Chapter 6

Sitting in the hall, Zhang Hao opened his backpack again and said to Huang Zhong,

"Huang Brother, I have a favor to ask. I’m currently penniless, so I need some money. However, I don’t know anyone here, so I have to trouble you to help me sell some things."

"Zigao, saying such things makes it seem like you look down on me. Not to mention the fees for treating Xu'er, even if you call me brother, if you need anything, I will help you out," Huang Zhong frowned, somewhat complaining.

"Huang Brother, don’t misunderstand. Of course, I wouldn’t be formal with you, and I know you will help me. But I have other intentions, so please understand," Zhang Hao smiled. In this era, people placed great importance on righteousness, and many would even abandon their family businesses for it.

It was only natural for someone as generous and open as Huang Zhong to react this way.

As he spoke, Zhang Hao took out some items from his backpack, including two bottles of glass-encased Erguotou liquor, some glass cups, a few small plastic mirrors, and two crystal artworks shaped like the zodiac signs of the ox and the rooster. The labels had been removed from these items.

Actually, there were other things in the backpack, such as a lighter, a watch, and a music box. But after some thought, Zhang Hao decided that the items he had already taken out were enough.

Although Nanyang Commandery, as the hometown of the imperial family, had always received support from the Han emperors and was known for its wealth throughout the Han Dynasty,

these items, which were absolute treasures for this era, did not need to be taken out in large quantities. Not only would it be dangerous, but it would also make these 'treasures' seem less valuable.

Seeing the items Zhang Hao took out, Huang Zhong couldn’t help but look at them with a side glance. Having been somewhat accustomed to the medicines Zhang Hao had shown him, he didn’t lose his composure. After all, Zhang Hao, who seemed like a god or some other mysterious being, was still there.

"Huang Brother, these two bottles are strong liquor. Last night you invited me to drink, today it’s my turn to return the favor. Try them later. This mirror is for your sister-in-law to use for her makeup. And these are some tokens of my gratitude as a brother."

As he spoke, Zhang Hao placed the two bottles of Erguotou on one side. The glass cups, a more exquisite mirror, and the crystal ox were also placed on one side.

"Huang Brother, don’t refuse. These are just objects, and they can’t compare to the bond between us. Besides, these things are easy for me to obtain. I won’t be formal with you, and I hope you won’t be formal with me either," Zhang Hao said earnestly.

He was indeed thinking of using these cheap items to win Huang Zhong’s favor, which was a very good deal.

Huang Zhong, who had originally intended to refuse, was left speechless upon hearing this.

"Alright, then I’ll accept them with a guilty conscience," Huang Zhong, being a generous person, didn’t dwell on it.

"Zigao, whatever you want to do, just let me know if you need anything."

After saying this, Huang Zhong pointed at the glass items, somewhat embarrassed, "These can all be considered family heirlooms, and their prices are hard to determine. Also, if we just exchange them for coins, the amount might be large and not easy to carry."

"A few coins will be enough. I don’t have much use for them right now. I mainly want to exchange these for gold and jade," Zhang Hao explained, choosing gold and jade because they would be easier to sell in the modern world.

As for antiques, well, without the passage of time, they couldn’t be called antiques, at most high-quality imitations.

And wild animals and plants, while more abundant in this era, would be too troublesome to bring back and sell.

As he spoke, Zhang Hao suddenly thought of something that might be even easier to sell.

"By the way, Huang Brother, if the other party has wild ginseng that has been around for a long time, that would be even better," Zhang Hao added.

In the modern world, wild ginseng that has been around for a long time is rarely seen, as it is usually kept by the powerful for emergencies. Even ordinary wild ginseng is expensive, and long-aged wild ginseng is even more valuable. With the severe land development and worsening natural environment, the number of wild ginseng plants has drastically decreased. This is in stark contrast to the dense vegetation and natural forest-like conditions of the Three Kingdoms era.

Because of its rarity and the fact that it is often bought for life-saving purposes, it would be easy to sell, and there shouldn’t be any problems.

Other wild herbs are similar, but Zhang Hao felt that they wouldn’t fetch a high price in the modern world, so he didn’t choose them.

Seeing that Zhang Hao had no other instructions, Huang Zhong didn’t waste words. He immediately had someone bring a box and carefully placed the glass items inside, lining them with soft padding. After giving some instructions, he left the estate outside the city with a few strong servants.

It was still night in the modern world, and Zhang Hao had just woken up, so he didn’t return.

Xie Yang and two other mysterious guards who had been instructed by Huang Zhong to follow Zhang Hao’s orders were nearby. Zhang Hao decided to have them take him around the estate and its surroundings.

From Xie Yang, Zhang Hao learned about Huang Zhong’s experiences in recent years, satisfying his curiosity.

Huang Zhong had been a famous brave warrior since his youth, having joined the army and fought against the barbarians on the frontier. It’s easy to imagine that with Huang Zhong’s prowess, he quickly stood out and eventually reached the position of a military commander, which was no small feat for someone from a common background.

With such a position, Huang Zhong resigned due to his son Xu'er’s illness, unable to fulfill his duties. This kind of courage is not something everyone possesses.

Moreover, Huang Zhong was very loyal in his feelings. According to Xie Yang, Huang Zhong came from a poor family in his youth, and although he belonged to the Huang clan of Nanyang, he was a distant branch and received no help. It was Huang Lady’s father who saved their family. Huang Zhong was extremely grateful, and with his deep affection for Huang Lady, he never thought of taking another woman, even with his current status, showing that he was a man of deep emotion.

Xie Yang and the others were Huang Zhong’s subordinates in the past, fighting side by side on the battlefield, and most of them had been saved by Huang Zhong. They admired his martial prowess and character, so they chose to follow him after he resigned.

Zhang Hao listened with great interest and then asked about the world’s power system. Specifically, he asked about the pale red aura that surrounded Huang Zhong when he faced the bandits that day.

Xie Yang and the others were very clear about this. They called this aura 'Gang Qi,' which was not the 'Qi' that Zhang Hao imagined. Gang Qi was not born from the meridians but from the muscles and bones. According to Xie Yang, this Gang Qi seemed to be the dividing line between experts and ordinary people.

If someone had exceptional talent, they would naturally generate Gang Qi from regular martial arts practice. However, those with insufficient talent, even with hard training and the assistance of guiding techniques, could not generate Gang Qi.

Gang Qi could significantly enhance one’s physical attributes in daily life, and when fully unleashed, it could make one almost invincible, like a human mech. However, the state of full eruption could not last long.

Hearing this, Zhang Hao’s expression became somewhat strange. This Three Kingdoms world was definitely not the historical Three Kingdoms. Although the warriors of the Three Kingdoms were undoubtedly fierce, they weren’t this powerful, right?

In this world, for top warriors like Huang Zhong, fighting a thousand enemies alone was not a joke.

Even if ancient warriors were called 'ten-thousand enemies,' it meant they could boost morale and unleash greater combat power when leading troops, not that they could fight a thousand enemies alone.

Moreover, these warriors, while terrifying, were not invincible. They were still limited by physical strength, so while people admired them, they didn’t elevate them too much. Scholars still looked down on warriors, and among warriors, those who were better at leading troops were more respected.

It was impossible for someone to have physical attributes far surpassing those of the modern world. Even elite guards and soldiers in noble families and the military were extraordinary. Facing such guards and soldiers, even a fierce warrior like Huang Zhong couldn’t fight a thousand enemies alone and would be helpless if surrounded.

Moreover, the strength of those with Gang Qi varied. Depending on their inherent qualities, their power also varied. Huang Zhong was undoubtedly top-tier, but how many people in the entire Han Dynasty were like him?

This led to the situation where those with Gang Qi were treated well but not given special status.

Being powerful was naturally exciting, but without sufficient wisdom, martial prowess was of little help in the political arena. After all, politics involved intrigue, not physical contests. In the military, strength could lead to rapid promotion, but without strategy and leadership skills, one could only be a fierce warrior and not reach a high position.

Xie Yang and the guards were extremely respectful of Zhang Hao, so they tried their best to answer his questions clearly, even though their explanations were somewhat chaotic. Zhang Hao roughly understood.

However, this power system made Zhang Hao feel very strange. It seemed so much like the game 'Dynasty Warriors' he had played before.

Well, that’s not important. What’s important is that Zhang Hao was now very interested in this Gang Qi. He naturally wanted to become stronger to better protect himself.

He could ask Huang Zhong to teach him martial arts later. As for the guiding techniques, according to Xie Yang, they were not internal cultivation methods but breathing techniques that accompanied martial arts practice, which were very effective.

Huang Zhong had inherited the guiding techniques and taught them to Xie Yang and the others, but unfortunately, none of them could generate Gang Qi.

Zhang Hao was sure that if he mentioned it, Huang Zhong would teach him diligently.