novelSusiti Chapter 53 The Fierce General Wen Chou and the Recruitment of Talented Individuals
Chapter 53 The Fierce General Wen Chou and the Recruitment of Talented Individuals
Last year, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and the population of Jizhou decreased sharply. The fields were abandoned and overgrown with weeds, with reeds and rushes growing wildly to a height of more than a person. Even along the official roads, wild grasses reached knee-high, and weeds stretched to the horizon.
These desolate places, where ordinary farmers dare not venture alone, have become a paradise for tigers, leopards, and wolves. Tigers and leopards from the mountains of Zhongshan and Changshan roam down the Zhang River, appearing among abandoned villages and overgrown reeds, and often injuring people and eating livestock.
During the winter months, several surrendered soldiers in the garrison were injured by tigers. In response, Tian Feng ordered all the garrison areas to light bonfires and beat gongs around their camps to drive away wild beasts.
Are there really brave warriors who can chase tigers across streams and hunt down tigers and leopards? And even fight Zhang Fei to a draw?
Liu Bei immediately perked up and said, "This man is surely a match for ten thousand men! Quickly invite this brave warrior to come and meet me."
Zhang Fei, righteous and capable, immediately turned around excitedly and walked away into the distance. Before long, he led a man to Liu Bei.
The man was eight feet seven inches tall, with a tiger-like body and a thick beard. He was also wearing a tiger-skin robe, and he was truly fierce!
With such strength and vigor, it's no wonder he could chase a tiger across a ravine!
Judging from the tiger-skin robe he was wearing, he must have killed more than just one or two tigers and leopards!
Upon seeing Liu Bei, the man solemnly clasped his hands in greeting and spoke in a booming voice: "I am Wen Chou from Hejian, courtesy name Zheng Yan. I have long admired Lord Liu's reputation for benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and courage. It is truly an honor to meet you today."
Wen Chou!?
That valiant general from Hebei who was praised by Kong Rong as the bravest in the army?
During the Battle of Guandu in history, when the Hebei army marched south, Kong Rong said to Xun Yu: "Yuan Shao has vast territory and a strong army. Tian Feng and Xu You are wise and resourceful men, and they will advise him; Shen Pei and Feng Ji are loyal ministers, and they will be in charge of his affairs; Yan Liang and Wen Chou are the bravest in the army, and they will command his troops—will it not be easy to defeat him?"
Don't let Xun Yu's later rebuttals mislead you; Xun Yu was just trying to boost the morale of the entire camp.
In fact, Kong Rong's assessment was extremely accurate.
Tian Feng, Xu You, Shen Pei, and Feng Ji were all outstanding figures of their time, the best in Hebei.
It was Yuan Shao's indecisiveness and lack of decisiveness that led to the defeat at the Battle of Guandu.
Even though the Battle of Guandu resulted in the loss of 80,000 men, it was not a major issue for Yuan Shao, who controlled four provinces in Hebei.
At that time, Yuan Shao was only fifty-four years old. If he had a better mindset, he could have retreated to Hebei, regrouped, and regained his strength in no more than three to five years.
The defeats at the Battle of Red Cliffs and the Battle of Yiling dealt a blow to the Wei and Shu camps no less severe than that at the Battle of Guandu.
Unfortunately, Yuan Shao lacked magnanimity, and soon after his defeat, he died in frustration.
That's why the famous ministers and generals of Hebei seem somewhat less illustrious.
It can be said that if Yuan Shao had even half the talent of Liu Xiu, these civil and military officials from Hebei would have been enough to help him sweep across the world and cleanse the land.
Yan Liang and Wen Chou were undoubtedly capable military leaders who were the bravest in Hebei at the time.
Moreover, unlike in the novel, Wen Chou was not killed by Guan Yu.
Historically, Wen Chou was defeated by Cao Cao and Xun You's scheme to lure the enemy.
To be honest, among the generals of the late Han Dynasty, apart from Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, and Lu Xun, probably none of them could have remained undefeated when facing the combined forces of Cao Cao and Xun You.
After all, Cao Cao, this ruthless and ambitious figure, was romantic as he may have been, which led to a multitude of defeats. However, when he listened to advice and employed the strategies of his strategists and advisors, he was truly invincible.
Liu Bei recognized his ability to be a first-rate general!
Liu Bei immediately stepped forward to help Wen Chou up, displaying the most stunning and powerful aura of a Han dynasty warrior. Holding Wen Chou's arms, he said, "Your bravery and strength are unmatched, even by the ancient heroes Meng Ben and Xia Yu."
"Now that the Han Dynasty is in turmoil, it is the time for heroes to display their prowess. Although I am not talented, I have the ambition to bring peace to the world and I need a fierce general like you to assist me."
"Would you be willing to serve as the cavalry commander in my army, leading the iron cavalry alongside Guan Yu and Zhao Yun?"
In this world today, who could refuse the invitation from the succubus of the Han Dynasty to restore the Han Dynasty?
Liu Bei, in particular, is a renowned figure in the world today. His loyalty, bravery, military strategy, integrity, ambition, and even future prospects are all top-notch in this era.
Wen Chou was overjoyed and immediately knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, my lord. I am willing to serve you with the utmost loyalty!"
Liu Bei smiled and helped Wen Chou up. With that, his iron cavalry force was now fully formed!
The commander-in-chief is Guan Yu, a famous general of the time!
Liu Bei had great faith in his talent for training troops, and was certain that he could train a world-renowned cavalry force for him!
The cavalry commanders were Zhao Yun, the Left Cavalry Commander, and Wen Chou, the Right Cavalry Commander.
In addition, eight other valiant generals, including Zhou Cang, Xiahou Lan, Yan Rou, Nan Lou, Gao Huan, Zhang Nan, Han Jing, and Wang Tong, served as cavalry commanders of one hundred men each.
Zhou Cang was exceptionally brave, perhaps no less so than Wen Chou. Yet, despite his prowess, he was only appointed as a centurion in the Jingse Iron Cavalry. This glimpse into the Jingse Iron Cavalry's fighting strength reveals just how formidable they were.
Then Liu Bei looked at Zhang Fei and said with a smile, "Third brother, you've come at the right time. Tell me about your training of troops."
Zhang Fei laughed heartily upon hearing this, and his elder brother naturally doted on him immensely.
The eldest brother's troops consisted of only two thousand elite infantry and cavalry, and he commanded half of them!
After the war, he became the commander of the Gengshi Battalion, leading a full thousand elite soldiers of the Gengshi Battalion!
These soldiers were all among the Yellow Turban surrendered soldiers, known for their exceptional strength, bravery, and skill in battle. Furthermore, their armor and weapons were all exquisitely crafted and well-prepared.
But how to train them into the elite of the world, that was Zhang Fei's responsibility.
He immediately pointed to the Gengshi Camp army formation training in the distance. The soldiers were all covered in black armor and crimson military robes. They changed formations with the drumbeats, sometimes square, sometimes round, sometimes advancing, sometimes retreating, their steps neat and thunderous.
Then he said to Liu Bei, "Brother, look, in my Gengshi camp, the units of ten and five are different from other units. Each unit has six men, with one squad leader and five soldiers."
"Among them, there was one squad leader, carrying a long spear, with a ring-pommel sword at his waist and a hook-shaped armband; and five foot soldiers, one carrying a shield and a long spear, two carrying long halberds, and two carrying powerful bows and crossbows, equipped with ring-pommel swords and large clubs. Each squad could form an independent unit and fight alone."
"Each squad is also assigned an axe-wielder, specifically tasked with breaking through enemy lines and destroying strongholds."
"In times of battle, archers and crossbowmen can be deployed to each squad. Each squad has four archers and crossbowmen, and a garrison has more than forty archers and crossbowmen, which is no less than an ordinary arrow formation."
Liu Bei nodded and said that the principles of battle formations have always been interconnected.
The Six-Flower Formation of Li Jing in the Tang Dynasty, the Mandarin Duck Formation of Qi Jiguang in the Ming Dynasty, and the more widespread Three Talents Formation (both large and small) are all largely the same.
Although Zhang Fei's formation was slightly different from that of other famous generals, it was adapted to local conditions and could better bring out the fierce characteristics of the Gengshi Camp soldiers!
Liu Bei then smiled and said, "Excellent! Third Brother's formation has grasped the essence of swiftness and agility. It is based on units of ten or five, with two units forming a formation, and the left and right sides are linked. It can fight independently, but it can also coordinate and form a powerful force, which is in line with the military principle of 'the interplay of the orthodox and the unorthodox'."
"Since it was created by my third brother, how about we name it 'Blazing Flower Formation'? The peach tree is in full bloom, its blossoms are dazzling, which means it is as fierce as fire and can destroy enemies."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei was overjoyed and said, "The peach blossoms are wonderful; they perfectly match the spirit of our Peach Garden."
He looked back at the elite force he had personally built. From afar, their black armor gleamed in the sun, their crimson robes shone brightly, truly resembling the magnificent and splendid scene described in the Book of Songs as "bright and dazzling."
Then Zhang Fei continued, "Brother, there are more than just this elite force in Gengshi's camp."
He then pointed to the firing range, where three hundred elite soldiers were lined up, each with thick, muscular arms.
"Brother, look! These three hundred men were all handpicked from among the surrendered soldiers! Only those who can draw a three-stone crossbow are allowed to enter this camp!"
Three-stone crossbow?
Liu Bei immediately ordered someone to bring a crossbow. It had a bronze frame and an iron arm, a towering height, and a thick blade, making it a whole size larger than an ordinary crossbow.
Zhang Fei explained, "Brother, the three-stone crossbow is the pinnacle of infantry crossbows. Ordinary arm-drawn crossbows have a draw weight of only one and a half to two stones, but the foot-drawn crossbow is drawn by stepping on the string, which doubles the force. This crossbow requires 360 jin of force to draw—only those with extraordinary strength can fully draw the string."
"These three hundred men, each positioned at the front of the battle line, carried a fully drawn crossbow with fifty arrows, all with three-edged iron arrowheads. When the enemy charged to the front, the three ranks would take turns firing in rapid succession, each arrow hitting its mark. Even the enemy, clad in heavy iron armor, could not withstand these three-stone crossbow bolts!"
This is the arrow formation that Liu Bei valued most!
The advantage of his iron cavalry could only be fully realized after he occupied Youzhou, Bingzhou, Liangzhou, and other places. If he were in the Central Plains or the south, without warhorses, his iron cavalry might only number eight hundred.
But arrow formations are different. With proper training, even south of the Yangtze River, a powerful crossbow force can be trained.
With ten thousand crossbowmen arrayed in an arrow formation, even if the enemy had several thousand heavily armored cavalry, they would not dare to charge rashly. Otherwise, they would surely suffer heavy casualties.
Liu Bei then patted Zhang Fei on the back and laughed, "With a tiger general like my third brother leading the army, I know that the Gengshi Camp will surely become a formidable force in the world!"
Zhang Fei also had left and right commanders under his command. Among them, the left commander, Cheng Pu, was a famous general. The right commander, Qian Zhao, was a close friend of Liu Bei and a bulwark of Cao Wei's empire in the north, defending against the Wuhuan and Xianbei.
In addition to the three hundred crossbowmen under Zhang Fei's command, Tian Yu also trained two hundred archers.
Archers are difficult to train, but once trained, their combat power surpasses that of crossbowmen.
For example, Wang Shunchen, a famous general of the Song Dynasty, was renowned for his archery skills. He followed Zhong Pu in the campaign against the Western Xia. When the commander-in-chief was ambushed and killed, Wang Shunchen stood alone behind the defeated army.
The pursuing troops numbered over ten thousand Qiang cavalry, with seven men on horseback leading the charge.
Wang Shunchen thought that this must be the most cunning of the Qiang chieftains, and if he did not kill him first, his army would surely be wiped out.
He then declared, "I command the first to go to the front to wear a flower between their eyebrows."
Three arrows were drawn and three men fell, all struck in the face.
The remaining four men ran in the opposite direction, and an arrow pierced their backs.
Ten thousand cavalrymen dared not advance from Eyi, thus allowing Wang Shunchen to organize his troops.
A short while later, the Qiang returned.
From late afternoon to late afternoon, Wang Shunchen fired over a thousand arrows, none of which missed. His finger split, and blood flowed down to his elbow.
At dusk, they finally managed to cross the narrow pass. The soldiers were demoralized and dared not speak of fighting again.
It can be said that the potential of a powerful bow far exceeds that of a powerful crossbow.
Tian Yu's two hundred-plus men were the most elite professional archers in Liu Bei's army.
With a strong army, Liu Bei naturally had no shortage of fierce generals and scholars under his command.
Last year, when Liu Bei escorted his mentor Lu Zhi to Chang'an and became famous throughout the land, he predicted that a group of scholars and heroes from Hebei would join his ranks.
And it came true last winter.
At that time, because he predicted the border troubles of Liangzhou in the Ministry of Personnel and remonstrated with his life in Xiaquyang to save 170,000 surrendered soldiers, Liu Xuande's name had spread throughout Hebei.
In Youji, people of all social standing, whether from humble backgrounds or powerful families, considered it an honor to be acquainted with Liu Bei.
For example, the most famous one is Cui Yan!
Cui Yan, courtesy name Ji Gui, came from the Cui clan of Qinghe.
Although the Cui family of Qinghe was not as prominent as the Cui family of Boling at this time, they had been officials for generations and were a major family in Hebei.
Cui Yan was quite similar to Liu Bei in his youth—he loved swordsmanship and martial arts, neglected classical studies, and was regarded as a playboy by the elders in his village.
At the age of twenty-three, he was elected as the head of the village and began to feel the responsibility on his shoulders. He then realized his mistake, turned to learning, and studied the Analects and the Book of Poetry day and night. In just a few years, he became known in the village for his scholarship.
He braved the wind and snow to visit, having heard of Liu Bei's deeds. Liu Bei had once indulged in sensual pleasures, but after diligently studying, he achieved remarkable merit, becoming famous throughout the land and a renowned scholar. Therefore, he traveled hundreds of miles to seek his guidance.
Liu Bei valued this wise man highly. Historically, he was upright and honest, and when he rectified the court, the administration became much cleaner.
As a result, Cao Cao became wary of him and wanted to kill him, but he couldn't find a reason to do so. In the end, he was executed for "slandering and defaming in his heart".
Whenever Liu Bei thought of this, he felt even more disgusted with Cao Cao.
Therefore, Liu Bei warmly invited Cui Yan to stay in the camp.
When Cui Yan asked him to write a letter recommending him to study under Zheng Xuan, Liu Bei persuaded him to stay, saying, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."
Cui Yan is currently studying under Tian Feng. If Liu Bei becomes governor or prefect in the future, he will appoint Cui Yan as his aide.
Besides aristocratic scions like Cui Yan, there were many more impoverished youths and wandering knights from the border regions who came seeking his services, often carrying daggers.
The so-called "tossing a letter" refers to writing one's name, place of origin, and reason for visiting on a wooden or bamboo slip and then throwing it at the gate of the government office.
Liu Bei's current trajectory is vastly different from that of his historical predecessor.
Before he became the Left General, he was known throughout the land primarily as a military general in the border regions.
At this time, Liu Bei was more like a scholar with a renowned reputation throughout the land, whose integrity had been established and who was well-known throughout the country.
Therefore, people flocked to the gate of the camp every day, sending their apologies in an endless stream, and long queues often formed outside the gate.
Jian Yong appointed a special clerk to collect visiting cards and register them one by one.
Zhang Fei often joked, "Brother, this camp is even more bustling than the governor's mansion."
This is absolutely true!
Despite both Liu Bei and Huangfu Song being renowned figures, they were viewed very differently by scholars. In most people's eyes, Huangfu Song's background was more similar to Liu Bei's—both were simply from military families.
Therefore, the number of scholars and heroes who sought refuge with Liu Bei far exceeded that of Huangfu Song's prefectures.
Among these impoverished youths and local heroes who submitted their credentials, there were many famous generals and virtuous ministers.
For example, Zhu Ling, a man from Yu County in Qinghe State, was skilled in using a long halberd and was strong and disciplined. He once served as the bandit clerk in the county, but resigned due to dissatisfaction with the county's corruption. Upon hearing that Liu Bei was recruiting soldiers for land reclamation, he gladly led his men to join him.
Liu Bei tested his martial arts skills. He fired three arrows in succession, each one hitting the target. He also sparred with Zhao Yun while holding a halberd. Although he was no match for Zhao Yun's silver spear, he was still able to hold out for more than thirty rounds.
More importantly, he was honest and authoritative, excellent in commanding troops and supervising the masses, and had outstanding military strategy. He was a good general like Gao Shun.
Tian Feng said to Liu Bei, "This man is quite methodical in his use of troops; he is no ordinary brave man and is capable of great responsibilities."
Liu Bei then kept him in the camp, appointing him as the commander of the Daredevil Battalion. This was the most elite battalion among the foot soldiers, comparable to the Jingse Iron Cavalry among the cavalry.
Therefore, he was overjoyed and full of vigor, and the training results were remarkable.
In addition, there was Feng Fu from Xindu, Anping, who learned medicine from a young age and studied under the county's medical officer. He sent his credentials to request to join the medical officer's office.
Liu Bei tested Feng Fu's medical skills and, seeing that he could prescribe medicine effectively and skillfully, ordered him to assist the medical officer in treating wounded soldiers. Feng Fu lived up to expectations and cured dozens of wounded and surrendered soldiers in just over a month.
There was also Fan Shu, courtesy name Xiubo, from Fanyang in Weijun. He was renowned for his literary talent, excelling in writing rhymed prose and his words flowed smoothly. He became famous in Yecheng at a young age.
He arrived carrying dozens of volumes of prose and poetry, and said to Liu Bei, "Please forgive me for using my pen to write proclamations and edicts for Your Excellency."
Liu Bei then appointed him to be in charge of drafting documents, making him and Jian Yong the army's scribes.
More than ten others, including Xue Ti from Dong'e in Dongjun and Geng Wu from Beihai, came to join us, some with guests and some alone, each with their own talents.
Xue Ti was a man of practical talent who assisted Liu Bei in establishing agricultural settlements, encouraging the people to engage in agriculture and sericulture, and promoting good morals.
Geng Wu was skilled in criminal law and could recite the Han Dynasty law by heart. He volunteered to handle criminal cases and military law in the army. Xiahou Lan was still recovering from an arrow wound and needed someone to share the burden, so Liu Bei appointed Zhao Yan as the military law officer to share the responsibility of managing military criminal law with Xiahou Lan.
Thus, by the time spring arrived and flowers bloomed, Liu Bei's forces were no longer what they had been the previous year.
It was truly a gathering of talented individuals! Among the civil officials were Tian Feng, Cui Yan, Jian Yong, and Fan Shu; among the military officials were Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Wen Chou, Cheng Pu, Zhou Cang, and Zhu Ling; and among the officials in charge of land reclamation were Xue Ti and Liu Deran. The headquarters was beginning to take shape.
Tian Feng smiled and said to Liu Bei, "The reputation you built up last year has borne fruit this year. However, this is only the beginning. Given time, heroes from all over the world will surely flock to you."