Chapter 66: Astonishment Fills the Hall

  Liu Zhang's voice was stern and his tone was chilling, making Wei Yan tremble in his heart. He clenched his fists tightly around the hilt of his sword and bowed his head even lower, saying: "Wei Yan knows his fault, from now on he will strictly guard his position, please forgive him, my lord."

  "Look up." Liu Zhang turned around and said in a low voice to Wei Yan.

  Wei Yan slowly raised his head, with a sense of unease rising in his heart.

  "Repeat what you just said."

  Wei Yan stood face to face with Liu Zhang, and suddenly felt a strange sense of fear. He opened his mouth, but it took him a long time to say: "Wei Yan knows his mistake, from now on he will strictly guard his place, please forgive me, my lord." The usually arrogant Wei Yan was tongue-tied for the first time in front of others.

  Liu Zhang stared intently at Wei Yan, who stood trembling with fear, his robust figure like a willow in the wind. Liu Zhang placed his hand on Wei Yan's shoulder and said in a low voice, "Your eyes are those of a man driven by self-interest. I ask you to remember what you said today: while it is acceptable to be motivated by personal gain, do not overstep your bounds."

  "Wei Yan never dared to forget for his whole life."

  Liu Zhang nodded slightly, withdrew his hand from his shoulder and turned around to say: "If Wu Ban's affairs are not beneficial, Balin will be yours. If they go smoothly, this official has another important task to entrust. Wei Yan, you have bravery and strategy, if you don't become arrogant and impatient, and refine yourself carefully, one day you will definitely become the commander of the three armies. Don't make mistakes."

  Liu Zhang finished speaking and returned to his tent with Fa Zheng, while Wei Yan was still bowing in the same place. It wasn't until he came back to himself that he realized the palms of his hands were already soaked with sweat on the hilt of his sword. He let out a long sigh, as if reborn after a lifetime.

  Returning to camp with his sword, Wei Yan couldn't help but reveal a joyful expression on his face after the initial shock. Although he was scolded, at least his lord recognized his abilities and would soon entrust him with important tasks. This was much better than being treated superficially well by the officials in Jingzhou, where he couldn't fully utilize his talents.

  In the city of Balin, Pang Meng was having a drink with his generals. Two swordsmen were performing in the hall, dancing with their swords to add to the excitement. The swords flashed back and forth, thrusting and parrying, a truly magnificent sight. The assembled generals applauded enthusiastically, and one of the colonels raised his cup to toast Pang Meng: "With such heroes under our command, General, you will surely become the greatest general in Bashan one day."

  Pang Meng drank a cup of wine, and with a dizzy expression, he slapped the table loudly and said: "What's this nonsense about being the first general in Bashu? You don't know how to speak! I'll be the first general in Yizhou if I want to. My brother is about to take over as the governor of Yizhou, and I'll be the commander-in-chief of Yizhou. What's Bashu compared to that? Hahaha!"

  Many generals will change their colors, although this matter is well-known to all the Brazilian generals, but no one has put it on the table to discuss. Even if they rise up in arms, they need to find an excuse, such as Liu Zhang's cruelty and unrighteousness. If Pang Yu says so, wouldn't he be admitting to rebellion? And if the news leaks out, that would be another trouble.

  Pang Meng continued, his eyes wide with excitement, his head nodding back and forth as he patted his chest: "After the Fu City Jiangzhou, many people were afraid of Liu Zhang, but I, Pang Meng, was not. Do you know why? ...Because that Liu Zhang is stupid! Haha, my brother supported him in the four arts and sciences, and he actually believed it. My brother said this year's harvest in Bashu would be bountiful, and taxes would triple, and Liu Zhang really did have a pipe dream, even saying he'd send someone to reward my brother. Isn't that hilarious?"

  "It's funny, it's funny." The crowd laughed with their skin but not their hearts.

  "But that's not the funniest part." Pang Ming's head shrunk, with a bewildered smile: "The other day, Liu Zhang's little son fell ill, and he actually neglected his official duties. A big man like him ran to take care of his son, it's really laughable, hahaha."

  "I heard that an official went to advise him and was thrown into prison, look at this Liu Zhang stupidly stupid, if the general is also so stupid, it's better to find a big hammer and smash his head, haha."

  "Yes, yes." If not for the fact that Pang Tong was Pang De's younger brother, the other generals would have found this fool unbearable. However, they also felt that what Pang Tong said wasn't unreasonable. Liu Zhang had offended the aristocratic families and was so muddle-headed. With Pang De allying with Zhang Lu, they had the upper hand in terms of military strength, civilian support, timing, and geography. It would be hard not to succeed.

  Many generals are happy for themselves that they will rise to high positions, but also sad for themselves that they have to follow this stupid fat man forever.

  Just then, a soldier came to report: "Report to the general, two people have arrived outside the pass, claiming to be officials of the Yizhou Gongcao, carrying an imperial edict into Bazhou, and asking the general to come out of the city to greet them."

  "What?" Pang Meng stood up from the case, stretched out his right hand and raised his little finger in front of his eyes, saying incredulously: "A small official like Gong Cao wants me to go and greet him? Is this reasonable? You go tell him to come directly, I don't have time to welcome him."

  "...". The soldier stood there in a daze.

  A general stood up and said, "General, although General Pang Xi has already discussed the alliance with Zhang Lu, it will take at least ten days for the troops from Hanzhong to arrive at Jiameng Pass. For now, we should not turn against Chengdu yet, please think thrice, young general."

  "The young general condescended to humble himself and win over Liu Zhang, if General Pang Xi knew about it, he would definitely give the young general great praise." Another general echoed in agreement.

  "Yes, yes, General Zhou will surely be the first to achieve victory against Liu."

  Everyone was talking and laughing, and Pang Ming was so pleased that he was blown to the sky. But suddenly his face turned serious: "I'm not going to welcome him, you let him come straight to the general's mansion, what is my identity? Being able to see him in person is already a great honor for that little official."

  The generals had no choice but to wave their hands at the soldiers, and the soldiers took orders and left.

  In a short while, Wu Ban brought Hao Lie into the inner hall. The elegant and refined Wu Ban did not attract Pang Meng's attention, but instead it was the sturdy and short Hao Lie who caught his eye. As soon as Pang Meng saw him, he burst out laughing, holding his belly in laughter, and knocking over the teapot in front of him. Pointing at Hao Lie, he said to the other generals: "Look, look, this little thing is really unusual, I didn't know that's what he looked like when he was a servant in Chengdu, haha!"

  "Haha." The crowd couldn't help but follow Pang Ming's laughter for a few moments.

  The scene was so fierce that his cheeks were red and swollen, and he was about to go up with a big hammer when Wu Ban stopped him. Wu Ban said calmly: "Wu Ban, the secretary of the Pastoral Office, has seen General Pang. If the general has laughed enough, please hand over the pass document."

  "Okay, okay, give it to him, give..." Pang Ming suddenly paused: "What did you just say? Want me to hand it over to you?"

  General Wu said in a low voice: "The general did not hear wrong."

  "Slap." Pang Meng slapped the table fiercely: "How dare you, I am the right commander, I don't know how many levels higher than you, a secretary. What are you, to ask me to hand over documents to you? How audacious! Guards, take him away!"

  Two soldiers immediately stepped forward, and the other generals were about to persuade him, but Wu Ban slowly took out a tiger-headed plaque from his bosom, raised his head and said: "This is the personal order of Governor Zhang, seeing me as seeing Governor Zhang, who dares to move me? If I don't get through today, Governor Zhang will surely be enraged, Zhao Wei is your example."

  "You..." Pang Meng's heavy breathing was rough, his eyes glaring at Wu Ban with resentment, but Wu Ban didn't even bother to look at him.

  A general from the front line hastily stepped forward and whispered to Pang Meng, "General, please be patient for now. Once we capture Chengdu, we can either execute Wu Ban's entire family or have him sliced into pieces with a thousand knives. It will all depend on your word."

  "Hsss..." Pang Ming let out a long breath, his face twitching several times, and with lingering anger, he bellowed at an official: "Bring it here."

  The official handed the document to Pang Meng, who walked down from the hall step by step and stopped two steps away from Wu Ban. He threw the document at Wu Ban: "Take it."

  "Wait."

  Pang Tong was about to return to the command platform when Wu Ban suddenly called out, thinking that Wu Ban was going to make things difficult for him again. He turned his head back in surprise and anger, but all he saw was a flash of cold light. With a "pu" sound, a sword pierced into Pang Tong's chest.

  Everyone in the hall was shocked.

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