novelAbuy Chapter 8 Zuo Rong: "Where's my home???"
Chapter 8 Zuo Rong: "Where's my home???"
"If you knew this, why was Tao Gongzu able to tolerate Zuo Rong?"
Lu Yong's question made Liu Bei pause abruptly.
Lu Yong said calmly, "Tao Gongzu is old and frail, and has long since stopped concerning himself with politics."
His trusted confidants, aren't they all harboring their own ulterior motives now?
Zuo Rong was just one of them.
He gave money to Tao Gongzu, and Tao Gongzu turned a blind eye.
He did some shady things for Tao Gongzu, and Tao Gongzu guaranteed his safety.
To put it bluntly, this is all a transaction.
As for the lives of the people of Xuzhou, besides you, who else would truly care?
Liu Bei fell silent.
He suddenly recalled Tao Qian's tearful performance at the banquet.
Thinking of Tao Qian's "serving the country and the people" demeanor,
I felt a little uneasy.
"Is this old man really trying to fool me?"
After a moment, Liu Bei sighed softly and asked, "Then... what do you plan to do?"
Lu Yong smiled and replied, "Most of the money Zuo Rong has amassed over the years is hidden in his private residence in Xiapi."
"As long as our lord sends someone to collect it, our military funds will be more than sufficient."
Liu Bei looked at Lu Yong with considerable surprise and asked, "Huai'an, are you trying to—rob me?"
"Your Majesty is mistaken," Lu Yong said solemnly. "That money was originally the blood and sweat of the people of Xuzhou, and it was the tax money of the imperial court."
Zuo Rong's embezzlement was a grave crime.
The lord's taking it is an act of upholding justice on behalf of Heaven, eliminating harm for the people!
Moreover, it can be used for the benefit of the people, so how can it be called robbery?
"..." Liu Bei still hesitated, "But Zuo Rong is, after all, Tao Gongzu's man. If we take action like this, won't it...?"
"Rest assured, my lord."
We can have our soldiers disguise themselves as bandits and go get it.
Tao Gongzu just wants to hand over Xuzhou to you and then run away. He won't turn against you because of Zuo Rong.
Moreover, Tao Gongzu probably wanted to get rid of someone like Zuo Rong long ago.
It's just that I'm too embarrassed to do it myself.
He was more than grateful that his lord had rid him of this scourge.
Liu Bei pondered for a long time before finally nodding: "In that case, we shall do as the strategist says. But... who should we send?"
Lu Yong thought for a moment and said, "General Guan is arrogant and General Zhang is fiery, neither of them are suitable."
Let's choose Zhao Zilong.
He was calm and cautious, meticulous in his actions, and also happened to be good at commanding cavalry.
If it were him, he would surely complete the mission successfully.
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei unfastened his sword and handed it to Lu Yong, saying, "With my sword, you can mobilize Zilong and his cavalry. But how will you bring back the money...?"
"Rest assured, my lord, I will send someone to meet you!" Lu Yong bowed, accepted Liu Bei's sword, and turned to leave the tent.
As Liu Bei watched Lu Yong's disappearing figure, he couldn't help but think to himself, "So, from beginning to end, Tao Qian never really wanted to give Xuzhou to me."
He just wanted me to be his scapegoat so he could go back to his hometown and live a carefree life…”
"Huai'an is right," Liu Bei murmured in a hoarse voice, thinking to himself.
"I was really too naive before."
"I thought that as long as I treated people sincerely, they would treat me sincerely in return. Looking back now, it's really laughable..."
.........................
that night,
Lu Yong arrived at Zhao Yun's camp alone.
The soldiers on night duty at the camp gate recognized Lu Yong and quickly went in to report.
Before long, Zhao Yun, dressed in his finest clothes, strode out.
"Strategist, what brings you here so late at night?" Zhao Yun asked, clasping his hands in greeting.
Without further ado, Lu Yong raised Liu Bei's sword and said, "General Zilong, please muster five hundred cavalrymen and follow me out of the camp."
Seeing that it was Liu Bei's sword, Zhao Yun didn't ask any further questions and turned back to his camp.
In less than a quarter of an hour, five hundred cavalrymen were ready to go.
Lu Yong asked Zhao Yun to wait for him a mile away, and then went to the recruit camp.
He had already informed Xu Sheng before coming to Zhao Yun's camp.
Xu Sheng had been waiting at the camp gate.
Upon seeing Lu Yong arrive, he hurriedly went to greet him and said, "Strategist, everyone has been mustered."
Lu Yong looked around and saw that five thousand men were already standing at the camp gate, with many carts and wheelbarrows behind them.
Although they didn't have any military formations, at least they were quiet and obedient.
Lu Yong waved his hand and said, "Let's go!"
After walking a little over a mile from the camp, Lu Yong and Zhao Yun's cavalry reunited.
Seeing that Lu Yong had brought another five thousand men, Zhao Yun finally couldn't help but ask:
"Strategist, where exactly are we going?"
Lu Yong gestured for Zhao Yun to come closer, then lowered his voice and said, "Go to Xiapi!"
"Xiapi?" Zhao Yun was taken aback. "What for?"
Lu Yong then recounted Zuo Rong's story in detail.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun's face turned ashen.
"Such a thing has happened?" Zhao Yun's voice was filled with anger, but he suppressed his rage as he spoke:
"I've heard of Zuo Rong's name recently, but I only know that he built many temples."
Unexpectedly, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing!
Upon hearing this, Lu Yong couldn't help but laugh and said, "Zilong's description is quite apt."
Zhao Yun glanced at Lu Yong's newly recruited soldiers and asked, "Strategist, you planned this operation just to pay your new army, right?"
"That's right." Lu Yong nodded and said, "Our brothers are willing to risk their lives for us, so we certainly can't treat them unfairly."
Zhao Yun looked Lu Yong up and down for a while, and finally a smile appeared on his face.
He suddenly spoke up jokingly:
"Strategist, once we bring all that money back, could you give a share to my brothers as well?"
After all, they did put in the effort.
Lu Yong chuckled softly, "Don't worry, Zilong."
Not just your brothers, but all the soldiers under our lord's command will receive military pay from now on.
This is our new military regulation!
Zhao Yun was somewhat moved when he heard Lu Yong's words.
But he didn't say anything more, he just clasped his hands and bowed to Lu Yong.
Lu Yong patted Zhao Yun's hand and said, "Zilong, I've already had the route map drawn up. You take the cavalry first, and I'll bring the infantry to support you from behind."
Zhao Yun took the cloth handed to him by Lu Yong, which depicted the terrain outside Xiapi City.
They even thoughtfully marked the location of Zuo Rong's private residence.
It seems that Lu Yong has been eyeing Zuo Rong for quite some time now...
Zhao Yun glanced at it, then put the cloth into his robes and said, "Strategist, I'll take my leave now."
"Be careful," Lu Yong instructed. "Try not to alert the city's garrison."
Zuo Rong's private residence is in a manor outside the city, not inside the city, which makes things much easier.
Zhao Yun nodded, pulled on the reins, and led the five hundred cavalrymen away at a faster pace.
The sound of horses' hooves gradually faded into the distance, disappearing into the night.
Xu Sheng had been following behind Lu Yong without saying a word.
Only after Zhao Yun's cavalry had gone far away did he approach and ask softly, "Strategist, what are we going to do?"
Lu Yong turned his head and glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said, "I'll take you to move some things."
"Move things?" Xu Sheng was taken aback.
"Military rations and pay!" Lu Yong said, "Someone has already prepared them for us; we just need to go and get them."
"?" Xu Sheng still didn't quite understand.
If someone had prepared military rations and pay for them in advance, why would they do it secretly?
Did they even bring out five hundred rebels?
However, Xu Sheng felt that he was new to the place and didn't want to ask too many questions.
The procession continued forward.
According to Lu Yong's estimate, it would take Zhao Yun a day and a night to reach the outskirts of Xiapi.
Zhao Yun should be able to succeed when they are halfway there.
really,
The following night, Zhao Yun sent someone with good news.
"Strategist, General Zhao has succeeded."
Lu Yong quickly stepped forward to help the cavalryman up and asked, "What exactly happened?"
The messenger reported: "General Zhao led his men into the manor under cover of night. The garrison was still asleep, and they took them all down without much effort."
Unfortunately, Zuo Rong was not at the manor. According to the prisoners, he seemed to have gone to Guangling.
General Zhao is currently having his men move the valuables and provisions to the woods thirty miles away.
Send the junior officer back to inform the strategist.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yong immediately summoned Xu Sheng and said, "Pass down the order to speed up the march. All the money and provisions must be loaded onto the carts before dawn!"
The five thousand new recruits were shocked to learn that they had come to collect money and provisions.
They immediately perked up.
Their pace quickened considerably.
......