Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Chapter 56 Raising Swords

He opened his mouth, but didn't say the rest of his sentence.

A hundred or so young men stood in formation, each one spirited and glaring menacingly.

This scene doesn't look like a mere village headman training troops; it's more like...

Zhou An didn't dare to think any further.

Li Sheng stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and asked with a smile.

"Brother Zhou, is there something you need in the county?"

Zhou An snapped out of his daze, returned the greeting, and his expression returned to normal.

"Chief Li, I have come here on the orders of the county magistrate."

"Brother Zhou, aren't you looking down on me? Just call me Li Sheng."

Seeing Li Sheng correct his pronunciation, Zhou An laughed heartily.

"Alright, Brother Li Sheng, the county magistrate requests your presence in the city; he has important matters to discuss with you."

Li Sheng frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then asked.

"Brother Zhou, do you know what important matter this is?"

Zhou An hesitated for a moment and did not answer immediately.

Li Sheng saw this and raised his hand to beckon.

"Li Feng".

Li Feng walked over, and Li Sheng whispered a few words in his ear.

He nodded, turned and left, and soon returned with a money bag, which he quietly slipped into Li Sheng's hand.

Li Sheng took the money bag and handed it over without making a sound.

"Brother Zhou, you've had a long journey. This is just a small token of my appreciation, a token of my appreciation for your tea."

Zhou An was stunned for a moment, then reached out and took it, weighing it in his hand.

It's quite heavy.

His face immediately warmed up, and he lowered his voice as he spoke.

"Brother Li Sheng, you're too kind. I've heard... that the county magistrate summoned you into the city, most likely because it's related to the Yellow Turban rebels in the north."

He paused, his voice lowering even further.

"Perhaps they want to discuss the matter of a campaign."

Li Sheng's gaze sharpened.

The government is finally about to take action.

The Yellow Turban rebels have been causing trouble in Xuzhou for quite some time now.

It's just that Xiapi County had been in a state of retreat and avoidance of war, so it was as if nothing had happened.

However, many places in the northern countryside suffered from looting by bandits.

Now that the county magistrate has summoned him into the city to discuss the matter of the campaign, it seems that the higher-ups have changed their minds.

Li Sheng clasped his hands in greeting.

"Thank you for informing me, Brother Zhou. In that case, I will prepare to go into the city to pay my respects to the county magistrate."

Zhou An saw that Li Sheng seemed to be packing his things and quickly stopped him.

"Brother Li Sheng, no need for preparations, come with me into the city immediately."

"But I don't know how to ride a horse."

Zhou An was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"It's alright. My horse is quite docile. It's still more than twenty li into the city. Walking would be too slow, and I wouldn't be able to explain it to the county magistrate."

Li Sheng looked at the horse.

It was maroon in color, not very tall, but had a sturdy frame and thick legs, and looked quite docile.

I've never ridden a horse before.

In the era of cold weapons, the importance of cavalry is self-evident, and it is imperative to establish cavalry units in the future.

So he did not refuse.

"Then I'll trouble you, Traveller."

Li Sheng easily mounted his horse.

"Hold on tight."

Zhou An gave the reins a tug, and the horse began to move forward slowly.

Li Sheng tried to feel the rhythm on the horse's back, rising and falling...

He stared intently at the road ahead, gradually forgetting his tension, which was replaced by a feeling of...exhilaration.

The horse galloped swiftly, as fast as the wind and lightning.

He suddenly understood why so many people liked riding horses.

This feeling is so much better than walking.

Zhou An observed this and was secretly amazed.

This Li Sheng brother is really quick to learn.

He didn't say much, but urged his horse onward and headed towards the county town.

Soon, Zhou An reined in his horse in front of a tall building.

Zhou An tied his horse to the hitching post in front of the gate and glanced back at Li Sheng.

Li Sheng dismounted, his movements still a bit clumsy, but much more agile than when he mounted.

"Let's go."

Zhou An said.

The two entered the county government office, walked through the blue brick-paved passageway, went around the screen wall, and arrived at the main hall.

The main hall was empty, with only a few clerks organizing documents in the side rooms.

Zhou An did not linger, but led Li Sheng through the main hall and towards the side courtyard at the back.

In the side courtyard, there were several locust trees, and under the trees, there was a stone table and several stone benches.

A middle-aged man dressed in a dark green official robe was sitting on a stone bench, holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his hands, his brows furrowed.

Zhou An stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed.

"County Commandant Chen, Chief Li Sheng has arrived."

Chen Yuan raised his head, put down the bamboo slip in his hand, and his gaze fell on Li Sheng.

Li Sheng stepped forward and clasped his hands in a salute.

"Li Sheng, the head of Siyang Township, pays his respects to County Commandant Chen."

Chen Yuan looked him up and down and nodded.

"sit."

Li Sheng sat down on the stone bench as instructed, keeping his back straight and his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Chen Yuan skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the question.

"You've been in Dongping Village for a while now. Has everything been settled at Tingyi?"

"Reporting to the county magistrate, everything has been arranged."

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

Chen Yuan asked the question casually, as if he were just going through the motions.

"Thank you for your concern, County Commandant. I am able to handle the situation and there is nothing I need to trouble you with."

Chen Yuan hummed in agreement, picked up the teacup on the stone table, took a sip, and put it down.

"Very well. I have summoned you here today because I have important matters to discuss with you."

Li Sheng sat upright and solemnly.

"Please give your instructions, County Commandant."

Chen Yuan stood up, walked to the locust tree with his hands behind his back, looked up at the dense canopy, and slowly spoke.

"The Emperor issued a decree ordering all prefectures and counties to raise troops to suppress the bandits. Qingzhou and Yanzhou were already in chaos. Although Xuzhou was temporarily stable, Governor Ba said that they could not sit idly by and watch the bandits plunder the prefectures and counties."

He turned around and his gaze fell on Li Sheng's face.

"Xiapi must respond to the governor's call and march north to suppress the Yellow Turbans. All counties must contribute troops and supplies, and our county is no exception."

Li Sheng listened quietly without responding.

Chen Yuan continued.

"The county can only mobilize two or three hundred soldiers from the prefectures and kingdoms, which is far from enough. After discussing with someone, the county magistrate decided to recruit local militia from various villages to accompany the army into battle."

He looked at Li Sheng.

"You are the newly appointed head of Siyang Township, and Siyang Township is now in your hands."

Li Sheng clasped his hands in response.

"I obey your command."

Chen Yuan paused for a moment, then continued.

"After you return, select the strongest men, and have them bring their own weapons and provisions. Gather them in the county town in three days."

After Chen Yuan finished speaking, he picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip.

Seeing Chen Yuan serve tea to see the guest off, Li Sheng suppressed his thoughts.

He was just a village head, and in the eyes of County Commandant Chen Yuan, he was nothing more than a tool to carry out orders.

"I obey your orders. I will bring the local militia to assemble in three days."

Chen Yuan nodded.

"Alright, that's all. You can go back and prepare."

Li Sheng stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and turned to leave.

Zhou An was still waiting at the courtyard gate. When he saw Li Sheng come out, he went up to greet him.

"How is Brother Li Sheng?"

"I have been ordered to conscript local militia; they are to assemble in three days."

Zhou An said "Oh" and didn't ask any more questions.

After the two left the county government office, Zhou An looked at the sky and said...

"It's getting late, Chief Li. Shall I see you off a little further?"

Recalling the impressive display of local militia gathered in Dongping Village that he had witnessed earlier that day, Zhou An decided to extend a little more goodwill to this renowned hero known for his bravery.

Li Sheng waved his hand.

"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Brother Zhou."