Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

Inside the tent sat a dozen or so Wuhuan generals, all of whom were Qiuliju's confidants.

The youngest among them was Tadun, a nephew of Qiuliju—in his early twenties, tall and heroic, and a leading figure among the younger generation of Wuhuan.

Tadun frowned and said, "Uncle, could it be a trap? Liu Ce previously sent Gongsun Zan, Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, and Zhang Liao to block us at the border. Why is he suddenly being so kind?"

"Trap my ass!"

Qiu Liju slapped him on the back of the head. "We have cavalry! If Liu Ce dares to play any tricks, we'll charge out and flatten Lulong Pass!"

Pointing to the contents of the letter, he said, "Besides, the benefits he offered are too substantial! Trade with Youzhou has been severed for so many years, and our cattle, sheep, and horses usually fetch low prices. Once the trade resumes, how much fine salt, wine, and ironware from Youzhou can we exchange for?"

Speaking of wine, Qiu Liju smacked his lips and said, "I've been craving that fine wine from Youzhou for ages! Last time I got a jar from a caravan, tsk tsk, the taste... and free provisions too! Last year the grasslands didn't have a good harvest, so this was just what I needed!"

The generals joined in, saying, "Our lord is right! Liu Ce is offering so many benefits precisely because he fears we'll unite and rebel!"

"Let's take some troops with us; he'll provide plenty of supplies! Even if it's a trap, we can fight our way back!"

"Fifty thousand shi of grain! How long will that feed our tribe? We might as well take it!"

"Exactly! Lulong Pass is on the border; we can withdraw at any time. If he dares to act recklessly, we'll turn around and join forces with Zhang Chun to take over Youzhou!"

Qiu Liju thought it over and over, stroking his beard as he said, "It's settled then! We'll take five thousand cavalry! It will show our sincerity and also keep Liu Ce in check."

He said smugly, "Once we get the grain and negotiate the trade, we'll team up with Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju to take care of Liu Ce! Then, Youzhou will be ours!"

He paused, then added, "By the way, let the warriors polish their brightest swords and show the Han people the might of our Wuhuan warriors!"

Qiu Liju had no idea that Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju had been arrested by Liu Ce and were currently eating prison food.

Tadun tried to persuade him further, "Uncle, why don't we bring fewer people? If we bring too many, won't Liu Ce think we're not sincere?"

"Sincerity?" Qiu Liju scoffed. "On the grasslands, strength is sincerity! If we bring too few, Liu Ce will think we're afraid of him! Five thousand, not one less!"

...

The Wuhuan tribe of Liaodong.

Chief Su Puyan held the invitation letter, his heart pounding like a drum, scratching his head and stamping his feet.

Su Puyan was in his thirties, tall and thin, with a long face, meticulous and cautious in his actions.

"What's Liu Ce up to?" he muttered. "Free supplies are good, and the trade market is tempting... but Lulong Fortress is too far from here. What if something happens?"

He paced back and forth in the main tent, muttering to himself, "To go or not to go? Going would bring many benefits; not going might allow Qiuliju and Wuyan to take advantage of me..."

Several military officers gathered around.

A bearded general said, "Sir, what are you afraid of! Qiuliju from Liaoxi is taking five thousand cavalry, and we'll take another three thousand. Wuyan from Youbeiping will probably also be bringing men. Those three tribes combined will have over ten thousand cavalry! Even if Liu Ce has an ambush, he'll have to think twice!"

Another young general added, "Besides, our tribe is desperately short of iron! Once the trade market opens, we can get so many iron plows and scimitars! Plus, there's free fodder—enough to get us through the winter! Have you forgotten how many cattle and sheep froze to death last winter?"

He lowered his voice and said, "Even if it's a trap, we'll run as soon as things go wrong! The grasslands are our territory; Liu Ce's cavalry can't catch us!"

Su Puyan's eyes lit up: "That makes sense!"

Yes, with three tribes going together, they'll have a large and powerful force. If Liu Ce really wants to play tricks, he'll have to consider the consequences.

And... that free food was just too tempting. Last winter, the heavy snow killed many cattle and sheep, and the tribe was short of food.

He slammed his fist on the table, gritting his teeth, "Go! We must go! Take three thousand cavalry, and plenty of dry rations. Even if we can't reach an agreement, we have to get those free provisions back!"

But in his heart, he was secretly calculating: if they could truly achieve peaceful trade, they wouldn't have to resort to robbery anymore, saving them trouble and effort. If Liu Ce tried anything funny, he'd join Qiu Liju in fighting back, and maybe even get a bigger share of the spoils. Either way, he wouldn't lose out!

...

The Wuhuan tribe of Youbeiping.

After reading the letter, Chief Wuyan was so conflicted that he almost pulled his hair out.

Wu Yan was in his forties, with a round and plump build. He looked honest but was actually shrewd. His tribe was the smallest, sandwiched between Youzhou and two other Wuhuan tribes, and had always been cautious and timid.

"To go or not to go?" He paced back and forth in the tent, holding the letter. "Liu Ce's offers are too good to pass up... free provisions, trade, light taxes—it's like a windfall! But... something just doesn't feel right?"

The old strategist beside him said, "My lord, we're caught in the middle; we can't afford not to go!"

"How so?"

"Think about it," the old strategist analyzed, "if the Wuhuan tribes of Liaoxi and Liaodong go, and we don't, we won't have a share in the trade anymore, and we won't get any grain. We'll also be laughed at by the other two tribes—they'll say we're cowards!"

Wu Yan frowned.

The old strategist continued, "Moreover, Liu Ce allows us to bring troops. We'll take two thousand cavalry, following Qiu Liju and Su Puyan's main force. Even if something goes wrong, they'll take the blame! Besides, Liu Ce is the governor of Youzhou, and he's inviting us in the name of the imperial court. If we don't go, he can find an excuse to attack us later, and the other tribes won't be able to say anything."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yan thought it made sense.

That's right, we'll benefit from following the main group! If he gives us free food, we'll eat it; if he talks about trade, we'll participate; if he dares to play tricks, we'll charge in with the other two tribes!

Two thousand cavalrymen—not too many, not too few—were enough to share the spoils and also to be able to escape at any time.

perfect!

He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "That's it! That's the plan! Take two thousand cavalry! They'll follow Qiuliju and Supuyan, sharing the spoils and the hardships!"

Thus, the three leaders of the Wuhuan tribes were blinded by Liu Ce's "package of benefits" and decided one by one to go to Lulong Pass for a "meeting".

Greed overcame vigilance, and shortsightedness masked the risks.

...

A few days later, Lu Bing brought the news back to Zhuoxian County.

"My lord, the leaders of the three Wuhuan tribes have all agreed," Lu Bing reported. "Qiuliju will lead about 5,000 cavalry, Supuyan about 3,000, and Wuyan about 2,000. In total, they will number about 10,000 cavalry and are expected to arrive at Lulong Pass between the first and second days of May."

Liu Ce's eyes lit up: "The fish has taken the bait!"

He immediately summoned all his advisors and generals to the governor's mansion.

The council chamber was packed with people.

Civil officials and strategists sat on the left, while military generals sat on the right. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Dian Wei, Lü Bu, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, Yuwen Chengdu, Huang Zhong, Xue Rengui, Xu Da... were all gathered together.