"Xiaguan Ping is difficult to make it difficult for Zhang Yan to meet Lord Assassin Shi. ”

"Yang Feng, the captain of the Black Mountain, meet Lord Thorn Shi. ”

"Under the official Black Mountain Captain Tao Sheng, meet Master Assassin Shi. ”

The leaders of the troops who came to the aid this time were three strong men, the first one was Zhang Yan, with two bearded cheeks, five big and three thick, and a fierce face; Yang Feng, one on the left, had a handsome face, but it was very consistent with his name; Tao Sheng, one on the right, had a long beard, but people could not feel the slightest heroic momentum, mainly because Tao Sheng's face was extremely obscene, and his head was like a three-cornered snake, and it was estimated that no one would like it when he saw it.

Hearing that the three of them reported to their homes, everyone present was shocked.

The Yellow Turban of Montenegro is extremely famous in Hebei, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Zhang Niujiao, a native of Boling, followed the Yellow Turban to rise up, and then joined forces with Chu Yan, a person from Zhending in Changshan. Later, during the attack on Gall Tao, Zhang Niujiao was killed by a sword, and before his death, he asked everyone to serve Chu Yan as the commander. Therefore, Chu Yan changed her surname to Zhang and named Zhang Yan. Zhang Yan is quite talented, and the troops are becoming stronger and stronger, and the yellow turbans in Zhaojun, Zhongshan, Shangdang, Hanoi and other places have come to seek refuge in Zhang Yan, and the number has reached one million, and since then he has been known as the [Montenegrin Army]. The imperial court also did not have troops to conscript, and when Zhang Jiao died of illness, the Yellow Turbans in various places fought separately, Zhang Yan sent people to Luoyang to ask for surrender, and Emperor Ling named Zhang Yan as the general of the Ping Nan Zhonglang, and let him manage the administrative and public security affairs in the mountainous areas north of the Yellow River. To put it simply, Zhang Yan's task was to pacify the Yellow Turban Army in the mountainous areas of Hebei and make them no longer cause chaos.

Therefore, the imperial court did not give Zhang Yan the territory and troops, except for the passable Yulu, Zhang Yan's surrender to the imperial court does not seem to be beneficial.

Yuan Shao stepped forward to help Zhang Yan and said gratefully: "Thanks to General Zhang Zhonglang this time, I have been able to solve the crisis in Jizhou." Zhang Zhonglang will ask for anything, if I can do it, I will definitely agree. ”

Zhang Yanzuo bowed, and his words were sincere: "The lower officials came this time for two purposes. The first is that I want to see Lord Assassin. In the past, he was the leader of the coalition and led the heroes to crusade against Dong Thief, what a heroic posture, but the lower officials did not have the opportunity to meet. A few days ago, I learned that Gongsun Zhan and some Yellow Turban Army in Jizhou intended to attack Jizhou, so he specially selected tens of thousands of young men from the [Black Mountain Army], trekked through mountains and rivers, and finally caught up. It's just that the officers and soldiers are too weak to fight with Gongsun Zhan, so when the reinforcements of Lord Assassin Shi arrive, they dare to show up, and I hope that Lord Assassin Shi will not be blamed. ”

"Haha!"

Yuan Shao smiled heartily and said with a smile on his face: "How can I blame you, if there is no Zhang Zhonglang to help, my Jizhou may have fallen into the hands of Gongsun Zan at this moment." Zhang Zhonglang will say that there are two purposes, I don't know what the second purpose is?"

Zhang Yan hesitated for a moment, then suddenly knelt down, and Yang Feng and Tao Sheng did the same. But I heard Zhang Yan explain: "Before the early years, I was young and went astray, and although I joined the imperial court, I also felt that I had lived in vain, but I did nothing. Therefore, this time, I am willing to serve Lord Assassin Shi, and I hope that Lord Assassin Shi will be fulfilled. Even if we can become a small official under the command of Lord Thorn Shi, we are willing. ”

Yuan Shaohe and his subordinates present listened to Zhang Yan's words and were immediately silent.

In fact, they can all understand Zhang Yan's mood. Zhang Yan's [Black Mountain Army] had millions of people, and after returning to the imperial court, the imperial court only gave Zhang Yan a position of general in peace, but did not give him the corresponding authority.

What is the position of the lieutenant general? During the Han Dynasty, generals were not always placed, and only when there was a war was he called the commander of the army. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the highest official position that a military attache can obtain is Zhonglang General, and they usually lead the Forbidden Palace and the imperial guards.

Zhang Yan led the [Black Mountain Army] millions of people to surrender, and it stands to reason that the imperial court should also give a knighthood or fief. However, the imperial court, which was controlled by the Ten Standing Servants at that time, did not do this, but only gave him a name to restrain the Yellow Turbans in the mountainous areas. For any other person, it is estimated that it is difficult to accept. At least, Zhang Yan did not rebel again because of this dissatisfaction, and it can be said that he is a person with good endurance.

Seeing that Yuan Shao didn't speak, Zhang Yan and the others hit the ground with their heads and cried: "Could it be that Lord Assassin Shi dislikes our background, so he refuses to accept it? ”

After speaking, Zhang Yan took out a dagger from his arms and stabbed it into his arm.

"Bang dang!"

The dagger in Zhang Yan's hand had not yet stabbed his arm, and while Yan Liang received Yuan Shao's eyes, he stepped forward to shoot Zhang Yan's dagger.

Afterwards, Yuan Shao stepped forward, grabbed Zhang Yan's hands, and said comfortingly: "Zhang Zhonglang will have such determination, how can I not believe it? Besides, if Zhang Zhonglang does not help, Jizhou has already been lost, how can I talk to you here? Before, I was just thinking, what position should be given to you, if it is too low, I will not be at ease in my heart." Now there are candidates for the county guards everywhere... In that case, Yecheng Taishou has not yet been appointed, I wonder if you are willing to take up the position of Yecheng Taishou?"

Don't say that Zhang Yan and the others were stunned, Yuan Shaolu and Wen Wu who were present were stunned.

Where is Yecheng? In the middle of Jizhou's governance, most of the families of Yuan Shao and the civil and military people lived in Yecheng, which shows that Yecheng is an extremely important city. However, it seems a bit unbelievable that Yuan Shao is now handed over to a man who was once the leader of the Yellow Turban Army to take the position of Taishou.

"Lord Thorn Shi, Yecheng is too guarded, and it is difficult for Yan Yan to do it. ”

Zhang Yan also seemed to know the importance of Yecheng, was stunned for a moment, and then resigned.

Yuan Shao's expression was resolute, and his tone was sonorous: "Zhang Zhonglang will manage millions of people with ease, how can this only one Yecheng not be competent? Zhang Zhonglang will not want to resign, since I Yuan Shao has hired people, I will not doubt it, besides, Zhang Zhonglang will also express your determination before." Captain Yang Feng and Captain Tao Sheng are still your deputies, if Zhang Zhonglang doesn't agree, I'm afraid that there will be no one to serve in Yecheng. ”

Seeing this, Zhang Yan knelt down again, wept bitterly and said: "Lord Thorn Shi trusts him so much, Yan can only repay him with his liver and brain." If you can't manage Yecheng well, you should be the head. ”

Yuan Shao nodded with satisfaction, and then said to Feng Ji: "Yuan Tu, Zhang Yan is the new Taishou of Yecheng, and I don't know much about the affairs in Yecheng, now you follow Zhang Yan for the time being, but if you don't understand, you will point to him, don't be lazy." ”

"Yes, my subordinates obey!"

Lu Zhi actually did not agree with Yuan Shao's recruitment of Zhang Yan, the Yellow Turban Army were all homeless people and bandits, and the reason why they rebelled in the first place, in addition to the imperial court*, was that a large reason was that the scholars annexed the land, so that the peasants had no land to cultivate, and in desperation, they embarked on the road of rebellion. Therefore, the biggest enemies of the Yellow Turban Army are not strictly speaking the imperial court, but these scholars who make them down.

And Yuan Shao's Yuan family is obviously also one of them. Zhang Yan's [Black Mountain Army] can take refuge with many princes, but the possibility of defecting to Yuan Shao alone is basically zero. However, now that Zhang Yan has shown his sincerity with his actions, and what Yuan Shao has also decided, Lu Zhi is naturally not easy to refute. Therefore, Lu Zhi could only secretly ask people to stare at Zhang Yan and the others.

Lu Zhi came out of the queue and asked, "My lord, now that Zhang Yan is the Taishou of Yecheng, what should he do with the 50,000 horses under his command?"

Yuan Shao was just about to ask Zhang Yan, but Zhang Yan preemptively said: "Yan is now an adult subordinate official, and these 50,000 horses are also adult soldiers, and how to deal with them is up to the adults." ”

Yuan Shao nodded, and after pondering for a while, he said: "Zhang Yan is too guarded by Yecheng, if he doesn't use it under his cronies, I'm afraid it won't be appropriate." In this case, Zhang Yan could choose 10,000 out of the 50,000 horses to use, and the remaining 40,000 were stationed in the military camp five miles away from Yecheng as a backup for Yecheng. I will transfer 5,000 men and horses from the original defenders of Yecheng to you, and the rest of the men and horses can be transferred to the border between Jizhou and Youzhou. Although Gongsun Chan has retired now, I am afraid that his heart will not die, and he will get involved in my Jizhou territory again in the future. ”

"A qiē is at the mercy of the adults. ”

Yuan Shao said this, and everyone had nothing to refute. Subsequently, Yuan Shao saw that Zhang Yan and the others looked tired, so he asked them to take them to rest, and then deal with Yecheng affairs.

After Zhang Yan left, Yuan Changcai asked with a worried face: "My lord, Zhang Yan and the others used to be Yellow Turban thieves, and now although they have changed, they have a deep prejudice against our family. If he is allowed to serve as the Taishou of Yecheng, I am afraid that it will be a little inappropriate. ”

Yuan Chang remembered that in history, the Montenegrin Army was allied with Gongsun Zan and attacked Jizhou together, and now Zhang Yan came to take refuge with Yuan Shao, there must be some conspiracy. Of course, whether there is a conspiracy or not has nothing to do with Yuan Chang. The relationship between the Yellow Turban Army and the Scholars, as long as they are not idiots, understands. Yuan Chang is not an idiot, so he must also understand. If he continues to pretend to be frustrated and doesn't ask anything, it will make Yuan Shao suspect that he has ulterior motives.

Sure enough, listening to Yuan Chang's question, Yuan Shao didn't feel that Yuan Chang's question was wrong at all, and he reproached righteously: "Brother Chang, if a person is not a sage, who can do nothing?" Now that the [Black Mountain Army] has reformed itself, we have to give them a chance, and we can't treat them as thieves because they have been thieves." Besides, Zhang Yan has made meritorious contributions to my Jizhou, and it is more than enough to let him guard Yecheng. ”

"Yes, my lord taught me a lesson!"

Yuan Chang respectfully accepted Yuan Shao's teachings, stood back in his place, and stopped talking.

Yuan Shao signaled Yuan Chang to come out again, and said with a smile: "In this clan meeting, I can be elected as the patriarch of Shun Lì, and Brother Chang has made great contributions." I, Yuan Shao, have always been rewarded for meritorious service, and punished for mistakes. Now Brother Chang has merit, I should be rewarded, and I think that as the Taishou of Bohai, I have no achievements. In this way, I will appoint Brother Chang as the Taishou of Bohai, can you be satisfied?"

"This, this... My lord, my subordinates are shallow, how to manage a county, I hope you will think twice. ”

Yuan Chang excused himself with an "excited" face.

"Haha, Brother Chang, you don't need to be modest. ”

Yuan Shao waved his hand to interrupt Yuan Chang's words, and said comfortingly: "Brother Chang served as the county commander of Dongping County, and in just a few months, Dongping County was governed in an orderly manner, and the people were stable and rich, which shows your ability, Brother Chang." Besides, this time you serve as the Taishou of Bohai, and you can take your subordinate officers away to help you, so you don't have to worry. ”

"Thank you, my subordinates will do their best to govern the Bohai Sea for your lordship. ”

Yuan Shao said this, and Yuan Chang no longer continued to refuse, and expressed his loyalty to Yuan Shao with a happy face.

Yuan Shao looked at Zhang He, Feng Ji, and Dong Zhao again, and said, "Jun Yi, Yuan Tu, Gongren, the three of you have made meritorious contributions in guarding the Huguan this time, and you should be rewarded." ”

Feng Ji stood up and said respectfully: "Lord, this time guarding Huguan is the merit of General Zhang He and Dong Zhao joining the army, and his subordinates dare not take credit." General Zhang He was brave and unparalleled, and the generals under Gongsun Zan were invincible; Dong Zhao joined the army with a proper strategy, and Huguan could be defended. ”

Feng Ji seems to be humble when he says this, but in fact, he has bad intentions.

When Feng Ji said that Zhang He was brave and unparalleled, and the generals under Gongsun Zhan were invincible, Wen Chou and Yan Liang both showed disdainful smiles. In their opinion, it was because the generals under Gongsun Zhan were all a group of wine bags and rice bags, otherwise, Zhang He could also be called brave and unparalleled? And when Feng Ji praised Dong Zhao, Xu You, Guo Tu and other strategists also showed disbelief. However, now that Yuan Shaoxing is rewarding the two, they did not come out to touch Yuan Shaoxing's head.

Zhang He came out of the ranks, knelt on the ground, and said to himself: "My lord, in this battle of Huguan, because the last general fought lightly against the enemy, our army lost 1,000 elites, and I also ask the lord to punish him." ”

When Yuan Shao heard this, he comforted: "Frustration on the battlefield is a common thing, and those who are generals should gain experience from failure." If you say this, this time the merits will be compensated. When he wins the battle again in the future, I will reward him again. ”

"Thank you, Lord!"

Finally, Yuan Shao looked at Dong Zhao and said with a smile: "Gongren, Yuan Tu and Jun Yi have had, haven't you ever had? This time Gongsun Chan invaded Jizhou, and the Wei County Taishou was killed, so you will take the position of Wei County Taishou, what if?"

If it was earlier, Dong Zhao would definitely have excused himself. However, Feng Ji's sinister intention to sow discord just now had been discovered by him, and the hostile attitude of the other strategists towards him was also seen by him. Therefore, Dong Zhao decided to stay away from Yuan Shao's side, but Wei Jun Taishou was a good choice.

"Thank you, my lord, my subordinates will definitely live up to my trust. ”

"Xu You, this time the fallen soldiers in Huguan, you will do your best to pay the pension. In addition, the guards of the Huguan soldiers will be rewarded, and there must be no mistakes!"

"The subordinates have orders!"