Chapter 88

Chapter 722: A Dilemma, the Horse Prepared for Huang Bosong (3)

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Gao Shun waited for a moment at the door of Luo Shi's quarters. Soon, with Luo Shi's permission, he stepped inside. Luo Shi was tidying his clothes, clearly having just put on his upper garment again.

"Subordinate Gao Shun pays respects to General Luo."

"What brings you to see this old man? Have the Guanxi forces gathered again?"

"Not exactly..."

Gao Shun hesitated for a moment. Should he deliver the message and seek a response, or ask about the bandages he saw at the door?

In the end, he first inquired about Luo Shi's well-being.

"General, have you been injured?"

At Gao Shun's words, Luo Shi avoided his gaze and acted nonchalant.

"Isn't it natural for a warrior to bear injuries? There's no need to worry. It's just a minor wound."

Luo Shi tried to act like a talkative old man to avoid worrying Gao Shun.

"May I see it? The shoulder on this side was hit by an arrow while fighting the Xiongnu, leaving a significant scar. On my back, I was struck by an axe blade while fighting the Wuhuan, nearly leaving me half-paralyzed..."

Luo Shi's boasting about his scars finally put Gao Shun at ease.

For rough men, scars are like medals. They are the only marks that prove how bravely they fought in dangerous battlefields.

Injuries that leave significant scars are never forgotten throughout one's life. They can be boasted about or shared as stories over drinks.

Thinking about this, Luo Shi's willingness to talk about his scars now suggested that he was at ease.

But it was half right and half wrong.

Luo Shi's injuries were not improving.

However, this did not make him anxious. He had lived long enough, done enough, and could die as a loyal minister of Han at any time.

Thus, even with serious injuries, he could not lose his composure and instead had to maintain his calm...

Gao Shun, not noticing this, changed the topic to the message.

"General, a message has come from Hangu Pass. However, it is so brief that I don't know how to proceed."

"What did it say?"

"It only said that Huang Bosong is heading to Hanyu and Luoyang, and Ma Teng has been left behind."

Gao Shun then shared his thoughts. Luo Shi slowly nodded.

"Yes, yes. Even if we set out now, Huang Bosong would already be far away. Besides, in the mountains, it would be difficult to track him down."

"Then do you not intend to pursue Huang Bosong?"

"There's no point in trying to do the impossible."

"What about Ma Teng? Although his forces might collapse on their own, considering that Guo Xian sent such a brief message..."

Gao Shun trailed off and sighed.

"Ah!"

"What's the matter, General Gao?"

"If only Guo Xian had written more details... Then I wouldn't have to worry so much. Why did he just write one line and make me so anxious?"

"Hmm, now that you mention it, it does seem strange."

Gao Shun cautiously asked Luo Shi.

"Do you have any suspicions?"

"Hehe! This old man has lived in vain, I suppose. I'm not sure, but I might be able to figure it out. Isn't there a saying that important tasks should be entrusted to capable people?"

Hearing this, Gao Shun could guess what Luo Shi intended to do.

"I've heard that you have Mr. Zixu as your advisor."

Gao Shun thought Luo Shi would call Wei Zhi to discuss this matter. But he was half right and half wrong. While it was true that Luo Shi would call an advisor, it was not Wei Zhi.

Luo Shi shook his head.

"Wei Zhi is excellent in direct methods but not in subtle strategies. Junzi, Junzi."

"Then who...?"

"Ah! General Gao, I'm not sure. Look! Bring Mr. Gongdai here!"

* * *

Luo Shi called for Jin Gong.

Gao Shun and Jin Gong were meeting for the first time. Although Luo Shi highly regarded Jin Gong's wisdom, his evaluation was lower than that of Gao Shun. As a warrior, Luo Shi naturally favored his own kind.

"Introduce yourselves. This is Mr. Gongdai. He is a distinguished official from Hanyang, and a brilliant strategist who made the Guanxi forces retreat by humiliating them with manure at Hangu Pass."

Jin Gong bowed to Gao Shun first.

"I am Jin Gong Gongdai, paying my respects."

Gao Shun hurriedly returned the bow.

"I am Subordinate Gao Shun."

Luo Shi, knowing that Gao Shun did not want to reveal too much about himself, interjected.

"General Gao is like this. He rarely puts himself forward. In terms of bravery, he is one of the bravest generals, second only to General Yu. His subordinates in the Hanyang camp are all valiant warriors, each capable of fighting a hundred men, and they played a significant role in the destruction of the Jiangyiduan."

"Ah! I did not have the chance to meet and talk with General Yu for long. I was hoping to meet his valiant generals and distinguished officials. It is an honor to meet one of them now."

Jin Gong praised Gao Shun, who then clasped his hands and bowed.

"Subordinate only fights for our lord. Please do not overpraise me."

Luo Shi burst into laughter.

"Hehehe! General Gao is like this. He is the son-in-law of the former King of Solong and the leader of the Eight Generals, yet he is too modest."

"Serving a lord with a high reputation is not always good. It can lead to misunderstandings and jealousy, so one must be cautious."

"Good, good! Having a subordinate like General Gao is all due to General Yu's good fortune. Now, let's get to the point..."

Luo Shi met Jin Gong's gaze.

"Mr. Gongdai, a message has come from Hangu Pass. However, its content is too brief, and I cannot discern its hidden meaning, so I have called you here."

Luo Shi recounted the content of the message and his conversation with Gao Shun. Jin Gong then thought for a moment and asked Gao Shun.

"May I ask who General Yu's current advisor is?"

"Now that you are one of our lord's people, I will openly tell you. Originally, the advisor was Mr. Wenhua from Jiahou. But now, Mr. Fengxiao from Guo Jia is temporarily taking on the role of advisor."

"Is Mr. Guo from Yangze...?"

There are countless Guo families in the thirteen provinces, but when it comes to the Guo family, the first place that comes to mind is Yingchuan in Yuzhou. Among the many towns in Yingchuan, Yangze is where the Guo family's stronghold is located.

"Yes, Mr. Guo is from the Guo family of Yangze."

"No wonder..."

"Subordinate lacks wisdom and could not discern the hidden meaning. Has Mr. Gongdai figured out the advisor's intention?"

Jin Gong nodded.

"I have a vague idea."

* * *

"Please enlighten me."

Gao Shun bowed and requested guidance. Jin Gong waved his hands.

"It's not a matter of enlightenment. I will try to interpret it based on what I've heard."

"I will listen attentively."

Jin Gong was inwardly impressed by Gao Shun's respectful attitude.

'General Luo spoke highly of General Gao's position and reputation. Despite not having a high reputation himself, he is so respectful. This shows his character. General Yu's camp is filled with heroes of the land.'

Gao Shun is the leader of the Eight Generals, and the Governor of the Huohuan Commandery, a high-ranking official with a salary of two thousand stones. The bravery of his troops, who annihilated the Jiangyiduan, speaks for itself.

Thus, Gao Shun could be considered almost the second-in-command of the Yu army. For such a person to be so respectful to someone who has only held the position of a county magistrate, how could Jin Gong not be impressed?

"First, let me explain why the message is so brief. In my opinion, the advisor's message is short because General Yu has already set out on a campaign."

"Has he set out to pacify the Ma family forces trapped between Hangu Pass and this place, Han Pass?"

At Gao Shun's question, Jin Gong shook his head.

"It's like catching a mouse in a trap. There's no need to rush. It would be easier to let the trapped mouse starve to death gradually."

"Then where...? Could it be that he set out to attack Huang Bosong?"

"Most likely. If there's an urgent need to set out, it must be to prevent Huang Bosong's escape."

Gao Shun nodded in agreement with Jin Gong's reasoning.

"That's why the message was so brief. I was foolishly resenting the advisor for not providing more details."

"Huang Bosong's move towards Luoyang is significant. Look at this."

Jin Gong took out a simple map from his sleeve and unfolded it.

"It's natural for people to live near water. With only rugged mountains around, villages are established near the water."

"I know the Guanxi forces are running out of supplies. Their move towards Luoyang suggests they intend to plunder to feed their horses."

"You are correct. A man who has gone four days without food will climb over a wall. To ensure the survival of their horses, they would not hesitate to plunder. If I were Huang Bosong, I would do the same."

Luo Shi, who had been listening quietly, sighed.

"Huang Bosong is committing a great sin in his old age. How did a hero who saved the Han dynasty fall so low?"

While plundering is morally wrong, it is a fundamental part of local provisioning in military strategy.

However, the problem is that the targets of the plunder are the people of Han. Huang Bosong, once a hero who saved the Han dynasty, is now planning to plunder the very people he protected in his youth. This left Luo Shi with mixed feelings.

Jin Gong, seeing Luo Shi lost in thought, clasped his hands and spoke.

"Mr. Guo's wisdom is truly remarkable. The latter part of the message mentions that Ma Teng has been left behind. Now it's time for General Luo to take action."

"Time for this old man to take action? Are you suggesting I lead my troops to defeat the Ma family forces?"

"It's a more difficult task than that."

Hearing this, Luo Shi laughed.

"Hehe! You can't compare this old man to General Yu. Are you suggesting I perform a short-term breakthrough with my old body?"

"Of course not. General, the task Mr. Guo is asking of you is simple but difficult."

"What is it? I'd like to know quickly."

"Persuade Ma Teng to defect."

Luo Shi's eyes widened.

"Me...? Ma Teng...?"

"Yes."

"How can I persuade him? Even if we were sworn brothers, it wouldn't be easy. You know as well as I do..."

"You must do it. No one else can."

Luo Shi initially dismissed Jin Gong's words but could not ignore his serious tone.

"I don't have the skill to persuade. I don't have any leverage over Ma Teng, nor do I have any hostages. Are you suggesting I go out alone and ask him to surrender?"

"If my guess is correct, Mr. Guo is a man of great wisdom. He knows about your lineage. Using your bloodline, it is possible to persuade Ma Teng."

"But I am not of the Ma family. How can I talk about lineage?"

"Are you really not related to the Ma family? Think about it. Who is your teacher?"

Only then did Luo Shi slap his knee.

"Ah! Yes! That's right! With that, I can certainly turn Ma Teng's heart!"