Chapter 006: The Thoughts of Yingchuan, The Heart of Domination
The current turmoil caused by the Yellow Turbans in the Han dynasty is merely in its initial stages. Although the Yellow Turban rebellion appears to be formidable and has caught the Han court off guard, the actions taken by you, the governor of Yanmen Commandery, will only serve to demonstrate the weakness and frailty of the Han dynasty, and nothing more.
If one truly wishes to seek some change, it is only possible by aligning oneself with the gentry or powerful families, becoming their disciples or retainers; otherwise, one is nothing. This is contingent upon having sufficient ability to gain the favor of those lofty gentry or powerful families; otherwise, no one would pay any attention to you.
After all, for a considerable period in the future, a series of upheavals will still occur within the territory of the Han dynasty
If this is truly the case, then we might as well lead our troops south and surrender to the rebel Han army. In this way, it would also bring some relief to our hearts
Since one aspires to seize power at the end of the Han Dynasty, it is essential to forge an absolutely loyal army from this moment onward
However, this was not the outcome that Lü Bu desired. According to his plans in his heart, only by resolving the initial issue of official positions could he, after pacifying the Yellow Turban Rebellion, rely on his foresight to continuously gain favor within the Han court. Even if it was through the most rudimentary means of warfare to gain favor, it would still be a form of reputation for him
Zhang Liao reminded, "Even if we do not venture into the territory of the Southern Xiongnu this time, we must still mobilize cavalry volunteers. However, the number of soldiers under the command of the military marquis is too few. If we proceed to offer our services in this manner, we will likely be looked down upon by the Han army's commanding general. It is feared that the initial stages will not be as simple as we imagine."
Hearing Lü Bu inquire about this matter, Zhang Liao narrowed his eyes slightly and fell into deep thought. He then raised his head and said: "In response to the military marquis, according to what I heard from the governor of Yanmen County, the intention was for my troops to march south directly after the conscription of the Southern Xiongnu volunteer cavalry was completed"
Zhu Jun, the Right Zhonglang General, came from a humble background and lacked a solid foundation, which rendered his support in the court insufficiently strong
If it is the former, then the autonomy is substantial
Therefore, for Lü Bu, given the current situation of the Han dynasty, establishing himself through martial prowess is the only shortcut for him to achieve a turnaround in his fortunes.
A humble background, in the eyes of the gentry and the powerful, you are merely a tool for production, unworthy of discussing the rules of the game with them
Setting aside other matters, the leader of the Yellow Turbans, Zhang Jiao, raised the banner of rebellion in Jizhou, causing chaos in the eight provinces of the Han dynasty. To discuss this matter from its roots, it pertains to internal affairs of the Han dynasty. Unless the Han court truly finds itself unable to resolve this issue, seeking external assistance would be permissible.
It is quite rare in the Han dynasty to rush to the Central Plains to participate in the suppression of rebellions and disturbances like this
The vision for his future within the Han dynasty, coupled with an unparalleled foresight that surpasses that of ordinary individuals, is the greatest asset of Lü Bu
What Lü Bu just spoke of is precisely what the sons of Han should do. Although these foreign cavalry are indeed formidable, they are not qualified to interfere in the affairs of the Han dynasty's internal pacification
Regarding the matters discussed by Wei Xu, Lü Bu has actually developed new thoughts in his mind. However, before implementing this idea, he needs to clarify one thing with Zhang Liao
Thus, this cavalry is like a double-edged sword; if used well, it serves as an asset to the Han army, but if used poorly, it becomes a burden to the Han army
Lü Bu laughed and said: "Wen Yuan's reminder is indeed correct, but how many strong men are there in my Bingzhou? This time, on our way south, we only need to select some young and strong men, and we can train them along the way"
Furthermore, the matter of the southern expedition against the Yellow Turban rebels is inherently an internal affair of our Han dynasty. Why should a foreign tribe interfere? If this were to spread, it would tarnish the majesty of our great Han
What was contested during the late Han Dynasty power struggle
Having arrived in the late Han Dynasty, it is absolutely impossible to act according to the will of others, as this is fundamentally inconsistent with Lü Bu's character
It was a common practice for the Han army to recruit volunteer cavalry from the foreign tribes that were affiliated with the Han dynasty. Whenever the Han army embarked on an expedition, it was certain that there would be volunteer cavalry among its ranks. However, while the combat effectiveness of these volunteer cavalry was commendable, their military discipline was exceedingly lax
Thinking of this, Lü Bu turned to Zhang Liao and asked, "Wen Yuan, I have a matter that I need to consult with you about"
Without rules, there can be no order, especially in the military context where this is even more pronounced
After all, you cannot compete with them, and there is nothing more to say about it
Do not think that just because you are a time traveler who has arrived in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, you can act with impunity
There is no love in this world that is without reason
When the time comes for the rise of various heroes, one will also possess the capital to compete with them and strive for supremacy in the world
Although the governor of Yanmen County appears to be acting positively by allowing our elite cavalry from the Yanmen border troops to enter the territory of the Southern Xiongnu to recruit those volunteer cavalry, it is my observation that this may merely be a tactic to evade responsibility
During the Han Dynasty, following the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the governor of Yanmen Commandery, despite issuing orders in a high-profile manner, intended to dispatch the Yanmen cavalry to the southern Xiongnu territory to mobilize a large number of cavalry volunteers to support the Han army in the Central Plains
Ding ~ Congratulations, host, on triggering the SSS-level event, 【Yellow Turban Rebellion】. In order to stand out in the era of competing heroes, the host must possess a solid foundation
Therefore, it is said that only after the Yellow Turban rebels are suppressed by the Han army can one go to the power center of the Han dynasty, Luoyang, to secretly squander gold and silver, gather a network of relationships, and take this opportunity to engage in covert operations, thereby seeking to obtain the actual power of garrisoning the border regions
Only the Left General Huangfu Song, who came from a 'military family', had a family background that was quite renowned in Guanzhong. The Huangfu family could be considered one of the notable gentry clans, which also provided Huangfu Song with a certain degree of foundation and prestige in the court.
In addition to having a good background, it is essential to cultivate one's aspirations.
In the Han dynasty, a place where lineage and qualifications are emphasized, if you come from a humble background and wish to stage a comeback against the notion of underestimating the youth in poverty, that is undoubtedly a delusion
Although it superficially resembles the actions of a loyal minister, it is primarily motivated by the pursuit of fame
When the provincial governorship system is reinstated, the Han dynasty's influence in the localities will continue to diminish, while the power of local governors and district magistrates will steadily increase. This presents an opportunity for oneself to plan for a place to secure one's own livelihood and existence.
In order to gain the favor of General Huangfu Song, Lü Bu must present the corresponding capital; otherwise, even if he were to seek to serve under General Huangfu Song, he would only be able to start from the lowest ranks in the military
General Lu Zhi of the Northern Central Army was known for his jealousy of evil, and his integrity and uprightness often led him to offend others easily
Therefore, whether the conscripted cavalry volunteers fall under the command of the Han army to suppress the bandits is entirely unrelated to the governor of Yanmen County
Task completed, random reward: either [Combat Skill] or [Exceptional Talent]
It is true that one may strive for territory, but if there are not enough talented individuals under one's command, then no matter how much territory is acquired, it cannot be transformed into true strength
If one wishes to obtain the desired benefits amidst the chaos of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, after weighing the pros and cons, the most appropriate choice would be to temporarily align oneself under the command of General Huangfu Song of the Left.
A single character's difference signifies a vast disparity in meaning
It is unknown whether Wen Yuan was informed by the governor of Yanmen when he received this order, whether the cavalry volunteers raised in the territory of the Southern Xiongnu would directly march south to meet, or if they would first report to the county seat (Yin Guan)
Upon arriving in the late Han Dynasty, the first thing to do is to be a person of integrity and honor, rather than a tool for the gentry and powerful to exploit for their own interests
If the task fails, the system rewards will be revoked; the SSS-level event "Yellow Turban Rebellion" will thus disappear
When Lü Bu initially received this military order, due to his discord with the commanding general on that side, the commanding general did not clarify the matter of allegiance to him. He merely instructed Lü Bu to lead a hundred cavalrymen from the Han army to recruit volunteer cavalry from the Southern Xiongnu.
Moreover, the Yellow Turban bandits are mostly a rabble, with very few truly deserving to be called elite.
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, if you wish to achieve progress and accomplishments in politics
At this time, the Han dynasty was the legitimate authority of the world, a presence that the people looked up to. Before the dignity of the Han dynasty was completely shattered and before all the warlords had made their appearances, one could only accumulate power through continuous warfare, seizing the opportunity to gather a group of military generals and strategists from humble backgrounds, thereby steadily consolidating one's own influence.
However, if this is the case, you will bear the mark of the gentry and the powerful, a mark that cannot be erased throughout your life, and you will need to spend your entire life continuously repaying the kindness of your benefactor
Following the Rebellion of the Ten Eunuchs, Dong Zhuo seized control of Luoyang, deposed the Emperor, trampled upon the dignity of the Han dynasty, monopolized power, and consequently led the Han dynasty into turmoil.
If neither of these qualities is possessed, then one should not engage in officialdom, for one is simply not qualified
Relying solely on your strength, brother-in-law, attempting to subdue those mere Yellow Turban bandits is truly insignificant
Emperor Liu Hong of the Han Dynasty, in the Western Garden, sold official positions, evaluating them based on wealth, and the governor of Yanmen Commandery was one of them
In this case, why go through such trouble to recruit the so-called volunteer cavalry from within the southern Xiongnu territory, as this action is quite perplexing
Given that the host is currently merely a military general on the border of Bingzhou, and comes from a humble background, if he were to act solely based on his original trajectory, he would undoubtedly be unable to achieve any significant accomplishments
The military forces at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty were essentially in a state of semi-disrepair; apart from the frontier troops engaged in battles at the borders, which still possessed some fighting capability, the rest were hardly worth mentioning
If it is the latter, then the restrictions are extremely high
If the governor of Yanmen County truly had the intention to send troops to quell the rebellion of the Yellow Turbans, he only needed to recruit young and strong men in Yanmen County, and draw upon the elite troops from the border army of Yanmen, dispatching the border military generals to command them, and lead his forces southward to the Central Plains
Only by achieving a relatively equal status can one steadfastly strive forward. Therefore, the recent uprising of the Yellow Turbans is particularly significant for me
Thus, this inevitably compelled Lü Bu to carefully devise a plan in his heart. During the turmoil caused by the Yellow Turban Rebellion that erupted within the Han dynasty, in the midst of the Han court's panic, three generals of the Han were appointed.
However, in order to achieve this, Lü Bu must possess sufficient capital
The military marquis speaks too heavily. Zhang Liao, upon hearing this, slightly lowered his head and said: I do not know what the military marquis wishes to inquire about; as long as it is something I know, I will certainly speak without reservation.
Lü Bu nodded and said: "This time, our department is carrying out the orders of the governor of Yanmen County, commanding the border troops to dispatch elite forces to the southern Xiongnu territory to recruit cavalry volunteers."
At the moment when Lü Bu was contemplating these thoughts, Wei Xu beside him exclaimed excitedly: "Brother-in-law, then what are we hesitating for? We can just lead our troops south without delay"
Since I have adhered to the previously established agreement and have sought refuge under the command of Lü Bu, I must certainly uphold the rules that are to be followed in my heart
As soon as Lü Bu expressed his thoughts, the system triggered the SSS-level event [Yellow Turban Rebellion] and automatically generated an S-level branch task, which made Lü Bu feel enlightened.
After listening to Zhang Liao's doubts, Lü Bu's lips curled slightly upwards: "Since what Wen Yuan has said is true, then why should we go through such hardships, traveling thousands of miles to the Southern Xiongnu to recruit those worthless cavalry?" At this point, a hint of disdain flashed in Lü Bu's eyes
As Lü Bu has just observed, since the suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion is a matter of great promise for them, why not seize this opportunity to earn merit and bring glory to their ancestors
However, these are by no means the results that Lü Bu desired in his heart
Rather than selecting those who merely go through the motions, it is better to start from scratch.
Since I have already arrived in the late Han Dynasty, I should no longer have any reservations in my heart
Special Generation S-level system task: The host leads the cavalry of this division south to Yingchuan to rescue the coalition forces of Huangfu Song besieged in Changsha