Chapter 79

During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were still young. Leading their troops for the first time, they felt frustrated and restless, yet they had just won a great victory. Unable to resist the urge to play, they pretended to be waiting for Liu Bei's troops and decided to stay for a while. They handed their troops over to their deputies and hurriedly headed for the bustling city of Ye.

Liu Bei had left his troops behind to catch up with Cao Cao and the others, aiming to build a closer relationship. Thus, he also went along.

When Qin Feng's cavalry appeared outside the city of Ye again, it was different from when he had left the city.

Ma Rizhen's brother, Ma Rizheng, the governor of Ye, personally led people out of the city to welcome him.

As Qin Feng passed through, the people asked, "Is this General Qin's army? Is this General Qin Zijin's troops?"

Upon receiving a positive answer, many people knelt by the roadside and shouted in unison, "With General Qin's troops in Ye, we will no longer be harmed by the Yellow Turbans..."

Qin Feng had won several victories against the Yellow Turbans and had also provided food to the refugees, so his reputation had begun to spread among the people. He was revered as a rare righteous general in the court, leading a righteous army.

Qin Feng could not just sit on his horse and watch the people kneel. He immediately dismounted, imitating the manner of a great leader from the future, and helped the people up, asking about their well-being.

Moved by his righteousness, the people felt warmth, and many could not help but cry.

Qin Feng felt that the people of China were the most lovable in the world, and they would surely repay any kindness with a flood of gratitude. He thought to himself that he must strive to end the chaos as soon as possible and let the people live peaceful and happy lives.

First, solve the problem of food and clothing, then move towards prosperity and a well-off life.

There were so many things waiting for Qin Feng to do.

Ma Rizheng was greatly impressed. He had never seen an official who could connect so well with the people. He immediately saw the shadow of the ancient sage Zhou Gong in Qin Feng and admired him greatly. He could not help but say to his attendants, "If all officials were like the Commander of the Cavalry, the Han Dynasty would be revived!"

Just as Qin Feng was about to enter the city, a cloud of dust rose in the distance.

"Brother Zijin!"

"Zijin!"

Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Bei, accompanied by a hundred guards, galloped over.

Qin Feng was surprised and asked, "Why are you here?"

Cao Cao did not speak, but Yuan Shao said, "Liu Bei's infantry moves slowly, and there is nothing to do, so we came to look for you."

Liu Bei's eyebrows twitched. So, you are doing private business because you are waiting for me? However, he did not dare to offend Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, so he just smiled awkwardly.

Now, Qin Feng, Yuan Shao, and Cao Cao were the darlings of the army, the future famous generals. Ma Rizheng, the governor of Wei Commandery, did not dare to be negligent and greeted them again.

The news of Qin Feng's arrival quickly spread, and when he entered the city, the streets were empty as everyone came to see him.

"General Qin, you must defeat the Yellow Turban rebels!"

"General Qin, I heard you are from Ye. We will rely on you from now on!"

Qin Feng frequently waved his hand in a kind manner, and his popularity among the people continued to rise.

Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Bei were extremely surprised, never expecting that Qin Feng had such a high reputation among the people.

On the other hand, at the Zhen family residence.

Zhen Yi, the head of the Zhen family, personally brewed a pot of good tea. Since Qin Feng left, he had hoarded supplies, raised prices, and made a fortune. Although he had done some questionable things, he was a businessman, and as the saying goes, "No one is a merchant without being a bit unscrupulous." His entire family depended on him.

Swish, swish, Zhen Yi poured a cup, raised it to his mouth, and first smelled it, savoring it. Then he suddenly said, "I wonder if Qin Zijin has been killed in battle..." Qin Feng's name had become a taboo in the Zhen family, and no one dared to mention him in front of Zhen Yi.

"Dead is safe..." Zhen Yi was drinking tea.

A servant rushed in, fell to his knees, and slid a long distance on the clean marble floor, exclaiming, "Master, Master, General Qin has returned!"

Zhen Yi slowly blew the tea leaves off the water, took a small sip, and said, "Which General Qin? He must be here for supplies. Tell him I am not available. Tell him that our Zhen family has already supported General Lu Zhi. If he has any business, he should talk to General Lu Zhi."

The servant scratched his head and said urgently, "He is not here for supplies. It is General Qin Feng, General Qin Zijin!"

This name was a constant pain in Zhen Yi's heart. Upon hearing it, his face changed, his hand trembled, and the tea and water splashed onto his face, scalding him. He jumped up and shouted, "What? That bandit leader Qin Zijin has returned! My goodness! He won't be here to ask for more troops, will he? Go and report to the authorities, no, quickly hide me! Quickly!"

Zhen Yi's thoughts changed rapidly, and he paced around the hall, unable to find a place to hide, jumping around in a panic. He did not want to report to the authorities because Qin Feng held evidence of his family's support for the partisans.

The servant, seeing his master pacing, felt dizzy and could not keep up with the speed of his rotation.

Suddenly, Zhen Yi, inspired, removed a large tea leaf from his face and exclaimed, "What did you just call Qin Zijin?"

"General?" The servant's eyes, which had been spinning, returned to their normal position.

Zhen Yi's face twitched, and his expression changed several times. He angrily shouted, "You traitor, you call a bandit leader 'General'? Take him out and throw him into the Wei River to feed the fish!"

The servant was terrified and quickly said, "Master, what I said is true. Since General Qin left Ye, he first killed the Yellow Turban leader Cheng Yuanzhi in Zhuo Commandery, then defeated the leader Bian Xi in Guangzong, and helped General Huangfu Song defeat the leaders Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang in Changshe. The court has announced to the world and promoted General Qin to the position of Commander of the Northern Army's Cavalry, a high-ranking general with a salary of 2,000 stones!"

"What!" Zhen Yi was shocked and fell to the ground. "He has only been out for two months and is already a general?" He could not believe it and said, "You, you, say it again for me?"

The servant, being quick-witted, said, "Qin Feng is indeed a general, the Commander of the Northern Army's Cavalry, a high-ranking general with a salary of 2,000 stones!"

"2,000 stones, oh my!" Zhen Yi clutched his chest, let out a breath, and collapsed onto the mat. "It's over, it's over. He took half of our family's wealth when he was a commoner. Now that he is a general, our family will be completely taken over!"

At this moment, the steward and several people came in. Understanding the situation, the steward quickly said, "Master, you are worried, but this is a blessing. From now on, our family will have a general as a son-in-law, bringing glory to our family! In the near future, we will become one of the most prestigious families in the world!" The steward, Zhen Heng, was extremely excited.

The current Zhen family was different from the Zhen family in the north during Yuan Shao's time in the future. The current Zhen family had no ancestors who were high-ranking officials. They were only considered a minor aristocratic family because of their wealth. It was only after Zhen Ji married Yuan Shao's son Yuan Xi that they became a truly prestigious family, and after Zhen Ji married Cao Pi, they became a top family.

Zhen Yi's eyes darted around. Being a businessman, he immediately grasped the significance of the situation. He immediately got up and shouted, "Quickly, open the main gate to welcome my son-in-law home! Quickly, get me a good change of clothes, and prepare the entire household!"

"From now on, who will dare to ask me for supplies? My son-in-law is the Commander of the Northern Army's Cavalry, a high-ranking official with a salary of 2,000 stones! Hahaha..."

The Northern Army's Cavalry was one of the most elite forces of the Eastern Han, not the common cavalry commanders of the Three Kingdoms period. Qin Feng was now one of the few leading generals of the Eastern Han, just a step away from the ranks of Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi. Having such a son-in-law was truly the dream of any father-in-law.