Chang Xi led a group of dozens of his followers out of the blazing fire, only to run into Guan Yu, who was charging forward with his troops. The two locked eyes in anger before engaging in a fierce battle with their weapons.
Chang Xi had previously witnessed Wu Dun fighting against Guan Yu, so he had already formed an opinion of Guan Yu's abilities, believing that their martial skills were on par. However, it was unclear whether Chang Xi had underestimated Guan Yu or overestimated his own prowess.
After just five exchanges, Guan Yu leaped forward with his blade, the sound of it slicing through the air as it aimed straight for Chang Xi's head.
Chang Xi hurriedly raised his weapon to block the attack, the force of which caused his hand to bleed from the impact. Though he managed to fend off the fatal blow, he was immediately met with another strike.
Guan Yu followed up with a powerful kick, his towering figure mustering all his strength into the blow. Chang Xi, unable to evade, was struck in the abdomen, sending him flying two or three meters away and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"Take this, scoundrel!" Guan Yu shouted as he pressed his advantage, seeing that Chang Xi had yet to stand. He raised his blade with both hands, ready to deliver a killing blow.
Just as the blade was about to cleave Chang Xi in two, a loyal follower of Chang Xi suddenly dashed in front of him, taking the strike with his own body. The follower was cut in half, head and shoulder severed in one swift move.
Though Chang Xi was incompetent, he had a band of loyal followers willing to die for him. Dozens of his men rushed forward to protect him, forcing Guan Yu to watch helplessly as Chang Xi made a hasty retreat.
Guan Yu, along with his soldiers, quickly dispatched the remaining loyalists. When he turned back, Chang Xi had already vanished. A deputy asked, "General, why don't we pursue him?"
Guan Yu shook his head. "Chang Xi has no escape. Sun Kang and Lord Wei have already set up an ambush on his only escape route. Our main goal in this mission is to capture the bandit leader alive. Let's focus on clearing out the remaining bandits."
"Yes, sir!"
As Guan Yu had predicted, Chang Xi, accompanied by a few loyal guards, was fleeing in desperation. He cursed loudly, "Damn Qin Longyang! If I survive this, I swear I'll rebuild my forces and take his head as a trophy!"
Just as he finished speaking, a tripwire suddenly sprang up, causing Chang Xi and his guards to be thrown from their horses, crashing to the ground.
In an instant, shouts erupted from both sides of the road as Sun Kang and Wei You led their troops in an ambush, surrounding Chang Xi. The remaining loyal guards attempted to resist but were quickly shot down by a rain of arrows, leaving Chang Xi alone.
"So much for making a comeback," Wei You sneered. "You should take a good look at yourself—you're at death's door, and you're still so arrogant!"
Chang Xi trembled as he struggled to get up, spotting Sun Kang standing beside Wei You. "It's you! You're Sun Guan's brother... You traitors!"
"Chang Xi, your forces are finished. Surrender now!" Sun Kang commanded.
"Surrender? Hahaha!" Chang Xi laughed bitterly. "My second brother, Wu Dun, has two thousand troops stationed in the camp. Once he sees my stronghold in flames, he'll surely lead his forces to rescue me. We'll break through the siege and still have a chance of victory!"
"Don't wait for Wu Dun!" As the words left Chang Xi's mouth, the sound of horses' hooves approached from the mountain.
Chang Xi's expression changed as he saw Sun Guan riding toward him, carrying a head on his saddle—the last hope of Chang Xi. "I've brought you your brother, or rather, his head."
"Sun Guan!" Chang Xi glared at Sun Guan, his eyes filled with rage. "I regret letting you go today! I should have listened to Wu Dun and chopped you into pieces in the Hall of Oaths!"
"But you didn't, big brother…" Sun Guan smiled smugly. "It's time to surrender and save your words for when we reach Taishan Commandery."
"In your dreams!" Chang Xi attempted to take his own life, but Sun Guan, quick as lightning, shot an arrow through Chang Xi's right hand, causing him to cry out in pain. Soldiers rushed forward, tying him up like a bundle.
…
A short time later, Guan Yu arrived from the rear and saw that Chang Xi had been captured. Stroking his beard, he laughed heartily.
"Haha, it seems the bandits of Taishan have been thoroughly wiped out. Thanks to the assistance of you two generals, otherwise, this Taishan would have been a hard nut to crack."
"General Guan flatters us. Now that the bandits are defeated, we have proven our loyalty to General Qin. We hope that General Guan and Lord Wei will continue to support us in the future!" Sun Guan replied with a smile.
"By the way, did the general find where Chang Xi hid the grain and treasure?" Wei You inquired.
Guan Yu nodded. "Chang Xi had a secret chamber in his quarters, where most of the wealth he plundered over the years was stored.
The amount is enough to cover our army's expenses for a year. Without guidance, it would have been impossible to find."
Wei You then said, "Most of this treasure was looted from the poor people of Taishan Commandery and the surrounding counties. Now that the bandits are gone, refugees are returning to Taishan Commandery in droves."
"Why not distribute the grain and money to the returning refugees? It will solidify the people's loyalty and quickly restore Taishan Commandery."
"Lord Wei's suggestion aligns perfectly with my own thoughts. I'm sure our lord will approve of this action." Guan Yu, who had the same plan in mind, readily agreed.
At this moment, Sun Kang slapped his forehead and stepped forward, saying, "My lords, there's another great treasure on the eastern slopes of Taishan."
"A great treasure?" the two asked.
Sun Kang smiled. "You may not know, but the eastern slopes have a gentle terrain, and in a valley, there is a large iron ore deposit!"
"Iron ore!" Upon hearing this, Guan Yu and Wei You were overjoyed. In this era, iron was an extremely precious and scarce strategic resource, essential for building, fortification, and forging weapons and armor.
Having their own iron mine would undoubtedly be a significant contribution to their lord's ambitions.
"We discovered the ore deposit during a patrol some time ago, but since no one on the mountain knew how to mine it, the deposit was never touched. If our lord can find someone skilled in mining, it could save our army a considerable amount of expenses!" Sun Kang added.
"It is truly heaven's blessing for our lord! With this, how can we not achieve great success?" Guan Yu laughed heartily. "Come, let's return to the city, have some celebratory wine, and then discuss future plans!"
"Excellent! Lead the way!"
...
Back in Langya, Qin Longyang, Liao Hua, and Zhou Cang had returned after securing the port. Now, with everything prepared, all that remained was to complete the warships. Once ready, the army would march north to eliminate Gongsun Du.
"Greetings, my lord!"
"Rise, everyone!"
After the brief formalities, Qin Longyang looked at the two rows of loyal generals and ministers before him, feeling a surge of emotion. He was so moved that he almost felt like crying.
"Has Yun Chang not returned yet from his campaign against the bandits of Taishan?" He scanned the hall, noticing that both Guan Yu and Wei You were absent.
As if summoned by his words, the two figures appeared at the door. Guan Yu and Wei You each carried a brocade box as they entered, setting them down before bowing to Qin Longyang.
"Your subordinate, Guan Yu (Wei You), greets the lord."
"Haha, I was just wondering why you two hadn't returned from subduing the bandits."
"My lord," Guan Yu reported, "the bandits of Taishan were defeated a few days ago. These two boxes contain the heads of the bandit leaders Chang Xi and Wu Dun. Please, my lord, inspect them!" As Guan Yu moved to open the boxes, Qin Longyang hastily stopped him.
Although it had been five years since Qin Longyang had traveled back in time, he still couldn't get used to the practice of soldiers presenting the heads of enemy leaders as trophies. The sight of two blood-soaked heads was more than he could bear.
"My lord, please punish me..." Guan Yu knelt down to ask for forgiveness. "During the initial campaign against the bandits, I was too eager for victory and fell into the bandits' trap, causing significant losses to our forces and bringing disgrace to you."
"I too bear responsibility," Wei You added, kneeling beside Guan Yu. "Had I been more persuasive, General Guan would not have been ambushed. I ask that you punish me as well."
"Hahaha," Qin Longyang chuckled softly, "No general is invincible. Yun Chang may have faced a setback in his first battle, but he redeemed himself by wiping out the bandits and slaying their leaders."
"This is what we call growth. Defeat is common in war, but the spirit must remain unbroken! By eliminating the bandits and capturing Taishan Commandery, you both have made up for your mistakes!"
"Thank you, my lord!" The two men rose, full of gratitude. Guan Yu then added, "My lord, our victory is also owed in large part to Sun Guan, the former fourth leader of the Taishan bandits."
"This man is both brave and resourceful. Had he and his brother Sun Kang not defected and pointed out the weak spots in the mountain's defenses, our victory might have been much harder to achieve."
"Sun Guan?" Qin Longyang murmured, recalling the name. In history, Sun Guan became a warrior under Cao Cao after the Battle of Xuzhou—a capable talent indeed. "And where are the two brothers now?"
"I've left them temporarily in Taishan Commandery to manage the city's affairs," Guan Yu replied.
"Hmm, since our main focus is now on attacking Gongsun Du, let's appoint Sun Guan as the prefect of Taishan Commandery for the time being," Qin Longyang decided.
"My lord, there's also a massive iron mine in the mountains of Taishan. Now that the area is under our control, if we send people to mine it, the iron could fully supply our military needs!" Wei You reported, bringing further joy to Qin Longyang.
"Iron mine? This is truly heaven's help!" Qin Longyang exclaimed, slapping the table in excitement. He had long been considering mining iron to forge weapons and sell them to various warlords as a way to generate income. Now, this plan was beginning to take shape.
"Excellent! Yun Chang, when the time comes, return to Taishan Commandery and set up an ironworks at the base of the mountain. "
"Select craftsmen from the local residents who are skilled in mining and smelting, and put them to work. From now on, our army can be self-sufficient, saving us a great deal of expense!"
"My lord, you are wise!"
"This is fantastic! With raw materials in hand, we can later invite experts to refine our techniques and forge elite weapons for our army. With this, how could we not achieve great things?"
At the mention of experts, the old general Tong Yuan stepped forward and said, "My lord, if you seek skilled craftsmen, I once encountered an extraordinary man while living in seclusion on Mount Xu Wu with Zilong.
His name is Pu Yuan, and he is a master craftsman with unparalleled skill. If you can persuade him to come out of seclusion, he could create ingenious weapons for our army."
"Pu Yuan..." Qin Longyang was taken aback and murmured to himself, "Could this be the Shu Han's greatest craftsman who once forged swords for the chancellor?"
He then considered that Mount Xu Wu was within the territory of You Beiping, which was precisely where he was heading to campaign against Gongsun Du. It would be the perfect opportunity to personally invite this reclusive master.
"Sigh," Qin Longyang suddenly sighed, "Though our army is strong, governing the lands still requires capable ministers. Lord Wei, you serve as both military strategist and administrator. It must be exhausting for you."
"My lord, if you are seeking a talented person, I know of someone!" Upon hearing his lord's desire for talented individuals, the old general Lu Zhi stepped forward and said, "My lord, have you heard of the Zhuge family from Yangdu?"
"Zhuge? Of course!" Lu Zhi's words made Qin Longyang's eyes light up. He suddenly remembered where he was—Xuzhou, Langya Commandery, the hometown of Zhuge Liang, the greatest pillar of Shu Han!
Seeing that Qin Longyang was familiar with the name, Lu Zhi smiled and continued, "The Zhuge family of Langya is renowned. The current head of the family, Zhuge Gui, was a great Confucian scholar in the previous dynasty and later served as a magistrate in Taishan Commandery. "
"He has since retired and returned to Yangdu. I have an old friendship with Zhuge Gui and would be honored to visit him and bring him to serve you, my lord."
"Excellent, excellent! I would greatly appreciate your efforts!" Qin Longyang was overjoyed. The year was 189, and Zhuge Gui's eldest son, Zhuge Jin, was only about fifteen or sixteen years old, while Zhuge Liang was around eight.
If he could recruit the esteemed scholar Zhuge Gui, it would be akin to bringing the future talents of both Wu and Shu into his service. Qin Longyang couldn't help but feel utterly delighted!