The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 98 It's normal for Liu Bei to bring Zhao Yun with him to a banquet, right? (1st update)
Zhuoxian County is located ten miles outside the city.

Banners fluttered, and elite soldiers arrayed themselves.

Under the makeshift awning, tables and chairs were set up for drinking.

Yuan Xi sat upright on the mat, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade pendant at his waist, his brows furrowed with gloom.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves piercing the air was heard, and a scout galloped in, dismounting and bowing low.
"Report! General Zuo is less than three li from here!"

Yuan Xi suddenly gripped the jade pendant tightly, a fierce glint surging in his eyes, but he forced it down, replacing it with gentleness and humility.

"All officers and soldiers, quickly follow me to welcome the Left General!"

Yuan Xi rose from his seat and strode out of the pavilion, followed by Han Heng, Jiao Chu, Zhang Nan, and other civil and military officials.

Once again, the banner bearing the character "Liu" fluttered in the wind on the main road, with Liu Bei, clad in armor and helmet, standing majestically beneath it.

Upon seeing Yuan Xi leading his officers and soldiers in a line ahead, Liu Bei reined in his horse and stopped, waving his right hand.

"end--"

The officer loudly relayed the order.

The command resounded like a boulder hitting water, creating a ripple effect.

The first archers, spearmen in the front ranks, stomped their feet to halt, and amidst the clanging of metal, the archers in the center halted their advance, followed by the sounds of cavalrymen pulling on their reins.

In a short while, the more than two thousand infantry and cavalry went from motionless to still, and apart from a few warhorses stamping their hooves in agitation, their formation was as solid as a rock.

The speed of his orders and the discipline of his actions left Yuan Xi and his officers in awe!

Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan suggested that Yuan Xi give Liu Bei a hard time, and Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong also suggested that Liu Bei give Yuan Xi a hard time.

The results are obvious.

Before Yuan Xi could even begin his show of force, he was already intimidated by Liu Bei's.

Looking at the elite soldiers of Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan, they were already filled with fear before the martial arts demonstration even began, clearly showing their superiority!

"The person who came here is evil!"

Han Heng looked at Yuan Xi with concern, then glanced at Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan, whose faces were gloomy, and hesitated to speak.

He sighed inwardly: the soldiers under General Zuo's command were disciplined and well-organized, which showed his military management skills; if the elite soldiers under Generals Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan were to perform martial arts in front of General Zuo, they would only be able to perform for fun!
Yuan Xi suppressed the trembling in his heart, forced a smile, spurred his horse forward, and raised his voice to greet the General of the Left: "Yuan Xi, Governor of Youzhou, along with his officers and soldiers, respectfully welcomes the General of the Left! We hope the General of the Left will forgive any slights we may have shown!"

Looking at the gentle and humble Yuan Xi, Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, who were on either side of Liu Bei, both had smiles on their faces.

If you want people to speak gently and humbly, you must first have the strength to make them dare not be arrogant. In the face of absolute strength, even a fierce tiger that dominates the mountains and forests must become a docile kitten.

Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan's attempt to show off their skills in front of Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong was like trying to teach a fish to swim.

After exchanging glances with Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, Liu Bei spurred his horse forward and returned the greeting with gentle courtesy: "I was only fortunate to become the Left General. Fortunately, the General did not mind my humble origins and appointed me as the Governor of Zhuojun. I dare not accept such a grand greeting from Governor Yuan!" Liu Bei's words and actions were not arrogant at all, but rather full of humility and gentleness. His attitude was completely opposite to his previous military might, which made Han Heng a little stunned for a moment.

Perhaps I have misunderstood Liu Bei, and his actions just now were unintentional?

Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan shared the same thought as Han Heng. After being intimidated by Liu Bei's military might, the two generals felt fear. Now, seeing Liu Bei's attitude become "gentle," they couldn't help but wonder if they had misread the situation.

Yuan Xi's trembling disappeared with Liu Bei's gentle touch, replaced by deep doubts. He couldn't understand why Liu Bei's attitude had changed so quickly.

"Your Excellency, please invite Liu Bei to take his seat first," Han Heng whispered, snapping out of his daze.

Yuan Xi realized what was happening, put on a smile again, and warmly greeted Liu Bei: "General Zuo is too modest. Who in the world today does not know of General Zuo's bravery and skill in battle? There are many in Youzhou who do not submit to the Great General, and I am not talented enough to subdue them. I am extremely grateful to have General Zuo's righteous assistance!"

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Yuan Xi led Liu Bei to his seat.

On Yuan Xi's side, Han Heng, Jiao Chu, and Zhang Nan accompanied him; on Liu Bei's side, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Zhao Yun accompanied him.

Perhaps it was Liu Bei's gentle demeanor that lessened Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan's fear, or perhaps it was Liu Bei's decision not to have Guan Yu and Zhang Fei accompany them that gave Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan courage.

The two generals exchanged a glance, and the urge to practice their swordsmanship returned.

While Liu Bei and Yuan Xi were conversing in the main seat, Zhang Nan stood up with his sword in hand and bowed to Liu Bei, Yuan Xi and everyone present: "Today, my lord and General Zuo are gathered here. It is my great honor to be able to accompany you. I would like to perform a sword dance to entertain you all and serve you wine."

Yuan Xi deliberately rebuked, "There is music and music at the banquet; why is there a need for sword dancing to add to the merriment?"

Liu Bei remained calm, toasting Yuan Xi while praising him profusely: "Governor Yuan, it is truly enviable to have such valiant men assisting you. Since General Zhang is willing to perform a sword dance to add to the merriment, how can we spoil his fun?"

Yuan Xi was initially worried that Liu Bei would be displeased by Zhang Nan's suggestion to perform a sword dance for entertainment, but seeing that Liu Bei's smile remained unchanged and that Zhang Nan was even more impressive, he felt relieved and put on a smile again: "Although Zhang Nan has some strength, he does not dare to compare with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei under the command of General Zuo."

Liu Bei laughed self-deprecatingly: "Governor Yuan, do not be misled by the rumors. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are just ordinary people, one selling beans and the other slaughtering pigs. They are only good-looking, but in reality, they are not very brave or strong."

Having received permission, Zhang Nan was secretly pleased and practiced his sword dance with great enthusiasm.

During the sword dance, Zhang Nan's sword tip would occasionally lash out at Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Zhao Yun.

To Zhang Nan's surprise, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Zhao Yun not only remained calm and composed despite their fear, but also commented on Zhang Nan's swordsmanship.

Enraged, Zhang Nan beckoned to Jiao Chu: "Sword dances are best performed in pairs. General Jiao, would you be willing to dance with me to add to the fun?"

Jiao Chu also noticed the extraordinary demeanor of Zhuge Liang and the others, so he also took his sword and left his seat to dance with Zhang Nan.

The solo sword dance turned into a duet, and the atmosphere of the banquet became more intense. The two not only deliberately clashed their swords to make a rapid sound, but also called out to Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Zhao Yun from time to time, trying to make the three lose their composure out of fear.

However, the reactions of Zhuge Liang and the other two disappointed Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan once again. They commented and clapped, treating the two as mere entertainment for their sword dance!
Seeing that they couldn't scare Zhuge Liang and the other two, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan exchanged a glance, then hardened their hearts and thrust their swords at Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong's hair and turbans, hoping to make them avoid the swords and leave their seats, thus embarrassing themselves.

At that moment, Yuan Xi, who was toasting Liu Bei, suddenly heard two crisp sounds, followed by the sound of a sword falling to the ground. When he looked again, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan had each taken two steps back, while Zhao Yun had already stood in front of Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong with his sword.

Yuan Xi was startled and stood up abruptly.

In a split second, Zhao Yun, who was originally as honest and simple as a good boy, suddenly drew his sword and jumped in front of Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong. With just two swings, Zhao Yun knocked the swords out of Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan's hands!
　Asking for monthly ticket
　　
　
(End of this chapter)