Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 211 Though the clouds may be high, my resolve remains unwavering!
Looking at Xing Daorong, Yuan Shu's eyes were unfathomable, and the oppressive silence made Xing Daorong bury his head in the ground.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly.

"Wanting to become my adopted son isn't that simple."

Alright then, Xing Daorong, for the time being you will be listed in the Golden Terrace, and the 30,000 Jingzhou soldiers you have recruited will also be temporarily under your command.

They were named the Fengtian Army, meaning to uphold the will of Heaven and quell the chaos in this turbulent world.

From now on, Xing Qing will be the commander-in-chief, leading the charge in battle, raising the banner of Fengtian high, to punish the traitor Liu!

As Yuan Shu spoke, he looked at Zhou Tai, who was covered in wounds beside him, and said to him:

“Youping was the first to breach the city last night, and his merit was considerable. Therefore, you will be appointed as the deputy general of the Fengtian Army to assist Xing Qing in commanding the army.”

Zhou Tai clearly made such a great contribution last night, but he only received the rank of deputy general, and his position was even lower than that cunning Xing Daorong.

However, Zhou Tai showed no dissatisfaction on his face. Instead, he was delighted and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Yes."

There's no other reason than that within Yuan's camp, it's an old tradition for their lord to hold his commander hostage.

I haven't read the Lord's words, which have already made it very clear: you, Xing Daorong, only need to raise the Fengtian banner when you are on the battlefield.

The lord's adopted son, Yuan Ce, had already personally demonstrated to the generals that raising the banner in Yuan's camp was not a symbolic act, but a practical action.

With his lord's words, the 30,000-strong Fengtian Army was essentially in Zhou Tai's hands.

After that, he was no longer a personal guard of the lord, but instead became a general like Ji Ling and Zhang Xun, who commanded a large army.

Although serving as a personal guard by the lord's side is a prestigious position that brings one close to the lord, there is still Xu Chu, the commander of the personal guard battalion, who always manages to outrank him.

Furthermore, rather than constantly guarding his lord's side and never leaving him, he preferred to fight on the battlefield and establish his own achievements.

Therefore, Zhou Tai was extremely satisfied with his lord's arrangement.

As for Yuan Shu, these people were all Jingzhou soldiers who had been recruited by Xing Daorong, and their numbers were truly too great.

Whether it's breaking them up and incorporating them, or removing Xing Daorong, their core leader, neither can be rushed.

At present, we are in a hurry to pursue the remnants of the defeated soldiers in Jingzhou and continue to reclaim the land of Jingzhou. We really don't have time to deal with the surrendered soldiers.

Since that's the case, why not just drive these Jingzhou soldiers ahead and use them to wear down the rest of the Jingzhou army?

With Xing Daorong leading the charge, it will be of great use, whether in accepting surrenders or intimidating the people of Jingzhou.

Meanwhile, Yuan Jun was stationed behind the Jingzhou troops to provide support, and anyone who fled or failed to perform their duties would be executed in battle.

If this Fengtian Army, which crumbles at the sight of Yuan Shikai but launches a powerful attack in the civil war, continues to gather scattered soldiers from Jingzhou at the front, and the snowball grows bigger and bigger, then the pacification of the nine counties of Jingxiang will be easy!

In this light, Xing Daorong has his own uses; in the matter of destroying Jingzhou, he might actually be able to display the prowess of a renowned general.

With the help of such a wonderful person, what is there to worry about in achieving great things?

As for whether Xing Daorong, who keeps switching sides, might betray him again and jump back to the Jingzhou camp, Yuan Shu was not worried about that.

Not to mention that Zhou Tai was watching him closely, ready to chop off his head at any moment, and given the lesson learned from last night's events, even if Xing Daorong wanted to jump back, who in Jingzhou would still dare to trust him?
While everyone was scheming and plotting among themselves, Xing Daorong was completely unaware of it. He only heard Yuan Shu appoint him to the Golden Terrace and give him command of 30,000 troops, raising the Fengtian banner high. He was overjoyed and accepted the order.

Unbeknownst to him, when Yuan Shu asked him to raise the banner, it really meant only the literal meaning of "raising the banner."

However, if Xing Daorong knew that the job involved no danger and offered a chance to gain fame and fortune, he would probably be secretly pleased.

Meanwhile, in Pei State.

In the second year of Jian'an, the spring snow began to melt, and the spring breeze, carrying the coolness of the melting snow, swept across the city of Xiaopei.

Mi Heng, dressed in a blue robe, with a bamboo staff and straw sandals, stood alone under the city gate, gazing up at the two large characters "Pei County," his expression inscrutable, muttering to himself.

"Liu Xuande?"

Everyone praises him for his benevolence, but how does he compare to Cao Cao, who was nominally the Chancellor of Han but was in reality a traitor to Han?

Today, let Heng see for himself whether you are a virtuous gentleman wholeheartedly devoted to upholding the Han Dynasty, or a treacherous villain seeking power in this chaotic world, falsely claiming the name of the Liu family!

Mi Heng muttered to himself, seemingly without any restraint, and then pointed at the soldiers guarding the city, saying to them:
"go!

Tell Liu Bei that Mi Heng has come to seek aid for Liu Jingzhou.

The soldiers at the city gate looked at each other in bewilderment!

Asking for help? You call this asking for help? If your Liu Jingzhou knew this was how you asked for help, wouldn't he want to beat you to death?

However, seeing his arrogance, perhaps he really had some ability? No one dared to underestimate or ignore him.

Immediately, one of the city gate soldiers stepped out and hurriedly ran into the city to spread the word, while the others, each armed, stood in front of Mi Heng, keeping a watchful eye on him.

Mi Heng paid no attention to this, treating it as if it were nothing, raising his head in disdain for everyone, and quietly standing in front of the door to wait.

Meanwhile, in Xiaopei City, Liu Bei heard that Mi Heng had come to Jingzhou on behalf of Liu Biao seeking aid, and sighed:

“I have heard that Mi Heng is a renowned scholar. Currently, I have almost no one by my side to offer advice and suggestions. If I could obtain his assistance, my great undertaking could be accomplished.”

After saying this, he was about to personally go out of the mansion to greet him, but Zhang Fei looked at him with resentment.

"This man is arrogant!"
How dare they speak ill of their elder brother in front of the city gates and in front of everyone!
"I, Old Zhang, know this kind of arrogant brat all too well. The more courteous you are to him, the more he thinks you're kind and easy to bully, and the more arrogant and unscrupulous he becomes."

As he spoke, he stopped Liu Bei, saying, "In my opinion, elder brother, please take a seat."

Let me, Old Zhang, go and greet him. I don't care what famous scholar or eccentric he is. A good lash from the whip will make him obedient and willing to offer advice to my elder brother.

If you're worried about what people will say, just say that I, Old Zhang, have had too much to drink and can't control myself.

Anyway, who in this world doesn't know that when I'm drunk, I'm capable of anything? The more outrageous and absurd I am today, the more they'll believe it.

This will surely leave Mi Heng speechless and unable to defend himself.

"Third brother! You mustn't!"

Liu Bei was shocked and hurriedly tried to stop him, but Zhang Fei was too strong and he couldn't pull him away. He kept looking at Guan Yu.

"Second brother, quickly stop third brother and don't let him cause trouble!"

How could Mi Heng, a renowned scholar of the realm, be treated with such disrespect? If this were truly the case, in the future, which renowned and talented scholar in the entire Han Dynasty would dare to come and visit me?

"Brother! You don't understand. This is a principle that I, Lao Zhang, have painstakingly figured out from Yuan Gonglu's thinking."

Look at him, he doesn't care about Liu Ye or Xiahou Dun, famous ministers or generals. Once they're captured and brought into Yuan Shao's camp, they become his advisors and generals, all of whom obey him. It seems the world has changed; it's still my old Zhang's whip that works.

"Brother, please take your seat and rest assured. Today, I will ensure that Mi Heng assists you, making him obey even if he doesn't want to."

"Nonsense!"

Liu Bei was both angry and anxious. Fortunately, Guan Yu was more composed and quickly stepped forward to hold Zhang Fei down. He opened his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes slightly and stared coldly at Zhang Fei.

"Third brother, stop fooling around. Don't you know your eldest brother's temper? You're going to upset him."

Seeing that Guan Yu also said so, Zhang Fei seemed to lose his spirit and lowered his head in despair. Even though he had the martial arts skills to dominate the world, he could only let out a helpless sigh.

"How could I not understand my elder brother's heart?"

I'm just so frustrated!
From Xuzhou to Lu, then to Yuzhou, from Chen to Liang, and finally to Pei.

We three brothers support each other and are wholeheartedly dedicated to restoring the Han Dynasty. We have never dared to slacken our efforts in the slightest.

We lost territory from Xuzhou to the states of Lu, Chen, and Liang, fleeing and suffering heavy losses. Even Mr. Jian and Mr. Sun, who had accompanied our elder brother all the way, died one after another. All we experienced was defeat, defeat after defeat.

He suddenly raised his head, which had been bowed deeply, and tears were already welling up in his eyes.

"Brother, is there really any point in persisting like this?"

Since Yuan Shu's ambition to become emperor is so obvious, and yet he can dominate the world and no one can compete with him, it is clear that the world has changed.

In the struggle for supremacy, the strong ultimately reign supreme. Since whoever is the strongest is right, then why can't I, Zhang Fei, who has the biggest fist, assert my authority over Mi Heng?

"Third brother!"

Liu Bei, dressed in a plain robe, looked at Zhang Fei with gentle eyes, raised his hand to wipe away the tears on his face, and asked a question in return.

"Does the fact that it's meaningless mean we should just give up?"

Zhang Fei was stunned.

Liu Bei stared intently at him with a determined look in his eyes.

"Though the clouds may be high, they are unattainable. Should we then willingly degenerate and wallow in the mire?"
Ambitions may be lofty and unattainable, but must we be content with mediocrity and linger in the business of slaughtering pigs and weaving shoes?
Third brother, do you still remember the vow we made when we first met?
With sword and spear, we will serve on the battlefield, striving to forge a great career and achieve unparalleled feats in this chaotic world.

Liu Bei chuckled self-deprecatingly as he spoke, “Yes, I know. We’ve spent half our lives on the battlefield, wandering and displaced, and yet we’ve accomplished nothing.”

The ideals and grand pronouncements made in my youth seem absurd and laughable in this chaotic world, as if they could never be realized.

But should we give up just because we can't do it?
To restore the Han Dynasty!

These four words, though spoken lightly, carry immense weight; they are easy to know but difficult to do.

Yes, you're right. In this chaotic world, times have changed. People like Yuan Shu, with their power and arrogance, are unruly and uncontrollable.

If someone like Cao Cao, a treacherous man who appears loyal, controls the government, yet dares not speak out against him.

Like Yuan Shao, who carved out a territory, a state within a state, making the world fear him like a tiger.

It seems that as long as you have strength, you can overcome everything. It seems that the four words "support the Han Dynasty" are as light as a feather. People like Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shao can all say this and call themselves loyal and virtuous.

The current reality, the past crushing defeats—all of this seems to be illustrating a stark truth:
The persistence of the three of us is insignificant.

But if all the feudal lords in the world do this, are they right to act?

If our persistence as a group of three is meaningless, should we give up?

No!

Liu Bei became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he wanted to vent the pressure and innermost thoughts that had accumulated during his recent defeats and confinement to a corner, just like Zhang Fei had done before.

"It is precisely because there are too many people in the world who are afraid of their strength, think that such persistence is meaningless, and feel that if everyone does it, then I am not wrong either."

Therefore, their comfortable abandonment led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty, leaving Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and their ilk with no one to govern them.

Imagine if all the wise men in the world were determined to support the Han Dynasty and never wavered, then under Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shao, there would be countless righteous men who would not hesitate to die for justice and denounce them in the palace.

Then all the people under heaven will angrily denounce them as traitors to the country, wishing they could eat their flesh and sleep on their skin, and see how they are no different from the traitor Dong Zhuo!
At the height of his power, Dong Zhuo commanded 300,000 Xiliang cavalry, dominating the world. Even the combined forces of the eighteen warlords could not defeat him.

Yet he still suffered divine retribution, dying instantly in defeat. This was because all the wise men in the world were devoted to the Han Dynasty and were determined to eliminate Dong Zhuo and establish a new dynasty. They followed one after another, unwavering in their resolve!
Why is it impossible now?
After Dong Zhuo, there were Li Yu and Guo Si, and after Li Yu and Guo Si came Cao Cao and the two Yuan brothers. The people have long ceased to admire the virtues of the Han Dynasty. People like you think that it is meaningless to insist on supporting the Han Dynasty. Therefore, people's hearts are yearning for change, and the Mandate of Heaven will change.

Prepare for what you will do!
He defied fate and changed destiny, creating an opportunity for the Han Dynasty to be restored, supporting the Han Dynasty, and reviving the Han Dynasty three times.

As long as the banner of upholding the Han dynasty remains high, those in the world who cherish the Han dynasty will not be completely disappointed, the people will still remember the name of the great Han, and the Mandate of Heaven will not be completely changed.

Therefore, though our persistence is small, and though we have spent half our lives wandering and have accomplished nothing, we must still persevere!
"Even if I die in three years, ten years, or even a hundred years, as long as I, Liu Bei, live, the Han Dynasty will not perish!"

After saying this, Liu Bei tightly grasped the hands of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, his eyes already red-rimmed.

"Now that things have come to this, my two brothers, are you still willing to walk with me toward this unattainable ambition of restoring the Han Dynasty?"

Guan Yu blushed and gripped Liu Bei's hand tightly. "Brother, what are you saying? When we swore our oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden, I already made that vow."

"My body is Brother Liu's body, my life is Brother Liu's life; I will obey your commands without any disloyalty."

Zhang Fei was also moved, "Me too!"

"Unparalleled in benevolence and virtue!"
As the rumors said, Prefect Liu was even more impressive in person than he had been told.

Just then, a hearty laugh was heard, and a man carrying a bamboo staff and wearing straw sandals walked slowly towards them.

Zhang Fei's expression changed drastically, and he angrily rebuked them, "The three of us brothers are having a conversation, who dares to eavesdrop?"

As Liu Bei and his companions looked up, they saw a group of city gate soldiers standing beside the man, bowing their heads and reporting.

"Reporting to Lord Xuande."

This man was extremely arrogant and rude. After waiting for a short while, seeing that Lord Xuande had not come out to greet him, he began to curse and swear, trying to force his way in.

We knew he was an envoy from Jingzhou and a renowned scholar whom Lord Xuande wanted to see, so we dared not harm him, which is why he forced his way in.

Please punish him, Lord Xuande.

“This matter has nothing to do with you; it is a breach of etiquette towards a virtuous person.”

After reassuring his soldiers, Liu Bei bowed respectfully to Mi Heng, saying, "I have long admired Mr. Zhengping's reputation; it is truly my honor to meet you today."

(End of this chapter)