Chapter 51: Words Are Hard to Move

After Liu Qi left, Hei Xiong and Gan Ning led their troops into Zhuyang City.

More than a hundred horses were grazing in the western suburbs, attracting nearby people to come and see.

In Zhuyang City, the only cow was slaughtered.

The black bear observed from close up, watching Xu Lin and the others cutting the meat.

After removing the bones, offal, head and four hooves of Jiang Ji's cart ox, the net meat was over 730 jin.

Black Bear took one tenderloin for himself and divided the other one among five people, including Liu Ye, Xu Lin, Xuan Liang, etc. The remaining meat was divided into two portions, one for Gan Ning's troops and the other for the men and women who came on the ship.

Even if one person can only eat one bite, it is still a meaningful thing.

As dusk approached, Gan Ning accepted the invitation to the banquet after settling his troops.

Black Bear's temporary residence was a villa borrowed from a wealthy family in the county. When Gan Ning arrived, he saw two white-robed armored soldiers holding spears standing in front of the gate like statues.

The white-robed soldier was wearing a bronze mask. Gan Ning stopped to take a few more looks at him and found it very unusual that he could not even sense the other party's breathing rhythm.

After entering the gate, Gan Ning was led by Xuan Liang to the gate of the small courtyard where the black bear lived. There were two armored soldiers in white robes and holding halberds, still wearing bronze masks, like statues.

Gan Ning still failed to observe the emotional fluctuations of these two people, and felt even more uneasy.

When he entered the courtyard, he saw the unusually tall armored soldier holding a halberd standing in the corridor. He had a majestic posture, and the shape of the Fang Tian Halberd in his hand was the first time Gan Ning had seen it in his life.

You know this thing is heavy, like an axe, and the damage it causes by chopping is far greater than anything else.

"Mr. Gan, please."

Xuan Liang bent down and stretched out his arms, guiding Gan Ning in front of the door.

Gan Ning frowned slightly. According to common sense, the black bear, as the owner, should have gone out of the house to greet him.

There is no requirement for him to look good at the main gate, the courtyard gate, or the door of the house.

He was not one to stick to these etiquettes, he just felt a little uncomfortable with them.

Gan Ning paused for a moment and glanced at Lü Bu, who was standing with his halberd on his hips. He followed Xuan Liang into the room and walked three or four steps. He asked in a low voice, "Marquis Xuan, who is this warrior?"

I am amazed that there is such a brave man in the world, and I am even more surprised that such a brave man would serve as a guard for the black bear in obscurity.

"Gan Jun will know later."

Xuan Liang led Gan Ning into the main hall. After turning the screen, they saw Black Bear lying in front of the table, drawing with a pen. It was another map drawn on a wooden tablet.

This map has thick and thin arrows drawn on it, so you can see at a glance the direction of the war in each state.

Black Bear was concentrating on drawing. He stopped drawing when he noticed two people entering the inner hall. He stood up and said to Gan Ning, "Mr. Gan, come and take a look at this."

"Yes."

Gan Ning was also curious. He took a few steps closer and saw clearly at a glance that there was a thin arrow pointing from Xinye to Xudu. He pointed and asked, "Is it Liu Yuzhou?"

"Well, two years ago, Liu Yuzhou and the general made an alliance to attack Cao Cao from both sides."

Black Bear put the brush back, wiped his hands with a towel, and stood in front of the wooden tablet and narrated: "The general is seriously ill and about to die. Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao has assembled a large army in Chenliu, intending to take advantage of the situation and attack Hebei."

"In order to reduce the pressure of defense, Hebei has sent a messenger to pay a visit to Liu Yuzhou. As the saying goes, the lips and teeth are cold. Liu Yuzhou has an alliance and has soldiers from Hebei and Runan under his command. He will wait for an opportunity to march north."

Black Bear smiled and said, "I have been with Liu Qi these past few days, and I can guess his father's character to some extent. This father and son are indeed self-defending thieves, why would they send reinforcements to Liu Yuzhou? I think even if we gain something in this battle, it will be difficult to enter Xu."

After that, he paused and smiled: "Perhaps Liu Yuzhou has the possibility of entering Xu, but Liu Biao will never let Liu Yuzhou enter Xu. He might even do something to cut off the source of trouble."

Gan Ning listened with a serious expression, which was consistent with his understanding of Liu Biao.

If Liu Bei really advances smoothly and has the possibility of launching a surprise attack on Xu Du, it is possible that Liu Biao will really cause trouble and hinder his progress.

Xu Du is too important. If Liu Bei captures Xu Du, the Xu Du court will immediately issue an edict to attack Cao Cao. Many of Cao’s officers and hostages are in Xu Du, and Cao’s army will collapse in an instant.

Liu Bei, the Left General and Governor of Yuzhou, holds a very important position in the court of Xudu.

If the officials of the Xudu court were given a choice, they would naturally prefer to cooperate with Liu Bei, who was strict in military discipline and never massacred people in cities or killed surrendered soldiers.

Black Bear said with regret: "This is destined to be a battle between flowers in the mirror and the moon in the water. With Liu Yuzhou's intelligence, he will never make things difficult for Liu Biao."

Gan Ning was puzzled: "Isn't Captain Hei going to help Liu Yuzhou in the Northern Expedition?"

"I do have this intention, and I would like to invite Lord Gan to give it a try. You and I can work together and recruit more people to get 500 elite soldiers. You and I are different from the armies under Liu Biao. If we cooperate with Liu Yuzhou in the Northern Expedition, these 500 people will be very effective."

Black Bear pointed at Guanzhong with his right hand and said, "If the Northern Expedition does not go smoothly, I will enter Guanzhong before the autumn rain in August to harass the south of Chang'an. I hope to capture and kill Zhong Yao in one fell swoop. If I cannot, I will also disturb his rear and cooperate with Bingzhou troops to attack Hedong."

"Hedong is the gateway to Guanzhong. If Zhong Yao loses Hedong, the leaders of Guanzhong will change."

Black Bear turned his head to look at Gan Ning's rough profile: "I would like to invite Mr. Gan to follow Liu Yuzhou to the Northern Expedition, and wait for an opportunity to go to Xudu to do something big. After returning to Nanyang, you and I will go to Guanzhong to create a foundation."

Gan Ning frowned and looked back at Black Bear: "Captain Black, you are joking. How could I have the ability to penetrate into Xudu and return safely?"

"Mr. Gan, please don't be so hasty to refuse. Please come into the inner room and listen to my detailed discussion."

"Let me just listen to your words."

Gan Ning looked unhappy. Although he had not been happy living in Jingzhou these years, he still had a wife and children and a family. He had more than 200 warriors who had entrusted their lives to him. How could he sell them at a low price?
But he felt that Black Bear's evaluation of Liu Biao and his son was very insightful. It was indeed difficult and hopeless to make a name for himself by staying in Jingzhou.

From the side door, we came to the inner room, where there was a brazier burning with charcoal. Zhen Mi had her long hair tied behind her head and was fiddling with the sliced ​​pork tenderloin with long chopsticks.

As soon as Gan Ning came in, he saw Zhen Mi, who was wearing a loose green brocade robe, standing sideways. He was stunned and looked at the black bear again.

The black bear was a little over six feet tall and looked like a young boy. This pretty girl couldn't possibly be the black bear's legal wife.

Zhen Mi put down her chopsticks and bowed her head to the black bear, "My dear."

"I'll entertain Mr. Gan, you go and do your own thing."

"Yes, I'll take my leave." Zhen Mi bowed slightly, then turned to where Gan Ning was, bowed slightly, and then turned back to the bedroom.

Black Bear motioned Gan Ning to come forward and take a seat, and he picked up the chopsticks to grill the pork tenderloin slices.

As soon as it changed color slightly, he took it out. Gan Ning also picked up another pair of chopsticks, and Xuan Liang brought up the steamed rice.

While eating the tenderloin slices, Black Bear said, "At the beginning of March this year, I led a group of people and killed the county commander. Within a few months, I plundered merchant ships from Jiangdong in Xiaoxian County, and used their identities to travel through Huaishui and Yingshui to Langdangqu. During this period, I also visited Xudu and visited Laozi Temple and Wenhou Tomb before returning."

"When I passed through Yu County, Chenliu, I kidnapped Yuan Huan, the prime minister of Liang State, and attracted Cao's army to intercept me. However, I sailed against the current and broke through their fortress at night. Cao Cao came out of the camp to supervise the battle, but he could not do anything to me."

As he spoke, he raised his chin to signal Gan Ning to look at Xuan Liang who was eating at the side, and continued, "Mr. Xuan was an assistant to General Xu Kun of Jiangdong. I captured him and used him. When I passed by Cao's camp, I killed and dispersed the Lujiang soldiers under Liu Xun, the governor of Henei, and captured his strategist Liu Ziyang of Huainan, who is now my chief secretary."

"After arriving in Hebei, I hit it off with Yuan Jizhou and was deeply trusted by him. So I took the risk to return to the Central Plains, crossing the Yangtze River and the Huai River, and was able to transport the fine horses and heavy armor to Jingzhou."

Black Bear looked at Gan Ning and said seriously, "What I experienced in the past two months is more wonderful and brilliant than what an ordinary person experiences in two years. Even if I die, I have no regrets."

"I have heard of Jinfan's heroic name since I was young. Now I invite Mr. Gan to join me in this great cause. I cannot bear to see Mr. Gan's heroic talent go to waste!"

Gan Ning remained silent and looked depressed.

Your admirer is better than you, and you also embarrass yourself in front of your admirer.

The embarrassment and resentment are hard to describe in words.

After hesitating for a moment, Gan Ning asked in a muffled voice: "How did you manage to travel around the Central Plains, Hebei, Jianghuai, and even Jingxiang in just two months?"

"I have a special skill that allows me to see at night, so I can sail day and night. The guards of Hejin in the Central Plains are useless to me."

Now Gan Ning believed it a little. It was normal and reasonable for Black Bear to take two months to complete the water route that the others took more than three months to complete.

However, Gan Ning had many concerns about going to Guanzhong, so he said, "The internal strife among the people in Hebei is known to the world. How can a poor scholar from Yizhou be in the eyes of Yuan?"

"Mr. Gan is wrong. You and I went to Guanzhong to start our own business, not to become Yuan's lackeys."

The black bear gestured to Gan Ning to taste the beef tenderloin, and he also ate a small piece of the tender tenderloin that was cooked well. This might be the first time this body had eaten beef.

I just feel the aroma of beef is so rich, chewing it slowly makes my mouth water.

After swallowing, he continued, "If the world is settled as quickly as it was at the end of the Qin Dynasty and during the Xinmang period, you and I will have no chance. But if we fight for a hundred years, then it's time for you and me!"

Gan Ning tasted the tenderloin and still refused: "Guanzhong is in decline, which is not the foundation for hegemony. And my warriors are good at water battles, not cavalry battles, I am afraid they will have trouble adapting to the climate and soil of Guanzhong."

"If you don't go to Guanzhong, does Gan Jun fall in love with Sun Quan of Jiangdong?"

Black Bear asked back, and seeing that Gan Ning did not deny it, he said: "The power of Jiangdong today is all left by Sun Bofu, not Sun Quan. If Lord Gan is attentive, you will understand that Jingzhou will follow the footsteps of Hebei in the future, and there will be troubles of brothers fighting each other. This is because the well-dressed families in the territory are powerful, and the big families in Jiangdong are not much behind."

"Today's Hebei, tomorrow's Jingzhou, the day after tomorrow's Jiangdong."

"If Sun Bofu were still alive, I would have fled to Jiangdong long ago. Why would I come here?"

"In the north, Cao Cao viewed Liu Biao as a self-defending thief, and Sun Quan was not much different from Liu Biao."

"That's all I have to say. I hope you will think twice before you speak."

After saying that, Black Bear continued to roast the tenderloin slices in the brazier.

The charcoal brazier was covered with a layer of charcoal and two layers of pebbles on top. The thinly sliced ​​pork tenderloin was placed on the smooth pebbles and turned left and right until it changed color slightly. Black Bear picked it up, dipped it in a little fine salt powder, mixed it with rice, and put it into his mouth.

Gan Ning, however, did not have such a good appetite. He was in a heavy mood. Although he was frying meat and eating with big mouthfuls, he could not feel the joy of eating meat.

Black Bear was somewhat disappointed. After finishing his meal, he sent the depressed Gan Ning out the door.

In front of the gate, it was dark and only a torch was burning.

When they said goodbye, Black Bear grabbed Gan Ning's hand and said, "Mr. Gan, do you know why I use the name White Goose as my nickname?"

"Appreciate further details."

"Mr. Gan, please take a look."

The black bear raised his right hand in front of Gan Ning. Under the dim light of the torch, a fist-sized gosling with golden down appeared in the black bear's hand.

Gan Ning looked carefully, and the goslings were gone again.

In the blink of an eye, it turned into a gosling weighing two or three pounds that was about to change its hard feathers, and soon disappeared, turning into an adult goose with a completely white body.

The big white goose flashed and disappeared twice, and finally turned into an extremely large big white goose, which was held heavily in the black bear's arms.

Gan Ning stared at the white goose, his eyes reflecting it: "What is this?"

"Illusion, I sincerely invite Mr. Gan to start a business together, not to be a lackey of Yuan's family."

As Black Bear was speaking, Gan Ning turned his head to look at the Taoist soldier in white robe and leather armor standing at the door with a halberd in his hand. He frowned and asked, "What is this again?"

"There is a magic spell called scattering beans into soldiers. This is the divine weapon I trained to protect the way."

"This... do the Five Pecks of Rice Sect and the Taiping Sect have such a strange technique?"

Gan Ning boldly stepped forward and reached out to touch the white-robed armored soldier, grabbing the unarmored part of his arm, and sure enough, he felt it was hard and cold.

Looking back at the black bear, Gan Ning saw that the big white goose in the black bear's arms suddenly disappeared.

The smell of geese in the air also disappeared.

"Zhang Jiao has some unusual skills, I wonder how much Zhang Lu has learned."

Black Bear's tone was uncertain. He said to Gan Ning, "After I meet Liu Yuzhou, if nothing unexpected happens, we will march to Wankou to join the battle. I hope Mr. Gan can make a decision soon. If you go with me, I will spend all the money I have to help Mr. Gan recruit warriors."

Gan Ning nodded slightly and asked, "At this point, do I still have a choice?"

The two looked at each other and laughed together.

(End of this chapter)