Chapter 0005: Request for Battle

Liu Li was taken aback, and then quickly waved his hand, saying: "No, no, I do not possess the courage of Captain Wang."

Not only Wang Can, but also Liu Bi and Gong are filled with worries, let alone Wang Can!

"No!" Wang Can responded, turning to scan the crowd in the hall. Everyone wore a worried expression, shaking their heads and sighing as if the end of the world had arrived. It seemed that Liu Bi and Gong had already informed the officials and soldiers about the impending large-scale siege. His gaze lingered on Liu Li for a moment before shifting away. Liu Li appeared to sense Wang Can's glance, raised his head, and fixed his gaze on Wang Can, letting out a cold sneer, his eyes revealing a look of resentment. It seemed that Liu Bi and Gong had already informed the officials and soldiers about the impending large-scale siege. His gaze lingered on Liu Li for a moment before shifting away. Liu Li appeared to sense Wang Can's glance, raised his head, and fixed his gaze on Wang Can, letting out a cold sneer, his eyes revealing a look of resentment.

Wang Can spoke with a resolute and determined expression. Since Dong Fang informed Wang Can of the impending attack by the soldiers, Wang Can had already begun to contemplate the matter of requesting troops to engage in battle. He wished to quickly establish a foothold within the Yellow Turban movement, advancing from a mere soldier to a Xiaowei and then to a general, thereby taking control of his own destiny. To achieve this, he must take the initiative to engage in battle and establish military achievements. Opportunities are not given by others; rather, they are created by oneself and must be seized.

The current state of affairs is no longer like the time when Zhang Jiao raised his arm and called out, prompting the leaders of the nine provinces and thirty-six regions to respond in unison, creating a grand momentum. Today, the Yellow Turbans are merely a group of bandits that everyone wants to eliminate. Regardless of which warlord it is, they all aspire to defeat the Yellow Turbans to establish their own merits or to subdue the Yellow Turbans to strengthen their own power

"Well, let's go to the county magistrate's office." Upon hearing this, Wang Can immediately stood up and, at the same time, reached into his waist pouch to take out a string of five-cash coins, handing them to Dong Fang, saying: "Just a small token, Captain Dong, take it and buy some wine for you and the brothers!"

Wang Can expressed his gratitude, saying: "Thank you for your kind intentions, General. I only require sufficient food and weapons; there is no need to select soldiers again. The soldiers under my command have already developed a certain level of rapport after some time together. If we were to select new soldiers to join the ranks, it would require additional time for them to acclimate, which would be counterproductive."

Liu Bi raised his eyelids but did not speak

"Have we reached Ge Po?" Wang Can pondered for a moment, a glimmer of determination appearing in his eyes, and he said loudly: "General, I request to fight."

Dong Fang did not decline either, smiling as he accepted Wang Can's five-zhu coin, weighing it in his hand before placing it in his waist pouch

Liu Bidao: "Hmm, calculating the time, they should have reached Ge Po, which is over 100 miles southeast of Runan City."

The two individuals traveled in silence, heading straight for the governor's office.

Liu Bi said: "To speak of Bao Hong, he is not a significant figure. During the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, he served as the Colonel of Cavalry. Later, in order to suppress the Yellow Turbans, Emperor Ling established the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden, and Bao Hong was one of them. Although Bao Hong held the title of one of the Eight Colonels, he was not worthy of it; he was truly a mediocre talent, repeatedly defeated by the Yellow Turbans and dared not engage in battle."

As everyone gasped in shock at Wang Can's initiative to take the stage, Liu Li stepped forward, loudly praising him, his face displaying a look of delight, his eyes darting around, gazing at Wang Can as if he were examining a corpse. In fact, all the generals in the hall, including Gong Du and Liu Bi, held a pessimistic view of Wang Can.

"General, who is this Bao Hong?" Wang Can stood up and asked respectfully

Dong Fang noticed that Wang Can had fallen silent and could somewhat guess the thoughts that lingered in Wang Can's mind

Liu Bi seemed to have seen through Wang Can's thoughts and chuckled, "A single Bao Hong is certainly not worth my concern. However, this time, that scoundrel Bao Hong has allied with Yuan Shu, and the two families are preparing to jointly attack Runan. This is what truly worries me. Especially since Yuan Shu has actually dispatched his general Ji Ling to attack Runan. This man is exceptionally brave and fierce, wielding a formidable three-pronged double-edged knife. Even if I were to join forces with Gong Heizi to confront Ji Ling, we would not stand a chance against him.

In the living room, a centurion suddenly stood up and said, "General, isn't it just the officials and soldiers coming to invade? This has happened more than once or twice; what is there to hesitate about? We should just send troops directly."

Liu Bi's gaze fell on Liu Li, and with a sly smile, he said in a nonchalant tone: "Liu Li, since you admire Wang Can so much, are you also planning to lead troops into battle and take the initiative to attack Bao Hong and Ji Ling?"

Good, good, good, Captain Wang Baifu is indeed remarkable, I, Old Liu, admire him

As he spoke, Liu Bi's words carried a hint of despair. Wang Can shook his head in his heart, thinking that to be fearful before the battle is to defeat oneself without fighting. With a serious expression, he cupped his hands towards Liu Bi and said, "Thank you, General. I take my leave!"

Wang Can was taken aback, yet he wore a smile on his face as he said, "Thank you, Colonel Dong!"

In every era, there are always those who, though obscure and unrecognized, possess the extraordinary ability to shape the world.

Gong Du also stood up, his face displaying a look of astonishment: "Wang Can, are you sure you want to lead the troops into battle?"

Wang Can sneered coldly in his heart, but he paid no attention to Liu Li, who was merely a petty clown

This is a habit cultivated by Wang Can; whenever it involves someone sent by Liu Pi or Gong Du, he will always give a small monetary reward

Wang Can's guess was indeed correct; the missing soldiers were not afraid of Liu Pi or Gong Du, but were instead preparing to launch a more ferocious offensive. Having experienced the defeat of the soldiers last time, this attack would undoubtedly be incomparable to the previous one. Reflecting on this, Wang Can felt a heavy weight in his heart, accompanied by a trace of worry

Liu Bi shook his head and said: "This time is different; the one leading the army is Bao Hong, the junior military officer among the Eight Commanders of the Western Garden."

Wang Can furrowed his brow; since Bao Hong is a mediocre talent, what concerns could there be

When Dong Fang and Wang Can arrived at the governor's office, Dong Fang had already left. Wang Can stood outside the hall, adjusted his clothing, and then entered the living room. Upon seeing Liu Pi and Gong Du sitting at the head of the hall with gloomy expressions, Wang Can felt even heavier in his heart, realizing that the situation was very dire. He bowed to the two and said, "Wang Can pays his respects to the two generals"

"Do you want to go to https://m.hetushu.com?" Liu Bi's expression was one of surprise, his entire body trembled, and he suddenly stood up, asking: "Are you sure you want to lead the troops to Ge Po?"

The soldier who entered was Dong Fang, a close guard of Liu Pi, who had visited Wang Can several times.

Liu Bi smiled and said, "Do as you wish, fine, you go prepare now"

Wang Can raised his head, saw the visitor, and with a warm smile on his face, asked: "Colonel Dong, is there something the general needs?"

However, Liu Pi and Gong Du admired Wang Can's courage, and their fondness for him increased even more.

Bao Hong? Wang Can felt a wave of confusion; who exactly was this Bao Hong? Did the Eight Cavalry Officers of the Western Garden have such a figure? However, he quickly regained his composure. In such a grand era as the Three Kingdoms, it was not uncommon to find individuals of great talent and ability who remained obscure.

Within the county governor's office, Gong Du and Liu Pi appeared solemn, their faces marked by concern, occasionally letting out long sighs and short breaths.

Gong sighed and waved his hand, saying: "Find a place to sit by yourself"

Liu Bi turned his gaze towards Wang Can and said: "If you wish to go into battle, I will not stop you, for taking the initiative may offer a glimmer of hope. I will ensure that you are sufficiently supplied with provisions, weapons, and warhorses, so that you have no worries. I have heard that you have fewer than one hundred soldiers under your command. Therefore, I will make an exception and allow you to select elite soldiers from other centurions to reinforce your ranks. What do you think? If you have any other requests, feel free to bring them up as well. As long as it is within my capacity, I will grant them to you."

Liu Li forced a smile, returned to his seat, and shot a fierce glare at Wang Can, wishing that Wang Can would die immediately. His heart was filled with hatred towards Wang Can, for it was because of Wang Can that he was reprimanded by Liu Pi and Gong Du, and looked down upon by the generals in the military camp

Yes, I humbly request to enlist soldiers for battle

Wang Can's heart sank, yet he asked calmly: "General, do you know where Yuan Shu and Bao Hong's armies are?"

He walked to the corner on the left side of the hall, lifted his robe, and sat down. At this moment, several centurions and lieutenants entered the living room, all of whom displayed expressions of surprise, clearly unaware of what had transpired. Once everyone had gathered, Liu Pi said: "The scouts have reported that the government troops are advancing in large numbers."

Dong Fang respectfully said: "General has important matters to discuss with you, my lord"

Every time Dong Fang visits Wang Can, he always brings money for drinks. This is also the reason why Dong Fang and the personal guards following Liu Bi are willing to come to Wang Can to report news. After receiving the money, Dong Fang no longer held back and whispered, "My lord, it seems that the brothers from the prefectural governor's office have received news that officials and soldiers are heading towards Runan City again"

This person clearly does not know the exact information and merely assumes it is an ordinary military operation to suppress the Yellow Turbans

Liu Bi's expression darkened as he coldly reprimanded, "Since you dare not engage in battle, refrain from unnecessary chatter. Step back; if you are not invited to speak, do not open your mouth. Your silence will not make others regard you as a mute."