"Little brother, what are you talking about? What does this have to do with Yang Feng's soldiers?" Gan Qian asked, puzzled.
Lan Tian explained, "Most of Yang Feng's men were farmers by birth. They followed him so they could eat and survive. If Yang Feng is executed, all we need to do is solve the problem of military provisions, and there'll be no issue. Your husband will even gain a large number of soldiers for nothing."
Gan Qian's eyes widened as she listened. Delighted, she said, "If it really is as you say, little brother, I'm afraid my husband will have to invite you for a drink."
"Don't join Father in teasing me anymore. Just help me arrange a marriage as thanks, and that'll be enough." Lan Tian smiled wryly.
Gan Qian knew Lan Tian's heart was in Xiapi, so she immediately agreed.
"A snake can't move without its head. Yang Feng's death may cause a brief disturbance, but with Generals Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's might, I'm sure it won't be hard to control the situation," Lan Tian continued.
"You're naturally gifted at making a living with your brains, yet you insist on staying here to work with your hands. I really can't figure you out." Gan Qian was at a loss.
"Heh heh, everyone has their own ambitions. Everyone has their own ambitions."
Since Zhang Fei was his only guest, Lan Tian threw pork and vegetables into a pot and stewed them together. Before long, the meal was on the table.
Gan Ji was called out of the Sanctuary by his daughter. The four of them sat around the table, drinking and eating meat without saying much.
Gan Qian had something on her mind. When she saw that everyone had nearly finished eating, she urged Zhang Fei to return to the city as soon as possible.
Zhang Fei asked in confusion, "Sister-in-law, it's still early. We haven't finished this wine yet."
"Uncle, my husband still has military matters to discuss with you. We should head back as soon as possible," Gan Qian said.
"Go back. You can come drink again next time," Lan Tian chimed in.
"All right, you said it. I, Old Zhang, will come again next time." Zhang Fei stood up, extremely reluctant.
Lan Tian urged the two of them to leave. "Older sister, you should hurry back. I'll slowly clear away the bowls and chopsticks."
"Mm. Little brother, Father, be careful these next few days," Gan Qian cautioned them.
"Go without worrying. I'll hide in the Sanctuary again in a little while," Gan Ji said quickly.
Gan Qian:
The two rode back to Xiaopei. Liu Bei had been waiting impatiently for a long time, and when he heard Lan Tian's suggestion, he instantly felt as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his heart.
Liu Bei personally went to the Post House to meet Yang Feng's envoy. He said he agreed with his lord's proposal and asked him to hurry back to Guangqi and invite Yang Feng to Xiaopei for detailed discussions. He also ordered Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to prepare to incorporate Yang Feng's troops.
Yang Feng was delighted when he received Liu Bei's reply. The next day, he led more than ten thousand men to Xiaopei. He saw millet shoots growing tall along the road and thought to himself, "This place really is just as Lu Bu said. The crops around Xiaopei are growing so well; the people here must be extremely wealthy."
If the negotiations went well, he would join Liu Bei in seizing Xu Province. If they went badly, he would occupy the place himself. Yang Feng didn't take Xiaopei's three thousand soldiers seriously.
Liu, Guan, and Zhang personally came out of the city to welcome him. When Yang Feng saw the two men beside Liu Bei, who looked like heavenly gods, the little scheme he'd been entertaining suddenly began to waver.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Liu Bei invited Yang Feng into the city to discuss matters. Seeing how heroic Guan Yu and Zhang Fei looked, Yang Feng stopped where he was, not daring to enter.
At that moment, Liu Bei said, "Second brother, third brother, stay outside the city and entertain General Yang's valiant troops."
"Yes, elder brother," Guan Yu and Zhang Fei replied in unison.
Seeing that Liu Bei was wary of his forces and had even sent Generals Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to keep watch outside, Yang Feng's suspicions vanished.
Liu Bei had already arranged a welcoming banquet inside the city and invited Mi Zhu, Jian Yong, Sun Qian, Liu Yan, and the others to attend.
Jian Yong and Liu Yan were both eloquent debaters. With just a little flattery from the two of them, Yang Feng felt thoroughly pleased.
At the height of the feast, the wine cup Liu Bei was holding suddenly fell to the ground. At the sound, more than a dozen hidden executioners with swords and axes rushed out. Caught off guard, Yang Feng was captured on the spot.
By then, Yang Feng had sobered up. He shouted desperately, trying to summon the guards accompanying him outside the door.
Then came the sound of heavy footsteps. Chen Dao clasped his fists at the doorway and said, "Reporting to my lord, all of Yang Feng's attendants have been executed."
Yang Feng was so horrified that his heart and gall seemed to split. In shock, he cried, "Liu Xuande, what are you trying to do?"
"Drag him out and behead him." Liu Bei's icy words ended the life of this rebel army commander.
After Chen Dao beheaded Yang Feng, his head was sent to Guan Yu outside the city.
Guan Yu displayed the head to assert his authority. The soldiers who had been in turmoil were cowed in short order by him, Zhang Fei, and their elite troops.
While everyone stood trembling in fear and confusion, Liu Bei emerged from the city under Chen Dao's protection.
He looked over Yang Feng's remaining troops, then said loudly, "Yang Feng led you in burning, killing, and looting across Xu Province for many days. Just now, under the Son of Heaven's orders, I executed the chief culprit. I believe you were all born decent people, and I cannot bear to slaughter every one of you. Are you willing to join my command and atone for your crimes by rendering meritorious service? Xiaopei has ample provisions. I certainly won't let you go hungry."
"I'm willing!" After a brief silence, someone suddenly shouted from the back.
The soldiers standing in the last row had initially been watching to see what would happen, but then they realized the shout came from even farther behind them. It seemed to have come from Zhang Fei's men.
"We're willing!"
"I'm willing to atone for my crimes with meritorious service!"
"We're willing to follow General Liu!"
The words struck like a stone tossed into a thousand-layered sea, setting off a huge wave. Whoever you fought under, you fought under—but Liu Bei's men wouldn't go hungry. For these rebel soldiers, that was unquestionably the most persuasive offer.
Yang Feng's officers and soldiers threw down their weapons and fell to their knees. Liu Bei ordered Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to carry out the preparations they had made earlier and quickly incorporate and reorganize the troops. The force that had delivered itself into his hands became Liu Bei's weapon.
Han Xian was still near Guangqi with fewer than two thousand men under his command. When he learned that Liu Bei had executed Yang Feng, he feared he would suffer the same fate as his companion. He abandoned most of his troops in the dead of night and fled toward Bing Province with a dozen or so attendants. In the end, he was killed on the road. The two most successful leaders of the Baibo Army were thus wiped out.
Yang Feng and Han Xian had risen from humble beginnings, then reached the heights of power through the opportunities of a chaotic age. The two had even once dreamed of using the Son of Heaven to command the feudal lords. Unfortunately, their virtue never matched their station, and they were instead exploited by Dong Cheng, Cao Cao, Yuan Shu, Lu Bu, and the others.
After this affair, Liu Bei's opinion of Lan Tian improved even further. Whenever there were no pressing military matters in Xiaopei, he would visit Gan Family Village with Gan Qian.
Liu Bei never talked about the state of the realm or the art of governing, and he never mentioned recruiting Lan Tian to serve him. He humbly asked about farming and discussed historical stories from the Spring and Autumn Annals. His patience and deep scheming won Lan Tian's sincere admiration.
But time waited for no one. In the blink of an eye, it was already Jian'an Year 3.
Liu Bei had not only killed Yang Feng but also taken his troops. Lu Bu was furious when he heard the news. Though he hadn't wanted to provide Yang Feng's troops with provisions, they had been stationed on his territory in Xu Province and had counted as part of his military strength. How could he tolerate Liu Bei plucking the peach from his hands?
After Liu Bei acquired Yang Feng's troops, his strength steadily grew. With Yuan Shu threatening from the south, Lu Bu didn't dare rashly withdraw troops to attack Xiaopei. Defying Chen Gui's objections, he once more joined forces with Yuan Shu.
Yuan Shu had enjoyed the glory of being emperor for only a few days before Yang Feng and Han Xian turned against him and he was defeated by Lu Bu. Later that same year, Cao Cao crushed him in an attack on Chen State. His strength was now far less than before, but in his heart he still resented Liu Bei, that mat-weaver and shoe-seller.
In the fourth month, Yuan Shu mobilized his troops and joined Zhang Liao in attacking Xiaopei.
Once war broke out, the people of Gan Family Village abandoned spring plowing and spent their days hiding in the Sanctuary, hoping the conflict would end.
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