Soon, the Generals in the tent successively stepped forward to request to fight.
Among them were historical Generals like Xu Rong, Cheng Pu, and Yan Liang.
Liu Jin looked at this scene within the military tent, his eyes burning with fervor; it truly was the Hebei battlefield, where famous Generals were as numerous as ox hair.
They were all the Generals he yearned for in his heart, all possessing the talent of great Generals. Even if he couldn't recruit all of them, if a few followed him, he would wake up smiling in his dreams.
After all, these people were all from the north and could be considered half-countrymen with him. If he could recruit them, they would be even more convenient to use.
Moreover, with these people assisting him, when the chaotic times arrived, his foundation would become even more stable, giving him an advantage over other warlords.
Taking a deep breath, Liu Jin slowly regained his composure. Recruiting these people wasn't something to rush into at this moment.
He still had to plan for the long term, build good relationships with them, and then extend an olive branch.
If he directly expressed his desire to recruit them, it was likely no one would agree, and they might even think he had a problem with his head.
They were, after all, historical Generals, and naturally had their own aspirations. Their official positions were already not low, so why would they listen to a Sima from a humble background?
Lu Zhi, sitting in the main seat, looked at the Generals under his command, all eager to take on the role of vanguard. A smile appeared on his face, very pleased with the scene.
At the very least, morale was high and the army's spirit was flourishing. Facing the Yellow Turban, they were already in an invincible position.
After a quick glance, he noticed Liu Jin still seated beneath the tent, seemingly with no intention of requesting to fight.
He stroked his beard and asked with a smile,
"I see the Generals in the tent are in high spirits, yet why is Brother Wenyi silent? Could it be that you don't wish to take on the role of vanguard?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the Generals' gazes all turned towards Liu Jin, their eyes deep and their thoughts complex.
If Liu Jin were to step forward and contend for the vanguard position, probably no one present would be able to compete with him.
He had, after all, slain thirty thousand Yellow Turbans and executed Zhang Liang. With such military achievements, let alone these Sima, even the Commandants and Colonels couldn't compare their records to his.
Upon hearing this, Liu Jin did not hesitate. He immediately stood up and bowed, saying,
"Reporting to the General, this subordinate has just arrived and is not yet familiar with military matters. Naturally, I will not contend with the Generals for the vanguard position, lest I delay a military opportunity. I only wish to remain in the army and learn properly."
After speaking, he secretly thought to himself that if he were to snatch the vanguard position, he would likely become a thorn in the side of the Generals.
You have already achieved immense merit and are bound to become a two-thousand-dan official in the army. Now, if you also compete with them for the vanguard position, resentment will naturally arise, and you might even face ostracism from everyone.
His desire to recruit them would only become more difficult, so he absolutely could not steal the limelight.
Moreover, during this period, he had to remain humble and display an attitude of eager learning and respect for worthy individuals.
It was not too late to first stabilize himself in the army, become close with the Generals, and then find a way to earn merit.
The Generals in the hall heard these words and slowly breathed a sigh of relief, their gazes towards Liu Jin becoming somewhat friendlier.
It seemed this person also knew how to be sensible, understanding that if he ate the meat, he should leave some soup for them to drink.
Seeing this, Lu Zhi smiled and nodded, his eyes sweeping over the Generals who had stepped forward, and slowly said,
"Since that is the case, this General will allocate five thousand troops to Gongsun Zan to lead as the vanguard. Starting today, he will first clear the path, surround Guangzong City, build encampments, and await the arrival of the main army."
Gongsun Zan, upon hearing this, was delighted. Although his teacher deliberately distanced himself from him in the army, he would still offer some help at critical moments.
Although the vanguard position might not guarantee merit, he could at least lead an independent army and be the first to surround Guangzong City. If he could conquer it in one battle and capture Zhang Jiao, that would be an unprecedented achievement.
His future path would be like eating and drinking, rapidly ascending.
Without any hesitation, he immediately bowed, his resonant voice proclaiming,
"This subordinate accepts the order!"
After receiving the order, he immediately withdrew from the main military tent, preparing to lead his troops to set off and advance northward.
The other Generals, though displeased upon learning of the situation, dared not show it and could only take their seats on both sides.
Lu Zhi glanced at the Generals in the tent again, then waved his hand and slowly said,
"The rest of you Generals, go and rest well. Tomorrow morning, we will set off northward to attack Guangzong and encircle Zhang Jiao."
Everyone stood up and bowed in agreement, then began to withdraw one after another.
Liu Jin walked out of the main military tent and looked up at the sky. It was already dusk, and the sun was slowly setting over the mountains.
Soon, a person passed by, preparing to leave the area.
It was Zhang He. Without any hesitation, Liu Jin quickly spoke,
"Brother Junyi, would you perhaps like to come to my camp for a drink and a chat?"
Zhang He, who was about to leave, paused upon hearing this. He turned around and saw Liu Jin looking at him with a brilliant smile.
Since this person actively invited him, it was clear he wanted to make his acquaintance, and of course, he would not refuse.
Moreover, this person had already achieved merit, and when the imperial court's rewards came down, his official position would be higher than his own. Being able to make his acquaintance would not harm him in any way.
Without hesitation, he nodded and said with a smile,
"Since Brother Wenyi invites me, then I shall not decline."
Liu Jin laughed heartily and directly led Zhang He towards his military camp.
Soon, they were seated in a military tent in the adjacent camp.
Liu Jin sat in the main seat, and Zhang He sat in the seat below. Even Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Han Dang, Wei You, and others were seated on both sides.
He immediately introduced them to everyone,
"This is Zhang He, courtesy name Junyi, a hero of Hebei."
Seeing this, Zhang He stood up and cupped his hands to everyone in the hall.
These people around were Liu Jin's subordinate Generals. Although they were only Military Marquis, they had previously achieved merit and would likely be on equal footing with him before long. Naturally, he had to show politeness.
Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and the others, seeing their elder brother's humble and courteous demeanor, already understood his intentions. It was clear he valued this person and wanted to make his acquaintance, and incidentally, win him over.
Though they didn't know this person's capabilities, they wouldn't contradict their elder brother at this time. They all stood up and cupped their hands.
After a round of introductions, Liu Jin raised a cup of wine and said with a smile to everyone in the hall,
"Come, let us all drink this wine together, to celebrate the upcoming great battle, wishing for continuous victories and the extermination of the Yellow Turban."
Everyone raised their wine cups, drank them down, and then began to chat freely.
Liu Jin and Zhang He chatted about the world's situation, displaying a foresight that explained the direction of the upcoming battles.
This earned Zhang He's continuous praise, and a few more points of respect grew in his heart.
As for phrases like 'restoring the Han Dynasty,' 'carving out a territory,' 'stockpiling grain, building high walls,' and 'sweeping across the world and dominating a region when chaos descends,' Liu Jin would not be so foolish as to utter them, because the time was not yet right.
Although the current Han Dynasty was plagued by the Yellow Turban, with bandits and brigands everywhere, seemingly showing signs of collapse, the imperial court was still stable.
