Even if there were any clues, the imperial court probably wouldn't do anything to Liu Jin.
After all, he was an important meritorious official in pacifying the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and in this chaotic world, he was of utmost importance. They would cherish him too much to punish him.
It seems they were judging a gentleman's heart with their own petty minds.
Zhang He didn't hesitate at all. He immediately knelt on one knee, cupped his fists, and said loudly!
"Reporting to General, this subordinate is willing to follow you, serving diligently and swearing allegiance until death."
As soon as he spoke, Xu Rong and Cheng Pu exchanged glances. Without any hesitation, they both knelt on one knee, cupped their fists, and said loudly!
"We are also willing to follow General, serving diligently, swearing allegiance until death, and never betraying you."
After spending this time together, the three of them had been completely won over by Liu Jin. Though young, he possessed great ambition and strategy, and treated his Generals with respect.
He was truly a wise lord in chaotic times. If they didn't follow him now, should they wait until Liu Jin was ennobled and became a high-ranking noble, only to then offer their support?
By then, even if they wanted to follow Liu Jin, it would depend on whether he wanted them.
After all, the battle of Guangzong City would surely make Liu Jin's name resound throughout the land, making him a famous General of the Han Dynasty, and he would certainly be greatly rewarded by the imperial court.
If they wanted to climb higher, they had to firmly grasp Liu Jin's thigh and never give up.
Liu Jin looked at the three men before him, who were willing to follow him, and his heart was filled with joy.
These three men were all capable Generals, each able to hold their own, and he naturally couldn't ask for more.
He slowly stood up, walked down the hall, and helped the three men to their feet, his eyes filled with excitement, and said loudly!
"Good!"
"With the three of you assisting me, it's like adding wings to a tiger, comparable to a hundred thousand brave soldiers."
Zhang He, Xu Rong, and Cheng Pu immediately cupped their fists and respectfully said loudly!
"We pay our respects, Ming Gong!"
Liu Jin clapped his hands and laughed, then immediately gave orders for the entire army to rest and reorganize in Guangzong City.
Three days later!
Guangzong City gradually returned to stability, but there were very few civilians left in the city; most had already become Yellow Turbans.
In the prisoner camp within the city, Liu Jin, clad in a long robe, inspected the area, surrounded by his Generals.
Looking at the tens of thousands of prisoners gathered in the city, he frowned slightly.
In the battle to capture Guangzong City, over ten thousand were slain, and nearly fifty thousand Yellow Turbans were captured. Managing so many prisoners was a troublesome matter.
A slight oversight could lead to these prisoners rioting and rebelling. Moreover, the food supply for so many people was not a small sum.
Historically, after Huangfu Song captured Guangzong City, he slaughtered all the Yellow Turbans, their heads rolling, and built a Jingguan (a mound of enemy heads) outside the city to awe the world.
If he were to follow Huangfu Song's example and slaughter all these prisoners, he would somewhat gain a reputation for cruelty and brutality, which would be detrimental to him.
After a moment of silence, Liu Jin looked at the Generals behind him and immediately asked!
"Gentlemen, there are many prisoners in the city. How should we deal with them?"
Upon hearing this, the Generals behind him began to whisper among themselves. They naturally knew that killing them all was impossible, but keeping them meant feeding them, and the provisions would eventually run out.
After some thought, Zhang He stepped forward and respectfully said!
"Ming Gong, in my opinion, it would be better to execute all the ringleaders among the crowd to serve as a deterrent."
"As for the common people who were coerced, let them go, hand them over to the various county governors to become ordinary citizens again, and cultivate the land in the surrounding areas. After this battle, they will no longer have the courage to cause trouble."
"This would not only resolve the issue of these prisoners but also help restore the population lost in Jizhou."
Everyone nodded upon hearing this; it was indeed a good idea.
Li Li, standing at the back of the crowd, frowned upon hearing this and quickly stepped forward, saying loudly!
"I believe this is inappropriate. These Yellow Turbans raised an army to rebel, burning, killing, and plundering, harming the common people. They have committed immense crimes, and exterminating their nine generations would not be excessive."
"If we're talking about ringleaders, which of these people isn't a ringleader?"
"If we let them off so easily, even if they are settled in the vicinity, a slight instigation could cause them to rise up again. Since raising an army to rebel doesn't result in punishment, why wouldn't they dare?"
"Therefore, I ask General to deal with them severely and absolutely not let them off so easily."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked towards the back, only to see a thin young man in a gray long robe, with a determined face and sharp eyes.
They all knew this person; he was Li Li, who managed the army's grain and provisions. Although his official position wasn't very high, managing the army's provisions indicated that he was highly regarded by Liu Jin.
Liu Jin's face was serious. He looked up at the bright sky and slowly said!
"Bo De also has a point. Since these people have shed the blood of the common people, it would be somewhat inappropriate to let them go without punishment."
"But then again, if we don't let these common people go, what else can we do?"
"Are we to slaughter them all? That would be tens of thousands of living lives, and if word got out, it would seem rather cruel."
"Just like Bai Qi back then, he was a God of War, but because he buried too many prisoners alive, everyone detested him for his excessive slaughter."
"Is General also to follow this path?"
Upon hearing this, the Generals behind him quickly stepped forward to dissuade him!
"General, you must not. Our Great Han prioritizes filial piety and righteousness. If news of burying prisoners alive were to spread, it would surely invite condemnation."
After a moment of silence, Li Li stepped forward and slowly said!
"Ming Gong, killing them all is certainly not an option."
"I have a method that can deter these Yellow Turbans and make them lose the courage to rebel."
"We will draw lots to kill one out of every ten. We will draw lots in front of these prisoners, and then execute those who drew the short straw, breaking their courage so they will honestly farm at home from then on."
As soon as these words were spoken, the Generals standing around felt a chill run down their spines. Looking at the thin young man before them, they all felt he was somewhat ruthless.
Drawing lots to kill one out of every ten, from fifty thousand people, at least five thousand would be executed, and in front of the prisoners. They would probably be so scared their legs would turn to jelly and their hearts would fill with dread.
Liu Jin nodded upon hearing this, still quite approving of Li Li's method, as it would at least ensure that these Yellow Turbans who had rebelled received punishment.
He said loudly!
"Since that is the case, we will follow Bo De's suggestion: draw lots to kill one out of every ten to deter these prisoners."
"The surviving prisoners will be handed over to the officials of the surrounding counties and commanderies for handling."
Upon hearing this, the Generals bowed and accepted the order, and soon went to implement it.
The entire prisoner camp began drawing lots. Those who didn't draw a lot felt a sense of relief, filled with the feeling of having survived a catastrophe.
Those who drew a lot cried uncontrollably, constantly kneeling and begging for their lives, hoping to be spared.
However, the great blade was merciless. In front of all the prisoners, it directly struck down, heads rolled, and blood splattered.
This terrified the surrounding prisoners, making them tremble and filling their eyes with fear.
The fainthearted had their legs turn to jelly and soiled themselves. Even if given ten more times the courage, they probably wouldn't dare to rebel.