Chapter 52 Hidden Jewel Found! (1/2)
Chapter 52 – Hidden Jewel Found!
Tong managed to round up the surrendered soldiers and escorted them back into his fortress. He also reaped good profits from the assault.
Pan Feng had over 750 tons of grain storing in his grain depots which was considered average for supporting 8,000 men for three months.
But since they had splitted their troops into two, and the other army relocated their camp to the east of the fortress. Tong guessed that there had to be another granary that supported the east camp.
During the processing of sorting the loot from the camp and the prisoners, Hua Shi walked to Tong and asked him what to do with Pan Feng.
”What are we going to do with him? Ransom him to Han Fu?
”No, I sent him to you so you can get the last killing blow. I've already killed Sima Xin so I have 200,000 lifespans in the bag. You can have him.”
Hua Shi eyes lit up. She stared at Tong with her puppy eyes as if she was getting proposed. Meanwhile, Tong had goosebumps from making eye contacts with her.
”Hey, stop looking me like that. It's not like I'm doing it for you. I'm boosting you lifespans so you can buy me a few thing in the future, okay?”
Hua Shi chuckled but didn't say anything. She killed Pan Feng as Tong had told her to, then she left with her escorts back to the fortress.
'Ufufu, a tsundere type. Well, he is cuter this way.' Hua Shi thought.
If Tong were to hear her thought, he would fume into rage and would force her into dual-cultivation all night again.
…
5 AM.
Tong and his men returned to the fortress after they sorted the prisoners and the army casualties. In this night raid, Tong lost two hundreds bandits, but his elites came back in full number, only with a few injuries as trophies to brag with their friends.
However, he captured 2,000 men from Pan Feng's camp. After this battle with Han Fu force was over, he planned to convert these men into his army later.
Tong looked at his radar map and observed the troops placement again. Han Fu army had been crippled and left with 3,000 men in the east, while the routed soldiers deserted and retreated back home separately.
With three thousands in the east and 6,500s in the west, the situation became less stressful.
Tong breathed out a deep sighed in relief. Another load of worries were lift off from his shoulders.
He scouted further north of his radar map, and Liu Yan force was approaching from the north. From the looks of it, they should arrive at his north gate at noon today.
Tong closed his map and approached the prisoners. He wanted to sooth them and ensured them that they would be treated fairly under his watch.
Tong called up the captains and officers of the prisoners, and let them introduced themselves. Tong planned to break the ice with them first, then he would make a good impression on the rest of the prisoners.
But one of the captain had a name that caught Tong's ears.
”You, over there. What is your name again?”
Tong pointed at a teenager who seemed to be in around 13 or 14 years of age. Despite being young, he was appointed as a captain of a hundred men.
”I'm Zhang He. My courtesy name is Junyi. My post was a 100-man commander, my lord.”
Tong couldn't believe his eyes and ears. Although his surname ”Zhang” was the same as Tong's because it was a common surname, Zhang He's real name and his courtesy name was not something Tong could forget.
This Zhang He would become one of the five elite generals who served Cao Cao in the history! In 190s he served Yuan Shao and fought in the battles against Gongsun Zan. Then he defected to Cao Cao after Yuan Shao lost in the battle of Guan Du. Afterwards he served the Cao family for three generations and scored many achievements in his career, including routing Ma Su at the battle at Jieting in the year 228.
However, because of Sima Yi's order, he pursued the defeated force of Zhuge Liang. But he was ambushed and died by a stray arrow to the knee during the campaign mission against Zhuge Liang in Tian Shui district in 231 A.D.
In the history, Zhang He excelled in geography and was capable of making accurate predictions about war situations. It also described that Zhang He as a resourceful and proficient military leader, even Zhuge Liang was wary of him.
The pupil in the eyes of Tong expanded and sparkled as if they were the eyes of a child who had found his precious favorite toy. This teenager was a jewel blessed by the heaven, and he fell into his hands.
”D-Do you have a family in Ye?” Tong swallowed his saliva and asked. His voice was trembling.
”Yes, my parents are in Ye City.”
”Are they part of the official?”