Liao Hua and Zhou Cang exchanged stories and laughter for a while, before Liao Hua suddenly remembered something, slapped his forehead, and said, "I forgot to introduce you. Brother Zhou Cang, this is…"
Before Liao Hua could finish the introduction, Qin Longyang waved his hand and smiled, saying, "Brother Zhou Cang, we've met before. Do you remember that day on the mountain stronghold?"
"Mountain stronghold..." Zhou Cang was momentarily puzzled by the reminder, then suddenly realized, "Oh! You're the Prefect of Langya who was saved by the Saintess! Qin Longyang, right?"
"Indeed…" Qin Longyang smiled and nodded. On that day at the mountain stronghold, it was Zhou Cang who had reported the attack on the stronghold to Zhang Yao.
Although they had met, they hadn't had the chance to properly introduce themselves. Meeting again today was a fortunate coincidence.
Liao Hua, now understanding the situation, nodded and asked, "Brother Zhou Cang, why are you in this remote wilderness?"
Mentioning this made Zhou Cang furious, and he sighed, "It's infuriating. After meeting General Qin that day, the rebel army attacked the mountain, and we were forced to hide while protecting the Saintess. "
"As we fled, many deserted, and some even betrayed our whereabouts to the local authorities."
"After much hiding and fleeing, our forces, once over a thousand strong, became scattered. We finally sought refuge in Xuzhou, but the traitor Zhang Kai defected and informed the Xuzhou Governor Tao Qian of our location. "
"Tao Qian then ordered a hunt for us throughout Xuzhou. I got separated from the Saintess in Xiapi and ended up wandering here alone…"
"Zhang Kai…" Hearing this name made Liao Hua grit his teeth. "That scoundrel! From the beginning, he's been a turncoat. It was because of his betrayal that the People's General suffered a major defeat in Xuzhou. It's infuriating that such a villain is still alive!"
Qin Longyang, however, stroked his chin, suppressing a smile. Zhang Kai was now a subordinate of Tao Qian, and in history, it was Zhang Kai who killed Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, bringing disaster upon Xuzhou. This man still had an important role to play!
"You say the Saintess is missing?" Qin Longyang asked, shifting the topic.
Zhou Cang sighed and nodded. "That day in Xiapi, Zhang Kai led men to surround us, and the Saintess and I separated to escape. Now, I am alone, and she is nowhere to be found."
Qin Longyang murmured in thought but didn't respond immediately. Zhang Yao, though young, was resourceful and mysterious. She might even know a thing or two about how Qin Longyang had traveled back in time. He made a mental note to retrieve her from whoever might have taken her.
"Brother Zhou Cang, now that you're alone with no place to go, why not join my lord's ranks? Surely, you've heard of the renowned Qin Longyang of Langya?"
Liao Hua seized the opportunity to invite Zhou Cang to join them. Zhou Cang had already considered this and was naturally overjoyed.
Qin Longyang smiled and extended his own invitation, "Yuanjian is right. Brother Zhou Cang, you are a man of loyalty and righteousness. It would be my great fortune if you were to join my forces!"
"I wouldn't dare!" Zhou Cang immediately knelt, "From this day forward, I, Zhou Cang, will serve you, my lord, with unwavering loyalty!"
"There's no need for such formalities," Qin Longyang said, helping Zhou Cang up.
"Now that you've joined my ranks, we are brothers and should address each other as such. Don't stand on ceremony. Since you have yet to make any contributions, I'll appoint you as a Deputy General for now. What do you think?"
"Thank you, my lord!" Zhou Cang hurriedly expressed his gratitude.
Having gained another powerful general, Qin Longyang was naturally delighted. Zhou Cang then asked, "My lord, why are you and General Yuanjian camping out in this wilderness? We are near Qingzhou, far from Langya. Do you have some plan in mind?"
Qin Longyang chuckled and replied, "Indeed, Yuanjian and I are on our way to Donglai Commandery in Qingzhou, to ask the Prefect there for a favor."
"A favor?"
Seeing Zhou Cang's confusion, Qin Longyang took out a letter from his robe and handed it to Zhou Cang. Liao Hua, seeing the letter, was equally puzzled, as it was addressed to "Xi Zhicai!"
"I see now, what a brilliant plan," Zhou Cang remarked in amazement after reading the letter.
"My lord, is this letter from the strategist?" Liao Hua asked.
Qin Longyang nodded with a smile, "Indeed. The Prefect of LeLang in Liaodong has already been replaced by Gongsun Du with Yuntai. Everything is in place!"
"General Gao Lan!" Upon hearing that Gao Lan was safe, Liao Hua's eyes lit up, and he suddenly realized, "So it was all part of the strategist's grand scheme from the very beginning!"
"Exactly. After our army set out to campaign against the Xiongnu, the strategist feigned illness and resigned from his position, traveling alone to Liaodong to find Gongsun Du. "
"After persuading Gongsun Du to declare himself king, he established Eagle Mouth Pass between Liaoxi and Liaodong to weaken Gongsun Zan's forces."
"While the two Gongsuns were locked in conflict, the strategist gained control over all of Liaodong!"
"The strategist is truly a genius…" Liao Hua marveled after hearing Qin Longyang's explanation. This grand scheme had not only deceived Gongsun Du and Gongsun Zan but likely remained unknown to anyone else in the entire army except for the three of them!
"However, a capable general under Gongsun Zan managed to surprise us by seizing Eagle Mouth Pass. Now, Gongsun Zan has refrained from advancing further into Liaodong, likely wary of the newly appointed Liu Yu. The two have long been at odds, and it's only a matter of time before they clash."
"So we must seize Liaodong before he defeats Liu Yu; this is why time is of the essence."
The three of them sat down on the ground and chatted for a long time. Zhou Cang and Liao Hua took turns standing guard until the next morning, after which they packed up and prepared to continue their journey toward Donglai Commandery.
They traveled the entire day, and it wasn't until dusk that the gilded plaque with the characters "Donglai" came into view.
"Finally, we've arrived," Qin Longyang sighed with relief. Having become accustomed to cars and high-speed trains in the future, he never fully grasped the concept of speed until now.
Returning to a time when everything depended on one's legs and horses made him acutely aware of the vast technological gap. This fueled his determination to use future technology to crush the other warlords!
"The Prefect of Donglai is named Liu Qu. It's said he's also of Han imperial descent, though his family has fallen from grace and been relocated from the capital to this remote post. But even so, his life has been comfortable and far better than that of the common folk,"
Zhou Cang shared what he knew about the Donglai Prefect with Qin Longyang. Qin Longyang listened without much expression. By the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, members of the Liu imperial family were scattered across the land.
Only a few distinguished themselves, while most were insignificant, unable to make any waves.
"Are lords and generals born with their status?" Qin Longyang muttered to himself, quoting the famous saying. The three exchanged smiles and proceeded toward the city gate.
"Stop! Who goes there?" Naturally, the guards at the gate stepped forward to question them. Among the three, only Qin Longyang had a somewhat law-abiding appearance. Liao Hua and Zhou Cang, on the other hand, looked like they had committed a few murders, making the guards wary.
Qin Longyang politely cupped his hands and said, "General, you've worked hard. I am Qin Longyang, the Prefect of Langya in Xuzhou. I'm here today to pay my respects to Lord Liu Qu. Please inform him of my arrival."
"Xuzhou?" The guard's suspicion grew upon hearing that Qin Longyang was not a local. He scrutinized Qin Longyang from head to toe before sneering, "If anyone could enter the city just by saying so, we guards would be nothing more than ornaments."
"Heh, I understand your meaning, General," Qin Longyang was savvy enough to recognize the guard's implication. Knowing the guard expected a bribe, Qin Longyang openly took out a small silver ingot from his sleeve.
The guard's eyes lit up immediately. He coughed twice and signaled to the other guards, who, understanding the situation, averted their gaze, pretending not to notice what was happening.
"Since you're the Prefect of Langya, we'll naturally report to Lord Liu on your behalf," the guard said, turning around and signaling to a soldier behind him. With his other hand, he swiftly pocketed the silver ingot in a fluid motion that suggested he was well-practiced in this sort of transaction.
With the guard's order, the soldiers opened the city gates. The guard then smiled and cupped his hands toward Qin Longyang, saying, "Please, come in, my lord!"
"Much appreciated!" Qin Longyang returned the gesture with a smile, and the three of them entered the city.
"Tch, the world has really changed. Anyone with a minor official title can now line their pockets," Liao Hua grumbled as soon as they were inside.
Qin Longyang, however, remained indifferent, calmly remarking, "In a chaotic world, everyone pursues their own interests. If someone holds an official position and doesn't take advantage of it, they'll feel they're wasting their status."
"If the subordinates are like this, it shows that Liu Qu isn't exactly a loyal and benevolent ruler," Zhou Cang added.
"Not necessarily. Even the wisest ruler can only govern himself wisely. No matter how capable a person is, they cannot change the nature of others. At most, they can serve as a role model," Qin Longyang responded.
As the three continued their conversation, they gradually made their way into the heart of the city. Qin Longyang took note of the conditions in Donglai.
Although some of the common people were thin and weary, it wasn't a scene of widespread starvation. As long as the poorest had food to eat, it indicated that the ruler had some ability to govern the region.
"My lord, there's a man outside the city claiming to be Qin Longyang, Prefect of Langya, here to pay his respects," a messenger reported.
"Who?" At the mention of this name, Liu Qu, who had been reading at his desk, furrowed his brows and straightened up. "Qin Longyang? The one recently transferred from Youzhou?"
"This… I don't know. He's waiting outside the mansion. If you don't want to see him, I'll send him away," the aide said.
Liu Qu closed his book and waved his hand, "A guest is a guest. Invite him in. And go fetch Xuande. If it's really Qin Longyang from Youzhou, Xuande will recognize him at a glance."
After his defeat in Liaodong, Liu Bei had disappeared, only to resurface in Qingzhou, where he and Zhang Fei had sought refuge with Liu Qu—a twist of fate, indeed.
After the aide left, three men soon entered the county office. Liu Qu squinted as he assessed them. The man in the center had an ordinary appearance, but his large eyes, though not fierce, were strikingly sharp, clearly indicating he was no ordinary person.
As for the other two, they exuded a natural authority, especially the one on the left wearing a bamboo hat, whose eyes brimmed with killing intent, sending shivers down Liu Qu's spine.
"Qin Longyang, Prefect of Langya in Xuzhou, pays his respects to Lord Xin. Your reputation precedes you, my lord. It is my great fortune to meet you today!"
Liu Qu, in addition to being of imperial descent, had also been conferred the title of Lord Xin by the emperor.
Although their official ranks should have placed them on equal footing, Liu Qu was a marquis, so Qin Longyang respectfully performed a grand salute.