Emperor Zhaolie of the late Han Dynasty: Rising to power in Liaoxi

Liu Bei, however, was prepared. He stepped forward, his tone calm and steady, each word hitting the nail on the head: "What you are worried about, my lord, I have already considered."

"First, let's talk about Xia Yu. As the Protector of Wuhuan, he was repeatedly defeated by the Xianbei. He was even powerless to stop the plundering of Bingzhou and Youbeiping. He had already been held accountable by the court and was in a terrible predicament."

"If we can defeat Queji's forces in one battle, expand our territory and secure the border, thus solving the border troubles in western Liaoning for the imperial court, it will be a great achievement."

Even if he was dissatisfied, he would never dare to impeach a meritorious official, otherwise he would be accused of being a mere figurehead and would be held accountable by the court.

He paused, then continued, "As for troop strength, preparations have already been made."

"Liu Chengqiu Liju, grateful for our previous help in treating the epidemic, is willing to lend me a thousand elite Wuhuan cavalry and a thousand warhorses in private."

"In this way, we will have cavalrymen familiar with the grasslands to help us."

Upon hearing this, Hou Chong's eyes flashed with a hint of interest, but he still did not give in: "Even with the help of the Wuhuan cavalry, fighting on the grasslands is ultimately an away game, and it is extremely dangerous."

Liu Bei bowed again and said, "What you say is absolutely right, sir!"

"Yet it was Wei Qing and Huo Qubing who defeated the Xiongnu in the north and sealed the wolf's lair, thus securing hundreds of years of peace for the northern borders of the Han Dynasty!"

"If Wei Qing and Huo Qubing had only guarded the Great Wall and dared not venture beyond the border, the Xiongnu would have raided southwards year after year, and the border troubles would never have ended!"

"Although we now only have the troops of one prefecture, the Queji tribe has already been severely weakened, and its tribes are scattered, like candles flickering in the wind."

"This is a golden opportunity, at minimal cost, to secure ten or even twenty years of peace in western Liaoning!"

His voice suddenly rose, filled with the passion and determination of a young man: "Sir, if we remain passively defensive, we will always be led by the nose, building fortresses year after year and preparing for border troubles year after year."

"The people lived in constant fear every year, and the grain in the granaries could never fill the hole left by the looting."

"Only by taking the initiative, crushing the Queji tribe, and inflicting heavy losses on the Xianbei people, can we let them know that those who offend our mighty Han, no matter how far away, will be punished!"

"Only then can we achieve lasting stability!"

"I am going here not for my own benefit, but for the sake of tens of thousands of people in western Liaoning, for the stability of the region, and so that the people of this land will no longer have to fear the hooves of the Xianbei!"

"With a 90% chance of victory, this battle is assured!"

His words were resounding, full of sincerity and determination.

Looking at the sixteen-year-old boy before him, whose posture was upright and whose eyes were piercing, Hou Chong's concerns were gradually dispelled by his passion and emotion.

Hou Chong remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "Xuande, you have this courage and sense of responsibility, so I won't hold you back!"

"In my capacity as the Prefect of Liaoxi, I hereby order that all troops in the entire prefecture be placed under your command!"

He immediately issued a loud order, summoning the prefectural chief clerk, the prefectural assistant, and others, and issued a troop mobilization order on the spot.

"Yan Gang's eight hundred border troops were all handed over to Liu Bei's command and accompanied him on the northern expedition."

"Zou Dan's forces, numbering four hundred, were transferred to Liu Bei's command and placed under his orders."

"In addition, there is Gongsun Zan, a clerk under the prefectural government, who is known for his bravery and skill in archery and horsemanship, and has two hundred new recruits under his command. He is also ordered to lead his troops to the Yangle camp immediately to accompany Liu Bei on his expedition!"

Liu Bei was overjoyed and immediately bowed deeply to Hou Chong, thanking him profusely, "Thank you for your trust, Lord Hou! I will certainly not fail you, and I will not return until the Xianbei are defeated!"

Hou Chong helped him up, patted him on the shoulder, and said solemnly, "Xuande, we must fight the battle and win the victory, but you must also come back alive."

"If anything happens to you, I won't let you off the hook."

"I will keep in mind the Prefect's instructions!"

Upon returning to the county office, Liu Bei immediately summoned his generals, assembled his troops, and finalized the order of battle:

Qiuliju privately borrowed 1000 elite cavalrymen from the Wuhuan.

Yan Gang's border troops numbered 800.

Gongsun Zan's new recruits: 200 men.

Zou Dan's fortified troops numbered 400.

Cheng Pu's garrison of inspectors consisted of 200 men.

Han Dang's bandit sergeant: 200 men.

Xu Rong's standing local militia numbered 500.

The total number of troops was 3300. With the help of the thousand warhorses given by Qiu Liju, the army could be reorganized into 2300 cavalry and 1000 infantry.

The entire army consisted of soldiers from the border regions, skilled in archery and horsemanship, and were just waiting to familiarize themselves with the changes in battle formations.

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On the other side, in a small courtyard in the city, Gongsun Zan was wielding his iron halberd, his moves wide and sweeping.

With a sharp clang of metal cutting through the air, the double-edged halberd spun and swept horizontally, snapping the thick wooden stake in two.

As the halberd swept by, fallen leaves rose into the air, only to be pressed back to the ground by the strong wind from Gongsun Zan's halberd sheath.

He was handsome and tall, with a black outfit that accentuated his muscular physique. His brows held the sharpness of youth, and there was an unyielding and rebellious air about him.

However, this young man, skilled in archery and horsemanship and exceptionally brave, was always an outsider in the prestigious Gongsun family, a prominent clan in western Liaoning with a stipend of two thousand shi (a unit of grain).

He was born out of wedlock, and his mother came from a humble background. In the Gongsun family, where the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was strictly observed, he was ashamed to face his mother.

Even though he secured the position of clerk under the Liaoxi Commandery through his own abilities, and was somewhat famous on the frontier for his excellent horsemanship and archery skills.

In the eyes of the eldest son of the clan, he was still no match for those legitimate sons who could only nod their heads and recite poems.

"Bo Gui is indeed skilled in martial arts, but it's a pity he has no use for his abilities!"

A strange, sarcastic voice came from the courtyard gate. Gongsun Zan looked up and saw his cousin, Gongsun Zhao, standing there with his hands behind his back.

Dressed in a brocade robe, followed by two stewards, his face bore the innate arrogance of the eldest son.

Gongsun Zhao is the eldest son of the Gongsun family head and the current core figure in charge of the clan. He is also the person who has always liked to use his status to manipulate him since childhood.

Gongsun Zan ignored him, slammed his iron halberd into the ground, and the bluestone pavement instantly cracked. He then picked up a wine flask from the table and took a large gulp.

He then said coldly, "Cousin, you didn't come to Yangle City just to watch me practice my halberd skills, did you? Speak your mind."

Gongsun Zhao chuckled, stepped into the courtyard, glanced at the broken wood scattered on the ground, and said slowly, "I'll show you the way."

"The landscape of western Liaoning has changed dramatically."

"Liu Bei, Liu Xuande, Marquis of Guannei, Magistrate of Yangle County."

"Prefect Hou handed over all the power of the entire prefecture to him. Everyone in the prefecture, from top to bottom, was his man. No one in the entire Liaoxi region could surpass him."

He paused, his gaze falling on Gongsun Zan, his tone somewhat condescending: "The clan's idea is that you and Liu Bei are both disciples of Master Lu, and have a bond of kinship. You can take advantage of this relationship to join him."

"With your martial arts skills, he will surely value you highly. If you can rise in rank, our Gongsun family will also benefit."

"Should we vote for him?"

Gongsun Zan seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and suddenly burst into laughter. His laughter was full of defiance and arrogance, and the veins on his hand holding the iron halberd bulged.

"Why should I, Gongsun Bogui, submit to Liu Bei?"

"We came from the same school and arrived in Liaoxi Prefecture without any distinction between us."

"He got incredibly lucky, cured the plague, and won over Prefect Hou, thus obtaining a nominal title of Marquis within the Pass. And you bunch of sycophants?"

"A true man is born between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long!"

"I, Gongsun Bogui, am simply unlucky!"