The Three Kingdoms: Rise of the Western Liang Cavalry

"We have five thousand elite soldiers, enough provisions for three months, and enough weaponry to arm ten thousand men!"

"This is where our roots are!"

"As long as we unite as one and work together, whoever tries to harm us will have to ask our weapons first!"

"As long as we hold Fufeng, we can advance and threaten Chang'an, deterring the imperial court from taking any rash actions; or we can retreat and guard the vital passages of Guanzhong, ensuring the safety of our people in Liangzhou!"

"We await our opportunity. In this chaotic world, there may still be a place for us, the men of Xiliang, to stand!"

His words stirred the crowd's blood, but doubts remained.

After all, this is only Qin Lie's side of the story.

Qin Lie saw through their hesitation.

He slowly pulled the ring-pommel sword from the wooden board, and then took out an ancient jade pendant carved with a tiger totem from his bosom.

"This is a family heirloom of the Qin family, entrusted to me by my father before his death!"

Below the stage, all of Qin's private soldiers' eyes instantly turned fervent and reverent when they saw the jade pendant.

That is the tiger tally, a symbol passed down through the Qin family for centuries. Seeing this item is like seeing the head of the family in person!

This is not just a piece of jade, but a symbol of the merits and glory of three generations who took root in Xiliang, fought bloody battles with the Qiang and Hu peoples, and protected the land!

"I, Qin Lie!"

He held the jade pendant high, allowing it to reflect a warm yet resolute light in the firelight.

"I hereby swear in the name of the ancestors of the Qin family that I will stand with you all, protecting my soldiers and ensuring the safety of the people of Liangzhou!"

"As long as I live, Fufeng lives on!"

"Though he is gone, his soul will protect Xiliang!"

His voice carried far on the night wind, each word like a carving knife, deeply engraving itself into the hearts of five thousand soldiers.

"If one harbors disloyalty, cowardices at death, abandons comrades, and neglects family, may they be condemned by heaven and earth, and forsaken by both gods and men!"

Before he finished speaking, he held the jade in his left hand, drew the dagger from his waist with his right hand, and without hesitation slashed it across his left thumb!

A drop of crimson blood seeped out and fell onto the ancient tiger-patterned jade pendant, as if infusing the sleeping tiger with a soul.

He raised his bloodied thumb high, facing the dark mass of people below, and spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice resounding throughout the area.

"We swear an oath of blood, to share life and death!"

"I am willing to stand with the captain, through life and death!"

Qin An was the first to kneel down on one knee and roared at the top of his lungs.

"Together in life and death!"

Three thousand Qin family private soldiers knelt down on one knee in unison, the clanging of their armor forming a torrent of steel. Their eyes were no longer filled with confusion, but with burning loyalty and a determination to die for their cause.

This wave of fervor quickly swept across the entire training ground.

The two thousand elite border troops looked at the young captain who stood alone on the platform, proving his loyalty with blood, and at the Qin family comrades who had already knelt down beside him. The doubts and fears in their hearts were being melted away by a more intense emotion.

They were also men of Xiliang, and they had courage too!

Surrender means death, and fleeing also means death. Why not follow a captain who dares to gamble with his life and the honor of his family, and fight his way out with honor!

"We... are willing to fight to the death alongside the captain!"

A border garrison commander slammed his spear on the ground and knelt down on one knee.

"Fight to the death!"

"Fight to the death!"

A thunderous roar of responses rose into the sky, dispelling the gloom and deathly atmosphere that had enveloped the camp.

Five thousand fierce soldiers from Xiliang, five thousand restless hearts, were united by Qin Lie in the most resolute and fervent way at this moment!

Looking at the sea of ​​people below the stage, their fighting spirit rekindled, Qin Lie felt a slight sense of relief.

He knew this was only the first step.

He put away the jade pendant and dagger, simply bandaged the wound with a strip of cloth, and said in a deep voice.

"All troops, listen to my command! Return to your tents and rest!"

"The sky won't fall down!"

After the conference, Qin Lie immediately summoned his trusted confidants for a meeting.

He looked at the steady and resourceful confidant who had followed him since childhood and gave the order.

"Chen Wu, I hereby appoint you as my military advisor. From this moment forward, you shall be responsible for appeasing the soldiers of each camp, compiling a list of their hometowns, especially those from Jincheng and Wuwei. You shall provide them with extra comfort and register them in the register."

"Your humble servant obeys!"

A young general with a calm face and sharp eyes stepped forward to receive the order.

He was Chen Wu, the original owner's confidant. Although he was not good with words, he was meticulous and had a high reputation in the army.

"in addition,"

Qin Lie turned his gaze to Qin An.

"Select one hundred of the most elite and loyal brothers from my personal guards and the Qin family's private army to form a 'Supervision Team,' which you will personally lead."

"Patrol the military camp day and night; entry is permitted, but exit is not!"

"Anyone who conspires to desert or undermines morale will be detained and executed later, pending my personal interrogation!"

"I don't want the chance to survive that I fought for my brothers to be destroyed from within by some cowards!"

"Yes, sir!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Qin An's eyes.

He understood that a merciful leader cannot command an army; in chaotic times, harsh measures are necessary.

Overnight, the atmosphere at the border camp in Fufeng changed completely.

The daytime panic and turmoil were replaced by a repressive yet powerful order.

With Chen Wu's reassurance and the supervisory team's patrols working in tandem, morale was temporarily stabilized.

However, the storm arrived much faster than Qin Lie had anticipated.

The following evening, a fast horseman rushed into the camp, kicking up dust, bringing the latest news from Chang'an.

"Report! Captain! Urgent report from Chang'an!"

The messenger stumbled and crawled into the central command tent, his voice trembling with sobs.

"That old scoundrel Wang Yun... he refused the surrender of Generals Li Jue and Guo Si!"

"He also ordered... ordered all counties in the Guanzhong region to arrest the families of all Xiliang army generals!"

"What?!"

The generals inside the tent were visibly shocked.

Qin Lie's heart sank.

The wheels of history eventually rolled on.

Wang Yun's stubbornness and political naiveté completely destroyed the last vestige of peace.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire camp.

The panic that had just been suppressed suddenly erupted with a force a hundred times greater!

The soldiers whose families were near Chang'an were especially terrified!

"The camp gate! Someone's breaking into the camp!"

The piercing siren shattered the night sky.

Qin Lie's face turned cold, and he grabbed his sword and strode out of the tent.

From the direction of the camp gate, torches flickered and voices clamored.

Hundreds of soldiers, led by a few junior officers, charged frantically at the defensive line composed of supervising officers.

"Let us out! My wife and children are still outside Chang'an!"

"Wang Yun is going to kill our family! We'll be too late if we don't leave now!"

"Brothers, charge out! Fight them!"

Although Qin An's supervisory team was elite, it was stretched thin in the face of hundreds of comrades who had been driven to the brink of despair. They could only hold on and dared not kill.

"stop!"

Qin Lie's roar was like a thunderclap.

He pushed through the crowd and walked to the front of the standoff, his cold gaze sweeping over the leading officers.