Chapter 3, Tongguan

What does it mean

Cao Yueleng sneered, "What reason do I have to trust you?"

The defense of the small pass is managed by the front battalion of the Dai character regiment, while the large pass is garrisoned by Gao Ying's trusted middle battalion and the right battalion stationed at Tongguan. The arrangement of each battalion's location is also quite deliberate; the large pass at Tongguan is lucrative, naturally assigned to Gao Ying's own team and his brother-in-law Li Cunxiao's right battalion. The front battalion, being the most capable, is given the less lucrative tasks, while the left and rear battalions can only be stationed in the city, occasionally foraging for wild food.

Father, you should go home first. I will go to Tongguan to find the county magistrate to collect the reward money.

As Ma Zifang was about to say something, he was kicked in the head by Cao Yue and lost consciousness. To prevent him from bleeding excessively, Zhang Yue tore a few strips of cloth from the other corpses to bind Ma Zifang's severed wrist, then tied him up securely and placed him on the horse's back to prevent him from falling off. Ma Zifang was already unconscious from the pain and allowed himself to be handled.

Father, regarding our hunting and saving Young Master Wang San, let us not speak of it. As the saying goes, the true hero acts for the country and the people, and one should not concern oneself with fame and profit when doing good deeds. Cao Yue winked at Old Man Cao, who had no choice but to remain silent, holding the rabbit and unsure of what to do. Cao Yue then led a horse to Old Man Zhang and said: "Father, take this horse back; it now belongs to our family"

From a distance, he gazed at the towering city towers, the ancient pass looming ahead after a millennium. Cao Yue could not help but feel a surge of emotions. Ma Zifang, awakening weakly, said: "Cao Erlang, if you truly send me to the court, you will not have a good ending either. My father will surely kill your entire family to avenge me"

It turned out that the recent melee startled the donkey, causing Young Master Wang San to fall down and be stepped on the head by the frightened donkey, and it was evident that he was inhaling less and exhaling more

Cao Yue picked up Ma Zifang's pistol from the ground again, which he estimated was made by himself. It had two barrels and fired black powder and projectiles, which was quite outdated

Until the Yuan Dynasty, Tongguan remained the foremost pass in the world, enduring the trials of wind, frost, rain, and snow for a thousand years, witnessing the rise and fall of dozens of dynasties

Cao Yue shook his head and said, "Take your young master back home on the donkey's back; he can no longer go on."

Having thought that he had already planned his escape route for decades to come, Cao Yue felt that transporting corpses was a wonderful task, and as he pondered this, he unexpectedly burst into laughter

"Leave early and return early, my child, in the future..." Old Cao was deeply worried, yet he found himself at a loss for words on how to advise him. His son had now surpassed him in achievements, but this very success made him long for the days when his son was blissfully naive. He had lived a life of frustration, and while his son was once foolish, now that he had suddenly recovered from his illness, Old Cao was concerned about the potential troubles that might arise. Being a father is not easy; if he could avoid hindering his son, he would do so.

The towering Tongguan, rising several zhang in the distance, stands majestically, while the high mountains on either side seem to respond, appearing like a throat between heaven and earth from afar

"Fate is predetermined," said Cao Yue. "Wealth and nobility are bestowed by heaven, and life and death are governed by fate. What you are encountering is the Matriarch of Fate; this is his destiny. Gou Wa, you should return and inform your master that the Matriarch of Fate has caused the death of your young master"

Chapter 3: Tongguan

Tianjin, Xiaozhan, Yuan Shikai

Upon thinking of this, Cao Yueyue looked at Ma Zifang and felt that he was like a great treasure. The way he looked at Ma Zifang made her hair stand on end. Could it be that this man has a liking for the Rabbit Lord? Ma Zifang felt a tightness in her lower back and immediately said, "Cao Dawang... please let me go, my father will give you five thousand taels of silver and a picture book as thanks."

In the midst of chaos, one should seize the opportunity to establish a territory for oneself, and then wait for the arrival of the People's Liberation Army to surrender the territory without a fight. By that time, one will have aged, bringing along the wealth accumulated over decades and descendants, to escape to South America and live as a wealthy landowner.

The Qing court originally dispatched a Bannerman from the Eight Banners to Tongguan; however, the Eight Banners troops proved to be ineffective. The Qing court, left with no choice, then sent in the valiant Green Camp soldiers. The first commander of the Tongguan Green Camp was surnamed Dai, and thereafter, this unit of Qing soldiers came to be known as the Dai Battalion

Before his journey through time, Cao Yue had wanted to visit Tongguan several times to catch a glimpse of its beautiful scenery. However, due to various circumstances, he was delayed. He never expected that his actual encounter with Tongguan would occur under such circumstances

The background of the garrison commander Gao Ying in Tongguan was originally the former governor Tan Zhonglin. However, last year, Tan Zhonglin was appointed as the governor of Guangxi and Guangdong. At the beginning of the year, the newly appointed governor of Gansu and Shaanxi, Tao Mo, took office, and Gao Ying had not yet had the opportunity to present gifts. Meanwhile, several of his subordinates harbored their own thoughts, which greatly troubled Gao Ying. In particular, the former camp commander Kang Sanshi was a source of both affection and resentment for Gao Ying. This man was capable in battle but harbored considerable ambition, with a complex web of influence. The Kang family was also a prominent household in Shaanxi, leaving Gao Ying with little means to deal with him.

When Old Man Cao saw his son had killed someone, he was stunned and speechless. He realized that his son had changed, becoming clever and brave. However, witnessing his son kill so skillfully and easily still caught him off guard, leaving him dumbfounded and squatting in place, unsure of what to do—whether to advise him or to assist him. It was only after Cao Yue had tied up the body and mounted his horse that Old Man Cao finally managed to climb down from the mound and said, "Son, what is this..."

If you are going, then go to Brazil; that place does not discriminate against Chinese people, and the local people's easygoing nature means they do not scheme against others

Cao Yue laughed and said: "A true man should strive to be a hero in life and a remarkable spirit in death. Is there any time for hesitation or regret? Moreover, considering that I have killed your four lackeys and severed one of your hands, do you think your father will let me off the hook?"

At that moment, Dogwa suddenly said: "Hero, hero, please save my young master, he is in dire straits."

What era is this? How can there still be such a thing, used in the Ming Dynasty? Cao Yue disdainfully threw the hand cannon to the ground, but feeling it was a pity, he picked it up again and hung it at his waist

Due to the strategic importance of Tongguan, which serves as the throat of three provinces, the tolls from merchants passing through are naturally significant. Consequently, officials from the Governor's Office of Shaanxi and Gansu all wish to stake their claim here

A few startled horses unexpectedly wandered back at this moment. Cao Yue did not hesitate to commandeer them; he directly tied several horses together, threw the bandits' corpses onto their backs, and chose the best black horse for himself

However, we ... ...

Du Fu expressed his sentiments in poetry: "In the deep of night, I pass the battlefield, the cold moon illuminates the white bones, at Tongguan, a million troops, the fallen scatter like leaves." Furthermore, Sikong Tu praised: "In the past, Gongsun excelled in the arena, only to teach women to love military attire. After the defeat at Tongguan, the Hu people rejoice, gathering at Lishan to watch the imperial hot springs."

"Whoever takes the bandit's words seriously is truly a fool," Cao Yue interrupted him.

Cao Yue waved his hand and said, "Let's go, Father." After speaking, he headed towards the northern city of Tongguan with four horses, four corpses, and an unconscious captive.

Originally, he planned to kidnap Young Master Wang San, but now he has changed his mind. This Ma Taisui has been rampant in southern Shaanxi for nearly ten years, and the bounty has always been posted on the city gate tower at Tongguan, offering a serious reward of 2,000 taels of silver for a head. Since Ma Zifang is the son of Ma Taisui, even if he is not worth 2,000 taels and a *picture* book, he should at least be worth 800 taels. This amount of money is enough to support his father's living expenses, and with the extra money, Cao Yue has another plan; he intends to leave Shaanxi and head to Tianjin. Since Ma Zifang is the son of Ma Taisui, even if he is not worth 2,000 taels and a *picture* book, he should at least be worth 800 taels. This amount of money is enough to support his father's living expenses, and with the extra money, Cao Yue has another plan; he intends to leave Shaanxi and head to Tianjin

Cao Yue said to Old Man Cao: "Father, I will go to Tongguan to collect the reward and return quickly, I will leave now."

Dogwa thought for a moment and immediately nodded emphatically

My name is Cao Yue. "I dare not take such a title, you may call me grandfather, but what gives you the right to call me father?" He removed the black mask, revealing a cold smile that resembled the teeth of a bloodthirsty great white shark

One man can hold the pass, while ten thousand cannot open it

I am indeed ... ...

Old man Cao kept watching his son until his son's shadow disappeared from view. He sighed, climbed onto the horse's back, and turned to head back to the village

Tongguan is divided into the Big Pass and the Small Pass, with the Big Pass facing east and the Small Pass facing west. The original intention of establishing Tongguan was to guard against invasions from the eastern states. The county town is situated between the Big Pass and the Small Pass, housing tens of thousands of residents. It is worth mentioning that Tongguan is also the second largest county town in Shaanxi. The town is filled with numerous inns and warehouses. To the south of Tongguan lies Henan, and to the north is Shanxi. The strategic transportation routes have made this area a historically contested ground for military forces.

Cao Yueleng sneered, "Do you really think I am a fool? I killed you all just for a small gain and let you go? Hahaha, what a joke! I severed one of your hands; do you think you can let me go?"

Cao Yue was lifting the corpse while contemplating his future plans. First and foremost, he needed to cure the illness of this body’s father. Then, he would find a place to settle down and no longer work as a boatman on the Yellow River. It would be better to go to Tianjin with himself. Eight hundred taels of silver would certainly be enough to buy a small courtyard in the Tianjin concession. Old Cao could grow vegetables and sell them to the foreigners to earn a living. Even if a war broke out, there would be little trouble in the Tianjin concession. The most likely war in the future would be the Boxer Rebellion turning into the Eight-Nation Alliance invading Beijing, but the Tianjin concession would remain unscathed. Then he would go to Tianjin Xiaozhan to seek refuge with Yuan Shikai, relying on his own abilities and judgment of the future to lean on Yuan Shikai as a big tree, eventually becoming a general. If that incompetent Cao Kun could become a division commander in the Beiyang Army, why couldn’t he? Was he not as good as Cao Kun?

Cao Yue believes that he should belong to a chaotic era. Since heaven has allowed him to borrow a body and return to the late Qing Dynasty, he feels a responsibility to do something. However, he also feels that his strength is weak and he is alone. Indeed, what can he do?

Tongguan is renowned as the "First Pass under Heaven" and has historically been a contested area for military strategists. During the Han Dynasty, the Battle of Tongguan took place, where Cao Cao led an army of 100,000 against another 100,000 led by Ma Chao, resulting in a decisive victory for Cao Cao, who secured the Guanzhong region and effectively eliminated the Xiliang forces from their dominant position at the end of the Han Dynasty. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, a significant battle also occurred at Tongguan between the Eastern Wei and Western Wei, which is likewise referred to as the Battle of Tongguan in history. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng's forces were decimated at Tongguan by Hong Chengchou, leaving only eighteen riders who were forced to flee into the Shangluo Mountains.

Dogwa cried out: "What are we to do, what are we to do"

Sigh, I do not know whether this is a blessing or a curse, cough cough cough... Old man Cao could only accept this fate, standing by and watching his son.

In Tongguan, various factions of the Green Camp were intricately intertwined, engaged in constant covert struggles. At this moment, Cao Yue, foolishly accompanied by Ma Zifang and the corpses of the bandits from Taiping Mountain, arrived here.

I pleaded with my father. "Don't worry," Ma Zifang hurriedly said, "I will let you go if I say I will let you go"

Cao Yue smiled and said: "You fool! If you say it the way I taught you, you won't have any responsibility when you go back, do you understand?"