Just then, a messenger on horseback galloped towards them, arriving beside Liu Jin in an instant and quickly reporting!
"Reporting to the General, General Lu's army is only ten li away from here!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Jin's spirits immediately lifted, and he dared not be negligent.
As a Commander holding the Imperial Staff, he had to go out to greet him; showing any disrespect was not an option.
He immediately gave orders to gather the Generals in the army to accompany him and proceed to the camp gate for the reception.
After a short wait, on the distant official road, tens of thousands of soldiers were approaching, with the Lu family banner fluttering in the wind.
At the very front was the Imperial Staff procession, with a hundred or so soldiers in armor, helmets, and long spears, standing solemnly and majestically around it.
In the center was a war chariot, with Lu Zhi standing atop it, a sharp blade at his waist, a long robe draped over him, and a serene expression, slowly approaching, surrounded by the Generals of the army.
Liu Jin looked at the grand display before him, a hint of envy rising in his heart.
He wondered when he would be able to become such a Commander holding the Imperial Staff, commanding tens of thousands of troops.
The army before him slowly approached and halted outside the military camp.
Liu Jin dared not be negligent, a respectful expression on his face, as he led the Generals behind him to quickly greet them.
Upon arriving before him, he immediately clasped his hands and bowed deeply!
"Your subordinate Liu Jin greets the General!"
Behind him, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Han Dang, and others also bowed, saluting!
"Greetings, General!"
Lu Zhi on the war chariot narrowed his eyes slightly, observing Liu Jin who had come to pay his respects. He had a resolute appearance, a sturdy build, and exuded a formidable aura, possessing the bearing of a renowned General.
Now that he had come to greet him, showing respect, and acting neither arrogant nor impatient, Lu Zhi was quite satisfied with this young man's character.
He stroked his beard and said with a smile!
"Wen Yi, there's no need for such formality. You are a meritorious official of the army, having pacified thirty thousand Yellow Turbans and slain Zhang Liang. I have already requested a reward for you from the imperial court, and it will be sent to Luoyang shortly."
"By then, the whole world will know of your fame, Liu Wenyi."
Upon hearing this, Liu Jin's heart rejoiced. As he had guessed, Lu Zhi was not one to embezzle military merits.
He immediately clasped his hands and bowed again!
"Thank you, General, for requesting the reward. Your subordinate is deeply grateful and vows to follow you faithfully, never daring to disobey."
Lu Zhi's expression remained calm upon hearing this, but a hint of joy appeared in his heart.
He quite enjoyed Liu Jin's flattery. Expressing his loyalty in front of everyone showed that Liu Jin was willing to listen to him, which would reduce unnecessary trouble when commanding and deploying the army.
Because the army was very complex, with troops from various counties arriving, all with independent Generals, it required sufficient authority to command the entire army.
Since Liu Jin, who had achieved such great merits, was willing to follow his arrangements, the other county troops would likely also obey honestly, not daring to feign compliance.
The eyes of the Generals around him never left Liu Jin, wanting to see what capabilities this man possessed to defeat thirty thousand Yellow Turbans and slay Zhang Liang with only three thousand soldiers.
After observing for a moment, they did not discern anything useful.
Their impression was that this young man appeared young, but his words and demeanor gave off a very seasoned feeling, which seemed inconsistent with his age.
Lu Zhi wasted no words, waving his hand and speaking loudly to those around him!
"Since the army has arrived at Baixiang County, we will rest here for one day and continue our march tomorrow to attack Guangzong and eliminate Zhang Jiao."
The Generals around him all bowed, promising their compliance!
Liu Jin, with a smile, respectfully led the way at the front, followed by Lu Zhi and the other Generals. The rest of the troops set up camp on the spot, building simple tents for the night.
After Lu Zhi and the Generals entered the camp, they observed the elite soldiers on both sides, armored and armed with spears, standing tall and straight, their military bearing solemn.
Everyone was somewhat surprised; such an elite force could be considered among the best in the Han Army.
No wonder these men were able to defeat Zhang Liang's thirty thousand troops; they indeed possessed unique qualities.
The large military tent, which had been prepared in advance, had already been cleared out.
Lu Zhi then led everyone to take their seats, with the Generals inside the tent sitting on either side.
As for Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others, who only held the rank of Qu Junhou, they were not qualified to enter this main military tent amidst so many Generals.
Even Liu Jin, a Thousand-Stone Sima, only sat at the very end of the middle section, next to a few other Thousand-Stone Simas.
One of them, handsome and burly, with a smile on his face, nodded towards Liu Jin.
Liu Jin, out of politeness, also smiled and nodded, a simple greeting.
Lu Zhi sat at the head seat, glanced at the Generals in the tent, and slowly said!
"Now that we have arrived at Baixiang County, we are only a hundred li away from Zhang Jiao's stronghold, Guangzong City."
"Is there anyone who dares to be the vanguard for our army, clear the path, besiege Guangzong, and await the arrival of our main force?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of the Generals in the tent showed eagerness; they naturally did not want to miss the position of vanguard.
The burly man sitting next to Liu Jin immediately stood up, his booming voice resonating!
"Your subordinate Gongsun Zan is willing to lead his troops as the vanguard, to clear the way for the army and besiege Guangzong!"
Liu Jin, sitting nearby, was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, a look of surprise in his eyes.
He hadn't expected this person to be the famous Gongsun Zan.
This man was a formidable warlord during the chaotic Han Dynasty, dominating the entire You Province, commanding tens of thousands of troops, with his White Horse cavalry known throughout the land.
Even Yuan Shao, from a family of four generations of Grand Tutors, was repeatedly defeated by him in the early stages, making Gongsun Zan the primary hegemon of the northern Han Dynasty during that period.
However, due to his ill fortune and arrogance, he was eventually defeated by Yuan Shao and died by self-immolation.
The current Gongsun Zan was merely a Thousand-Stone Sima, not yet possessing the warlord's demeanor of later years.
A Military Sima sitting nearby, seeing this situation, was not to be outdone. His face was filled with determination, exuding a heroic aura.
He quickly stood up and said loudly!
"Your subordinate Zhang He is also willing to lead his troops as the vanguard, to clear the way for the army!"
Liu Jin's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this; he hadn't expected another famous General of the Han Dynasty to appear.
Historically, Zhang He's reputation was considerable. He first followed Yuan Shao to dominate Hebei, known as one of the 'Four Pillars of Hebei.'
After Yuan Shao was defeated by Cao Cao, Zhang He surrendered to the Wei army and followed Cao Cao in various campaigns, achieving many merits, and was later named one of the 'Five Tiger Generals.'
His ability to command and lead troops was considered top-tier throughout the Han Dynasty, making him a rare and excellent commanding General.
Liu Jin's eyes showed greed; he greatly admired Zhang He and, if given the chance, naturally wanted to recruit him into his ranks.
Unfortunately, the other party's official position was no lower than his own, making it impossible to recruit him.
It seemed he would have to wait until his own official position was elevated, then slowly befriend this person, become good friends, and then try to recruit him to see if it would succeed.