Han Ji

Gongsun Zan walked to a particularly magnificent, pure white horse, patted its neck affectionately, and said to Liu Bei, "This is my white dragon, a true dragon of Liaoxi!" The white horse snorted, held its head high, and looked spirited.

Without pausing, he walked directly to a chestnut horse that was slightly smaller in size but looked extremely docile and agile. Upon seeing Liu Bei, the horse actually nudged him and gave him a warm breath.

"That's it!" Gongsun Zan slapped Liu Bei hard on the back, making him stumble. "This Crimson Cloud horse has a good temperament, steady gait, and is incredibly intelligent! I see you two are destined for each other; it's yours!"

Caught off guard, Liu Bei turned around in astonishment: "Brother Bogui, this..."

"What is this?!" Gongsun Zan interrupted abruptly, his eyes widening with the arrogance and straightforwardness characteristic of men from the borderlands. "What I, Gongsun Zan, give away is never taken back! You are my brother, what kind of behavior is it to ride such a lowly horse? A good horse should be for you! If you refuse again, you are looking down on me!"

He didn't give Liu Bei a chance to refute, and directly shouted at the groom beside him, "What are you all standing there for? Get the saddle and bridle on Chi Yun!"

The coachman, clearly familiar with the young master's temperament, moved swiftly and efficiently.

Looking at the docile chestnut horse gazing at him, and then at Gongsun Zan's unwavering, fervent gaze, Liu Bei felt a surge of warmth in his chest. He knew that further refusal would be hypocritical and would only hurt his senior brother's feelings. He took a deep breath and clasped his hands firmly in a fist salute: "Brother Bogui's kindness... I, Liu Bei, am truly grateful!"

"That's more like it!" Gongsun Zan beamed with joy when he saw that Gongsun Zan had accepted the gift, even happier than if he had received a treasure himself.

The groom had already prepared the saddle. Gongsun Zan personally inspected the saddle and bridle, then shoved Liu Bei next to Chi Yun: "Enough talk, get on! What good is a horse if you can't ride it! I'll teach you!"

When Liu Bei finally rode his own fine horse for the first time, he was filled with excitement and gripped the reins tightly.

"Relax! Keep your back straight, don't stand like a wooden stake! Squeeze your thighs together, yes, just like that!"

Gongsun Zan, speaking loudly from the side, exclaimed, "The reins aren't for strangling it! Lead it gently, guide it! Yes, move forward, let it get used to your rhythm!"

As expected, Chi Yun was docile and quick-witted. Under Liu Bei's somewhat clumsy control, it steadily jogged slowly in the courtyard.

Gongsun Zan followed beside him, his gaze sharp, occasionally correcting him: "Lower your center of gravity! Lean your body as you turn! Imagine you are a part of it!"

After the initial tension subsided, Liu Bei's innate sense of balance and courage quickly came into play. He gradually relaxed, began to feel the rhythm between man and horse, and felt the power flowing from his waist and legs, communicating with Chi Yun through the reins. Although his movements were far from skillful, he had already gained basic control.

The setting sun cast a golden glow across the courtyard, bathing the young rider and his new mount in a warm hue. Gongsun Zan stood in the center, arms crossed, watching Liu Bei circling the courtyard to get used to the ride, a satisfied yet somewhat rugged smile on his face.

"Giddy up!" Liu Bei shouted softly, trying to urge Chi Yun to quicken its pace. The wind swept past their ears, bringing an unprecedented sense of freedom.

Returning on horseback, both men were drenched in sweat, but their spirits were even higher. As the sun began to set, it cast long shadows of the men and horses in the courtyard.

"That was exhilarating! Truly exhilarating!" Gongsun Zan wiped the sweat from his brow, watching Liu Bei carefully tether the Red Cloud Cauldron and personally add the finest fodder to it. His smile deepened. He raised his voice to the servants standing by and ordered, "You blind fools! Hurry up and prepare wine and food! Make it strong, and cut plenty of cooked meat! Today, I will drink with my virtuous brother Xuande until we're both drunk!"

The servants responded immediately and quickly set up a feast in the main hall. Roasted mutton, large bowls of millet, several seasonal vegetables, and two large jars of strong-smelling liquor were served.

Gongsun Zan picked up a jar, broke the clay seal, filled his own earthenware bowl first, and then filled Liu Bei's as well. "Come, Xuande! For the fine steed you have obtained, and for the bond between us brothers, drink this bowl to the brim!" After saying this, without waiting for Liu Bei's response, he tilted his head back and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls, exhaling a burst of exhilarating wine.

A warm current surged in Liu Bei's heart, and he was also infected by this heroic spirit. Although he did not drink often, he picked up the full bowl of wine. This young body was still unfamiliar with alcohol, and the strong smell of alcohol rushed into his nostrils, making him frown slightly. But looking at Gongsun Zan's burning gaze, he steeled his heart, followed his example, and gulped it down.

The spicy liquid burned all the way from my throat to my stomach, causing a violent cough and a rapid flush on my face.

"Hahaha! Good! That's more like the men of Youyan!" Gongsun Zan laughed loudly upon seeing this and filled his cup again.

After several rounds of drinks and five more dishes, Liu Bei felt his head spinning and his body burning. Things seemed to sway, and he could hear Gongsun Zan's laughter through a thin veil. Since his transmigration, he had lived a life of constant tension and caution, but now, in the courtyard of his generous senior brother, after a few bowls of strong liquor, his outer shell finally cracked open. He became more talkative, discussing the scenery of Zhuojun and the old trees of Lousang Village, even rambling incoherently, but his eyes grew brighter, revealing a rare and genuine relaxation.

Gongsun Zan had an excellent capacity for alcohol. Seeing that Gongsun Zan was already seven or eight parts drunk, he not only did not urge him to drink more, but felt even more compatible with him. He ordered the remaining food to be cleared away, and then personally got up and brought out an ancient zither from the inner room, placing it on the table.

"Xuande, you're quite drunk. Let me play you a tune to sober you up!" He sat down cross-legged, his posture still upright, but his movements carried a hint of unrestrained drunkenness.

Without saying a word, his fingers brushed across the strings.

At first, the notes were scattered, like lingering effects of alcohol. But soon, the music coalesced. Unlike the daytime clashing of swords and neighing of horses on the training ground, this music initially carried the desolation of the frontier, like the north wind sweeping through withered grass in western Liaoning; then it became more stirring, like horses' hooves pounding on an icy river, the clang of metal on metal; suddenly, it revealed a subtle melancholy, like the loneliness of studying in a foreign land, one's ambitions yet to be realized. Finally, all emotions transformed into a vast and heroic expanse, like galloping across an endless grassland, the sky high and the earth vast, the heart and spirit exhilarated.

Liu Bei listened, his eyes blurry with drunkenness. He didn't understand music, but the zither music struck a chord deep within his heart. The exhilaration of riding a horse during the day, the gratitude for the fine steed given to him, the bewilderment of being in a foreign world, the hidden ambitions in his heart... all these emotions were stirred, stirred, and blended by the music, making his chest swell and his nose tingle. Staring blankly at Gongsun Zan's fingers, accustomed to wielding spears and drawing bows, nimbly plucking the strings, he felt that his senior brother's image was becoming increasingly vivid and complex.

As the song ended, the lingering notes drifted through the wine-scented hall.

Gongsun Zan exhaled a long, turbid breath reeking of alcohol, rubbed his burning temples, looked at Liu Bei, and grinned: "How is it?"

Liu Bei strained to focus his gaze, nodding emphatically. His words, slurred by intoxication, were exceptionally sincere: "It sounds good... The thing that's been weighing on my heart... seems... a little lighter."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Zan burst into laughter, thoroughly pleased: "To recognize this, Xuande, you are my kindred spirit!" He swayed as he stood up, walked to Liu Bei's side, and pulled him up from the mat. "You're drunk! Don't go back to that shabby inn tonight, rest here!"

Without a word, they were half-helped, half-dragged to the bedside. The two lay down fully clothed, their boots removed by the servants.

Liu Bei, feeling the effects of the alcohol, was in a daze and almost fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Before he completely succumbed to sleep, he vaguely felt Gongsun Zan tug at the blanket.