Three Kingdoms: Rebirth of Liu Bei, the Zhaolie

"I see that you two are both skilled swordsmen, so why are you fighting to the death on Wild Wolf Ridge?"

Liu Bei couldn't resist his curiosity.

The wandering swordsman Sun Qingdao sighed and said:

"We became friends because of our shared interests, but now we've become mortal enemies because of our differing paths. As the saying goes, good and bad things don't fit into the same container, and owls and phoenixes belong to different flocks."

Xun is a fragrant herb, and You is a foul-smelling herb.

The owl is an evil bird, while the phoenix is ​​a divine bird.

Liu Bei knew that Sun Qing's words showed his deep disappointment in his friend Wang Dang. While he himself praised himself as a man of integrity, he described Wang Dang as a withered branch and a broken willow.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dang also sighed:

"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. I can understand that. But a gentleman severs ties without uttering harsh words. Why do you have to slander me like this? When irreconcilable differences arise between friends, severing ties is not unacceptable, but you actually want to stab me to death. I cannot understand that."

—During the Han Dynasty, when friends had differing beliefs, they would often sever ties decisively. Their differing values ​​were practically irreconcilable, resulting in them never speaking to each other again. Such was their uprightness and stubbornness.

Sun Qing sneered:

"Killing you would be doing the people a favor. You actually want to join those eunuchs in the Qingxi Manor of Fifteen Mile Shop and become their retainers?! That's utterly degrading! And you even want to recruit me?! What a waste of our friendship."

Wang Dang snorted coldly:

"We are both wandering swordsmen, why should we imitate those self-important, hypocritical, and pretentious 'pure stream' people? I just want to live a happy life. As for the affairs of the world... I can't and don't want to interfere."

Sun sighed softly:

"If everyone in the world were like you, the country would have been doomed long ago. The Qingliu Party members are not arrogant or hypocritical; I met them personally in Luoyang. They are simply a group of patriots from all corners of the country, dissatisfied with the chaotic government, their blood still burning with passion, yearning to speak out for the people, and genuinely upright individuals trying to reverse the decline of the Han Dynasty. As your loyal friend, I absolutely cannot stand by and watch you become a henchman of the eunuch faction. I will use this sword in my hand to thoroughly awaken you! Not to kill you!"

Wang Dang shook his head, his expression helpless:

"You are my friend, that's true, but you're meddling too much. I'm used to being free and doing whatever I want. I want to become a retainer of Qingxi Manor, but that doesn't mean I'll collude with the eunuch faction. I have my own path to walk. Even members of the eunuch faction can't control my will."

Sun Qing's tone was firm:

"No matter what, you cannot join Qingxi Manor and become a guest of the eunuch faction. As long as I have a breath left, I will stop you."

After listening to their conversation, Liu Bei understood their thoughts.

He pondered for a moment.

Liu Bei paced back and forth a couple of steps, then said in a deep voice:

"Gentlemen, I think it would be better if we each took a step back for now. Brother Wang, don't rush to join the ranks of Qingxi Manor's retainers, and Brother Sun, please put away your sword for now. We are heading to Fifteen Mile Inn to visit Wen Xuan, the steward of Qingxi Manor. You two can follow me and observe them from the side before deciding whether to proceed. What do you say?"

Sun Qing said in a deep voice:

"I said, as long as you defeat the sword in my hand, I will do whatever you say."

At this moment, the contempt in his eyes when he looked at Liu Bei was gone, replaced by trust and respect.

Liu Bei was very satisfied, nodded, and then looked at Wang Dang:

"Where is my brother?"

Wang Dang pondered for a moment and said:

"You just defeated my sword, so I will listen to you until four quarters past midnight tonight."

In other words, after midnight, he would no longer follow Liu Bei's arrangements.

Liu Bei listened and nodded:

"Alright. In that case, let's go to Fifteen Mile Shop together."

People say that Liu Bei was a succubus of the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, possessing a unique charisma that attracted heroes from all directions to willingly serve him. Even Zhuge Liang, the Crouching Dragon, succumbed to this magical charm.

Not to mention the two wandering knights, Sun Qing and Wang Dang.

At this point, Liu Bei's small group consisted of seven people: Geng Yong, Qian Zhao, Zhang Fei, Wutulu, Sun Qing, and Wang Dang.

Of the seven, apart from Wutulu, Sun Qing, and Wang Dang, who were in their early twenties and could be considered young adults, the other four were all teenagers.

About half an hour later.

The group then arrived at Shiwulipu.

By this time, the streets were bustling with people of all kinds.

Liu Bei chose the best tavern in the area and ordered meat dishes, soup noodles, fermented rice wine, cheese milk, and millet porridge. The group sat on folding chairs around a long table and enjoyed their meal.

The Hu bed is a folding seat that originated from the people of the Western Regions. Because Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, took the lead in using it, it was regarded as a fashionable item among the nobles and relatives in Luoyang.

Youzhou was a border prefecture where Han and non-Han peoples lived together. The local customs were open, and taverns and restaurants often had folding chairs and dairy products.

The group was clearly hungry, and they all buried their heads in their food, no one speaking.

During the meal, Liu Bei noticed that six or seven burly men were gathered around a long table next to him, eating and laughing loudly as if no one else was around.

These men wore flat headscarves, short jackets with cross-collars, long trousers, and straw sandals. They spoke with great bravado.

Liu Bei, seeing that they did not look like businessmen, listened to their conversation.

"...Chu Yan, your ability to scale walls and leap across rooftops is as if it were flat ground, and your swordsmanship and halberd skills are so superb. Isn't it a bit of a waste of your talents to be a squad leader in Iron Wall Dock? You should at least be a company commander."

"Being appointed as a squad leader is already a great honor for Commander Yangbao. After all, I've only been in Ironwall Dock for a few months and haven't earned any military merits yet."

"Now, in the Ironwall Fortress army, everyone calls you 'Flying Swallow'! You're not exactly small or thin, so how can you be as light as a swallow?"

"When I was young, I followed my father to Danyang County in Yangzhou in the south to sell horses. Unexpectedly, the business failed, and my father fell seriously ill. We spent a lot of money to hire doctors and buy medicine, and he finally recovered. But we didn't have enough money to return to Changshan, so my father and I had to stay there. My father was literate, so he easily became a retainer of the local powerful families. During that time, I met a Yue man from the mountains. He took me to his home and taught me many things, such as scaling walls, traversing forests and rivers, and swordsmanship. I learned these skills from him for seven or eight years. I also enlisted in the local army and fought fiercely against the rebellious Yue tribes."

"No wonder you can climb mountains and cross ridges as if they were flat ground, and even walk freely on rocks and thorns. It turns out you learned your skills from the Yue people of Danyang County."

"Do you also know about the Yue people of Danyang County in Yangzhou?"

"Of course I know. Ever since Wu Han, a general under Emperor Guangwu, used people from Danyang as soldiers, he has won many battles. The Danyang soldiers have since been known as the most valiant and fierce. Danyang County has become a place with the finest troops in the country. Every time the imperial court goes on a campaign, it has to recruit soldiers from Danyang."

"There are many people like me in Danyang County. If you call me 'Flying Swallow,' then the Danyang soldiers are the Flying Army, and the Danyang generals are the Flying Generals."

"The Xiongnu even called my Han general Li Guang the 'Flying General.' Actually, there are many like him in the north, but none are as formidable as you."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei knew that this person was Zhang Yan, who later became the commander of the Black Mountain Army.

Zhang Yan, originally named Chu Yan, was as light as a swallow and fierce and brave, and was known in the army as "Flying Swallow".

At this time, Chu Yan had not yet changed his surname.

Liu Bei never expected to encounter the extraordinary Chu Yan in a restaurant at Shiwulipu.

He absolutely must befriend this person.

If Liu Bei wanted to make Youzhou his base, then the million-strong Black Mountain Army, which would later be active in the Taihang Mountains, would inevitably be a force he would try his best to win over.

If we can subdue the million-strong Black Mountain army in one fell swoop, what need is there to worry about the stability of Youzhou?! What need is there to worry about the unrest of the world?!

With Zhang Yan, the future commander of the Black Mountain Army, right before his eyes, Liu Bei was filled with excitement and had no appetite for breakfast. He silently pondered how to get to know him.

……

Danyang is a mountainous region, and its people are brave and strong, fond of martial arts and war, and possess great strength. When they ascend mountains and brave dangers, they break through thickets and thorns as easily as fish swimming in the deep or monkeys leaping through trees.

—From the Biography of Zhuge Ke in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wu