Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

P.S.: Foreword: I actually wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, I decided to leave it at that.

Some things cannot be easily changed, especially the fixed mindset in people's hearts.

From a young age, our parents, teachers, and elders tell us that doing this is wrong, and doing that is wrong.

It is right to live and act within their established beliefs.

But I wasn't that kind of child when I was little.

Life doesn't have a fixed trajectory; people and those around us will change over time.

People often use things beyond their comprehension to describe something as dangerous, rebellious, or bad, just as when fire first appeared before people, they thought it was bad and wanted to extinguish it.

I've never wanted anything that's unchanging. Just like I said in the first chapter, if you want to see something that's unchanging, then turn left outside, because Tomato has no shortage of books.

I won't easily change my original plan because of external forces, because this is what I want to write. When I write a book, I'm not only presenting readers with a different story, but also pleasing myself.

If I can't even please or move myself, how can I move others?

That's all. The story continues, just like life. No matter how good friends are, they will eventually drift apart, but there will always be some people who will accompany you throughout your life.

..................

North of Feiguo County.

At this time, Liu Bei's army of more than 10,000 men was advancing along the foot of Mount Meng.

After negotiating with Cao Cao yesterday, Liu Bei did not rush to launch a full-scale attack on the million Yellow Turban rebels at Mengshan, but instead camped by the Wu River for half a day.

They did not march towards Mengshan again until the early morning of the next day.

Riding a white horse, Liu Bei led his troops at the forefront with a calm expression, but his eyes, gazing at the distant Mengshan Mountain, held a hint of anticipation and trepidation.

When he was very young, Liu Bei thought that being able to eat his fill and stay warm was the life he longed for most in his life.

When he grew older, he went to Luoyang and studied at Mount Goushi, where he witnessed the prosperity of Luoyang.

I saw spoiled young men in fine clothes riding spirited horses and galloping about, and I saw royalty and nobles who were always surrounded by followers wherever they went.

At that moment, Liu Bei stopped dreaming of a life in his hometown of Zhuojun where he could have meat at every meal by weaving mats and selling shoes.

Liu Bei wanted to come to Luoyang and, like those people, parade through the city in fine clothes.

But Liu Bei also knew that, having only been able to come to Luoyang to study by relying on the help of relatives, he had no chance of completing all of this under his own circumstances.

Although he was a member of the Han imperial family, the title of "member of the Han imperial family" was not a rare thing in his hometown of Zhuojun.

His relatives, including even those guarded by his uncles Liu Yuanqi and Liu Zijing, were all 'relatives of the Han imperial family.'

It's impossible to change your destiny and rise above others by relying on the protection of your ancestors.

Without a major upheaval, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to change his fate and complete the leap from a mat weaver and shoe seller to a true member of the Han imperial family.

He couldn't even compare to his classmates like Gongsun Zan in this lifetime.

If you want to make a change, you have to make use of all the resources available to you.

Later, his teacher Lu Zhi went to Jiujiang to quell the rebellion, and his days of studying at Goushi Mountain in Luoyang came to an end.

Behind me lies the bustling city of Luoyang.

As it gradually disappeared from sight.

But the magnificent city and everything in Luoyang were etched into my heart like a brand.

When he returned to Zhuojun, to his hometown, and saw the mulberry tree in his courtyard that resembled a canopy of feathers, he was absolutely convinced that he was born with a noble destiny.

So he began to befriend prominent local figures.

He gained some fame in Zhuojun by being a student of Lu Zhi, a classmate of Gongsun Zan, and having the so-called title of a member of the Han imperial family.

From then on, people began to sponsor him.

He stopped weaving mats and selling shoes, and started wearing fine clothes and a group of people gathered around him.

Horse traders, smugglers, street strongmen, and powerful butchers.

The opportunity he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

The Taiping Dao rebellion plunged the world into chaos.

After learning that his teacher Lu Zhi had been appointed as the General of the Northern Army to quell a rebellion in Ji Province, he took the initiative to go and join him.

Fame and fortune can be achieved on horseback.

His second brother's swordsmanship was as fast as lightning, and he could easily kill generals and seize flags. His third brother had the courage of ten thousand men and could take the head of a general from among ten thousand soldiers as easily as taking something out of a bag.

He received affirmation and recognition from his teacher, Lu Zhi.

He thought he would soon be rewarded for his military achievements and return to Luoyang.

however.

Just when he thought everything was going in the direction he wanted, he met that person.

Duan Yu.

Duan Yu, who, like him, rose from humble beginnings and was even less accomplished than him.

He couldn't understand why Duan Yu, whose starting point was inferior to his, was able to far surpass him.

He shall be granted a title of nobility!

State animal husbandry!

Appointed General!

Even the warhorse that Duan Yu rode was a rare and magnificent steed!

He wanted to prove that he was better than Duan Yu.

but......

Liu Bei, who was riding on horseback, frowned.

The missing left ear began to ache again.

Not far away, a fast horseman quickly arrived near Liu Bei.

"Xuande, it's done!"

Jian Yong's excited shout interrupted Liu Bei's thoughts, waking him from his reverie.

Liu Bei raised his eyes and looked at Jian Yong with some confusion.

done?

What happened?

Jian Yong glanced at the guards on Liu Bei's left and right.

Understanding immediately, Liu Bei raised his hand and said, "Pass down the order: the army shall rest in place for half an hour."

The guards standing to the left and right of Liu Bei reined in his warhorse.

Liu Bei then rode forward to Jian Yong's side.

The two walked side by side to the side.

It was midday, and the warm sunshine dispelled the chill rising from the ground in early spring.

Jian Yong could hardly contain his excitement.

Liu Bei looked at Jian Yong anxiously and asked, "Has Cao Cao started fighting with the Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou?"

Jian Yong nodded excitedly and said, "That's not all."

Cao Cao is dead!

"what!"

Liu Bei was immediately shocked, his eyes wide open as if he could not believe what Jian Yong had said.

"Xianhe...you...what did you say?"

"Say it again?" Liu Bei couldn't believe his ears.

Jian Yong nodded repeatedly and said, "Cao Cao is dead. He was ambushed by Zhang Rao, the leader of the Yellow Turban Army, yesterday afternoon and died in the Yellow Turban Army's camp."

"How...how could this happen?"

How could Cao Cao have died?

Jian Yong smiled and said, "Everything is fate. You can't blame anyone else but yourself."

“I deliberately sent someone with a forged secret letter to make Zhang Rao believe that Cao Cao not only wanted to annex them, but also to completely eliminate them. This was to sow discord between Cao Cao and Zhang Rao, and to make Zhang Rao fight back to the death.”

"Only if the Yellow Turban Army of Qingzhou fights to the death, and then Xuande recruits them in the name of benevolence and righteousness, can he gather most of the Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou without much effort."

"But I didn't expect that."

"Zhang Rao feigned surrender, but in reality it was a ruse to lure Cao Cao into his camp."

“Xuande refused Cao Cao yesterday, and Cao Cao must have been anxious, worried that Xuande would divide up the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou, so he hastily assumed that Zhang Rao was really going to surrender.”

"So he went to Zhang Rao's camp, where Zhang Rao, who had successfully feigned surrender, set up an ambush. Cao Cao was killed in battle."

Liu Bei stared at Jian Yong in shock.

For a moment, he was speechless.

Their original plan was simply to have Zhang Rao fight to the death.

Cao Cao's intention was clear: he wanted to obtain the million Yellow Turban rebels of Qingzhou.

The solution for dealing with these million Yellow Turban rebels from Qingzhou was actually quite simple.

It's simply a matter of breaking them up and distributing them in various counties; there's no need to guess.

That's why Jian Yong said in that forged 'secret letter' that Cao Cao planned to scatter them and then wipe them out one by one.

But who knew...

Zhang Rao actually staged a feigned surrender.

"Xuande, our chance has come!"

Jian Yong excitedly said, "Cao Cao's cousin has raised an army of 30,000 and is already launching a fierce attack on Zhang Rao, under the pretext of avenging Cao Cao. They are currently engaged in a major battle at the foot of Mount Meng."

"Although Cao Cao is dead, his army is still here."

"With such a fierce attack, Zhang Rao will inevitably find it difficult to resist."

“We can take advantage of this opportunity to subdue the Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou, since they have entered Langya Kingdom,” Jian Yong said excitedly.

However, Liu Bei's thoughts were not on the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou at this time.

Cao Cao is dead.

Zhang Rao killed Cao Cao.

Then... will that attract Duan Yu?

It should be noted that Duan Yu and Cao Cao were bosom friends, almost like sworn brothers.

If Duan Yu were to learn of Cao Cao's death, given his personality, he would undoubtedly seek revenge for Cao Cao.

Liu Bei's silence soon caught Jian Yong's attention.

"Xuande, are you worried about Duan Yu?" Jian Yong asked Liu Bei.

Liu Bei took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

What is there to fear?

Jian Yong said with an arrogant expression, "Xuande and Duan Yu have long been sworn enemies. Otherwise, why would Xuande have come to Xuzhou?"

"Furthermore, it was Zhang Rao, not Xuande, who killed Cao Cao."

"Even if Duan Yu comes to seek revenge in the future, he will come to Zhang Rao, not Xuande."

Also.

It was Zhang Rao who killed Cao Cao, so what does it have to do with him?

"What Xuande needs to do now is to take advantage of this opportunity to gather as many Yellow Turbans as possible in Qingzhou, hold a strong army in hand, and firmly establish himself in Langya Kingdom so that he will no longer need to rely on Tao Shijun's support in the future."

"This is what Xuande should do right now."

Liu Bei, now enlightened, nodded.

"Okay, according to Xianhe, what should we do now... what should we do now?"

Jian Yong stroked his beard and said, "Cao Cao's army is launching a fierce attack on Zhang Rao. Zhang Rao will definitely not be able to withstand it. The million Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou are not under Zhang Rao's control alone."

"At this time, Xuande should use the name of benevolence and righteousness to recruit the Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou."

Liu Bei took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Alright, let's do as Xianhe says."