Chapter 119
Chapter 119 – Turning Point at Jinyang – Part 10
Lu Bu, Gao Shun, Zhang Liao, and their 20,000 heavy cavalries and 5,000 light cavalries rushed toward the south gate . Their destination was Zhang Ji's temporary camp .
They made it there within half an hour after the sortie order had been given . However, Zhang Ji and his men had already left the camp after they arrived .
Gao Shun's eyes glinted while he was surveying the remains of the camp and searching for the trace . The footprints of carriages and caravans were found .
"They retreated south . I think they are returning home . " Gao Shun reported to Lu Bu and the others .
"Give chase! We'll slaughter every single of them!"
As Tong had expected, Lu Bu did not plan to leave any prisoner . He wanted to kill everyone to vent off his frustration and humiliation from today .
"Fengxian, let me handle this . "
Zhang Liao offered himself for this task . He understood his boss well as they were fighting alongside with each other for ages . If he did not volunteer, Lu Bu would personally kill everyone .
"Fine! Wenyuan, you handle this!"
Despite giving Zhang Liao the permission, Lu Bu harrumphed in dissatisfaction . For the sake of maintaining the harmony within the army, he could not do everything alone . Lu Bu had to entrust some tasks to Zhang Liao or Gao Shun from times to times .
Zhang Liao nodded and took 5000 light cavalries with him . They did not wear any iron armor on the horses like the heavy cavalry units . These horsemen only wore leather armor and traveled light .
Because of the lightweight and Zhang Liao's insight, it took him less than an hour to spot Zhang Ji's caravan .
"Raise white flags . We're going to talk with them first! You two, come with me!"
Zhang Liao took two horsemen with him and approached the caravan with a white flag . It was a signal, saying that he was a messenger .
The rear guards of Zhang Ji army welcomed them and escorted the three to their commander .
…
Zhang Ji had a pale face while he was leading the marching troops . The news about the disappearance of his fiancé and Dong Bai was reported to him after the troops had started retreating .
He wanted to search for Zou Shi and Dong Bai, but the entire army would be put in danger if he valued his fiancé and the little girl over the big picture . Thus, he decided to abandon the two with heart-broken guilt .
Zhang Xiu could tell what his uncle was thinking . However, he could not help him in this matter . He could only sigh in sympathy .
Now, they had to find an excuse about the missing Dong Bai to Dong Zhuo, which could potentially end their careers as a commander in the army .
While both of them were depressed with the situation, a report from the scout came, saying that Lu Bu's men were approaching from the north .
"What now, uncle?"
Zhang Xiu looked at his uncle with his despair eyes . He had given up 90% of his life and future already .
"We might as well surrender . If we go back to Hongnong like this, Dong Zhuo will kill us all . "
"Yeah . We failed both missions and his granddaughter is missing . If I were that fatty, I would kill everybody here . "
If they returned with Dong Bai with them, they would have resisted the chasing army . But the without her, their future was gloom .
Ten minutes later, Zhang Liao and his two followers arrived at the front of the caravan .
…
The negotiation ended in 10 minutes . Zhang Ji and his troops were willing to surrender to Zhang Liao . They were escorted back to Lu Bu's main force .
Lu Bu, however, was dissatisfied with the result . He wanted something to vent as he was still in a bad mood . The sense of being defeated was new to Lu Bu, so he could not calm himself in a short period of time .
"Cowards . Cowards are everywhere! Tong is a coward . These people are cowards! I bet all of Dong Zhuo's men are cowards too!" Lu Bu ranted .
"Fengxian, these people are horse archers . You should treat them with respect . You experienced it yourself, horse archery is not something that can be learned in a year or two . They are elites . "
Zhang Liao attempted to appease his unreasonable boss .
"Elite or not, I don't care! Take their warhorses, weapons, and armors! Since they wanted to go to Julu, send all of them to Zhang Tong! I don't want to waste my military provisions on these cowards!"
Listened to Lu Bu, Zhang Liao sighed . If he could control his temper a bit, he would have been an ideal general .
"Alright . We'll do that . "
…
…
Lu Bu's 25,000 men and the prisoner caravans returned to Jinyang City before the sunset . The moment they arrived at the city gate, a messenger came to inform them .
"Sir, Lord Ding Yuan departed to Julu with Lord Zhang Tong . They sent me to inform you that he has entrusted you with the deputy governor role until he comes back . "
"Huh?"
Zhang Liao and Gao Shun were baffled by the sudden change of events . Why would Ding Yuan suddenly make a decision to visit Tong's city?
"How long have they left?"
"An hour ago, sir . "
Lu Bu scratched his head with his both hands . He roared with a hoarse voice .
"You both take the prisoners and follow them to Julu! I don't give a fOOk about this matter anymore . I'm tired . I'm going back!"
Mentally exhausted from the bad mood, Lu Bu galloped his horse back to his residence .
Left with the cleaning up tasks, Gao Shun and Zhang Liao sighed while shaking their head . Following an ill temper boss was tiring, but he was reliable in combat, so they did not have a choice .
"Let's find a place to rest these people first . We'll depart the day after . Tomorrow, we'll arrange the provisions for the long march . "
"Yeah . I'm worried about Feihong . I'm going to pay him a visit . "
"Me, too . "
After both of them helped the troops settled down the camp in front of the south gate and all the prisoners were inside the camp, they went to see Li Feihong in the infirmary tent .
"I'm sorry . Sir Li Feihong went to Julu with Lord Ding Yuan . " The physicians in the tent told them .
Both Gao Shun and Zhang Liao could only look at each other in surprise .
"I guess we can only follow them there . "
…
Next day .
Jia Xu sat inside a tavern and drank alone . He gathered enough information yesterday . He could guess what happened in the previous incident .
There were many testimonies about Zhang Ji's movements inside Jinyang City . Jia Xu guessed that one of Zhang Ji's men should have instigated this commotion .
'They are going to Julu City, but they stirred chaos in here . '
'Are they idiots? Or they have another goal during the trip?'
'They shouldn't be that stupid . It has to be a secret mission . '
'Lu Bu led a squad and attacked the government hall, but he isn't even prosecuted or captured . That means the real mastermind is already dead or captured . '
Jia Xu gazed toward the main road . Soldiers were busy transporting grains in carts toward the east gate . Long caravans of soldiers and peasants also headed in the same direction .
'They are going to Julu now?'
He touched his chin and pictured the map of the country inside his head . Jinyang City was a strategic point for invading the northern region and a gateway toward Si Province, which could flank Shangdang City and open a path toward Luo Yang .
In conclusion, this city would become one of the hotspots in the future for the power struggle war . It was not an ideal city for Jia Xu to settle his root .
'This city is poor but well-fed . But I heard Julu is more prosperous . Still, Julu has too many enemies . War is about a matter of times . I don't want to live in there . '
'Haiz . I have to pass that city anyway if I want to go to other cities . I'll tag along with them one more time . I hope my luck won't go to shit again . '
After making the decision, Jia Xu exited the tavern to take the baby prince with him . He had grown a bit, but he could not walk properly yet .
'Right, I forgot . At least I should write a letter to her real mother . If I didn't, then she will be manipulated by those pricks . '
Jia Xu picked up a blank scroll and a paper . He wrote random characters in the letter with common ink . Then he took out a bottle, which contained the royalty's secret ink .
He dipped the tips of his new brush inside the bottle and wrote on the random letter that he wrote . This time, he inscribed the real content of the letter . The content could not be seen with naked eyes, but Jia Xu wrote them with efficiency as if he used to write them many times in the past .
After he finished, he tested the letter by putting it near a lamb . The characters that could not be read in the letter with naked eyes showed up by the heat of the fire .
'It's done . Now, the question is … who should I send to?'
'Bah, I'll send it directly to Empress He Xing! Only royalties knew about this ink anyway . '
'If she doesn't come to pick him up in a few years, I'll take him in as my son!'
Done with the letter, Jia Xu disguised himself and mixed in with the crowd with Liu Xie again .
