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Chen Xi trembled slightly, then realized he seemed to have stiffened a bit. Looking up at the raging storm, it suddenly occurred to him that everyone is different, and therefore, the spiritual power born from the soul has different effects for each person.
Chen Xi was not quite sure which aspect his spiritual power enhanced, but according to his feeling, the person causing the rain’s spiritual power likely bolstered something like mist.
It seemed like the same rain, but with that little bit of enhancement, the slight chill was enough to slow down an unprepared party during an ambush by a beat, and that beat could determine victory or defeat.
Lub Su stood at the entrance of the Political Office, catching the rain with his hand, its coolness seeped into his skin. Apart from wisdom, this slight edge was what he was most proud of, one that could inadvertently tip the balance.
Soon after, Liu Bei arrived with Xuu Chu and Yu Jin. The news from Lub Su left him feeling cold; so soon after the establishment of Mount Tai, someone was already targeting it. Was this the chaos of war? A sanctuary for the people was barely formed before others sought to break this tranquility. Thinking of this, a clear fury appeared on Liu Bei’s face!
"Zijing, are you certain we can capture all of them alive?" Liu Bei suppressed the anger in his heart as he asked.
"This is something that Ziyang and I have discussed. The architecture purposely built by Zichuan during the construction of Fenggao was made in preparation for this moment. We will have no problems taking the enemy down. However, Zichuan suggested that Zhongkang make a move to decisively settle the outcome!" Lub Su explained the situation in detail.
"Wen Ze, lead the soldiers to control the shops on both sides, enter through the back door. Have all crossbows ready, and at the moment Zhongkang strikes the bandits’ leader, be prepared to shoot; anyone who dares to resist shall be shown no mercy!" Cold light flashed in Liu Bei’s eyes, "Back then, I thought Zichuan’s precautions were troublesome, but I didn’t expect them to come in handy so soon!"
"Young man, we have arrived at Fenggao City now. Could you please let us go? As for this refined salt, my Lul Family is willing to offer it all to you as ransom," Lul Jun said with a wry smile. What kind of situation was this? He was just transporting a boatload of salt from Mi Zhu to sell off when he was robbed on the Yangtze River. Now even his personal safety was at risk. Had it not been for the reasonable nature of his captors, he feared he might have died here.
"Ransom?" The robust man sitting outside the carriage and using his great broadsword to trim his nails looked up at Lul Jun, "I recall this is meant to be a tribute to Lord Xuande, isn’t it?" The man said bluntly.
"Yes, yes, it is a tribute to Lord Xuande. Moreover, if needed, we can come and pull another shipment. I guarantee it on my Lul Family’s century-old reputation. Just bring this jade pendant to the Lul Family, and we will deliver a boatload of refined salt to you without a second word," Lul Jun said, chuckling bitterly. He couldn’t very well tell this man that the salt was Liu Bei’s private property; obviously, the man didn’t lack for such things, given the reputation of the Lul Family was at stake!
Gan Ning, using his great broadsword to trim his nails also felt a bit helpless. Originally, upon hearing that Liu Bei had issued a Talent Recruitment Order, inviting wise scholars from across the land without regard for their background but only their abilities, Gan Ning had considered joining.
After contemplating that he was originally from the water pirates and had also deserted from officialdom to become a bandit, he figured his arrival would not be well-received. So, he inquired further and discovered that Liu Bei truly didn’t mind such matters and would accept anyone with abilities. This instantly boosted Gan Ning’s confidence – he had abilities!
And so, Gan Ning promptly led his men to join Liu Bei. While they were traveling downstream, they came across the Lul Family’s merchant ship. Upon hearing about the boatload of salt, Gan Ning didn’t hesitate to take it. It was a scarce strategic resource – taking it to present as a gift to Liu Bei at their first meeting... 𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
What Gan Ning didn’t know was that his rejection by others in different places wasn’t due to a lack of ability or his past as a water pirate; it was entirely because he was still the Deputy Magistrate of Shu Commandery. Gan Ning’s father was too capable, and even though his son Gan Ning had abandoned his post to become a water pirate, people were willing to turn a blind eye and even keep his official position for him. Naturally, this was also related to Liu Yan’s connections.
It was precisely because of this official position that Gan Ning couldn’t be taken in by others when he went to other provinces; the moment they checked, they were afraid to recruit him. When you consider taking someone like him in, you always have to be wary of Liu Yan. After all, he nominally held the title of Deputy Magistrate of Shu Commandery. Liu Yan might not mind Gan Ning skipping out on his duties, or not care if someone from his own ranks becomes a thief, but if someone turned his subordinate into their own, that would be a slap in the face.
That’s why, historically, there were not a few who knew of Gan Ning’s abilities, but basically, no one dared to employ him. It was just too risky. Liu Yan wasn’t a fool; by holding onto the official position for you, he intended for you to come back. Besides, the Gan family was a great clan of Ba Commandery. When you were young, you might roam around, but eventually, the fallen leaves must return to their roots, in the end, you would still be one of Liu Yan’s generals.
But then Liu Yan died, and when Gan Ning saw how insipid and cowardly Liu Zhang appeared, he immediately discarded any thoughts of returning to his old home. His father had died, and now, as the head of the family, he moved the Gan family wholesale.
If Liu Yan were still alive, the situation would naturally be different. Gan Ning, though called a water pirate, had the equipment of a regular army. Moreover, from the upper Yangtze to the lower Yangtze, no one dared to arrest him; his supplies often even came from official sources.
Governor of Jingzhou, Liu Biao, and Provincial Inspector of Yangzhou, Liu Yao, both knew that this scoundrel Gan Ning was predetermined as the great general of the navy by their common clansman, Liu Yan; they turned a blind eye as well. After all, this fellow only did things like robbing the rich to aid the poor, without killing people, so they let him be. If he came ashore for supplies, they would provide them. They already supported a navy of a hundred thousand; what did this little bit matter? They considered it doing a favor for Liu Yan’s sake.
That’s why Zhou Tai and Jiangh Qin, who were no weaker than Gan Ning either in personal strength or the forces under their command, weren’t as brazen on the Yangtze River as Gan Ning, who even hung a bell on himself as if afraid others wouldn’t know where he was.
Other water pirates, when they encountered Cai Mao’s Jingzhou Navy, would have hidden in the reed marshes without a word, but not Gan Ning, he dared to confront them. There weren’t a lack of water pirates with audacious courage, but those who dared do so and hadn’t been shot into sieves were none but Gan Ning, for he was an official, and moreover, the Deputy Magistrate of Shu Commandery!
For an official of such rank, well, apart from Liu Yan himself, no one could deal with him unless the Central Government issued a command. It didn’t matter whether what Gan Ning did was legal or not; until the order from above came, no one could touch him. If Liu Biao arrested him, it would be considered overstepping authority, which would have a worse impact than any illegality on Gan Ning’s part. Therefore, with the Central Government turning a blind eye, what Cai Mao could do was pretend not to see Gan Ning, meaning as the regular army, he still had to avoid the other party.
Gan Ning, naturally, didn’t understand all of these things. He always thought of himself as invincible, swaggering across the Yangtze River where no one dared to trouble him, doing whatever he pleased, completely unaware that, in reality, it was because he had such a powerful backing!
Liu Bei’s Talent Recruitment Order was exactly what Gan Ning craved. He left the Shu Region because people there, when asked, would always talk about the Gan family and not about Gan Ning himself. Feeling exceedingly capable, Gan Ning naturally resented such talk, preferring to become a water pirate rather than remain in Sichuan and Shu. He desired to carve out a piece of the world with his own hands. With this thought, Gan Ning became a water pirate, and then proudly swaggered along the Yangtze River, unchallenged by anyone.
But that was all. He could only be a water pirate swaggering along the Yangtze River. As for his cherished dream of a wise and martial lord falling from the sky, who, with his assistance, would conquer all directions and unite the world—there wasn’t the slightest hint of such a possibility.
How was he to prove his abilities then, how was he to make those bastards understand that he could make a name for himself without relying on his family?
After he had taken to swaggering across the Yangtze River, Gan Ning began to ponder this question and soon realized it was like a tiger trying to eat the sky—there was no way to proceed. He possessed the power to slay dragons yet had no dragons to slay.
Was he to return to the Shu Region? The moment this thought emerged, Gan Ning quashed it, vowing he wouldn’t go back to that wretched place. That place relied all on family connections. Was it interesting to go back and rely on one’s father? The prestige of one’s father decided the size of one’s official position—what joy was there in living like that!
