Chapter 5, Black Wind Bandits, Military Order

If he wins, he will be able to start building his power. During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he can take advantage of the situation. If he loses, he will lose his head and return to dust

Once there was a heroic man, who valued loyalty and kept his promises. He would kill at the slightest provocation, yet regarded his own life as light as a feather.

Amidst the chaos of the barbarian invasion in the Central Plains, scholars and gentlemen weep as they flee from the Confucian populace. With each step, a life is taken; the heart may pause, but the hand does not cease.

"Nobility and high rank are not determined by birth! I should not be ordinary in this world, so why should I lower myself before others"

What a sight to behold over the three hundred years of the Qin and Han dynasties, where is there a hero who does not take a life? It stirs within me a great desire for bloodshed, wishing to eradicate all those petty individuals buried deep in my heart!

Yang Residence

Wen Xian, my brother! Wen Xian, my brother! Why don't you and I wield a sword and slay those treacherous dogs of the Ma sect? They have underestimated me too much! They have underestimated me too much!

Wenhan wrote with a firm and powerful stroke, his penmanship exuding a grand and elegant style

Then I shall make a fool of myself. I wish to hold a grand horse-dangling competition, with a prize for the winners. The victors will also receive the honorific title of 'Horse-Dangler' bestowed by the county magistrate. (Just as Zhou Long is referred to as 'Zhou Gambling House', the winner of the horse-dangling competition will have 'Horse-Dangler' added to their surname.)

Good! Master Huang, the Five Treasures of the Study are at your service! Yang Hong seemed to be inspired by the imposing presence of Wenhan, and he rarely shouted in such a manner.

What is there to fear? Bring me the paper!

Wenhan gradually articulated the plan, and Yang Hong, who was listening, was overjoyed, repeatedly expressing his approval

Wen Han grabbed a jug of rice wine from the banquet, tilted his head back, and drank until the wine was finished, after which the jug fell and shattered on the ground. He continued to sing.

Killing thieves is like slaughtering dogs, the blood stains the Black Wind Mountain. Achievements are sacrificed to the leader, the soul does not return to the county of Jie

A man should not tremble; there is a song for you to listen to. To kill one is a crime, but to slaughter thousands is to be heroic

Wen Han, however, turned a blind eye to it, focusing solely on discussing the matter of the horse with Yang Hong

Before leaving, Wenhan tossed the military order to Steward Huang. Steward Huang took a furtive glance at the contents and was taken aback.

To slay nine million is to be the greatest among the great. The greatest among the great, though, follows a different path

Yang Hong is trying to win over Zhou Long, offering him a legitimate opportunity to eliminate Ma Zong without facing any legal repercussions

Wen Han revealed a brilliant smile, observing that the timing was right. He then shifted the topic and said: "I have a request. In order to expand the gambling house, we need a large number of personnel, and these individuals must possess strong combat skills.

Wen Han finally articulated the main purpose of attending the banquet. In fact, Wen Han had always harbored the idea of promoting gambling houses as a means to strengthen his influence. It seemed as if there was a hidden arrangement; not only did Wen Han find a partner in Yang Hong, but he could also leverage this opportunity to do a favor for the legendary figure Guan Yu, achieving two objectives with one action

A man never cares for his own life, even if he dies, he will face his enemies with a smile. In a hundred places of enmity and battle, I wish to be among the wild grass in every one of them

Yang Hong waved his hand and quickly said, "Do not stand on ceremony, quickly tell this county magistrate everything."

Yang Hong seemed to be lingering on the topic, picking up a cup from the table and turning to Wen Han and Zhou Long. Wen Han and Zhou Long quickly grabbed their cups as well, clinking them with Yang Hong and drinking to the last drop.

Moreover, the group of bandits at Black Wind Mountain has also drawn the attention of the court, which has issued several directives for the county magistrate to eliminate these outlaws. Since you, Brother Wen, are willing to lead the troops, I will provide you with five hundred soldiers and horses to ascend the mountain and eradicate the bandits

I would rather have ten thousand people gnash their teeth in hatred than allow anyone to insult me without cause. Looking out over the three hundred years of the Qin and Han dynasties, where can one find a hero who has not killed?

Yang Hong furrowed his brows and said: "The soldiers of this county cannot be involved in matters of gambling; as for personnel matters, this county magistrate is powerless."

At the same time, Zhou Long, who was constantly watching Wen Han from the side, had a changing expression and kept murmuring the same words.

Since ancient times, benevolence and virtue have often harmed people, and there has never been a single truth in morality.

Wen Han walked over to Zhou Long and comforted the overly agitated Zhou Long

Although we have the care of the county magistrate, the affairs of the gambling house are quite complicated, and the character of those gamblers is surely well understood by the county magistrate. Furthermore, in the future, we intend to expand the gambling house to other towns and counties; if someone causes trouble, distant water cannot quench a nearby fire

Yang Hong pondered for a moment, and after a brief silence fell over the gathering, he suddenly slapped the table and said: "It seems that without investing something, it is impossible to reap substantial rewards. Wen Xian, you possess great talent, and I, the county magistrate, have faith in you"

Do you not see, the lion and tiger gain renown from their prey, yet who shows pity for the deer?

In ancient times, the gentry placed great importance on etiquette. In interactions with the gentry, any breach of etiquette would lead to their disdain.

A surge of pride rose within, and I sang aloud

Blood flows like waves for thousands of miles, corpses rest upon mountains that reach the heavens. The valiant warriors have finished their battles, weary, they lay their heads upon the enemy's corpses.

"What are you waiting for, Wenxian? Hurry up and execute your plan. If there is anything you need my assistance with, feel free to mention it. As long as it is a reasonable request, I will be able to accommodate you."

After a while, the Five Treasures of the Study were gathered, and the Huang family was grinding ink nearby

Yang Hong is gambling, betting that the young man before him is not just talking big. Five hundred soldiers account for nearly thirty percent of the military strength of the county. If the bandits are not eliminated and instead they are the ones being attacked, Yang Hong would be heartbroken.

Once again, there are heroes and tyrants, and the killing is chaotic and rampant

A man should kill, and kill without mercy. An immortal legacy through the ages lies entirely in the act of killing

The three of them continued drinking until the early hours of the morning, drinking to the point of losing all sense of time and place. In the end, Yang Hong, unable to withstand the effects of alcohol, was assisted by a servant back to his room to rest. Meanwhile, Wen Han, in a hazy state of intoxication, helped the already unconscious Zhou Long back home.

Bonuses can attract the common people, while the prestigious titles are matters of great concern for merchants. Once they acquire wealth, they seek fame and official recognition.

In the latter part of the poem, Wenhan made slight modifications, which do not affect the overall meaning of the poem

Subsequently, Wenhan secretly glanced at Zhou Long and thought to himself: "In this way, Brother Zhou is truly my lucky star."

In this world, the strong have always preyed upon the weak, and even if one is right, it is in vain. Do not inquire, for a man has his own path to follow.

Yang Hong seemed to be infused with the bold spirit of the song that spoke of killing as easily as slaughtering dogs. He picked up his wine cup, and as the wine ran out, the cup shattered, and he began to sing along with Wen Han.

Zhou Long pounded his chest and shouted, a song titled "Murder Song" awakened the wildness within him, further fueled by the intoxication in his mind. The usually gentle Zhou Long transformed into a fierce and aggressive man.

However, the county magistrate has one condition: if you do not succeed, you must present your head! Do you dare to accept the military order?

Wen Han noticed that Yang Hong was displeased, and quickly cupped his hands in salute, saying: "I have long thought of a countermeasure. I have heard that there is a group of bandits causing trouble at Heifeng Mountain, which is over a hundred miles from this county. I, lacking in talent, am willing to lead troops to suppress them and negotiate with the bandits to surrender, in order to alleviate our urgent situation."

Brother Zhou, rest assured. After we conquer Black Wind Mountain, on the day of our success and return to Jie County, it will be the time to deal with that scoundrel Ma Zong.

Yang Hong's eyes were red as he shouted. It seemed as if he was reminiscing about certain events in his heart

Military order, consisting of only two sentences

Do you not see, as the upright scholars rise and the valiant die, from this moment on, the Divine Land boasts of benevolence and righteousness

I, lacking in talent, indeed have some thoughts regarding the promotion of the horse-drawn carriage that I would like to discuss with the county magistrate.

We must first prepare for the future, so that the execution will be orderly and systematic. Everything will fall into place naturally

A man's duty lies in the battlefield, with courage like a bear and eyes like a wolf. If one is born a man, one must kill, and not allow a man's body to be wrapped in a woman's heart

Hahaha, Brother Wen has great talent. This horse whip is truly marvelous, making this county magistrate unable to put it down. However, I wonder how Brother Wen intends to promote it so that we can both profit immensely.

At this moment, County Magistrate Yang also approached. After a round of drinks and a song, Yang Hong seemed to place even greater importance on Wen Han and Zhou Long, boldly declaring: "Brother Zhou, do not be agitated. I am well aware of the actions of that ungrateful scoundrel Ma Zong, and I am quite furious on your behalf! Therefore, if you are truly able to persuade the Black Wind bandits to surrender, I will provide you with a legitimate excuse to eliminate Ma Zong. What do you think?"

After three rounds of drinks, Yang Hong became familiar with Wen Han and Zhou Long, and their manner of address became quite affectionate. Zhou Long, feeling restless, subtly cast several glances during the banquet, hoping to prompt Wen Han to bring up the matter of borrowing troops.

Yang Hong's gaze radiated a fiery brilliance, looking at Wen Han as if he were gazing at a chicken that could lay golden eggs

Wenhan could not help but exclaim, originally this was just an idea, but it was unexpectedly realized so quickly

In dreams, one still kills, as laughter casts shadows in the spring light. Daughters, do not inquire, for how fierce are the men?

The little person expressed gratitude. Upon hearing this, Zhou Long was greatly pleased and bowed in response.

Seeing through a millennium of benevolence and righteousness, yet in this life, one seeks to display one's might. A good name is not cherished, while a bad name is disregarded; killing millions, yet the heart remains unpunished

Your Excellency, why not provide some incentives for this grand competition? This will attract the merchants of our county to flock here. These individuals have extensive networks and abundant business opportunities, and they will soon spread the word about this game. Meanwhile, our gambling house can take the opportunity to open branches in the surrounding towns and counties, making everyone go wild for it

"Good characters, good songs!" Yang Hong and Zhou Long, who were admiring the Wenhan font nearby, exclaimed in unison.

Emboldened by the wine, Wenhan let out a loud shout, momentarily exuding the valiant spirit of a hero charging into battle. He understood that retreat was not an option at this moment; securing a foothold in the chaotic era of the late Eastern Han dynasty hinged critically on this first battle

Good! Today, we have the lyrics of Brother Wen to enliven the atmosphere. The county magistrate is very pleased, and we shall not return until we are intoxicated. Let this also serve as a farewell toast for Brothers Wen and Zhou as they embark on their expedition to suppress the bandits

A man should act with ferocity. When matters are in conflict with benevolence, neither can stand.

Good song! Good song! Even without wine, one can feel intoxicated! Zhou Long, slightly tipsy, clapped his hands, his steps unsteady, dancing along to the lyrics sung by Wen Han.

The font written by Wenhan is a combination of European and willow styles by Li Fangming, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Association of Hard Pen Calligraphy of Chinese Characters in later generations. Its form is dignified and graceful, with a powerful and compelling brushwork