Chapter 54: Zhang Ren

Inside the county temple of Liangping County.

"Today, I am not merely pleased with the defeat of the bandits, but rather with the acquisition of true public righteousness," Liu Zhang revealed his innermost thoughts to Zhang Ren, who stood below him.

Historically, this was the same Zhang Ren who sternly rebuffed Liu Pijun's persuasion to surrender, resolutely declaring, "This old minister shall never serve two masters." Yet, his appearance now was not that of an aged veteran, but that of a vigorous young man.

"I thank Your Lordship for your undeserved praise," Zhang Ren said, cupping his hands in polite refusal as his heavy armor made bowing impractical.

Liu Zhang looked Zhang Ren up and down, growing more pleased with every glance.

Before him stood Zhang Ren, towering eight feet tall, with a refined and striking countenance. Clad in brilliant polished armor and draped in a white cloak, he radiated a bold and heroic spirit unmatched throughout the lands of Shu.

Liu Zhang spoke to recruit him, "I originally intended to tally and confer military merits only after returning to Jiangzhou. However, since Gongyi has secured the highest merit today by capturing the bandit leader Liu He, I provisionally appoint Gongyi as a Commandant. As for your other achievements, large and small, we shall discuss them duly upon our arrival in Jiangzhou."

"What does Gongyi think of this?"

Overwhelmed with joy, Zhang Ren found this to be the very goal he had been plotting for some time. Moreover, judging by Liu Zhang's words, his rewards would surely extend beyond a mere commandant.

Suddenly, his eyes grew somewhat moist. Coming from a humble background, he had lacked any path to advancement. Despite possessing genuine talent and lofty ambitions, he had merely wasted his days in the petty post of a clerk.

The wise lord seated above rewarded merit without regard to lineage or noble birth, captivating his heart completely.

As his armor hindered a full prostration, Zhang Ren dropped to one single knee, cupping his hands to declare his devotion, "This Ren pays his respects to Your Lordship. I shall willingly brave boiling water and tread through fire for Your Lordship, faithful to the death without regret."

Liu Zhang stepped forward to raise Zhang Ren to his feet, taking him by the hand. "Tonight, we shall hold a banquet to celebrate Gongyi's achievements. When we reach Jiangzhou in the days to come, we shall invite the notables of Bajun Commandery for a grand feast, ensuring that Gongyi's name resounds throughout the region."

"I thank Your Lordship," Zhang Ren said once more, feeling that Liu Zhang's grace was as vast as the sea and that his own deeds today were but a meager repayment.

Within the county temple, the atmosphere was harmonious, filled with cheerful voices and laughter.

Yet inside the temple's prison, the mood was heavy and dead silent.

The silence was shattered only by a furious cry: "Liu He, you have ruined us utterly!"

Disheveled and unkempt, with his topknot undone and hair straying wildly across a ferocious face, Bai Xi hurled curses at Liu He, the Master of Jingzhou's Household, who was confined in the neighboring cell.

He did not address him by his official title, but instead roared Liu He's given name directly, clearly driven to the brink of desperation.

Beside Bai Xi, Xie Feng sat emaciated and withered, stripped of the radiant vitality that once belonged to a scion of a noble house. With his head bowed and hair similarly matted into a mess, he stared blankly, lost in his own thoughts.

Though cursed by name, Liu He offered no response. Instead, he lost himself in memories of the day's battle.

He had paid too high a price to orchestrate this campaign. Before Liu Biao, he had boasted of single-handedly shaking Bashu; upon entering the territory of Ba, he had incited the great clans of Bajun and lured the leader of the Cong people, gathering a force of twenty to thirty thousand men.

From these numbers, he had meticulously selected over eighteen thousand elite troops, placing his secondary-grade forces in the vanguard, while positioning the supreme Cong warriors between the center and the vanguard. His plan was to exhaust Liu Zhang's elite vanguard before unleashing the Cong warriors for a decisive breakthrough and ultimate victory.

Yet he had not anticipated that Liu Zhang would harbor the exact same strategy, similarly deploying his finest troops in the center-vanguard position. When the two armies clashed, however, the fighting spirit and ferocity of Liu Zhang's forces proved vastly superior.

Even so, victory had not been entirely out of reach. He could not help pondering where things had gone wrong.

Rather than shouldering the blame for the defeat himself, Liu He sought to identify whose mistakes had reduced him to a prisoner this day.

Was it Liu Biao? Liu Biao had failed to raise his troops to march west as agreed. Though this outcome suited his own ambitions, Liu Biao's breach of promise was truly hateful.

Was it Lou Fa? Those tribal leaders were double-faced; they united when profit beckoned, yet fled like cowards at the first sign of disaster. They had even set fire to the camp outside the city walls, attacking their own allies from the rear and cutting off all retreat.

Was it Sheng Dao? When the battle lines collapsed and his men finally reached the city gates, Sheng Dao had held Liangping against them, barring his entry while declaring his own surrender. With all paths of advance and retreat severed, they had all been captured alive.

And thinking further back, even the weather this morning had been unfavorable. The morning mist was too heavy, leaving the grass slick with dew. That tribal leader, Chief Pu, seemed to have accidentally slipped and fallen, only to be cut down immediately by a pursuer.

At this point, Liu He turned his head to look at Sheng Dao, who sat quietly in the cell on the right. Though Sheng Dao had surrendered, he had ultimately participated in the rebellion and was still cast into prison. Yet he looked completely at ease, without a trace of confusion in his eyes, accepting his present circumstances calmly while occasionally curling the corners of his lips as if recalling some pleasant memory.

Hearing Bai Xi continuing to rant incessantly on his left, Liu He felt a surge of anger and finally snapped back: "Bai Xi, it was you and your kind who harbored treasonous ambitions, bringing this disaster of extermination upon your own families! What does it have to do with me?"

In his heart, Liu He was already formulating a defense for Liu Zhang's eventual interrogation: the great clans of Bajun were the ones who harbored ill intentions, while he was merely an envoy coerced into the plot. Moreover, his surname was Liu, and Liu Zhang's surname was also Liu; as fellow members of the imperial clan, how could they slaughter one another?

He cast a disdainful glance at Bai Xi. Bai Xi, Xie Feng, and their clansmen were undoubtedly doomed to a miserable end. But he was different. Relying on his eloquence and their shared ties to the Han imperial house, no matter what, Liu Zhang would never execute him; at worst, he would merely be imprisoned.

He had a long life ahead of him; there was no need to engage in a war of words with a doomed wretch like Bai Xi.

Night fell, but outside the walls of Liangping City, campfires stretched across the wilderness like a river of stars.

Lifting a bowl of wine and draining it in one gulp, Zhao Liu felt a warm glow spread through his entire body as he began to boast to the men gathered around the campfire.

"Today, I followed right behind Commandant Gan and saw with my own eyes how he cut down that Cong tribal leader. Truly, his martial prowess is unparalleled beneath the heavens!"

"What 'Wooden-Shield Barbarians'? They even called themselves 'divine soldiers'—why, I personally cut down six of those 'divine soldiers' today!"

"Don't look at me like that; the enemy heads have already been handed over to the Merit Officer for registration. You'll see when the rewards are distributed!" Seeing doubtful expressions among some of the men, Zhao Liu quickly defended himself before continuing his tall tales.

"If we're talking about warfare, no one compares to us men of Qin. What did Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan, or Qi ever amount to? In the end, didn't they all fall to the might of Qin?"

Carried away by his triumph, he burst into a song of Qin.

"Who says we have no clothes? I share my robe with you. When the King raises his armies, I shall sharpen our spears and lances, sharing a common hatred with you!"

His rendition was stirring and passionate, prompting the surrounding men to burst into cheers and applause.

"Who says we have no clothes? I share my undergarment with you. When the King raises his armies..."

"Well now, why have you all suddenly stopped cheering for me?" Zhao Liu asked, noticing the abrupt silence around him.

Instead, he saw everyone staring in his direction, hastily rising to straighten their postures and prepare to bow with cupped hands.

They were not bowing to him. Realizing that some fierce tiger must have approached from behind and that he had merely been basking in its reflected prestige, Zhao Liu wanted to turn around.

Then, a gentle yet overwhelmingly majestic voice sounded: "No need for such formality. Eat your fill and drink your fill."

As a personal guard handpicked by Gan Ning, Zhao Liu recognized the voice instantly: it was Lord Liu.

He started to rise to pay his respects, but a hand reached out from behind to press firmly upon his shoulder, accompanied by an unquestionable tone in his ear.

"I said, no need for formality."

He had no choice but to remain seated and look up as Liu Zhang walked right up to him, flanked by Military Commander Wu Yi and his younger cousin Wu Ban.

"That was a stirring Song of Qin," Liu Zhang praised Zhao Liu.

Filled with nervous awe, Zhao Liu attempted to stand and offer his thanks once more, but Liu Zhang pressed him back down again with a gesture.

"Today's battle has been hard on you all." Liu Zhang offered a word of commendation to everyone present, then glanced at Zhao Liu's empty bowl. Casually picking up a jar of wine, he signaled for Zhao Liu to hold up his cup.

Flattered beyond measure, Zhao Liu held his cup with both trembling hands, watching as Liu Zhang filled it to the brim.

"The brave warrior has rendered great service today; please drain this cup." Liu Zhang smiled, inviting Zhao Liu to drink deeply, having overheard his boasting about his exploits earlier.

With his eyes stinging with sudden warmth, Zhao Liu did not hesitate for a moment; he raised the cup and drained it in a single draught.

Watching this scene from behind Liu Zhang, Wu Yi felt a deep wave of emotion. Treating noble and commoner alike with sincere hospitality and genuine warmth, Liu Zhang could truly be called a rare and enlightened lord in this world.

Noticing the slight stiffness among the men, Liu Zhang abandoned his plan to stay and drink a couple of rounds. After bidding them to eat and drink well, he mounted his horse and rode off.

Having wandered about after leaving the central camp, he finally returned to his command tent. Just as he reached the entrance, he heard Xu猛 (Xu Meng) shouting inside.

"Xingba, tonight you and I shall sleep sharing the same mat!" Xu Meng affectionately addressed Gan Ning by his style name, inviting him to share quarters. Since Gan Ning had lent a helping hand on the battlefield, their past grievances had vanished like smoke, and he was eager to draw closer to Gan Ning.

Yet Xingba politely declined: "Alas, it is rather unfortunate. I have already promised to sleep with His Lordship tonight."