Han Ji

In the first month of the fourteenth year of Xingping, in Huguan, Bingzhou.

Gao Gan had been in Huguan City for almost a year. He was Yuan Shao's nephew and the garrison commander of Taiyuan. He was captured when Ma Chao conquered Taiyuan. After being captured, he did not resist to the end like Shen Pei, but surrendered.

Liu Bei did not kill him, but let him manage the supply and logistics in Ji Province for a while. Later, he sent him to Bing Province to help settle the former Black Mountain Army troops. He behaved honestly, handling documents every day, running between camps to deliver grain, nodding to people, and speaking politely.

Huguan was the first pass on the east side of Bingzhou. Last year, when Ma Chao attacked Huguan, Qian Meng surrendered after defending it for less than a day. After his surrender, Qian Meng was transferred back to Yecheng, and the defense of Huguan was later handed over to Gao Gan. When Gao Gan took over Huguan, there were two thousand soldiers in the city, all of whom were local soldiers from Bingzhou.

In the first month of the lunar calendar, Gao Gan received a message. The message came from beyond the Great Wall: Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang had established a foothold in Liaoxi, and Tadun Chanyu had given them territory and troops. They were recruiting their old subordinates and preparing to fight their way back to Hebei.

The messenger was a former subordinate of Gao Gan from Taiyuan. He said that Yuan Shang was recruiting soldiers and gathering defeated troops in Liaoxi. Several thousand people were stationed outside Lingzhi City in Liaoxi. Yuan Shang personally said that all former generals from Bingzhou would be reinstated if they were willing to return.

After reading the letter, Gao Gan burned it. He sat in the county government office in Huguan, staring at the ashes of the letter for a long time.

On the night of the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, Gao Gan took action. He first summoned several clerks from Ye City to the county government office, saying he had something to discuss. After the clerks arrived, Gao Gan's personal guards rushed out from behind a screen and killed them all.

Blood splattered on the blue brick floor of the county government office. Someone cried out, but was quickly subdued again. Then, the high-ranking official, accompanied by his personal guards, left the city that night, took control of several outposts outside the city, and replaced the guards there. Overnight, Huguan changed hands.

The next morning, Gao Gan planted a flag bearing the character "Yuan" on Huguan Pass. He gathered the two thousand garrison troops in the city on the drill ground, stood on the platform, and said, "The Yuan family is not dead. Yuan Shang has already obtained elite troops from the Wuhuan in Liaoxi and will soon march south."

Huguan is the gateway to Bingzhou, and we must guard this gate for Yuan Shang. His former subordinates who started the uprising with him stood around the drill ground with knives. Anyone who hesitated was arrested on the spot, had their weapons confiscated, and was thrown into prison.

January of the fourteenth year of Xingping. Ye City.

The New Year celebrations had just ended, and the snow in the city hadn't completely melted. The jujube trees in the backyard of the governor's mansion were bare, with icicles hanging from their branches.

Liu Bei was reviewing documents in his study. His desk was piled high with spring plowing preparation brochures from various prefectures. Ji Province had a good autumn harvest last year, and the granaries held enough grain to handle a small-scale requisition. The land survey in You Province was still ongoing; Jian Yong had been there for two months and hadn't returned yet.

Jia Xu came in from outside. He walked silently; the soles of his boots were worn thin, and his footsteps only made a soft rustling sound on the brick floor.

"Ming Gong."

Liu Bei raised his head and placed the pen on the pen holder.

Jia Xu held a military report in his hand. The report's seal was from Bingzhou, and half of the red ink was broken. He placed the report on the table and said, "Gao Gan has rebelled."

Liu Bei remained silent. He opened the military report and read it. The report, sent by Ma Chao from Liangzhou, was very short. It stated that Gao Gan had raised an army in rebellion at Huguan, killing the Huguan magistrate appointed by Liu Bei and several of his subordinates.

Some of the troops garrisoning Huguan were Gao Gan's former subordinates, who rebelled with him. Ma Chao was in Liangzhou, and by the time he received the news, Huguan had already fallen.

Liu Bei placed the military report on the table. He stood up and walked to the window.

"The man who killed me?"

"Kill them. The magistrate of Huguan, the county lieutenant, two clerks, and the grain supervisor. Their heads are hung on the city gate of Huguan."

Liu Bei turned around. He tapped his finger on the window frame once, then tapped it again.

"A fickle scoundrel. When he was in Ye City, I put him in charge of the granary in Ji Province. I gave him soldiers and provisions and sent him back to Bing Province to assist Ma Chao. He knelt on the ground and said he would give his life for him. And that was only a few months ago."

Jia Xu said, "He heard that Yuan Shang went to Wuhuan. He thinks the Yuan family still has a chance."

Liu Bei sat back down at his desk. He picked up the military report and read it again. He knew the terrain of Huguan Pass; it was the narrowest pass on the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains. Gao Gan's occupation of Huguan Pass was tantamount to blocking the eastern gateway from Jizhou to Bingzhou.

How many people does the high-ranking official currently have under his command?

"There are about three thousand men in Huguan City, and we've also won over a few former generals of the Yuan family," Jia Xu said. "The people recruited sent a message back from Bingzhou that Gao Gan sent an envoy to Wuhuan to try and contact Tadun."

Liu Bei's hand froze in mid-air.

"Wuhuan".

He stood up and walked a few steps around the study. His boots clattered on the brick floor with each step.

"Gao Gan's rebellion at this time was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. He had calculated it correctly. Our troops in Youzhou had not yet been fully deployed, Bingzhou had just been annexed, and the Black Mountain Army had just come down from the mountain. He thought we couldn't spare any troops."

Jia Xu said, "He saw this opening."

"But he overlooked one thing." Liu Bei stopped. "He overlooked me. What do I hate most? I hate it when people take advantage of my kindness."

He tapped the corner of the table. "Send the order. Summon Yunchang, Yide, Zilong, and Junyi."

By the time everyone had arrived, it was already dark. Oil lamps were lit in the main hall of the governor's mansion; six lamps, their flames flickering crookedly in the wind that seeped in through the cracks in the door.

A detailed map of Bingzhou hangs on the wall. The location of Huguan Pass is circled in red.

Guan Yu arrived first. He had just returned from Youzhou, his face still bearing the marks of the northern desert winds. The cavalry in Youzhou had just finished their winter training, and the new horses under his command had survived their first winter.

Zhang Fei followed him in, his robe splattered with mud. He had been training his troops outside the city, practicing infantry siege tactics, and had ridden back at the sound of the order. The horse had run so fast that it had gotten covered in mud.

When Zhao Yun arrived, the lamp had just been refilled. He stood by the door, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Zhang He was the last to enter. He had been clearing out defeated troops in eastern Hebei, and after receiving orders, he rushed back to Yecheng overnight, his eyes still bloodshot.

Jia Xu briefly recounted the situation of the high-ranking official's betrayal. Zhang Fei, upon hearing this, cursed.

"That bastard Gao Gan, my brother spared his life last time, and now he's pulling this stunt again!"

Guan Yu asked, "How many people are there in Huguan now?"

Jia Xu said, "Three thousand. But Huguan is strategically important, with its walls built between two mountains. A direct frontal assault would result in heavy casualties."

Zhao Yun asked, "Where's Xiao Lu?"

Jia Xu said, "Qian Zhao is being investigated. The topographical map of the area around Huguan is already on its way."

Liu Bei stood up. He walked to the map and pointed to the location of Huguan. Huguan is located on the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains and is the first pass on the eastern side of Bingzhou.

Entering from Huguan, you enter the Shangdang Basin. West of Shangdang lies Taiyuan. The high-ranking official spent over half a year in Bingzhou; he had connections in both Taiyuan and Shangdang.

He said, "Gao Gan isn't rebelling alone. He has a stronghold in Bingzhou, and Yuan's old subordinates haven't been completely wiped out yet. If we don't act quickly, he'll take over each county in Bingzhou one by one."

Jia Xu said, "Ma Chao is in Liangzhou, and Zhang Xiu is stationed in Wancheng. Ma Chao's main force is currently guarding the Wuhuan at the Juzhu Mountain pass in Bingzhou, so he can only spare a limited number of troops. We need to send troops directly from Yecheng."

Liu Bei said, "I will personally lead the expedition."

Guan Yu raised his head. Before he could speak, Liu Bei continued.

"Yun Chang will remain in Youzhou to keep an eye on the Wuhuan. Gao Gan is nothing to fear, but we cannot let our guard down on the Wuhuan. Zilong will accompany me on the expedition, leading the cavalry. Yide will lead the vanguard of the infantry. Junyi will continue to command the Jizhou camp, following the central army."

Upon hearing that a fight was about to break out, Zhang Fei slammed his fist on his knee. "This time, I'm going to be the first one to charge in!"

Zhao Yun nodded.

Zhang He asked, "The garrison commander of Ye City?"

Liu Bei said, "Wenruo will guard Ye City and oversee all government affairs in Hebei. Jian Yong will return after surveying the fields in Youzhou to assist Wenruo in managing supplies. Wenhe will accompany the army as an advisor."

Jia Xu nodded.

Liu Bei stood there for a while longer. He stared at Huguan on the map and pressed his finger on the red circle.

"A person who is fickle will not be given a second chance."