It has been told that Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei had already gathered together, and they spent the night at Zhang Fei’s home, preparing to swear brotherhood in the Peach Garden the next day.
Zhang Fei, though rough, had a discerning mind. In an era that judged one by their origin, he was but a humble butcher, a foot soldier, a peddler at most. Even if his martial arts were unparalleled, he feared that he would hardly achieve anything significant due to suppression from those above. However, becoming sworn brothers with Liu Bei would change that: he would become the sworn brother of a royal relative, and naturally, his status would rise, elevating him even if he chose to switch allegiances, giving him a commendable identity. Sёarch* The NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Although Liu Bei’s status was not low, his family was poor, and Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were likely his Left and Right Assistants. Early on, they had received instructions from Daoist Equal to Heaven, and though they were reluctant to become brothers with a pig butcher and a murderer, they had no choice. To be an emperor required not only ambition but also the ability to endure and restrain oneself. Didn’t Goujian sleep on straw, taste bile, and finally conquer Wu with three thousand Yue armored soldiers?
Guan Yu, however, did not overthink it; his sole desire was to serve his country. Here was a royal relative about to rise up—it was an ideal situation. After all, having royal blood made achieving great deeds much easier; anything done could be justified.
The next morning, when the hour came, the three men went to the Peach Garden, set up a table, lit incense candles, offered sacrifices to the Heaven Emperor, bowed to the Earth Goddess, chopped a chicken head, and drank a bowl of blood wine.
Liu Bei, being considered a brother of the current emperor, commanded respect which neither Guan Yu nor Zhang Fei could overstep; especially given Liu Bei’s revered status, Zhang Fei provided the funds while relying on Liu Bei’s reputation to rally people’s hearts; after all, most commoners revered and admired royal relatives.
Although Liu Bei was the youngest, he was respected as the eldest brother; Guan Yu was older than Zhang Fei and thus became the second brother. Despite financing and exerting the effort, Zhang Fei could only settle for being the youngest brother. However, Zhang Fei, being rather careless, did not mind it much.
Daoist Equal to Heaven said, "These three becoming brothers also signifies that the Left and Right Assistants are now united. Liu Bei’s destiny seems perilous, but he can turn danger into safety, with risks but no actual harm, bearing the semblance of an emperor, mature in mind and skillful in tactics. Should no People of the Immortal Path harm him, he could become an emperor."
Chen Tuan, too, was somewhat versed in physiognomy, having in the future observed Emperor Taizu’s features and having guided him, thereby gaining fame—this story is from a later time, no need to mention it further.
Chen Tuan said, "This man’s appearance is either that of a Great Saint, a Buddha Ancestor, or next in line, an emperor. Now, with the Left and Right Assistants by his side, any danger he encounters will turn into safety; there’s nothing to worry about! We just need to protect him discreetly, ensuring that no People of the Immortal Path harm him."
The Dao of Immortals was in turmoil, and though many immortals and Buddhas secretly supported them, they dared not intervene too deeply, fearing contamination by heavy karma which could lead to celestial retributions. Without the inheritance of ancient emperors to mediate the Human Path, a bad ending would be inevitable.
Although the Buddhist sect was afraid of being tainted by karma, they somehow managed to find expendables. If this Tiger Demon killed Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, it would inevitably face retribution, as would the old monk who instigated it. The Heavenly Dao is merciless and unbiased; cultivating initially goes against the celestial order. Becoming an immortal also meant seizing the slim chance of avoiding disaster mentioned in The Book of Changes. After becoming an immortal, opposing the Heavenly Dao is simply courting death.
These men are chosen by the Heavenly Dao as kings of the Human Path; if People of the Immortal Path intervene too deeply, they are bound to attract major disasters.
As the three brothers took their oath, Daoist Equal to Heaven saw their troubled expressions and was thinking of helping, when suddenly guests arrived below. These two guests were prominent merchants from Zhongshan, whose business was mainly trading horses to the north each year. However, due to the Yellow Turbans’ rebellion, they had to return halfway. The three brothers were overjoyed and spoke of their intention to raise troops against the Yellow Army, which prompted the two generous merchants, inspired by the trio’s patriotism, to donate fifty strong horses, a thousand pounds of iron, and five hundred taels of gold and silver for their cause.
A horse is a vital means of transport and a powerful asset on the battlefield; having a good horse is better than anything else, whether for killing enemies or escaping, as it doubles the effectiveness.
However, most horses were under government control, and although ordinary people owned some, they were largely inferior. These horses had endurance but were no match for war horses. These two merchants from Zhongshan made their living by raising horses, selling yearly to the imperial court and its offices. But with this year’s turmoil, there was no telling when it would end, and maintaining a large stable incurred significant expenses. Being long-time acquaintances with Zhang Fei and having shared many drinks together, they knew Liu Bei was a royal relative about to take action. Thus, they generously donated fifty horses, considering it a minor contribution.
The three brothers bid farewell to the two guests and ordered the best blacksmith in the county to forge a pair of Shuang Gou swords, a Green Dragon Crescent Blade, and an Eighteen-Foot-Long Serpent Spear.
Soon after, the brothers had gathered five hundred followers and went to meet the county governor Zou Jing, who introduced them to Prefect Liu Yan. Liu Bei revealed his identity, causing Liu Yan great joy; recognizing a fellow royal relative, he valued Liu Bei highly as his nephew.
Three days later, a scout reported to Liu Yan that Cheng Yuanzhi of the Yellow Turbans, leading fifty thousand troops, was advancing towards Zhuo County.
Liu Yan was alarmed and said, "Zhuo County’s defending army has less than ten thousand men; how can we deal with Cheng Yuanzhi’s fifty thousand soldiers?"
Guan Yu, however, said, "Do not panic, sir. The majority of the Yellow Turban Army consists of impoverished commoners, far inferior to regular soldiers! Just by beheading this Cheng Yuanzhi, the fifty thousand Yellow Turbans will collapse without a fight. These bandits are hardly formidable."
Liu Yan was slightly displeased when Guan Yu boasted.
Xuande hurriedly said, "Uncle, my second brother is right, the Yellow Turbans are mostly common people, merely deceived by Zhang Jiao’s demon art. Their current momentum is due to the suddenness of their uprising, catching the Imperial Court unprepared. Moreover, given their overwhelming numbers and widespread support, most of the government generals are incompetent. My second brother, whose martial arts are divine, can snatch the head of a general from an army of ten thousand as easily as reaching into a bag. Now, the strength of the Yellow Turbans relies solely on their initial fierceness. As the Art of War says, ’At the first drum, attack; at the second, falter; at the third, exhaust.’ By beheading their generals, the Yellow Turbans will crumble without being directly assaulted."
Upon hearing Liu Bei’s analysis, Liu Yan slightly furrowed his brow, finding it quite sensible, and then asked, "How many men do you need to defeat the enemy?"
Zhang Fei preemptively said, "Just give us five hundred soldiers and that will suffice!"
Liu Yan turned his anger into joy and exclaimed, "Excellent, very well! I’ll grant you three brothers five hundred soldiers to defeat the enemy army. If you cannot break them, hold onto Daxing Mountain strategically and ensure the enemy does not encroach upon Zhuo County."
"At your command!" Liu-Guan-Zhang shouted in unison and, taking Liu Yan’s token, went to summons the troops at the drill ground.
To attack fifty thousand with only five hundred was indeed a startling prospect. No wonder Liu Yan doubted, but Liu Bei was correct— the uprising of the Yellow Turbans was only fierce at first. By slaying their generals and extinguishing their spirit, they would naturally disintegrate. After all, these fifty thousand were poor peasants, whose uprising had been so brief that they lacked military discipline. Once their leaders fell, they would be thrown into complete disarray, having no match against a regular army.
The three brothers had long discussed this matter, deciding to risk a battle with just five hundred soldiers. By doing so, they could elevate their reputation from the first battle and gain greater recognition.
"Brother, do not worry, the Yellow Turbans are merely a mob of bandits. Let’s gather our forces and charge down to Daxing Mountain. Watch as I spear Cheng Yuanzhi," Zhang Fei said.
"Younger brother, you must not underestimate them. Although the Yellow Turbans are mere scarecrows, their momentum is vast, and there are masters of Taoist Arts within their ranks. Be wary and do not fall victim to their tricks," Guan Yu said.
Liu Bei nodded and said, "I have heard that Zhang Jiao’s Taoist Arts are formidable, and he has five hundred disciples under him. Cheng Yuanzhi might well be one of those disciples, so we must not be careless."
Zhang Fei said, "Understood."
However, he did not take it seriously. How great could those demon art users be? With his mastery of the Serpent Spear, few could rival him; he did not believe he could lose to those who practiced demon art.
The three brothers gathered their forces at the drill ground, summoning a total of five hundred men before heading towards Daxing Mountain to intercept the enemy from there.
"If the enemy uses Taoist Arts and it’s irresistible, what should we do?" Guan Yu asked.
"Well... the three of us are unparalleled in martial arts, even if their Taoist Arts are powerful, we can still contend with them. If they really possess formidable Taoist Arts, then we would have to take the battle as it comes and adapt as necessary," said Xuande.
Guan Yu said, "I’ve heard that black dog blood might be effective against these demon arts, should we get some?"
Liu Bei said, "If we pass any households along the way, let’s buy their dogs and butcher them!"
Zhang Fei and Guan Yu both agreed, and along the way, they found a few black dogs, purchased them with money, butchered them, and filled a skin bag with the blood before heading straight to Daxing Mountain.
After all, facing such a venture, it was uncertain whether fate would be fortuitous or grim. Please listen on for the next episode.
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