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

Zhang Liao stood at the end. He was a little older, about 18 years old. He was wearing a dark green battle robe and a sword at his waist. His eyes and brows showed calmness and delicacy.

Her long hair was tied behind her head, her skin was slightly dark, but her eyes were as bright as stars, revealing wisdom and tenacity.

She was not as tall as Lu Bu, but she was well-proportioned and strong. There was a sense of calmness in her every move, as if every movement on the battlefield could not escape her observation.

The three of them looked at Liu Bei at the same time, with a hint of surprise in their eyes - isn't this Guannei Hou so handsome?

His eyebrows are like distant mountains, his eyes are like stars, his skin is as white as jade, his lips are red and his teeth are white. He doesn't look like a soldier leading troops to war, but more like a handsome young man who walked out of an academy.

But the determination that comes through in that gentleness cannot be underestimated.

Liu Bei stood up, smiled, and bowed, "You three have come from afar, and I'm sorry for not welcoming you. Please take your seats!"

"We thank you, my Lord."

"It doesn't matter."

He waved his hand, and the servants brought wine and food, and the three women sat down in order.

On the table were roasted lamb legs, roasted pancakes, spicy soup, and a pot of warm rice wine, the aroma was fragrant.

Lu Bu was really not polite at all. After sitting down, he grabbed a piece of lamb leg and took a bite, saying generously: "This meat is good, very chewy!"

Gao Shun simply picked up the teacup and took a sip, while Zhang Liao savored the spicy soup with elegant movements.

This was not only because they were exhausted from the long journey, but more importantly... they had never seen so many delicious foods displayed together, and it was difficult for them to resist.

"Ugh."

After some polite greetings, Liu Bei suddenly sighed, his tone a little low.

The three women were stunned. Lü Bu put down the lamb leg and frowned, "Why are you sighing, sir?"

Gao Shun raised his cold eyes, and Zhang Liao also put down his soup bowl and looked at him together.

Liu Bei thought for a while, then his eyes turned red and his voice became tearful:

"I have lived with my mother since childhood, weaving mats and selling shoes for a living. Fortunately, thanks to the teacher's diligent teachings, I have achieved the prosperity I have today. The way the three of you greet each other and eat now makes me feel deeply moved..."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over the three of them. "If you three don't mind, you can stop addressing me, because I am still one of you."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent.

Gao Shun lowered his head in thought, tapping the barrel of his gun with his fingers, as if pondering something. Zhang Liao's eyes were slightly moist, as if he was touched, but he didn't say a word.

Lu Bu was clearly a clever fellow. He stood up quickly, knelt on one knee, and said in a loud voice, "Your Excellency is a noble man. You first subdued the Southern Barbarians and then captured Tan Shihuai's son alive. How can such achievements be compared with those of us commoners? Please do not underestimate yourself!"

Liu Bei hurried forward to help her up, saying gently, "Fengxian, please stand up quickly. I am not ignorant of the situation. However, under the attack of the northern barbarians, I am the same as you—Han people!"

He helped Lu Bu up, his eyes determined.

"...Think of how our Han Emperor Gaozu slew the white snake, unified the country, defeated the Tyrant King, slew the Rebellious King, and quelled civil unrest—how glorious was the Great Wind Song? Yet, the Xiongnu were a mortal enemy. Later, Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing restored people's livelihoods, and so Emperor Wu drove the Xiongnu out. Now, the northern barbarians have unified the country, posing a threat to our borders and repeatedly disturbing our Han. I often regret that I can't put on armor and mount a horse, travel thousands of miles, and kill these barbarians!"

His voice rose, his eyes gleaming. "Now the court has personally appointed me as Marquis of Guannei and Governor of Shangjun, leading an army of 10,000 north to attack the Hu people. This is exactly what I want! But compared to the other four generals, all of whom have been famous for a long time, I am no match for this 'upstart' who has just risen to prominence. The talents under my command are dwindling. Although I have the ambition to pacify the Hu people, I regret that I can't accomplish anything on my own!"

Liu Bei paused, his eyes sweeping over the three women, and said sincerely, "I am very pleased to see you three today. If I can get your help, I won't have to worry about the injustice of the Hu people."

After hearing this, Zhang Liao burst into tears.

She was born in Yanmen County. When she was young, she witnessed with her own eyes the Hu people burning, killing and looting, the villages being burned down, and the tragic deaths of her relatives. That scene is still engraved in her heart.

She stood up and bowed, choking with sobs, saying, "Your Excellency, despite your status, possesses such great ambitions. This is rare in the world! I only regret that I didn't meet you earlier while wandering around doing things..."

Her tears dripped onto the ground, and her dark green battle robe trembled slightly.

Liu Bei quickly stepped forward to help her up and said gently, "Wenyuan, it's not too late now."

He paused, then continued, "Bei knows Wenyuan's abilities, and would like to give you two thousand soldiers and horses, and have you take on the position of Gongcao, so that you can join me in attacking the Hu menace. Is that feasible?"

Zhang Liao was stunned.

She was originally a little-known person, and when she was summoned here, she only wanted to get a job as a staff member or a retainer. But Liu Bei asked for Gongcao and two thousand soldiers as soon as he opened his mouth. This was a great opportunity to make a contribution!

Her eyes welled up and she knelt down to express her gratitude: "Your Excellency is so kind, I will not refuse even if I die!"

Liu Bei turned to look at Lü Bu and Gao Shun and said with a smile, "Fengxian can be made a captain, and Hezhi can be made a chief officer. Each of them can lead two thousand soldiers and horses, and join hands with me to quell the barbarian invasion. Are you willing?"

His voice was gentle but revealed unquestionable sincerity.

Lü Bu's eyes lit up, and he patted his chest, saying, "Since Your Excellency values me so highly, how could I refuse? I will take command as a captain. I am the best at killing the Hu people!"

She raised her halberd and shook the tip of it, exuding a heroic spirit.

Gao Shun stood up and said in a cold voice: "I have accepted the position of Chief Secretary. The Hu people are in turmoil and will not return to peace."

Although her tone was cold, it was determined.

The three of them looked at each other, then said in unison: "We are willing!"

The voice was so loud that it made the candlelight in the hall tremble.

Liu Bei looked at them, his eyes filled with satisfaction, and said with a smile, "Great! With the three of you helping me, I'm even more powerful!"

He waved his hand and said, "Come on, bring some wine. Let's drink together today!"

When the food and wine were served, Lu Bu grabbed the cup and drank it all in one gulp, grinning and saying, "This wine is strong enough, and it will be even stronger when it comes to killing the Hu people!"

Zhang Liao wiped his tears, took a sip from his cup, and whispered, "Your Excellency has great ambitions, and Liao will follow them."

Gao Shun pushed away his wine glass and said calmly, "I don't drink, please don't blame me, Your Majesty."

Liu Bei laughed heartily: "He Zhi is so innocent, I really admire him!"

He raised his glass and drank with the three of them. The atmosphere in the hall was warm, and the flickering candlelight reflected the figures of the four people.

Bingzhou: Chapter 17: Preparing for War

Liu Bei was not idle while preparing his military forces. He knew very well that in the face of Tan Shihuai's revenge, relying solely on city walls and soldiers would not be enough. If the rear was in chaos, the front line would collapse.

So, he waved his hand and promoted Jia Xu to the position of county magistrate, giving him full authority over all affairs in Dingxiang County.

"Wenhe, all the affairs of this county are handed over to you!"

Liu Bei patted Jia Xu's shoulder and smiled with ease: "The military, the people and the officials are a trinity. Don't let any spark of civil strife remain. When the Hu people come, we must resist them!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Xu swung her purple skirt, her feather fan covering half her face, and smiled charmingly yet helplessly: "My Lord, are you trying to tire me to death? I ****!"

Although she cursed, there was a cunning glint in her eyes. She took the hot potato, turned around and went about her business.

Jia Xu acted decisively and in just half a month, he had managed Dingxiang County in an orderly manner.

She was responsible for the dispatch of military rations, the repair of weapons, the appeasement of the people, and even the petty thefts in the streets were caught and dealt with.

She waved her feather fan and sneered, "Want to cause trouble under my nose? No way!"

The military, civilians and officials in the county were united as one, vowing to fight against the Hu people, and the rear was as solid as a rock.

As for the prefect of Dingxiang County?

Long before Liu Bei arrived, he was beheaded by the Hu people and his body was hung on the city wall for three days to dry in the sun.

This is not an uncommon thing in the border areas - Bingzhou, Youzhou and Liangzhou, although the military forces of these three places are strong, officials such as the governor, prefect and county magistrate all have high-risk jobs. If you are not careful, the whole family will have to go underground to take photos.

Of course, the Hu people were brutal, but the aristocratic families from the border areas also often stabbed them in the back, making it difficult to distinguish between loyalty and treachery, and countless blood and tears were shed.

The court had decided on a new candidate for the prefect of Dingxiang County, but before he even got halfway there, news came that his father had died of illness, so he turned back to mourn.

When Liu Bei heard this, he smiled bitterly and shook his head: "This guy ran faster than a rabbit. I'm afraid he's even ready to delete his name from the family tree."

The court is still arguing in Luoyang, discussing the selection of a new prefect, but there is no result at all.

Therefore, as the chief general of the Dingxiang County front appointed by the court, Liu Bei naturally took over the county affairs.

As for his original Shangjun? The court didn't care where you were. Even if the prefect was not in the county, they would still give remote control.

In Shangjun, minor matters were handled by the original officials, while major matters were sent to Dingxiang County at full speed. Liu Bei took a look at it and threw it to Jia Xu, who then drew up a plan and sent it back.

This method is ridiculously inefficient. Running one document can tire three horses to death, but this kind of "showy" behavior is necessary.

Everyone knows that you are very busy, but if you don't even put in the effort to appear busy, the officials under you will resort to all kinds of cunning tactics.

Liu Bei himself had no intention of taking care of these trivial official duties. He threw them all to Jia Xu and clapped his hands, saying, "Wenhe, you are the most reliable. These are all yours!"

Jia Xu rolled his eyes and swung his feather fan: "F**k! My Lord, you really know how to pass the buck!"

But although she complained, she was decisive in her actions. Even though her workload more than doubled, she was able to sort out the affairs of the two counties in a short time.

Half a month later, the 10,000 cavalry promised by the court finally arrived.

The rumbling sound of horse hooves echoed outside Dingxiang County. Liu Bei stood on the city wall, his blue shirt fluttering in the wind. He squinted his eyes and looked at the reinforcements, feeling a little relieved.

He immediately divided his troops, letting Lu Bu, Gao Shun, Zhang Liao, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei each lead 2,000 cavalrymen to conduct training and preparation.

The five women each led their troops in training. Outside Dingxiang County, the shouts of killing were deafening, but Liu Bei quietly slipped back to the county government, intending to take a nap.

He pushed open the door, stretched, and muttered, "I finally have some free time, I need to catch up on some sleep..."

But just as I lay down, before the pillow could warm up, I heard a "whoosh" sound.

An arrow shot from the window, straight into his face!

Liu Bei reacted extremely quickly, suddenly turning sideways and accurately clamping the arrow with his fingers, the arrow feathers were still trembling slightly.

He narrowed his eyes and looked up. A black figure flashed by outside the window. Realizing that the assassination attempt had failed, he immediately turned over and jumped off the roof to escape.

Liu Bei snorted coldly and whispered, "Time stop!"

Without any hesitation, he activated the power of heaven. Time seemed to freeze, the wind stopped, and the leaves outside the window hung in the air.

He walked slowly to the window and stretched out his hand to pull the shadow in, but as soon as he touched it, the shadow turned into a ball of sharp peat and rushed straight towards his face.

Liu Bei was startled and drew the two swords at his waist. The sword light was like a rainbow and he slashed towards him.

But every time he chopped at the peat, it felt like he was chopping at air, his hand felt empty, and the peat wrapped around him like a living thing, its sharp thorns almost brushing his cheek.

"What the hell is this?!"

Liu Bei frowned, and danced with his two swords tightly, struggling with the peat for a while. The peat suddenly shrank and disappeared out of thin air. Silence returned outside the window, as if nothing had happened.

He put away his swords and stood in front of the window, his eyes deep. "Witchcraft of the Hu people? It seems that Tan Shihuai still has many tricks up his sleeve. It seems that I need to find someone to ask a few questions."

He turned around, fetched a pen and paper, and wrote to Master Lu: "Master, I have recently encountered a surprise attack. I suspect it was caused by the witchcraft of the Hu people. They turned their shadows into peat, making it difficult to be injured by swords. I would like to ask for a way to break it..."

"Report!"

Before he could finish writing the letter, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door. A messenger stumbled in and knelt on one knee. "...After crossing the border, the troops from Gaoliu and Yunzhong have encountered the Xianbei cavalry and are engaged in a fierce battle! Another 40,000 Xianbei cavalry have taken a detour and are heading towards Dingxiang County!"

He was sweating profusely and his voice was trembling, obviously frightened by the news.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei stood up suddenly and the letter fell on the table with a "bang".

He narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Forty thousand cavalry? It seems that Tan Shihuai is serious."

He turned his head to look out the window. Dark clouds were pressing down, thunder was roaring, and a cold wind was blowing up dust. The sound of horse hooves could be heard faintly outside the city, as if a bloody storm was about to hit.

Not long after the order for the drill was issued, they were about to face the battle head-on.

But things are unpredictable, so just do your best.

"Pass the order down, all troops on alert!"

Liu Bei's voice was calm and steady, without any sign of panic.

"Yes!" The messenger took the order and left.

Liu Bei picked up his two swords, his eyes determined: "Tan Shihuai, you have invaded our Han territory several times from the south. We must settle this account."

He pushed the door open and walked out, his blue shirt rustling in the wind. Soldiers outside the county government were busy carrying arrows and reinforcing the city gates, with shouts coming one after another.

Upon hearing the news, Jia Xu rushed over, his purple skirt fluttering, and said softly, "Your Excellency, there is no need to worry. This battle will be won."

In Dingxiang County, war drums sounded, five women led the troops to assemble, and arrows rained down on the city walls like a forest.

In the distance, the sound of 40,000 Xianbei cavalry hooves was approaching like thunder.

Bingzhou: Chapter 18: Tan Shihuai's Invasion

On the city walls of Dingxiang County, dark clouds hung low, the wind blew like a knife, lightning flashed in the sky, and the air was filled with a strong murderous intent.

Liu Bei stood facing the wind in a green robe, with two swords hanging diagonally at his waist. His handsome face looked even more resolute in the dim light. His facial features were picturesque, and his eyes and eyebrows revealed a gentle temperament like jade, but also a bit of calmness honed from the battlefield.

In his hand, he held a scroll of intelligence sent by a Mohist disciple overnight. He gazed deeply toward the north and muttered to himself, "Rather than calling it a conflict between the Hu and Han peoples, it's more like a wrestling match within our Han Dynasty..."

He knew very well that behind this war, there was not only the flames of war on the border, but also the power game in the Luoyang court.