Chapter 8, Post-War
On what basis
Then, another whipping came!
Moreover, this beheading is of no use to oneself! Under the Han Dynasty system, since I have not yet reached the age of adulthood, according to the rules, I can only be stuck in the position of a deputy historian with a rank of 200 shi. It is impossible for a legitimate county lord like Cao to take on such a role, let alone an official appointed by the court. Furthermore, I still need to pursue my studies abroad, so this military achievement can only be shared and distributed, and it may be necessary to exchange it for something else.
Mo Huguo, who was covering his face and wrapped in a fur coat, frowned upon hearing this. Although he too had sustained facial injuries, he had not lost his sanity like Ke Zuique. He clearly understood the situation here, so he ultimately nodded and decided to go find those overbearing personal soldiers to request a spear.
Do not underestimate the simplicity of a handshake; during the Han Dynasty, a handshake was a gesture of great intimacy. Historically, the great sorcerer Emperor Guangwu, Liu Xiu, won over countless renowned generals through the idiom 'to shake hands and speak joyfully'.
On the other side, at Lulongse, amidst the joyous atmosphere and the uplifting spirit, the Xianbei people, who had fled throughout the night, finally came to a halt... only to find themselves in a rather disheveled state
Even Mo Huyou estimated that the consciousness of this esteemed person was currently vague, so how could he possibly provide him with justice
Of course, it is best to give the credit to Cheng Pu and Han Dang, allowing these two to not only receive their due gratitude but also to have a promising future. In this way, at the very least, when I return from Luoyang in the future, I will still be able to find these two here.
However, unlike Han Dang, who stood tall with a puffed chest and a spirited demeanor, Cheng Pu maintained a low profile and continued to say: "I, Pu, am merely the Assistant to the Governor of Youbeiping. In times of distress and the death of loyal subjects, one should naturally fight to the death. I truly do not dare to claim any credit."
In fact, Gongsun Xun believed that by recommending only these two individuals, they would be unable to escape from his grasp upon his return, which is fundamentally based on the current state of society
"Oh, Lord Gongsun. " Cheng Pu lowered his head to glance at his hands, which were being held, and for a moment he found it difficult to pull them away, so he could only give up. "Although I led the troops to provide support last night, the enemy camp had already collapsed by the time we engaged, and I truly do not dare to take credit... Moreover, it is your extraordinary bravery that truly captivates people. Although the enemy was routed very quickly in this battle, there were still nearly three hundred heads taken, which is a rare great victory for the various counties of Youzhou in recent years. Your name is being celebrated throughout the Lulong Pass."
In this case, it would indeed simplify matters for Gongsun Xun, as he would no longer need to transport several carts of valuables to the distant place of Yangle amidst the chaotic situation.
I dare not address you as 'Your Excellency' in front of the young lord. Cheng Pu, with his square face, is after all a county official, and he clearly possesses a certain level of education, so his demeanor and bearing are much stronger than that of Han Dang. I am but Cheng Pu, Cheng Demou.
When it comes to the prefect and Gongsun Zhao, one must mention that this clan uncle has finally accomplished a significant task today—Lu Long Pass has achieved a great victory, which concerns the cooperation of the two prefectures. He has already sent a swift horse to invite the prefect of Youbeiping and the prefect of Liaoxi to come here together, to verify the heads and discuss the beginning and end of this battle
One would think that the Anli number of those Han people is also quite significant, having been a subordinate for many years, always emphasizing that subordinates should not suffer losses, and never looking down on oneself. Yet today, in front of one's own Xianbei people, merely a few personal guards beside the adult, or perhaps defeated soldiers, how could they repeatedly humiliate oneself like this
In the same vein, the relationship between Cheng Pu and the cowardly Gongsun Zhao is such that the former is a subordinate of the latter, while the latter is the superior of the former. Therefore, at present, there exists a somewhat subtle yet distinctly defined lord-vassal relationship between the two, albeit not very strong. Thus, when Gongsun Zhao displayed his cowardice on the Lu Long Tower last night and was disregarded by the officers below, it was only natural for Cheng Pu, a mere low-ranking official, to step forward and earnestly request to go into battle—this truly evokes a sense of the master’s disgrace leading to the servant’s death. Therefore, when Gongsun Zhao displayed his cowardice on the Lu Long Tower last night and was disregarded by the officers below, it was only natural for Cheng Pu, a mere low-ranking official, to step forward and earnestly request to go into battle—this truly evokes a sense of the master’s disgrace leading to the servant’s death.
"Why aren't you going yet?" The armored Xianbei soldier grew impatient once more and lashed out with his whip again
Upon hearing these words, Gongsun Xun and Han Dang both suddenly realized
Mo Huguo is truly angry this time, where is there such bullying?
The Mo Hu tribe, belonging to the Xianbei, during the reign of Emperor Huan, resided near Liu Cheng in Liaoxi. Their leader, named Mo Hu Yao, would gather wealth through plunder and distribute it equally among the members. Decisions were made collectively, and there was no private gain, which earned them the loyalty and dedication of the people.
... ...
For example, why did the prefect have such great power at this time? Even to the extent that people in the Han Dynasty generally regarded the commandery as a state and the prefect as a sovereign? The answer is simple—most officials in the commanderies during the Han Dynasty were commonly appointed and employed by the prefects.
Regardless of the circumstances, I truly must thank Brother Demou for saving my life this time. Gongsun Xun came back to his senses, disregarding the blood and dirt on his body, and almost immediately took the opportunity to grasp the other person's hand.
With a command, about ten low-ranking deserters and herdsmen immediately scattered in a flurry to break the ice on the Luan River to fetch water. However, as Mo Huguo turned back with a smile, he was met with a whip to the face.
The other refers to one's own recommender
Cheng Pu and Han Dang exchanged a glance and each performed a salute
Thinking of this, he cast a sidelong glance and quickly released one hand, then called over Jiang Biao Hu Chen, who was chatting and laughing with others: "Brother De Mou, look, last night more than thirty riders were all brave warriors who disregarded their lives; how could it be my sole reputation? For instance, this Han Dang, Duke Han Yi, was the one who first proposed the night raid, and he achieved a great deal last night. Both of you are tiger warriors, standing together today only enhances each other's merits; we must cultivate a good relationship."
"You are called Cheng Pu, courtesy name De Mou?" The next morning, in the aftermath of the battle at Lulong Pass, Gongsun Xun stared curiously at the person before him... Well, he could not help but be curious. He originally thought that being able to encounter a figure like Han Dang, the Duke of Han Yi, in such a remote area, given that his family was in Liaoxi, was already a pleasant surprise. Unexpectedly, he had also come across the foremost tiger minister of the Jiang region!
During the Han Dynasty, the system of appointing officials was based on recommendations, so the person who recommended you for an official position was naturally your greatest benefactor. In fact, the recommender held a position of authority similar to that of a monarch, parent, or teacher in relation to the recommended individual
Behind this phenomenon lies a reluctant compromise that emerged after the centralization and unification ideology of the Han Dynasty was undermined by the local powerful forces
This brings us to a unique political ecology of the Eastern Han Dynasty, namely the renowned dual monarchy system of the Eastern Han.
Mo Huyue felt increasingly agitated, and as he watched Lord Ke Zuique clean the wound yet remain in a state of confusion, a bold thought suddenly arose in his mind
It is likely that these two 'lords' will personally come over soon, given the rare and significant victory.
One is naturally the emperor of the Han Dynasty, which does not require much explanation
A person from Liaoxi, a person from Youbeiping ...? ... Why is that?
It is said that just before the battle yesterday evening, he even shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Han Dang
Moreover, the presence of these two individuals together seems to further validate their identities as well as the mother's account— the only aspect that leaves him speechless is, if it were not for his involvement, why would these two individuals be heading south in the near future
Mo Huyou covered his bloodied and bruised cheek, his hair disheveled, and couldn't help but glance at Ke Zuique sitting over there. However, Ke Zuique's one cheek was completely torn open, and the other side had a large hole drilled into it. After fleeing for an entire night, his whole face was severely swollen, rendering him unable to speak at all
"Not far." Mo Huyou became even more obsequious. "It's only about twenty to thirty miles away. If we set off now, we will definitely arrive by tonight... In my tribe, there are still two jars of fine wine that we looted, which I have been reluctant to drink."
Of course, for Gongsun Xun, who was raised alone by a certain female writer of time-travel novels since childhood, this simple yet effective method of winning people over is an essential means for both home and travel, akin to taking advantage of a situation. In Yangle City, who does not know that Gongsun, the deputy historian of the accounting office, loves to greet people by touching their hands!
In the biting cold, many people are still injured, and soon these hands will be bloodied and mangled, while their feet, stepping on the ice, cannot maintain a stable crouch
"Are you temporarily settling in your tribe?" The leading personal guard of Ke, who was most favored, looked at Mo Huyao with a fawning expression. He was initially taken aback, but after glancing down at his own bare left foot, he eagerly pressed for an answer. "How far is it from here?"
What is meant by dual monarchy? For the scholars and officials of the Eastern Han dynasty, they generally had two objects of loyalty akin to a monarch.
"Dog slave!" Mo Huguo struck a lowly herdsman dressed in filthy sheepskin with a whip. "All of you go break the ice and fetch water, Lord Ke Zuque needs to clean his wounds!"
The north wind howled, and the Luan River, which forcefully surged forth from the Yanshan Mountains, became a natural wind tunnel. A dozen or so Xianbei people, who had fled in disarray from the camp, with their robes, trousers, and shoes not necessarily worn properly, were forced to break the ice for water in such a place. After much effort in lifting stones to crack open a thick layer of ice, before they could even fill their skins with water, a gust of wind came and immediately froze it again, leaving them no choice but to use their hands to stir the broken ice.
Mo Huyou felt both ashamed and angry, but upon seeing the five or six armored warriors before him, he dared not say much and could only hurriedly flee in embarrassment
Alas! Gongsun Xun shook his head repeatedly. The beheading of three hundred indeed represents a rare victory for the border counties in recent years, but does this not signify the onset of chaotic times? What kind of reputation can be built on the beheading of three hundred?
You go too! A heavily armored soldier directly under Ke Zuique's tribe held a whip, wearing an expression of impatience
"Lord Mo Hu," finally, a defeated soldier, unable to bear it any longer, cautiously pleaded with Mo Hu Yao, who was sitting by the river. "Could you please ask Lord Mo Hu to request a spear from those few individuals, to use it to break up the broken ice?"