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

Three days later, Zhang Fei and Jian Yong sold their possessions and raised enough food and supplies to recruit a thousand soldiers.

The group traveled light and left through the west gate of Zhuojun. The scene was indeed very different from that in the south of the city.

The south of the city was home to many wealthy merchants and powerful families, whose houses were well-arranged.

In the west of the city, the fields were barren, the villages were sparse, and the pedestrians on the road were dressed in rags and looked malnourished.

After walking for about twenty miles, we arrived at a mountain village called "Qingshi'ao".

The scene before them took everyone by surprise.

A few bundles of dried mugwort hung on the crooked fence at the village entrance, and the air was filled with the smell of decay.

The fields were overgrown with weeds, many houses were closed, and some were even blackened by smoke, clearly having been burned.

Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, only a dozen or so villagers sat around, all of them looking pale and thin.

Zhang Fei cracked his whip, dismounted, and said, "Eldest brother, second brother, look at this. Where can we recruit soldiers here?"

Guan Yu also shook his head secretly, glancing unintentionally at Liu Liang. Although he did not complain, his eyes clearly said that this was not a place to recruit soldiers!

Liu Bei dismounted and stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting, saying, "Fellow villagers, I am Liu Bei from Zhuojun..."

He swallowed back the words he originally intended to say, "We intend to recruit local militia here to protect the territory and ensure the safety of the people."

Before the words were finished, an old man in the crowd suddenly stood up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "Are you Liu Bei, a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan?"

Although he was thin, he had strong legs and waist when he stood up, and his voice was quite loud.

Liu Bei was taken aback: "It is indeed I. How did you know, sir?"

The old man didn't answer, but turned to the crowd and announced loudly, "The descendants of Prince Jing of Zhongshan have arrived! And has Mr. Zishan come with them?"

Upon hearing this, the other villagers under the tree all stood up and turned their gazes toward them.

Liu Liang was startled when he suddenly heard someone call his name. He quickly lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage.

The old man appeared to be in his fifties. Although his face was weathered and his cheekbones were high, the muscles in his bare arms were clearly defined, and his gait was steady, unlike that of an ordinary farmer.

"I am Liu Liang. May I ask, sir...?"

The old man sized Liu Liang up and down, then suddenly clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "I am Zhao San, a native of Dai County! In my younger days, I served in the army, guarding the border. Later, I was discharged due to injury and returned to my hometown to farm. Last autumn, this place was struck by a plague; nine out of ten houses were empty. The county government did nothing, and the powerful and wealthy shut their doors. Those who survived were mostly the strong and resilient. We survivors huddled together for warmth, barely clinging to life here. Recently, I heard from passing merchants that a direct descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan, named Liu Liang (Liu Zishan), has emerged in Zhuo County. Not only is his genealogy detailed, but he also has the ambition to restore the Han Dynasty. Is this you, sir?"

Liu Liang, who had been reluctant to step forward, could only return the greeting with clasped hands: "It is indeed I. However, I dare not accept the title of 'restoring the Han Dynasty,' I can only assist Xuande and do my utmost."

Zhao San, however, became excited and turned to the villagers, shouting, "Did you all hear that? The real deal has arrived! These two Lord Lius are the descendants of the wise ruler we've been waiting for!"

"A wise ruler?" Liu Bei and Liu Liang exchanged a glance.

Zhao San said, "To be honest, after the plague, the government treated us like trash, and the local powerful families, fearing infection, drove us away and blocked our way. We were like abandoned people, living in constant fear, not knowing if we would starve to death tomorrow, or if another epidemic would wipe us all out. Now we hear that a member of the Han imperial family wants to raise an army to protect the people. For us, who have suffered and been abandoned, this is like a beacon in the dark! If you two don't despise us, we men who crawled out of piles of dead bodies and escaped with our lives are willing to fight to the death!"

As soon as the words were spoken, seven or eight people in the crowd stood up at the same time. Although they were dressed in rags, they had an upright air about them and their eyes were bright. They all bowed to Liu Liang and Liu Bei.

Liu Liang stared intently, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.

These people are clearly not ordinary, weak villagers!

That fierce spirit could not have been nurtured in a docile place.

One of the men, a man in his thirties, was broad-shouldered and burly, with calluses on his hands, clearly from years of wielding weapons.

Liu Bei also noticed something amiss and hurriedly asked, "Are you brave warriors perhaps from military backgrounds?"

The man clasped his hands and said, "My name is Pei Yuanshao. I was originally a garrison soldier in Yanmen County, Bingzhou, and served as a garrison commander. Three years ago, the Xiongnu invaded the border. We fought a bloody battle for three days, and more than half of us were killed or wounded. Later, because my superior withheld my pay, I killed the quartermaster in a fit of anger and fled here. During the plague, I survived thanks to my strong constitution and also helped Old Man Zhao protect some of my fellow villagers."

Upon hearing this name, Liu Liang was secretly alarmed.

According to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Pei Yuanshao was originally a Yellow Turban general. How did he become a deserter from the border army and a survivor of the plague? This discrepancy is too great.

Moreover, judging from this situation, those who survived that plague and became the backbone of the villagers must be people with excellent physical health and strong will.

This isn't a search for weak soldiers.

This is practically stirring up trouble for the "elite survivors"...

Zhao San said, "What Pei Zhuangshi said is true. That plague was extremely severe, with fever and coughing up blood; if one fell ill, it would infect many others. Those who survived were either strong and vigorous soldiers like Pei Zhuangshi, or robust laborers like Carpenter Li and Tie Tou Zhou, who could do the work of two men each. Those who were weak or had hidden illnesses did not survive... Now, those remaining in the village, I dare not say about anything else, but they all have the strength and endurance!"

Pei Yuanshao said, "During the plague, my wife and two children were all gone... I'm all alone now. I still have some strength left. If Lord Liu doesn't mind, I'm willing to join the army and serve. I only ask to kill the bandits and bring some solace to my family!"

Liu Bei was both surprised and delighted. He was inherently benevolent, and upon hearing of the villagers' plight, he was deeply moved. He bowed to Zhao San, Pei Yuanshao, and the others, saying, "My fellow villagers have suffered greatly! Though I am not talented, having come here, I cannot bear to see you all displaced and helpless! I wish to join you all in resisting foreign aggression and seeking peace!"

These heartfelt words touched the hearts of the surviving villagers, and many of them immediately had tears in their eyes.

Pei Yuanshao raised both hands and said, "Lord Liu, you are truly virtuous! We fled here to escape disaster, originally only to preserve our lives. Having experienced the plague, we feel that human life is as worthless as grass. But recently, we heard that you two are relatives of the Han imperial family and have a strong desire to restore order. We discussed that if we really had the opportunity, it would be better to rejoin the army than to live a life of uncertainty in this desolate mountain, not knowing whether we would live or die tomorrow. Today, witnessing Lord Liu's benevolence, you truly have the demeanor of a wise ruler!"

Liu Bei asked Pei Yuanshao, "How many retired soldiers like you are there in this Qing Shi Ao?"

Pei Yuanshao said, "I dare not deceive Lord Liu. Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out this year, soldiers from Ji, Bing, Qing, and You prefectures have either deserted or retired from the army to avoid disaster and head north. We heard that You prefecture is relatively peaceful, so we have gathered here one after another. In this Qing Shi Ao alone, there are 547 retired soldiers, none of whom have families."

"Five hundred and forty-seven men?! And no burdens or worries?!" Zhang Fei's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. "Are they all veterans?"