The Three Kingdoms: The Oath of the Peach Garden, the Rise of the Han Dynasty

early morning.

Outside the camp gate, there was a large crowd of auxiliary soldiers and civilians carrying bundles on their backs.

Most of these were the three thousand ragtag soldiers that Liu Yan had initially sent in, and Li Chang used them as auxiliary troops to transport supplies.

Having followed the army for more than half a year and endured countless hardships, now that the Yellow Turban Rebellion has been quelled, everyone is eager to return home.

Standing on the high platform, Liu Bei looked down at the expectant faces below, and, unable to bear it, called out loudly:

"Fellow villagers, the Yellow Turban Rebellion has been quelled, and the world is temporarily at peace. Those who wish to return to their hometowns to farm will each receive five dou of rice, and may set off immediately!"

"Thank you very much, Magistrate Liu!"

"Your Excellency is benevolent and virtuous!"

The auxiliary soldiers cheered and knelt down to express their gratitude.

Li Chang stood beside Liu Bei and waited until everyone had finished expressing their gratitude before stepping forward and whispering:

"Brother, the others can leave, but the Vanguard Camp cannot be released. The old brothers brought from Zhuojun and the young men who came to join us from Changshan must stay."

Liu Bei was taken aback: "Most of those men in the Vanguard Camp are surrendered Yellow Turban soldiers. If they want to leave..."

"They can't leave!" Li Chang shook his head. "You know what kind of people the Vanguard Battalion used to be. If we let them out, they might turn into a small-scale Yellow Turban rebellion!"

The others are all seasoned veterans, battle-hardened by countless fights. They are a vital force for us to serve our country!

He wanted to say that these people had already cut to the bone! They couldn't stand being cut or killed for even a day!

Liu Bei was silent for a moment, then nodded: "We'll do as you say, but auxiliary soldiers can choose to stay or leave voluntarily, and combat soldiers... those with only sons or urgent family matters may return to their hometowns!"

As Li Chang had predicted, the news spread.

None of the old brothers from Zhuojun and Changshan were willing to leave. They had followed Liu Bei from nothing to something and had long regarded this place as their home.

Of the soldiers given by Liu Yan, some voluntarily left the county troops and joined Liu Bei's forces completely, while only a few hundred returned.

Ultimately, the army of over 15,000 was reduced to a mere 8,000.

With the old and weak auxiliary troops gone, the pressure on food supplies was greatly reduced, and what remained were all elite soldiers who were good at fighting.

Wang Jiang, with his 250 men, stood at the very front of the line, his back ramrod straight.

He went from a recruit who couldn't tell left from right to a junior officer in charge of 250 men!

I've never been so glamorous in my life!

Xiahou Lan took the roster, carefully checked the number of people stroke by stroke, walked over to Li Chang, and wiped her sweat:

"Strategist, everything has been counted. There are 8,072 people. The military supplies and provisions for 15,000 people that we received in advance have also been loaded onto the wagons and are ready to depart at any time."

Li Chang looked at the well-disciplined troops in front of him.

These eight thousand men were the foundation upon which he and Liu Bei made a living in this chaotic world!

……

The army broke camp and headed south towards Luoyang.

Throughout the journey, Li Chang never gave up searching for talent.

When he passed through Jiwu in Chenliu, he took Zhao Yun and several personal guards and spent three whole days inquiring about the area.

But everyone says that a few years ago there was indeed a fierce warrior named Dian Wei who killed an entire wealthy family to avenge his fellow villagers. After that, he went on the run and no one ever saw him again.

Li Chang stood at the village entrance, gazing at the distant dirt road, and let out a long sigh.

A peerless warrior like Dian Wei is a rare find. If we miss this opportunity, hopefully the next time we meet, he won't be in Cao Cao's camp.

The army continued south and arrived at Yingchuan.

This is the hometown of the Xun family, the ancestral home of Xun Yu and his nephew Xun You.

Liu Bei and Li Chang personally visited the man's home with their visiting cards.

A day passed, but the two Xun brothers were nowhere to be seen. In fact, it was clear that they looked down on Liu Bei.

After leaving, Li Chang sighed, but he knew the truth in his heart.

These scions of top aristocratic families have always chosen their masters carefully.

Without sufficient strength and territory, they won't even give you a second glance, no matter how hard you try!

It's too idealistic to think that a mere wave of the arm will summon scions of powerful families to join you.

"Fourth brother, let's go," Liu Bei comforted him. "What is meant to be ours will eventually be ours. What is not meant to be ours, we can't force it."

We are already so grateful to have you!

Li Chang nodded, but said, "But if they were still here, we might be even better off!"

In early November, the army arrived outside Luoyang.

When the majestic city of Luoyang appeared before everyone's eyes, they were all stunned.

The city wall, three zhang high, was built with huge bluestone slabs and stretched for dozens of miles.

The city gates were wide open, and pedestrians and carriages flowed in an endless stream. Nobles dressed in fine silks and satins, officials riding tall horses, and peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders created a bustling and lively scene.

Zhang Fei stared with eyes as big as copper bells, his mouth agape enough to fit a fist:

"Good heavens! This is Luoyang? It's more than ten times bigger than Zhuojun! How long would it take to conquer a city like this?!"

Liu Bei was shocked and immediately covered Zhang Fei's mouth, saying, "Third brother, be careful what you say!"

Guan Yu's eyes widened as he stroked his long beard, his gaze filled with shock.

He had been a fugitive for many years, traveling all over the country, but he had never seen such a prosperous city.

Zhao Yun had already dismounted from his white horse:

"No wonder everyone in the world wants to go to Luoyang. Such a scene is unthinkable in the border regions."

Liu Bei gazed at the city that symbolized the center of power in the Han Dynasty, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He grew up in the countryside of Zhuoxian County and saw mostly dilapidated thatched houses and displaced people.

It can be compared to Luoyang...

Li Chang stood to the side, his expression calm.

He knew that this prosperity was just a facade.

This seemingly impregnable capital city was already rotten inside.

If nothing unexpected happens, it won't be long before Dong Zhuo leads his Xiliang cavalry into Luoyang and burns all its prosperity to ashes.

Just then, a procession of carriages and horses drove out of the city. The official in the lead, dressed in the official robes of the Imperial Clan Court, was none other than Liu Yan.

Liu Yan was slightly taken aback when he saw Liu Bei, then stopped the carriage and got down.

"Xuande." Liu Yan's tone was much more distant than when they were in the prefecture, but it still carried some of the affection of a fellow clansman.

"I didn't expect you to be back in Beijing too."

Liu Bei quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Nephew greets Uncle."

"No need for such formalities," Liu Yan waved his hand.

"I have just returned to the capital from Youzhou. His Majesty intends to appoint me as the Minister of the Imperial Clan, in charge of the affairs of the imperial clan. Luoyang is not like Youzhou; it is a very dangerous place. You must be very careful in your actions and do not take sides indiscriminately, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."

After saying this, he turned around, got into the carriage, and hurriedly left without waiting for Liu Bei's reply.

The group found a place to stay in the south of Luoyang.

As soon as everything was settled, Liu Bei stood up and immediately made a radical announcement:

"Gentlemen, the first thing we need to do upon entering the capital is not to seek official positions or credit, but to save our mentor, Lu Zhi!"

Zuo Feng, having failed to extort a bribe, framed his mentor. Now that his mentor is still in the prison of the Court of Justice, how can we sit idly by!

Please help me, my brother!

"Brother is right!" Zhang Fei slammed his fist on the table. "That eunuch is a scoundrel! I'll lead the troops to break him out of prison right now!"

"Third brother, you mustn't!" Liu Bei quickly stopped him, advising Zhang Fei not to be too impulsive.

"A prison break is a heinous crime of treason; not only will it fail to rescue our mentor, it will also harm him!"

Li Chang nodded in agreement.

"Brother is right. This matter can only be handled through the proper channels of the imperial court. But we are of low status and our voices carry little weight, while Generals Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun have just quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion."

They're considered favorites of His Majesty; only by getting them to sign a joint petition will we have a chance of winning.

"Alright! Without further ado, my fourth brother and I will go and pay a visit to General Huangfu!"

……