Three Kingdoms: Rebirth of Liu Bei, the Zhaolie

the next day.

It was still dark.

Liu Bei suddenly woke up from his sleep.

He always wakes up very early whenever he decides what to do the next day.

Everyone was still fast asleep.

Liu Bei then got up and went to call Zhang Ba.

Last night, everyone felt novel and happy, so they chatted until midnight before finally falling into a deep sleep.

Zhang Ba was so excited last night that he went to bed very late. No matter how much Liu Bei called him, he just wouldn't open his eyes, let alone get out of bed.

Liu Bei had no choice but to give up.

Knowing that Zhangba was tired, he let him continue to sleep well.

Insufficient sleep can significantly impact performance the following day, especially for athletes involved in combat sports.

It was with this in mind that Liu Bei decided to let Zhangba get enough sleep.

He was very excited, and after getting up, he came to Zuo Zi's simple courtyard.

I washed my face and felt refreshed.

After that, they moved to the Cuju field behind the thatched hut.

After warming up their hands, feet, waist, and legs, they started running around the Cuju field.

It started with a slow jog, and then the speed gradually increased.

The fresh morning air made Liu Bei feel very comfortable as he breathed in it.

All the pent-up energy from last night has been released, and I feel much more relaxed.

After running, I did two sets of boxing.

He picked up a long stick from the side and practiced with it for a while.

Then I felt full of energy.

My arms felt incredibly hard, like iron.

So Liu Bei began to relax his body again.

As he swung his arms freely, he looked at the huge football field and thought that he could set up his "White Feather Society" here in the future.

It was simply a perfect spot bestowed upon him by God.

Not too big, not too small, just right.

The entire Cuju field was slightly larger than a modern football field, and it could easily accommodate 500 people for training at the same time.

It wouldn't be a problem to gather up to 10,000 people here.

However, this is the property of the Left Beard.

Liu Bei needs to discuss the matter thoroughly with Zuo Zi before borrowing the equipment. He could simply pay him a monthly rent. The main concern is whether the reclusive Zuo Zi will find it too noisy and crowded.

With this in mind, he made up his mind that he would definitely persuade Zuo Zi to join his White Feather Society and become a member of the society.

Just then, Zuo Zi strolled over leisurely.

Liu Bei immediately smiled and said:

"It's a real shame that your football field is just lying around like this."

The man with the left mustache nodded:

"It's not completely abandoned. Sometimes it's rented out to horse traders. However, these traders sometimes don't even come once a year. So it just sits there abandoned. Some local youths used to come here and play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) day and night. But lately they've been coming less often."

Why?

Liu Bei asked curiously.

Left Beard silently said:

"Because they are also getting older and starting to work hard."

Liu Bei nodded, and after a moment's thought, said:

"Why don't you rent this football field to me? I'll pay you rent every month."

"Would you like it rented?"

Left Beard looked at Liu Bei with interest and asked, "What do you intend to do with this football field?"

Liu Bei immediately said:

"To be honest, I've established a club for exchanging and practicing martial arts, weaponry, archery, and horsemanship, called the White Feather Club. Right now, we're in need of a venue. Your football field is perfect."

"The White Feather Society..."

Left Beard looked at Liu Bei, as if he had thought of something, and asked directly, "You want to be the next leader of the Fifteen Mile Shop?! Like Zhang Hun, Fifth Guang..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei couldn't help but smile:

"You underestimate me. My ambitions are far greater than those of an eagle soaring in the sky. A mere fifteen-mile shop is nothing to me."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Zi couldn't help but stiffen:

"How can a sparrow know the ambitions of a swan? It seems I am nothing more than a tiny sparrow."

"Hahaha……"

Liu Bei smiled knowingly and said, "Let's not talk about those unseen and intangible grand goals. Let's talk about this very football field before us. If I can't even conquer this field, how can I talk about any lofty ambitions?"

"I see you as an extraordinary person! Something about you is very attractive to me..."

Zuo Zi silently observed Liu Bei again. "Large ears, long arms, a majestic gait, gentle yet exuding an aura that commands respect. This truly is the mark of an emperor..."

"Be careful what you say! Be careful what you say! This is a crime punishable by the extermination of your entire clan!"

Liu Bei couldn't help but look around to make sure no one was eavesdropping before he said, "Now, the Emperor is in Luoyang, and the nine provinces are at peace. The only worry for our country and people is the threat of the Xianbei on the border. The reason I established the White Feather Society is simply to recruit brave young men to practice martial arts, hoping that one day we can fight against the Xianbei."

"That's rare, really rare."

Zuo Zi sighed, "Though lowly in rank, you never forget your duty to the country; you are truly a virtuous and patriotic man. You don't need to rent it anymore. This football field was originally my late father's estate, and as his eldest son, I inherited it. You can use it as you please. Consider it my contribution to the country."

Liu Bei was overjoyed:

"Many righteous men are found among the lowly. I never imagined Brother Zuo would be so sincere. I am deeply grateful and would like to extend a sincere invitation to Brother Zuo to join my White Feather Society. I hope you will not find me unworthy."

Left Beard silently said:

"Your reputation has spread throughout Zhuojun. Although I stay at home, I know of your feat of slaying the bandits of Baishi Mountain outside the east gate of Zhuo County. I also knew Da Hu, whom you killed..."

Liu Bei was startled:

"Is Da Hu your friend?"

Zuo Mou said:

"We're just acquaintances, not friends yet."

Liu Bei asked:

"Zhang Hun sent you to Baishi Mountain, presumably because you know Zhang Niujiao, the leader of Baishi Mountain stronghold, right?"

Zuo Zi does not deny this:

"I do know Zhang Niujiao. He's my friend. We've killed people together before. We're practically brothers in arms. He later went to Baishi Mountain and became an outlaw. And I want to wait a little longer..."

Seeing that Zuo Zi was so frank, making no attempt to conceal his past killings, Liu Bei then said:

"You also want to rebel like Zhang Niujiao. You just feel the time isn't right yet."

"Yes."

Looking at the football field before him, Zuo Zi said, "I once thought of organizing a group of young men to train soldiers through football. When the time was right, I would lead them in an uprising. The world has degenerated to such an extent that everyone harbors rebellious thoughts. All that's needed is a brave warrior to rise up and call upon the people."

Liu Bei silently said:

"Using Cuju (ancient Chinese football) to train soldiers is an excellent idea, combining education with entertainment. In fact, dividing Cuju into two teams, with each team attacking and defending, is very much in line with military strategy."

Left mustache added:

"Furthermore, Cuju (ancient Chinese football) allows people to train their bodies and improve their stamina while playing, making them more adaptable to the real battlefield."

"good."

Liu Bei nodded and said, "Once my White Feather Society is established, in addition to practicing archery and horsemanship, the young people can play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) together. And I have something even more fun, which is polo. It's also called Jiju."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Zi's eyes also lit up:

"That involves riding on horseback and hitting a ball with a specially made wooden stick. It must be a lot of fun. But I think it would be dangerous. After all, with all the back-and-forth galloping and charging, if the two horses collide, they could easily get injured."

Liu Bei replied:

"On the battlefield, even a collision between two horses can kill people. If you practice polo well, you'll be more composed on the battlefield once you become a cavalryman. We Han people are not good at riding and archery. The Xianbei people, on the other hand, learn archery and horsemanship from a young age. So, we need to practice more."

"Xuande is absolutely right."

Looking at the football field in front of him, Zuo Zi said in a deep voice, "Then let's make good use of this football field."

The two of them happily agreed on their future plans.

The early summer mornings were quite cool.

Geng Yong, Qian Zhao, and the others slept until sunrise before getting up.

……

Taju (蹋鞠) is a military exercise. It is used to train warriors and to recognize their talents, all through playful training.

—Liu Xiang, *Bielu*