The war chariot slowly approached the city gate.
Liu Jin stood upon it, clad in a red robe, a sharp blade at his waist, exuding a vigorous aura.
Zheng Qian quickly scurried over, bowed deeply with a respectful expression, and declared loudly!
“Your subordinate, Zheng Qian, Prefect of Wuyuan Commandery, greets General Zhenbei.”
Behind him, many officials dared not be slow; they bowed deeply and declared loudly!
“We all greet General Zhenbei.”
Liu Jin looked at this old acquaintance, feeling a bit emotional. He truly owed Zheng Qian a lot for his rapid rise.
Although he was greedy for money and fond of women, if you gave him money, he truly got things done. He never withheld Liu Jin's merits or took money without delivering.
Especially the gift of five hundred horses, which was truly a lifesaver. Just that act alone had earned Zheng Jin's approval.
With a smile, he politely said!
“Prefect Zheng, long time no see.”
Zheng Qian heard these warm words, his heart trembled slightly, filled with excitement. It seemed Liu Jin had not forgotten their past kindness and still treated him with respect.
With a smile, an excited voice came!
“Ge-… General, long time no see. General is even more handsome and extraordinary than before. Your subordinate barely dared to recognize you.”
Hearing this, Liu Jin threw his head back and laughed heartily, stepping directly down from the war chariot.
He walked over to Zheng Qian, patted his shoulder, and said with a smile!
“You and I are old friends who have known each other for a long time; there’s no need to be so polite.”
After saying this, Liu Jin directly took Zheng Qian’s hand, and surrounded by the crowd, walked towards the city.
Zheng Qian felt this respectful gesture and was deeply moved, so much so that he was too excited to speak.
However, he quickly recovered, straightening his back with a confident expression.
From time to time, he glanced at some officials in the commandery who often opposed him, revealing a cold sneer.
It was as if he was saying, “You all just wait, I have someone backing me now. Let’s see if you can still cause trouble.”
When he first arrived in Wuyuan Commandery, he was often bullied by the local officials, who even ganged up to deal with him.
At that time, things were extremely difficult. If not for the troops under Han Dang, his position as Prefect would have been nothing but an empty title.
And those officials who were glanced at felt their legs go numb, cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads.
They never expected Zheng Qian to have such a close relationship with General Zhenbei, and even be led by the hand. This kind of bond was like brothers.
Regret filled their hearts. If they had known this, how would they dare offend Zheng Qian? That would be no different from seeking death.
They had only one thought: they must prepare a gift later and personally go to apologize, hoping Zheng Qian would let them off this once for the sake of money.
In the main hall of the Prefect's Mansion!
Liu Jin sat in the principal seat, while the others were seated on both sides. The entire hall was already crowded with twenty or thirty people.
Looking at Zheng Qian, who was seated below him, he asked!
“How many troops does Wuyuan Commandery have?”
Zheng Qian was slightly stunned by the question, but he dared not delay. He quickly stood up and reported!
“Reporting to Lord, Wuyuan Commandery has a total of three thousand troops. Two thousand of them are commanded by Han Dang and stationed at Ga Que Fortress.”
“Another thousand are stationed outside the commandery city, commanded by Lü Bu.”
Liu Jin was not surprised by the first part. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion was quelled, Han Dang was dispatched to guard Wuyuan Commandery, and they had always corresponded.
However, when he heard the name Lü Bu, he was somewhat surprised.
That was the strongest General of the Three Kingdoms, possessing invincible strength. Even Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, under his command, would struggle to defeat him in a joint effort and would eventually fall to a disadvantage if the fight dragged on too long.
Lü Bu was indeed powerful, but his arrogant and uninhibited personality made him prone to betraying his adoptive fathers.
After all, historically, Ding Yuan, Dong Zhuo, and others were all stabbed in the back and died tragically.
But it cannot be denied that those Lü Bu killed were all people who opposed the Han Dynasty.
His martial prowess was extremely strong; Liu Jin could try to recruit him.
Liu Jin's face showed a strange expression as he immediately asked!
“Who is this Lü Bu?”
Hearing this, Zheng Qian's face lit up with a smile, and he quickly patted his chest, declaring loudly!
“Lord, this Lü Bu is a native of Wuyuan Commandery, courtesy name Fengxian. He is the son of Lü Liang, an official in the commandery. From a young age, he was tall and strong, possessing immense brute strength, and was known for his ferocity in the surrounding villages.”
“After growing up, he served as an official through his father’s recommendation. However, this young man was restless and wanted to join the army, so his father reluctantly sent him to enlist.”
“Thus, in just a few years, he established a formidable reputation in Wuyuan Commandery, becoming a young General. The surrounding Xianbei and Xiongnu tribes were all terrified of him.”
“His strength is unmatched in the entire Wuyuan Commandery; he has already been called the greatest master.”
At this point, Zheng Qian paused slightly, a shy smile on his face as he said!
“Lord, you must know that I cherish talent. Seeing Lü Bu’s extraordinary bravery, I took good care of him, and this young man has a very good relationship with me.”
“Some time ago, his father passed away, and he even said he wanted to acknowledge me as his adoptive father and serve me. However, I didn’t immediately agree and decided to consider it.”
Hearing this, Liu Jin inwardly thought, “What the hell?” His face instantly showed surprise.
He looked at Zheng Qian with a strange expression, thinking, “It’s a good thing you old man were lucky enough not to agree.”
Zheng Qian looked at Liu Jin’s strange expression, somewhat puzzled, and couldn’t help but scratch his head.
He mumbled to himself, “Could it be that Lord sees Lü Bu’s extraordinary bravery and also has a heart for talent, wanting to become Lü Bu’s adoptive father?”
Thinking of this, Zheng Qian nodded. The Lord’s style was always like this, cherishing talent. So, he spoke!
“That Lü Bu is exceptionally brave and incredibly powerful. It would truly be a pity for him to become my adopted son. Why doesn’t Lord take him by your side to cultivate him? He will definitely become Lord’s right-hand man, helping you resolve difficulties.”
Hearing this, Liu Jin’s face instantly darkened, and he cursed inwardly, “I treat you as a good friend, but you want to harm me.”
He lightly coughed and quickly waved his hand, saying!
“Since this Lü Bu is brave and skilled in battle, he is indeed a promising talent. General will naturally cultivate him well when I meet him.”
At this point, he glanced at Zheng Qian beside him and still said with concern!
“Lü Bu wants to acknowledge you as his adoptive father; you must not agree, okay?”
Hearing this, Zheng Qian’s eyes instantly showed an understanding look, and he said with a smile!
“Lord, rest assured, I will definitely not compete with you.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Jin’s hand in his sleeve clenched tightly into a fist. After enduring for a moment, he relaxed.
If his self-restraint hadn't improved significantly recently, he would have almost been unable to resist striking Zheng Qian, that old fellow.