Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

— The army set off, raising clouds of dust.

Deng Ai stood at the city gate, watching Gu Rubing and his entourage depart, his brows furrowed the entire time.

Despite having two peerless generals, Zhang Fei and Ma Chao, protecting Gu Rubing, Deng Ai could not shake off the unease in his heart.

He turned and hurried back to camp. Before long, the camp gates opened again, and a force of three thousand elite cavalrymen chased after him like an arrow released from a bow.

The commanding officer held Deng Ai's order, stating that he was there to reinforce the lord and also to protect him.

Looking at the cavalry that had rushed over, and noticing the unwavering determination in their eyes, Gu Rubing ultimately did not refuse their sincere loyalty, but said in a deep voice.

"In that case, follow me through the night, without fail!"

Three thousand iron cavalrymen responded with a thunderous roar and joined the ranks, adding an even more imposing and menacing aura to this already elite force.

The situation in Youzhou was in a state of chaos, and the banditry caused by Shi Xie was rampant. The news spread like wildfire, constantly pricking Gu Rubing's nerves.

He knew that speed was of the essence in war, and that every moment of delay would cause more suffering to the people of Youzhou.

Upon arriving at the first post station for a short rest, Gu Rubing resolutely issued a strict order.

"Discard all unnecessary supplies, carry only half a month's worth of rations and personal armor, and advance swiftly and lightly!"

Although there were some complaints in the army after the order was given, no one dared to disobey because of the lord's resolute expression. The heavy grain carts and tents were set up on the spot, and the speed of the march increased dramatically. Like a tiger freed from its shackles, the troops galloped north along the official road.

However, it seemed that the heavens were deliberately testing them. As they walked along a mountain road, the previously clear sky suddenly darkened, and leaden-gray clouds pressed down low. In an instant, a torrential downpour began, turning the road into a muddy mess.

Rainwater washed over the mountains, and soft soil mixed with gravel slid down. Giant trees, broken by the wind and rain, blocked the road, severely hindering the march.

The horses' hooves sank into the mud, and the soldiers trudged on, their pace inevitably slowing down.

"You bastard!

"This awful weather! How dare they block my brother's way!"

A thunderous roar drowned out the sound of rain. Zhang Fei's eyes were wide open, and he was extremely agitated.

He leaped off his black horse and strode to the broken tree that required two people to encircle. He exhaled and roared, not using his eighteen-foot spear to stab, but as if it were a crowbar, he plunged it into the base of the tree trunk. His muscles bulged as he roared.

"Get up!"

With his unparalleled strength, he actually managed to turn the giant log over, clearing a path for the army. Mud and water splashed all over him, but he didn't care. He wiped his face and roared.

"Hurry up, all of you! Don't act like girls!"

Meanwhile, Ma Chao was not idle either.

He knew that it was very easy to lose one's way in this kind of weather, and once one went the wrong way, it would be a waste of time.

He summoned dozens of Xiliang guards, all of whom were elite knights trained in the harsh lands of Yongliang and were best at identifying paths.

"You will follow me to scout ahead, leaving a mark every hundred paces to ensure the army stays on track!"

Ma Chao's silver armor and white robes remained conspicuous in the rain. At his command, his guards scattered like foxes into the rain to conduct a thorough investigation.

Ma Chao himself took the lead, climbing to a high vantage point to look into the distance. Through the misty rain, he tried his best to discern the direction, sending messengers to report back from time to time. This ensured that the troops, despite the bad weather, always made a difficult but determined advance in the right direction.

After weathering the storm, the team finally passed through the most difficult section of the road and was not far from the border of Youzhou.

However, the scene before him made Gu Rubing's heart sink.

The official road was no longer lined with leisurely merchants and travelers; instead, it was filled with groups of ragged, emaciated refugees.

They carried the elderly and children, their steps faltering, their eyes vacant and numb, as if they had lost all hope.

Many people's clothes were already soaked in mud and tattered, barely covering their bodies.

What's even more heartbreaking is that they were walking unsteadily, clearly exhausted and starving, having reached their physical limits.

Just then, a faint sob caught Gu Rubing's attention.

A little girl, about seven or eight years old, was seen collapsing onto an elderly man who was motionless by the roadside, shaking helplessly.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, wake up..."

The little girl's voice was hoarse, and tears mixed with the mud on her face left two clear streaks!
The accompanying military doctor immediately stepped forward to examine him. After a moment, he shook his head heavily and whispered to Gu Rubing.

"My lord, he starved to death... his body was already extremely weak."

Gu Rubing closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with sorrow and dust, and unconsciously clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He knelt down, gently helped the little girl up, took off his cloak and wrapped it around her cold, thin body, and asked softly.

"Children, where did you come from?"

The little girl sobbed as she answered haltingly.

"...from...from Youzhou...the village...was robbed by bandits...there's no food left..."

Other refugees gathered around, and when asked, they began to speak at once, their words filled with fear and despair.

"Yes, Your Highness, it was Shi Xie and his band of damned bandits!"

"They looted anything they saw—grain, money, even the few chickens the family owned!"

"If you don't give it to us, we'll kill you! We can't stay in the village anymore, we have no choice but to escape..."

"But...but there's no food along the way..."

Through questioning and the more detailed intelligence that was quickly sent by the captain of the crossbowmen.

Gu Rubing learned that during the few days they were traveling, six more villages on the border of Youzhou had been brutally massacred and looted by Shi Xie's bandits. Houses were burned, fields were destroyed, and countless people's homes were shattered, forcing them to leave their homes and become part of this torrent of refugees.

"Outrageous! You scoundrel Shixie, I, Old Zhang, will tear you to pieces!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei was so enraged that his hair and beard stood on end, and he roared loudly.

Gu Rubing's face was ashen, but he knew that anger would not solve the problem.

He immediately issued a series of orders.

"Issue the order! Select suitable locations along the route to set up temporary shelters and build shacks, prioritizing the accommodation of the elderly, weak, women, and children! Immediately send urgent messages to nearby counties via express courier, and at the same time, urgently report to Xuchang, ordering them to quickly allocate grain and set up soup kitchens along the route to provide relief. We must not allow another person to starve to death!"

The order was carried out swiftly. Soon, abandoned post stations and temples along the way were cleared out, and simple shacks began to be built.

When the first pot of thin porridge steamed on the makeshift stove, a glimmer of light finally rekindled in the eyes of the refugees.

Looking at the densely packed crowd of people waiting for porridge, Gu Rubing remained silent for a moment before giving the order again.

"The army shall rest on the spot, and 30% of our provisions shall be distributed to the people immediately!"

"My lord!" The lieutenant beside him was startled upon hearing this.

"Our army already has very little food supplies; if we distribute them elsewhere, I'm afraid..."

Military rations are crucial to morale and combat effectiveness; they cannot be given away lightly.

Gu Rubing raised his hand to interrupt him, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority.

"The people are the foundation of the nation, and the very reason for our conquest. Seeing the people starving to death on the roads while our army hoards provisions and defends itself, how are we any different from Shi Xie? Execute orders! If supplies run out, it is our incompetence as generals, not the fault of the people!"

He then looked at Zhang Fei, who also looked reluctant, and gave him instructions.

"Yide, take my token and go immediately to the nearest city. Urge the local officials to explain that this is for our military supplies and order them to immediately allocate provisions to the army. There must be no mistakes!"

"Order!"

Zhang Fei clasped his hands in a fist salute, said nothing, summoned a squad of personal guards, mounted his horse, and galloped away.

While arranging the resettlement of displaced people and the provision of provisions, Gu Rubing did not forget the military deployment.

He summoned Ma Chao, his expression grave.

"Mengqi, you are fast on your feet, go there yourself. Convey my military orders to the generals guarding the passes and cities of Youzhou."

"Hold the passes firmly and fortify the city defenses. No one is to engage in battle without my order; those who disobey will be executed! All matters will be dealt with after I arrive in Youzhou!"

"The last general takes command!"

Knowing the weight of his responsibility, Ma Chao bowed and accepted the order. He immediately led several Xiliang guards away from the main force like a whirlwind, heading towards the border of Youzhou.

After watching Ma Chao's figure disappear at the end of the official road, Gu Rubing slowly withdrew his gaze.

He stood beside the makeshift porridge shed, watching the soldiers distribute spoonfuls of warm rice porridge to the emaciated people, and watching the little girl sob as she swallowed the porridge from her broken bowl. His gaze grew colder and sharper.
-
After days of rapid march, Gu Rubing, leading three thousand cavalrymen and generals Zhang Fei and Ma Chao, finally arrived at Yuyang City, a key town on the border of Youzhou.

The towering city walls stood before us, which should have been a barrier symbolizing peace and order, but at this moment they exuded an indescribable sense of oppression.

The city gates were not fully open; only a side gate was partially ajar, where a few soldiers listlessly checked the meager number of people entering and leaving.

Gu Rubing frowned slightly and ordered the troops to enter the city.

The horses' hooves echoed hollowly on the cobblestone street. What came into view was a heartbreakingly desolate scene.

The wide main street was sparsely populated with pedestrians, most of whom were walking hurriedly, their faces shrouded in an inescapable layer of sorrow and fear.

Seven or eight out of ten shops on both sides of the street have closed down, and the few that are open are deserted. The shopkeepers lean against the counter, staring blankly out the door.

As Gu Rubing's well-equipped and weary army marched through the streets, the occasional glances of the common people were cast at them. But those glances did not reflect the joy and anticipation of seeing the royal army arrive; instead, they were mostly numb, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible disappointment, as if they had already lost faith in the rescue.

"This humble general, Zhao Tong, the garrison commander of Yuyang, pays his respects to Your Highness, Prince Lie!"

A general in worn-out armor, accompanied by several personal guards, hurriedly ran down from the city wall and rushed to Gu Rubing's horse. He knelt on one knee to pay his respects, his voice hoarse and weary.

Gu Rubing did not dismount. His gaze swept across the deserted street, and he asked in a deep voice.

"General Zhao, Yuyang is an important border town, why is it so desolate? And why is only the side gate of the city open?"

Zhao Tong raised his head, his face full of bitterness, and bowed in response.

"Your Highness, it is not that I am unwilling to open the city gates to welcome Your Majesty, but rather... it is that the bandits under Shi Xie's command are too rampant!"

They come and go like the wind, launching surprise attacks precisely when defenses are weak. My forces are limited, and to ensure the safety of the city's inhabitants, I had no choice but to order the city gates opened within a limited time and to conduct strict checks. As for the market…”

He sighed.

"Trade routes are almost completely cut off, and caravans are frequently robbed. Who would dare to open their doors for business? The people are also afraid that those murderers might rush into the city at any time, so they hide or flee whenever possible... Now, the city is filled with panic."

Gu Rubing listened in silence, his face growing increasingly gloomy.

He waved.

"Get up. Take me to see the village that was recently massacred."

"Your Highness, the scene over there... is so tragic, it might offend your eyes..."

Zhao Tong hesitated.

"lead the way!"

Gu Rubing's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Zhao Tong dared not say anything more, and quickly got up, leading Gu Rubing and his personal guards out of Yuyang City, and traveled about ten miles northeast.

Even before getting close, a stench of burnt and rotten flesh wafted on the wind, making one want to vomit.

Upon approaching, even seasoned veterans like Gu Rubing, Zhang Fei, and Ma Chao couldn't help but gasp in shock.

As far as the eye could see, there were only broken walls and ruins, with charred wooden beams pointing helplessly to the sky, and dark red bloodstains remaining on several of the ruins.

In the open space in the center of the village, dozens of stiff corpses lay scattered about, including men, women, and children. Most of them were mutilated, clearly indicating that they had suffered inhuman abuse before their deaths.

Some of the corpses had been eaten by wild dogs and crows, a truly gruesome sight.

The few dozen or so survivors huddled in makeshift shacks made of tattered straw mats and branches, their eyes vacant and faces ashen, as if their souls had long since vanished with the passing of their loved ones.

Gu Rubing dismounted and walked heavily across this hell on earth.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms.

Then he noticed a boy, about five or six years old, sitting in a corner of a shack, hugging his knees and staring blankly at a pile of ashes that had long since cooled. The boy's face was dirty, his tear tracks long since dried, leaving only numbness.

Gu Rubing felt a pang of pain in his heart. He walked over slowly, squatted down, and tried to make his voice sound gentle.

"Child, what's your name? Is there anyone else in your family...?"

The boy slowly raised his head, his empty eyes staring at Gu Rubing for a moment. He seemed to recognize that Gu Rubing was dressed in extraordinary clothes and was not an ordinary soldier. His lips moved slightly, and his voice was as faint as a whisper.

"Gouwa... his father... his mother... are all gone... killed by men on horseback with knives..."

As she spoke, tears silently streamed down her face again.

Gu Rubing reached out his large hand and gently stroked the boy's messy hair, his voice deep and firm.

"Don't be afraid, children. I am Gu Rubing, the Prince Lie. Now that I'm here, I will prevent anyone from harming you."

"King Lie?"

The boy repeated the name, and a glimmer of light suddenly appeared in his previously empty eyes, but that light was quickly replaced by immense grievance and indignation.

He lunged forward, grabbing Gu Rubing's arm tightly, and burst into tears, his sobs heart-wrenching. (End of Chapter)