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

Chapter 28 Provoking Zhang Fei

Liu Bei had just settled Cheng Pu in, and ordered him to serve as a military advisor in his tent. After Cheng Pu made meritorious contributions, he would be transferred to a military post, commanding a hundred cavalrymen, or serving as a commander of a unit.

The soldiers guarding the camp rushed over with joy: "My lord, several hundred Wuhuan cavalrymen have come to the camp. Their leader says he admires your reputation and wants to serve as your vanguard."

Several hundred Wuhuan cavalrymen surrendered?

Upon hearing this, Cheng Pu was taken aback. He looked at Liu Bei, who remained expressionless, and inwardly praised him, thinking, "My lord truly possesses the bearing of a hero, remaining unmoved even when Mount Tai collapses before him."

Keep in mind that those were hundreds of elite Wuhuan cavalry!

Each time the Han dynasty conscripted Wuhuan people to quell rebellions, the number was only a few thousand.

Now, several hundred Wuhuan are willing to serve as your vanguard, and achieving great deeds is as easy as a snap of the fingers!

Liu Bei was also thrilled. Although he had some Wuhuan cavalry under his command in history, he never had such a well-organized force of several hundred Wuhuan cavalry.

This means that he not only surpassed his predecessor in terms of famous generals, but also far surpassed his predecessor in terms of elite troops and the strength of his subordinates.

This greatly boosted his confidence in all his plans and actions since his transmigration.

At this moment, Zhang Fei had also arrived upon hearing the news. His face was full of excitement. Seeing that Liu Bei had not yet set off, he slapped his thigh and anxiously urged, "Hey! Brother! Hundreds of Wuhuan cavalry have come to surrender! Such a joyous occasion! Why aren't you hurrying? Don't let these barbarian cavalry escape!"

Liu Bei chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself, "This is exactly what I've been waiting for, Third Brother."

But his face was solemn as he said, "Third brother, you don't understand. The barbarians fear power but do not appreciate virtue. They have come to submit to us now. If we do not subdue them with power and authority, they will surely become unruly and difficult to control in the future."

"Guan Yu is incredibly powerful and his aura surpasses that of ten thousand men. Why don't we wait until he returns from training his troops, and then go together to greet him?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei's eyes widened in surprise. He grabbed Liu Bei's arm and shook it, saying, "Brother, what are you saying?!"

"My second brother is incredibly powerful, how could I, Zhang Yide, not be able to intimidate these mere barbarians?"

"Brother, do you not trust me? I'll don my armor and take up arms right now, and stand behind you! Let's see which barbarian dares to look directly at your imposing presence!"

"Big brother~"

Liu Bei couldn't help but smile. "As expected of Princess Feifei!" he thought. "She fell for my tricks with just a little provocation."

Liu Bei, feigning helplessness, asked, "Is Third Brother truly capable of intimidating the Wuhuan?"

"I can handle it! I can handle it, brother!" Zhang Fei immediately patted his chest and said, "Anyone who disagrees, I'll use my eighteen-foot spear to poke ten or eight holes in them."

Liu Bei immediately shook his head and waved his hand, saying, "Alas, this is not appropriate. To govern an army and supervise its troops solely through force and punishment is tyrannical and devoid of kindness. I will wait for Guan Yu to return."

Zhang Fei, his eyes wide with anxiety, grabbed Liu Bei's sleeve and cried out, "Brother! Brother! I too can treat my soldiers well, just like Second Brother, and share their joys and sorrows! I promise that in the future, when leading the army, I will take Second Brother as my role model, and I will never use excessive force or be tyrannical towards my subordinates!!"

Liu Bei then smiled, took Zhang Fei's arm, and said in a gentle tone, "Since my third brother is so capable, what worries do I have? Then let's do as my third brother says, and these hundreds of Wuhuan cavalry will all be under your command."

Zhang Fei possessed divine might, and he subdued the enemy with kindness and punished the rebels with justice. He was truly a tiger general of his time and a renowned general of his generation.

His only shortcoming was that he respected gentlemen but not petty men, was strict with his subordinates, and used excessive punishments, often whipping strong soldiers.

If he could make some improvements and no longer rely solely on punishment to govern his troops and supervise his men, he would be a model general.

However, even if he cannot immediately correct his mistakes, it would be just right for him to lead the Wuhuan. After all, the barbarians fear power but do not appreciate virtue, and it is just right for Zhang Fei to suppress them with his strong and violent nature.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei was overjoyed. His elder brother had actually entrusted hundreds of elite cavalrymen to him? His elder brother truly trusted him the most!

He immediately clasped his hands in greeting, his eyes gleaming with joy: "Brother, I will certainly live up to your expectations and train these Wuhuan cavalry into the most renowned cavalry in the world! No less than Second Brother's Jingse Iron Cavalry!"

Liu Bei smiled and nodded, patting his arm and saying, "Then let's borrow the might and fierce power of our third brother to help me subdue the Wuhuan."

Zhang Fei, fully armored and armed, stood behind Liu Bei. He was over eight feet tall, with a tiger's body and a bear's waist, a leopard's head and round eyes, a swallow's jaw and a tiger's beard. He wore heavy black armor and held an eighteen-foot-long spear. He was fierce and majestic, with an imposing presence.

He stood before the tent, his gaze fierce, and many of the hundreds of Wuhuan cavalrymen instinctively lowered their eyes, not daring to meet his gaze—even the fiercest Hu warriors couldn't help but feel awe upon seeing such divine might.

Yan Rou and three Wuhuan chieftains entered the tent, but seeing Liu Bei also rise to greet them, they dared not wait for him to get close. Instead, they bowed down, placed their hands together in front of their foreheads, and kowtowed in the Wuhuan etiquette, saying: "Yan Rou, a man from the wilderness beyond the Great Wall, admires the illustrious name of Lord Xuande. I have specially led three hundred Wuhuan cavalrymen and am willing to serve as your vanguard to fight against the Yellow Turbans and face the national crisis together!"

Several Wuhuan chieftains then knelt down and shouted in broken Chinese, "We are willing to die for you, my lord!"

Liu Bei opened his arms, bowed, and helped Yan Rou up, saying gently, "I have heard of Lord Yan's name. You were captured by the Wuhuan in your youth, yet you were valued by both the Wuhuan and Xianbei. Now that you have returned to Han, it is truly a gift from Heaven. I am not pleased to have gained a thousand elite cavalry, but I am pleased to have Lord Yan."

These words truly showcased the charisma of the Han Dynasty succubus to the fullest.

Yan Rou had been trapped by the Wuhuan people since childhood. Although he was trusted by the Hu people, he had long been unaware of the grandeur of the Han Dynasty and had never been addressed as "Your Majesty".

He thought that even if Liu Bei treated him with utmost respect upon his arrival to serve, he would still regard him as a barbarian or a vanguard under his command.

I never expected that Lord Xuande would treat me with such great courtesy, comparing me to a general among thousands of soldiers.

Therefore, Yan Rou rose and, upon seeing Liu Bei's sincere and warm eyes, was deeply moved. She immediately cupped her hands and said, "You treat me with the respect due to a national hero, how could I not repay you in kind? I am willing to serve you with utmost loyalty!"

Liu Bei took his hand and helped him up, then glanced at the group of Wuhuan chieftains and said loudly, "Since you have all come to me with such sincerity, I will also be completely open with you. From this day forward, Yan Rou will be my cavalry commander, and all the brave warriors of the various tribes will be incorporated into the army. Their salaries and rewards will be the same as those of the Han army!"

The Wuhuan chieftains exchanged glances, their faces filled with ecstatic joy.

The Han and non-Han peoples received the same pay and rewards—a rare privilege among the Han army.

In the past, when the Wuhuan were conscripted by the Han Dynasty, not only were their provisions and pay embezzled, but their post-war rewards were also often obstructed by the prefectures and counties under various pretexts.

Liu Bei's promise made in public today is a promise that will never be broken.

This is precisely what they did by traveling hundreds of miles to seek refuge with us.

The crowd then bowed again in unison, their voices echoing throughout the camp: "We are willing to die for your lord!"

With the surrender of generals such as Cheng Pu, Yan Rou, and Shi Ren, and the incorporation of Wuhuan cavalry and powerful local tribes, Liu Bei's military strength greatly increased!

Not counting the Lu clan's troops, he already had more than two thousand elite infantry and cavalry under his command.

Among them were more than 700 elite cavalry, known as the 800 elite cavalry!

In addition, Guan Yu selected brave and strong men from the Wuhuan cavalry, expanding the Jingse Army to 36 riders.

The Wuhuan cavalry were already renowned cavalry in the land, and the troops led by Yan Rou were among the most valiant and fearless warriors recruited from various tribes.

However, even among these elite cavalry, only a dozen or so were selected to join the Jingse Army. This demonstrates the strength of the Jingse Army.

Besides the Jingse Army, Liu Bei also had 300 Xuanjia Iron Cavalry under his command. This force mainly consisted of Han cavalry, all of whom wore heavy Xuanjia armor captured from past battles. Each man wore two layers of armor, carried a spear and a bow, and was fierce and daring. They were the main force in Liu Bei's army for charging into battle.

In addition, there were more than 300 Wuhuan cavalrymen. This unit was a famous cavalry force in the world. They could come like a falling sky and go like lightning. They could advance and shoot like the wind, and retreat and charge into enemy lines. They were elite cavalrymen that any Han general would crave.

In addition, Liu Bei's army also had more than a hundred halberd-wielding cavalry. This force mainly consisted of the clan members and retainers that Hao Qiang brought with him when he surrendered, as well as some heroes and guests. Although they were not good at riding and archery, they could still charge with halberds and were invincible.

Liu Bei reorganized them into a unit and entrusted them all to Yan Rou's command. He also assigned three Wuhuan chieftains to assist Yan Rou in training the troops, hoping that with the Wuhuan's talent and cavalry tactics, they could quickly be trained into elite knights and learn to shoot arrows on horseback.

In addition to these elite cavalry, Liu Bei's army also had one or two hundred foot soldiers and more than three hundred archers, who were assigned to the command of Cheng Pu, Qian Zhao, Tian Yu, Zhang Nan, Shi Ren, Wang Kai, Li Zheng and others.

Of course, as the number of powerful figures who joined him increased daily, his retinue actually numbered far more than two thousand. There were also five or six hundred men who were either too old, lacked strength, or were not skilled in martial arts and could not be incorporated into the battle formation, so they were weeded out according to the usual procedure.

However, Liu Bei did not dismiss them, but instead employed them according to their talents, filling several logistics battalions.

When ordinary people talk about military affairs, they focus more on long swords and powerful horses; but the better the general, the more he pays attention to logistics and supplies.

As Sun Tzu's Art of War states in the chapter "Military Maneuvering," "An army without supplies will perish; without food, it will perish; without reserves, it will perish." While victory in warfare certainly depends on the soldiers themselves, without a continuous supply of provisions, repair of armor and weapons, treatment of the wounded, and breeding of horses, even the most elite troops cannot sustain a campaign.

So Liu Bei assigned these hundreds of men to their respective departments according to their strengths.

The craftsmen's battalion, consisting of over two hundred men, repaired bows and crossbows that were damaged, armor that was torn, and swords and spears that were dulled, ensuring that the weapons remained in good condition and never fell apart.

The Medical Office had over a hundred people. In the Han Dynasty, every army had a Medical Office to manage medical affairs. Liu Bei was following the Han system by incorporating more than ten people with basic medical skills who had treated wounded people in their hometowns into this office, and selecting dozens more meticulous and skillful people as medical assistants, who were responsible for treating wounded soldiers and preparing medicine for epidemic prevention.

In addition, Liu Bei ordered Tian Yu to purchase a large quantity of commonly used medicinal herbs such as mugwort, scutellaria, peony, and calamus, storing more than 300 shi (a unit of dry measure), all of which were to be uniformly distributed by the Medical Officer.

The stables also had more than a hundred people, including dozens of skilled herders in the army. The stables were managed by Zhang Yechi, a famous scholar who was good at judging horses. The stables even had dozens of Wuhuan slaves and women, who were responsible for herding, feeding, washing, breeding and treating warhorses, as well as raising cattle, sheep, mules and donkeys in the army.

Liu Bei's army had over seven hundred cavalry and a thousand warhorses and draft horses, all of which required dedicated servants, making the work of tending their stables extremely arduous.

Finally, there was the supply battalion. Liu Bei incorporated able-bodied young men into this battalion, responsible for miscellaneous tasks such as driving leather carts, loading and unloading supplies, building fortifications, and gathering firewood. Primarily composed of captured leather carts, supplemented by dhows pulled by horses and oxen, they were dedicated to transporting supplies with the army.

After this reorganization, the atmosphere in the army changed dramatically.

In the past, those who were eliminated from the military, although they received food and clothing, always felt inferior and could not hold their heads high in the camp.

Now everyone has their own duties and positions. Although it is a mundane task such as feeding horses, repairing armor, building walls, and treating wounded soldiers, it is an indispensable part of the army.

The key point is that Liu Bei assigned them all to military units, established rules and regulations, and maintained their salaries as usual—this was not taking them in, but recruiting them.

This made them all admire Liu Bei more than others, and they all praised Liu Bei's reputation for benevolence and righteousness.

After the three armies underwent some reorganization, Liu Bei prepared to march south and go to Ji Province with Lu Shao to assist his mentor Lu Zhi in attacking Zhang Jiao and suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

As the army was about to set off, Liu Bei's army already had two thousand elite infantry and cavalry, as well as more than six hundred logistical soldiers, including baggage handlers, craftsmen, and physicians.

These two thousand elite infantry and cavalrymen were all ready to die for their cause, and they were as at ease as if they were their own arms, which made Liu Bei feel heroic.

When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Sun Jian recruited more than a thousand elite soldiers from the Huai and Si rivers to assist Zhu Jun in the battle, and thus gained fame through military achievements.

Now Liu Bei has twice the strength of his men, and has recruited more than 2,000 elite infantry and cavalry from Yan and Zhao, plus 800 elite cavalry. His military achievements are bound to double!

This also completely makes up for the regret that Liu Bei did not participate in the main force of the campaign against the Yellow Turbans in history.

This further proves that Liu Bei's various plans since his time travel have been remarkably effective.

After several days, once the army had been reorganized, Liu Bei was preparing to choose an auspicious day to march south and assist in the campaign against the rebels when a soldier guarding the camp rushed into Liu Bei's tent and loudly reported: "My lord! A procession of carriages has arrived outside the camp, and the banners seem to belong to Lord Liu. They have reached the gate."

Liu Bei was taken aback upon hearing this, and everyone in the tent exchanged glances, their faces filled with doubt.

Liu He? Why is he here in Ji County, the capital of this prefecture, instead of being stationed in Zhuojun?

Since the great victory at Guangyang, Liu Bei and Liu He had been exchanging letters, but these were all official correspondence—the victory report was sent to the prefectural government, and the prefectural government approved the allocation of grain and fodder, all in an official manner.

As a prefect of a commandery with a salary of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain), Liu He was not allowed to leave the commandery without an imperial edict according to Han regulations. How could he suddenly appear in this place?

Could it be that an imperial edict has been issued? Or has something happened in Zhuojun?

Zhang Fei, hot-tempered, angrily said, "Brother, what's that old man doing here again? Does he think he can take a share of our glory now that we have such a strong army?"

Liu Bei frowned slightly, glanced at him, and said, "Watch your words! Your Excellency has shown me great favor by recommending and recognizing my talent; you must not be rude."

"Since Your Excellency has come in person, we should personally go to the camp gate to welcome you."

After speaking, he led Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Tian Yu, Yan Rou, Cheng Pu, and others quickly toward the camp gate.

Outside the gate, Liu He's carriage was already waiting, and his entourage seemed particularly grand today.

In addition to the four-horse carriage, black canopy, and red banner, there were even eight guide riders, each holding a banner made of bamboo, eight feet long, with a yak tail at the top.

There were also more than forty guards carrying halberds, and more than one hundred full-time clerks such as attendants, clerks, flag bearers, seal bearers, and sword bearers.

This procession and retinue have clearly exceeded the permitted limits!

When Liu Bei arrived, he saw that the gates of the camp were tightly closed, and the soldiers with their spears held high, completely blocking the governor's carriage outside the camp.

They were clearly righteous soldiers from Zhuojun, but without orders from their commander, the prefect could not enter the city.

Faced with this situation, Liu He showed no anger at being slighted and remained calmly seated in the carriage, waiting patiently.