One day and night later, the news of Han Zhong's defeat and death was reported back to Gong County. Everyone who heard it was greatly shocked. Guan Hai slammed the table, causing the flesh on his face to ripple, revealing a fierce expression.
"Han Zhong led over a thousand of my elite troops to chase after a group of disheveled soldiers and only a few useless ones returned alive?" Guan Hai's eyes twitched as if he could hardly accept this reality.
"G… General, what I said is true," said a bloodied and trembling deserter, unsure if he was more scared or exhausted.
"The Han troops lured us into a bamboo forest and set up an ambush. Our brothers were careless and overconfident, which led to our great defeat."
"Enough!" Guan Hai shouted angrily, "Useless people are useless. It's better that Han Zhong is dead. If he had returned alive, I would have skinned him alive! As for you useless ones, come here!"
"Yes!" Several of Guan Hai's personal guards, with their knives drawn, entered the room. The deserters, realizing they could not escape death, kowtowed and begged for mercy.
"Take these people to the prison. After I enter the bridal chamber tonight and lead the army to attack Jizhou tomorrow, execute them as a sacrifice to heaven!" Guan Hai said with a sinister smile, waving his hand. The personal guards, ignoring the deserters' desperate pleas, dragged them away.
"The general need not be so enraged. Over a thousand ragtag soldiers can't stir up any major waves." A flattering chieftain said.
Another quickly agreed, "Yes, yes, today is the general's joyous day. The general should first drink with the brothers and then enjoy the new bride. What do you all think?"
"Yes, yes!" The chieftains in the room repeatedly agreed, raising their glasses to Guan Hai's laughter. The room was soon filled with heavy drinking, but no one noticed that one person was missing midway.
Inside the Prefect's residence, Madam Zhao and her daughter Zhao Yun'er were forcibly dressed in red bridal clothes. The vile words and obscene behavior of the bandits in the main hall were extremely filthy. Zhao Yun'er, who was naive and inexperienced, was greatly frightened and wept in her mother's arms.
"Yun'er, don't be afraid. Mother will protect you. We will go to see your father together." Madam Zhao, with tears in her eyes, held her precious daughter tightly, clutching a silver hairpin in her hand...
After a day and night of hard travel, Qin Longyang and his party were exhausted. Looking at the tall, blue stone city walls ahead, with the inscription "Jizhou" in large seal script, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had finally escaped alive.
"Lord!" Inside the Prefect Liu Yan's residence in the city, Liu Yan was discussing with General Cui Jing how to defend against the Yellow Turban Army from Gong County, when his subordinate Jiang Yiqu hurriedly came to report.
"Several hundred people have arrived outside the city, claiming to be scattered defenders from Gong County. They want to come into the city."
"Gong County?" Liu Yan and Cui Jing exchanged a glance. Cui Jing analyzed, "Gong County was slaughtered by the Yellow Turbans. How could there be several hundred people who managed to escape? Could they be Yellow Turbans themselves?"
Liu Yan pondered for a moment. "Did those people show any unusual signs?"
"The subordinate is dull-witted and couldn't spot anything unusual. However, those people mostly look sickly, as if they have been fleeing after a defeat for several days and nights."
"Let them in. Have their leader come to see me; I want to ask him some questions," Liu Yan said, waving his hand. Jiang Yiqu bowed and left.
"Lord, is this a bit too hasty? What if they are Yellow Turbans..." Cui Jing expressed his concern.
Liu Yan, however, appeared relaxed and replied, "Whether there's a problem, I'll find out by questioning their leader. Besides, even if they are Yellow Turbans, just a few hundred people can't pose too much of a threat." Cui Jing nodded in agreement.
Soon, Jiang Yiqu led Sun Lang and Qin Longyang into the residence.
"My lord, the people have been brought. This subordinate will take his leave!"
"Subordinate (commoner) Sun Lang (Qin Longyang) pays respects to Lord Liu." The two men bowed respectfully to Liu Yan.
Liu Yan turned around slowly and scrutinized the two. The man named Sun Lang was covered in blood and appeared fatigued but still exuded a strong and fierce aura.
In contrast, the younger man's attire was peculiar, and his demeanor didn't seem like that of an ordinary commoner, which was indeed suspicious.
Although Liu Yan was over fifty, his skill in reading people's expressions and appearances was impeccable. With a keen gaze, he quickly assessed the situation.
"Are you two from Gong County?" Liu Yan asked straightforwardly.
Sun Lang stepped forward. "I am ashamed to say that I am a subordinate of Lord Zhao Li. A few days ago, the Yellow Turban rebels surrounded Gong County. Lord Zhao led us to defend the city to the last breath, but we were ultimately unable to turn the tide..."
Sun Lang briefly recounted the events of the past few days. Liu Yan listened without comment but was particularly interested in Qin Longyang's feat of leading the remaining troops to defeat the Yellow Turban pursuit forces.
"Qin Longyang..." Liu Yan murmured, occasionally glancing at him, which made one feel uneasy.
"Quick-witted in the face of danger, you are indeed a rare talent," Liu Yan said with a gentle smile. "I have a general understanding of the situation. Since you are seeking my protection, and with the Yellow Turbans likely to soon target Jizhou, you should stay in the army and help resist them."
The two exchanged glances and bowed to Liu Yan in unison, thanking him. Liu Yan nodded and said no more, and the two understood to take their leave.
"Lord, are we staying in Ji to seek opportunities for development?" Sun Lang asked, the question that had been bothering him since they left the prefect's residence.
"Ji?" Qin Longyang sneered, "What development is there in Ji? Right now, we are forced to seek refuge under Liu Yan's protection. The Yellow Turbans in Youzhou are currently as fierce as wolves, and attacking Jizhou is only a matter of time. What we need to do is seize every opportunity to expand our forces. Gong County is our first target."
"Gong County…" Sun Lang murmured, seeming to grasp the meaning only partially. By the time he came back to his senses, Qin Longyang had already walked a short distance away. Sun Lang's expression was complex, revealing his inner thoughts.
"Lord… this subordinate's humble opinion is that Qin Longyang does not seem like an outstanding talent. I worry that he might be a dangerous wolf." Cui Jing had a hard-to-explain feeling after the meeting.
This young outsider gave off an aura of deep, inscrutable mystery.Liu Yan smiled faintly, "With his sword-like brows and star-like eyes, and his exceptional manner of speaking, he is certainly not an ordinary person. He looks like a schemer. If he is willing to stay under my command, I would actually feel uneasy."
"Then why does the lord keep him in the city?"
"Right now, the Yellow Turban rebels are eyeing us covetously. Jizhou's defenders number only about twenty thousand. We must unite all our forces to defeat the formidable enemy. Besides, this person has considerable skill in leading troops and fighting battles. Keeping him will naturally benefit us more than harm. As for his future, whether he stays or leaves will be his own decision."
"Lord's insight is truly enlightening, this subordinate has learned much!"Cui Jing felt enlightened. Liu Yan, smiling kindly, patted his shoulder, "Alright, hurry up and train the soldiers. The Yellow Turbans should be attacking soon.""Understood!"
Meanwhile, Qin Longyang and Sun Lang were casually strolling through the city. The chaos in Youzhou had caused many people to become refugees. The number of refugees arriving in Jizhou had increased exponentially, reaching an unmanageable level.
In and around Jizhou, the refugees begged along the streets, or lined up in front of wealthy families' homes hoping for charity, or wandered around the city like ghosts with their families in tow.
Sun Lang saw this scene and felt his heart wrenched. He sighed heavily, "Whether a dynasty is thriving or decaying, the common people at the bottom are always the ones who suffer…"
"The Yellow Turbans' uprising is largely due to this," Qin Longyang replied, still walking with his hands behind his back and his head held high as if indifferent to the suffering around him, "The suffering of the people, whether under a flourishing or decaying regime, is always the same."
They walked in silence and gradually reached a bustling street. The two noticed a crowd gathered ahead, and, assuming there was something interesting happening, Qin Longyang led Sun Lang forward.
"Just because you're soldiers doesn't mean you can steal people's things. Is there no law anymore!"
In the center of the crowd was a robust man in a coarse cloth shirt, arguing with three soldier bullies over something. The crowd grew larger, and the bullies began to act aggressively.
"Damn beggar, don't you understand what the soldiers are saying!" one of the bullies shouted, "Selling weapons on the street, I can suspect you're a Yellow Turban. If you had just given us this knife, it would have been fine. How dare you make a fuss! Get him! Show this punk what's what!"
The bullies, brimming with arrogance, prepared to subdue the man. However, the man turned out to be quite skilled.
As one of the bullies reached out, the man punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. A follow-up punch and a kick quickly sent the other two bullies sprawling and groaning on the ground.
"Good!" Applause erupted from the crowd, and Qin Longyang smiled approvingly, taking a particular liking to the man."Damn it!" The defeated bully clutched his stomach and stood up, drawing his sword. "Dare to go against me? You're asking for it! I'll chop you up!"
The man was also intimidated by the scene. If he really fought these soldiers, he would definitely be at a disadvantage, and he couldn't counterattack with a weapon. What should he do?
"Presumptuous!" A loud shout suddenly came from the crowd, silencing everyone. Looking in the direction of the voice, they saw a young man."Brat, where did you come from to meddle in our affairs!" The bully, not recognizing Qin Longyang, pointed his sword at him.
"Hmph," Qin Longyang sneered and stepped forward, showing no fear. "Lord Junlang's reputation is widely known. Is this how his soldiers care for the people?"
"You!" The bully, red-faced and furious, noticed Qin Longyang's attire and assumed he was a wealthy young man. However, wealthy people in Jizhou rarely meddled in such matters. Where did this troublemaker come from?