Chapter 519: Gao Lan
Chapter 519: Gao Lan
September 25, 2017
The Yellow Turbans originated from Jizhou, and the region was filled with Foreign Lords.
These Foreign Lords settling in Jizhou would undoubtedly attract the attention of the historical officials and generals in the area.
Over the years, the historical officials and generals in Jizhou had been constantly bothered by the Foreign Lords seeking them out.
Although these Foreign Lords were persistent, their identities made it challenging to convince the historical officials and generals to join their cause. Instead, many of the historical figures chose to leave their homeland, with Tian Feng and Wen Chou being prime examples.
Of course, among the numerous Foreign Lords in Jizhou, there were also exceptional individuals. It was not uncommon for someone to succeed, and there was even a legend of someone managing to convince one of the Four Pillars of Hebei.
However, the legend was vague, only mentioning the recruitment of one of the Four Pillars without specifying which one or who had accomplished this feat.
This news, however, did stimulate the Foreign Lords in Jizhou, as there were only a few top-tier historical generals and officials. If they didn't act quickly, even the slightest opportunity might be lost.
As a result, many Foreign Lords went to great lengths, and one of them from Zhao managed to encounter Gao Lan, one of the Four Pillars.
Upon meeting Gao Lan, that guy was so excited that he almost burst with joy.
Every Foreign Lord was well-versed in the history of the Three Kingdoms, and he knew that although Gao Lan's reputation might not match the other three Pillars, his strength was undoubtedly on par with them.
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Gao Lan was portrayed as being defeated by Zhao Yun's spears, which seemed like a humiliating record unworthy of a Pillar of Hebei.
But one must understand that battles are ever-changing. Even Guan Yu had been defeated by Yan Liang and Wen Chou, who were of similar strength to Gao Lan. Moreover, Gao Lan's accomplishments were not limited to this single battle.
In reality, Gao Lan's battle records were quite impressive. He had fought against Xu Chu, Xu Huang, and Zhang Fei without a clear victor, making him undoubtedly one of the top-tier warriors.
With so many Foreign Lords in Jizhou and only a handful of historical generals, any opportunity was valuable. Who would dare to be picky?
This particular Foreign Lord had some skills, and within a few months, he managed to establish a good relationship with Gao Lan while concealing his Yellow Turban identity. However, he was still one step away from recruitment.
Recently, Zhang Jiao had ordered all their elite forces to concentrate in Julu and Weizhou, which complicated matters. The Foreign Lord's well-planned recruitment process was disrupted, forcing him to prematurely propose recruitment to Gao Lan.
Initially lacking confidence, the Foreign Lord not only offered recruitment but also prepared a backup plan. If Gao Lan refused, he would capture him and deal with him later.
Unfortunately, the Foreign Lord's actions were not discreet. During a banquet for Gao Lan, he accidentally revealed his Yellow Turban identity, causing Gao Lan to snap. Gao Lan grabbed an axe and charged out of the encirclement.
Fortunately, the Foreign Lord had drugged Gao Lan's food, and although Gao Lan managed to escape the encirclement and steal a horse, the effects of the drug started to take hold.
The Foreign Lord, of course, would not let Gao Lan get away. With only a few hundred cavalrymen in his territory, he pursued Gao Lan.
After chasing for over ten miles, the drug's effects on Gao Lan became apparent, and he was on the verge of collapse. Just as the Foreign Lord's excitement peaked, a cavalry unit appeared.
"Cavalry? Damn it, it's Lu Haikong's men!"
The Foreign Lord's face paled upon seeing the cavalry. He knew that Lu Haikong was nearby in Changshan Commandery and could attack Weizhou at any moment. If not for Gao Lan, he would have retreated to Julu long ago.
He had assumed that Lu Haikong would not arrive so soon and planned to use this time to convince Gao Lan before leaving. Little did he know that he would encounter Lu Haikong.
Despite his reluctance, the Foreign Lord had no choice but to retreat. However, he didn't want to leave empty-handed.
The Foreign Lord pulled out a finely crafted crossbow, his eyes flashing with madness. "These crossbow arrows are extremely poisonous, and anyone hit will surely die. I didn't plan to use them, but since I can't convince him, I'll have to kill him!"
Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger, firing a poisoned arrow directly at Gao Lan.
Killing a top-tier historical general would at least yield a golden treasure chest, which, although inferior to a historical general, was better than nothing.
However, the Foreign Lord had underestimated Gao Lan. Although Gao Lan didn't see the Foreign Lord's action, and his strength was significantly weakened due to the drug, his martial artist's intuition remained sharp.
As the Foreign Lord pulled the trigger, Gao Lan felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, compelling him to instinctively dive to the ground.
(Note: This chapter is based on the 169 version of the novel.)
As Gao Lan hit the ground, a crossbow arrow flew over his head and landed in the grass a short distance away. The grass immediately withered, clearly indicating the arrow's toxicity.
Seeing this, the Foreign Lord's eyes flashed with cold determination, and he fired two more arrows in quick succession. This crossbow was capable of rapid fire, launching two arrows simultaneously towards Gao Lan, who was lying on the ground.
It was evident that the Foreign Lord possessed some martial skills and was proficient in archery. The two arrows were fired in quick succession, aiming at different positions.
Gao Lan managed to dodge one arrow, but the other, precisely aimed, was already in front of him. As the arrow flew towards him, Gao Lan, unable to dodge, was about to be hit. Suddenly, a purple rainbow flashed, deflecting the arrow.
"Who dares to kill a top-tier general in front of me?"
A domineering voice echoed as Lu Haikong, wielding a Wild Axe, appeared before Gao Lan, protecting him.
Seeing Lu Haikong charging towards him, the Foreign Lord's head went numb. Without hesitation, he turned and fled. But was it too late to run now?
Lu Haikong waved his hand, and the Black Gale Legion immediately gave chase...
Chapter end
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