In Cao Cao's camp, the three of them chatted and drank, and they felt like they were familiar at first sight, and they admired each other. Just when he was drunk, Zhou Cang broke in in shock, came to Li Zhen's side, and muttered a few words in his ear, Li Zhen put down his wine glass, and said with a disgraced face: "This matter is true." Zhou Cang nodded fiercely. Li Zhen stood up and saluted: "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'm going to drink this wine today." ”

Cao Cao and Sun Jian put down the cups in their hands, and although they saw Zhou Cang coming in in a panic, they didn't know what was going on. Sun Jian asked, "But something happened, but I don't know where it can be used for the two of us." ”

Li Zhen thought for a while and said, "I heard just now that General Huangfu and General Zhu ordered not to kill prisoners of war in the future. ”

"What, when will the order be given." Cao Cao and Sun Jian said in shock.

"Not long ago, now the big camp is all over the place." Li Zhen sighed. "Then what are you waiting for, we will go to the middle camp now, this total of seventy or eighty thousand prisoners, not a joke." Sun Jian looked at Li Zhen and the others.

Cao Cao had a cautious expression and said, "Okay, let's go see what the situation is." “

The three of them came to the middle camp together, but were stopped by the soldiers at the entrance of the big camp, and one of them said: "What is the matter with the three generals?" "I'll come here to discuss something important, so please go and report it." Li Zhen stepped forward and said. "The two generals have just rested, and I am afraid that I will report something later." A soldier said.

Sun Jian's fiery temper was furious when he heard this, and the lives of tens of thousands of people were not child's play, how could he wait any longer, and said loudly: "Now go and report immediately, just say that General Li, General Cao and General Sun have something to ask to see." "But the general was busy all night last night, and he just fell asleep, so please forgive the three generals." The soldier said respectfully.

Li Zhen grabbed Sun Jian and said in a good voice: "Trouble the little brother to report it, we really have something." "After all, tens of thousands of lives are lost, and this cannot be delayed." It's ······, okay. The soldier saw that Li Zhen came forward again and hesitated, this Li Zhen is now famous in the battalion, who doesn't know, this time he can win the battle, it all depends on his advice.

After waiting for the meeting, the soldiers who reported invited Li Zhen and the three of them to go in, and in the big tent, Huang Fu Song and Zhu Jun were dressed in plain clothes and sat high. Zhu Jun's face was unhappy, he had just fallen asleep and was woken up, he was very troubled, and when he saw the three of them coming in, he said: "What is the important thing you are waiting for, you are in such a hurry to see us, you can say it now." “

After the three of them saluted, they recommended Li Zhen to say, after all, among them, Li Zhen's current official position is higher than the two, Li Zhen did not shirk, and stood up and said: "I heard that the two generals ordered that all these prisoners will be killed in a few days." "What's the matter, I discussed with General Huangfu, although this is a great victory, but now there are too many prisoners, even more than the number of officers and soldiers of our army, I am afraid it will be difficult to take care of them, and now our army's grain and grass are only enough for their own people, and they can't take out food and grass to help these prisoners." In a few days, we will continue to go south, and there are yellow turbans in Yingchuan, Nanyang, Wancheng, and Runan, waiting for us to pacify. General Lu Zhi led his troops to confront Zhang Jiao in the north, and now he can only contain Zhang Jiao from developing outward, but I don't know when Zhang Jiao will fight back, and how long can he hold on? Therefore, we must go to pacify these places as soon as possible and go north to rescue General Lu. But the army is all backed up by food and grass, and now it is used by these captives, what should we do when the time comes? Is it still used to send troops to fight? Zhu Jun said angrily. But killing the captives hurts the heavens and the peace, these people are all my Han people, only because there is no food at home, they will be deceived by Zhang Jiao and used to oppose the imperial court, as long as they are given enough food and land, will these people still rebel? Li Zhen immediately picked up Zhu Jun's words and said. Hmph, these people gathered to make trouble, but they committed the crime of rebellion, and it is not a pity to die, and it is considered that His Majesty is merciful if they did not destroy their ten clans. Killing them will only reduce our burden and allow us to complete the battle plan faster, if we are placed in the battalion, when we are gone, these people will resurge, and we will have to trouble us to exterminate them again, how can we have that time, it is the best choice to kill them immediately. Zhu Jun yelled. General, now there are seventy or eighty thousand Yellow Turban captives, most of them are old and weak, women and children, and there are tens of thousands of young strong men, once they know that they will be killed by the pit, they will definitely rebel again, I am afraid that it will cause chaos in the army and it will be difficult to clean up, and we will be dragged to the Changshe if we don't get it. Even if all these people are killed by luck, but in the future, the battle will inevitably cause the Yellow Turban Army to fight to the death, surrender is death, not surrender is death, why not fight to the death may be able to find a way to survive. General, when the time comes, it will be even more difficult for us to encounter a big war. Li Zhen's words were convincing.

Cao Cao also stood up at this time and said, "Yes! General, if we spread the word that these people were killed, I am afraid that none of the Yellow Turbans in various places are thinking of surrendering and are determined to die in battle, and then our army will inevitably fight with great difficulty, and if we cannot successfully resolve this matter within the time stipulated by the imperial court, I am afraid it will cause even greater turmoil. Please think twice, general. "Please think again, General." Li Zhen and the three of them knelt down at the same time and pleaded. "It's ······." Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song were in a dilemma, thinking about whether to kill the prisoners, killing them would cause difficulties in the future march and battle, and if they didn't kill and let it go, it would cause unnecessary trouble. They don't want to kill all these captives, but the idea of loyalty to the court is firmly rooted in their hearts, and the superiors don't pay attention to the people at the bottom, as long as they can help the court's decision-making, they will implement it without mercy, but after listening to the words of the three in their hearts, they hesitated in their hearts.

Huangfu Song saw that the matter was a little tricky, and it was difficult for him to make a decision, so he thought about it and said: "You go down first, I will discuss it with General Zhu again, no, we will jointly write a book, explain the matter, and hand it over to Your Majesty to decide." “

Li Zhen and the three had no choice but to retreat, a good wine banquet, and now they are not interested in drinking anymore, and the three of them each go back to their camp.

In the evening, because of such a thing that happened during the day, the celebration banquet was canceled, and when the recital was written, Huangfu Song sent someone to Luoyang quickly, and everyone had to stay in Changshe for many days, waiting for the response of the imperial court.

While waiting for a reply from the imperial court, the news of Li Zhen's efforts to protect the prisoners in the middle camp also came out, and many Yellow Turban prisoners were grateful to Li Zhen, which made Li Zhen's prestige in the prisoner camp higher than that of the two Zhonglang generals for a while. If Li Zhen wants to recruit more troops among the captives, I am afraid that they will participate one after another, but Li Zhen did not do that, the current strength is enough, and if he recruits again, he is afraid that the supply of food and grass will not be available, and the current strength of 15,000 is enough.

After waiting for four days at the Changshe, I finally waited for a reply from the imperial court.