Three Kingdoms: Rebirth of Liu Bei, the Zhaolie

Inside the private room, everyone was quite flushed and chatting, having eaten and drunk their fill.

People who have drunk alcohol tend to relax and often reveal aspects of their true nature that they usually hide.

In this way, everyone can be completely honest with each other.

Soon, they all became very familiar with each other.

The already unrestrained Higashino Ban and Aragaki Ken, fueled by their drunkenness, became even more unbridled and gradually began to ramble incoherently.

But everyone was very tolerant of the two, knowing that they were butchers and vegetable sellers who didn't understand etiquette and disliked being constrained.

Although Liu Bei was slightly drunk, he remained somewhat measured despite his joyful expression.

When everyone had enjoyed themselves and left the Spring Wine Shop, it was already evening.

Liu Bei sent his two cousins, Liu Yu and Liu Gao, back to Dashulou Sangli on horseback first, and then followed after making some arrangements.

We arrived at the street of Shiwulipu.

A gentle evening breeze blows.

Everyone instantly sobered up.

This wine from the late Eastern Han Dynasty did not have a high alcohol content.

Therefore, the people were not very drunk and sobered up easily.

Once they sobered up, everyone returned to normal and became more restrained.

Only Higashino Ban and Aragaki Ken remained unchanged.

Zhongshan merchants Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang invited Liu Bei and his entourage to their inn, where they displayed the many valuable goods they were transporting to Liaodong, including grain, cloth, and fine wine.

These goods were stored in the inn's storeroom, under the close watch of several wandering knights and servants.

We arrived at the inn's bedroom.

Everyone sat down to drink tea, which was high-quality tea sourced from Jiangnan.

Zhang Shiping took a sip of tea and leisurely asked Liu Bei:

"Xuande, when do you plan to depart for Xuwu County?"

Liu Bei immediately said:

"We're leaving tomorrow morning!"

"So fast!?"

Su Shuang's eyes widened. "Xuande, aren't you all going to make any preparations?"

Liu Bei smiled and said:

"Heroes of the martial world live by their own rules, seeking revenge and settling scores as they please. They come and go as they please."

Zhang Shiping nodded and then asked:

"How many of you are going to Xuwu County this time?"

Liu Bei said:

"Just the eight of us."

Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang looked at each other in bewilderment:

"Just the eight of you... isn't that too few?"

Liu Bei said calmly:

"Back then, Ban Chao was just a scholar. Later, he abandoned his pen for the sword and went on a mission to the Western Regions. He only brought thirty-six men, but he conquered fifty-five countries in the Western Regions and was granted the title of Marquis of Dingyuan."

"Although we eight are not as wise and brave as Ban Chao, the bandit leader of Xu Wushan, the Five Deer King, is far less powerful than any of the fifty-five kingdoms in the Western Regions."

Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang felt their courage strengthened upon hearing Liu Bei's words:

"Xuande's passion and heroism are no less than that of Ban Chao, the Marquis of Dingyuan. Hmm... You only have four horses now, so I'll give you four more. That way, with eight of you and eight horses, you can ride quickly and reach Xuwu County soon."

"That's wonderful, thank you so much, Brother Zhang and Brother Su, for your generous gifts."

Liu Bei and his eight companions are indeed short of horses.

Zhang Shiping immediately ordered his personal attendants to select four fine horses from the inn's stables and hand them over to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei and the other eight men, leading their horses, bid farewell to Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang and left the inn.

They soon arrived at Zuo Zi's house.

In the backyard, on the football field.

Liu Bei addressed the seven men: Jian Yong, Qian Zhao, Dongye Ban, Xinyuan Jian, Zuo Zi, Zhang Ba, and Guan Yu:

"Next, our Baibi Society will launch its first surprise attack. Because we need to leave Zhuojun and go to Xuwu County in Youbeiping County, which is three or four hundred miles away, the round trip may take five or six days or even ten days."

"Therefore, those of you who have businesses should arrange for relatives to take over. Those of you who have work to do should also ask for leave."

Looking at Qian Zhao, he asked:

"Zijing, this time you might be away from your teacher, Mr. Yueyin, for several days. Will he be angry?"

Qian Zhao was straightforward and honest:

"The teacher would love for me to travel around more. Don't worry, I'll make up an excuse. I'll just say I'm going to stay at a friend's house in Yuyang County for a few days."

"Alright then."

Liu Bei nodded, glanced at everyone, and asked, "Does anyone have any questions?"

Everyone was excited and thrilled, feeling like they were about to go to the battlefield, and they were all bursting with energy.

Left Beard pondered for a moment and asked:

"Xuande, are you not taking Yang Feng with you on this trip to Xuwu Mountain?"

Liu Bei had already thought it through and immediately said:

"Yang Feng will continue to guard the home. Along the way, someone might recognize him. We can take Yang Feng with us when we go to the borderlands later."

"Okay. No problem."

Zuo Miao said.

Liu Bei concluded by reminding everyone:

"Now, everyone go home. You all have one night to prepare. Remember, do not tell anyone where we are going this time. Not even your parents or siblings."

Everyone agreed.

They each went home.

Only Liu Bei, Jian Yong, and Qian Zhao lived more than ten miles away, and each rode their horses home.

When Liu Bei arrived at Dashulou Sangli on horseback, it was already sunset.

He arrived just as the inner door was about to close.

He rode into the large tree-lined Lousangli.

They arrived at the gate of their own courtyard.

They led the horse into the courtyard.

The gray wolf was already barking loudly and pounced enthusiastically.

Liu Bei affectionately patted the gray wolf's head and looked at his sister, Liu Azi.

Liu Azi smiled broadly:

"Brother, this white horse is so tall! Is it your horse?"

Liu Bei laughed and said:

"Of course. Later, I'll help you ride the horse. Where's Mom?"

"Inside the house."

Liu Azi was very happy.

Liu Bei tied his horse to the mulberry tree and hurried back into the house.

Mother Wu was still weaving a straw mat when she saw Liu Bei return. She exclaimed with delight:

"Xuande, you're finally back."

Liu Bei was taken aback and asked:

"Mother, what happened?"

Mother Wu said:

"The day before yesterday, the Fangcheng Commandant's Office sent someone with a reward, saying it was for your assistance in killing the bandits. They couldn't find you anywhere, so the constables stopped them from continuing the search."

Liu Bei asked:

"Mother, what kind of rewards are these?"

Mother Wu said:

"The bailiffs brought in a basket of five-zhu coins, totaling ten thousand coins. They also gave us ten bolts of silk and half a pig. There was a lot of commotion with gongs and drums. Everyone in the village of Lousang knew about it."

Liu Bei nodded silently, then asked:

"Didn't Mother give the constables a tip?"

"We gave them to them," said Mother Wu. "Luckily, we still had a few hundred five-zhu coins at home, so we gave them to the constables as a reward. The clan chief also came and treated the constables to a meal before letting them leave."

"That's good."

Liu Bei paused for a moment, then said, "Mother, with this money and silk, you won't have to work so hard anymore. You should rest."

"I see."

Although her mother, Wu, agreed, she did not stop working.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, one shi (石) of millet cost about 100 coins, and one shi was 120 jin (斤), which is equivalent to 60 jin in modern terms.

In other words, 10,000 coins could buy 100 bushels of millet.

One hundred shi is equivalent to 6000 jin of grain in modern terms.

It's enough to feed a family of three for one or two years without any problem.

The remaining ten bolts of silk were enough to pay all the taxes.

Therefore, Liu Bei did not want his mother to work too hard.

But he also knew that his mother couldn't stay idle.

Liu Bei was quite helpless and could only let his mother have her way.

He played with his younger sister, Liu Azi, for a while.

Then, as agreed, he went to visit his cousins ​​Liu Yu and Liu Gao.

Liu Yu took out a Xianbei Guo Luo belt and gave it to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei felt that their relationship was still as close as it had been a year ago.

When I got home again, it was already midnight.

My mother and sister are already asleep.

Liu Bei also felt very tired, so he lay down on the bed and fell fast asleep.

Early the next morning.

After waking up and washing up briefly, Liu Bei bid farewell to his mother, Lady Wu.

"Mother, I'm going away for a few days to see a friend. It will be five or six days at the shortest, and ten or more days at the longest. I'll be back then. Please don't worry, Mother."

Mother Wu looked at Liu Bei and said:

"Xuande, don't lie to me. Are you really going to see a friend?"

Liu Bei immediately said:

"Mother, I am indeed going to see a friend. However, he is in Yuyang County, so the journey will take some time. Please don't worry, Mother. I'm all grown up now and can take care of myself."

Mother Wu seemed to have guessed something, and a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.

She stopped talking and just nodded silently.

Liu Bei didn't have time to think about anything else, so he turned around, led his horse to the courtyard gate, leaped onto the horse, and galloped away.

……

Food costs one and a half stone per month.

—Book of Han, Treatise on Food and Commodities