Section 10: Did Zhangsha's fire start?

  At this moment, Zhang Kuang even hated to take a bite of Wang Guo's body.

  If it weren't for this guy blocking the way, I would have arrived a day earlier, and this fire wouldn't have started either!

  Of course, Zhang Jiao, who was confused by his anger and frustration at this time, naturally couldn't think of it. If there was no Wang Fu's guidance and help, his Yellow Turban Army would probably have to spend two or three more days to get here!

  Of course, venting anger on others is not Zhang Kuang's usual style. After calming down, he smiled at Wang Guo with a hint of intention and shouted loudly:

  "Where's He Qian? Where is He Qian?"

  "Master! Fourth Brother has arrived!"

  He Qian is He Lao Si. After getting the inheritance of "Zhan Xi", he became the deputy commander of the army, but He Lao Si thought his name was not good enough, so he asked Zhang Kuang to give him a new name. However, in the mouths of those old comrades, He Lao Si is still He Lao Si.

  "Take two skilled horsemen and hurry to the west to investigate what has happened. If it's a big fire, send one person back to report and keep an eye on the road entrance. If there are fleeing soldiers, come back and report again!"

  He Lao Si had been "enlightened" since then, and suddenly his riding skills became unparalleled. Even Zhang Kuang, who was originally a skilled horseman, couldn't match him. So the best warhorses in the team were handed over to He Lao Si. Now, this task of scouting for information on this dark night was most suitable for him.

  Heard the canal commander's solemn words, He Lao Si nodded calmly and replied:

  "No! First see if it's on fire, then see if someone is coming."

  Hei Lao Si's fast horse set off, Zhang Kuang only felt his chest tight and stuffy. However, at this moment, he couldn't stop to sulk. There were still important things waiting for him to arrange!

  "Fall in!"

  Thanks to the training of the past few days, Zhang Kuang's more than 400 strong and sturdy Yellow Turban soldiers successfully completed their assembly in just half a minute. The flashing torches cast a flickering glow on Zhang Kuang's face, leaving his subordinates somewhat bewildered.

  But no one spoke out. Dozens of examples of those who had suffered at the hands of Wang Guo had taught everyone when to keep silent.

  "Brothers! Now, the great undertaking of Taiping Dao has reached a critical moment!"

  Zhang Kuang's voice was not too loud, but it could be heard clearly by all the Yellow Turban soldiers present. This ability was one of the benefits brought about by his minor achievement in practicing "Tai Ping True Qi".

  "'Nan Hua Lao Xian' told me half a month ago that although my Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's great cause will ultimately succeed, it won't be smooth sailing!"

  The Han dynasty's fire virtue may have declined, but after all, 'a dead camel is bigger than a horse'. My Taiping Dao wants to overthrow this rotten Han dynasty, it must first bear the counterattack of the Han dynasty's heavenly punishment!

  "'Nan Hua Lao Xian' told me that in the West, near Luoyang, there will be a great fire! This great fire is the struggle of the Han dynasty's 'Cang Tian'. 'Cang Tian' is not willing to die like this and wants to make a last-ditch effort!"

  Zhang Mou was incompetent, and his heart wanted to stop this big fire. He brought all of you here in a hurry. However, heaven's will is hard to violate. This big fire finally started burning after all!

  The people below were in an uproar. However, these Yellow Turban warriors, along the way seeing Zhang Fei's repeated "divine (or brutal?) feats", had thoroughly believed in him. Under Wang Fu's suppression, they quickly calmed down.

  "Why did our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom rise in revolt? It was for 'the hungry to have food, the cold to have clothing, the laborer to have reward, and the scholar to have a use'!"

  "Now, a small setback has appeared ahead of us. Let's talk about it, can we retreat?"

  "No!"

  Later, under the dying struggles of 'Heaven', my Taiping Dao will still encounter more setbacks. Even some generals will fall due to the counterattack of the Han house.

  However, 'Blue Heaven' will surely die! 'Yellow Heaven' will eventually rise!

  "My fellow brothers, my comrades, entrust your lives to me! I, Zhang Kuang, will surely lead you in destroying this corrupt Han dynasty and establishing a new peaceful nation!"

  "Promise!"

  "Promise!"

  …………

  Dian Wei's voice, in the crowd, sounded exceptionally loud. Two days ago, he finally received Zhang Fei's "enlightenment", not only did he feel a slight increase in strength and power in his muscles and bones, but also discovered that the "battle qi" in his body had undergone a qualitative change.

  This surprise was enough to make Di Wei's military strength leap up another level, truly entering the ranks of the world's top generals!

  As evidence, Zhou Cang, who was originally able to fight against Dian Wei for over a hundred rounds during their training sessions, would now be unable to last more than ten rounds if Dian Wei were to use his full strength.

  Having received such a favor, Tian Wei automatically changed his mouth and called Zhang Kuang "Master". This way, he was considered to have formally joined the ranks of the Yellow Turbans.

  Although the Yellow Turbans below still had some doubts, Zhang Kuang no longer had time to explain one by one. He took out the plan that he had been considering in his heart and directed the Yellow Turbans to move their camp to a place farther away from the main road.

  Then, more than 100 of the selected Yellow Turbans who were not afflicted with night blindness and could see clearly at night were equipped with all the armor and weapons from the army. Led by Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and Zhou Cang, they sat down in a forest beside the road, ready to ambush at any moment.

  Night blindness is commonly known as "sparrow's eye". As the name suggests, it refers to unclear vision and difficulty moving in the dark or dimly lit environment. In ancient times, especially among poor people, due to a coarse diet and insufficient intake of animal products, they often lacked vitamin A, leading to this rare disease that is seldom seen in later generations.

  These tasks, though not too big in number, still took Zhang Kuang more than a few hours to complete, given the current military discipline of the Yellow Turbans. Fortunately, the distant sounds of slaughter did not grow louder quickly, allowing Zhang Kuang to deploy his troops at leisure.

  "Bang bang bang......"

  Two war horses came along the main road at a small gallop, it was He Lao Si and his men. He found Zhang Kuang and roughly reported the situation he had observed.

  As expected, the Yellow Turban army's camp in front of them had already been thrown into chaos like a pot that had been overturned, with everything in disarray amidst the raging fire. According to He Lao Si's observations, probably about an hour later, a group of Yellow Turban soldiers whose numbers were unknown would be fleeing from their own camp and passing by their side.

  Moreover, He Lao Si heard the sound of Han drums behind this defeated army and inferred that there should be a Han army in the rear, pursuing them.

  "You've worked hard! Go take a rest! But don't fall asleep. Later, you'll still need to lead the cavalry out and pursue the enemy!"

  "Promise!"

  "Alright! Brothers! All of you, 'bite your tongues' and don't make a sound, or we'll scare those government soldiers!"

  What is meant by "holding something in one's mouth" is to hold something in one's mouth, so that no one can't help but want to speak. As for what specifically to hold in the mouth, it depends on the situation. Some people hold copper coins, some hold stones, and others simply bite a small wooden stick.

  Zhang Kuang ordered his men to lie in ambush, entering the forest beside the road and hiding. These Yellow Turbans, due to insufficient training and lax discipline, found it difficult to remain hidden for a long time. Fortunately, thanks to the success of their intelligence gathering, before long they saw a group of defeated Yellow Turban soldiers, abandoning their helmets and armor, with disheveled clothes, fleeing in groups of three or five from the main road.

  Looking at these defeated soldiers, one by one exhausted and gasping for breath, with a dejected and dispirited appearance, even Zhang Kuang's heart felt some sorrow.

  Could this be the mighty Yellow Turbans, who shook the eight provinces and startled the heavens with their grandeur?

  Brothers, wait a moment and watch how I take revenge for you...

  "Yellow Turbans brothers! Yellow Turbans brothers!......"

  Several loud voices rose on the main road in the east. These people were guides arranged by Zhang Kong. To be able to escape from the Yellow Turbans for twenty miles in one breath on a dark night, their physical fitness is self-evident, and they are all excellent.

  Now that the elite Yellow Turbans have been defeated, it is a good opportunity to recruit them. Meat was sent to their mouths, but they did not eat; this is not the character of Zhang Jue.

  "Up ahead is our General Zhang's camp, once we get there, we'll be safe! There's water and food, everyone don't panic! Follow the yellow flag..."

  Seeing those sturdy Yellow Turbans who had escaped with great difficulty, under Wang Guo's organization, they obediently surged towards their own camp. Zhang Kuang's heart finally secretly felt a thrill of excitement. Although he didn't save the Changsha Yellow Turbans from failure, being able to make his own troops swell in numbers made Zhang Kuang feel quite accomplished.

  In Zhang Fei's subconscious, there was probably the idea of collecting defeated soldiers from the beginning. Otherwise, he could have abandoned the hundreds of Yellow Turban warriors under his command and brought only a few trusted followers like Zhou Cang to report to General Guan Yu quickly.

  A centipede's corpse doesn't stiffen. The Han Dynasty's lingering influence remains, its roots not yet completely rotten. The Yellow Turbans' great uprising was actually doomed to fail from the start.

  As such, as a relatively inconspicuous figure in the Yellow Turbans, Zhang Kuo's primary goal was to seize control of his own army and then find a quiet place to lie low, waiting for the chaotic world at the end of the Han dynasty to officially begin.

  Since he was fortunately (or unfortunately?) a transmigrator, Zhang Kuang naturally had his own pride.

  Living under others, being driven by others, is a path that Zhang Kuang would not take no matter what. Having such a good opportunity, if he doesn't take the initiative to make a move, then he has come to this chaotic world in vain and shouldn't be called "Zhang Kuang".

  So he wants to rely on his own ability, take advantage of the chaos in the world, and fight for his own territory!

  Nearly two thousand defeated soldiers fled from in front of Zhang Kuang. This number made Zhang Kuang feel joyful at the same time, also made him feel a great deal of pressure.

  With over 400 men, going to annex 2,000 men, this kind of thing, after all, has a not small risk. If in the defeated army, there is a person with enough prestige, one mistake, and it will be counterproductive. In the news along the way, there were rumors that some Yellow Turban Army had internal strife, and Zhang Kuang also heard something about it.

  Especially in places where the Yellow Turbans developed particularly quickly, there were often large numbers of wandering knights and even mountain bandits who joined in to make a profit. These "false" Yellow Turbans who were not members of the "Taiping Dao" had no qualms about their actions!

  In order to fight for power and profit, Zhang Kuang heard that there were several Yellow Turbans who, before engaging in battle with the Han army, would first kill one of their own and bathe in the fresh blood.

  So, in this next battle, we must win beautifully!

  For Zhang Kuang, using the bloody heads of Han soldiers to establish prestige is much more effective than killing his own people!