Chapter 58: Dilemma

  Ru Nan City, south of the city.

  Wang Can stood on the temporary high platform with his hands behind his back, looking down at the Yellow Turban soldiers standing below. A surge of pride suddenly arose in his chest. Up to this day, he finally had a formal official position in this era.

  Yesterday, Wang Can returned to Runan City, and the Yellow Turbans cheered and celebrated with wine.

  All the soldiers knew that Wang Can had gone to Luoyang to be an official, and now Wang Can came back with a smile, naturally he had surrendered to the court and became an official of the court. From then on, the Yellow Turbans were no longer Yellow Turbans, and Wang Can also fulfilled his promise to the Yellow Turban soldiers, leading the Yellow Turbans to surrender to the court and removing their headscarves.

  Wang Can coughed lightly twice and his eyes swept across the school grounds.

  In an instant, the originally noisy schoolyard became quiet and still.

  "Today, I have gathered everyone together to announce something."

  Wang Can's voice was neither slow nor fast, thick and loud, although the tone was not high, but his voice kept echoing in the school field, all the soldiers could hear Wang Can's words: "The Yellow Turbans of Yuzhou have surrendered to the court, and soon after that, the court will send Dong Taishi's Western Liang Iron Cavalry to garrison Yuzhou City, and also send a new governor of Yuzhou to take over Yuzhou. From today on, you will be soldiers of the imperial court, the Yellow Turbans are no longer Yellow Turbans, but officials and soldiers of the imperial court, eating imperial rations."

  "Hurray for the General!"

  When Wang Can's voice fell, a loud shout suddenly came from the army array, making the soldiers in the array look at each other in shock.

  Immediately, loud shouts came from the military formation.

  "Hurray for the General!"

  "Hurray for the General!"

  …………

  In the school grounds, the Yellow Turban soldiers stood with their necks stretched out and their faces flushed red, shouting loudly.

  In the midst of loud wails, many soldiers' eyes turned red, and crystal-like tears flowed down, wetting their shirts under their chins. As the saying goes, "A man has tears but does not easily shed them," only when they are deeply saddened. Most of the Yellow Turban soldiers were made up of refugees, bandits, and common people who had been guarding their own small plots of land for generations, facing the yellow earth and with their backs to the sky in order to survive.

  However, the times have become chaotic and it's hard to survive.

  At this time, the common people will struggle to rise up and resist, but resistance is only a helpless move, because they can no longer live, and the only way out is to resist.

  However, resisting the imperial court was not an idea in the hearts of the common people.

  Abiding by one's duties has already deeply penetrated into the marrow of the common people; wanting to eradicate it is not that easy.

  Once they encountered the imperial court's offer of amnesty, the people absolutely did not want to give it up. For example, in "Water Margin", 'Timely Rain' Song Jiang, because he killed someone, was exiled to Jiangzhou, but later again due to writing a rebellious poem on Mount Junyang was sentenced to death, finally being forced to flee to Liangshan and become an outlaw. However, just when Liangshan had defeated Tong Guan twice and Gao Qiu three times, its prestige was at its peak, and its cause had reached the pinnacle, it accepted the imperial court's offer of amnesty.

  Song Jiang had no choice but to accept amnesty?

  Of course not, but rather there is a kind of loyalty to the monarch in their bones, and a kind of thought that adheres to one's own duties.

  Song Jiang was like this, and so were the Yellow Turban soldiers.

  Having a stable environment and becoming a soldier of the imperial court, being able to face ancestors and descendants with pride, is naturally a great joy.

  Wang Can saw all the soldiers were extremely excited, and he was also deeply moved.

  He raised his hands and pressed down, and the loud roar that was like thunder suddenly disappeared. The eyes of the Yellow Turban soldiers fell on Wang Can, waiting for him to speak.

  "Everyone has transformed from Yellow Turban soldiers to imperial officials and soldiers, I've done my best."

  Wang Can's words suddenly made the Yellow Turban soldiers stunned. What does this mean? Why does it feel very wrong?

  Liu Cheng and Dong Fang exchanged a glance, then looked at Zhou Cang and Pei Yuanshao standing not far away. Seeing that both of them had serious expressions and furrowed brows, they felt an even greater sense of foreboding in their hearts.

  Zhou Cang knew the outcome of Wang Can's trip due to his relationship with Pei Yuanshao.

  He had roughly guessed what Wang Can was going to say, so he didn't show a panicked expression. It's just that the time for decision-making has arrived, and I don't know how many people will choose to follow Wang Can, which is what Zhou Cang is worried about in his heart. Liu Cheng and Dong Fang did not receive any news, and they did not know what position Wang Can held. After hearing Wang Can's words, they felt that something was wrong, but they didn't know what was going on either.

  Just as the two were stunned, Wang Can's voice came again: "I have been appointed by the imperial court as 'Taishou of Hanzhong' and will soon go to Hanzhong to take office. Therefore, let all brothers gather together to consider this matter. Among you, those who are willing to follow me into Shu can follow me to take office in Hanzhong; those who do not want to go can stay in Runan City and wait for the arrival of Dong Taishi's army; those who want to leave the army can also leave the army and seek their own way."

  At this time, Liu Cheng and Dong Fang finally understood.

  Wang Can is not a general of Ru Nan, but the governor of Hanzhong.

  The two of them looked at each other, their eyes revealing a solemn expression, and now they were faced with a difficult decision.

  King Can's eyes swept across the soldiers on the school grounds, and a solemn expression rose to his cheeks. He sighed in his heart and shouted loudly: "Those who want to leave the army, I will provide travel expenses and resettlement fees; those who want to continue staying in Yunnan as soldiers can continue to stay in Yunnan City and wait for Dong Taishi's arrival; those who want to follow me into Shu will follow me to take office in Hanzhong."

  "That's just how things are."

  "I'm giving everyone a minute to think about it, and after a minute, I hope everyone will make their own choice."

  In the camp, soldiers were whispering to each other, discussing how to make a decision.

  Time slowly passes by, and a moment's time flashes by in an instant.

  Wang Can took a deep breath, opened his eyes wide and shouted loudly: "The time has come, I suppose everyone has made up their minds. Listen clearly, those who want to stay in Junan and continue as soldiers, stand still on the spot; those who choose to leave the army, stand on the right side of the formation; those who choose to follow me into Shu, stand on the left side of the formation."

  In the military formation, Zhou Cang and Pei Yuanshao naturally firmly supported Wang Can, without hesitation, they walked to the left side of the formation.

  Liu Cheng and Dong Fang were different, they had families and had worries in their hearts.

  After hesitating for a moment, Liu Cheng finally did not move and chose to stay. Dong Fang, on the other hand, chose to head towards the right side of the army formation, leaving Yu's army and becoming an ordinary civilian. Dong Fang followed Liu Bi together in resisting the imperial court, feeling extremely disappointed with the Han court, and naturally did not want to surrender to the imperial court, so he chose to leave.

  In less than half an hour, more than three thousand soldiers in the school grounds had made their decision.

  Over 1,800 people led by Liu stayed in Ru'nan and continued to serve as soldiers; more than 600 people led by Dong Fang chose to leave Ru'nan and start a new life; over 600 people led by Pei Yuanshao and Zhou Cang chose to follow Wang Can into Shu and take up the post of Hanzhong.

  Wang Can swept a glance at Pei Yuanshao and Zhou Cang, a hint of smile flashing in his eyes.

  More than 600 people, perhaps a few less, but this is absolutely the loyal and legitimate army of Wang Can.

  A decision that greatly reduced Wang Can's military strength. However, the cohesion of the army was unprecedented, and these soldiers who followed Wang Can into Shu were all loyal to him and would not be hesitant.

  As for Liu Cheng and Dong Fang, Wang Can had no intention of making things difficult for them. Everyone has their own aspirations, and you can't force it.

  Those who leave are not necessarily good, and those who stay are not necessarily bad.

  However, Wang Can believed that the future Han Zhong army would definitely not be weak.

  PS: Third update is done, I'm very tired, but just one more update and the task will be completed.