Chapter 13: Heading North

Although Liu Zhan was infatuated with the beautiful lady, he didn't forget his serious business. With the army almost reorganized, the timing was just right, and Liu Zhan wasn't going to let his infatuation with the lady distract him from his duties.

So, he gathered his subordinates to plan the next steps.

"Everyone, we will set out tomorrow morning. The army will head north first, to eliminate a group of Yellow Turban soldiers in the Guangyang area. After that, we will advance south and join the larger campaign against the Yellow Turbans in the Central Plains."

Those present were a bit confused. Since the final goal was to move south, why not head south directly and avoid unnecessary detours?

"Lord Sima, wouldn't it be better to go directly south? Why must we go north first?"

"Wen Yuan, we're just passing through this area. Although we've eliminated a group of Yellow Turbans, our achievements might not be recognized if we don't establish a proper reputation. We could end up with all the credit slipping away. Is that something you would be willing to accept?"

This statement made sense; military achievements were crucial to soldiers. No one wanted to work hard without any benefit. Hearing this, everyone nodded vigorously.

"I have already prepared the battle reports from this area. When we depart, we will send our reports to the governor of Youzhou, Liu Yan. By the time we reach Guangyang and eliminate the Yellow Turbans there, we can present our achievements to Governor Liu. Then we will have something substantial to report, haha."

Everyone now understood the strategic reasoning behind the plan.

Gao Shun was a loyal subordinate and strongly supported Liu Zhan's decision.

"Lord Sima, whatever you decide, we will follow your orders. Please give the command."

"Alright, you all need to be prepared mentally. This war is likely to last nearly a year. There will be plenty of opportunities for achievement, but long-term warfare is exhausting. Both mentally and materially, we need to be fully prepared."

"Please rest assured, Lord Sima. We don't fear hardship and will definitely support you in achieving great accomplishments."

Liu Zhan had recently organized his memories and understood the general course of history. The Yellow Turban Rebellion had occurred earlier than expected.

In Julu, there were the Zhang brothers: Zhang Jiao, Zhang Bao, and Zhang Liang. Zhang Jiao was originally an unsuccessful scholar. While gathering herbs in the mountains, he met an old man with blue eyes and a youthful appearance, holding a cane. The old man led Zhang Jiao to a cave and gave him three volumes of heavenly scriptures, saying, "This is the 'Taiping Yao Shu.' With it, you will spread heavenly enlightenment and save the people. If you have ulterior motives, you will face dire consequences."

Zhang Jiao asked the old man's name, and the old man replied, "I am the Immortal of Nanhua." After speaking, he transformed into a gust of clear wind and departed.

After receiving these scriptures, Zhang Jiao practiced day and night, claiming to control the wind and rain, and styled himself as "The Taiping Daoist."

At this time, a plague was spreading in the Central Plains. Zhang Jiao distributed talismans and treated people, claiming to be a "Great Virtuous Teacher." He had over five hundred disciples who traveled everywhere, performing rituals and chanting spells.

As his followers grew, Zhang Jiao established thirty-six divisions, with over ten thousand in the major divisions and six to seven thousand in the minor ones. He appointed leaders and called them generals. He spread rumors, saying, "The Heaven is dead, Yellow Heaven should rise." He also proclaimed, "In the Year of Jiazi, the world will be prosperous." People wrote the characters "Jiazi" on their doorways with white clay. People from the eight provinces of Qing, You, Xu, Ji, Jing, Yang, Yan, and Yu all served Zhang Jiao, the Great Virtuous Teacher, with utmost respect. Zhang Jiao sent his subordinate Ma Yuan Yi to secretly offer gold and silk, forging connections with influential figures to serve as internal support.

Zhang Jiao and his brothers discussed, "The most valuable thing is the people's hearts. Now that the people's hearts are aligned, if we do not seize the opportunity to take the world, it would indeed be a pity."