Liu Xuande would never be a succubus of the Eastern Han Dynasty!

The black-clad guards took the order and left, galloping away in the night, disappearing outside Taiyuan City.

-

A few days later, in the Xianbei camp, Tan Shihuai received this secret letter from the Han area.

He sat on a tiger-skin chair, wearing a thick wolf-skin battle robe. His hair and beard were all white, his face was rough, but his eyes were filled with a shrewd gleam of experience.

The bonfire in the tent was blazing, making the wrinkles on his face even deeper.

"A letter from a Han Chinese?"

Tan Shihuai narrowed his eyes, took the secret letter and unfolded it, and the more he read, the more frightened he became.

The letter detailed the Han army's plan to send troops in four directions - Dong Zhuo would stay in Hetao, Xia Yu would set out from Gaoliu, Tian Yan would lead troops from Yunlin, Zang Min would lead the Southern Xiongnu from Yanmen, and Liu Bei would go out of the border from Dingxiang County. Each route would have 10,000 cavalrymen, advancing 2,000 miles, straight into the heart of the Xianbei.

Not only that, but the personalities, deeds, troop deployments, and even possible marching routes of the various generals are all clearly described.

After reading it, Tan Shihuai couldn't help but slam his head and burst into laughter: "This is really a piece of intelligence with every detail. I'm afraid even the Han generals themselves didn't get such detailed information!"

He paused, a sly look flashing in his eyes. "The Han people are indeed in chaos. Even their own people are fighting to the death. This is a good opportunity!"

The generals in the tent gathered around him, and one asked, "Great Khan, is this letter reliable? Could it be a trick of the Han people?"

Tan Shihuai waved his hand and grinned, "No matter if it's true or not, the information is in our hands, so why not use it? Pass the order down, all troops, prepare for battle. Set traps according to what's written in this letter and bury these four Han armies!"

At the same time, in the aristocratic family mansion in Taiyuan, Yuan Mi and others received the secret code from the messenger and learned that the secret letter had been delivered to Tan Shihuai, and they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Yao Fu held the teacup in his hand and whispered, "That's all good now. As long as Tan Shihuai succeeds, the Han army will be completely annihilated. What else can the emperor do to turn the tide?"

Cui Ling narrowed his eyes and smiled, taking a sip of tea. "No matter how good Liu Bei is at fighting, he can't withstand the pit we've dug for him. Once he's buried near the border, if the emperor gets angry, we can push a scapegoat out. Aren't we the ones who have the final say in the court?"

Yuan Mi stroked his beard and said slowly, "Don't be too happy. If Tan Shihuai really does wipe out the Han army, we must be careful not to let him become too powerful. After all, this old man is not an easy person to deal with."

He paused, a sinister glint in his eyes, "But right now, the most important thing is to make the emperor suffer a loss."

Everyone in the hall smiled at each other, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

The flickering candlelight illuminated their faces, which were full of pride, as if they had witnessed the defeat of the Han army and the loss of power of the emperor.

But they didn't know that this secret chess game had just begun.

-

As the night deepened, the wind howled outside Taiyuan City, and the sound of the messenger's horse hooves had long since faded.

Far away in the Xianbei camp, Tan Shihuai stood outside the tent, looking at the night sky in the south, with a slight smile on his lips.

The secret letter in his hand glowed red in the bonfire, and the words were clearly visible.

He murmured to himself: "Han people, Han people, I must accept the gift you gave me!"

Bingzhou: Chapter 12: You'll Have a Hard Time tonight

In the early morning of a few days later, the sky of Dingxiang County was a pale pale, a thin mist covered the city walls, and the air was still filled with the smell of gunpowder left over from the battlefield.

After Liu Bei bid farewell to Dong Zhuo with 300 cavalrymen, he returned to Dingxiang County exhausted.

When saying goodbye that day, Dong Zhuo, dressed in heavy dark gold armor, patted Liu Bei on the shoulder and said with a grin, "Little Grape, don't miss me too much! The battle in Hetao is over, let's have some fun together."

Her armor clanged, her long crimson tassel swung, and she led a mighty charge of ten thousand cavalrymen towards Hetao. Liu Bei stood at the city gate, smiling wryly and shaking his head, thinking to himself, "This thief Dong is truly a man of great courage."

At this moment, Dong Zhuo was not yet the powerful Grand Tutor in the future, but in addition to his identity as the Governor of Bingzhou, he actually had another very interesting identity - a clerk of the Yuan family.

It is difficult for her every move to represent the Yuan family's intentions.

So what does the Yuan family mean?

To win over.

It was only after Liu Bei said goodbye to Dong Zhuo that he finally came to his senses.

First, he was the prefect of Shangjun County in Bingzhou, while Dong Zhuo was the governor of Bingzhou. Second, even for the sake of Master Lu, the latter did not need to treat him so "courteously".

It was obvious that Dong Zhuo was preparing to find an opportunity to talk to him about the "Yuan family".

In other words, the mastermind behind this trip north was the Yuan family.

"…But if it's really as I suspected," Liu Bei said, his expression gloomy, "then this expedition isn't a war to quell a rebellion, but a showdown between the emperor and the aristocratic families."

Bingzhou was filled with spies and agents from aristocratic families. Although these people were never united, there were always all kinds of people in the forest. It was unpredictable that a few "idea kings" would appear, selling weapons and equipment, collecting salaries without paying, or even giving military information to the Xianbei for free...

These are difficult to predict.

Let’s go back to Dingxiang County and think about it first.

"Back to the city!"

-

After returning to Dingxiang County, the cavalry of the other three of the four armies - Xia Yu, Tian Yan, and Zang Min - had not yet arrived, so Liu Bei ordered the entire army to rest in place.

Three hundred cavalrymen and the remaining troops camped outside the city. The soldiers inside the city were busy repairing equipment and distributing food and fodder. There was a rare moment of peace.

Liu Bei stood on the parade ground in the city, his blue shirt fluttering in the wind. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Jia Xu formed a circle behind him, but the atmosphere became lively because of the dispute between the two sisters.

Guan Yu glanced coldly at the outside of the city and whispered, "Brother, the four cavalry units have not arrived yet, and the military situation in the north is unclear. I am willing to lead the three hundred cavalry in the city and take this opportunity to go north to investigate."

She spoke calmly and looked serious.

But Liu Bei heard the hidden meaning - it's so boring here, there are no enemies to fight and no books to read. Can I take some people out for a walk to relieve the boredom?

Before he could answer, Zhang Fei jumped out, swung her twin ponytails, and her petite figure stood in front of Guan Yu.

Zhang Fei's eyes widened as he shouted, "Hey, Second Sister, what are you trying to steal? I can go too! I run fast and I fight hard. It's like a piece of cake for me to lead my troops and catch a few tongues!"

She patted her chest and looked at Liu Bei angrily: "Brother, don't you think so?"

Liu Bei smiled without saying anything, then turned his gaze to Jia Xu, as if seeking his opinion.

Jia Xu was dressed in a purple dress, waving a feather fan, smiling charmingly, with a cunning look between his eyebrows: "After all, Yunchang agreed first, so Yunchang should go first."

Her voice was soft and the ending tone was a little long, as if she was deliberately teasing Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei was immediately displeased when he heard this. He curled his lips and stamped his feet, saying, "Military Advisor, you're so biased! Why did you give it to me just because Second Sister said so? I don't want three hundred cavalrymen, one hundred is enough! I'm willing to issue a military order. I'm sure I can run faster than Second Sister and catch more tongues than her!"

She glared at Jia Xu, her little face flushed red like a kitten with its fur standing on end.

Guan Yu snorted coldly, turned to look at Zhang Fei, and said in a deep voice: "Don't make a fuss, Third sister. I can also use a hundred cavalrymen. Why bother fighting?"

Although her tone was cold, a smile flashed in her eyes, and she obviously couldn't bear to argue with Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei's eyes widened, his hands on his hips, his mind racing. Suddenly, he clapped his hands, "Oh, sisterly quarrels are so damaging to the relationship! Why not just draw lots and decide? Whoever draws the lot gets to go!"

She turned her head to look at Liu Bei, blinked, and said, "Brother, what do you say?"

Liu Bei was amused by her liveliness and nodded, saying with a smile, "Okay, let's do as you say and draw lots."

He pulled out two bamboo sticks from his pocket, one long and one short, and handed them to the two of them, "The long one goes, who goes first?"

Zhang Fei took the lead and laughed, "I'll go first!"

She grabbed it, unfolded it and saw that it was short.

"..."

Her face immediately fell, and she stamped her feet and shouted, "Oh my, why is my luck so bad!"

Guan Yu took the remaining one without even looking at it, and said with a faint smile: "Third sister, accept your fate."

Zhang Fei crossed his arms in frustration, sulking and muttering, "Hmph, Second Sister must have been secretly trying harder, otherwise why do I always lose?"

She sat down on the ground with her spear beside her, her face full of dissatisfaction.

Seeing this, Liu Bei squatted down, rubbed her head, and said with a smile: "Third sister, there is no need to worry. Second sister, you can survey from the north of Dingxiang. We are still short of one person in the northwest. What do you think?"

His tone was gentle, as if he was coaxing a child.

Zhang Fei's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he jumped up suddenly: "Oh, if I had known this, why would I have fought for it?"

She brushed the dust off her hands and grinned, "The Northwest is great! I'll go grab some Xianbei tongues and bring them back for Big Brother to eat with his wine!"

As soon as she said this, the whole audience burst into laughter, and even Guan Yu couldn't help but smile slightly.

The laughter died down, but Liu Bei put away his smile and turned serious. "I'm not sending my second and third sisters to the north as the vanguard. I'm actually asking you to catch some idiots and clear up my doubts. Remember, your own safety and that of your cavalry are your top priority. If you see any enemy, retreat immediately!"

He glanced at the two of them and said solemnly, "And Third Sister, do not drink alcohol or take heavy punishment during the march. Do you understand?"

Guan Yu nodded and said, "Don't worry, brother. I know what to do."

Zhang Fei patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, big brother. I run fast, and the Xianbei dogs can't catch up with me!"

She waved her snake spear and excitedly pulled Guan Yu back, shouting, "Second sister, let's see who can catch more!"

The two figures gradually moved away. Liu Bei looked at their departing backs, and a hint of warmth flashed in his eyes.

He and Jia Xu were the only two people left on the training ground, and a gentle breeze brought some coolness.

Jia Xu leaned against her side, her purple dress clinging to her graceful figure, the curve of her chest faintly visible, her feather fan covering half her face as she smiled charmingly, "My Lord, these two sisters are truly interesting. Yunchang is as cold and arrogant as ice, while Yide is as lively as a bird. They complement each other very well."

Yes.

Even if one is proud of his superiors but does not humiliate his subordinates, and the other humiliates his subordinates but does not be proud of his superiors, they really complement each other very well.

Liu Bei resisted the urge to say this.

Jia Xu paused, narrowed his eyes, and said, "But just now when we drew lots, that little girl Yide was so angry that her face turned red. I really want to pinch her face and see if I can squeeze water out of her."

Liu Bei laughed out loud when he heard this: "Wenhe, don't make fun of the third sister. She has a straightforward personality and loses her temper quickly."

He paused and changed the subject, "Come to think of it, when Governor Dong kicked the door in the other day, I thought it was my third sister again, but it turned out to be her. She insisted on getting me to drink and almost got me drunk."

Jia Xu chuckled, threw away his feather fan, and slowly approached Liu Bei.

Her body was soft and her steps were light. She approached him like a little fox, her fingers gently sliding along his arm, her voice so charming that it could drip water: "Oh? Governor Dong's figure is not bad even when he is drunk. Your Excellency was teased by her last night, why don't you let me try it today?"

She moved closer, her chest almost brushing against his shoulder, her warm breath against his ear. "There's no one in the training grounds, why don't you relax a bit?"

Liu Bei was startled and quickly took a step back: "Wenhe, stop it!"

But Jia Xu refused. He put his arms around his waist and pressed his whole body against him. His soft body made his heart beat faster.

She chuckled softly, "Don't be shy, my lord! You're so impressive on the battlefield, why are you so cowardly here? Come, how about playing with me?"

"Wenhe, this..."

Liu Bei frantically tried to push her away, but her body was as slippery as water. Not only could he not push her away, but her hand also slid down his waist and almost touched a place he shouldn't have touched.

He shook his head and said, "How shameful!"

Jia Xu chuckled, his eyes flickering as he drew circles on his chest with his fingers. "Your Highness, you look so adorable. Don't worry, I'm just teasing you, I won't really eat you."

She paused, loosened her hand, picked up the feather fan, and smiled meaningfully, "But your reaction makes Xu want to try it even more."

Liu Bei glared at her and said, "You'll have a hard time tonight."

Bingzhou: Chapter 13: Guan Yu's Northern Expedition, a Hunter's Game

Deep in the Xianbei territory, Tan Shihuai's son He Lianzheng led 10,000 cavalrymen back north.

He was wearing wolfskin armor, with a burly but slightly bloated figure, a dandy arrogance on his face, a scimitar in his hand, and swaying on his horse.

In name, he was the commander-in-chief of this army, but the real military power was in the hands of the front army commander Urtus.

He Lian didn't care about it. After all, he had his own men to fight in the war, and the looted treasures belonged to him, so he lived a comfortable life.

This time they plundered southward, and they reaped a rich harvest - gold, silver, jewelry, food, supplies, and hundreds of Han prisoners. The fully loaded carriages were dragged behind the team, and the heavy wheels left deep marks on the grassland.

But this also became a burden to them. The marching speed was as slow as a turtle. The soldiers complained as they hurried on: "Why is this broken car so heavy?"

"We've robbed so much, when will we get home?"

He Lian sat on his horse, gnawing on a piece of freshly roasted lamb leg, his mouth full of grease, cursing: "Why are you rushing me! Do you think the loot is too much? If you keep talking nonsense, I will throw you off the cart!"

Although he spoke toughly, he was also very annoyed. The slow speed was driving him crazy.

Just then, a scout galloped over, his face brimming with excitement. "Report! Prince, we've spotted Han troops ahead. Three hundred cavalrymen in all. The Han commander is a stranger, and they're heading our way!"

When He Lian heard this, he almost dropped his lamb leg and glared, "Three hundred people? Is that all?"

He laughed heartily and waved his greasy hand. "When fat meat is delivered to my mouth, how can I not eat it?! Pass the order, two thousand men continue to return north and protect the baggage. I will take eight thousand men to destroy them!"

The scout was stunned for a moment and whispered, "Prince, the enemy only has 300 men. They don't need 8,000, right?"

He Lian glared at him and slapped his saddle with his scimitar: "Even a lion uses all its strength to fight a rabbit! These bastards are very cunning. I'm going to crush them to death in one go to save you the trouble!"