In Qin Feng's bewildered expression, Liu Qi, with Gongsun Zan, floated away.
Qin Feng was left pondering, unable to understand Gongsun Zan's intentions.
Did he dislike the harsh environment of Liaodong?
It didn't seem like it!
But if it wasn't about the Liaodong environment, why leave his family in Zhuo County?
"Of course, it's for a hostage!"
Li Xiuning, who returned that evening, listened to Qin Feng's account and said with amusement,
"My Lord, he's leaving his wife and children here to put your mind at ease."
"???"
"Holy shit!"
After Li Xiuning's explanation, Qin Feng suddenly understood.
What was going on?
Did he, Qin Feng, look like someone untrustworthy?
Ahem~!
Of course!
The soldiers under him were all products of the system; even if they wanted to cause trouble, they couldn't.
"My Lord, don't overthink it!"
Seeing Qin Feng's slightly displeased expression, Li Xiuning smiled and comforted him,
"This custom has existed since ancient times, and it's not something you intentionally requested."
"Besides..."
"As a general far away in Liaodong, doing this not only reassures you but also reassures himself."
"That's true~!"
Qin Feng, having understood, could only nod with a wry smile.
It was indeed so.
When ancient dynasties' emperors didn't trust their generals, they often made them leave their wives and sons in the capital.
This practice not only put the emperor's mind at ease but also the generals'.
As long as you fought well on the front lines, your wife and children would not only be safe but would live better lives than you on the frontier.
Another reason was,
if anything happened in the capital, the general would have a channel to be informed.
Regarding this,
although Qin Feng disliked it from the bottom of his heart, he didn't intend to disrupt it.
After all, it was beneficial to him, wasn't it?
Except for those truly heartless individuals, most people cared about their families.
Especially in ancient times when filial piety was paramount!
If you dared to abandon your family, you would have no place in society.
Thinking of this,
Qin Feng suddenly remembered Liu Bei. This fellow had abandoned his wife and children in battles more than once.
It was fortunate his parents died early!
Otherwise... would he run, or would he abandon them? That was a question!
...
Yuyang Commandery,
thirty li outside Anle County town, banners fluttered everywhere!
Perhaps having learned from the defeat of the Zhake'er tribe, the allied forces of the three Wuhuan commanderies chose to converge on the plains.
In the central army tent,
three burly, rough-looking foreign men were drinking and eating meat.
"Lord Nanlou, I didn't expect you to develop so well in Shanggu~!"
Qiuliju, holding a bronze wine cup, said with envy,
"Didn't they say you lost two tribes? How can you still bring fifty thousand men out?"
"Yeah~!"
Yang Ping, the leader of the Yuyang Wuhuan and the host, was also somewhat surprised,
"Lord Nanlou, we're not that far apart, why haven't we heard of you having so many people?"
"Heh heh~!"
Hearing the flattery from the two, Nanlou couldn't help but show a hint of pride on his face.
"I have to thank that fool from Zhuo Commandery!"
"Hmm?"
Qiuliju and Yang Ping exchanged glances, not quite understanding what he meant.
Seeing this,
Nanlou's smile grew even wider. He put down his wine cup and suppressed his excitement,
"You all know about the news of the Zhuo Commandery gentry being robbed a while ago, right?"
"Of course!" Qiuliju and Yang Ping nodded simultaneously.
Qin Feng used this as an excuse to start a war with them, so how could they not know?
"Then you should also know that those men were sent by my subordinates, right?"
"This..."
Qiuliju and Yang Ping looked at each other, seeming to have guessed something.
"That's right!"
Seeing their puzzled gazes, King Nanlou nodded without hiding anything.
"After those brats robbed the Zhuo Commandery gentry, they didn't go back at all. They came straight to surrender to me!"
"In other words..."
"That fool from Zhuo Commandery wasted his efforts, and it all benefited me!"
"Hahahahaha..."
"..."
Looking at King Nanlou, who was laughing heartily, Qiuliju and Yang Ping couldn't control their emotions.
Mad!
Was the bastard from Zhuo Commandery an idiot? How could such a thing happen?
That was, that was the wealth of the entire You Province!
It all went to this old fellow!
The more Qiuliju thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He grabbed the wine jar and took a big gulp.
Just as he was about to put it down,
he saw Lord Yang Ping beside him frown and stand up, saying gravely,
"Something's not right~!"
"Lord Nanlou, didn't you say that after robbing the gentry, all the goods were transported back to Zhuo Commandery?"
"Hic!"
Nanlou, holding his wine bowl, burped and waved his hand mockingly,
"That was just a rumor I deliberately spread. The gentry of You Province are not easy to deal with."
"..."
Knowing the truth, Qiuliju and Yang Ping's tears... no, their entire faces darkened.
Alright?
We treated you as a brother and traveled thousands of miles to support you in your war.
And you treat us like fools?
"Lord Nanlou~!"
Suppressing the rage in his heart, Yang Ping, with a dark expression, asked,
"So, the reason Qin Feng of Zhuo Commandery declared war was entirely aimed at your Shanggu Wuhuan, right?"
"Hmm?"
Although a bit drunk, King Nanlou was not completely intoxicated. Upon hearing this, he quickly said,
"Brother, what are you saying? We, the Wuhuan of the three commanderies, have always advanced and retreated together..."
"Together my ass!"
With a bang, Qiuliju slammed his wine cup onto the ground and gritted his teeth, shouting,
"You took all the benefits, and you have the nerve to talk about advancing together?"
"That was the wealth of the entire You Province's gentry!"
"What's the point of fighting anymore?"
"Even if we conquer the entire You Province, what will we get?"
"Whoever wants to fight can fight, I'm not fighting anymore!"
After a furious tirade, Qiuliju stormed out, slamming the door.
He was genuinely angry!
Alright?
You got the gold, silver, jewels, and manpower, and we're supposed to just have the scraps?
The problem is, there aren't even scraps now!
King Nanlou had plundered the wealth of the entire You Province's gentry. What else could they get besides some population?
Nothing!
What's more,
winter was approaching.
Their own tribesmen didn't even know what they would eat. What was the point of having so many people?
"Hey, hey..."
Seeing Qiuliju storm out, King Nanlou's expression also turned a little unpleasant.
However,
thinking that he had indeed reaped all the benefits this time, he suppressed his temper and smiled,
"Lord Yang Ping, look at how this has turned out. You can't blame me, can you?"
"Heh heh~!"
Yang Ping let out a dry chuckle and ignored Nanlou's pleas for sympathy. Instead, he asked directly,
"Lord Nanlou, how about this, you bear the military expenses this time!"
"What the heck?!"
Nanlou, who wasn't very drunk, felt the alcohol evaporate instantly.
"Impossible!"
"This is absolutely impossible!"
"They want to attack my Shanggu Wuhuan, that's true, but at worst I can retreat back to the grasslands."
"Anyway, I have money and people, you guys can face the Han dynasty yourselves!"
"You, you..."
As King Nanlou finished speaking, Yang Ping could no longer hold back.
"Since Brother Nanlou says so, then we'll just wait and see!"
"Farewell!"
"This..."
Looking at the suddenly empty tent, King Nanlou's face was filled with confusion.
What the hell is going on?