The Three Kingdoms: Rise of the Western Liang Cavalry

"Go back and tell Li Jue and Guo Si."

Qin Lie's voice suddenly turned cold, filled with murderous intent.

"I, Qin Lie, and the eight thousand brave soldiers of Liangzhou behind me, are ashamed to associate with traitors!"

"roll!"

The messenger was driven out in a panic.

Inside the hall, the generals' passion was instantly ignited.

"The captain speaks well! We swear to follow the captain to the death and are irreconcilably opposed to the traitors!"

Qin Lie waved his hand, suppressing the crowd's excitement.

His gaze returned to the huge map of Liangzhou on the wall.

"Li Jue and Guo Si are already dead bones in their tombs, not worth worrying about."

"But the roots of the Xiliang army cannot be severed."

He said in a deep voice.

"General Zhang Ji is stationed in Hongnong, while General Fan Chou is still in Guanzhong."

"They had a long-standing feud with Li and Guo, and were also true veterans of Liangzhou, commanding elite troops."

"They are the ones we should be winning over."

He turned to Cai Yong beside him and bowed slightly.

"I would like to trouble Cai Zhonglang to draft two letters for me."

Cai Yong was already in tears, his heart pounding with emotion.

All he sought in his life was for the continuation of cultural traditions and the preservation of social order.

The young captain before me, though wielding a butcher's knife, held in his heart awe for the word "honor" and cherished the word "comrades."

In this world where morality has collapsed, this is the most precious glimmer of light.

"Yong, I am willing to serve as your scribe!"

The old man took a deep breath, and his back, which had been hunched over from witnessing the tragedy, straightened up again at that moment, as if he had regained the integrity he had when he was a court official, discussing national affairs with famous scholars from all over the country.

The scent of ink permeated the council hall, where the stench of blood had not yet dissipated, carrying a strange, comforting power.

Cai Wenji personally ground ink for her father, her slender hands moving gently and intently.

Her gaze occasionally swept over Qin Lie, who stood with his hands behind his back beside her. Her eyes, as clear as autumn water, held a complex and unfathomable emotion.

Qin Lie did not launch into a long speech; his words were concise and powerful, striking directly at the heart of the matter.

The letter to Zhang Ji was emotionally appealing.

The letter made no mention of power or profit, but only described the local customs of Liangzhou and recalled the old friendships with his comrades.

From the glorious days of fighting against the Western Qiang to the shameful state of the Western Liang army being scorned by the Chinese people, every word and sentence asks the same question: For whom do the men of Liangzhou wield their swords?

Is it to protect our homeland, or to become accomplices to traitors and their henchmen?

At the end of the letter, Qin Lie only said that he was in Meiwu, where he had prepared a small feast and was waiting for his old friend to talk about the future of Liangzhou.

In his letter to Fan Chou, he explained the reasons to him.

The letter provided a precise analysis of the situation in Guanzhong, pointing out that Li and Guo were outwardly fierce but inwardly weak. They appeared powerful but were actually beset by internal and external troubles. The plague and food shortages were already deeply entrenched problems, and their defeat was imminent.

If Fan Chou continues to associate with him, they will surely perish together.

The letter also subtly mentioned that the imperial court's sword of retribution was already hanging high, and if the generals of Xiliang did not band together to protect themselves, they would be defeated one by one.

What should we do? I hope the general will think it over carefully.

Two letters were quietly delivered under the cover of night by the most reliable Qin scouts, like two nimble night owls.

……

Inside Zhang Ji's command tent in Hongnong, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the sky before a storm.

Zhang Ji, a veteran general whose seniority in the Xiliang army was second only to Niu Fu, was pacing back and forth in agitation.

His 20,000-strong army was a force to be reckoned with in the Western Liang army.

However, after Dong Zhuo's death, he fell into an unprecedented state of confusion.

He had seen what Li Jue and Guo Si had done and despised them from the bottom of his heart.

That wasn't a war; it was a wild beast's revelry.

But if he didn't rely on these two, would the court let him, a "remnant of Dong Zhuo," go?

Beneath Wang Yun's seemingly just and impartial face lay contempt and murderous intent towards all the people of Liangzhou.

Surrender means death, while colluding with the corrupt will bring eternal infamy.

Zhang Ji felt trapped in an invisible cage, caught in a dilemma.

Just then, a guard presented a secret letter from Meiwu.

The words on the letter were bold and unyielding, just like their author.

Zhang Ji read very slowly, each word seeming to strike a chord in his heart.

When he read the line "Let's talk about the future of Liangzhou," this seasoned warrior's eyes welled up with tears.

"The future of Liangzhou..."

He muttered to himself, a word he hadn't heard anyone mention in far too long.

Almost simultaneously, the scouts brought back even more startling news.

"General! Qin Lie decisively defeated the combined forces of Li and Guo at Mei Wu, repelling an enemy force of 100,000 with only a few thousand men, and beheading nearly 10,000!"

"General! Qin Lie has reached an alliance with the Qiang and Hu tribes in the north and Jincheng, and tens of thousands of Qiang and Hu cavalrymen are now under his command!"

"General, a plague is rampant in Li Guo's camp, and their supply lines have been cut off by Qin Lie's cavalry. Morale is in chaos, and they are on the verge of defeat!"

Each message, like a thunderclap, exploded in Zhang Ji's mind.

He slammed the letter on the table, all hesitation and confusion vanishing from his eyes, replaced by a resolute determination.

"Pass on my orders!"

Zhang Ji's voice was loud and clear.

"All troops, move out! Target: Mei'wu!"

Several days later, a cloud of dust rose on the horizon outside Meiwu City, obscuring the sky.

A massive army, with banners stretching as far as the eye could see, like a black dragon, slowly approached the fortified village.

The atmosphere on the city wall suddenly became tense.

Dianwu pressed his hand against the bow case, his muscles bulging, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Qin Lie waved his hand, a smile appearing on his face.

Instead of ordering a guard post, he turned and walked down the city wall to Chen Wudao.

"Open the fortress gates and prepare my warhorses."

"General Zhang Ji has come from afar; I should personally welcome him."

"Captain, what... what if it's a trap..."

Chen Wu said urgently.

"no."

Qin Lie's tone was calm and confident.

"If he wanted to fight, he wouldn't have walked so slowly and so openly."

"He was telling me that he had come, bringing with him the past of the entire Xiliang army, to seek refuge in a future."

The heavy iron gate of the fortress slowly opened with a teeth-grinding creak.

Qin Lie, dressed in black armor, rode out alone on horseback without any attendants.

Before the vast army, the dust settled.

Zhang Ji rode out and saw the young figure who had come to greet him alone.

The figure wasn't particularly imposing, but it was like a javelin standing firm in a gale, exuding a captivating confidence and composure.

At this moment, the last trace of doubt in Zhang Ji's heart vanished.

He dismounted, faced Qin Lie, gave a standard military salute, clasped his hands, and said in a deep voice.

"This humble general, Zhang Ji, has led 20,000 soldiers to pledge allegiance to the Qin Commandant!"

"I am willing to serve as the vanguard for the captain, and together wipe away the shame of Xiliang!"

Behind him, the eyes of 20,000 soldiers converged on him, filled with scrutiny, anticipation, and a touch of bewilderment.

Qin Lie also dismounted and quickly stepped forward. He did not help her up, but returned the greeting with the same solemnity.

He took Zhang Ji's arm, their eyes met, and he said in a deep voice.

"In Liangzhou, there are no generals, only brothers."

"Today, with the general's assistance, Qin Lie is like a tiger with wings!"