My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

Inside the Qingzhou City Prefectural Governor's Mansion, Gong Jing hosted a three-day banquet to reward the three armies.

With plenty of wine and meat, and generous rewards, Ji Xuanyuan only drank tea and ate a little porridge. Under the constant protection of Dian Wei, he entertained guests at the banquet.

Although his peerless appearance was pale and sickly, it still amazed the civil and military officials of Qingzhou. They were astonished that there was such a person in the world, like a banished immortal descending to earth, or like a jade mountain about to collapse.

Three days later, Colonel Zou Jing led 5,000 Youzhou soldiers back north to report to Liu Yan.

Before departing, the Youzhou general solemnly saluted Ji Xuanyuan: "I have been in the army for more than ten years and have never seen such military tactics. Two thousand defeated fifty thousand, seven thousand defeated one hundred thousand. Commander Ji's military tactics are divine. I admire him. If there is anything I can do to help you in the future, please feel free to use my services."

"That's right, my elder brother is a genius praised by Mr. Shui Jing!" Zhang Fei grinned.

Ji Xuanyuan returned the gesture with a slight bow: "Colonel Zou, take care on your journey."

After resting for another four days, Ji Xuanyuan's health improved slightly. Although he still coughed, his complexion had regained some color. He immediately summoned his generals for a meeting.

Inside the central command tent, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Li Cunxiao, Yang Zaixing, and Dian Wei stood solemnly. Ji Xuanyuan, wrapped in a fox fur coat, lightly tapped the two characters "Guangzong" on the map with his finger.

"Although the siege of Qingzhou has been lifted, the Yellow Turban Rebellion has not been quelled." His voice was cold.

"Zhang Jiao personally led his main force of 150,000 men and stationed them at Guangzong. General Lu Zhi led 50,000 northern troops to confront them. They have been locked in a stalemate for more than two months. This battle is related to the overall situation of the world and we cannot afford not to participate."

He paused, coughed a few times, and said, "Our main force has two thousand men, and Prefect Gong Jing will allocate one thousand elite troops from Qingzhou, for a total of three thousand. We will depart in three days and head straight for Guangzong."

Zhang Fei scratched his head: "Brother, only three thousand men? The battle at Guangzong involved hundreds of thousands of people..."

"The quality of soldiers is more important than their quantity," Ji Xuanyuan said calmly.

"Besides... Brother Yu and the others are already on their way."

The generals' eyes lit up.

It turned out that on the third day after Ji Xuanyuan's recovery, he had already sent a messenger on horseback to Zhuojun, ordering Xiang Yu, Ran Min, and Lü Bu to lead 1,500 new recruits and 300 cavalrymen who had been trained for more than a month to go south to Guangzong to meet up.

"The 1,500 new recruits trained by Brother Yu have been in training for over a month and should be ready for battle. Although Fengxian's 300 cavalry have only been trained for a short time, they are sufficient for harassment and pursuit." A wise light flashed in Ji Xuanyuan's eyes.

"Once our army joins forces with Brother Yu, we will have nearly five thousand soldiers. We will be able to achieve something in the Battle of Guangzong."

He looked at his generals, his expression solemn: "But before our army reaches Guangzong and joins up with Brother Yu, no one is allowed to act without authorization—especially you, Yide."

Zhang Fei chuckled: "I'll listen to my elder brother!"

Three days later, three thousand soldiers set off.

Ji Xuanyuan still rode in a specially made carriage, with Dian Wei riding a horse beside him to protect the carriage. The two flying halberds hung on both sides of the saddle, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

This simpleton, ever since he acquired the twin halberds, has slept with them and now stays by Ji Xuanyuan's side at all times.

When the carriages and horses reached the territory of Julu County in Jizhou, it was already the seventh day since they set off.

Julu was the place where the Taiping Dao uprising began. Although it had been through war, there were still hermits living in the mountains and fields. Ji Xuanyuan ordered the army to set up camp and rest for half a day by the official road, while he himself, along with Zhao Yun and Dian Wei, traveled lightly into the mountains northwest of the county town.

"Brother, who are we going to find?" Zhao Yun asked, spear in hand, his white robe fluttering in the spring breeze.

Ji Xuanyuan leaned back in the carriage, lifting the curtain to gaze at the distant mountains: "Find two great talents. One is named Tian Feng, courtesy name Yuanhao, upright and resourceful; the other is named Ju Shou, courtesy name Gongyu, deeply versed in strategy. Both of these men possess the talent of a king's advisor. If we can acquire them, it will be better than having 100,000 soldiers."

Dian Wei scratched his head and said, "You can fight even better than me?"

Ji Xuanyuan chuckled: "E'lai, not all skills in this world lie in swords and spears. The talent of these two lies in strategizing and winning battles from afar."

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the carriage could no longer proceed. Ji Xuanyuan alighted and, with Dian Wei's assistance, climbed the mountain along a narrow path. The mountain path was rugged, and he walked very slowly, stopping frequently to catch his breath. Zhao Yun felt distressed watching this and hesitated to speak several times.

Halfway up the mountain, a few thatched huts are hidden in the bamboo forest. There is a stream in front of the huts, and fields beside the stream where seasonal vegetables are grown.

"We've arrived." Ji Xuanyuan stopped and gestured for Zhao Yun and Dian Wei to stay where they were.

He straightened his clothes; though frail, he possessed a composed demeanor. But his next action startled Zhao Yun. His elder brother neither knocked on the door nor had Dian Wei announce his arrival. Instead, he stood outside the bamboo grove and recited in a clear voice:

"The gates of heaven are ninefold and cannot be ascended; even the phoenix and the unicorn hesitate amidst the weeds and wild grasses."

I am ashamed to follow the frivolous young men of Luoyang, who indulge in cockfighting, horse racing, and the jingling of carriages.

For whom does Feng Xuan play his long sword? The jade sheath of Jing Mountain awaits the axe's handle.

Lü Shang fished idly at Panxi, while Yi Wu was imprisoned—this was not his fault.

Have you not heard that King Zhao built a platform to pay homage to Guo Wei, and when the platform was built, a flock of steeds came to visit?

Le Yi poured out his heart and soul in his play, but the dust of the sea rose from the Jieshi Mountain.

Today, the winds of change have suddenly converged here; why lament that weeds and wild vegetables grow on this high platform?

"A man's fate is not determined by heaven, but by meeting a kindred spirit to ride in the same carriage!"

The sound was clear and melodious, echoing through the mountains.

Inside the room, Tian Feng and Ju Shou were playing chess facing each other.

Both men were dressed as middle-aged scholars. Tian Feng had a square face and a broad forehead, with a resolute look between his brows, while Ju Shou had a thin face and deep, unfathomable eyes. On the chessboard, black and white pieces were intertwined, and the situation was deadlocked.

"Gongyu, what do you think of the court's policy on pacifying the turbans..."

Tian Feng placed a piece and shook his head, saying, "Lu Zhi led 50,000 northern troops to confront Zhang Jiao at Guangzong, while Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song each led troops to attack the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou and Nanyang... It seems like an encirclement from all sides, but in reality, it's incredibly foolish."

Ju Shou, holding his zither, pondered, "Yuan Hao means..."

"The root cause of the Yellow Turban Rebellion lies in the people's misery," Tian Feng sneered.

"Zhang Jiao is merely a Taoist priest, how could he gather a million followers? It's because the court is immoral, officials are corrupt, and the people can't survive! Now, instead of trying to appease the people and rectify the bureaucracy, they only know how to send troops to suppress him—even if they defeat Zhang Jiao, there will be Li Jiao and Wang Jiao! This is merely treating the symptoms, not addressing the root cause!"

Ju Shou nodded: "What's even more worrying is that in order to quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the court has allowed each prefecture and county to raise its own troops... Although this move can quickly quell the rebellion, it has sown the seeds of a great disaster. Power is something that is easy to give away, but difficult to take back..."

He placed his piece and sighed, "Emperor Gaozu started his rebellion by slaying the white snake, and more than four hundred years have passed since then. I never imagined that this four-hundred-year-old empire would be destroyed by a single conscription order."

The two remained silent; on the chessboard, the white pieces were already showing signs of defeat.

Just then, the sound of poetry drifted in from outside.

Tian Feng held his son's hand, which stopped in mid-air, and listened intently.

When he heard "For whom does Feng Xuan play his long sword?", a glint flashed in his eyes; when he heard "King Zhao built a platform to worship Guo Wei", a smile appeared on his lips.

"Let's test the waters and offer a starting point," Tian Feng said with a smile, putting down his chess piece.

Ju Shou, however, looked grave: "You certainly know how to flatter yourself. The 'Jing Mountain Jade' in the poem may not refer to you or me. It might be a warning shot, indicating that the visitor has ill intentions."

Tian Feng laughed heartily: "Gongyu, Gongyu, you are always so cautious. 'The ninefold gates of the imperial court are unassailable' means that the court is controlled by officials of high social standing, which is beyond our reach. 'The unicorn and phoenix hesitate in the wilderness' means that we, the unicorn and phoenix, are buried in the wilderness."

He stood up, hands behind his back, and paced back and forth: "'Ashamed to follow the frivolous youths of Luoyang' is a declaration of his will, 'Feng Xuan's long sword' is a self-comparison—that Feng Xuan, playing his sword and singing 'Long sword, return!' was waiting for a wise ruler to recognize his talent. This person asked me 'For whom do you play?' He was asking: Tian Yuanhao, Ju Gongyu, who are you still waiting for?"

Ju Shou also got up, walked to the window, and looked out through the bamboo curtain: "'Jade in the mountains of Jing awaits the axe' - the jade in the mountains of Jing needs a skilled craftsman to carve it, which means that our talents need to be put to good use by an enlightened leader. 'Lü Shang fished in vain at Panxi' - Jiang Ziya fished at Panxi and finally waited for King Wen. The word 'in vain' is used wonderfully... it means that if we wait any longer, it will probably be in vain."

"Not bad." Tian Feng walked to his side.

"'It was not Guan Zhong's fault that he was imprisoned.' Guan Zhong was once a prisoner, but that was not his crime. This is to exonerate us. Even if we were unsuccessful in our official careers, it was not our fault."

His admiration deepened: "As for the story of 'King Zhao building a platform' and 'Jieshi and the vast sea,' it is an allusion to King Zhao of Yan's Golden Platform for recruiting talents. Heroes such as Yue Yi and Ju Xin came to join him and helped Yan sweep across Qi and spread its power over the sea. This person is saying that if a wise ruler builds a platform, I, Tian Feng and Ju Shou, can also achieve great things like Yue Yi."

Ju Shou pondered, "'A man's destiny is not determined by fate, but by meeting a kindred spirit.' A great man can achieve great things by not waiting for destiny, but by meeting a kindred spirit, we can ride together in the same carriage and embark on the journey together. This is... an invitation for the two of us to come out of seclusion."

Tian Feng laughed and said, "Don't you understand? They want us to go out and greet the guests. Although we haven't seen anyone, I quite admire their straightforward nature. They don't knock on the door or announce their arrival, but express their aspirations through poetry."

Outside, Zhao Yun asked in a low voice, "Brother, your poem is good, but is your plan reliable? Can you really get someone to recite these few lines?"

Ji Xuanyuan smiled slightly, his pale face radiating confidence: "Facts speak louder than words, just watch."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the bamboo door of the thatched hut creaked open.

Tian Feng and Ju Shou emerged side by side.

Their gazes first fell on Ji Xuanyuan, who was dressed in white fox fur, frail as a willow, yet with exquisite features and an extraordinary demeanor.

Even though Tian Feng and Ju Shou were well-informed, they couldn't help but be taken aback: Could there really be such people in the world?

Looking behind him, to his left was a young general in white robes, wielding a silver spear and riding a white horse, exuding heroic spirit; to his right was a giant man as imposing as a mountain, with two halberds on his back, fierce as a bear.