Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 2 My Ex Was a Bit of a Playboy

Liu Bei's memories of the late Han Dynasty began two years prior.

This should be the time when the previous... previous time traveler transmigrated into Liu Bei's body.

Let's call him Lang Ge for now, since that guy is both cowardly and reckless.

It was the fourth year of the Xiping era (175 AD).

At that time, Liu Bei was fifteen years old. He had just finished his business as a self-employed businessman in Zhuo County and was studying under Lu Zhi with the help of his uncle Liu Yuanqi.

This is a suitable age for development, and Lu Zhi's mountain gate is also a safe zone suitable for development. The world is not yet in great chaos, so there is enough time for preliminary preparations, and he has just obtained a sum of start-up funds.

—This is the normal start of a time-travel story. You can totally refer to Liu Bei's life trajectory in history, making friends with heroes and developing your strength in a low-key way.

But that guy, Lang Ge, had no intention of developing.

Lang Ge thinks that if someone were to rise from humble beginnings like Liu Bei in history, starting as a small business owner and eventually becoming an emperor, that scenario would be far too difficult.

He didn't want to experience the life of Emperor Zhaolie of Han, who fought his way from the northeast to the southwest, traversing the entire territory of the Han Dynasty.

He just wanted to lie down, give up, and be a spoiled brat.

It would be best if he became a minor official, so he could harass respectable women.

The problem is, lying flat isn't easy in this big man's territory.

Although Liu Bei was of noble birth, nobles were divided into different classes, and unfortunately, Liu Bei belonged to the lowest class.

There's no way around it; the descendants of Prince Jing of Zhongshan are simply too numerous. In fact, Hebei is full of imperial uncles, so they're practically worthless.

In addition, Liu Bei was a poor man from a single-parent family—in this situation, if he still wanted to lie down, he would definitely end up lying in a coffin.

So at least you need to have the resources to lie low, like... getting to know Cao Cao, the boss, early on.

Yes, that's what the former Lang Ge thought when he first traveled through time.

That's not wrong. If you don't intend to restore the Han Dynasty and just want to live a peaceful life, then you should indeed make friends with future influential figures and build a good relationship with Cao Cao.

If one could later rely on connections to secure a comfortable minor official position under Cao Cao, living a life of leisure and governance far from the battlefield, it would indeed be safer than fighting a lifetime of war.

Coincidentally, Cao Cao was in Luoyang at that time.

Therefore, Lang Ge went to Luoyang immediately after he transmigrated.

At that time, Cao Cao was twenty years old and had just been recommended as a filial and incorruptible official, serving as the Northern Commandant of Luoyang.

Lang Ge was just planning to make a friend. He thought he knew what Cao Cao liked, so he brought all his money and prepared to treat Cao Cao to wine, women and brothels. He even booked a private room at the music hall.

But when he arrived at the Northern Commandery, he discovered that he couldn't even get through the door.

Lang Ge announced his name as Liu Bei of Zhuojun and claimed to be a disciple of Lu Zhi, the governor of Jiujiang. However, the gatekeeper of the official residence did not even bother to announce him and just thought he was a beggar.

This was indeed hasty. The Northern Commandant was one of the six commanders of Luoyang, belonging to the capital's police force. Of course, he wouldn't pay attention to a fifteen-year-old minor.

Besides, Cao Cao, a top-tier second-generation official and a high-ranking official in the capital, why would he receive a nobody with no family background, no reputation, and no connections?
It's no wonder that Brother Lang was clueless; after all, he had just transmigrated and, like most people, subconsciously regarded Liu Bei and Cao Cao as equals...

After realizing he had made an ideological mistake, Lang Ge promptly adjusted his strategy.

Since they couldn't get into the official residence, they decided to linger in Luoyang for a while and try to 'bump into' Cao Cao when he got off work.

When it comes to striking up a conversation, you don't need to be on equal footing; all you need to do is be thick-skinned.

In the afternoon, Lang Ge did indeed 'bump into' Cao Cao as he had hoped—the two even exchanged words.

Cao Cao: "Who goes out here at night?!"

Brother Lang: "I am Liu Bei, and I have come here to await Brother Mengde..."

But before he could finish speaking, Cao Cao interrupted him: "Since you know my name, you should know the crime of breaking the law! Guards, seize this big-eared thief!"

then……

He was beaten half to death by Cao Cao with a five-colored stick.

Because they violated the curfew.

Lang Ge actually knew that Luoyang had a curfew, but he never expected that just after 5 p.m., when it was still bright outside, the curfew would be in effect...

The curfew in Luoyang is from 5 PM to 5 AM the next morning, not based on whether it's daylight or not...

Of course, Lang Ge still managed to get to know Cao Cao as he wished.

After all, he was personally beaten by Cao Cao, his buttocks were bruised and battered, so he learned his lesson very well.

After receiving a severe beating, Lang Ge was thrown out of Luoyang City and received a free piece of advice from Cao Cao: "Seeing that you are still young, I will let you go this time. But be careful. If you do anything illegal again, you will be beaten to death!"

Cao Cao wasn't just bluffing; he genuinely intended to give him a lenient sentence.

But after being thrown out of the city, Brother Lang reached into his pocket...

The money is gone.

He got a gold coin; no wonder they let him off the hook.

Now that it was impossible to build connections in Luoyang, Lang Ge, having learned his lesson, was in a very awkward situation and had no choice but to return to Lu Zhi's academy.

In truth, no matter how impoverished they were, they were at least nobles, which was still better than being commoners, since they were entitled to education.

However, studying away from home these days costs a lot of money.

Lu Zhi's academy was located in Goushi County, fifty li east of Luoyang. In the fourth year of the Xiping era, seven counties in Henan suffered from floods, and Goushi was also severely affected, with grain prices soaring to exorbitant levels.

At that time, a bushel of rice cost 10,000 coins, which was a hundred times the price of a bumper harvest.

Liu Yuanqi, a cousin of Lang Ge, heard that Lang Ge had gone to Luoyang to philander as soon as he got the money, squandered it all, and even got beaten up for breaking curfew. He said that he had misjudged Lang Ge and would never support him again.

Lang Ge had all his money stolen, and with no one to help him, he was starving and almost died.

Fortunately, Gongsun Zan also came to Lu Zhi's school as a transfer student, and Lang Ge quickly latched onto his coattails, finally getting a job.

But, but.

Gongsun Zan and Liu Yuanqi are not the same...

Liu Yuanqi's assistance was a form of support among relatives, a favor, which he could repay when he became wealthy in the future.

However, after eating Gongsun Zan's meal, interest had to be paid immediately.

After all, relatives and bosses are not the same. Gongsun Zan is highly skilled in martial arts and has a volatile temper. He is a tough guy who does what he says and doesn't tolerate being refused.

As a result, Lang Ge was forced to become Gongsun Zan's little brother.

Although Liu Bei in history treated Gongsun Zan as an elder brother, that was genuine friendship towards a fellow disciple.

In Lang Ge's case, it's actually a relationship between a boss and his henchmen...

His life trajectory gradually went astray afterward.

Gongsun Zan's task for him was to secretly rob merchants. After all, Gongsun Zan was also short of money.

In his youth, Liu Bei was also a wandering knight-errant, but he made friends with heroes everywhere, was generous and righteous, and accumulated a lot of fame.

However, Lang Ge was forced by Gongsun Zan to commit all sorts of evil deeds. Although he only robbed people and did not harm them, he was no longer a chivalrous knight-errant.

They were called bandits.

He actually earned the nickname "Big-Eared Thief".

They usually committed crimes with their faces covered by a black cloth, only revealing their large ears, hence the nickname.

Later, merchants began to give gifts to Gongsun Zan to settle disputes. As long as they flew Gongsun Zan's flag, they could travel safely in the Goushi area without being robbed...

Gongsun Zan earned a lot of money and fame, becoming a big shot that many young men in Luoyang wanted to befriend.

Once you're on this pirate ship, it's hard to get off. If you make a mistake, you might lose your life. Moreover, Gongsun Zan is probably worried that someone has exposed his secrets. Lang Ge feels in danger every day and wants to escape his life as a henchman.

But Gongsun Yue, Gongsun Zan's cousin, was keeping an eye on him. Besides, he had no money. If he ran away, would he starve?
Not long after, a wealthy merchant passed by without paying the toll, so Gongsun Zan ordered him and Gongsun Yue to rob him.

The wealthy merchant was adorned with gold and silver, and the man planned to rob the ticket and run away with his valuables.

But he lost the vote because of his indecisiveness.

The wealthy merchant he robbed was a disciple of Yuan Shao and had very strong guards. When Lang Ge made his move, he deliberately attacked Gongsun Yue from behind to make it easier for him to escape.

As a result, Gongsun Yue died, and he was arrested.

Fortunately, he was captured by Yuan Shao's men at the time, and fortunately, Gongsun Zan was unaware that Lang Ge had secretly killed Gongsun Yue...

Fortunately, none of the Yuan family's merchants suffered any financial losses or injuries. Yuan Shao was cultivating a persona of generosity and righteousness at the time, and out of consideration for Lu Zhi, he spared Lang Ge's life, only sending him to Luoyang prison.

He didn't reveal Gongsun Zan's identity because he didn't want others to know the cause of Gongsun Yue's death—otherwise, Gongsun Zan would definitely take his life.

With the money and reputation he had accumulated, Gongsun Zan joined the service of Grand Commandant Liu Kuan and returned to Youzhou to serve as an official.

Lang Ge was expelled from his master's school by Lu Zhi and spent his time in prison in Luoyang County.

Unfortunately, because Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were quite familiar with each other, Lang Ge ended up as the Northern Commandant under Cao Cao's jurisdiction...

Cao Cao was a hot-blooded young man at the time, and he had warned him not to break the law again. Now that he saw that Cao Cao was indeed a thief, he naturally kept a close eye on him.

At that time, the emperor issued a decree allowing prisoners to pay for their crimes by paying with silk or performing labor.

It just so happens that Lang Ge has Liu Bei's memories and knows how to weave fancy straw sandals, so Cao Cao let Lang Ge enter the Luoyang Music Hall to weave shoes for the musicians.

Music halls were actually brothels, but they didn't sell sex; instead, people sang, danced, and performed for money. They were roughly equivalent to internet celebrity hotspots in the Han Dynasty.

Cao Cao had a particular fondness for one of the internet celebrity girls in the show, and he would listen to her music every day.

The girl's surname was Bian, she was from Langya, and she was the same age as Liu Bei.

In order to get Cao Cao to release him, Lang Ge became very close to Bian Shi, hoping that she would put in a good word for him.

As a result, they almost got involved in a scandal – Liu Bei was much more handsome than Cao Cao, and he would flirt with Bian Shi every time he saw her, and Bian Shi actually developed a bit of a crush on him.

But Cao Cao was planning to take Lady Bian as a concubine at the time, and had even prepared to formally propose marriage...

The following year, when a general amnesty was declared, Cao Cao still did not release Lang Ge.

In the sixth year of the Xiping era (177 AD), a general amnesty was granted once again.

At this time, Cao Cao killed the powerful eunuch's uncle and was transferred to Dunqiu as the county magistrate. Finally, no one was pressuring him to grant a general amnesty and prevent his release.

Lang Ge was finally released, but he was penniless and homeless.

Originally, Lang Ge was thinking of turning over a new leaf and honestly returning to Zhuo County to sell straw sandals.

That year, however, the country suffered a severe drought, and by April, locusts swarmed across the seven provinces of the Central Plains.

Rice merchants hoarded grain, creating a situation where there was a price for the grain but no market for it.

Before Lang Ge could even return to Zhuo County, he almost starved to death again.

With no other option, in order to survive, Brother Lang had to return to his old ways and found a rice merchant to pull off another heist.

Of course, Brother Lang didn't kill anyone. He just wanted to make some money to go back to Zhuoxian and live a peaceful life, and also teach the unscrupulous merchants who harmed people a lesson.

The robbery was successful, and they stole a lot of money, but it attracted the attention of the authorities.

Merchants who can sell rice in Luoyang must have powerful connections. This time, Lang Ge is robbing the Yuan family's rice shop, but it's not Yuan Shao's, it's Yuan Shu's.

The grain shop owned by the Yuan family in Luoyang was managed by Yuan Shu.

Lang Ge could have actually escaped, but to make it easier for him to get away, he set fire to Yuan's rice shop.

Honestly, if it were just about robbing money, they probably wouldn't be constantly hunted down.

But after the rice shops were burned down, the refugees around Luoyang who couldn't get enough to eat began to follow suit... As a result, several rice shops in Luoyang caught fire in a short time, and the Yuan family had to quickly open their granaries to distribute grain. However, they didn't benefit the refugees; instead, they sold the rice to the palace at a fair price.

As the saying goes, cutting off someone's source of income is like killing their parents. Yuan Shu relentlessly pursued Lang Ge all the way to Dongjun.

Lang Ge was quite capable. One dark and stormy night, he turned around and ambushed Yuan Shu, injuring him. He then sneaked into the county, stole a fine horse, and escaped.

Unfortunately, that horse belonged to Cao Cao.

Dunqiu County had just suffered a disaster and was in ruins, so the best horses in the county naturally belonged to the county magistrate...

Furthermore, since Yuan Shu had a friendship with Cao Cao, when he mentioned the burning of the grain shop, Cao Cao declared that he would definitely bring the perpetrators to justice.

Cao Cao then issued a warrant for his arrest and found Lang Ge. Lang Ge was carrying too much money and was reluctant to lose it. He was also riding one of Cao Cao's finest horses, so his whereabouts were quickly exposed.

While being pursued by Cao Cao, Lang Ge tried to launch a counterattack at night, but Cao Cao was far more skilled than Yuan Shu. As a result, Lang Ge was knocked off his horse and was taken out of the game.

Liu Bei, at this time, traveled through time, replaced Lang Ge, and became the new Big-Eared Bandit.

Cao Cao was also surprised that Liu Bei, who seemed to be dead, could actually jump up from the ground, grab a horse, and escape. Enraged, he gave chase.

This chase lasted for half a month, covering almost the entire Yanzhou region, which helped them become familiar with the terrain...

Because Liu Bei didn't know the way when he first traveled there, and he wanted to cross the Yellow River but couldn't, so he just kept wandering around Henan.

They eventually turned back and got stuck at an abandoned ferry crossing north of Dunqiu County.

Liu Bei was filled with rage at the thought of his predecessor, Lang Ge's, series of actions.

Look at who this body's predecessor had enemies with.
Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shu...

The most powerful forces in the world will soon be gathered together, and most of them are the big shots that Liu Bei has served in the past...

After being expelled from the family by Lu Zhi, Liu Yuanqi, a senior member of the same clan, also gave up on the idea of ​​nurturing Liu Bei.

With his future mentor gone, his sect gone, and his clan unreliable, how was he, a second-hand transmigrator, supposed to survive?
Although he has managed to persuade Cao Cao to allow him to rob the Li family of Lihu to provide disaster relief, what about the future?

Could it be that I'm really going to become a big-eared thief?
(End of this chapter)