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

The setting sun dyed the treetops a dark red.

Liu Liang and Zhao Yun hid deep in the dense forest, peering out through the gaps in the branches and leaves. Cao Cao's horses had disappeared at the end of the official road, leaving only a wisp of dust, which was dispersed by the evening breeze.

Zhao Yun led the horse over, but Liu Liang didn't rush to mount. Instead, he took out a roll of blueprints from his pocket.

That was a reward Liu Bei received from the "Man of Heaven" when he conquered Hulao Pass.

[Reward for Suggestions: Improved ladder with grappling hook and anti-slip mechanism]

[Implementation Path: A retractable iron grappling hook is added to the top of the ladder (to hook onto the crenellations of the city wall during sieges and prevent it from being pushed off). The ladder is lined with anti-slip rope steps, and protective guards are added to the sides (to protect against arrows)].

[Military Value: The ability of siege soldiers to climb effectively reduces the mortality rate; once the ladders are set up, they are difficult to destroy, greatly improving siege efficiency]

Liu Liang had only glanced at the siege warfare of the Three Kingdoms period when he read "Ancient Military History" before, and the two words "ant swarm" left the deepest impression on him.

Soldiers carried ladders and ran towards the base of the wall. A hail of logs, stones, and arrows rained down from the city wall. As soon as the ladders were placed up, the guards pushed them down, and half of the men fell off the ladders and died. The men behind them continued to climb up.

Fill in human lives.

The piece of silk he holds now can save half the lives of those who are put into it.

even more.

Liu Liang took out the scroll of patterns and unfolded it.

Flying Tiger Claw.

In his previous life, he had seen a reconstruction of a Ming Dynasty siege ladder truck in an antique market. The hooks were even larger than this one, and it was used to fasten the crenellations of the city wall.

The principle is simple, but it's something no one in this era has ever thought of.

If Liu Bei were to obtain the blueprints, he would have a new debt to owe the "Man of Heaven".

A cloud ladder is not the same as a stirrup.

Stirrups can be simply described as "easy to ride," while earthenware jars of military rations can be excused as "traditional methods used in border regions."

The siege ladder has been modified to this extent; it's clearly designed specifically for siege warfare.

He was a member of a collateral branch of the imperial family who claimed to have traveled all over the world. How many siege battles had he fought in his life?

If someone investigates the origin of these things in the future, they won't even have a plausible explanation to stand up to questioning.

If you think about it carefully, he has already given Liu Bei quite a lot.

Stirrups, saddles, horseshoes, hoof baths, earthenware jars for military rations, and salted vegetables for marching.

Some taught Zhao San openly and honestly, some went around in circles and entered the army through the blacksmith's shop, and some promoted it throughout the entire battalion under the guise of Jian Yong's logistics orders.

He didn't allow these things to be promoted under the name of "Liu Liangxian".

But Liu Bei knew, Jian Yong knew, and Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun knew to some extent as well.

When these things came into Liu Bei's hands, they became a means for cavalry to charge more steadily, for warhorses to travel longer distances, and for military rations to be stored for longer periods.

Then it became a real boost to Liu Bei's army's combat strength.

Liu Liang rubbed his temples.

Everyone has their own selfish motives; he had considered keeping some things for himself.

Why are those grand pronouncements about "restoring the Han Dynasty" just a fig leaf? In reality, they're all scheming their own agendas.

He carried the horseshoe blueprints with him for ten days straight, thinking every night before bed, "Tomorrow I'll find an excuse to say this method won't work."

The night the earthenware jar military rations were successfully produced, Jian Yong was so happy that he bowed repeatedly. He said he would "keep quiet for now," but in his mind he had seven or eight reasons to keep the secret recipe.

None of them were used.

It's not that he's soft-hearted.

None of those excuses could fool Jian Yong, much less those eyes that often looked at him with tears in their eyes.

Liu Bei did not suspect him.

This is the most troublesome.

Liu Bei genuinely respected him as his adoptive father. When discussing matters, his question, "What does adoptive father think?" wasn't just for show; he truly waited for Liu Bei to speak when things came to a head.

Being trusted by such a person and having something done behind their back is much more difficult than playing tricks under the noses of old foxes like Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan.

Liu Liang looked beyond the treetops towards the west.

That's the direction of Hangu Pass; further west is Chang'an.

Luoyang is now a ghost town.

The fire that Dong Zhuo set when he fled burned for three days and three nights, turning the palace into a pile of charcoal, and causing the people to either die or flee.

Cao Cao occupied Luoyang, but all he got was ruins and tens of thousands of mouths to feed.

These mouths need to eat and survive.

Cao Cao's meager supplies wouldn't last more than a few days.

But behind Hangu Pass, there were 200,000 Xiliang troops under Dong Zhuo.

Whoever goes west is taking a knife for someone else.

Liu Liang knew this was a risky move.

But he also knew that this was a great opportunity.

If you're going to help Cao Cao, you have to help him to the very end.

What's the point of giving away a fake imperial seal?

To truly instill Cao Cao's ambition to unify the world, he needed to have troops, provisions, and a legitimate authority.

We've got the official status, but what about the soldiers and provisions?

We have to go and snatch it, to take it from Dong Zhuo's mouth.

Hangu Pass was the first piece of meat that was extracted.

Liu Liang snapped out of his thoughts and said, "Zilong, immediately send someone back to Hulao Pass and tell Xuande to lead his troops to Luoyang under the pretext of 'pacifying the refugees and cleaning up the palace.' Once they arrive, don't fight over anything. First, stabilize the refugees, guard the city gates, and block the princes coming from the east."

Zhao Yun sensed the weight in the words: "Sir, are you saying... the warlords of Guandong will come again?"

Liu Liang said, "They've scattered now because they didn't gain anything. Once they realize what's going on, they'll pounce back like hungry wolves. At that time, Luoyang will need soldiers to protect it."

Zhao Yun asked, "Where are we going?"

Liu Liang said, "Let's go west."

Zhao Yun's brow twitched slightly: "West? Hangu Pass?"

Liu Liang didn't hide it from him, pointing to the siege diagram in the blueprint.

Zhao Yun looked down.

The drawing shows a fortified wall with battlements and a deep moat at its base.

Several figures were climbing on the wall, holding long bamboo poles with iron hooks at the ends, which were caught in the gaps between the wall bricks.

Next to it is a cloud ladder, with barbs at the feet, firmly nailed to the ground.

Liu Liang pointed to the blueprints and said, "This is called the Flying Tiger Claw. One end of the bamboo pole is fitted with an iron claw. When thrown up, it can hook onto the top of the wall, making climbing three times faster than by hand. This is called the Wolf Fang Ladder. The feet of the ladder have barbs, so it won't slip when placed on the frame. When attacking a city, soldiers can climb up in single file."

Zhao Yun's eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again.

"We only have five hundred cavalrymen? We're going to attack the pass?"

Liu Liang said, "It's not 'us,' I'm going to find someone and have him lead the attack."

"Cao Mengde?"

Liu Liang nodded.

Zhao Yun said, "Brother, there's something I'm not sure if I should ask."

Liu Liang said, "We're brothers, what can't I ask?"

Zhao Yun said, "My elder brother has devoted himself to assisting Lord Xuande, racking his brains and coming up with many ingenious plans. But these days..."

Zhao Yun didn't finish his sentence, but he conveyed the meaning.

Liu Liang did not avoid Zhao Yun's gaze.

"Zilong, what kind of person do you think I am?"

Zhao Yun said, "My elder brother is Liu Bei's adoptive father, my sworn brother, and the chief strategist of our army."

Liu Liang said, "Then let me ask you, what is the purpose of opposing Dong Zhuo?"

Zhao Yun said, "To rid the country of traitors and restore the Han dynasty."

Liu Liang then asked, "Who has worked the hardest to eliminate the traitors? Who has been the most sincere in upholding justice?"

Zhao Yun thought for a moment and said, "Lord Xuande, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian."

Liu Liang said, "Sun Jian has suffered heavy losses and has returned to Jiangdong, while Cao Cao is still in Luoyang. If he loses, Dong Zhuo will truly be free from worry. If he wins, he will capture Chang'an, welcome back the emperor, and the world will have a leader. Xuande needs someone to shield him if he wants to establish himself. Cao Cao is that shield. If he wins, Xuande will gain fame later. If he loses, Xuande will clean up the mess. No matter how you look at it, it's a win-win situation."

After saying that, Liu Liang put away the blueprints and patted Zhao Yun on the shoulder.

"If this succeeds, everyone will be fine. If it fails, we won't die. Tell Xuande to hold Luoyang steady and wait for my news."