The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 229 Liu Bei's Joy: Yun Chang's Son is Like My Adopted Son (1st Update)
Whether it was the Left General, the Deputy General, or a sworn brother, Guan Yi could understand every single word.

But when the phrase "I am not only a subordinate general under the Left General, but also the Left General's sworn brother" was put together, Guan Yi couldn't understand it.

As the saying goes: dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and a rat's son knows how to dig a hole.

Guan Shenchong was fond of Taoism and often used the Book of Changes and the Spring and Autumn Annals to instruct his son Guan Yi; Guan Yi was not interested in the Book of Changes and often used the Spring and Autumn Annals to instruct his son Guan Yu.

Guan Shen and his son Guan Yi were just ordinary good families in Hedong. Although they had some assets and were literate, none of their ancestors had served in official positions.

Now, Guan Shen's grandson, Guan Yu, after fleeing to another place due to some incident, suddenly runs back claiming to have become a general and even sworn brotherhood with the Left General of Han. This is just like the butcher who made Han Xin crawl between his legs back then, upon hearing that Han Xin had become a great general, his first reaction was, "Am I still dreaming?"

Not only Guan Yi, but also Guan Yu's wife and children.

"Guan Lang, did you perhaps injure your head on the battlefield?" Guan Yu's wife, Hu Ashi, stepped forward gently, reached out and touched Guan Yu's forehead, tears welling in her eyes, her voice choked with sobs.

This simple and honest woman, who has lived in Guanjia Village for more than 20 years, would rather believe that Guan Yu had injured his head than believe that Guan Yu is now the same person.

Guan Ping stared wide-eyed and gaped, finding it hard to believe that the melodramatic story told by the storyteller, "Once a fugitive who wandered the world, he returned as a great general," would happen to him.

Seeing that the three did not believe him, Guan Yu excitedly untied his outer robe, revealing the insignia of a lieutenant general hanging at his waist, and said with bright eyes, "Father, I really am a lieutenant general under the Left General, and I am also the Left General's sworn brother. The Left General even gave me a new courtesy name, 'Yun Chang,' which means the long and continuous flow of clouds. The Left General also encouraged me with the words, 'Jade can be broken but its whiteness cannot be changed; bamboo can be burned but its integrity cannot be destroyed; though the body perishes, the name can be recorded in history.'"

As Guan Yu spoke, he reminisced about the past.

Back then, Guan Yu fled to Zhuojun due to some incident. He was saddened by missing his family and lost in confusion about his future. He wandered among the common people of Zhuojun.

At that time, Liu Bei's status had changed after returning from studying under Lu Zhi. He also received financial support from Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping, and his fellow student Gongsun Zan had become the magistrate of Zhuo County. With status, money, and background, the young men of Zhuo County vied to attach themselves to him.

Guan Yu was also one of those who attached themselves to the regime.

Because he had read the Spring and Autumn Annals and possessed a refined and scholarly air, coupled with his tall and imposing physique, Guan Yu quickly distinguished himself from Liu Bei's many followers.

During his time with Liu Bei, Guan Yu gradually came to admire Liu Bei's benevolence and integrity.
He changed "Chang Sheng" to "Yun Chang," and then followed Liu Bei to learn horseback riding, archery, swordsmanship, and spear fighting, as well as military strategy, tactics, and troop training.

It was precisely because Guan Yu was literate and quick-witted that he could often apply what he learned to other situations. Whenever Liu Bei taught him something, Guan Yu always achieved the best results.

Gradually, he formed a brotherhood with Zhang Fei, a young man who also relied on Liu Bei, through fighting and competition. Zhang Fei was younger and often called Guan Yu "brother".

Subsequently, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. In response to the proclamations from the prefectures and counties, Liu Bei formed a righteous army and personally led Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others to fight on the battlefield and achieve military merits. They then followed Liu Bei to Anxi County.

Because Liu Bei's official career was fraught with setbacks, many of the young men from Zhuojun who had previously attached themselves to him left, leaving only a few, such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who risked their lives to follow him.

Grateful for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's loyalty, Liu Bei treated them as brothers, addressing them as such in informal settings.

(Note: The above is the sworn brotherhood of the three as recorded in unofficial historical accounts.)

However, Guan Yu didn't notice that Guan Yi's eyes changed from surprise to horror, and he exclaimed in a trembling voice, "Are you the Guan Yunchang who single-handedly took the head of the Wuhuan King Tadun from the midst of ten thousand troops?"

Guan Yu was interrupted from his recollection. He paused for a moment, then stroked his magnificent beard, looking slightly smug: "Tadun called himself a king, but in reality he was just a scoundrel who sold his head for a living. I killed him with a single stroke."

Guan Yi immediately fell silent.

At this moment, Guan Yi's heart was churning like a stormy sea: My son Guan Yu actually has the courage to defeat ten thousand men?

Guan Yi knew that Guan Yu was naturally strong. The problem was that the Guan family only passed down the *I Ching* and the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, not horsemanship or archery!
You, a man of great strength but only skilled in farming, have gone out and wandered for over twenty years, and suddenly become a warrior capable of taking on ten thousand men? And you, single-handedly, saw the Wuhuan King Tadun as a mere traitor who sold his head for a mere token?

Guan Yi had only read the phrase "courage to defeat ten thousand men" in books, and never imagined that one day he would see a real person with such courage, and that this real person was his own son!

Unlike Guan Yi's shock, Guan Ping's shock turned into admiration.

Hu Ashi exclaimed in surprise, then covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes filled with both shock and admiration.

"This Guanjia Village is really no longer a place to stay."

After a long while, Guan Yi finally accepted the reality that "my son is a match for ten thousand men" and realized the danger that Guan Yu's special identity would bring to Guan Family Village.

Guan Yi felt a pang of reluctance at the thought of leaving the place where his ancestors had lived.

"You and your wife and children should spend some time together. I'll go find the clan chief." Taking a deep breath, Guan Yi's expression suddenly turned serious.

Guan Yi left quickly and returned quickly, asking Guan Yu, "The clan chief asked me to ask you if you could leave some bows and arrows for the villagers to use for self-defense."

The standard bows and arrows used in the army were vastly different from those made in Guanjia Village. Without hesitation, Guan Yu returned and ordered his knights to leave fifty bows, five hundred arrows, and fifty ring-pommel swords in the fortified village of Guanjia Village as compensation for the potential danger they had brought to the village.

Besides Guan Ping, there were others in Guanjia Village who wanted to follow Guan Yu to make a name for themselves.

But Guan Yu refused them all.

It wasn't that Guan Yu was unwilling to lead his clansmen to achieve great things, but rather that Hedong was too chaotic. If he took away all the good talents of his clan, Guan Family Village might perish in the war.

At the same time, Guan Yu also promised everyone that when Liu Bei was able to control Hedong, Guan Yu would enlist the willing young men of his clan into the army and lead them to achieve great things.

"I've lived here for over fifty years, and I never imagined that I would have to leave my homeland and wander in all directions in my old age." After paying respects to his ancestors, Guan Yi looked at the familiar Guanjiawu Fortress and Guanjia Village, feeling even more reluctant to leave.

Guan Yu's eyes were resolute, and his vow was firm: "Father, do not worry. When General Zuo has established his foundation, we will return!"

a few days later.

Guan Yu returned to the Jiangyi camp with his father, wife, and son.

Upon learning that Guan Yu had brought his family back, Liu Bei was overjoyed and quickly summoned Zhang Fei to Guan Yu's separate camp.

When they saw Liu Bei rushing over to congratulate Guan Yu, Guan Yi and the other two finally believed that Guan Yu's words, "the sworn brother of the Left General," were not empty words.

After exchanging greetings with everyone, Liu Bei stared at Guan Ping, who was already in his early twenties, and grew to like him more and more.

Of the three brothers, only Guan Yu had a son. Liu Bei had a wife and concubines but only two daughters. Zhang Fei had no wife or concubines and focused on his career every day.

When Guan Yu returned to Guanjia Village, he brought back a robust son in his early twenties, making Liu Bei extremely happy.

"Yun Chang's son is like my adopted son!"

　Too hot to sleep, got up and wrote a chapter. First update! Requesting monthly votes!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)