Three Kingdoms: Ancestors of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 85
"Comfortable, this spring water is sweet." Deng Ai put down the bowl and sighed.

Su Gu picked up the kettle and poured water for Deng Ai and asked, "I don't know, General, what's your business here?"

Deng Ai pondered for a while, and said slowly: "I, the leader of Guansu, has a big physique, has the courage of a bear, is quite famous among the people of 蜑 (dàn) and 獽 (ráng), and knows Chinese, and he is busy in Han'an County. Wouldn't it be a pity to do nothing."

"Why did you say that, General? I'm doing nothing to protect the people in Han'an County." Su Gu laughed.

"Can Chief Su really protect the clansmen?" Deng Ai raised his bowl and took a sip, and said slowly.

Su Gu sneered and said, "Where did the general come from? I, Su Gu's bravery, is known to everyone in Han'an County. Both Han and Barbarians are convinced. Who dares to offend my people."

"The general can be protected for a while, but can he be protected for the rest of his life? There are countless people in Yizhou who are slaves. Does the leader know?" Deng Ai didn't seem to see Su Gu's unhappy expression, and said slowly.

Su Gu was a little embarrassed, and said displeasedly: "The general came from a long way, so he can't just say these things to Gu!"

Deng Ai shook his head and said: "Naturally not. Could it be that the false brother of Zōng, the only wish in his life is to protect hundreds of people of the same clan?"

"It is my strict entrustment to protect my fellow clan, and it is also my wish; but if that is the case, Brother Deng may not believe it. After all, fame and fortune are not tempting." Su Gu shook his head and sighed.

"Brother Jia Fake possesses courage, but lives in a shabby house, and the people in the clan don't have enough food and clothing. It's like a child entering a treasure mountain and coming out empty-handed." Deng Ai said with emotion, as if to defend Su Gu.

"It's not that I don't want to go abroad to serve, it's just that it's hard for me to face my clansmen. To be honest, Brother Deng said, my fellow clansmen and those who were enslaved by the big clan in Han'an County, how can I work for the country? Besides, who can guarantee that? When people serve the country, they come back and find that their wives and children are other people’s slaves.” Su Gu told the secrets in his heart.

"Oh! Why did the fake brother make such a statement, but there was a man of the same clan who served the country before, and his wife was taken into slavery?" Deng Ai asked in surprise.

Su Gu smiled bitterly and said: "When Xian Yan was the leader, there was a war in Yizhou, and the eunuch recruited troops. Xian Yan and more than ten clansmen went out to fight. The Yao family, the most surnamed in the county, took the opportunity to capture the wives and daughters of other clans as slaves. There were four in the village. Famous clansmen are missing outside; in addition, the males from other villages who applied for the expedition were caught by the enemy’s village looking for an opportunity to retaliate. From then on, the males from each village did not dare to apply because they were afraid of being taken advantage of by other tribes.”

"Does the prefect ignore these things?" Deng Ai asked with a frown.

Su Gu sipped the water in the bowl, shook his head and said: "When the eunuchs and the county magistrate's soldiers came, these slave hunters had disappeared without a trace. After the investigation, nothing happened. After all, the Bi people are not Han people."

"Besides, Han people can't protect their own safety during times of war. The current prefect Zhang has strict law enforcement, and Jiangyang County is a little more stable." In the last sentence, Su Gu was slightly ironic.

Deng Ai rubbed the pottery bowl with his hands, felt the lines on his body, thought for a moment and said, "I don't know what kind of official position I am serving as the subordinate supervisor?"

"I don't know. I have been in Jiangyang County for more than [-] years, but I have never heard of this official name." Su Gu said truthfully.

"My sub-supervisor is the current prime minister of the Han Dynasty. The sub-supervisor is in charge of the army and horses of the inner government. The inner government is where the current prime minister is in charge." Deng Ai looked at Su Gu and said slowly.

"It seems that Brother Deng's family has a profound heritage, and Brother Deng has a bright future!" Su Gu said enviously.

Deng Ai shook his head and said indifferently: "Ai was born in a poor family, and his family made a living by farming. His father died early, and he was raised by his mother. Ai can be what he is today, all thanks to the late emperor."

"That's why I saw that the fake brother had the courage of Xiong Yu, but lived in a humble room, and couldn't honor his ancestors and leave his name in history. For a while, I felt something." Deng Ai's tone revealed regret.

Hearing about Deng Ai's life experience, Su Gu couldn't help falling into silence, not knowing what to say.

Deng Ai continued: "Anyone I eat by mouth can have such a status. If the fake brother is serving a big man, he will not be inferior to me."

"I also have the intention to serve the country, but Gu (gǔ) is really worried about people of the same clan." After a long silence, Su Gu expressed his worries.

"Ai is under the emperor's order this time, and weaves and scorpions entered the Wei household." Deng Ai said.

"What is Weihu?" Su Gu asked curiously.

"Guardians don't pay taxes, they only need to go to war, they don't do farming, they farm with slaves, where do slaves come from, and they plunder other barbarians, there is authorization from the imperial court, so there is no need to worry."

"The people of 蜑 and 獽 fought with slaves and farmed with slaves. They were incorporated into the Chijiawei, and those who entered the Wei nationality were no longer military households or civilian households; no taxes were paid for each household of less than [-] mu. The people are slaves, and those who violate it will be killed without mercy."

"The value of guards is more than that. Those who are outstanding in red armor can enter Chengdu to defend the emperor, and those who have made great achievements in battle can be promoted to Xuanjiawei. His Majesty Xuanjiawei will lead him personally, and his clan relatives will also be registered as guards, just like your majesty's nephew. Liu Lin..." Deng Ai's tone revealed envy.

Su Gu was overjoyed when he heard that, he cupped his hands and asked, "Brother Deng, if I were to join the Chijiawei, what position would I get?"

Deng Ai pretended to be deep in thought: "How many households are there in the village of Brother Jiajia?"

After thinking about it, Su Gu said: "There are more than a hundred households in the lower village, but Su Gu has a reputation in the area from Han'an to Jiangyang, and can help Brother Deng recruit guard households."

Deng Ai smiled secretly in his heart, but his face was as usual, and he said lightly: "If the fake brother can help the big man recruit a thousand households, then the fake brother can be in charge of 500 households; if he can help me recruit 3000 households, I will report to your majesty , Feng Ji’s false brother is in charge of 1500 households as the head of the town. How about it?”

Upon hearing the words, Su Gu immediately cupped his hands and said, "Su Gu is willing to serve the country, please take care of Brother Deng in the future."

Deng Ai helped Su Gu up, and promised to award Su Gu an official position, which made Su Gu overjoyed.

After Deng Ai persuaded Su Gu to be incorporated into the Chijiawei, he immediately asked Su Gu to mark the places where other Fu and Hu people lived in Han'an County.

After a day's rest, Deng Ai and Su Gu visited the residences of local scorpions and scorpions one by one to persuade them to recruit.

When some barbarians hesitated, Su Gu often said in a calm manner: "It is a wealth for us to be registered as a household guard, and we must not lose it. Besides, I will serve the country with General Deng. What else can you worry about?" ?”

After hearing what Su Gu said, the hesitant barbarians no longer had any doubts, and readily cooperated with Deng Ai in making households into the guard.

All of a sudden, most of the people from Han'an area, the scorpions and scorpions, responded by organizing guards to enter their households. The Chijiawei directly recruited more than a thousand households.

As for Su Gu's high enthusiasm, it was not only because of the official position that Deng Ai had promised, but also because Su Gu fell in love with the prostitute daughter of the Yao family in Han'an County, wanted to marry her, and wanted Deng Ai to be a matchmaker.

After Deng Ai agreed, after thinking about it, because Su Gu was born in a poor family and his family was poor, he did not match the status of Yao's concubine daughter, so he wrote to Liu Chan, hoping that Liu Chan could help solve the problem.

When Su Gu heard about this, he secretly made up his mind to hunt tigers for His Majesty and offer tiger skins to thank His Majesty for his kindness.

(Fast forward to the Deng Ai incident!)
(End of this chapter)