lovenovelstory Chapter 34 The eldest son's kindness is never enough!
Chapter 34 The eldest son's kindness is never enough!
Yuan Tan's bow completely baffled Yan Liang.
Even if the other party is just an unimportant young master, he is still the eldest son of the lord.
Now he is the governor of Qingzhou in the Han Dynasty.
Their status and position speak for themselves.
How could Yan Liang possibly bear such a responsibility?
Moreover, the fact that the battle report was captured has absolutely nothing to do with the eldest son.
It was entirely Shen Pei's own doing, his greed for merit and recklessness, that led to the defeat and capture.
The eldest son came to apologize to a mere warrior because of this?
"Young Master! What...what are you doing? Please rise! Yan Liang, a defeated general, dares not accept such a great courtesy!"
Yan Liang hurriedly stepped aside to avoid him and reached out to help.
Yuan Tan raised his head, his eyes slightly red.
He gripped Yan Liang's hand tightly, his voice filled with sincerity:
"General, do you know that I am extremely anxious upon hearing that you are trapped by Lü Bu? Lü Bu is brave and Chen Gong is cunning. If you fall into their hands, I... I truly fear that I will never see you again!"
The eldest son is so sincere, what exactly is he planning?
Was it fear of being implicated by his lord if he were to be defeated, or was he simply worried about himself...?
Yan Liang's heart stirred, but doubts remained:
"When two armies clash, each fights for its own master. Yan Liang was not skilled enough and was captured by Lü Bu; there is nothing more to say about him. Young Master, there is no need for such formality."
"Each serving their own master?"
Yuan Tan shook his head violently, his voice becoming agitated.
"In my heart, General, you are a pillar of Hebei, a trusted advisor to my father, and someone I, Yuan Xiansi, deeply respect! How can I stand by and watch you fall into enemy hands?"
He stared into Yan Liang's eyes and said, word by word:
"The reason Tan was able to get the general back was because he had secretly reached an agreement with Lü Bu, exchanging his daughter Lü Lingqi for the general!"
Trade me for Lü Bu's daughter?
Yan Lianghu's body trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief!
What an important bargaining chip Lü Lingqi is!
He actually used it to exchange for himself, a "prisoner"?
He thought that the reason he was able to return must be because Yuan Shao and Lü Bu had reached some agreement in private.
Little did they know, the person who saved them was none other than the young master himself!
What an immense kindness!
"This...this is unacceptable!"
Yan Liang exclaimed in disbelief.
"That Lü Lingqi is a rare commodity, valuable enough to blackmail Lü Bu for cities and land! How could she be used to exchange for a mere warrior like Yan? Young Master, you...you're foolish!"
"Cities and territories, if lost, can be retaken!"
Yuan Tan spoke with unwavering resolve and firm tone,
"But if anything were to happen to the General, it would be an irreparable loss for Hebei! In my heart, ten cities are not worth as much as General Yan Liang!"
boom!
These words struck like a heavy hammer.
It slammed hard into Yan Liang's chest.
Throughout his life, he fought in battles and was respected mostly for his bravery and strength. No one ever valued his personal worth above the city and the land.
Moreover, the one who said these words was the lord's eldest son!
Finished!
The eldest son's kindness is never enough!
An indescribable surge of heat instantly shattered Yan Liang's guard.
For a straightforward man like him, the most unbearable thing is this kind of undisguised respect and gratitude.
"Young Master..."
Yan Liang's voice choked with emotion, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears, and he suddenly knelt on one knee, clasping his hands above his head:
"Yan Liang... what virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such... such kindness from you, my lord! This favor is one I could never repay, even with my life!"
hum!
Get it!
Let me tell you, Yuan Tan's acting skills are unparalleled!
Wouldn't that leave you completely bewildered?
Otherwise, how could I possibly repay the fact that I traded Lü Lingqi for a rough man like you?
How awful!
Such a beauty, yet I can only take advantage of her.
Yuan Tan helped him up again with great effort, his tone somewhat heavy:
"General, please rise! However... this matter may displease my father, and I need your help."
"Please give your orders, young master!"
Yan Liang was now filled with fervor and wished he could die for Yuan Tan immediately.
Yuan Tan sighed:
"If Father knew that I used Lü Lingqi to exchange for the general, he would surely suspect that I neglected public duty for private gain. I need to ask the general to write a letter to Father, explaining that Qingzhou has just been pacified, but Lü Bu is not discouraged by his defeat, and Chen Gong is cunning and is always eyeing Langya."
"Qingzhou has few soldiers and generals, so I need to stay here temporarily to assist in defense and deter others, in order to stabilize the defensive line and share the burden of our lord. Furthermore, regarding the previous defeat, General, you must truthfully explain the situation. It was not a fault of our fighting ability, but rather Shen Pei's underestimation of the enemy and reckless advance that led to this loss."
Upon hearing this, Yan Liang pondered for a moment and found the words to be reasonable.
His decision to remain in Qingzhou was indeed the best course of action to consolidate defenses, and it was also for the sake of Yuan Shao's foundation.
As for the responsibility for the defeat, since Shen Pei is dead, it is in line with the facts and can better protect the face of the Hebei army.
"Your Excellency has considered everything carefully! Yan Liang will write the letter now!"
He agreed without hesitation.
"Please rest assured, young master, as long as Yan Liang remains in Qingzhou, he will surely help you train a formidable army, so that Lü Bu will not dare to look north!"
Haha!
Get it!
With Yan Liang by my side, as long as we don't touch those exceptionally powerful monsters...
They should be able to walk sideways now!
Seeing Yan Liang's tearful gratitude,
Yuan Tan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
His face, however, was full of reliance on Yan Liang, and he held Yan Liang's hand tightly:
"With the general's assistance, Tan is like a tiger with wings! The safety of Qingzhou rests entirely on the general's shoulders!"
……
Ye City, General's Mansion Council Hall.
Yuan Shao held the silk letter, delivered by Yan Liang with urgent mail, and read it three times.
The expression on his face changed from confusion to shock, and then from shock to an indescribable complex expression.
He slowly put down the silk book, his gaze sweeping over the assembled civil and military officials below the hall, and finally let out a long breath.
"Gentlemen, Yan Liang has sent a letter... The matter of Qingzhou has been resolved."
The hall fell silent immediately, and everyone stared expectantly at their lord, Yuan Shao.
"Xian Si's previous military achievements are not fabricated! Lü Bu was forced to retreat to Xuzhou due to lack of supplies! And Xian Si thus seized Langya, the gateway to Qingzhou!"
Yuan Shao paused, seemingly processing the information.
"However, later, during the pursuit of Lü Bu's army, Yan Liang and Shen Pei underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, falling into Lü Bu's trap, resulting in the complete loss of 20,000 men. Shen Zhengnan even perished as a result! If Xian Si hadn't exchanged Lü Lingqi for Yan Liang, Hebei would have suffered even greater losses!"
"Whoosh—!"
The audience erupted in uproar!
Even though some people had already heard rumors, Yuan Shao's personal confirmation, with such clear details, still had a huge impact!
Three thousand exhausted soldiers, facing Lu Bu's fierce and powerful army, were able to achieve such a brilliant victory.
This is simply a fantasy!
What's even more surprising is that
Yan Liang was a famous general from Hebei, and Shen Pei was even more unparalleled in wisdom and strategy.
Despite their combined efforts, the two were annihilated by Lü Bu in one fell swoop.
This is absolutely unbelievable!
Could it be that the 20,000 elite troops of Hebei, plus the combination of Shen Pei and Yan Liang, are not as good as Yuan Xiansi, who led 3,000 arrogant soldiers?
But how is that possible?
The other party was clearly a reckless and foolish man, and extremely fond of women.
How could someone possibly achieve such great things?