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

Bingzhou: Chapter 27: My homeland is in the north, you cannot let me die facing south

"You finally came……"

Liu Bei and Gao Shun walked deeper into the prison. The air became increasingly cold and damp. Water droplets dripped from the stone walls, making crisp echoes on the ground.

Liu Bei did not hesitate and continued to walk inside.

But the guards nearby saw him approaching Tan Shihuai's cell and hurried forward to stop him: "Sir, this man is the enemy chieftain, and he is fierce and violent. You cannot enter lightly!"

"It doesn't matter, I have my own sense of discretion."

Liu Bei stared at Tan Shihuai in the cell with a sharp gaze, and some guesses arose in his mind.

Although this grassland overlord became a prisoner, he still had an extraordinary demeanor. The light in his golden eyes made him feel vaguely uneasy.

Could it be that he has some other tricks up his sleeve?

wrong.

The Xianbei people were not good at scheming, and even if a Han strategist occasionally defected to the enemy, they would rarely get a say, let alone propose any grand strategy like "the monarch voluntarily allows himself to be captured."

Therefore, the reason why this grassland hero could be so calm was either he was pretending or he was ready to die.

Liu Bei is more inclined to the latter. If that is the case, then he has to change his tactics.

"Okay, I'll go in."

After a moment's thought, Liu Bei ignored the guards' dissuasion and pushed open the iron door with his own hands. The sound of heavy iron chains colliding echoed in the stone chamber.

He walked slowly closer and sat opposite Tan Shihuai.

"I am Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande."

The stone slabs were icy cold, but Liu Bei remained composed, his blue shirt moving slightly, and his handsome face looked even more composed in the dim moonlight.

"Heh, I've long heard of your deeds in suppressing the rebellion in the south. But now, seeing you up close, I realize how naive you are... Is it fate that will destroy our race?"

"That's fine."

Tan Shihuai raised his head and looked at the Han army commander. The corners of his mouth raised slightly, and his voice was low and hoarse: "So, little Liu, are you here to kill me or to humiliate me?"

Due to management needs, he once taught himself Chinese and can communicate fluently with Chinese people without relying on translators.

Liu Bei's eyes were calm as he shook his head and said, "I'm not going to kill you, nor am I going to humiliate you. I'm here simply to ask Great Khan Tan Shihuai a few small questions."

His tone was gentle, yet carried an unquestionable authority.

"Ha ha ha ha--"

Upon hearing this, Tan Shihuai threw back his head and burst into laughter, his laughter echoing through the small cell, shaking the stone walls. He stopped laughing, and his eyes, like knives, pierced Liu Bei:

"Small question? Hahaha, Liu Xuande, you really know how to joke! I, Tan Shihuai, don't value the lives of my tribe. I'll take as many of these people as I want. I also don't care about the life or death of my good-for-nothing son. I came here only to wash away this shame. So, what are you threatening me to answer?"

He actually didn't say a third point, but everyone present could sense it, and that point was - I'm not afraid of death either.

Hearing this, Liu Bei remained calm, smiled slightly, and said slowly: "Because of your pride and ambition."

"Pride and ambition?" Tan Shihuai was a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"...I know your tribe has always been proud of the strong. Being strong means having more cattle, more women, and more followers. Being strong means everything."

The strong prey on the weak, survival of the fittest, and the strong ruling everything, this is the rule of the grassland.

"Now, I am the victor, and you, Tan Shihuai, are but a defeated dog. The victor asks, the loser answers. This is the rule of the grassland, and it is also your pride. If you don't answer, you are admitting that you don't even have this little bit of magnanimity."

Well, this kid is really scary!

Upon hearing this, Tan Shihuai was silent for a moment, and a complex light flashed in his eyes.

For a man who is not afraid of death and has no worries, the only thing he cares about is his reputation. Liu Bei found the key within just a few minutes of his arrival.

This shows that he must have studied the habits of the northern Hu people in depth.

Such an enemy is too terrifying for the grassland tribes.

They were not afraid of Han strategists who played political tricks, nor were they afraid of Han generals who could fight against ten thousand enemies alone. The only thing they were afraid of was Han rulers who deeply understood their habits.

Because that usually means that what's coming next is the carrot and the stick.

Thinking of this, Tan Shihuai laughed out loud again, his laughter more cheerful: "Good! What a great Liu Xuande! You are much better than those Han people who talk about benevolence and righteousness!"

He paused, restrained his smile, and stared at Liu Bei with deep eyes.

"I know my life is in danger, but you know I have countless ways to escape—tear myself into pieces under cover of night and slip away by relying on my strength to recover; or find an opportunity to escape while being escorted to the capital."

"But what's the point? I'm just a loser now. Even if I could return to the grassland alive, no one would be willing to be loyal to me."

"I'm afraid that by now, my cattle and sheep territories have been completely divided up by those three chiefs. Well, for me, rather than going back and suffering humiliation, it would be better for me to die here. That would bring me peace."

He leaned against the stone wall, his tone calm, as if he was narrating a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him:

"In my life, I have roamed the grasslands for decades, killed countless people, and been killed countless times. Life and death are nothing but passing clouds to me. Since you can defeat me, then I accept it."

His eyes flashed, and he looked at Liu Bei with some admiration: "In fact, I can see from your eyes that you are a hero just like me."

"In the future, you will either bring disaster to the world or become its undisputed ruler. However, these matters no longer concern me. Right now, I only wish to offer the fruits of victory to the stronger—the one who defeats me."

Tan Shihuai stood up straight, a golden light flashing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice: "But you are not a Hu person after all, so I will only answer three of your questions and will not say a single word more."

This grassland overlord was quite open and honest. He really had no backup plan. The reason why he seemed so calm and composed was actually because he was determined to die.

For a man who grew up on horseback, Tan Shihuai has been adhering to the rules of the grassland all his life: plunder and robbery.

In his worldview, everyone can be plundered, including himself, but the only price he has to pay is his life, and he has nothing to fear.

It's just a bit of a pity.

Tan Shihuai thought of the brave general who chased and attacked ten thousand people yesterday, and he actually surrendered to the boy in front of him. This shows how famous and charming he is.

Oh, that’s right. With such a beautiful face, even if she does nothing, she can still gather a bunch of people who are willing to follow her.

Unfortunately, Tan Shihuai could not see the future.

Liu Bei nodded and thought to himself, "Interesting, this man does have some heroic qualities."

He pondered for a moment, without hesitation or any reaction to Tan Shihuai's speech, but raised the first question:

"A few days ago, an unknown creature attacked me. It took the form of 'black mud' and I couldn't hit it. Do you know what this thing is?"

Tan Shihuai frowned, thought for a moment, and shook his head, saying, "I don't know. If I had such means, I would have swept across the Han border long ago. Why am I trapped here today?"

He paused, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, "However, I seem to have seen this thing in Liangzhou. It seems to be a method used by the Qiang people."

"I've worked with the Qiang people before and have seen similar witchcraft, which is insidious and strange. If you have time, you might want to go and investigate with the Qiang people. Perhaps you can find the answer."

Liu Bei was shocked when he heard this, and thought to himself, "Liang Province? Qiang people? Looks like I need to schedule a trip there, or maybe I can ask the teacher to help me make the trip..."

He nodded calmly and asked his second question: "What is the truth behind this war?"

"hehe."

Tan Shihuai sneered, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes: "The truth? It's just a conflict among you Han people."

His tone was calm but full of sarcasm:

"I've had connections with the Han family for a long time. In the past, they provided me with military intelligence in exchange for money and women. But this time, they provided me with all the marching routes for free, with such detail that even I was surprised."

"I don't know why they did this, but since there was an opportunity, I took advantage of it. Months ago, I ordered the three leaders to lay an ambush along the way."

"There's no need to think too much about the three armies of Xia Yu, Tian Yan, and Zang Min; they will be completely annihilated. Although you may have won this battle, the overall outcome is set. The Han people ultimately destroyed themselves."

Tan Shihuai knew that the Han army was going to attack from four directions, but Liu Bei had not yet sent any information about sending troops to attack. In addition, he was anxious to wash away his humiliation, so he chose a long-distance attack, hoping to catch Liu Bei off guard.

Forty thousand, a full forty thousand Xianbei cavalry!

As a result, there is not a single scum left.

When Liu Bei heard this, his heart sank and his brows furrowed slightly. He had actually guessed this a long time ago, but he had not expected that the aristocratic families were so deeply connected with the Xianbei that they would even go so far as to destroy the Great Wall.

Such traitors are truly hateful. In due time, they will be dug out one by one and hung on the city gates for the people to spit on.

Liu Bei quickly suppressed his emotions and said in a deep voice, "One last question—how do you want to die?"

Tan Shihuai was silent for a moment, then turned his gaze to the narrow iron window and looked towards the north. Even though there was a thick wall there, his gaze seemed to penetrate all obstacles.

"A glass of poisoned wine will do, but I have a request."

"please say."

The grassland overlord's voice was deep and firm: "—I was born on the grassland, and I will die in the north. I do not want to die facing south, with my back to my homeland."

He turned to look at Liu Bei, his golden eyes revealing a determination. "After I die, send someone to send my body back. This is my last pride. Do you agree?"

Liu Bei stared at him, then nodded after a moment: "I promise you."

He stood up, his blue robe fluttering slightly, and turned to walk towards the prison door, his steps still firm and unwavering.

Tan Shihuai stared at his back, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and he whispered: "Liu Xuande, huh... If there is an afterlife, I would like to ride on the grassland side by side with you."

It’s a pity that there can’t be two tigers in one mountain.

He closed his eyes and said no more, and the stone chamber fell into dead silence.

-

Liu Bei stood outside the prison. The night wind blew past, but it failed to smooth out his furrowed brows.

At this moment, Liu Bei's mind was full of thoughts -

Tan Shihuai's words were like a heavy hammer. The conspiracy of the aristocratic families, the black mud of Liangzhou, and the fate of the other three routes were all shrouded in fog.

He whispered, "The chaos in the world is far from over..."

As the moonlight shone down, Liu Bei's figure appeared even more lonely and majestic in the night.

Bingzhou Chapter: Chapter 28: Zhang Fei vs. Lu Bu, I'm the only one who can take the seat beside Lord Xuande

In the tavern in the county seat of Dingxiang County.

"Hey, have you heard? The new cavalry captain was chasing 10,000 Xianbei cavalrymen alone a few days ago!"

"Tsk, just blow as hard as you can! If she's really that powerful, then what do we soldiers need? To give her courage?"

"You don't know this, do you?" the Han soldier said seriously. "A person's energy and strength are limited. Even if he can defeat ten thousand people, can he really defeat one hundred thousand? A million?"

"But regardless of whether it's true or not, this new cavalry captain is undoubtedly exceptionally brave. I just wonder how he compares to General Zhang..."

"General Zhang... forget it. She may be brave, but she loves drinking too much. How can this continue in the long run?"

"——You guys over there, what are you whispering about?!"

When the Han soldiers heard this, they turned around and saw Zhang Fei in armor standing at the door, staring at them with an extremely unhappy look.

"I am so sorry!"

"General Zhang, hahahaha... What a coincidence, you're here for a drink too?"

"Stop talking nonsense and get out of here."

"Yes Yes Yes……"

Several Han soldiers seemed to have been granted amnesty. After paying for the wine, they hurriedly got up and walked out of the side door in shame.

"Humph, you actually said I'm not as good as her..."

Zhang Fei sat down with one butt, and because he was not tall enough, his legs were swinging in the air.

Then, she turned around to look at the black-robed woman who had remained silent, and said with a curled lip: "Could it be that you think so too, Lu Fengxian?"

"..."

Although the black-robed woman's clothes were made of simple material, they could not conceal her heroic spirit.

Her long black hair falls like a waterfall, and a few strands of hair brush against her fair cheeks, adding a touch of softness. Her eyebrows are like distant mountains, and her eyes are like cold stars, revealing her sharpness and pride.

Under the black robe, her figure is tall and straight, with the slenderness and exquisiteness of a woman, and a belt tied lightly around her waist outlines her perfect curves.

This is undoubtedly a very attractive woman.

She did not respond to Zhang Fei's sudden question, but just ate the food on the table bite by bite in silence.

It is worth mentioning that although her eating movements were extremely rough, she ate in small bites.

A look of happiness appeared on his handsome face.

As Zhang Fei watched, he began to feel unhappy.