The Three Kingdoms: Rise of the Western Liang Cavalry

A single spark can start a prairie fire.

The flame ignited by Qin Lie's words spread rapidly.

More and more soldiers, whether they were Qin's private troops or veterans of the border army, silently stepped forward and dripped their blood into one wine bowl after another.

The crimson liquid gathered in the earthenware bowl, like countless burning hearts.

After all five thousand soldiers swore an oath of brotherhood by drinking the blood-soaked wine, the atmosphere in the entire military camp was completely different.

Something called "military spirit" is quietly taking shape.

For the next three days, the Fufeng camp was no longer as noisy and relaxed as before.

The five thousand men were completely dispersed and reorganized into five new battalions based on the principles of "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness," and began rigorous training.

Qin Lie incorporated many military training methods he knew from later generations, such as formations, commands, and squad coordination tactics, into his work.

At first, the veterans complained, but Qin Lie was extremely strict in his military discipline, and there were also supervisory teams patrolling the area. After several reprimands of the troublemakers, the atmosphere in the barracks was greatly improved.

Qin Lie himself ate and lived with the soldiers every day, personally teaching them horsemanship, archery, and combat skills.

His advanced cavalry warfare theories, far ahead of their time, and his superb personal martial arts skills quickly won over these unruly and fierce soldiers.

They gradually discovered that this young captain was not just a scion of a noble family who could speak eloquently, but a true expert in military affairs and warfare.

On the morning of the fourth day, when morale was gradually stabilizing and training was beginning to show results, two dusty knights appeared outside the camp gate, holding a black flag bearing the character "Li".

The messengers of Li Jue and Guo Si have arrived.

Inside the central command tent, the atmosphere became heavy once again.

The leading envoy was a trusted captain under Li Jue, named Li Li.

He looked arrogant, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the tent with a condescending scrutiny, as if he represented not Li Jue, but the already dead Dong Zhuo.

"Captain Qin,"

Li Li tossed a scroll of bamboo slips onto the table, his tone more like an order than a discussion.

"My generals, Li and Guo, have ordered you to immediately reorganize your troops and join forces with us to jointly punish the traitors Wang Yun and Lü Bu, and avenge Grand Tutor Dong Zhuo!"

"After this is accomplished, you can take whatever you want from the Chang'an treasury; the land of Guanzhong will be yours to share!"

Upon hearing this, many generals in the tent quickened their breathing.

Let us join forces to defeat Lü Bu and divide up Guanzhong!

The temptation is too great!

An impatient battalion commander immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said...

"Captain, this is a golden opportunity!"

"Generals Li and Guo command hundreds of thousands of troops. If we can pledge our allegiance to them, what is there to fear in achieving our great cause?"

"Although Lü Bu is brave, he is nothing but a common man; how can he withstand my army from Liangzhou!"

"Yes, Captain! That old scoundrel Wang Yun wants to settle scores with us; we can't just sit here and wait to die!"

"Responding to General Li's call and launching a counterattack on Chang'an is the only way to survive!"

Of the generals in the tent, apart from Qin An and a few others, seven or eight out of ten advocated for the response.

Their thinking was simple: stick together for warmth and survive first.

Only Chen Wu, who had been frowning slightly, finally stepped forward and bowed deeply to Qin Lie.

"Captain, I have a different opinion."

His voice was clear and calm, quite different from the rough and boisterous voices of the other generals in the tent. It was like a clear spring flowing into a boiling pot of oil.

The most arrogant battalion commander immediately turned his head, glared at him, and shouted.

"Military Advisor Chen, what do you, a mere writer, know about matters of state and military affairs?"

"Generals Li and Guo are both strong and well-equipped, and are the pillars of our Xiliang army today."

"If we don't submit to them, are we just waiting to die?"

Chen Wu didn't look at him, but stared at Qin Lie with clear and firm eyes.

"The two generals, Li Jue and Guo Si, are cruel and tyrannical. How are they any different from Grand Tutor Dong in his time?"

"We have just sworn a blood oath to wash away the name of 'chaotic soldiers' and rebuild the spirit of our Xiliang army."

"If we were to collude with them now, wouldn't all our previous efforts be wasted, and we be repeating the same mistakes?"

He paused, his tone becoming even more earnest.

"Moreover, Chang'an is a place of constant warfare, easy to attack but difficult to defend."

"If we launch a counterattack, we will be fighting against the entire Kwantung Army."

"Although Lü Bu was brave, he also had the support of Wang Yun, who represented the greater good of the imperial court."

"If we get involved, regardless of victory or defeat, we will be nailed to the pillar of shame as traitors, never to rise again."

"At that time, Guanzhong will be a scorched wasteland, and the people will be displaced. Even if we achieve a temporary victory, it will only be like drinking poison to quench our thirst. In the end, we will lose all our foundations and become rootless duckweed, at the mercy of others."

"Li and Guo are nothing more than trying to use our strength to pull chestnuts out of the fire for themselves."

"The so-called 'sharing of Guanzhong' is nothing but a pie in the sky."

"Once we achieve our goal, what will our small force amount to compared to their hundreds of thousands of soldiers?"

"It's probably not the first target to be acquired!"

Chen Wu's words were insightful and like a bucket of cold water poured over their faces, instantly sobering up many of the hot-headed generals in the tent.

They only saw the immediate path to survival and the temptations, but never considered the abyss behind it.

The arrogant envoy, Li Li, frowned and sneered.

"What a quick-witted soldier!"

"Could it be that Commandant Qin intends to follow in the footsteps of Wang Yun and become an enemy of our Xiliang army?"

"You'd better think carefully about the consequences of refusing Generals Li and Guo!"

The threat was palpable.

The atmosphere inside the tent became tense again, and everyone's eyes were focused on Qin Lie.

This was a decision that would determine the lives of five thousand people.

Qin Lie's face was unreadable. He slowly stood up, walked to the map, and his gaze lingered between Fufeng and Chang'an.

The tent was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the soft crackling of the burning torches.

After a long while, he suddenly laughed, his hearty laughter dispelling the solemnity in the tent.

He turned around, patted Chen Wu on the shoulder, and praised him.

"Military Advisor Chen is insightful and far-sighted; what he says is very true."

"Am I, Qin Lie, a short-sighted person?"

Then, he turned to the generals and spoke loudly.

"However, Military Advisor Chen only mentioned one aspect, not the other."

Everyone is puzzled.

Qin Lie walked up to Li Li, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

"Avenging Grand Tutor Dong is the duty of every man of Xiliang!"

"Wang Yun and Lü Bu are traitors to the state in name only, and in reality, traitors to the Han Dynasty. Everyone has the right to kill them!"

"How can I, Qin Lie, and my five thousand brave soldiers stand idly by?"

His words were passionate and righteous, which immediately made the pro-war generals stand tall again.

The frost on Li Li's face eased slightly, revealing a hint of smugness.

"Captain Qin is indeed a wise man."

"but,"

Qin Lie changed the subject, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Our unit has just undergone a major change, morale is not yet stable, and our troops are not yet fully equipped."

"If we hastily send troops now, it will not only fail to help the overall situation, but will also become a burden to Generals Li and Guo."

"Wouldn't that be letting down the high expectations of the two generals?"

Li Li was taken aback, realizing that what he said seemed to make sense.