Three Kingdoms: Mistakenly Becoming Liu Bei's Adoptive Father at the Start

Zhao Yun was deeply moved upon hearing this.

This item is of extraordinary value, and for cavalry, it is nothing short of a divine weapon.

He replied solemnly, "Sir, your gift is too generous; how could I possibly accept it? This item is extremely precious..."

Liu Liang interrupted him, saying, "A fine sword is given to a hero, and rouge to a beautiful woman. Such horse tack is perfectly suited to a fine steed and a valiant general like yourself, so that you can fully display your abilities. If it remains in my hands, it would be a waste of a gem. Please do not refuse, General."

Seeing Liu Liang's sincerity and his genuine fondness for the horse tack, Zhao Yun no longer hesitated and solemnly accepted it: "In that case, I thank you for your generous gift, sir! I will forever remember your kindness in presenting the stirrups and saddle!"

The two found themselves getting along very well as they talked.

Zhao Yun admired Liu Liang's insight and "ingenuity," while Liu Liang appreciated Zhao Yun's martial arts skills, character, and composure.

Upon learning that Zhao Yun was escorting a shipment of military supplies and was passing through Zhuojun on his way back to Jicheng soon, Liu Liang's heart stirred.

As noon approached, Liu Liang invited Zhao Yun to a nearby tavern.

During the meal, they discussed the chaos in the world and the suffering of the people. They all shared the ambition to help the country and its people. Although they served different masters, their concern for the country and its people was the same.

Liu Liang already had a very good impression of Zhao Yun, and now he felt even more compatible with him.

Raising his cup, he said, "Zilong is young and promising, loyal, brave, and righteous; he will surely become a pillar of the nation in the future. I am more than ten years older than you. If you do not mind, I would like to become sworn brothers with Zilong, so that we can support each other in the future. What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun solemnly rose and said, "Sir, your name is renowned throughout You and Ji provinces. I am but a humble warrior, and to receive such high regard from you is truly an honor. I wish to become sworn brothers with you!"

The two immediately set up a simple incense table in the backyard of the tavern and exchanged greetings about their ages.

Liu Liang was thirty years old, and Zhao Yun was twenty-one. Liu Liang was the elder brother, and Zhao Yun was the younger brother.

The two knelt down and swore an oath, becoming sworn brothers.

After the sworn brotherhood was formed, Zhao Yun said, "Brother, I have military duties to attend to and will soon have to return to Jicheng in the north. This time, I have had the pleasure of meeting you, receiving the divine weapon, and forming a brotherhood with you. It is truly an unexpected joy. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely come to visit you and Lord Xuande again."

Liu Liang did not insist on keeping him, but only instructed him: "My dear brother, your future is bright, so you should prioritize official business. Jicheng and Zhuojun are not far apart, and we brothers will meet again someday. The battlefield is dangerous, so please take good care of yourself."

Zhao Yun no longer refused and accepted this profound sentiment.

After the two finished drinking, Zhao Yun led his white horse, now adorned with new tack and looking even more magnificent, and exchanged farewells with Liu Liang outside Zhuojun City, promising to meet again someday.

......

Liu Liang returned to the military camp.

Before even entering the central command tent, they could hear Zhang Fei's loud voice coming from inside.

He lifted the curtain and went inside, where he saw Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Jian Yong discussing matters around a table. When they saw him return, they all looked over.

"Father is back!" Liu Bei stepped forward to greet him. "There is an important matter that needs to be decided by you."

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"Is it about money and provisions?" Liu Liang asked.

Liu Bei shook his head, his tone heavy: "The scouts' report just now confirms what we've heard recently. In the northwest of Zhuojun, banditry has become rampant again in Laoya Ridge and Heifeng Mountain. There are over three hundred bandits in Heifeng Mountain, led by a deserter named 'Over-the-Mountain Tiger.' Thirty li north of the city, there are about four hundred bandits in Laoya Ridge, led by a 'One-Eyed Wolf.' These two gangs occupy key mountain roads, robbing merchants, harassing villagers, and even kidnapping and extorting wealthy households nearby, causing considerable harm. The prefectural government's troops are inadequate, and the people are suffering terribly."

Jian Yong said, "Xuande, these two bandit groups are no ordinary ones. As far as I know, the prefectural government has sent troops to suppress them several times, but all have failed and instead suffered some losses. The bandit leader of Laoya Ridge is cunning and suspicious, and has many desperate men under his command. They hold their positions in a strategic location, and the government troops often have difficulty even getting close to the outer perimeter of the stronghold. The leader of Heifeng Mountain is incredibly strong and fierce. He is skilled with a large axe and once single-handedly resisted an attack by more than a dozen prefectural soldiers. Although the two groups of bandits occasionally clash, they often communicate with each other and support each other when government troops come to suppress them, making it a very troublesome situation."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups bounce around: "Bah! Just mentioning these filthy scoundrels makes me furious! It's not just the government that's incompetent; last year when I was selling wine and meat through that area, they robbed me and injured my farmhands! It's just a pity that I had no soldiers or generals at the time, and my farmhands were scattered in different places, so I couldn't gather them together and suffered a hidden loss! If I had my temper back then, I should have taken my spear and smashed their nest! Now that we have strong troops and horses, it's time to settle both the old and new scores!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's expression turned serious: "So that's how it is. It seems these two gangs of bandits are indeed a major scourge to this area, with deep roots, and even the government can't do anything about them. Yide has also suffered at their hands."

Guan Yu slightly opened his phoenix eyes, a cold glint flashing in them: "If that's the case, then we should annihilate them even more. If the bandits are not eliminated, the people will have no peace, and our army will find it difficult to establish itself here. This is a good opportunity to test the might of my White Feather Camp and avenge the old humiliation suffered by Yide."

Liu Bei said, "What does my godfather think? We all feel that this is a feasible plan at present, but the specific strategy still needs to be considered."

Suppressing bandits?

Liu Liang did not hesitate for a moment when it came to this matter.

These bandits killed, burned, and looted villages, sparing neither the elderly nor women and children.

In the three months since he transmigrated, he has seen shacks burned to ashes, corpses hanging from trees, and orphans who have cried themselves hoarse.

He himself was robbed three times. The last time, the bandits threw his only bag of food into the river right in front of him.

Therefore, even without the mission of the "chosen one," he was determined to wipe out these beasts.

This mob is no match for a powerful regular army; their power is relatively controllable, and the risk-reward balance is just right.

On this point, he and Liu Bei shared the same goal.

Liu Liang immediately made up his mind.

We will do everything in our power to help Liu Bei win this battle!

Liu Liang said, "This is a golden opportunity that we must not miss! Suppressing the bandits will firstly bring peace to the people and establish credibility, making our army's reputation for benevolence and righteousness a reality, not just empty talk. Secondly, it will provide real combat training for the new army, especially testing the effectiveness of the White Feather Left and Right Battalions' drills. Thirdly, we can also obtain some money and grain to replenish our military supplies. This is an opportunity that achieves multiple benefits at once."

After saying this, Liu Liang looked at everyone and asked, "Do you have a map of Zhuojun?"

All four shook their heads.

Liu Liang then said, "Bring me a charcoal pencil and some plain silk."

Everyone was puzzled and looked at Liu Liang.

Liu Liang said, "I have been interested in mountains and rivers since I was a child. Whenever I go to a place, I will write down the local mountains, rivers, topography and landforms. Based on my memory, I can draw a geomantic map of Zhuojun."

Liu Bei suddenly realized what was happening and immediately ordered someone to bring him charcoal, a pencil, and a piece of silk.

Liu Liang took it, concentrated for a moment, and then bent down to sketch it.

He writes very quickly, with simple and neat lines.

Before long, a rough map of the terrain surrounding Zhuojun appeared on the silk.