PFC Chapter 73 Intercepting Yuan Tan's Hu
Chapter 73 Intercepting Yuan Tan's Hu
To put it another way,
At this time, in Xiakou, on the banks of the Yangtze River, was the Gan-Ning military camp.
Dusk enveloped the river, and lights flickered sparsely in the water village.
Gan Ning sat alone on a boulder by the water, with several empty wine jars scattered at his feet.
With his armor still on and his face filled with resentment, he gulped down the last half-jar of wine in his hand, then forcefully threw the empty jar into the river with a muffled "plop".
"You old bastard Huang Zu! How dare you insult me like this!"
Gan Ning let out a low growl, his tiger eyes turning blood red.
Today, during the drill at the training ground, his men maneuvered their boats swiftly and launched a fierce attack, but were unjustly accused of "disorderly formation and violating ancestral rules."
Commander Huang Zu publicly rebuked him as "unruly and unfit for important tasks," and even threatened to cut his troops' rations and pay.
Gan Xingba had never been treated with such rudeness before.
"Xingba, why are you drinking alone here?"
A voice came from behind me.
The visitor was none other than Su Fei, Gan Ning's close friend and the Jiangxia Inspector.
He strode over, looked at Gan Ning's appearance, sighed, and sat down beside him.
"Huang Zu is harsh and ungrateful; he is not a wise ruler. Why bother arguing with him?"
Gan Ning snorted coldly, grabbed another jar of wine, and broke the clay seal:
"Not bothering with him? I risked my life for him, repelling Sun Ce's attacks countless times, and this is what I get in return? I won't swallow this!"
Su Fei pressed down on the hand that was offering him the wine, glanced around, and lowered his voice:
"Since you know he is not a wise ruler, why linger? A good bird chooses its tree, and a virtuous minister chooses his lord. Xingba, your opportunity may not lie in Jiangxia, but in Jiangbei!"
"Jiangbei?" Gan Ning's drunken eyes darted around. "Where to? To join Cao Cao? Or Liu Bei, who lost Xuzhou and is now living under someone else's roof?"
"No!"
A glint flashed in Su Fei's eyes, and he lowered his voice even further.
"I received a secret report from a merchant from Jiangbei today: an immense fortune is about to befall me!"
"Oh?"
Gan Ning sobered up a bit and showed an interested expression.
Su Fei leaned closer, almost whispering:
"Yuan Tan has captured Shouchun and obtained all the gold and silver that Yuan Shu has accumulated over the years! Now he is organizing a huge fleet to sail along the Huai River to the sea, and then sail north along the sea route, intending to transport it back to his old base in Qingzhou!"
The first fleet has already departed, but the sheer volume of goods and wealth cannot be transported in just one or two shipments! The remaining fleet will set sail soon!
Upon hearing this, Gan Ning's eyes first flashed with greed, but then quickly dimmed, and he shook his head, saying:
"The Huai River flows into the sea, and then it travels north along the coast... The journey is long, and by the time I muster my troops and rush there, it will be too late! Besides, Yuan Tan has no heavy guards to protect him. This is just wishful thinking."
"Xingba is wrong!"
Su Fei analyzed confidently,
"Firstly, the treasures of Huainan are piled up like mountains, and Yuan Tan could never transport them all at once. There will definitely be more fleets following, making this a protracted affair!"
"Secondly, Yuan Tan's focus will inevitably be on dealing with Cao Cao and Lü Bu on land. How can he possibly cover everything at sea? Even if he has warships, how can they compare to our brothers who have been risking their lives in the storms all year round?"
"Thirdly, and most importantly, the waterways from the mouth of the Huai River to the coast of Qingzhou are complex and full of hidden reefs. This is the perfect place for our Jinfan lads to show their skills! Why should we fight him head-on?"
Once their fleet has sailed into the open sea, we will use our fast ships and sharp arrows to launch a surprise attack under cover of night, burn their stern ship, throw them into disarray, and seize one or two fully loaded ships. Then we can flee into the vast ocean. What can Yuan Tan do to us then?!
He patted Gan Ning heavily on the shoulder:
"Stealing one of his ships is better than enduring ten years of humiliation under Huang Zu! If we win, we'll be rolling in gold and silver, living a carefree life! If we lose, we can always return to the Yangtze River and become the King of Brocade Sails again. Wouldn't that be wonderful?!"
These words instantly dispelled the pent-up anger in Gan Ning's chest!
Yes, rather than suffer in this filth, why not gamble on a fortune! Roaming the rivers and seas is the true nature of Gan Xingba!
"Hahaha! Good! Well said!"
Gan Ning suddenly stood up, all traces of drunkenness gone from his eyes, replaced by an overwhelming fighting spirit.
"A real man shouldn't live under someone else's thumb and put up with this wretch's wrath! I'll take this job!"
He turned to face the river, took a deep breath, and let out a long howl!
The whistling sound carried far across the twilight-shrouded river!
In an instant, dozens of nimble fast boats quietly emerged from the reeds and small inlets, the boats filled with elite pirates. Each of them had bird feathers in their hair, copper bells hanging from their waists, and sharp blades in their hands. They were none other than the core members of Gan Ning's old Jin Fan gang!
Upon seeing Gan Ning's signal, they quickly gathered around, their eyes fixed on their leader with fervent fascination.
Gan Ning jumped onto a higher reef and surveyed his brothers who had followed him for many years:
"My lads! That old bastard Huang Zu is ruthless! If he won't keep us here, there are plenty of other places that will! Now, an immense fortune is passing by from the north sea. I'll lead you to rob Yuan Tan of his wealth! Do you dare to come with me and gamble on this riches?!"
"I am willing to follow the leader!!"
The bandits of Jinfan roared in unison, their voices echoing across the river.
"good!"
Gan Ning waved his hand.
"Prepare immediately! Prepare plenty of oil, rockets, and grappling hooks! Light boats and fast ships, carrying only ten days' worth of provisions! At dawn tomorrow, set sail for the mouth of the Huai River to intercept Yuan Tan's Hu!"
"Intercept Yuan Tan's bet! Intercept Yuan Tan's bet!"
The frantic shouts echoed along the banks of the Xiakou River.
……
The news of Cao Cao's triumphant return to the capital had already spread throughout Xuchang.
As Cao Cao's elite cavalry marched in orderly formation, escorting prisoners and laden with spoils, through the gates of Xuchang,
The people lining the roads were silent with fear, feeling a sense of relief at the victory of the royal army.
More than anything, they felt awe and reverence for the powerful Minister of Works.
"Look, it's Cao Sikong's troops! What a ferocious army!"
"I heard that all the gold in Shouchun City has been moved out..."
"Shh! Watch your mouth! Guess... that the Grand Commandant has performed such a great service this time, what official position will the Emperor bestow upon him? Will he be promoted further?"
"Another promotion? Does that mean he'll be made a king?... "
The murmurs fell silent the moment Cao Cao's entourage passed by.
The rumors and gossip that ordinary people spread in private are definitely not reliable.
But in fact, Emperor Liu Xie, deep in the palace, was also considering the same issue.
Inside the palace, in a side hall of the Deyang Hall.
Emperor Liu Xie of Han, dressed in his imperial robes, was restless.
Standing before them was the emperor's brother-in-law, Dong Cheng; neither of them had a pleasant expression.
"His Majesty,"
Dong Cheng lowered his voice, his face filled with worry and indignation.
"Although Cao Cao captured Shouchun in this battle, according to reports from his spies, seven or eight tenths of the treasures in Yuan Shu's fake palace treasury ended up in his own pocket, and less than one tenth was transferred to the national treasury! This is an act of usurping the country! If Your Majesty were to reward him handsomely again, wouldn't that only embolden him?"
Liu Xie's young face was filled with fear and helplessness.
Dong Cheng's words made it sound as if he had a way to refuse.
Although he is now the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, even the palace maids and eunuchs in the palace may not listen to him.
Cao Cao is already the Minister of Works; if he were to receive further rewards, he would become the Chancellor.
The position of prime minister held an extremely high status in the Han Dynasty. Once this position was granted, it would be the path taken by Wang Mang and Liang Ji.
Perhaps his reign as emperor will only last a few years.
But what can he do?
"But...but Minister Cao has rendered great service. If he is not rewarded, I...I fear..."
"His Majesty!"
Dong Cheng stepped forward, his tone earnest.
"Even if rewards are to be bestowed, they must be weighed carefully! I have heard that Yuan Tan, the governor of Qingzhou, was the first to breach the city in this battle, holding back the powerful enemy. His troops suffered heavy casualties, and his merits are invaluable. Why does Your Majesty not reward the Yuan family as well?"
"Promote Yuan Shao to the position of Grand Commandant, and appoint Yuan Tan as General of the Vanguard, placing him in charge of military affairs in Qing and Xu provinces. This would demonstrate Your Majesty's fairness and also allow the conflict between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao to subside, perhaps giving Your Majesty a brief respite!"
A faint glimmer of light flashed in Liu Xie's eyes, as if he had grasped at a straw:
"The Emperor's brother-in-law is right! So be it. After Minister Cao enters the court, I will..."
Just then, a high-pitched, slightly trembling voice from outside the hall announced, "Minister Cao Cao, I have come to pay my respects!"
Before the words had even finished, an intense pressure seemed to emanate from the main hall.
Cao Cao entered without armor, wearing only a black court robe, and walked in with a majestic and powerful gait.
His gaze was calm, yet carried the imposing air of someone long accustomed to a high position, sweeping over Liu Xie on the throne and Dong Cheng beside him.
The moment Liu Xie met Cao Cao's gaze, he felt as if he had been pricked by a needle, his body trembled violently, and all the arguments he had discussed with Dong Cheng vanished instantly, leaving only instinctive fear.
He almost instinctively stood up from his throne, his voice trembling, and before Cao Cao could speak, he hurriedly said:
"Cao...Cao, rise! You have rendered meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion and recapturing Shouchun, thus upholding the majesty of the Emperor. Your contributions are invaluable to the nation! I...I am deeply gratified! I hereby bestow upon you the title of Chancellor, entrusting you with the overall administration of the court, overseeing the affairs of the Secretariat, and increasing your fiefdom by 30,000 households! I hope that you...will continue your efforts to secure the eternal stability of the Han Dynasty!"
This series of extraordinary rewards, especially the position of "Chancellor" and the enormous fiefdom, represented almost the pinnacle that the Han Dynasty could bestow upon its officials.
Liu Xie finished speaking in one breath, as if he had used up all his strength, and his face was pale as he secretly glanced at Cao Cao's reaction.
Cao Cao remained calm, showing neither surprise nor delight, and merely bowed slightly.
"Your subject, Cao Cao, thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."
His tone was flat, as if he were accepting something he took for granted.
After all, the entire Han court was now in his hands, and the position of prime minister was nothing more than an empty title to him.
Standing to the side, Dong Cheng sighed inwardly, thinking that His Majesty was ultimately terrified of Cao Cao.
He gritted his teeth, steeled himself, stepped forward, and bowed, saying:
"Your Majesty is wise! Prime Minister Cao's achievements are unparalleled and he deserves a great reward. However, General Yuan Shao is stationed in Hebei and commands respect from all directions; his son, Governor of Qingzhou Yuan Xiansi, has also served as the vanguard in this campaign against the rebels and has made outstanding contributions."
Your Majesty, I dare to suggest that you bestow rewards upon all those who have rendered meritorious service, thus appeasing the hearts of all the meritorious officials. You may promote Yuan Shao to Grand Commandant and Yuan Tan to General of the Vanguard, granting them the authority to command troops in Qing and Xu provinces, to demonstrate the vastness of Your Majesty's grace.
After Dong Cheng finished speaking, he held his breath and waited for Cao Cao's reaction.
This was one of the few checks and balances he could do for the Han dynasty.
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao quickly glanced at Dong Cheng, a look that sent chills down Dong Cheng's spine.
However, unexpectedly, Cao Cao's lips curled into a cold smile, and he calmly said:
"Your Majesty's considerations are thorough. Yuan Shao's family has held high office for four generations, and his reputation is renowned throughout the land; Yuan Xiansi is a promising young man and certainly deserves to be rewarded. Therefore, we shall follow Your Majesty's advice and request that Your Majesty issue an edict."
Cao Cao's quick agreement surprised both Liu Xie and Dong Cheng.
They didn't understand why Cao Cao didn't stop granting titles to potential rivals.
Only Cao Cao himself sneered inwardly:
"It's just an empty title. Yuan Shao is ambitious and loves glory. Obtaining a mere Grand Commandant might temporarily delay his plans to march south. As for Yuan Tan, even if he gets the title of General of the Vanguard and the authority to act on behalf of the emperor, can he really command Lü Bu of Xuzhou? It's nothing but empty promises, a laughingstock. This is a good opportunity to let the world see who is truly exercising the power of bestowing titles on behalf of the emperor!"
"Prime Minister, there is one more matter. Yuan Tan has recommended Liu Bei to be appointed as the Governor of Yu Province and stationed in Shouchun."
Liu Xie nervously revealed everything he knew, causing Dong Cheng to secretly shake his head in dismay.
Yuan Tan submitted a memorial to Liu Bei.
Stationed in Shouchun?
Damn it, isn't Shouchun my territory?
How could we give it to Liu Bei?
Cao Cao was about to object, but then he thought again...
Shouchun is now almost deserted, making it a useless place. Occupying it is pointless and only wastes food supplies to feed the starving people.
Since that's the case, we might as well do Liu Bei a favor and let him have it.
Thinking of this, Cao Cao waved his hand dismissively and said:
"Your Majesty, you can decide for yourself."
"Court adjourned—"
As the Yellow Gate Attendant announced,
Cao Cao turned around and strode out of Deyang Palace. The sunlight shone on his dark court robes, as if weighing a thousand pounds, making the entire palace feel suffocated.
Liu Xie slumped on the dragon throne, his inner shirt soaked with cold sweat.
……
Yuan Tan, traveling on Zhen Yao's boat, returned to Linzi, weary from his journey.
In order to thank Zhen Yao, Yuan Tan felt it was now necessary to fulfill his promise to Zhen Yao.
Moreover, Zhen Mi is truly a top-quality peach; it would be a real shame not to touch her.
Therefore, he sent someone to Ye City to report in detail on the results of the Battle of Shouchun and asked Yuan Shao to grant him a marriage.
After doing all this, he used the looted wealth to reward all his soldiers.
In addition, according to the military merit system, those who made contributions were promoted, and those who were injured were encouraged.
After he had done all this, he returned to his residence and summoned Lu Su, who was left behind to oversee internal affairs.
The study was brightly lit by candlelight.
"My lord, I am fortunate to have fulfilled my mission."
Lu Su presented a scroll of account books.
"During the lord's southern campaign, in accordance with the established strategy, twelve government-run textile workshops have been set up in the three prefectures, with a thousand looms and more than four thousand workers. The 'Qingzhou Jianbu' produced is inexpensive and durable, not only sufficient to supply the military but also snapped up by the people after being put on the market. Now, the treasury has not only recovered its investment but also has a surplus."
Yuan Tan carefully examined the densely packed numbers in the account book, his eyes gleaming with undisguised delight.
This proves that his strategy of "using work relief to stimulate domestic demand" was successful!
A chain that transforms idle social labor into productivity and then feeds back into the government treasury through commercial circulation has begun to operate!
"Excellent! Zijing, you handled this matter exceptionally well!"
Yuan Tan put down the account book, his tone resolute.
"But this is just the beginning! We must think long-term. I don't just want a few hundred thousand bolts of cloth; I want everyone in the world to be dressed by the hands of Qingzhou!"
He stood up, brimming with heroic spirit:
"Get to work immediately! Find a suitable location along the Yellow River and the Ji River to build a larger workshop! We'll use water power to double the efficiency! You'll have complete control over personnel, facilities, and raw materials; don't worry about the cost!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Su felt both encouraged and under considerable pressure:
"I deeply admire your ambition, my lord. However, such a large-scale expansion requires an enormous amount of capital, and the number of skilled craftsmen and managers is also severely limited..."
"Money? Heh."
Yuan Tan chuckled, turned around, and took out a brief list from a hidden compartment under the table, handing it to Lu Su. "Zijing, take a look at this."
(This chapter combines two chapters into one! Please support me, brothers!)