Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 209 The World Against All

Hangu Pass.

This is the ancient Hangu Pass, located within the territory of Hongnong County. It is bordered by Hengling Mountain to the west, a deep ravine to the east, Qinling Mountains to the south, and the Yellow River to the north.

Due to its strategic location, narrow roads below the pass, and towering walls reaching two zhang high, it was once regarded as the most formidable pass in the world.

Kansai, Kanchu, and Kanto are also divided based on this.

However, due to the Yellow River changing its course, Hangu Pass no longer possessed the strategic advantage of being an impregnable fortress—the riverbanks and mudflats formed by the Yellow River's change of course to the north could now bypass the pass...

(Note: There are two Hangu Passes. The old Hangu Pass is the ancient one, located in Hongnong. The new Hangu Pass was built by Cao Cao in the first year of Jian'an after welcoming Emperor Xian, and is located in Xin'an County. It no longer exists. In addition, Tong Pass was also built by Cao Cao at the same time.)
Even so, Hangu Pass remained a top-tier strategic pass for the Han Dynasty.

At present, Hangu Pass is the garrison of General He Jin.

When Liu Bei returned with his army from Meiyang, he encountered He Jin at the pass.

This was the first time Liu Bei had met He Jin in person.

Originally, Liu Bei thought He Jin, a nouveau riche from a butcher's background, should be a fat, brute.

Surprisingly, He Jin was not only impeccable in appearance, but also very handsome.

It's understandable that he was handsome, after all, Empress He was a stunning beauty. Although He Jin and Empress He did not share the same mother, he also inherited his father's good looks.

However, He Jin was actually a refined and cultured man with fair skin and a tall figure. Moreover, he was wearing a snow-white robe, making him look like a cultivator.

Everyone has their strengths, and He Jin was indeed one of the most handsome men in the Han Dynasty.

In fact, He Jin is very young, only in his early thirties. Because he is handsome and has fair skin, he looks even younger, giving Liu Bei the feeling of a young heartthrob.

The problem is that He Jin, given his status, should not be wearing a white robe.

During the Han Dynasty, nobles did not wear white clothes, unless they were like Zong Yuan, who was enthusiastic about divination, considered themselves magicians, believed they had glimpsed the secrets of heaven, and should therefore wear mourning clothes to show their grief.

In addition, plain linen clothes are only worn during mourning periods—but these are not white robes, but undyed linen and kudzu cloth, which are actually grayish-yellow and may turn yellowish-brown after being worn for a long time.

This was also the clothing of poor commoners, because dye was more expensive than plain linen.

The "Crossing the River in White" doesn't refer to wearing white clothes, but rather to crossing the river without armor, disguised as civilians and merchants in plain linen clothes—and not in a single operation, but rather multiple crossings followed by a regrouping to open the city gates from the inside and coordinate an attack from within.

He Jin is now a member of the imperial family, and as such a person, he should only be allowed to wear black robes.

Liu Bei always wore black robes.

It seems that General He is also a practitioner of magic arts. That makes sense, after all, Shi Zimiao was a "celestial master".

When Liu Bei's banner arrived at the pass, He Jin came out to greet him with a warm smile, appearing very approachable.

"Xuande, you must be tired from your journey. Please come into the pass and have a chat with me."

General He was surprisingly outgoing; upon meeting Liu Bei, he immediately grabbed Liu Bei's hand and led him towards the pass, showing great courtesy.

"How could I dare trouble the General to welcome me? Please, General..."

Liu Bei didn't know what He Jin's intentions were, but since the man had personally come out of the pass to welcome him, he had to give him face.

However, just as Liu Bei passed through the gate, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others wanted to follow him into the city, but they were blocked by He Jin's men...

"All officers and soldiers, please set up camp outside the pass. We have heard that there is unrest in Liangzhou and that the eight passes of Luoyang are under military preparedness. No one may pass through the pass without a military order. Please understand."

The speaker was Wang Kuang, a subordinate of He Jin and a military clerk.

This was said politely, but in reality, it meant that Liu Bei's troops were not allowed to pass through, and only Liu Bei himself was allowed to enter the pass.

Zhang Fei became anxious: "Can't we pass through without a military order? My elder brother was summoned to the capital; isn't that a military order?"

"General Liu was summoned to the capital for an audience. That order was given solely by General Liu and had nothing to do with the generals and soldiers... Please retreat to Huxian County to set up camp."

Wang Kuang stood guard at the gate, bowing respectfully to Zhang Fei, but a row of crossbowmen stood on the city gate.

"you……"

Zhang Fei stepped forward, intending to lash out, but Guan Yu covered his mouth.

It's no wonder Zhang Fei was furious. Huxian was a county town west of Hangu Pass, and it was indeed a place for the Guanzhong border troops to set up camp. It was located at the entrance of the Xiaohan Ancient Road and was also a necessary route connecting Guanzhong.

However, Huxian County is a full seventy li away from Hangu Pass, a place that Liu Bei and his men had just passed through the day before...

This is not only a return to the past, but also a clear attempt to guard against Liu Bei.

Logically speaking, even if Liu Bei led his troops into Guanzhong, his troops should have been stationed in Hongnong County, Hongnong Commandery, which is only twenty li east of Hangu Pass.

Moreover, when Liu Bei was summoned to the capital, his troops should actually have been stationed at Gucheng, west of Luoyang, or Mengjin and Xiaopingjin, north of Luoyang (these are all part of the Eight Passes of Luoyang), so that they could set off at any time.

After all, Liu Bei was not a border general from Guanzhong, but a general holding the imperial insignia and supervising the army, which was part of the central army.

The eight passes of Luoyang were not only the city gates that protected Luoyang, but also the places where troops under the Central Army were stationed.

Wang Kuang's statement, however, meant that he did not want Liu Bei to lead troops into Guanzhong, and even did not allow Liu Bei to bring guards.

Liu Bei's heart skipped a beat. He looked at He Jin, who was gripping his wrist, and said, "General, these are all my relatives and brothers. They have been traveling all the way without rest. Would you please ask me to get them a drink?"

He Jin smiled broadly: "Rest assured, Xuande, I have already prepared the wine and food. Your troops will not be mistreated..."

Liu Bei was now even more worried. Could it be that they wanted to kill him?

If you kill yourself, then you'll have to offer good wine and meat to recruit your own followers.

At this point, Guan Yu had restrained Zhang Fei from arguing, but he did not retreat. Instead, he stood outside the gate confronting Wang Kuang.

Liu Bei was separated from the city gate by Wang Kuang and dozens of armored soldiers inside the passageway—Hangu Pass had thick walls, and the gate opening was much deeper than that of ordinary cities, serving as a passageway.

"General, you might as well speak frankly here... The brothers are quite irritable. If I am away from my troops and cannot control them, I fear they will act recklessly and cause trouble."

Liu Bei also grabbed He Jin's wrist, a smile on his face, and they were now even more friendly.

"Does Xuande not wish to be close to me?"

He Jin's smiling face gradually froze.

"How could I not be willing? I would love to share a bed with the General and talk by candlelight late into the night. I'm just afraid the General is unwilling to be close to me..."

Liu Bei gripped He Jin's wrist, applying a little more pressure.

He Jin also increased the pressure on his hands.

However, Liu Bei always wore inner armor to prevent assassination, and the inner armor had wrist guards—while He Jin only wore a white robe.

He Jin clearly felt that he could no longer squeeze, and suddenly let go: "Xuande, He Suigao had no ill intentions, but some things can only be said to you and me."

Liu Bei released his grip and whispered in He Jin's ear, "If it's a secret plot, then we should speak frankly here to avoid being overheard..."

It's impossible to eavesdrop on whispers in this town's passageway; anyone standing nearby can be seen at a glance.

"Since that's the case, then I'll speak frankly..."

Seeing that Liu Bei was not leaving, He Jin did not insist. He waved for Wang Kuang to step back a little, and when he saw that there were only the two of them in the passageway, he asked in a low voice, "Have the Qiang and Di tribes in Liangzhou really rebelled again?"

"It's not that the rebellion has resumed, but rather that it has never been quelled in the first place... Is this a question for the General, or for the Emperor?"

Liu Bei answered very seriously, and then asked a question in return.

"...Your children weren't kidnapped, right?"

He Jin did not answer, but instead asked a different question with a blank expression, as if reciting a memorized text.

“General, if the Emperor wants to ask, then I will go to Luoyang to answer. If the General wants to ask himself… then I can only ask the General first: why did the General obstruct the Emperor’s imperial insignia when he was ordered to return to the capital?”

Liu Bei saw through it, and He Jin didn't know how to respond.

Or rather, the person who taught He Jin to ask these questions didn't teach He Jin how to answer them...

Liu Bei was the Left General of the Household, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Master of Ceremonies, not under the command of the Grand General; moreover, when he went out on missions with the imperial insignia, he was directly dispatched by the emperor and could ignore any obstruction from anyone.

He Jin looked at Liu Bei in silence for a while, then suddenly said, "Do you know that the Emperor intends to take your life...?"

Liu Bei laughed: "Does the General want me to flee quickly? Or does the General also want to take my life?"

"Liu Xuande, I'm doing this to save you!"

He Jin was getting a little anxious when he saw that Liu Bei was unyielding.

"In that case, why don't you ask the General to open the gate and let my brother accompany me, so that we have more manpower to save our lives?"

Liu Bei's smile widened even more.

He Jin's face darkened: "Liu Xuande, you have already offended the officials of Guandong. Countless people want your life. I originally wanted to protect you... If you don't appreciate my good intentions, you will regret it!"

This didn't sound like a recitation; it probably wasn't something someone behind the scenes had taught him. But He Jin probably didn't realize that what seemed like a simple threat had, in doing so, essentially revealed his entire secret…

"It seems I have misunderstood. I thank you for your kindness, General... May I ask what you wish me to do?"

Liu Bei feigned realization, cupped his hands in greeting, and smiled, adopting a humble attitude.

He Jin appeared impressive on the surface, but he was utterly naive and wore his emotions on his sleeve. Even though they were currently blocked in this passageway, Liu Bei was no longer worried.

The fact that powerful clans in the Guandong region want their lives actually means that the emperor wouldn't have that thought—at least not now.

Otherwise, who would help the emperor draw fire from the Northeast?

Originally, He Jin was meant to draw the emperor's attention, but now he has clearly been misled by the people of Guandong.

Eunuchs in command of troops can protect the inner court, but they cannot protect the prefectures and counties. The prefectures and counties in Guandong can threaten Luoyang again at any time.

To the emperor, the powerful clans of Guandong were also thieves, and old thieves with whom he had a long-standing grudge—at least Liu Bei didn't set fire to their palaces.

The resurgence of the Qiang rebellion in Liangzhou was certainly not good news for the Han Dynasty, but as long as the rebels did not reach Chang'an again, it was not bad news for the emperor; rather, it was an opportunity.

The rebellion in Xizhou would force the people of Guandong to deal with Guanxi first, creating a confrontation between the east and west, which would give the emperor room to maintain a balance of power. This is what Liu Bei and Jia Xu were talking about, and it would lead to many people being sent to various prefectures and counties.

Liu Bei was certain that the emperor would not take action against him at this time. It was just that the emperor was indeed wary of him, which was why he summoned him to Luoyang to make things clear. Liu Hong was not the kind of fool who just wanted to have a good time and then die.

Right now, it's just that the people from Guandong instigated He Jin to come and scare them.

If one is afraid of death and does not go to Luoyang, then it can be determined that one is disobeying the imperial edict and harboring rebellious intentions, and the emperor will have to deal with one first.

If he were to clash with He Jin, he would be considered a rebel.

As for He Jin... he probably did have the intention of recruiting him, but Liu Bei and Han Sui both looked down on him.

“I only wish to ask Xuande to arrange a marriage between us… I have a son named Xian, and I have heard that Xuande has twin children, a dragon and a phoenix. I would like to ask Xuande to give his eldest daughter to him.”

He Jin suddenly started arranging betrothals for his children; no wonder he had asked the two children before if they hadn't been kidnapped.

To be honest, He Jin's intention to recruit He Xian was quite sincere—He Xian was He Jin's eldest son, twelve years old this year, which was indeed the age for him to get engaged.

"If that's the matter, why discuss it in secret here?"

Liu Bei shook his head: "My daughter is not even one year old. If she were to marry the General's son, wouldn't that make Young Master Xian wait for more than ten years? If the General has something he wants me to do, just say so. If I can do it, I will not refuse. If I cannot do it, even marriage will not help."

"...Then I will speak frankly..."

He Jin thought for a moment and then said directly, "Xuande possesses great talent and pacified Guanzhong in a few months. He is the most outstanding young talent in the Han Dynasty. Marquis Shi has long admired him and wishes to invite him to serve as his military strategist. Would Xuande be willing?"

"I am a general of the Emperor, and I dare not serve as a subject of another..."

Liu Bei shook his head and refused, saying, "I don't know who sent the General to see me. This person is despicable! They are trying to harm the General!"

"What do you mean by this? Are you trying to harm me?"

He Jin was puzzled.

"The prince's army should be appointed by the emperor. To discuss this matter in private, is this an attempt to make a decision on behalf of the emperor? I am currently receiving an audience with the emperor, yet the general is actually recruiting an army for Marquis Shi at this time..."

Liu Bei explained solemnly, "Who sent the General to speak of this matter to me? I beg the General to kill them immediately..."

He Jin paused for a moment, then frowned and said, "These words may come from my mouth, but they may also enter your ears. If you are unwilling, then so be it..."

"This matter has not reached my ears. But if the Emperor has such intentions, then I will obey the order... I will go to Luoyang now. General, can't my brothers and comrades really go with me?"

Liu Bei shook his head and asked.

"...Indeed, no. All troops must carry an imperial military order to pass through the pass. This is the Emperor's will."

He Jin seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded and looked at Liu Bei: "Xuande, what if the Emperor orders you to hand over your troops to someone else?"

"Then we should only speak to the Emperor... General, since you won't let the troops enter the pass, I will go and appease the troops, and only bring my personal attendants to the capital... Someone still needs to carry the imperial banners and ceremonial guards, right?"

Liu Bei turned and went out of the gate, pulling Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others back several hundred steps to give them some instructions.

……

Luoyang.

Liu Bei only brought Zhao Yun and his personal guards with him when he entered the capital.

No one stopped him along the way, but after entering Luoyang, the person who came to pick up Liu Bei was not an official under the Guanglu Xun, but an old acquaintance, Zhang Feng.

It is quite unusual for the Imperial Physician to come and fetch the General.

Moreover, Zhang Feng took Liu Bei directly to the West Garden, while Zhao Yun and others were actually placed in the Imperial Medical Bureau.

Liu Bei could understand Liu Hong's way of thinking—this was to let people know that Liu Bei now belonged to the Emperor's faction... or the eunuch faction.

However, Liu Hong was probably worried that having a eunuch pick him up would make him unhappy, so he had Zhang Rang's son pick him up instead. After all, having Zhang Feng receive him was indeed a very high standard—the emperor's brother-in-law coming out of the city to welcome him, who could be dissatisfied?
I met Liu Hong in the main hall of the West Garden.

Moreover, the emperor ordered Zhang Feng to close the door and also chased Zhao Zhong and the others out, leaving only Jian Shuo behind.

The emperor asked, "The Han Dynasty is in grave danger. Xuande is also a descendant of the Han imperial family. Would you be willing to share my burdens?"

Liu Bei said, "I am willing to relieve the Han Dynasty from its predicament."

The Emperor then asked, "Now Liangzhou is in turmoil again, the Yellow Turbans have risen again in Qing and Xu, the barbarians in Jing and Yi are difficult to pacify, and there are also rebellions in Jiao and Yang... Chaos is everywhere. What does Xuande think we should do to quell this?"

Liu Bei did not answer directly: "The affairs of the world should be decided by Your Majesty. I only know that food is the most important thing for the people. With food, they are at peace; without food, they are in distress..."

The emperor asked again, "Can Liangzhou also be settled by eating?"

Liu Bei smiled: "Your Majesty, the food of Liangzhou is in Your Majesty's hands."

The emperor sighed: "Where is the food of Qing and Xu?"

Liu Bei shook his head: "In a wealthy family's mansion."

"What about Jiaoyang?"

"Among corrupt officials."

"Jingyi?"

"It is no different from the Qiang region; a single word can settle it."

Seeing that Liu Bei answered fluently, the emperor sighed again: "Can you obtain food from Qing and Xu?"

Liu Bei also sighed: "To obtain food, we must first have edible land, but right now, whether it is Qing, Xu, or Ji, Yan, Yu... there is no land left to use."

The emperor remained silent for a long time, then said softly, "Have you found your children?"

"It has been found. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Liu Bei nodded and smiled at Liu Hong.

"I have ordered Liu Yan to appoint your son as a member of the imperial clan."

Liu Hong suddenly said, "Xuande has been very successful in supervising the army, but I wonder how he is doing in supervising the administration? If we were to invite Xuande to oversee Qingzhou, could he ensure that Qingzhou has arable land?"

Overseeing the administration of Qingzhou is equivalent to being the governor of Qingzhou, which grants him significantly more authority—the positions of General of the Central Army and governor do not conflict; this is a concurrent post.

Liu Bei remained silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes, but I fear the turmoil will be quite profound."

"Turbulence... Haha, it's already in turmoil, how much more chaotic can it get?"

Liu Hong then asked, "I intend to establish a new Western Garden Army, and urgently need to fill it with elite troops and capable generals. Would Xuande be willing to send his troops into the army?"

Liu Bei sighed. He Jin was right. The emperor did want Liu Bei to hand over his troops to someone else—to Jian Shuo, the only one left in the main hall.

“Your Majesty, all of my troops are sons and brothers of my retainers; not a single one is a soldier under imperial command. Since I took command, I have never used a single grain of rice or ration from the court, nor have I received a single penny of military pay… Your Majesty thinks highly of my troops and has allowed them to join the Western Garden Army, which I am certainly willing to do, but whether they are willing, I truly do not know…”

Liu Bei glanced at Jian Shuo, then at Liu Hong: "Actually, if Your Majesty wants troops, the best way is to order the talented young men of the land to recruit soldiers for the Western Garden. Whoever recruits the troops will become a colonel. As long as the provisions and pay are sufficient, it will be easy to gather an army of ten thousand men."

"What if they have ulterior motives?"

Liu Hong asked.

“My troops have been with me for a long time and have always received my provisions and pay, so their hearts are with me… Your Majesty, food is the most important thing for the people, and the army is also a people! If Your Majesty leads the army, the army’s hearts will naturally be with Your Majesty… Whoever’s provisions they eat, they will serve as their soldiers.”

Liu Bei was speaking of a very simple principle.

"Ahem... Xuande's words are insightful. He is skilled in both literature and martial arts... I should have sent you to the capital sooner."

Liu Hong coughed twice, covering his mouth, and looked at Liu Bei, asking hesitantly, "Your teacher, Mr. Yue, is also a virtuous and renowned scholar. I wish to appoint him to advise on state affairs. What do you think, Xuande, about sending someone to act as your envoy?"

This is the proper way an emperor should act: demanding hostages face-to-face, and in a way that Liu Bei really couldn't refuse.

(End of this chapter)