Chapter 7 Recruitment

  Zhou Cang?

  Wang Cai was shocked, and the person who came was actually Zhou Cang, Guan Yu's personal bodyguard. However, the Zhou Cang in front of him was shabbily dressed, with a messy hair bun and a face full of dirt. Wang Cai sighed inwardly, thinking that this guy didn't seem to be doing well, not even having a single decent set of clothes, and with over a dozen shabbily dressed little rascals closely following behind him, he could really go become the leader of the beggar gang.

  Before Wang Can spoke, the soldiers who were awakened suddenly raised their bows and arrows, aiming at Zhou Cang, ready to shoot.

  Wang Can stood in front of the soldiers, hastily raising his hand to stop them from shooting arrows, and shouted at Zhou Cang who was rushing towards him: "Zhou Cang, I have something to say!"

  Zhou Cang's body stiffened, his eyes fixed on Wang Can: "What is it? Speak!"

  Although he often robbed people on the road, Zhou Cang's principle was not to kill anyone, only to rob goods. Therefore, when he heard Wang Can shouting loudly, he stopped and held his battle knife horizontally in front of his chest, with a serious expression, looking at Wang Can with a vigilant gaze, while stretching out his hand to stop the small followers who were running quickly behind him.

  Wang Can's eyes rolled around and stared at Zhou Cang in front of him, revealing a thoughtful expression.

  After a moment, Wang Cai said: "Zhou Cang, you are also a general under the command of Da Xianliang, and you have been glorious before. How can you become a bandit and make a living by robbery?"

  Zhou Cang heard Wang Can call Zhang Jiao "Great Virtuous Teacher" and his expression relaxed for a moment, but immediately tensed up again, asking: "Who are you?"

  "My name is Wang Can, and I am a centurion under the command of Liu Bei and Gong Du."

  "Liu Bi, Gong Du?" Zhou Cang muttered twice and said: "You are the hundred officials under Liu Bi and Gong Du's command. Why would you bring more than 70 Yellow Turbans to Longshan Valley? Now that Yuan Shu and Bao Hong have formed an alliance and started attacking Runan, the whole city is in a state of panic. How could Liu Bi and Gong Du let you out of the city at this time? Hmm, are you actually government soldiers disguised as Yellow Turbans, specifically targeting me?"

  Wang Can pointed at Zhou Cang, laughing loudly and disdainfully: "Zhou Cang, you really do think highly of yourself. Do you think that compared to Liu Bi and Gong Du who are entrenched in Yuzhang, you are worthy of having over a hundred soldiers specially dispatched, disguised as Yellow Turbans, to pass through Longshan Gorge and lure you out? Not to mention these things, you are hiding in the mountains and forests. Does Bao Xin or Yuan Shu know about it? I'm afraid they don't even know you exist!"

  Zhou Cang nodded and said, "Yes, what you said makes sense."

  Wang Can smiled and said: "Actually, it's true. You guys came out to rob at midnight, haven't eaten yet, have you? Someone come and prepare some food, let Zhou Cang and the other brothers eat their fill."

  Wang Can ordered, and the soldiers behind him hurried off to prepare.

  Zhou Cang heard this and a hint of gratitude flashed in his eyes, then he ordered the soldiers beside him: "Go and call out Old Pei and the brothers hiding in the mountain forest."

  After finishing, Zhou Cang turned to Wang Can and said in a somewhat hesitant tone: "Wang Baifu Zhang, this...this...uh, the situation is like this. In the mountains there are still twelve brothers, can you prepare some more food? We haven't eaten dry rations for several days, all we have been eating is wild foods from the mountains to fill our bellies. Alas, it's all because of those two bastards Yuan Shu and Bao Hong, stirring up a big army to attack Junan, making us not dare to go out and rob during the day, stuck in the mountains every day, almost suffocating."

  Wang Cai said: "Hmm, don't worry, there's enough food."

  King Cen paused, then sighed again: "The great and virtuous teacher rose up in arms to rebel against the imperial court, with a momentum so grand, but now... Ah, nowadays the Yellow Turbans are like street rats, everyone shouting to beat them, no matter which lord's forces they are, all wanting to kill a few more Yellow Turbans to establish military merit, or swallow up the Yellow Turbans and increase their own strength."

  Zhou Can nodded in agreement, his expression solemn, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

  Similar to Yuannan Gongdu, Liu Bi, Heishan Military Zhang Yan, Qingzhou Yellow Turban Thief Guan Hai... These people are all local warlords with sufficient food and weapons, while Zhou Cang can only be a fugitive hiding in the mountains, afraid of being discovered by government troops every day, living a hard and difficult life.

  It's no wonder, spending all day cooped up in the mountains, surrounded by mosquitoes and stinky bugs, with not enough food to go around.

  Wang Can's eyes fell on Zhou Cang's face and he said in a deep voice: "Zhou Cang, what are your plans from now on?"

  "What's the plan?" Zhou Cang sneered: "Besides hiding in the mountains, what else can we do? Both I and Old Pei are wanted by the imperial court. Once discovered, we will be surrounded and killed by the imperial army. Moreover, with the current chaos and continuous wars, where is our place to stand?"

  Zhou Cang's mouth was chattering away, recounting the bitterness in his heart.

  However, just as he was speaking, he suddenly stopped and looked at Wang Can: "What, do you want me to surrender to you?" At this time, he also reacted and realized that although Wang Can's words were a question, they had the meaning of probing Zhou Cang.

  Wang Can's eyes were clear and his expression was sincere. He nodded and said, "Yes, that's right. I had the same idea."

  Zhuo Warehouse resolutely refused: "It's impossible, I and Lao Pei are not possible to surrender to you. Even if we die in the mountains, we will not fight against the imperial court with you. So many years have passed, and I have also seen clearly that no matter how fierce and powerful our Yellow Turbans are, it is impossible to overthrow the imperial court. This is not only because those vassals do not want to see us grow up, but also because those aristocratic families will not allow us to succeed."

  Wang Canshen was shocked in his heart, never expecting that Zhou Cang, a big black man, would have such delicate thoughts.

  His gaze fell back on Zhou Cang, and Wang Can smiled: "Don't be in a hurry to refuse, listen to me finish, then make your decision."

  Zhou Cang's expression was firm, but he nodded and said: "Hmm, you speak up, I want to hear what insights this hundred-man commander has. Although I'm a rough old man who can't read big characters, I've followed the great teacher and seen the world, like Huangfu Song, Lu Zhi, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Yuan Shao and so on. As for you, heh heh, to be honest, you're quite confident when you arrived, but without corresponding abilities, confidence becomes arrogance."

  "Zhou Heizi, what's going on? Why did you call me out in such a hurry?"

  A man eight feet tall, with a broad waist and shoulders, his muscles bulging, holding a wolf-toothed club in his hand, rushed hastily to Zhou Cang's side, his eyes showing a hint of urgency. His gaze fell on Zhou Cang, without even giving Wang Can a glance beside him.

  Wang Can didn't think much of it and smiled as he asked, "Are you Pei Yuanshao?"

  In the Three Kingdoms, Pei Yuanshao and Zhou Cang became bandits. The two met Guan Yu and both expressed their desire to become his vassals. At that time, only Zhou Cang followed Guan Yu, while Pei Yuanshao waited in the mountains. Later, Pei Yuanshao encountered Zhao Yun, who coveted Zhao's horse and tried to rob him, but was killed by Zhao Yun.

  It turns out that Pei Yuanshao was just a pawn, his own brothers followed Guan Yu and left, staying behind to guard the mountain stronghold, but because he took a liking to a horse, he was killed by Zhao Yun.

  Pei Yuanshao heard this and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He asked: "Zhou Heizi, who is he?"

  Zhou Cang said, "Liu Pi and Gong Du's hundred officials, Wang Can, they passed by here and I met them. There is enough food here, we can have a full meal."

  Pei Yuanshao's face lit up with joy, but immediately turned dark: "No pay without work, he gave us food for nothing, I'm afraid he has ulterior motives!"

  Zhou Cang nodded: "Mm, what you said isn't wrong either, this guy wants to subdue us."

  Wang Can smiled and nodded: "Not subdue, but recruit."

  Pei Yuanshao sneered: "Really doesn't know his own strength, just relying on him?" Pei Yuanshao's face was filled with disdain, and the wolf-toothed club in his hand slammed into the ground with a loud crash, splashing up a cloud of dust. At the same time, Zhou Cang's war knife also chopped into the ground with a clang, revealing a deep gash where the knife had struck.

  Wang Can let out a cold laugh, is this what they call a warning shot?