The Marquis Is Innocent

Cao Xu heard Wei Shao’s army had won the battle of Shangdang not long ago. But, he never expected he would show up here in person. Wei Shao’s reputation was well-known, and Lei Yan said they had come with troops. Cao Xu felt scared and realized he only had 1,000 men. He might not be an opponent at all if they fought. It would be better to retreat first and report the news about Wei Shao leading his troops south to his Lord as soon as possible.

Cao Xu decided to retreat. After he withdrew a few feet away, he suddenly climbed on his horse and sped off in the direction of Xiaodi.

Wei Shao’s expression was condensed and cold. He raised his arm, and a large bow was handed to him by his attendant. He drew his arrow, aiming at the back of the horse, and suddenly released the bowstring. ‘Clang,’ arrow chased the wind and deeply nailed into the back of Cao Xu’s heart.

Cao Xu fell from his horse and landed dead.

“I am Wei Shao of Youzhou! I am leading the army here! Xue Tai deserved punishment! All of you soldiers, remove your swords and weapons, and I will spare your lives!”

Wei Shao withdrew his bow and raised his voice against the wind, sending word-by-word.

Everyone in Xue Tai’s army knew the name of Wei Shao in the north. They were surprised to see him suddenly appearing here, awe-inspiring, imposing, and no one dared to move forward. Zhang Biao and Cao Xu, one was wounded, and one was dead. Without a leader, their hearts and minds become confused. Many of these soldiers were captured and forced to serve in the army. Not everyone was vicious, and they were scared by Wei Shao’s deafening roar. Their swords fell to the ground and ran in all directions. In an instant, only civilian people remained. It was unknown which one led the way. They suddenly kneeled towards Wei Shao and chanted ‘marquis’ great kindness,’ and countless people cried.

Wei Shao down the stone platform and let the people fill and strengthen the dug-out earth.

Everyone remembered, and all hands were on the line. A few men came running with fear, saying the back slope in front of them suddenly gushed water. The water flow was quite large, probably due to being dug too deep.

Residents on both sides of the Huai River knew once the back slope flooded, there was a hole in the bottom of the bank. If you couldn’t find the hole and fill it in time, it would become larger under the water force and break the entrance, which was very dangerous.

The people all became pale and rushed to the back slope. The slope indeed continued to gush muddy yellow water. It soon converged as a stream. The crowd was anxious. One after another climbed up the dam to find the hole, but the water gushed. How to find the hole under the current surge?

There was a man named Chen Shao of Southern Chu among Wei Shao’s entourage. He was skilled in the water. When he saw the situation, he initiated and said, ” Marquis, you can tie a rope to my waist. Let me go into the water to check.”

The water flow was bone-chilling, and the suction force was massive if there was a hollow underwater. It would be dangerous to let people go down this way, even if their body tied to the rope, in case the stream sucked them into the dark hole.

When Wei Shao hesitated, an old voice behind him suddenly said, “I have an idea! You don’t have to let people go down and take risks!”

Wei Shao turned around and saw the person who spoke was an elderly man in hemp clothes dressed as a wanderer. He carried a medicine bag with white hair and a white beard, strode toward Wei Shao, and nodded. He ordered people to take the cloth curtains, tie them together, put a heavy object along the lower edge, sink it in the water along the dam, and move slowly.

People do as the elderly man had told them. When they move, they feel suction, and the water flows out of the back slope and becomes smaller. People cheered as they found the hole.

They found the hole and filled it with the masons. After filling the hole, the water gushing from the back slope gradually disappeared, and the rest of the people continued to fill the earth. Previously they were forced to dig the soil, and everyone had no choice. At this moment, everyone strives to be the first.

……

The danger was gone. Wei Shao turned his head to Jiu Li Mountain. When he hesitated, he saw the hemp-clothed elderly man striding toward him.

The wind blew, and the elderly man’s white beard floated with immortal spirits.

” I have the honor to meet Marquis.”

The elderly man stopped in front of Wei Shao and said.

Wei Shao felt this elderly man was not ordinary. There was a mysterious aura, and he dared not to be arrogant. He saluted and said, “I don’t know where you are from and where you are going. All thanks to you, we could fix the dam. I am very impressed.”

The hemp-clothed old man looked at Wei Shao, smiled, and said: “I understand medicine a bit. I think the world is suffering, so I traveled to the world, considering it to help the world. A few days ago, I watched the stars at night and saw the four signs and the three walls all over this place. The Violet Emperor was in the middle, surrounded by Taiwei and Tianshui, and the stars were splendid. It was a vision, so I came here to look for it. I heard something different about Anle dam, and I came here. I saw with my own eyes that you are wise and benevolent in your heart. There is hope for the people of the world from now on.”

When they spoke, people slowly leaned in and listened. They didn’t understand the old man’s words, but when they heard the ‘Purple Emperor,’ they suddenly understood and looked at Wei Shao. Their faces showed reverence and whispering to each other.

Wei Shao’s nature is violent, and his character is uncompassionate and even vengeful. Otherwise, when he was a teenager, he would not have the title of Little King.

Qin lost his deer, and the whole world fought for it.

T/N:秦失其鹿 Qin Shi Qi Lu, a Chinese idiom, pinyin is qín shī qí lù, which means a metaphor for losing its dominant position. From “Historical Records Biography of Huaiyin Hou”

Wei Shao was no exception. Since he was in his position, he always had such ambition.

His ambition was to become a monarch and take over the world by force.

Over the years, Mrs. Xu and Mr. Gongsun Yang guided him. As he grew older and traveled around, he saw the people’s hardships. Being in a high position, he took their hardships to heart as if they were a responsibility imposed by heaven.

The reasons for today’s improvised route were: first, he intended to help Yang Xin, and second, the miserable state of the villagers encountered on the road.

But here, he met such an elderly man.

He naturally heard the meaning of the elderly man’s words. He could not help but be stunned.

The elderly man finished, bowed to him, turned around, and walked away.

Wei Shao looked at his back and could not help but ask: “Dare to ask the elderly man’s honorable name, and may I see you again?”

“I have a half-apprentice who learned for three months and is now under the command of Marquis. If there is a chance in the future, we will meet again. I hope you will not disappoint me with what I have seen today and that you will bring happiness to people in the future. ”

The elderly man did not turn back. His words floated in the wind, and his figure disappeared on the shore of the Huai River.