Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 113 Liu Bei's Demonstration: I'm Only Interested in Money (Please Follow and Vote!)
official way.

Banners fluttered, bearing the inscription "Liu, Governor of Yongzhou".

Under the banner, Liu Bei rode slowly along.

Seeing Zhao Yun's absent-mindedness, Liu Bei couldn't help but tease, "Fourth brother, a man should marry when he comes of age, and a woman should marry when she comes of age. It's a matter of mutual affection and consent. We're almost at Hangu Pass, and you're still hesitating?"

Zhao Yun blushed and said, "Brother, I'm not worried. It's just that I haven't achieved any fame or merit yet, while Yunlu is the descendant of General Fubo and the daughter of Zuo Fengyi."

Liu Bei chuckled: "Fourth brother, you've only thought about this lame excuse for over ten days? I was the one who gave you the position of Zuo Fengyi. When we get back, I'll dismiss Ma Teng from his post and make him a minor official in charge of agricultural settlements. How about that?"

Zhao Yun was speechless after being refuted, and hesitated to speak.

"Alright. Do you think I don't know what you're thinking?" Liu Bei put away his smile and said seriously, "The world is in turmoil now, and we live in constant uncertainty. We might die from open or hidden attacks any day now. Are you worried that if we rush into marriage, we'll be ruining a good woman's life?"

Zhao Yun pursed his lips but did not refute.

"It's alright." Liu Bei looked at Hangu Pass, which was getting closer and closer, and laughed. "Since I've brought you to conquer the world, how could I let you die from open or hidden attacks? Who in this world can harm the four of us brothers?"

"After you return to Chang'an, you should marry Zuo Fengyi's daughter and have a healthy son. If you raise him well, he will surely become a fierce general. Don't let your second brother keep praising how brave his son is."

Inspired by Liu Bei's confidence, Zhao Yun's inner turmoil gradually dissipated.

It would be a lie to say that Zhao Yun was not tempted by Ma Yunlu at all; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to agonize over it for more than ten days after leaving Chang'an.

As they were talking...

Two riders arrived in a flash; it was Ma Chao and Fa Zheng.

The two had never been to Luoyang before, and they were quite excited along the way. Even Fa Zheng, who was not good at riding horses, forgot about the fatigue of riding.

"Teacher, can we make it to Hangu Pass?" Ma Chao's eyes were full of hope and expectation.

Hangu Pass stretches from the Xiaoshan Mountains in the east to Tongjin in the west, and is collectively known as Hangu. It is called a natural barrier because it is located in a valley that is deep and dangerous, like a box.

It guards the strategic pass of Xiaohan, bordering Hengling to the west, a deep ravine to the east, Qinling Mountains to the south, and the Yellow River to the north. Its terrain is treacherous and its roads are narrow, hence the saying that "carts cannot travel side by side, and horses cannot ride abreast."

The Western Han dynasty scholar Jia Yi also wrote in his essay "On the Faults of Qin": "With ten times the land and a million troops, we once attacked Qin at its gates. The Qin people opened their gates to welcome the enemy, and the armies of nine states hesitated and dared not advance."

Heroes from all over the world, upon hearing the name of Hangu Pass, all yearn to visit it.

The same applies to Ma Chao and Fa Zheng.

However, Hangu Pass is guarded by soldiers, and it is not an ordinary person who can enter the pass.

"What difficulty is there in ascending Hangu Pass?" Liu Bei laughed.

Ma Chao and Fa Zheng were both delighted upon hearing this, and they spurred their horses forward to gaze at the majestic grandeur of Hangu Pass.

The guard of Hangu Pass was Qin Xi, a young general under He Jin. Qin Xi was also the one who guarded it when Liu Bei passed through Hangu Pass to the west last time.

Upon seeing Liu Bei, Qin Xi hurriedly stepped out of the pass and bowed, saying, "This humble general, Qin Xi, pays his respects to Governor Liu Yongzhou."

Liu Bei returned the greeting with a smile: "Passing through Hangu Pass to Chang'an, it is Qin Commandant who guards it; passing through Hangu Pass to Luoyang, it is still Qin Commandant who guards it. I have a special connection with Qin Commandant."

Qin Xi felt a sense of desolation.

A year ago, Liu Bei was just a county magistrate in Anxi. In just over a year, he became the governor of Yongzhou, a province in charge of the entire province.

Qin Xi, three years ago he was the Commandant of Hangu Pass, and three years later he is still the Commandant of Hangu Pass.

People's fates can vary drastically.

Liu Bei, being observant, keenly noticed Qin Xi's dejection and encouraged him, saying, "Commander Qin, do not be discouraged. A true man should be upright and honorable in chaotic times. Even in adversity, one should humble oneself and wait for the right time, not fight against fate. When the time comes, Commander Qin can also be ennobled and appointed as a general."

"Thank you for your kind words, Governor Liu." Hearing this, Qin Xi's mood improved somewhat, and he asked, "Governor Liu, are you going to the pass today?"

Liu Bei nodded: "I have two disciples who are eager to climb Hangu Pass. If possible, I would like to ask Commandant Qin to do me a favor."

Qin Xi laughed and said, "If Liu Yongzhou's disciple wants to pass through the pass, why would I stop him? Please follow me!"

Ma Chao and Fa Zheng were both extremely excited. They followed Qin Xi to Hangu Pass and looked down at the pass. An indescribable sense of pride welled up within them.

Qin Xi said from the side, "When Liu Yongzhou ascended the pass in the past, he wrote a poem: 'The King of Qin swept across the six kingdoms, how majestic was his tiger-like gaze! He brandished his sword and parted the floating clouds, and all the feudal lords came from the west.' Every time I recite it, I feel an immense sense of awe."

Liu Bei was slightly surprised: "Commander Qin actually remembers?"

Qin Xi scratched his head: "Many brothers in the pass remember that when they get tired of being in the pass, they will recite loudly, and then they will feel less irritable."

Liu Bei couldn't help but laugh and said, "I didn't expect this poem to have such an effect. Mengqi, go and fetch some valuables to distribute to the brothers at the pass."

Qin Xi was taken aback and quickly refused, saying, "How dare we accept Liu Yongzhou's property?"

Liu Bei sighed and said, "The officials of the court are so busy vying for power that they have no idea how hard the soldiers guarding the pass have worked. This is just a small token of my appreciation for my brothers. You can't refuse it. If you're ever unhappy staying at Hangu Pass, you can bring your brothers to Yongzhou to find me."

Qin Xi was deeply moved.

Most of the two hundred men at Hangu Pass, like Qin Xi, had been guarding the pass for three years, some even longer.

Even though they had no worries about food and drink, they were quite lonely and had no chance of promotion.

Although Hangu Pass is a strategically important pass, there has been no war between Hangu Pass and Tong Pass for many years, so it is easily forgotten.

As Ma Chao brought the money and distributed it, the soldiers in Guanzhong's favor towards Liu Bei, the governor of Yongzhou, increased dramatically.

In particular, the line "If you are unhappy staying at Hangu Pass in the future, you can lead your brothers to Yongzhou to find me" warmed everyone's hearts.

Through Qin Xi, Liu Bei also learned some recent information.

For example, several thousand people in Hanoi rebelled, calling themselves "the Earl of Black Mountain," and burned down Mengjin, Pingyin, and the residences of the military governors in Hejin. The firelight illuminated the sky, and they all said they wanted to kill the eunuchs.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei couldn't help but scoff.

The so-called "Lord of Black Mountain" was merely a facade deliberately created by He Jin in Hanoi to convince Empress Dowager He that if the eunuchs were not eliminated, the people of the world would rebel.

"He Jin was originally a butcher from Nanyang. He was lucky enough to gain wealth and status through the palace. Now he wants to smash the pot with the bowl he has picked up, and he is smashing the pot of his own sister and nephew. It is really ridiculous."

"To be honest, whether He Jin lives or dies is none of my business; I'm only interested in the money in Luoyang."

Yongzhou was very poor.

Liu Bei was so poor that he had to streamline his army and reduce government officials in order to support his first five-year plan.

And most of the world's wealth is concentrated in Luoyang.

Whether it was the West Garden left by Liu Hong or the private treasuries of the imperial relatives, eunuchs, and ministers, there was a great deal of money!
Even if Liu Bei didn't seize this money, it's highly likely that Dong Zhuo would have taken it in the future.

How much did Dong Zhuo plunder in Luoyang?
It should be noted that Dong Zhuo built a fortified village in Mei County, which stored a large amount of looted wealth and a thirty-year grain reserve!
Dong Zhuo even boasted that if he pacified Guandong, he could dominate the world, and even if he failed, he could still live to old age in Meiwu.

Even amidst earthquakes, droughts, and constant warfare, Li Jue and his men were able to roam freely for nearly a decade thanks to the grain from Meiwu, which speaks volumes!
Luoyang, General's Mansion. He Jin, having received intelligence that Liu Bei had already passed Hangu Pass, turned grim: "I never expected that Liu Bei would actually dare to come to Luoyang!"

Liu Bei's power in Guanzhong rose too quickly, so quickly that even He Jin was alarmed.

First, Zhang Wen was expelled, then Huangfu Song handed over military power, and then the rebel Han Sui was defeated and more than eighty bandits were killed.

In just a few months, Liu Bei became a powerful figure in the Three Qin regions, and no one dared to disobey him.

Fearing that Liu Bei might use the secret edict to raise an army to support the emperor, He Jin consulted Yuan Shao for advice.

Yuan Shao and Liu Bei had a long-standing feud, so Yuan Shao advised He Jin to summon Liu Bei to Luoyang to kill the eunuchs. After killing the eunuchs, they could then deal with Liu Bei as well.

He Jin immediately thought the plan was brilliant, and summoned Liu Bei to Luoyang under the pretext of "killing the eunuchs".

At first, He Jin was worried that Liu Bei would not answer the summons.

With military and political power in his hands, Liu Bei could completely disregard the summons.

Unexpectedly, Liu Bei actually came!

"Now that you're here, don't leave!" He Jin snorted coldly and ordered his men, "Send orders to He Xian, the Commandant of the Upper Army, Yuan Shao, the Commandant of the Middle Army, Pan Yin, the Commandant of the Lower Army, and Cao Cao, the Commandant of the Army, to lead their troops to welcome Liu Bei into Luoyang."

While claiming it was a welcoming ceremony, the fact that the officers of the Upper Army, Middle Army, Lower Army, and Commander of the Imperial Guard all led troops to greet them was essentially a show of force!
And that's exactly what He Jin thought!
How can he, as a great general, demonstrate his power without a show of force?
The military order was quickly relayed to Pingguan.

Upon hearing that Liu Bei had led his troops through Hangu Pass, both Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were greatly surprised.

"Liu Bei really dares to come? Yuan Shao, are you inviting a wolf into your house?" Cao Cao said with a hint of mockery.

After learning that Yuan Shao had advised He Jin to summon Liu Bei to Luoyang, Cao Cao considered it a terrible move.

Cao Cao knew all too well what kind of person Liu Bei was.

Back when Liu Hong was still alive, Cao Cao, as the Commandant of the Army, was overwhelmed by Liu Bei and only managed to escape by feigning illness after falling from his horse.

At that time, even Yuan Shao only dared to hide in Hanoi and play dirty tricks, and dared not return to Ping Le Guan to confront Liu Bei head-on.

Since Liu Bei had already gone to Yongzhou, there was no need to pay attention to him anymore. Unexpectedly, Yuan Shao still wanted to provoke Liu Bei and even led him to Luoyang.

Is he complaining that he hasn't been beaten enough?
"Hmph!" Yuan Shao said with displeasure, "The late emperor wanted to use Liu Bei to restrain various forces, which gave Liu Bei the opportunity to be arrogant and conceited. Without the support of the imperial power, Liu Bei is nothing more than a general in the field. He can be summoned and dismissed at will. A single imperial edict can depose him as the governor of Yongzhou!"

Cao Cao disagreed with this view, saying, "Although the late emperor is dead, Liu Bei has the late emperor's secret edict. If we really use the imperial edict to depose Liu Bei, how do we know that Liu Bei won't use the secret edict to raise an army to support the emperor? Yuan Shao, you must not underestimate Liu Bei, and you should not provoke him easily. Liu Bei is the best at making an example of someone. If you provoke him now, you will only be asking for trouble."

Yuan Shao scoffed, "How could Mengde (Cao Cao) boost the morale of others while diminishing his own? Besides, there are many people in Luoyang who hate Liu Bei, so it's not my place to take action myself. What Liu Bei did in Runan makes my good brother hate him to the bone. I only need to send someone to provoke him, and someone will deal with Liu Bei for me."

Although Yuan Shao was also a member of the Yuan family, compared to Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao was like a stepmother, and the resources he received from the Yuan family were far less than those of Yuan Shu.

In Runan, Liu Bei helped Huang Wan eliminate powerful bandits, which destroyed a large amount of Yuan Shu's property.

At present, Yang Hong, a powerful bandit in Runan, and Zhang Xun, the former governor of Runan, are both hiding in Yuan Shu's mansion.

Having secretly despised Liu Bei, Yuan Shao sent someone to provoke Yuan Shu while simultaneously raising an army with Cao Cao, and then went with He Xian and Pan Yin to "welcome" Liu Bei.

Although he spoke harshly to Cao Cao, Yuan Shao was very humble in front of He Xian and Pan Yin.

It wasn't that Yuan Shao was afraid of He Xian and Pan Yin, but rather that Yuan Shao didn't want to directly clash with Liu Bei, yet he wanted to instigate He Xian and Pan Yin to take the lead.

The four colonels set up their formation ten miles west of Ping Le Guan. If an uninformed person saw them, they would think they were forming an army to meet the enemy.

The intent to protest is obvious.

"It's been a few months, and the commander of the Xiyuan Army has certainly improved." Liu Bei couldn't help but sneer as he saw the Xiyuan Army heading to form ranks.

Demonstration?

Only Liu Bei has ever dared to show off! Who dares to show off against Liu Bei?

"Mengqi." Liu Bei called over Ma Chao and gave him a few instructions, saying, "Use the rhetoric I taught you to quickly go to the front lines of the Western Garden Army and challenge them to battle. Remember the key points: you must be arrogant and disdainful of everyone."

Ma Chao was immediately overjoyed: "Don't worry, teacher, no one dares to challenge your authority in front of me!"

After a while.

Ma Chao rode up to the front of the Xiyuan Army's formation, brandishing his spear, and shouted loudly, "I am Ma Chao of Fufeng, a disciple of the Governor of Yongzhou. I have long heard that the Xiyuan Army is full of fierce warriors, but I am not convinced. Who dares to fight me to the death!"

He Xian was immediately stunned.

A decisive battle to the death?

I didn't intend to fight to the death!
I'm just here to protest!

Ma Chao's roar startled He Xian, who looked in astonishment at Pan Yin on his right.

Pan Yin was also somewhat bewildered at this moment.

Why is it not following the usual practice again?
Should I accept your challenge or not?
No, how could I dare to accept that?

If I accept the order, wouldn't that really turn into a war between two armies?
How am I going to explain this to everyone when I get back?

Forget it, I'll just pretend I didn't hear it!

For a moment, neither He Xian nor Pan Yin dared to make a move.

Seeing no one respond, Ma Chao stepped forward a few paces and shouted fiercely, "I am Ma Chao of Fufeng, a disciple of the Governor of Yongzhou. Who dares to fight me to the death!"

Upon hearing Ma Chao's challenge, the soldiers of the Western Garden Army immediately lowered their heads and whispered amongst themselves.

They came here on orders, without understanding the situation, when suddenly someone claiming to be a disciple of the Governor of Yongzhou came to fight to the death, which inevitably aroused suspicion.

"General, aren't we here to welcome the Governor of Yongzhou? What's going on?" a military officer couldn't help but ask.

Pan Yin's subordinate army camp included some of the earliest Xiyuan soldiers who followed Liu Bei. They stayed in the Xiyuan army because they did not want to go to Yongzhou with Liu Bei.

Staying is one thing, but it doesn't mean they're willing to be enemies with Liu Bei!

Fight Liu Bei?

Unless you're crazy!

Pan Yin was completely at a loss, having no idea how to deal with the situation.

What was supposed to be a protest has turned into this awkward situation.

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, who had sensed something was wrong, hurriedly rode to the front.

Before the two could inquire about the situation, Ma Chao took several steps closer, brandishing his spear and shouting, "Why do you neither fight nor retreat?"

(End of this chapter)