Chapter 64: Subduing the Angel

  In front of the Han army formation.

  The many generals saw Liu Bei and Guan Yu retreat from the city gate, immediately showing disdain on their faces, letting out a cold snort.

  Lu Zhi sighed, more than a million Yellow Turban rebels all had the determination to die, wanting to break through the city was indeed extremely difficult.

  Huangfu Song also secretly felt a chill, the Yellow Turbans of Guangzong were much more powerful than those of Bo Cai and Peng Tuo, no wonder Lu Zhi's army had been besieging the city for months without being able to break in, continuing to attack would only be pointless casualties.

  Huang Fu said: "The rebel army's morale is high, why don't you order the troops to retreat and wait for another day to find an opportunity to defeat the enemy?"

  Lu Zhi lamented the death of his soldiers and had this intention. Upon hearing these words, he immediately gave the order to sound the drums and withdraw the troops.

  Liu Bei hastily returned, dismounted and bowed down in front of Lu Zhi, knocking his head on the ground, with a ashamed expression said: "Today's battle was not successful, unable to break through the city, I have failed to live up to your esteemed teacher's expectations, specially came to apologize."

  Lu Zhu comforted: "The bandits are fierce and have a determination to die, what crime does Xuande have? Quickly get up."

  Liu Bei bowed again, and they all spoke of their own guilt. Only then did he get up, and also gained a thread of sympathy from the crowd of generals.

  Zhou Jian thought to himself, Liu Bei was indeed a man who knew how to handle people. By taking all the blame upon himself, he appeared to be belittling his own status, but in reality, he was able to win over others' sympathy and dispel their hostility towards him.

  The army had just returned to camp to rest and reorganize when a scout came to report that the Emperor had sent an envoy to inspect the military situation.

  Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song did not dare to slack off, and hastily led the troops to welcome out of the large camp, welcoming the small yellow gate left by Emperor Ling of Han to inspect the military situation, Left Feng and more than 100 Imperial Forest Guards into the large camp to report on the military situation.

  Zuo Feng sat in the central military tent and asked: "Two generals, how is the battle going? Why are you surrounding but not attacking?"

  Lu Zhi, although resentful of the eunuchs, did not dare to be slow in responding to this imperial envoy. He hastily replied: "The heavenly messenger is all-knowing. This morning, the imperial army has already besieged the main force of Zhang Jiao's rebel army within Guangzong City. However, the Yellow Turban bandits are all determined to fight to the death, and it is difficult to capture them quickly. I request that the heavenly messenger report back to the emperor that I, along with General Huangfu, will not dare to be even slightly remiss, and we will definitely strive to break through the city as soon as possible and quell the Yellow Turban rebellion."

  Zuo Feng didn't understand military affairs, and he just murmured a few times, clearly distracted.

  Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi did not dare to be careless at all, and they made a detailed report of the war situation.

  After the military report was finished, the generals dispersed, and Zuo Feng pulled Huang Fu and Lu Zhi to say some irrelevant words.

  Lu Zhi was not good at observing words and expressions, nor was he skilled at guessing others' thoughts. He carefully responded for a while, but still didn't know what Zuo Feng wanted to do, and couldn't help but feel puzzled.

  Huangfu Song had no good impression of eunuchs, but he remained silent and did not speak out.

  Zuo Feng spoke for half a day, seeing that the two generals were not convinced, and couldn't help but secretly resent them. He straightforwardly said, "Two generals, our family has finally come out of the capital to inspect the military situation for the emperor. After such a long and tiring journey, can't you give us some benefits?"

  Huangfu Song furrowed his brow and nearly turned to leave in a huff.

  Lu Zhi's face was filled with astonishment, and he stared blankly for a long time before saying: "The soldiers in the army are still short of food, where is there money to give to the heavenly envoy?"

  Zuo Feng's face turned dark with anger and he stormed out of the tent, his sleeves flying behind him.

  Lu Zhi sighed helplessly, and now he had offended Zuo Feng to death.

  If this treacherous eunuch returns to Luoyang and intentionally frames me when he meets the Emperor, who knows what kind of trouble will arise.

  But he couldn't bring himself to bribe the eunuchs.

  Huang Fu sighed and said, "Eunuchs are greedy beyond measure, it has come to this. The army is still short of money and food, the soldiers' rations are barely enough, and yet this eunuch dares to ask for more wealth, truly a calamity for the country without bounds."

  Lu Zhi sighed: "Now, Zuofeng has hatred in his heart towards us. After returning to the court, he will definitely manipulate right and wrong in front of the Emperor. If the Emperor does not investigate clearly, I fear that we will be deceived by slander and punished without a chance to clear our names."

  Although this is the case, both of them have their own calculations in mind.

  The Emperor had always trusted eunuchs, and if Zuo Fen returned to the capital and spread rumors, the Emperor would definitely believe them.

  Huang Fu said calmly, "The only plan now is to find an opportunity to break into the city as soon as possible and defeat the Guangzong rebel army. Otherwise, if Zuo Feng returns to the capital and slanders us to the Emperor, our punishment will be a minor matter, but if the Emperor changes generals in the middle of the battle, I fear it will not be beneficial to the overall plan to suppress the rebellion."

  Lu Zhi said: "What Yuanyi said is absolutely right, we should capture the city as soon as possible."

  News of Zuo Feng's bribe-taking somehow leaked out and reached Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi.

  Soon, there were generals who came to persuade Lu Zhi to bribe Zuo Feng.

  Lu Zhi flew into a rage and scolded them severely, driving the officers out of his tent. However, he felt even more helpless in his heart.

  Under his command, these generals were no good at leading troops and fighting the enemy, but they were all concerned with these trivial matters.

  Huang Fu Song also scolded and drove out of the account several generals who came to persuade him.

  Zhou Jian was inspecting the camp defenses when he happened to see Feng Zuo emerge from his tent with a displeased expression, which left Zhou puzzled.

  He glanced at Zuo Feng's back and asked a personal soldier outside the account, "What did the angel say to the general, why was he angry?"

  The attendants knew Zhou Jian and hastily said, "General Zhou does not know that the Heavenly Messenger asked for money from General Lu Zhi and General Huangfu Song. General Lu Zhi said that the soldiers in the army were still short of rations and had no money to give to the Heavenly Messenger, so he offended the Heavenly Messenger."

  Zhou Jian was shocked and couldn't help but curse, "This is really a bastard, a eunuch without balls is not normal."

  The bodyguards didn't dare to agree, but in their hearts they were shouting "Bravo", this is said too right, too grand.

  "Generals and soldiers are fighting bloody battles, often going hungry, yet this eunuch dares to openly ask for bribes. If it were me, I would definitely drag this scoundrel out and flay him alive."

  "General Zhou, be careful what you say, and don't let others hear it."

  Zhou Jian burst out laughing and patted his personal guard on the back before turning around and striding away.

  This time, following Huangfu Song to conquer the Yellow Turban rebels, from Yingchuan to Chengu, Runan, and then north to Dongjun, Jizhou, he achieved many military merits. Moreover, Huangfu Song highly valued him, believing that as long as they defeated the Guangzong rebels, when they returned to the capital, Huangfu Song would certainly recommend him for promotion and enfeoffment.

  However, that eunuch Zuo Feng is also a scourge.

  Although Zhou Jian looked down on these eunuchs, it was often these eunuchs who caused trouble.

  Zuo Feng is an imperial envoy from the Ling Emperor's faction who has come to inspect military affairs. If he returns to the capital and speaks recklessly, it's unknown what kind of disaster will be stirred up.

  Now the situation is very good, Zhang Jiao's rebel army has been trapped in a lonely city. If Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi have any problems, once Emperor Ling listens to the rumors and changes generals at this critical moment, how much of his own merits can be preserved is a problem.

  Zhou Jian didn't want to work hard for nothing, only to have all his efforts go down the drain in the end. He had to think of a way to stabilize Zuo Feng.

  In the rear camp of the Chinese army, inside a military tent.

  Zuo Feng paced back and forth in a rage, gritting his teeth and scolding Lu Zhi.

  "Lu Zhi is just a common man, but as the heavenly envoy, he asked you for favors, which means he looked up to you. But have you seen how our family has been treated along the way? Which local officials didn't try to curry favor with us? And yet, it's only you who doesn't know how to show respect."

  Zuo Fengyin scolded: "When the heavenly envoy returns to the capital, I will report your crime of being unable to direct the war to the emperor. Even if you don't die, I'll make sure you lose a layer of skin. Who knows, maybe the emperor will be so angry that he'll dismiss you from office and send you back home to retire."

  Venting his anger, a guard outside the account came in to report that someone named Zhou Jian's general asked to see him.

  "Zhou Jian?"

  Zuo Feng was taken aback for a moment, then said: "Let him in."

  The guard withdrew and soon brought Zhou Jian in.

  Zhou Jian bowed slightly to the left and said: "I am Zhou Jian, at your service, Your Excellency."

  Zuo Fengyin's face turned gloomy, and he forced a smile as he said, "General Zhou has come to see me, what is the purpose of this visit?"

  Zhou Jian glanced outside the account and hesitated a little.

  Zuo Feng immediately shouted towards the outside of the account: "Retreat ten steps away, no one is allowed to approach without orders."

  The account immediately sounded a hurried footsteps, the guards all retreated far away.

  Zuo Feng calmly said: "Can you say it now?"

  Zhou Jian put on a humble smile, handed over the package in his hand and said with a flattering smile: "I came this time under the order of General Huangfu Song, specially to bring a small gift for the Heavenly Messenger, I hope the Heavenly Messenger will accept it."

  Zuo Feng said in surprise: "Didn't Lu Zhi say that the army was still short of grain? How could Huangfu Song give gifts to our envoy?"

  "General, I implore you to understand that the army is currently short of provisions. If it were to be known that Generals Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi are sending gifts to Your Excellency while the soldiers are going hungry, it would lead to rumors and unrest among the troops. Therefore, the two generals cannot openly send gifts to Your Excellency; I hope you can understand."

  Zuo Feng was taken aback for a moment, and then his face immediately broke into a smile. "I understand, I've got it."

  Eagerly taking over the package and opening it, only to see that the package was full of antique jade artifacts, which were very valuable. The smile on his face grew even brighter, laughing so hard he couldn't close his mouth. "Please have General Zhou reply to the two generals, saying that their kind intentions have been received."

  Zhou Jian hastily replied, "Heavenly messenger, you are mistaken. The two generals have never sent gifts to the heavenly messenger."

  Zuo Feng was not a fool, and after being stunned for a moment, he quickly understood, nodding repeatedly. "I understand, the two generals have never given me gifts. When I return to the capital, I will truthfully report the military situation to the Emperor."

  Zhou Jian finally let out a sigh of relief and hastily told him.

  Zuo Feng grasped his hand, smiling and saying: "General Zhou Jian's bravery and strategy surpass others. I heard that this time in suppressing the Yellow Turbans' rebellion, he achieved countless military merits. If he can quell the Yellow Turbans this time, when he returns to the capital, being enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as a general is only a matter of course. At that time, don't forget about our family!"

  Zhou Jian felt a chill run down his spine, silently cursed the eunuch, quickly withdrew his hand, and after flattering him a few times, took his leave and left.

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