Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 212 Soaring to the Clouds, Ascending the Steps

A biting wind blew, and with a bamboo staff and straw sandals, Mi Heng stood facing the wind, sizing up Liu Bei.

Seeing that his ears reached his shoulders and his hands went past his knees, he certainly had an extraordinary appearance.

Guan Yu, his face flushed, stood behind Liu Bei, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, looking at Mi Heng with arrogance.

Zhang Fei glared angrily at Mi Heng, his steel-needle-like beard standing on end.

The three of them truly exuded heroic spirit!

Mi Heng inwardly praised him, but outwardly he still sneered and continued to test his heart, saying:

"Lord Xuande is unparalleled in benevolence and virtue, so how could he have such an ill-mannered younger brother?"

"And you even dared to boast that you'd tie Heng up? Heng is standing right here now; I wonder if General Zhang will tie him up or not?"

Zhang Fei was already angry that Liu Bei had spoken ill of his elder brother at the city gate, and now that Liu Bei had overheard him forcing his way in, he was provoked and could no longer hold back.

Blowing his beard and hair, he was about to make a move. "Don't even mention that you are here. Even if it were your lord Liu Biao in front of me, how could I not dare to do it?"

Mi Heng was quite tough; he stood up straight and stepped forward, showing no fear or timidity towards Zhang Fei.

"Come on! Zhang Yide, you only know how to act rashly and ruin your elder brother's great cause. I'm afraid you haven't learned your lesson from the loss of Xuzhou."

It would have been better if he hadn't brought it up; the moment he did, Zhang Fei was both ashamed and furious, and he was about to step forward and capture the man.

Fortunately, Guan Yu was sensible. Although he was secretly annoyed that this man was tactless and seemed to be looking for trouble, he still reached out to stop Zhang Fei and gestured for him to look at Liu Bei's expression.

"Don't act recklessly in front of your elder brother."

Seeing that Liu Bei's face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot, Zhang Fei knew that he had really angered his elder brother. He quickly shut his mouth, glaring hatefully at Mi Heng, and dared not say another word.

However, Mi Heng still didn't know how to restrain himself. When he saw Guan Yu blocking Zhang Fei, he turned his gaze to Guan Yu, a mocking smile appearing on his lips.

"Heng Changwen has heard that under Yuan Shu in Huainan, there is a general named Ji Ling, whose martial arts are unparalleled and divine, and can be called peerless in the world."

He once defeated Guan Yu in less than three rounds during a battle. I wonder if this story is true or not?

They really know how to rub salt in the wound. They told Zhang Fei that he had lost Xuzhou, and they asked Guan Yu directly about his defeat against Ji Ling.

You must know that the defeat of Chen State that day was the thing that Guan Yu had been most annoyed about in recent days.

If it weren't for Ji Ling's cunning and reluctance to engage in battle, and his elder brother's fear of Yuan Shu's strength and decision to temporarily endure rather than provoke him and invite destruction, he would have already personally gone to the front lines to kill Ji Ling and vindicate himself.

When Mi Heng spoke of this matter in a sarcastic tone, Guan Yu could not contain himself.

He released his grip on Zhang Fei's hand and said coldly:
"Third brother, I believe that at least one of the things you said before was correct."

These arrogant and self-important scholars, who call themselves celebrities, are so presumptuous and conceited that they might only look at us with a second glance after you've given them a good beating.

Now it was Zhang Fei's turn to cautiously glance at Liu Bei, whose face was dark and frightening, and whispered a word of advice.

"Second brother, hold back! Don't ruin eldest brother's important business. Look how angry he is."

Guan Yu: "."

Liu Bei was indeed angry at this moment, but unexpectedly, he did not act as gently and politely as before to show that he respected and valued talent.

Instead of acting normally, he turned to Mi Heng with a livid face and said coldly.

“Mr. Ni, I have long admired your literary talent and elegant demeanor, and I am overjoyed to hear of your arrival today and have the opportunity to meet you.”

If you look down on me, sir, that is understandable. After all, I have been traveling all over the country for a long time, suffering famine and displacement, and being defeated in various places. I have never had a peaceful night's rest, and I have accomplished nothing and have no foundation to stand on.

Indeed, I am deeply grateful to Mr. Bei and have treated him with the utmost respect, showing him no disrespect whatsoever.

However, today, you ridiculed Yide about the Xuzhou incident. Even after losing Xuzhou, Beidu did not say a word against my third brother to hurt his feelings. How dare you, sir?

Using Ji Ling's victory to satirize Guan Yu, little do they know that victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Tomorrow, Liu Bei will surely lead a large army to attack Chen, allowing my two brothers to personally kill Ji Ling and uphold their reputation. Why then do you need to wag your tongue here?

What angered Liu Bei was not Guan Yu or Zhang Fei, but Mi Heng.

His words were very straightforward: you may look down on me, Liu Bei, and you can insult or curse me without any problem.

He was originally a lonely wanderer, displaced and homeless, who insulted, humiliated, and even abandoned him.

Liu Bei understood and treated them with courtesy.

But you, Mi Heng, are bringing up the very things that shouldn't be brought up, specifically exposing the shortcomings of my two brothers. This won't do!
Mi Heng's gaze toward Liu Bei grew increasingly intense, his face turning slightly cold as he coldly rebuked him.

"Big-eared thief!"

Heng is a renowned scholar, highly respected by the literati. The other day, in the Prime Minister's residence in Luoyang, I publicly denounced Cao Cao as a traitor to the country, and he had to accept it without daring to utter a single word in rebuttal.

I've only said a few words about horse archers and foot archers, and you want to send me away?

Do you know what you are doing? You should know that by the time Heng leaves today, this matter will be known throughout the world, and your reputation for disrespecting talented people will be known throughout the land!

From this day forward, no scholar or worthy person will ever set foot in your humble abode, Xiaopei.

However, Liu Bei remained unmoved and simply bowed respectfully.

"Goodbye, sir. We won't see you off."

How could such a scene not move Guan Yu and Zhang Fei?
They held Liu Bei's hands tightly, one on each side, their voices choked with emotion.

"Brother, you have treated me so well. How can I not repay your kindness with my life?"

"Me too."

Liu Bei simply squeezed his hand back firmly and smiled gently.

“We three brothers swore an oath to be sworn brothers, hoping to die on the same day, month, and year. What talk of gratitude and loyalty is there now?”

"Don't worry about those things. As long as the three of us brothers work together with one heart and one mind, remain steadfast in our beliefs, we can reach the highest levels of society and soar to great heights!"

"Big Brother!!!"

Just as the three brothers were feeling deeply attached to each other, a hearty laugh came from their side.

Zhang Fei glared at Mi Heng and said angrily, "You scholar, you have no eyes! My elder brother has said everything, why aren't you leaving? Why are you standing here mocking us?"

"Are you waiting for me, Old Zhang, to personally whip you and chase you away?"

Unexpectedly, Mi Heng, who had always been arrogant and constantly finding fault with others, actually bowed respectfully to the three brothers.

"Lord Xuande is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. The three brothers share a bond of brotherhood that will last forever. I, Heng, bow down in admiration today."

His benevolence was unparalleled, his righteousness boundless; his journey to Xiaopei was enough to comfort Heng for a lifetime.

As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Liu Bei, saying, "What I said earlier was all a test. If I have offended you in any way, I would gladly accept General Zhang's whip myself."

"I now wish to stay in Xiaopei to discuss the righteous cause of restoring the Han Dynasty, and I hope that Lord Xuande will not reject me."

Guan Yu, however, remained aloof and snorted coldly at Mi Heng's behavior, refusing to even look at him. Zhang Fei, on the other hand, found this amusing; in all his years of whipping so many people, this was the first time he'd heard someone so eager to be whipped.

Fortunately, Liu Bei quickly stopped him, saying, "Yide, the gentleman was just joking. How can you be disrespectful to him?"

Upon learning that Mi Heng had merely been testing him and not genuinely mocking his three brothers, Liu Bei let go of his resentment and laughed heartily.

"Mr. Ni is so angry that he must drink three large cups of wine tonight to calm down."

As he spoke, he rushed forward and helped Mi Heng up.

"Now that I have found you, sir, I have sought more than I could ever hope for. How could I possibly give up on you?"

Mi Heng clasped hands with Liu Bei and smiled as well.

"In this chaotic world, the Han dynasty is in decline, and great villains appear to be loyal, and great falsehoods appear to be truthful."

There are countless individuals who, under the guise of restoring the Han dynasty, have actually engaged in usurpation and separatist rule.

"It is truly difficult to discern who is loyal and who is treacherous. We have been forced to resort to this less-than-ideal tactic to test and find those who are loyal to the emperor and devoted to the country. We hope Lord Xuande will not take offense."

"Sir, you are cautious, loyal, and full of passion. I admire you deeply, so why would I be surprised?"

The two held hands and laughed, considering themselves kindred spirits.

That evening, Liu Bei hosted a banquet to welcome Mi Heng. During the banquet, everyone discussed the matter of restoring the Han Dynasty, and Mi Heng spoke on behalf of Liu Bei.

"Lord Xuande, you must have heard about what brings Heng here."

Yuan Gonglu of Huainan was arrogant and presumptuous, falsely claiming the title of regent. He issued an imperial edict to announce to the world that he would mobilize 100,000 troops to attack Jingzhou.

To be honest, Liu Jingsheng of Jingzhou, despite his reputation as one of the Eight Steeds and his awe-inspiring presence throughout the land, is all show and no substance.

He was unworthy to be a member of the Han imperial family, yet he only knew how to protect himself, while regarding the decline of the Han dynasty over four hundred years as nothing.

Heng often pointed out his faults and criticized his mistakes, which is why he was also disliked by Liu Jingzhou.

In reality, he had prepared an army of 100,000 to resist Yuan Shu, which he considered foolproof, and he was not in a hurry to seek reinforcements.

Therefore, the reason why Ling Heng went to Luoyang to seek help was actually to use Cao Mengde to kill me!
Heng was not afraid and denounced the traitor in court, regarding his life and death as a farce. However, to ask me to change my tune and turn a blind eye to Cao Cao's false pretense and his manipulation of the emperor is something I cannot do.

After Mi Heng finished speaking, Zhang Fei was the first to applaud.

He downed a glass of wine in one gulp and said heartily, "Good!"

“That treacherous Cao Cao has repeatedly used false imperial edicts to order my elder brother around. I, Old Zhang, have long disliked him.”

Previously, I was blind to your greatness and dared to rebuke you in court at his Prime Minister's residence. Although you are a scholar, Mr. Mi, your generosity and loyalty make you a truly righteous man.

Mi Heng smiled and glanced at him, "What, General Zhang San isn't whipping me this time?"

Zhang Fei looked embarrassed and gave an awkward laugh. "I'm just a rough man, Mr. Ni, please don't hold it against me. This cup of wine is for you, and please don't mention the whipping incident again."

Mi Heng drank the wine and continued his analysis for Liu Bei.

"Previously, when I was in Luoyang, Cao Cao was wary of my reputation and dared not kill me, so he sent me to Xiaopei to continue seeking aid for Liu Jingzhou."

Knowing Heng's temperament, he wanted to use someone else to do his dirty work. He wanted to eliminate me through Xuande's hand, and at the same time, ruin Xuande's reputation among scholars, causing all the talented people in the world to abandon him.

After explaining the cause and effect, Mi Heng asked:
"Now Yuan Shu has dispatched 100,000 troops to advance on Jingzhou, and Liu Jingzhou has also deployed 100,000 troops to resist him."

Now that I have sought aid from all sides, even though Cao Cao's intentions are unpredictable, he will most likely send troops to join the other warlords in their campaign against the traitor Yuan Shao. I wonder what Lord Xuande's thoughts are on this matter?"

Liu Bei sighed and said this.

"Yuan Gonglu's intentions are known to all. His forgery of imperial edicts and his conquests of all directions are even worse than those of Dong Zhuo in the past."

To restore the Han Dynasty, Liu Bei, having the strength, wished he could storm into Shouchun and behead all the disloyal people in the world.

However, Pei State was small in territory and its soldiers were few. Even if Liu Bei exerted all his strength, he could not break through the Chen State guarded by Ji Ling.

It would be a waste of manpower and resources, a futile effort. Even if Bei did his utmost and Ji Ling tried his best to stop them, he could not persuade Yuan Gonglu to return to help and relieve Brother Jingsheng's predicament.

It's not that I don't want to, but rather that I have the will but lack the ability; I simply cannot.

Mi Heng nodded slightly, "Now Liu Jingzhou has 100,000 troops. Even if he is no match for Yuan Shu, he can still protect himself."

Xuande Gong really doesn't need to waste his own strength on this. As for Cao Cao's imperial edict that I brought ordering Xuande Gong to send troops,

In my opinion, we should let General Guan lead a detachment to challenge Ji Ling City. He will likely defend the city and avoid battle as usual, which would fulfill our obligation to form an alliance.

Xuande could take advantage of this period of warring states to deplete his resources, recruit soldiers, expand his power, and prepare for the future when he could restore the Han Dynasty.

“What you say is exactly what I was thinking.”

As they were talking, a messenger suddenly reported an urgent message!

"Report! Lord Xuande, General Lü is leading his troops to attack!"

These words shocked everyone present!

At this moment, dust was flying outside Xiaopei City as a troop of eight hundred cavalrymen galloped towards them.

The leader, wearing a purple-gold crown and a battle robe adorned with a hundred flowers, rode the Red Hare and carried a halberd. Who else could it be but Lü Bu?
Where is my worthy brother Xuande?

Lu Bu shouted from below the city walls, "An old friend has come to visit! Why don't you open the city gates and come to see me at once!"

Upon hearing the news, Liu Bei hurriedly led his men out to greet them, and Mi Heng also came out, standing on the city tower and observing coldly.

Seeing that Lü Bu had only brought eight hundred men, Liu Bei breathed a sigh of relief. After a moment's thought, he had already made up his mind, but he still looked at Mi Heng beside him and asked, "Master Mi, have you given me any advice?"

Mi Heng chuckled and said, "Since an old friend has come to visit, why doesn't Lord Xuande give him a greeting?"
He only brought eight hundred men with him, and Xiaopei is where Xuande's army is stationed. Moreover, there was the story of the Three Heroes fighting Lü Bu in the past. Why should we be afraid of him today?

In my humble opinion, he must have heard that Yuan Shu had mobilized a large army to attack Jingzhou and Xiangyang, and thought that Yuzhou was vulnerable and without support, so he wanted to attack Chen and Liang.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei was surprised. "I have often heard that Lü Bu wanted to marry his daughter to Yuan Shu's son in marriage, so that the two families could form an alliance. It is already a blessing that he does not help Yuan Shu. Why would he want to plot against him?"

Mi Heng laughed loudly, "Lu Bu is a villain. He is fickle and treacherous, and he forgets righteousness for personal gain."

If there is profit to be made, the adoptive father can kill him, so why would he care about any marriage alliance?
"Lord Xuande understood the situation after just one meeting and hearing his words."

The two agreed that the city gates should be opened wide, and Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, along with Mi Heng, led their troops out to meet them.

Lü Bu sized up Liu Bei, who, without taking offense, met his gaze, cupped his hands, and said:
"General Lü, it has been a long time since we last met. I am overjoyed to see you today and feel I have failed to greet you properly. May I ask what brings you here today?"

Lü Bu merely smiled without replying, saying, "We were once close friends, why must you be so formal, my brother? I've come all this way, yet you won't even invite me into your residence for a banquet?"

So everyone entered the mansion, and at the banquet, Lü Bu looked at Liu Bei with great sorrow.

"I remember when my brother and I drank and talked happily, our friendship was deep and profound. I never thought that today, though the cups and plates remain the same, our friendship will not be forgotten."

(End of this chapter)