After understanding this, Liu Jin's lips curved into a smile.
Although it was a difficult task, having to deal with the raids of these mountain bandits, he could also use this opportunity to train his troops.
He could even use war to sustain war, eliminating these mountain bandits to obtain money and grain. As for how much to hand over, it was he who had the final say. It was indeed a good assignment.
Liu Jin immediately announced the news!
Guan Yu and Zhao Ergou both smiled when they heard it.
The position of Tuncun was not low; he commanded hundreds of soldiers, held an official rank of two hundred shi, and was a legitimate court official. To them, he was already high above.
The two clasped their hands and excitedly said!
"Congratulations, Big Brother, on becoming a Tuncun!"
Liu Jin smiled and waved his hand. Although he was excited, he still suppressed it.
He was merely a Tuncun, and in a single county, he could be considered to be in his element, with some prestige.
But for the entire world, he could only be considered a small fry, unable to stir up any waves.
He still had to continue developing and accumulating strength. As long as he took one more step forward, he would be able to serve as a Military Marquis, commanding a unit of several hundred people, with an official rank of six hundred shi.
Even in the entire Zhuo Commandery, only the Prefect, Jun Cheng, and Prefect could suppress him; he was already considered a mid-to-high-level official.
He looked at Guan Yu and Zhao Ergou and said with a smile!
"Since the Prefectural Supervisor's appointment has been issued, we cannot stay here any longer. We must quickly go to Liye Township to take over those hundred soldiers and protect the villagers."
"Second Brother and Third Brother, prepare a few horses and some provisions and wine. We will depart for Liye Township in three days."
"Ergou, take some money and grain home, tell your mother that you are now a court soldier and will be stationed in Liye Township, so she doesn't have to worry."
Guan Yu and Zhao Ergou nodded and immediately went to prepare.
Since their Big Brother was taking office, they, as his sworn brothers, naturally couldn't delay.
Soon, the entire Zhang family mansion became bustling with preparations.
At night.
The moon hung in the sky, casting specks of white light, illuminating the dark night!
Inside the main hall of the Zhang family residence!
Liu Jin, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Ergou were all seated there.
They were toasting each other, all drinking until their faces were red and their necks thick, appearing very jovial.
Today was the day Liu Jin became a Tuncun, a joyous occasion for them.
Zhang Fei raised a cup of wine and laughed heartily!
"Big Brother!"
"I, Old Zhang, am truly happy!"
"I never thought that in the blink of an eye, I'd go from a butcher to a court soldier. From now on, I'll follow Big Brother into the army."
Guan Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, raised a cup of wine, and drank it heartily, saying in a clear voice!
"Indeed!"
"I, Guan, was a mere criminal, and now, in a flash, I have also become a court soldier."
Liu Jin's cheeks were flushed, and he let out a burp, smiling at them and saying!
"Although we have become soldiers, the army is not an ordinary place. Everything must follow orders, and there must be no recklessness."
Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Ergou all nodded, still obeying their Big Brother's orders and naturally not daring to act recklessly.
The group began to toast each other again, and the atmosphere in the main hall was exceptionally lively.
Three days later!
On the official road outside Zhuo Commandery City, several spirited horses trod on the muddy path, with two carriages behind them, transporting some provisions and wine.
Liu Jin rode a black horse, a precious saber at his waist, and wore soft armor, exuding a somewhat sharp aura.
Beside him were Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Ergou. The three were armed with sharp blades and wore the ordinary soldier's attire of the Han Dynasty.
Zhang Fei clamped his legs around the horse's belly and said with a chuckle!
"Big Brother, when I, Old Zhang, put on these clothes, the excitement in my heart couldn't stop. I wish I could be on the battlefield now, killing enemies, serving the country, and fighting on the front lines."
Upon hearing this, Guan Yu stroked his long beard, also having the same thought.
He even felt that the great saber in his hand was already thirsting for battle.
Liu Jin smiled and said to the people behind him!
"Second Brother, Third Brother, there's no need to rush. Since we have joined the army, the matter of fighting on the battlefield will come sooner or later."
The group nodded, still very much agreeing with this.
The world was in turmoil, with rebels and bandits appearing everywhere, bringing disaster to the common people.
Corrupt officials held sway in the court, and Eunuchs disrupted the court, causing immense suffering to the people. This was clearly a prelude to a storm.
Liu Jin's serious voice came through!
"We are going to be stationed in Liye Township. This place is rampant with bandits, and there is always a risk to life. Everything must be done carefully."
"After arriving there, we must diligently train the soldiers under our command, forge them into an elite force, and then find a way to eliminate these bandits and maintain stability in this region."
Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Ergou clasped their hands and bowed in obedience, already beginning to fully embrace their military identities.
Liu Jin wielded his horsewhip and shouted a command!
"Go!"
His horse galloped forward, quickly advancing along the official road.
Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Ergou were not to be outdone, wielding their horsewhips and following their Big Brother forward.
After two days of marching, the group finally arrived in the vicinity of Liye Township. The surroundings were very remote, with mountains everywhere.
As far as the eye could see, there were only lush green mountains.
There were five villages near Liye Township: Li Family Village, Huang Family Village, Wu Family Village, Zhang Family Village, and Chen Family Village.
Each village had between two to four hundred people, with the total population of the five villages estimated to be around one to two thousand people.
However, the people living here were relatively impoverished and poor.
Because this area was entirely vast mountains, there was little arable land, and they were also subject to raids by mountain bandits, so their lives were not very comfortable.
The soldiers stationed here were at the foot of a valley next to Li Family Village.
Liu Jin, accompanied by Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and Zhao Ergou, rode their horses, transporting several carts of supplies, towards this location.
As they passed Li Family Village, some of the surrounding villagers, upon seeing Liu Jin and his group in official robes, did not show joy but instead displayed fear.
They all shouted loudly!
"Villagers, let's run quickly! These beasts are here again!"
The dozen or so villagers in the vicinity all fled in a panic, not daring to stay there, fearing that they would be devoured alive by these soldiers.
Liu Jin, riding on his horse, frowned. He, a dignified Han soldier, would actually scare these common people into a desperate flight.
Moreover, a unit of soldiers was stationed in Liye Township specifically to protect the common people in the nearby villages.
While they might not be treated with the utmost respect, they certainly shouldn't be feared like tigers. Something was clearly amiss.
Guan Yu's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and after a moment of thought, he immediately said!
"Big Brother, I think there's something strange about this."
"These common people, upon seeing us arrive, reacted as if they had seen some fierce wolf, fleeing in terror."
"It must be that the soldiers stationed here have caused some harm to the surrounding common people, which is why there's such a reaction."