The imperial cause at the end of the Han Dynasty was not one of partial peace.

After leaving Wuji, the army continued south along the official road on the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains and entered Changshan territory. The scenery of Changshan was no longer what it used to be.

Although Zhongshan also suffered from the Yellow Turban Rebellion, with powerful families like the Zhen family in charge, some order was still maintained within the prefecture.

Changshan is different—it is bordered by the Taihang Mountains to the west and the Hutuo River to the east. With its high mountains and deep valleys, it has been a hotbed of bandits since ancient times.

Even before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the mountains were home to many desperate criminals, some fleeing conscription, others seeking refuge from enemies. They would gather in groups, shout and rob passing merchants.

When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, these mountain bandits joined forces with the Way of Peace, and like rivers flowing into the sea, their power and influence grew ever stronger.

Along the official road, villages were burned and looted, mulberry groves were burned, fields were deserted, and nine out of ten houses in the villages were empty. A large number of refugees fled with their families.

In such circumstances, the only way for ordinary people to survive was to seek refuge under the protection of powerful local lords and hide in fortified villages.

Only by relying on strongholds and fortified villages could the plundering of mountain bandits and moth thieves be stopped.

As the main force of the army was about to cross the Hutuo River, Jian Yong, who was in charge of liaising with the counties, rode back and found Liu Bei at the riverbank ferry. He cupped his hands and said, "My lord, the vanguard had just reached the territory of Zhending when we were shocked to hear the terrible news. It seems that Zhending will be unable to provide us with food and supplies."

Liu Bei's expression immediately turned serious, and he asked, "What has happened?"

Jian Yong succinctly stated, "The Yellow Turbans have already breached Zhengding, King Sheng of Changshan has abandoned his country and fled, and Chancellor Sun Jin has died for his country. Now the rebels have occupied the city."

Have the Yellow Turban rebels already occupied Zhen Ding?

Liu Bei frowned slightly, as this was quite disadvantageous for him, as he was hoping to find Zhao Yun through the county and prefectural officials.

But now that Zhending has been occupied by bandits, he can no longer rely on the help of the county and prefecture.

So Liu Bei asked, "Do you have detailed military intelligence? Did the King and Chancellor of Changshan not offer any resistance? How could the capital have fallen to the enemy in just a few dozen days?"

Jian Yong immediately shook his head and said, "Contrary to what you expected, my lord, this Chancellor of Changshan, Sun Jin, is extremely loyal and righteous."

"Jin, courtesy name Ziyu, was a native of Gaomi in Beihai. He was recommended as a filial and incorruptible official and served in several counties, including Wuyi, Linlu, and Yangcheng, where he gained a good reputation. He was then appointed as the Chancellor of Changshan. Less than a year after taking office, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, attacking and destroying counties and prefectures, and officials and people all fled. Jin alone led his clerks to defend the city. When the city fell, he was captured."

"The bandits, impressed by his loyalty and bravery, wanted to have him surrender alive. Jin glared at him and shouted, 'I have received the emperor's favor and hold a high position; how could I live with you?' The bandits then killed him. Chief Clerk Wang Du and Attendant Gongsun Yun also died."

Liu Bei was immediately moved and said, "This man is truly a loyal and righteous hero. We should report this to the court. Would the court be so stingy as to bestow upon him the posthumous title of 'Marquis of Chastity'?"

After saying this, Liu Bei solemnly asked again, "Such wise and capable men, who defended the city to the death, how could the city have fallen and they had been killed by the enemy after only a few dozen days?"

Jian Yong said with a solemn expression, "It's because the Changshan bandits are extremely fierce, unlike ordinary moth bandits."

"Their leader was particularly extraordinary. His name was Chu Yan and he was a local of Zhen Ding. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion first broke out, Yan gathered local scoundrels to form a gang of bandits, who then attacked and plundered in the mountains and marshes."

"Although this man was young, he was extremely brave and resourceful. He annexed dozens of bandit groups, large and small, within Changshan County in just ten months, and his forces numbered over ten thousand. Although Prime Minister Sun was loyal and brave, the county's troops were few and there was no external support. He defended the isolated city alone for several dozen days. When the city ran out of arrows and food, Zhang Yan took advantage of the situation, and the city fell, leading to his death in battle."

"According to the officials and civilians who escaped from the city, Chu Yan was agile and fierce. He always charged into battle first and was known in the army as 'Flying Swallow.' His subordinates were mostly fugitives from the mountains, who could traverse mountains and valleys as if they were flat ground. They were no ordinary bandits."

Zhang Feibao's eyes widened, and he slammed his spear down, shouting, "What flying swallow?! I, Old Zhang, will poke a hole right through him with this spear and see how he flies!"

Liu Bei understood immediately; it was Zhang Yan who had made the move.

This guy is extraordinary. Let alone a mere chancellor of Changshan State, even Yuan Shao in history couldn't defeat him.

Moreover, while Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan were locked in a stalemate, he also led his troops to capture Ye City, Yuan Shao's stronghold.

If it weren't for Yuan Shao's youthful vigor and heroic spirit, his composure in the face of the fall of Ye, and his words to his men, "Gentlemen, rest, I will take care of it myself," thus ensuring the safety of the entire army, Yuan's army would have been at risk of collapse.

In terms of battle record, Gongsun Zan's threat to Yuan Shao and the losses he caused were probably not as great as those of Zhang Yan and his Black Mountain bandits.

If Zhang Yan were to lead an army, gathering ten thousand men, it would indeed be beyond the ability of Sun Jin, a mere civil official and prime minister, to withstand.

Liu Bei immediately issued an order: "Our army is righteous and vigorous, and those who dare to rebel, no matter how strong, will be killed! This time we are marching south to quell the bandits, and Zhen Ding is just on the way. If bandits are massacring cities and harming people, how can we turn a blind eye?"

"Order Guan Yu to immediately lead the Xuanjia Iron Cavalry to counterattack the enemy. Our main army will advance with great fanfare and drums, and besiege Zhengding!"

As Liu Bei issued his military order, the central command flag was waved and the drums and horns sounded loudly.

After the army crossed the Hutuo River, it deployed as ordered.

Guan Yu led three hundred elite cavalrymen in black armor, all heavily armored, to march first towards Zhengding.

Then Tian Yu, Qian Zhao, Cheng Pu and others led their troops and divided them into three armies: left, center and right, and lined up in formation.

This formation was a forest of spears and halberds, a thunderous drumbeat, black armor shining like the sun, and crimson banners flying across the sky!

The advantage of making a grand display is this: two thousand troops spread out in formation, along with chariots and baggage trains, stretching for six or seven miles, with drums and bugles audible for miles around.

The powerful and righteous soldiers who were hiding in the countryside and forests and holding their fortified villages soon heard the news.

A young soldier on a fortified village, upon hearing the sound of drums and bugles, was overjoyed and pointed northeast, shouting, "Those are war drums! Han army war drums! Look at those flags!"

Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a huge red banner slowly rising on the northern horizon.

Then came the second and third flags—dozens of red flags fluttering in the wind. Getting closer, one could see the outline of the red battle robes under the flags. They were the crimson uniforms of the Han army, the color of fire established by Emperor Gaozu when he slew the white snake to start his uprising!

"The Han army is here!"

"It's the royal army! The royal army has arrived!"

Cheers erupted atop the fortified village.

Even the scattered and defeated soldiers of the righteous army in the mountains and fields emerged from their hiding places.

Looking at the banner fluttering in the wind with the character "Liu" written on it, I couldn't help but wonder, where did this general come from?

But they didn't need to guess any further. The Han army had already dispatched messengers across the official road, and dozens of scouts shouted loudly towards the fortified villages and scattered rebel forces: "Liu Xuande of Zhuojun, on the orders of Prefect Liu of Youzhou, is leading his righteous army south to quell the bandits! We will pacify the enemy along the way and will not harm a single hair! Those of you who wish to join the army may do so!"

Liu Bei of Zhuojun! That hero who shook Youzhou!

Although his name was not as well-known in Changshan as it was in Youzhou, many heroes had already heard of him.

Especially during the height of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, his decisive victory over the Yellow Turbans and the beheading of over ten thousand were particularly inspiring.

Now he is not in Youzhou, but has led the righteous army south?

Seeing the magnificent army with banners covering the fields and armor gleaming in the sun, the local strongmen and righteous men of Changshan were immediately invigorated and dispatched their troops and soldiers to help them.

When Liu Bei's army marched to the city of Zhen Ding, hundreds of righteous men had already gathered. At the people's request, they were led by powerful and influential figures to help fight the enemy and recapture the county seat.

The Gui family is a prominent clan in Changshan County. Gui Ting's father, Gui Qian, once served as the Prefect of Lujiang. When Liu Bei's mentor, Lu Zhi, served as the Prefect of Lujiang, he succeeded Gui Qian.

Because of this shared history, the esteemed court was chosen by the army to lead the righteous army to assist in the battle.

Liu Bei was quite disappointed by this, wondering why Zhao Yun wasn't chosen to lead the troops.

This nobleman's courage was far inferior to that of the loyal and righteous Zhao Yun; upon seeing Liu Bei, he almost grasped his hand and wept.

"We have finally seen the majesty of the Han officials again."

"Understood by Liu Jun, this Chu Yan is fierce, brave, and exceptionally agile. Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion began, he has been recruiting and luring deserters and rebels, and has repeatedly plundered the area. The wealthy families, commoners, officials, and commoners of the prefecture have all suffered greatly at his hands."

"Now that Lord Liu has arrived with his righteous army, we can finally hope to eliminate the bandits and recover the prefecture."

Guan Yu snorted coldly and said, "A bunch of petty thieves. I, Guan Yu, led my elite cavalry in several battles against them, and they were all routed. What's there to talk about?"

Liu Bei nodded in approval, and Guan Yu's divine might needs no further explanation.

Since he personally led his iron cavalry as the vanguard to scout the enemy's situation, he has already fought several battles with Zhang Yan's troops.

Zhang Yan also wanted to investigate the strength of this Han army, so he sent out other troops to fight several times, but they were all defeated by Guan Yu.

When they reached the city of Zhen Ding, Du Qing, the leader of Zhang Yan's troops, led a thousand men to fight. However, Guan Yu once again broke through their lines and killed them in one battle, beheading more than a hundred of them.

But Gui Ting was already terrified by Chu Yan's fierceness. He subconsciously glanced at the large banner with the character "Chu" on it at Zhengding City, and said with his hands clasped, "They are still not to be underestimated. The bandits number over ten thousand, and they are invincible in attacking cities and breaking through enemy lines."

"I believe it is best to proceed with caution. It would be better to set up camp for the time being, allowing the troops to rest and recuperate while sending out proclamations to all directions to gather heroes and righteous men from Changshan. Once our momentum has grown and our forces number in the thousands, we can then launch a joint attack on the city. This is the safest and most prudent plan."

Zhang Fei, a man of fierce courage, could not tolerate such cowardly words. He immediately glared at them and rebuked them, saying, "We have raised an army to march south to relieve the nation's calamity and punish the traitors. If we delay and hesitate at the first sign of trouble, wouldn't we disappoint the righteous men of the land? When will we ever reach Wei Commandery?"

Liu Bei agreed with Zhang Fei's words. He turned and glanced at the elite army behind him, whose brilliance illuminated the heavens and the earth, and said with a sigh, "What you say is indeed a prudent approach. I also believe that we should gather the heroes and righteous men of Changshan to jointly punish the bandits."

"How can heroes come of their own accord? How can righteous men be summoned in vain? At present, bandits are rampant in Changshan, people are in a state of panic, and many are watching from the sidelines."

"If my army stands guard outside the city and dares not fight, they will see that I am also afraid of the enemy and would not be willing to surrender with my entire family."

"Only by upholding righteousness and fighting bravely can we slay even the strongest rebels, thus strengthening our military prestige and inspiring righteous men to follow us. Why then should we issue proclamations to summon them?"

Having finished speaking, he gripped his sword in his right hand, his gaze sweeping over Gui Ting and the people behind him, and said with deep emotion, "Sun Guoxiang died at the city, and the officials and people of Changshan wept blood day and night, hoping for the arrival of the royal army. Today, the royal army has arrived at the city walls. If we delay our advance under the pretext of 'safety,' how can we face the loyal souls of the martyrs? How can we comfort the hopes of our elders?"

"Order the army to feed the horses thoroughly and attack the city immediately!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a shout of praise suddenly rang out from the crowd behind Gui Ting: "How magnificent! What a display of righteous courage! Those who defy authority, no matter how strong, will surely be slain. This is true heroism, words of loyalty that shine like the sun!"

Everyone turned around and saw a young man stepping out from the crowd.

He was just over twenty years old, eight feet tall, with a majestic appearance. Although he wore only a simple hempen robe and held a long spear, he was awe-inspiring and stood out from the crowd.

He strode forward, walked up to Liu Bei, clasped his hands in front of his forehead, and knelt on one knee: "I have long heard that Liu Xuande is awe-inspiring in Youzhou and a master strategist, and I have long admired him."

"Now that I hear that you wish to display your martial prowess and charge into battle, I, though unworthy, am willing to be your vanguard, to slay generals and seize flags."

Seeing his demeanor, Liu Bei immediately stepped forward, bowed, and personally helped him up by the arms, asking, "Who are you?"

The young man raised his head, met Liu Bei's gaze, and answered loudly, "Zhao Yun, courtesy name Zilong, from Changshan Zhending. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, he led the local militia to fight against the rebels. Now, I am fortunate to meet Lord Liu, and I am willing to join you in suppressing the rebels and serve you with utmost loyalty!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei felt a surge of heat rush to his chest, and he excitedly grabbed Zhao Yun's arm.

Zhao Yun! Zhao Zilong!

It really was him! The Zhao Yun who bravely saved his lord at Changban in Dangyang, the Zhao Yun who repelled Cao Cao's army in Hanzhong, the Zhao Yun who was courageous, loyal and brave, and was known as one of the tiger generals of the world alongside Guan Yu and Zhang Fei!

Historically, he followed Liu Bei for more than 30 years without wavering in his loyalty. He fought in hundreds of battles without ever being defeated, and was still able to fight on the battlefield at the age of seventy.

Now, he has reached the age of twenty and is in the prime of his life!

Liu Bei deliberately chose to advance along the western route this time, with the primary goal of not missing out on this unparalleled tiger general.

Now he finally stood before him!

Just now, Liu Bei was still feeling down. Why was it that the righteous men of Changshan, who had gathered here, elected Gui Ting as their leader instead of Zhao Yun? Could it be that Zhao Yun didn't come?

Now it suddenly dawns on me that when righteous men gather to face national crisis together, how could Zhao Yun, with his unwavering loyalty and courage, not be the first to step forward?

He must have been among the first righteous men to come to his aid, but he is still young and has not yet come of age, which is why he has not been elected as the leader.

It was my impassioned words just now that spurred him to step forward. Otherwise, the two of us would have missed our chance!

Liu Bei could no longer contain his excitement. He grasped Zhao Yun's wrists with both hands, looked up to the sky, and laughed loudly: "Having Zilong is better than having a thousand troops!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.

One person is better than a thousand troops? What a high praise!

Zhang Fei stared wide-eyed at the handsome and imposing young man before him, wondering what was so extraordinary about him that his elder brother praised him so highly.

Guan Yu couldn't help but stroke his beard, his phoenix eyes filled with surprise. His elder brother was always aloof and taciturn, never showing his emotions.

But this young man actually made the elder brother laugh heartily and praise him endlessly. Just how excited must the elder brother be to be like this?

Before everyone could recover from their shock, Liu Bei excitedly grasped Zhao Yun's hands and said, "Since Zilong has the ambition to slay generals and seize flags, I will assist him."

"Guards, bring me my armor and my prized horse!"

Zhao Yun was stunned. He hadn't expected that this hero, who was renowned throughout Youzhou, would value him so much and personally bestow upon him armor and a fine horse.

Qian Zhao responded and left. Before long, he returned with a brand-new pair of black two-piece armor. The front plates were made of cowhide and polished to a mirror-like shine.

Then they brought over a magnificent white horse with black hooves, the most spirited of all the white horses Gongsun Zan had given them.

Liu Bei personally took the armor and handed it to Zhao Yun, saying, "This armor was exquisitely crafted by our army's artisans and can protect against arrows and swords."

"This horse is truly extraordinary, a fine steed gifted by Gongsun Bogui of Liaoxi. It can travel hundreds of miles a day, and its temperament is fierce; only a hero can ride it. Today, I present it to Zilong, wishing that Zilong would don this armor and ride this horse, to join me in facing the national crisis and quell the bandits!"

Zhao Yun accepted the armor with both hands, his heart filled with indescribable excitement.

He had seen fine horses before, but he knew that if he missed Liu Bei, who treated him as a national hero and a wise and trusted ruler upon their first meeting, he might never encounter such a person again in his life.

Therefore, he took a half step back, knelt on one knee, and said in a spirited voice: "I am just a commoner from Changshan, but I have been fortunate enough to be recognized and favored by Lord Liu. How dare I not die for him! Today I will be the vanguard, slaying generals and capturing flags to repay his kindness."

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" Liu Bei was emboldened and immediately ordered, "The three armies, form ranks and crush the enemy!"