Han Ji

"Brother, someone from the palace has arrived."

Liu Bei felt a chill run down his spine.

The one who arrived was a young eunuch surnamed Huang, who smiled and said, "Commander Liu, His Majesty summons you to the palace."

"Now?"

"Now."

Liu Bei changed into formal robes and followed the young eunuch into the palace.

This was his first time entering the Southern Palace. The palace walls were high and deep, the corridors were long, and the guards stood with halberds in hand, their faces expressionless.

After passing through several palace gates, we arrived at a side hall.

Incense burned inside the hall. Emperor Ling, Liu Hong, sat on a soft couch, talking to Zhang Rang. When Liu Bei entered, he raised his eyes.

"Your subject Liu Bei pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Get up." Emperor Ling did not raise his head. "The battle at Guangzong was hard-fought."

"To share Your Majesty's burdens, I dare not complain of hardship."

Emperor Ling put down the report, looked up at him, and said, "I remember when I first met you, you were still the Commandant of the Northern Region. Now you are the Commandant of Hanzhong, in charge of the military affairs of an entire commandery."

"It's all thanks to His Majesty's trust and Lord Lu's support."

"Lu Zhi..." Emperor Ling paused, "He is a capable minister, but too upright. Many people in the court dislike him."

Liu Bei lowered his eyes and remained silent.

He sized up Liu Bei a few times, then smiled and said, "I heard you're going to marry Xun Shuang's daughter?"

"Yes."

"Good thing." Emperor Ling picked up his teacup. "The Xun family is a prestigious clan. They married their daughter to you because they value you. You must live up to their expectations and not let them down."

"Your subject will remember this."

Emperor Ling took a sip of tea and slowly said, "You have made great contributions in suppressing the Yellow Turbans. However, some people in the court are saying that you are young and inexperienced, and it may be difficult for you to gain the respect of the people if you are suddenly promoted to a high position. Therefore, I am sending you to Hanzhong to gain experience. Do you understand?"

"Your Majesty understands and thanks you for your guidance."

"Good that you understand." Emperor Ling put down his teacup. "Although Hanzhong is far away, it is the gateway to Yizhou. Su Gu has been operating there for many years. When you go there, you must get along well with him and not cause any trouble."

There's more to that than meets the eye.

Liu Bei bowed and said, "Your subject will certainly do his duty diligently and will not compete with his colleagues."

"Hmm." Emperor Ling nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly said, "Xuande, do you know why I value you so highly?"

"I do not know."

"Because you are a member of the imperial family." Emperor Ling leaned forward. "This world belongs to the Liu family. No matter how close outsiders are, they are still outsiders. You are different; you have the blood of the Gaozu Emperor flowing in your veins."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "Although the Yellow Turban Rebellion has been quelled, the world is still in turmoil. Powerful local lords hold military power and are difficult to control, making it hard for imperial decrees to leave Luoyang. I need my own people to go to the provinces and keep an eye on things."

Liu Bei understood perfectly.

This was to make him an informant, to monitor local officials.

"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust!"

"Good!" Emperor Ling smiled. "Xuande, you are my brother. Do a good job, and I will certainly give you an important position in the future."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

When Liu Bei came out of the palace, his back was soaked with sweat.

Zhang Rang escorted him to the palace gate, saying with a forced smile, "Commander Liu, you must remember His Majesty's words. Hanzhong is a place that is both peaceful and uneasy. You'd better take care of yourself."

"Thank you for the reminder, Attendant Zhang."

As Liu Bei stepped out of the palace gate, a cold wind blew, and he shivered.

"My brother."

These words sound warm and friendly, but they are actually cold and insincere.

What Emperor Ling wanted was an obedient dog to bite those disobedient dogs.

And Liu Bei, just so happens to have the surname Liu, just so happens to have merit, just so happens to be young, just so happens to be suitable to be this dog.

But he didn't want to be a dog.

He wanted to be a human being.

Back in the courtyard, everyone gathered around.

"Brother, what did His Majesty say?"

Liu Bei shook his head: "It's nothing, just a few words of encouragement."

He didn't want to say more.

Some things are better left unsaid.

Lu Zhi arrived three days before the wedding.

He brought a wooden box, opened it, and inside was a set of armor.

"These were my own," Lu Zhi said, stroking the nail plates. "I can't wear them anymore, so I'm giving them to you."

The armor was black, with knife marks on the breastplate, but it was polished to a shine.

"teacher......"

"Try them on."

Liu Bei donned his armor.

The jacket is heavy, but it fits perfectly.

Lu Zhi looked at him, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes: "You've grown up. Back in Goushi Mountain, you were just a greenhorn, but now... you're a general capable of leading on your own."

"It was all thanks to the teachers' guidance."

"I have nothing more to teach you." Lu Zhi patted his shoulder. "From now on, you'll walk your own path. Remember three things: First, weapons are instruments of violence, used only as a last resort; second, the people are the foundation of the state, and he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world; third..."

He paused, his voice low: "Third, benevolence and righteousness should not be abandoned, but... when necessary, ruthlessness must be shown."

Liu Bei nodded emphatically: "I will remember this."

"Go," Lu Zhi turned around. "Have a good marriage and a good life. If you really can't stay in Hanzhong, come back. This old man of mine can still protect you for a few more years."

Liu Bei knelt down and kowtowed three times.

"Thank you, Teacher Xie."

Lu Zhi didn't turn around, waved his hand, and left.

Liu Bei looked at his slightly hunched back, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Having been reborn twice, to have met such a teacher is a blessing.

The wedding date is fast approaching.

The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month is an auspicious day for weddings.

Before dawn, Liu Bei was dragged out of bed by Zhang Fei.

"Brother! Get up quickly! Today is your big day, you can't miss the auspicious time!"

The courtyard was already in a flurry of activity. Guan Yu directed the preparations for the ceremony hall, Jian Yong checked the gift list, Qian Zhao inspected the carriages and horses, and Zhang Wu led the brothers from Zhuojun to hang red silk and paste up the "double happiness" characters.

Sitting in the hall, Liu's mother watched the bustling crowd and couldn't stop smiling.

Liu Bei washed and changed his clothes, putting on a bright red wedding gown. The robe was made of brocade, embroidered with cloud patterns, and was solemn and luxurious.

"Big brother is so handsome!" Zhang Fei grinned.

Guan Yu carefully straightened his clothes and said in a low voice, "Brother, after today, you will be a man with a family. The burden on your shoulders will be even heavier."

"I know," Liu Bei said, looking at himself in the mirror. "So you all need to hurry up and settle down as soon as possible."

Guan Yu smiled but didn't say anything.

At Chenshi (7-9 AM), the wedding procession set off.

Thirty-six horsemen led the way, followed by a sedan chair carried by eight bearers, and then twenty carts carrying the betrothal gifts. The deafening sounds of gongs and drums, and the melodious strains of suonas, drew crowds of onlookers to the streets.

"That's Liu Bei? He's so young!"

"I heard that he was at the forefront when Zhang Jiao was beheaded; he's a ruthless character."

"What's so ruthless about him? Look how handsome he is, like a scholar."

The convoy arrived at Xun's residence.

The gates of the Xun residence were wide open, and guests gathered in droves. Xun Shuang stood before the gate, dressed in a deep robe, his face solemn.

Zhang Fei dismounted, straightened his clothes, and announced loudly, "The auspicious hour has arrived; please invite the bride to come out!"

A woman's laughter came from inside the door. A female voice responded, "The bride's makeup is not yet finished, my lord, please wait."

According to etiquette, one must be invited and urged three times. A quarter of an hour later, Zhang Fei invited him again. From inside the door, it was said, "Please, young master, compose a poem to urge me to get ready."

Liu Bei was prepared and recited the poem "Peach Blossom" from the Book of Songs. But the person inside said, "This poem is too archaic; the groom should compose his own."

He froze. For a moment, his mind went blank.

Just as she was getting anxious, Xun Cai's clear voice rang out from inside the door: "I have a question for you: take autumn as your theme."

Autumn……

Looking at the fallen leaves, Liu Bei recalled their first meeting by the Luo River, the nine years that had passed, and her words, "I will wait." He took a breath and slowly said:

"The autumn waves of the Luo River reflect the red peonies, and the night rain on Mount Gou moistens the green pines. For nine years, letters and geese have carried our lofty aspirations; today, phoenixes and dragons accompany us through the clouds."

There was a moment of silence inside the door.

Xun Cai's voice trembled slightly: "Please answer again: Why did you marry?"

Liu Bei straightened his back and said, word by word: "To be companions riding side by side, to be allies for peace and stability in troubled times. In this life, I will not betray your heart, nor the common people."

The door slowly opened.