Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

A few days later, Liu Ce led his army to the plain south of Lulong Pass.

Just as the map shows, the terrain here is open and flat, with a view that can stretch for miles.

In the distance lies the Lulong Pass, resembling a giant beast crouching at the mountain pass; nearby stretches a vast grassland, the grass already quite tall, the wind blowing and creating layers of green waves, a small river meandering through the middle of the plain.

"What a wonderful place," Liu Ce remarked from his horse. "To be buried here wouldn't be a disgrace to them."

Liu Ce ordered the camp to be set up.

Fifteen thousand soldiers sprang into action, and soon a massive military camp rose from the ground. The tents were neatly arranged, the fences were sturdy, the watchtowers stood tall, and the flags fluttered in the wind—a truly impressive sight.

The soldiers were in high spirits and well-trained. Although there were only 15,000 of them, their menacing aura could be felt from a great distance.

...

In the afternoon, in the central command tent, Liu Ce finalized the division of labor.

He pointed to the map and said to Zhao Yun and Xu Da, "Zilong, Tiande, you take the cavalry to the right flank and ambush them, hiding behind that grove of trees. Remember, horses must be gagged and men must remain silent, so that the Wuhuan people don't see a trace of us."

He then said to Lü Bu and Xue Rengui, "Fengxian, Rengui, you two go to the left flank and lie hidden behind the earthen mound. Charge only when you hear any movement! Once the fighting starts at the pavilion, you two flank them from both sides and drive the Wuhuan cavalry towards the center—don't let a single one escape!"

"Understood!" The four men clasped their hands in obeisance.

Zhao Yun and Xu Da mounted their horses and led the cavalry to the right flank.

Before leaving, Lü Bu patted his prized steed, "Crimson Flame," and muttered, "Old buddy, this time I'll let you stretch your muscles. It's been a long time since I've had a good fight; let's have some real bloodshed today!"

Xue Rengui laughed from the side, "Fengxian, let's see who kills more!"

Lü Bu laughed and said, "Let's compete! I'm not afraid of you!"

The two men chatted and laughed as they led their troops to the left flank.

...

The archers of the elite archery battalion are inspecting their composite bows and arrows. Huang Zhong personally supervises, demanding that every bow be adjusted to its optimal condition and every arrow's arrowhead be checked.

Liu Ce finally said to Dian Wei, Xu Chu, and the Eighteen Riders of Yanyun, "You will come with me to the pavilion. Remember, wear your bright armor and ordinary cloaks over it, so that the Wuhuan people don't recognize you at a glance."

Dian Wei patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, my lord, we understand!"

Xu Chu nodded and said, "When the lord gives the order, we'll take action!"

Yan Yi, the captain of the Eighteen Riders of Yanyun, said coldly, "My lord, eighteen men are more than enough to kill more than a dozen Wuhuan generals."

Liu Ce nodded in satisfaction and said, "Good!"

Liu Ce then had an exquisite pavilion built not far from the camp.

This pavilion is open on all four sides, with a roof and pillars. Inside, there are tables and chairs, and tea sets and snacks on the tables. It really looks like a place to drink tea and talk business.

Liu Ce had several large stacks of grain and fodder piled up not far from the pavilion, all neatly packed in burlap sacks, piled up like small mountains. There were also dozens of large carts loaded with goods such as fine salt, wine, cloth, and ironware, covered with tarpaulins, but deliberately leaving a corner exposed so that people could see the good stuff inside.

"We must be sincere," Liu Ce said with a smile. "You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub."

Everything is ready; we're just waiting for the fish to take the bait.

...

Meanwhile, the Wuhuan allied forces were marching in a mighty force towards Lulong Pass.

More than 10,000 cavalrymen spread out on the grassland, raising dust and creating a magnificent spectacle.

Qiuliju rode at the very front, in high spirits. He held the highest prestige among the Wuhuan tribes, and this time, in alliance with Liaodong and Youbeiping, he was confident of victory.

Su Puyan and Wu Yan followed on either side of him, the three of them riding side by side.

"Qiu Liju," Su Puyan was still somewhat worried, "would Liu Ce really be so kind? Providing grain and trade..."

"You're just too cautious!" Qiu Liju laughed heartily. "That brat Liu Ce is definitely afraid of us! How many soldiers does he have? Youzhou only lasted for less than two years after the Yellow Turban Rebellion; he'd be lucky to muster a little over ten thousand elite troops. With our three forces united, we have over ten thousand elite cavalry. How could he not be afraid?"

Wu Yan chimed in, "That's right, that's right!"

Just then, a scout came galloping over.

"Report—" the scout panted, "Sir! Liu Ce's camp is not far ahead on the plain south of Lulong Pass! There are about ten thousand men, of whom about three thousand are cavalry, and the rest are infantry! They have built a pavilion not far from the camp, and there are piles of grain and goods next to it. They really look like they've come to negotiate peace!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Liju smiled so much that his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Hahaha! I knew it!" He turned to Su Puyan and Wu Yan and said, "See? I wasn't wrong, was I? Liu Ce is truly scared!"

Su Puyan still had some doubts and asked, "But... why did he only bring so few cavalry?"

"Isn't that simple?" Qiu Liju said with an expression that said, "I saw through everything long ago." "How long has Youzhou been at peace? Where would he get so many warhorses? He'd be lucky to muster three thousand cavalry! Besides, we have over ten thousand cavalry. Even if he brought ten thousand, they wouldn't be a match for us on the plains!"

(Liu Ce: Oh? Is that so? I just happened to bring more than 10,000 cavalry. ಡωಡ)

Wu Yan chimed in, "Exactly! And his choice to 'hold a meeting' on the plains is clearly giving our cavalry a chance to shine! If he dares to try anything funny, we'll just charge straight in and raze his camp to the ground!"

Su Puyan, being more cautious, frowned and said, "Gentlemen, we'd better be careful. Why did he choose to hold the meeting in the plains? This doesn't make sense."

Qiu Liju dismissed it, saying, "What's illogical about it? If he had chosen a dangerous location, would we dare go? Choosing a plain shows his sincerity!"

He paused, then added, "Besides, look at the provisions and goods he's prepared—they're the real deal! If he wanted to set a trap, would he be willing to invest so much?"

Wu Yan chimed in, "Qiu Liju is right! Liu Ce is afraid of us and is trying to keep us at bay with benefits."

Qiu Liju continued, "Liu Ce, that kid, is quite sensible. Knowing he can't win, he simply offers benefits and seeks peace. That's fine too. We'll take the grain first, negotiate the trade, and then wait until after the autumn harvest..."

He lowered his voice: "Let's join forces with Zhang Chun, and together we'll seize Youzhou completely!"

He made a throat-slitting gesture, and the three of them smiled knowingly.

Su Puyan and Wu Yan exchanged a glance and then smiled.

Yes, with 10,000 cavalry against 3,000, the advantage is on our side!

The three men were completely relieved and urged the army to speed up their advance.

Only Tadun, Qiuliju's cousin, still had a frown on his face.

"Uncle," he urged his horse closer, "I still feel something's not right. Liu Ce's rise to power during the Yellow Turban Rebellion shows he's no ordinary person. Should we be more careful?"

"Be careful of what?" Qiuliju said dismissively. "You're just too young and overthinking things! When we get there, look at that pile of grain—50,000 shi! How long will that feed our tribe? And then there's the trade market. How many good things can we exchange our cattle, sheep, and horses for?"

He patted Tadun on the shoulder: "Learn from this! This is called 'subduing the enemy without fighting'! Liu Ce is offering benefits, so let's accept them. Once we're strong enough, we'll turn around and wipe him out!"

Tadun wanted to say something more, but seeing his uncle's smug look, he knew it would be useless to say anything, so he had no choice but to shut up.

...