Chapter 238 – Charisma
“Xu Shu!!!” Shouted Liu Mang in his mind joyfully. Liu Mang really excited in his heart. This man is a big celebrity and the one who can be compared with his brother Zhuge and the genius Guo Jia also with the poisonous Jia Xu, as well as Old Man Chen, the top advisor in Lujiang. But this man, unexpectedly come to himself and want to work for him!!!! How can Liu Mang cannot be excited?
“Yuanzhi!!!” Liu Mang opened his mouth responsively. Although his body is injured, but he quickly got down from his bed and holding Xu Shu’s hand tightly. On Liu Mang’s excited face there is an aching expression very clearly can be seen. His attire is barefoot and wearing pajamas. If this is a normal situation, this is clearly very disrespectful but it made Xu Shu moved.
Why Xu Shu’s was moved? Because Liu Mang; while still seriously injured on his ass, his cloth were messy with blood and flesh mixed; actually jumped out of his bed and held his hand tightly. A Prince of Shu, actually treating a poor family children like a friend is a big deal to Xu Shu.
This is more likely the same like Xu You. Because Xu You was afraid that he will be Yuan Shao’s next victim, he quickly escaped from Guandu and goes to Cao Cao’s army camp. At this time, Cao Cao already washed his foot and was about to sleep. But when hearing this news, Cao Cao quickly jumped from his bed and greeted Xu You without even putting on his shoes, such performance made Xu You moved beyond words!!! Thanks to that performance, Xu You helped to strengthen Cao Cao and made him to win over Yuan Shao.
And now Liu Mang’s performance is much bigger than Cao Cao! 2 days ago, he was punished until fainted which was witnessed by Xu Shu. And this new lord, just by hearing his voice, quickly jumped down and held his hand!!! This performance is enough to make Xu Shu touched!!! One must always remember, that Xu Shu is of poor family, although he is a learned man!!! But his due to his status as poor family, he is always humbled by his peers.
Especially during Xu Shu is in the school. He struggled just even to read a book, but never forget that Xu Shu was born illiterate. So those of noble families looked down upon him, insult him that he is poor family. Therefore their insults empower him to be above all of them and finally gaining friends like Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong. Now Liu Mang, the Prince of Shu himself, gives him a big respect like this without regarding of his own health and safety.
A lord treating other people like himself, himself must treat the other people like lord. This is the camaraderie between the ancients.
Xu Shu then responded “Milord, Shu is just a common people. Why Milord so corteous to Shu?!” Xu Shu and other people are supposed to regard Lu Bu as the lord and Lu Bu’s son-in-law as little lord, so that is why Liu Mang was called little lord, even though Huang Zhong and Gan Ning were subdued by Liu Mang, they also call Liu Mang “Little Lord” But for Xu Shu, in his eyes, Liu Mang is his sole lord, so he called him “Milord”.
“Different, it is different!!!!” Liu Mang actually want to shout different words but his mouth spoke incoherent words due to his body pains.
Xu Shu quickly understood that Liu Mang wanted to convey something else and quickly stopped him and said “I understand!!!” and nodded and knelt down and said “Milord, In this life Xu Shu’s lord only yourself!!!!”
The olden times people knows how to express gratitude. The idiom for it is “a drop of water exchanged with water spring”. In the 5000 years of Chinese history, it is not filled with war story but also with moral history. Too many worthy generals and advisers serve unworthy lords just because their lords sprinkle them with a bit of kindness. The most blatant example in this novel is the past Yang Hong. When Yuan Shu proclaimed himself as emperor, Yang Hong knew that Yuan Shu’s path is sealed due to Yuan Shu had committed treason and heresy, but Yang Hong did not abandon him and continue to follow him dutifully along with Ji Ling and the others. Finally, all of those comrades turned up dead or missing save for Yang Hong.
However they did not regret it, because Yuan Shu treats them as a family member, they definitely acting like a family member as well.
“Come get up, get up!!!” Liu Mang tried to help Xu Shu get up, but he himself is also unable to stand up due to pain and said “Hansheng, please help me get up!” Liu Mang already cannot bear the pain, as his injury just opened again and the cloth that was just washed also become red, so Liu Mang just leaning on the bed post helped by Huang Zhong.
In this position, Liu Mang was able to hear the report about these 2 days from Xu Shu.
On the day after Liu Mang was passed out, the first bad luck was Wei Yan. The Snake Tongue Wei. Liu Mang already passed a message to Cheng Yu on how to handle Wei Yan. This Wei Yan has great ability but his manner is overtly arrogant. He always thinks that he is number one and he must be humbled if one want to use him!!! Destroy his morale!!!
Liu Mang and Shi Xiang were beaten because of military law offence. So this Wei Yan will not escape punishment either. He provoke fighting, disturbing peace for no reason, made Urban Army want to beat him to death. But due to their leader fainted, Urban Army did not have anyone to consult and also Xu Shu intervened saying that his crime is not warranted for death penalty, therefore they sentenced Wei Yan for 40 beatings by stick.
But, do you think that Wei Yan, who made Liu Mang fainted, will be received kindly by Urban Army? Heh, for them to stop beating Wei Yan to a pulp is already a blessing. They dished 60 beatings instead of 40. Zhao Yun and Wang Wei also requested to be hit 40 beatings as well. Zhao Yun was willing to be self-sentenced by military law because he respected Liu Mang highly and also because Liu Mang praised The White Horse General Gongsun Zan. But the thing that mixed Zhao Yun’s feelings is why this prince of Shu shouted words like Wang Mang? Zhao Yun’s education since childhood is to be a patriot to Han Dynasty, so Liu Mang’s words that shouted treason and heresy made Zhao Yun’s blood boil to the brim.
Regarding Wang Wei! He did not want to do self-sentence like Zhao Yun did, but if he did not receive 40 beatings now, he might received 60 beatings like The Snake Tongue Wei. Also if he want to rebel again, it is his grave, he is digging. The skill of Urban Army are deadly and there is Huang Zhong as well.
“Beaten, really?” Liu Mang asked curiously. Liu Mang only want to punish Wei Yan but all offenders were beaten and then he asked again “What about the other people?” If other people were beaten as well, they will all leave and leaving Liu Mang cry by himself.
Xu Shu replied to Liu Mang “Nobody left, everything is under control!!!!” If Liu Mang did not said to change noble class, had not said words of treason and heresy. It is possible Xu Shu will not do this, but since Liu Mang had said it, naturally Xu Shu imposed martial law and did a quarantine on Hefei, in order for the words not to leak out.
What kind of person was the easiest to shut up? A dead person and a person who was on your side. When Liu Mang fainted, Xu Shu quickly come to the side of the veteran and tell Huang Zhong his own idea. He told Huang Zhong to quickly start to quarantine the whole city. Huang Zhong is not a fool, he has a dozen of years of experience in his pocket so he nodded and organized 3,000 Urban Army to unsheath their swords and all of the poor families children quickly under control and any opposition were met with death.
So those people could only have two choices either to turn into their own side to survive or die and dead people’s mouth cannot speak. Really, with Liu Mang out of commission in two days, Xu Shu with his own ability, able to make Huang Zhong and those veterans of Liu Mang’s battles held Xu Shu in high esteem. And besides those who already been in quarantine, those who just came also quickly quarantined properly.
“Yuanzhi, job well done!!!” Liu Mang nodded. He really not thought that Xu Shu is going to quarantine these people. So, like this, Wei Yan and Zhao Yun, even if they want to get out of Hefei, they cannot do anything.
“This is Shu’s job!!!” Xu Shu said it humbly.
Liu Mang then said while tapping lightly on his shoulders “Yuanzhi, I really do not know how to reward you! Everything will need to wait until I hand my father-in-law my merit book. However, Yuanzhi. I want to appoint you as our military adviser!!! Now, your subordinates include this Liu Mang’s own Urban Army together with Gan Ning’s naval force along with Black Flag, the total of them is around 10,000 – 20,000 troops!!!” (while tapping lightly on his shoulders : added by myself, to give more expressions to this goddamned expressionless story)
“Military adviser?!” Xu Shu muttered it. His eyes is flashing, he had thought that Liu Mang only want to give him a position as a counselor at most, but he really had no idea that Liu Mang made him a military adviser.
Liu Mang then asked “How is it? Is the post too little for you?” Liu Mang said in serious tone. This person Xu Shu, is a person who are excellent in both civil and military matters. A complete character. His skill in martial arts is not weak and he is even better in strategy. A person like this employed by Cao Cao or other people, his status is the same like Zhou Yu in Sun Ce army.
However, currently Liu Mang is still employed under Lu Bu, so he did not have the right to position Xu Shu as the whole Lu Bu army’s military adviser (literal translation: However, Liu Mang don’t have this right/ privilege. [I choose to expand the sentence in order to make more sense, please comment]) His command only amounted to 20,000 troops. He also cannot replace himself with Xu Shu as commanding general. Something like that will not be on agreeable terms with Lu Bu. Even if Lu Bu actually agrees with it, Liu Mang’s subordinates will not.
“No, no, that was enough!!!” What position is military adviser? Let us explain a bit to reader. Although it is a civil position, but it is the second-highest rank in army. It is the same when Sun Ce attacked Wancheng, at that time Lu Su was the military adviser. When Sun Ce left the HQ, Lu Su is the lord of that army.
So, after that conversation, Liu Mang decided to get out of the bed. (literal translation: Anyway, both already ended their discussion [Decide yourself, my addition or literal]) Although his ass still bloody when he stands but nevertheless, Liu Mang still can walk. Liu Mang really cannot wait to get out of the bed and goes to Hefei’s main camp .
When he got out, everything was organized. There are places provided for those poor families children who were organized by military leader.
When Liu Mang goes to the main camp, he discovered that he had really underestimated Xu Shu. On the day of his “punishment”, (literal translation: on that day. And only “on that day”) the people who came to answer his advertisement were around 1,000 people. Also during those two days, Xu Shu also advertising his ideology to all of them. So, almost all from 1,000 people come to join Liu Mang’s army. Scribes had 300 people and soldiers got 600 people and all of them were controlled by Xu Shu himself. Xu Shu also positioned Urban Army camp and Black Flag camp near the main camp, he also asked for Gan Ning to be responsible for Hefei’s defense during martial law, leaving him very busy.
Two elite camps were positioned there in order to prevent those 1,000 people to raise a rebellion in the main camp, provided there are 3 fierce general-class valiant soldiers among them. Those scribes numbers also not small, so if they are plotting something, it will be disastrous. So positioning Urban Army camp and Black Flag camp there can double the insurance.
The first place inside the big camp that Liu Mang goes is Wei Yan. This fellow is not a law-abiding person, arrogant as well is strong, so he is given a special chamber.
Liu Mang is still outside, insults can be heard intermittently. Wei Yan is cursing Liu Mang, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Wang Wei, etc as well Urban Army troops who punished him.
Hmm, still an asshole, eh? Thought Liu Mang (Literal translation: still restless, eh?) Liu Mang then opened the tent door and walked in. Wei Yan who heard the noise, shouted “Who enter mine tent, huh?”
“ME!!! YOUR GRANDFATHER!!!!” Liu Mang yelled rudely. In front of a lot of people, Liu Mang need to maintain etiquette as Prince of Shu else his mouth might be running more loose than Wei Yan now and now, there is no one, so he is free to run his mouth. On Liu Mang’s side there are Xu Shu, Xu Sheng and Huang Zhong, but none are making big reaction. Xu Sheng and Huang Zhong already knew that Liu Mang’s tongue is very venomous. It can be used against a general and it have more impact to scribes. Remember oh remember the incident in Sun Ce welcome banquet in Wancheng, where Liu Mang fought war of words with Confucian scholars. (literal translation: All can be seen in Wancheng, Sun Ce’s banquet war of words with Confucian scholars) Since vulgar words are a set for a general, he can insult his opponent’s father and mother lightly.
Xu Shu is also a scholar from poor families, so he also have “eloquence”. But to see that his lord has the same abilities, make him really stunned but quickly accustomed to it. So these person are very relaxed around Liu Mang.
“DAMN IT!!!! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!!!!” Wei Yan insulted back, agitated. Wei Yan is lying face-down on his bed. His ass is hurt bad as the punishment dished to him is 60 beatings instead of 40 beatings and now he is feeling hurt all the time!!! With his ass like that, he is unable to sit and can only lie. Even though physician came to cure him, but the physician did a half-assed job, so out of five people who were beaten, Wei Yan’s ass is the worst. Wei Yan then turned his head and see Liu Mang’s face and said “YOU!!!!!”
“YES, IT IS ME, YOUR GRANDFATHER BITCH!!!!” Liu Mang sneered. Liu Mang then goes nearer to Wei Yan. Wei Yan is an injured tiger and no matter how injured a predator is, he can still kill people. But Liu Mang don’t care at all as he is completely protected. He got his own martial arts skills, near him got Huang Zhong and Xu Sheng, so even if this beast want to prey on Liu Mang, Wei Yan will not be able to do anything at all.
Wei Yan is a bit embarassed when looking at Liu Mang. Wei Yan’s original intent when he came to this city is because of the job advertisement. He had no progress in his career in Jing Province. Now his age is almost 30 years old, but he is still appointed as a measly gate captain. That kind of treatment is unbearable to Wei Yan who held high aspiration and ambition in his life. But sadly, Wei Yan is not a nobility so he don’t have the luxury of having connection at high places, he got an incredible potty mouth as well. With that two big weaknesses, it is impossible for any lords to entrust him with heavy responsibilities, being a gate captain is already high enough promotion for him. It slowly boiled Wei Yan with resentment.
When the job advertisement was spread in Changsha, it made Wei Yan really excited and lit up his hope! Wei Yan has no lack of talents!!! On skills of deploying troops, creating formation and martial arts, Wei Yan is absolutely confident. But in Jing Province, where he works as a gate captain, he commandeered only 30 people. How can he show his skills? Also Changsha is located in Jing Province, not near Jiangdong’s border. With peaceful situation like that, that “hero” also did not have opportunity to show off his skills.
“Hey, how are you? How’s your wound?!” Liu Mang breaks the ice. He knew that Wei Yan is too embarrassed to say anything, so he opened conversation. After that, he continued “Here, this is an excellent external wound medicine, try applying it on your wound. Its effectiveness is really good!!!” This medicine is concocted from medical books that Liu Mang brought from the future which is the latest revision of Bencao Gangmu (Materia Medica). As modern medicine study is medicine study of the West which mostly used instruments, Liu Mang did not brought them, as they require, at the very least, X-Ray, CT and MRI. Liu Mang also brought TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) books along with 19th centuries Western medical books that don’t need the aforementioned instruments above. Their technique regarding hemostat, cauterization and wound treatment is still practiced to this day. Liu Mang knew that Wei Yan caused him to be beaten 80 beatings, so even though they did not show their expression on their face, Urban Army soldiers and Huang Zhong strongly feeling contempt for Wei Yan. Hell, stopping his bleeding is already very generous of them, how can they use the medicine? So now, Liu Mang brought the medicine for him.
“Pah, bein’ a goody-two-shoes now, eh?” Wei Yan insulted. Always a venomous tongue, even when Liu Mang came to him with good intention still got an insult from him. Wei Yan continued “If it weren’t for you, I would not be like this!!!!” and gave a death glare toward him, wanting to rip Liu Mang apart for causing him like this.
Liu Mang felt a little amused and said “You three, leave here!!!” while waving toward Huang Zhong, Xu Sheng and Xu Shu.
“Little lord!!! If we leave, what about you?!” Huang Zhong expressed his doubts. All of them are doubting Liu Mang’s command. This Wei Yan is strong even though he cannot be compared with Huang Zhong, he is equally matched with Xu Sheng even though Xu Sheng is much younger and have more potential than Wei Yan now. If they leave the camp, what to do with Liu Mang’s safety.
“No worries, I am no longer a weak person that could not kill a chicken now!!!” Liu Mang said it while smiling. Liu Mang’s current body is par on those of second grade general and has entered the phase of hammering the bone.
“But!!!” Huang Zhong argued. Huang Zhong is not feeling too confident with Liu Mang’s decision. He and Wei Yan had fought before. Although Wei Yan is wounded on his ass, but this kind of injury did not affect much of a general’s efficiency. Never forget that injury on the battlefield is more grievous than this one, so much that it made bloody ass like a blessing in disguise!!! Huang Zhong really anxious, in case Wei Yan burst out!!! The problem not lies on Huang Zhong underestimated Liu Mang’s martial arts skill. He had seen that Liu Mang can produce Murderous Rampage and able to kill first class general with ease but if Wei Yan takes on him now, it will kill Liu Mang provided that Liu Mang is still recovering from injury.
“All of you just stand outside the chambers. I will not be harmed. Hell, I don’t believe he can escape once he injures me! Moreover, have I ever doubted your archery skill, Hansheng?!” Liu Mang said his view. Liu Mang really did not worry about his own safety, he knows that Wei Yan will not harm him. Hell, even if Wei Yan has lost his mind and grab him, Huang Zhong “The Arrow God” will deal with him. Lu Bu himself had difficulty in following up Huang Zhong’s arrow, let alone Wei Yan.
“Yes, we understand!” Xu Shu, Xu Sheng and Huang Zhong said at the same time and withdrew from the tent. Xu Sheng and Huang Zhong both stand near the door and kept vigilant to any sound or any change in the air. The moment anything is fishy, they will rush in to protect Liu Mang. Only Xu Shu is much calmer. Because he knows that if his lord is willing to place himself in a dangerous situation, then he must be confident in himself. Xu Shu, really does not know where his lord’s self-confidence came, but in his heart, he really believes him!!! This is perhaps one aspect of Liu Mang’s personality which turned into a charisma that attracted Xu Shu to him.