedside, Xiu'er took out a jade pendant she always carried with her, gently stroking the patterns on it, and murmured, "It's time to give it to him..."

"Huh?" Jiang Zhe took the jade pendant from Xiu'er and said curiously, "For me?" Then he chuckled, "What would a grown man like me need a jade pendant for?"

"This jade pendant is no ordinary jade pendant..." Xiu'er was so ashamed that she couldn't lift her head.

"What's wrong..." Jiang Zhe hadn't finished speaking when he noticed that the jade pendant seemed to have the words "Xiuer" engraved on it, along with a date. Could this be her birth date and time?

"I've had this since I was born. When I was little, my mother said... said... that she would give it to... my husband, and from then on, I would be... a member of the Jiang family..." After saying this in a broken voice, Xiu'er looked up curiously and saw Jiang Zhe sniffing the jade pendant. She was so embarrassed that she felt dizzy.

"You bad guy!" Xiu'er was so embarrassed that she hurriedly tried to snatch the jade pendant from Jiang Zhe's hand, but he grabbed her and held her in his arms.

"The fragrance on the jade pendant is nothing compared to the fragrance on Xiu'er's body..." Jiang Zhe sniffed Xiu'er's neck mischievously, and the area immediately turned bright red.

"Husband, you mustn't bully Xiu'er..." Jiang Zhe almost didn't hear the whispered words.

"How can this be called bullying?" Jiang Zhe saw that there was still a red thread around the jade pendant, and immediately understood. He put it around Xiu'er's neck under her shy and expectant gaze, and then kept it close to his body.

"From now on, you're a member of the Jiang family!" Jiang Zhe said with a smile, playfully pinching Xiu'er's nose.

"kindness……"

Looking at Xiuer's docile appearance, Jiang Zhe felt an urge to cry. What virtue or ability did he possess to receive such unparalleled favor?

"Xiuer?"

"kindness?"

"I will carry it with me for the rest of my life..."

"kindness……"

"I swear I will never let you down again, and if I break this promise..."

"No!" Xiu'er hurriedly covered Jiang Zhe's mouth, stared at him for a long time, then smiled, "Xiu'er only needs the first half of that sentence..."

"Xiuer..." Jiang Zhe hugged Xiuer's arm tighter, his lips parted a few times, but he was too moved to speak.

Xiuer looked at Jiang Zhe, slowly withdrew her hand, then lowered her head shyly. After a while, she raised her head again, her red lips slightly parted, and slowly closed her eyes.

"Well……"

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xiu'er collapsed limply into Jiang Zhe's arms, one hand still tightly gripping Jiang Zhe's hand, their fingers intertwined.

"Xiuer..."

"Yes, my husband, please speak freely. I'm listening..."

"No, I just wanted you to get off..." Jiang Zhe scratched his head awkwardly, looking somewhat embarrassed amidst Xiu'er's giggling.

Xiuer gave Jiang Zhe a charmingly disdainful look, poked his chest with her slender fingers, and said coquettishly, "You naughty husband, you just know how to bully me..."

"Huh?" Jiang Zhe said, somewhat puzzled, "Your concubine?"

"That idiot!" Xiu'er thought, feeling both annoyed and helpless. Just as she was about to explain, a loud shout came from the doorway, "Something terrible has happened! Teacher, something terrible has happened!"

Xiuer was startled and suddenly stood up, only to find that Jiang Zhe was still holding her tightly. She was both anxious and embarrassed, pouting and her eyes were red and aggrieved.

Goodness! Jiang Zhe immediately released Xiu'er, who glared at him fiercely before hurriedly running into the inner room.

"Teacher, something terrible has happened!" It was Chen Deng who arrived.

"Teacher, I'm perfectly fine!" Jiang Zhe was secretly furious with Chen Deng, thinking to himself, "You've come at the worst possible time!"

"Um... I apologize for my rudeness. I meant there's been a major incident outside..."

"Isn't it Zhang Jiao who started... um, Zhang Jiao rebelled? I knew it all along!"

"No, no!" Chen Deng said with a frown, "I received news that Zhang Jiao has sent his disciple Zhang Niujiao with 50,000 elite troops towards Xuzhou!"

Xuzhou? Jiang Zhe blinked, this part wasn't in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms in his mind. He looked at Chen Deng strangely.

"The student would never dare to deceive the teacher. Lord Tao has already begun to gather all the troops in Xuzhou City. How could this be a lie?"

"What...?"

"...What I want to say is...Teacher, please don't get agitated. Lord Tao has urgently ordered that the Yellow Turban rebels are coming on strong, and fearing that Xuzhou City will suffer, all men in Xuzhou City who have reached the age of twenty..." He looked at Jiang Zhe's stunned expression and said the rest with difficulty, "...must participate in the defense of the city..."

"What?"

"Clatter!" Chen Deng watched helplessly as the teacup in Jiang Zhe's hand fell to the ground.

.