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

Cao Cao then changed the subject, bringing up a question that had been lingering in his mind for over a year:

"Gentlemen, there is one more thing that I still can't understand."

When Li Chang was confronting Yuan Shao in Hanoi, he actually dared to sell warhorses, and even stallions, to the whole world in Luoyang!

These horses, along with donkeys, eventually ended up in the hands of various feudal lords.

Isn't he afraid of aiding the enemy?

Cao Cao waved his hand, and his men brought over a horse named Black.

Everyone's eyes lit up.

"What a fine horse! It truly is a fine horse!"

Just by looking at it, you can tell this horse is extraordinary!

Cao Cao stroked the horse and explained:

"This horse is named Jueying! I sent people to Luoyang to snatch it from a bunch of competitors!"

Even such a fine horse, Li Chang dared to sell!

I actually bought these priceless treasures for only 100,000 shi of grain!

Everyone gasped in shock!

It's not that I'm surprised it's too expensive, it's that it's such a great deal!

This kind of horse is practically a second life!

So, here's the question!

Chen Gong pondered: "If we sell horses like this, the feudal lords will gradually build up large numbers of cavalry!"

Even if the cavalry of the feudal lords were not as elite as his, two or three of them could still overwhelm his cavalry, right?

How could someone as farsighted as Li Chang make such a mistake?

Upon hearing this, the people on the city wall fell silent.

This is indeed a question in everyone's mind.

Warhorses were vital military assets, and their export was strictly prohibited throughout history. Li Chang, however, sold them in bulk, including three different types of fine horses!

Is he going crazy from the lack of food? That might actually be true.

But looking at his later playing style, he didn't seem like he was at his wit's end at all!

Xun Yu pondered for a long while before slowly speaking:

"I have also pondered this for a long time. Logically speaking, there is no reason to aid the enemy."

But he approached it from a logistical perspective:

"Li Chang sells horses without charging money, only grain. Yuan Shao and his powerful families have to empty their granaries to buy horses."

After buying the horse, you still need to feed it and pay for the groom, which is another expense.

It's like Liu Bei used a batch of horses to exchange for Yuan Shao's life-saving grain, while also leaving Yuan Shao with a huge burden of grain to consume.

It may seem like they're aiding the enemy, but in reality, they're draining their resources!

Besides that, there's another aspect...

Xun Yu looked up at the crowd:

"From the very beginning, the Jin and Han sides never took Yuan Shao's cavalry seriously!"

"It's not just looking down on them." Chen Gong frowned, recalling another detail they had overlooked over the past year!

We've all overlooked one thing!

Yuan Shao probably bought nearly 20,000 horses, so they wouldn't be completely useless in a real battle.

For more than half a year, Yuan Shao's cavalry were hardly used and we don't seem to have heard of any fierce cavalry battles between the two sides!

"Yuan Shao had so many cavalry, how come not a single spark was fired?"

At that moment, everyone present was instantly terrified!

I got goosebumps all over!

The unknown is the most terrifying!

Even if the accounts show a disastrous state, it doesn't matter if Yuan Shao's side suffers heavy losses!

Guo Jia also noticed something: "Yuan Shao clearly has superior forces, so why is he actively building fortified camps to wear them down?"

"Yes, why is that?"

Several of the world's top talents carefully analyzed this great battle.

I'm reviewing the events surrounding the deceased Yuan Shao, hoping to glean some insights.

Cao Cao sighed:

"Although we don't know the specific reason, we know that Xuande's cavalry must be very strong and unafraid of open battles. We should try our best to avoid it."

Fortunately, the Yangtze River provided a natural barrier; no matter how strong his cavalry was, their usefulness would be greatly diminished once Yuan Shu was defeated.

Xun Yu nodded and continued, focusing on logistics:

"The horses they sell range from three-year-old foals to eight-year-old steeds. It will take Jin Gong several years to pacify the north and several more years to defeat Yuan Shu."

At this moment, the three families in the south might just be using these horses to fight even more fiercely!

Upon learning of Duke Jin's southward journey, these horses were either dead or too old! Even the foals born from the stallions were not as good as those from the north.

It looked like aiding the enemy, but in reality, they were exchanging useless horses for life-saving grain, and even leaving a bunch of food bundles in the enemy's backyard.

Duke Jin made a fortune from this deal.

We're the ones who suffered the loss.

"Sigh...this is an open conspiracy!"

Cao Cao slammed his hand on the city bricks.

He was increasingly moved by Li Chang and admired Liu Bei's trust in him even more!

No one else would dare to be given such great power!

There was also the issue of books, which they tacitly avoided discussing—a clear and calculated move.

……

Meanwhile, in Wu County, Jiangdong, at the martial arts training ground.

Sun Ce, dressed in short clothes, was leading a chestnut-colored Xiliang horse, patting its neck and marveling at it.

"Gongjin, look at this horse, its bone structure is indeed excellent."

Liu Bei is really willing to sell such a good horse.

Aren't you afraid that we'll develop a cavalry and one day challenge him for the throne?

Zhou Yu stood to the side, imitating Li Chang, wearing a feather fan and a silk turban, and laughed:

"Bo Fu examined the horse's teeth closely. This horse is already seven or eight years old, in its prime. In two or three years, it will be an old horse!"

Even the three- or four-year-old horses we bought.

By the time we truly faced Liu Bei, these horses were all old!

Li Chang had calculated things correctly. We didn't buy horses to fight him in open battle; we were happy to also earn grain and fodder for Jiangdong.

Why wouldn't he take advantage of such a profitable deal?

"Well done, Li Chang! He's even got his sights set on Jiangdong!" Sun Ce laughed heartily, mounted his horse, circled around, and reined in his horse, saying:

"That's fine, let's just each get what we need."

"How's it going in Jiangxia? That old scoundrel Huang Zu, any movement?"

Zhou Yu stopped laughing and became serious: "Liu Biao is seriously ill, Huang Zu is restless, and Cao Mengde has troops stationed in Nan Commandery. Jiangxia is defending on two fronts, and the morale of the soldiers is low."

Our navy has completed its training and has sufficient supplies.

After the spring, we can march west, first conquer Jiangxia to avenge the death of our father at the hands of our late father, and then set our sights on Jingzhou.

"Good!" Sun Ce suddenly pulled on the reins, and the warhorse reared up, its neighing echoing throughout the training ground.

"I've been waiting for this day! That old dog Huang Zu, I will personally slay him!"

The sound of horses' hooves kicked up dust, and the sharp edge of the young hero, against the river wind, headed west towards Jingzhou.

……

As the winter winds swept across the thirteen provinces, the open conflict between the feudal lords was a blatant display of war, but in reality, the choices made by powerful families had already subtly revealed the divisions into factions.

At this time, the world was openly dominated by several major warlords, including Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Quan, and Yuan Shu. In reality, the powerful clans had already split into several factions, each with its own agenda.

The first faction is the "loyal to Han faction".

Most of them were learned and virtuous scholar families, such as scholars from various places who followed Lu Zhi, Zheng Xuan and Cai Yong, as well as a large number of poor families, a small number of commoner talents, and families that were either active or passive.

They only recognized the legitimate Han dynasty, followed Liu Bei, took the imperial examinations, entered officialdom based on their talents, and were willing to be loyal subjects of the Han dynasty!

These people are full of backbone and integrity.

What they wanted was the restoration of the Han Dynasty, a peaceful and prosperous world, and to rise to prominence through talent, virtue, and ability, not by relying on family background and social status.

The second faction is the "co-governance faction".

Centered on the Yingchuan aristocratic family, with the cooperation of families such as the Kuai and Cai families in Jingzhou, as well as established aristocratic families in various states of the Central Plains.

They believed that the world had always been shared by aristocratic families and the Liu family!

The emperor belonged to the Liu family, but the power to govern belonged to the aristocratic families.

Choosing a puppet ruler surnamed Liu and having the powerful families take turns in power is the proper way.

Unfortunately, the emperor was gone, so they had to settle for another member of the Liu family.

Unfortunately, they lack authority; the good thing is that they are more likely to become puppets.

The third faction is the "self-reliant faction".

Led by Yuan Shu, the group gathered his protégés and former officials from the Yuan family of Runan, as well as powerful local families from Yuzhou and Huainan.

They no longer wanted to serve the Liu family; they wanted to start their own household. When Yuan Shu declared himself emperor, they became founding heroes and hereditary officials.

There were originally similar factions like Yuan Shao's, who were prepared to wait and see, but Yuan Shao was no longer being observed.

The fourth group is the "dependent group".

The powerful families of Jiangdong in Yangzhou, though subdued by the military might of Sun Jian and Sun Ce, outwardly appeared obedient, but each family possessed fortified villages, private armies, and land.

They are very similar to the powerful families of Jingzhou, except that the Sun family is more resolute and ruthless. They dare not openly rebel, but can only secretly accumulate strength and wait for the right time to act.

If you're strong, I'll follow you to conquer the world; if you're weak, I'll be the first to overturn the table.

The four major factions, plus the Yizhou-Dongzhou faction which often goes offline and plays by itself, are intertwined and scattered across the land of the thirteen states.

On the surface, it was a power struggle among feudal lords, but behind the scenes, it was a game between powerful families, as well as between powerful families and commoners.

Jizhou has just been pacified, Jingzhou is about to fall into chaos, Jiangdong is eyeing the situation covetously, and Huainan is merely clinging to life.