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

Meanwhile, the "Ten Attendants" were wielding power and causing chaos in the government, leading to intense conflicts with the powerful general He Jin, who was related to the empress.

In order to eliminate the eunuchs, He Jin followed Yuan Shao's advice and secretly summoned powerful generals from all directions to the capital to assist him, including the warlord Dong Zhuo from Liangzhou.

However, the plot was leaked, and He Jin was killed by the eunuchs.

Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and others led their troops into the palace and executed all the eunuchs, but the capital had already fallen into chaos.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Dong Zhuo led his elite Xiliang army swiftly into the capital and quickly seized control of Luoyang by force.

He first lured Lü Bu to surrender and then killed Ding Yuan. He then deposed Emperor Shao of Han, Liu Bian, and installed his younger brother, Liu Xie, the Prince of Chenliu, as emperor. He then seized power and appointed himself prime minister. He was tyrannical and despotic, and the court and the people were terrified.

Dong Zhuo's perverse actions aroused public outrage.

Cao Cao was the first to raise a righteous army, and he issued a proclamation to punish Dong Zhuo by forging an imperial edict. Various prefectures and counties in Guandong responded one after another.

......

Anxi County.

With Liu Liang's assistance, Liu Bei bided his time in Anxi County, focusing on improving people's livelihoods while simultaneously suppressing the remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the surrounding areas.

In just six months, his army had grown to over ten thousand men, including one thousand cavalry, two thousand archers, five thousand infantry, and the rest supply troops. They were well-fed and equipped, and their military discipline was impeccable.

Although Liu Bei was still nominally only the magistrate of Anxi County, the imperial court did not investigate the death of the previous inspector. Instead, it issued an edict ordering him to lead his troops to the capital to jointly attack Dong Zhuo.

When Liu Bei received the imperial edict, he was indeed excited at first.

However, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Jian Yong strongly opposed it.

Zhang Fei slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups clang. "Brother! What the hell! We've been fighting bandits and pacifying the people in Anxi County, risking our lives. We've scraped together every bit of food, supplies, and equipment ourselves. Has the prefecture or county ever given us a single grain of rice or an arrow? Now that old scoundrel Dong Zhuo has caused too much trouble, and they can't hold out any longer, they finally remember us? They're clearly using us as free thugs!"

Jian Yong picked up the edict, pointed to one line, and said, "Xuande, please look. This edict lists the names of eighteen warlords, including Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian, but it doesn't mention 'Liu Bei, the magistrate of Anxi County' at all. This means that in the eyes of the person issuing the edict, we are not considered warlords at all, but just miscellaneous troops that can be dispatched at will. If we go, the best outcome is to be incorporated into some warlord's army and obey his orders. More likely, we will be thrown into the most dangerous places as expendable resources. Without proper status, we will be at the mercy of others."

Guan Yu picked up the conversation, saying, "Third Brother and Xianhe are right. I have another concern: Anxi County is our foundation. The people's hearts have just been won over, and our supplies and weapons are just beginning to improve. The journey to Luoyang is long, and the outcome of the battle is unpredictable. If we launch a large-scale expedition, Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan of Youzhou, or Yuan Shao of nearby Jizhou, could take advantage of our weakened rear and attack us, destroying all our efforts over the past few years. If our foundation is unstable, even if we manage to gain some benefits in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, it will be like a tree without roots. It would be better to safeguard our foundation, accumulate strength, and wait for a more suitable opportunity."

The three men's reasons for opposing were very practical, and Liu Bei was swayed by their arguments. He hesitated, then looked at Liu Liang: "Father... what my brothers say is not without merit. In your opinion, how should this matter be decided?"

Liu Liang gazed at the smoke and dust in the west, pondering the matter repeatedly in his mind.

He naturally knew that the campaign against Dong Zhuo had started strong but ended weakly, that the warlords each had their own agendas, and that this might be a delicate opportunity to get closer to Cao Cao while protecting Liu Bei.

This requires him to continue walking the tightrope of "both helping Bei establish himself and secretly promoting Cao Cao's rise" in this grand drama.

Liu Liang silently sorted through the fragmented memories of the campaign against Dong Zhuo, pondering how to create a plausible possibility for his "accidental" encounter with Cao Cao amidst the power struggle among the eighteen warlords.

Therefore, the path of opposing Tung Chee-hwa is imperative.

Liu Liang regained his composure and said, "Xuande, what you all are worried about is true. The court has indeed been negligent, the feudal lords may have their own selfish motives, and there are risks involved in the expedition."

Unexpectedly, Liu Liang changed the subject, "However, what does a true man rely on to stand in this world? Is it the land of this county before him, or the thousands of soldiers and armor, or the original aspiration and righteousness in his heart to 'support the Han Dynasty and save the people'?"

Liu Liang scanned the crowd and continued, "Why do the people follow us? Why do heroes come to serve us? It is because you, Xuande, uphold benevolence and virtue, value loyalty and righteousness, and aspire to rule the world, not to be content with a corner of the land! Now, the traitor Dong Zhuo is wreaking havoc in the capital, poisoning the world, the emperor is in turmoil, and the people are suffering. This is precisely the time for patriots to serve and for heroes to rise up! If you sit idly by and watch the nation perish because of minor differences in treatment or risk, hiding yourselves in fear, how are you any different from those warlords who hold military power and only care about carving out their own territories? How will you face the Han imperial family in the future? How will you have the confidence to recruit talents from all over the world?"

Before the words were even finished, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Jian Yong all blushed and lowered their heads in unison.

Only Liu Bei had tears in his eyes, his gaze burning brightly.

Liu Liang said in a deep voice, "Anxi County is our foundation, but not our prison. If one's mind is only set on the territory of one county, one will forever remain merely the magistrate of that county. Only by setting our sights on the world and taking responsibility for its rise and fall can we possibly achieve anything for the world! This journey, though fraught with peril, is also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate our ambitions and strength to the world, to make friends with heroes from all directions, and to truly step onto the grand stage! How can we throw the baby out with the bathwater?"

At this moment, Zhao Yun, who had been silent all along, clasped his hands and said, "What you say, sir, is righteous and awe-inspiring, and deeply in line with the great principles of righteousness. I believe that it is our duty to punish traitors to the country. Even if there are countless difficulties, we should still go! I am willing to be the vanguard!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei felt his blood boil. In comparison, he realized that his earlier hesitation had almost led him astray.

Liu Bei rose from his seat, his face filled with shame, and said, "I was momentarily confused and almost let my desire for a peaceful life lead me astray! If it weren't for my adoptive father's rebuke and Zilong's agreement, I would have almost ruined everything! With the country in such a state, as a member of the imperial clan, if I only know how to protect myself, how am I any different from a beast? It is our duty to punish Dong Zhuo, even if it means being a mere foot soldier!"

Although Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Jian Yong still had concerns, seeing that their lord had made up his mind, they said no more and each organized their troops to prepare for the expedition.

Three days later

Liu Bei appointed Jian Yong as the commander, with Pei Yuanshao as his assistant, and ordered him to lead two thousand troops to garrison Anxi County.

He personally led over 8,000 main forces, including 1,000 cavalry, 2,000 archers and crossbowmen, and 5,000 elite infantry, carrying ample provisions and weapons. On a chosen day, he held a flag-raising ceremony, and the army set off.

Guan Yu led the vanguard to clear the way, Zhang Fei protected the central army, Zhao Yun led cavalry to patrol the flanks, and Liu Liang and Liu Bei commanded the central army.

Heading west, all I saw along the way was a life of poverty and displacement.

When Liu Bei's compassion was stirred, he often ordered the distribution of grain to relieve people's suffering, and gradually many beggars followed him into his ranks.

Although Liu Liang knew this would slow down the journey and deplete supplies, he did not dissuade him.

This was a prelude to Liu Bei's later act of "leading the people across the river," and also part of his reputation for "benevolence and virtue."

His thoughts were now focused on the allied forces' camp that was about to arrive, and on the powerful figure he was forced to "secretly assist"—Cao Cao.

"Cao Cao...we're finally going to meet."