The Three Kingdoms: Rise of the Western Liang Cavalry

Chen Wu stood on high ground, looking at the bustling scene on the training ground, his eyes sparkling with admiration.

He walked over to Qin Lie and whispered.

"Captain, your method of training troops is unheard of, yet it aligns perfectly with the principles of military strategy."

"By replacing individual bravery with small-team coordination, and by making up for the shortcomings of formation battles with infantry and cavalry joint operations, our army's combat strength will surely increase many times over in time."

Qin Lie looked at the soldiers sweating profusely and said softly.

"Having bones and muscles alone is not enough; you need flesh and blood to fill it in."

He turned his head and looked at Chen Wu.

"How's the matter of supplies going?"

Chen Wu's expression turned solemn.

"As you instructed, we have already sent people to purchase grain at high prices in various counties of Fufeng under the name of the Qin family's merchant caravan."

"At the same time, the military horse farm was opened, allowing the surrounding people to exchange three shi of grain for a low-quality horse and ten shi of grain for an ordinary warhorse."

"When the news spread, people flocked to respond."

"However... this would be extremely costly and probably wouldn't last long."

"I know this is like drinking poison to quench thirst."

Qin Lie's gaze was fixed on the direction of Fufeng County, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"But we must survive first."

"Moreover, buying and exchanging alone cannot feed five thousand mouths."

He took out a silk scroll from his bosom and handed it to Chen Wu.

"This is the list of the Prefectural Assistant, Chief Clerk, and several County Magistrates of Fufeng."

"Send someone to deliver this letter to each of them."

Chen Wu unfolded the letter and saw that it contained neither threats nor inducements, but rather a calm analysis of the current situation.

The letter stated bluntly that if people like Li Jue and Guo Si were to take control of Guanzhong, it would be an even greater disaster than Dong Zhuo's actions. At that time, the entire Guanzhong region would be turned into a hell, and these local officials would either be coerced into becoming accomplices of traitors or be slaughtered by the rebel army, losing all their family property.

Qin Lie was willing to become a shield, stationed in Fufeng, to protect the territory and its people.

He didn't want an official position or money; he only wanted supplies.

"Captain, this..."

Chen Wu hesitated for a moment.

"Would they believe us? Would they be willing to provide food aid to our 'rebel army'?"

"They will."

A confident smile curved Qin Lie's lips.

"Because they had no other choice."

"Wang Yun, who sought refuge in Chang'an, is a distant ally; he can't quench our immediate thirst."

"To rely on the warlords of Guandong? That's pure fantasy."

"Li Jue and Guo Si's armies are close at hand, and I am the only force by their side that is willing and capable of wielding swords."

"What I gave them was not a request, but a hope they could not refuse."

Looking at Qin Lie, Chen Wu suddenly realized that his young captain's ambitions went far beyond simply surviving in the chaos of the world.

Every step he took was at the most crucial juncture. It seemed like he was taking risks, but in reality, he had already figured out everyone's weaknesses.

In the evening, Qin Lie came alone to the artisan camp in a corner of the camp.

"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"

The sound of a hammer striking a red-hot iron block is rhythmic and full of power.

The furnace glowed red-hot, reflecting the bronze backs of the craftsmen, soaked with sweat.

An old craftsman saw Qin Lie and quickly stepped forward to bow.

"Captain, the lances and crossbows you ordered are being made at an accelerated pace."

"This new type of lance is three feet longer and heavier than the original one, and its power will surely be greatly increased when charging into battle."

"It just requires a lot more arm strength from the rider."

Qin Lie picked up a lance that had just been quenched and cooled; it was extremely heavy.

With a flick of his wrist, the ten-foot-long spear shaft hummed, its straight tip shining like a cold star in the dim light.

"It's alright," he said calmly. "My soldiers deserve the best weapons."

Qin Lie picked up a newly made crossbow bolt. The arrowhead was sharpened to an exceptionally sharp point, and its triangular shape carried a bloody yet exquisite quality.

He knew that these seemingly insignificant little things would determine the course of the future battlefield and the life and death of countless people.

He stood in the bustling workshop, surrounded by the symphony of hammers and the flying sparks.

At that moment, he seemed to see the long river of history rushing past beneath his feet.

Li Jue and Guo Si's hundreds of thousands of troops, Lü Bu and Wang Yun in Chang'an, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao far away in Guandong... Familiar names and blurred faces will all play out their joys and sorrows on this land.

And he, Qin Lie, was no longer a bystander.

The lance in his hand is about to pierce the veil of chaos.

The five thousand men behind him will follow him to wash away the stigma of being "chaotic soldiers" and to find a completely different destiny for this most powerful cavalry force in the world.

From "the chaos of the Han Dynasty" to "the pacification of the world".

This road is destined to be paved with thorns and blood.

On the morning of the fifth day after he finished speaking, just as the bugle call for the training of the Fufeng camp sounded, a scout rushed into the central tent like an arrow. He almost rolled to the ground when he dismounted, his voice hoarse from the rush.

"Report! Captain! A large cavalry force has been spotted thirty li west of our camp, raising dust and heading straight for us!"

"Flag...flag unknown!"

Chen Wu and several battalion commanders, who were discussing matters inside the tent, suddenly changed their expressions.

Why did Li Jue and Guo Si's troops arrive so quickly?

Only Qin Lie was still wiping the newly made heavy lance. He didn't even look up, but carefully brushed every inch of the cold texture on the lance shaft with a clean linen cloth.

That composure made it seem as if what was rolling in outside the tent was not thousands of soldiers, but an expected spring rain.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over the tense faces of the crowd, and said indifferently.

"Don't panic, they are not the enemy."

He put down his lance and stood up.

"Our reinforcements have arrived."

"Send the order to open the camp gates and prepare wine and meat."

"Chen Wu, Qin An, come with me to greet them."

When Qin Lie led over a hundred personal guards to stand on the gentle slope outside the camp gate, the long, yellowish-brown dragon formed by smoke and dust was already clearly visible.

The earth trembled slightly, emitting a deep, thunderous roar.

That wasn't the uniform hoofbeats of the Han cavalry, but a freer, wilder surge, like a storm sweeping in from the depths of the grasslands.

Leading the group was a robust young man, none other than Ma Dai, who had set off five days prior.

Beside him stood a group of knights exuding a strong aura of barbarity.

They did not wear standard armor, but mostly wore thick fur coats, feathered headdresses, and carried a variety of weapons, including scimitars, spears, lassos, and more.

But each of them seemed to be one with their warhorses, their eyes sharp as eagles, carrying a kind of untamed and fierce spirit belonging to the grasslands.

In the center of this group of knights, an old man sat atop a magnificent white horse.

His full head of silver hair was tied into a fine braid, and the deep wrinkles on his face resembled a riverbed dried by the winds of time. But his eyes still retained the sharpness of a hawk, scrutinizing the well-disciplined Han army camp before him, and the familiar yet unfamiliar young figure in front of the camp.

He was Dianwu, the leader of the Shaodang Qiang.