"Good! Good!" Zhang Chen nodded. "Men, pass on my order. Collect the bodies of our fallen brothers, transport them back to Guangping County, and give them a proper burial."
Zhang Chen's impassioned words stirred the blood of the Soldiers, and even Zhang He, Gao Shun, and the others beside him felt their hearts surge.
Qu Yi watched from the side, revealing a knowing smile and nodding silently.
At this moment, the city gate suddenly opened wide, and a young Scholar, leading dozens of Soldiers, quickly walked out from within the city.
The General who had been commanding the battle at the East Gate, upon seeing the young Scholar, quickly bowed and said, "Lord Dong."
"County Commandant Jiang, quickly come with me to meet Zhang Chen," Dong Zhao said, then walked towards Zhang Chen.
Arriving before Zhang Chen, Dong Zhao said to Jiang Qi, "This is Zhang Chen, the Magistrate of Guangping."
After speaking, Dong Zhao faced Zhang Chen, bowed deeply, and said, "Zhang Chen's righteousness is as high as the heavens. At this time of peril, he led his army to reinforce and save the people of my entire city. On behalf of the people of the entire county, Dong Zhao thanks him for his great kindness!"
Having said that, Dong Zhao bowed.
Jiang Qi, who was beside him, looked puzzled and exclaimed, "Zhang Chen? Is it Zhang Zifan, Zhang Chen, who with only seven hundred county Soldiers, completely defeated the three thousand bandits from four strongholds?"
Zhang Chen smiled slightly and said, "That is correct."
Jiang Qi was greatly startled upon hearing this, and quickly bowed down, saying, "So it was Zhang Chen who led the army to reinforce and save my people. Your subordinate, Jiang Qi, County Commandant of Yingtao County, thanks him!"
Seeing this, Zhang Chen quickly helped the two up and said, "You two need not be so polite. As a Han subject, how could Zifan sit idly by while bandits ravage the counties and oppress our people?"
As he helped the two up, Zhang Chen narrowed his eyes and quietly used his "Insight Eye", sizing them up from head to toe.
【Name: Dong Zhao】
【Possesses Traits: Scholar (Blue), Exceptional Discernment (Purple), Strategic Vision (Gold)】
【Exceptional Discernment (Purple)】: You possess a unique Clairvoyance, able to discern the minute and distinguish right from wrong. (Easier to see through enemy spies and informants, easier to detect counter-espionage schemes)
【Strategic Vision (Gold)】: You possess unique strategic insight, able to see through situations and assist your Lord in making long-term plans.
This Dong Zhao's abilities are quite good!
Although Dong Zhao cannot be considered a top-tier strategist in the Cao Wei faction, his strategic vision laid the foundation for Cao Wei.
It was his proposal to move the Emperor to Xuchang that allowed Cao Cao to firmly hold the Emperor in his grasp. It was his proposal to emulate the pre-Qin system of establishing ranks that later enabled Cao Cao to gradually receive more titles and ascend to the positions of Duke of Wei and King of Wei.
It can be said that Dong Zhao was a strategist who, step by step, built Cao Cao into a powerful minister.
If Zhang Chen is to achieve great things in the future, he definitely cannot let go of such a person!
Zhang Chen thought to himself, then looked at the General beside him, only then realizing that this person was also not simple.
【Name: Jiang Qi】
【Possesses Traits: Superhuman Strength (Blue), Proficient Swordsmanship (Blue), Proficient Archery (Blue), Loyalty (Blue)】
This person possesses 4 blue traits; it seems he is not an unknown figure either.
Zhang Chen recalled for a moment and suddenly remembered that in the history of the Three Kingdoms, Yuan Shao indeed seemed to have a Subordinate General named Jiang Qi.
During the Battle of Guandu, Ju Shou believed that Chunyu Qiong was fond of drinking and that sending him to guard Wuchao would surely cause trouble. He therefore advised Yuan Shao to send Jiang Qi to lead troops to protect the grain, but his suggestion was not adopted. Later, just as Ju Shou had said, Chunyu Qiong was drunk and fond of drinking, and Cao Cao burned Wuchao, completely destroying the grain supplies of Yuan Shao's army.
Records of Jiang Qi in historical materials seem to be limited to this point, and he did not achieve any notable military feats later.
However, even without any outstanding military achievements, anyone whose name is recorded in history is certainly much stronger than ordinary people. Appointing them as a Commandant or Deputy General should not be a problem.
Zhang Chen helped the two up and then said to Dong Zhao, "Lord Dong, you remained calm in the face of danger today and directed things effectively, making the bandit army unable to find any weakness. If not for this, even if I had led my army here, I fear the city would have already fallen."
Dong Zhao said, "As the parent official of a county, this is my duty. Everyone, this is not the place to talk. I have ordered a banquet to be prepared. Please, my Lord and all you Generals, come into the city with me for a discussion."
"Lord Dong, please."
Having said that, Zhang Chen immediately led his Generals and Soldiers into the city.
Dong Zhao first ordered Jiang Qi to settle the troops in the Military Camp west of the city, and also ordered medical officers to carefully treat the wounded Soldiers, without any delay.
Afterward, Dong Zhao led Zhang Chen and his party directly towards the County Government.
Upon entering the County Government, they saw a person tied up with ropes, bound in the public hall, with three or five Soldiers guarding him.
Upon seeing Dong Zhao, the Soldiers quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Lord."
Dong Zhao glanced at that person, his eyes full of disdain and resentment.
Dong Zhao said to Zhang Chen and the others, "Please rest for a while. Allow me to deal with county affairs first, then we can eat and drink together."
Having said that, Dong Zhao stepped up to the public hall, sat before the desk, and cast a cold gaze downwards.
With a 'bang', the gavel struck, and Dong Zhao immediately shouted, "Audacious Geng Wen, do you know your crime?"
"Your subordinate... Your subordinate knows his crime, your subordinate knows his crime!" The bound man had already been kicked to the ground by a Soldier and kept muttering.
It turned out that this person was none other than the County Magistrate who had taken the opportunity to slip away from the city before the battle began. And the reason he slipped away was not out of fear, but because he had already been bribed by the Black Mountain Bandits, preparing to quietly open the city gate at a crucial moment.
Imagine, when two armies are fighting, the one who can open the city gate would certainly not be an ordinary citizen, but someone with a certain level of authority in the county.
The County Magistrate is the deputy of the County Magistrate; it was naturally much more convenient for him to do this.
Before the battle, this Geng Wen took the opportunity to slip down from the North Gate tower, but he did not hide. Instead, he went directly to the East Gate city wall, preparing to order the defending Soldiers to open the gate at a crucial moment. Naturally, many of the defending Soldiers had already been bribed by him.
But all of this had already been detected by Dong Zhao. Therefore, from the very beginning, he had Soldiers quietly follow him. As expected, just as Geng Wen was about to order the gate opened, he was captured on the spot by the Soldiers who were following him.
Zhang Chen watched from the side and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
It seems this is the effect of 【Exceptional Discernment】; it is indeed powerful. Otherwise, if this villain had succeeded today, Yingtao County would have already fallen into the hands of the bandits by now!
While Zhang Chen was pondering, he heard Dong Zhao shout, "Geng Wen, as the County Magistrate, the parent official of a county, you did not think of protecting the territory and its people, but instead colluded with bandits. Today, this official absolutely cannot tolerate this! Men, take this villain out and behead him!"
"Lord... Lord, spare my life, Lord!" Geng Wen's face turned ashen with fear upon hearing this.
The Soldiers nearby received the order, grabbed him, and dragged him out.
Decisive in killing, this Dong Zhao is indeed not simple.
Zhang Chen couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Although Geng Wen had committed a serious crime, he still held an official position. According to protocol, the matter should have been reported to the commandery, or even the provincial government, before he could be dealt with. But Dong Zhao completely disregarded this and directly ordered his execution. His decisive methods were truly awe-inspiring.
At this moment, Dong Zhao stepped down from the desk and said to everyone, "I have made you witness something unpleasant. I did not expect that under my governance in Yingtao County, there would appear such a person who betrays his own side and colludes with rebels, almost harming the people of the entire city today. This is my fault."
"My Lord, you need not say that. Such a person who harms the country and its people deserves to be killed!"