Three Kingdoms: Taking Over Liu Bei’s Legacy at the Start, Rebuilding the Han Dynasty Chapter 14

Chapter 14

In the midst of the silence, Guan Yu clasped his fists and said, “I have not achieved any significant merit, so I dare not occupy such a high position. I fear I would disappoint Your Majesty’s great expectations. Please select another worthy candidate.”

The envoy’s expression immediately darkened, and he said sternly, “Guan Yu, do you dare to defy the imperial order?”

Guan Yu’s demeanor remained indifferent. “I’m afraid I cannot accept this command!”

“Guan, you are quite bold!” the envoy exclaimed in anger. “Defying an imperial decree is a crime of treason, punishable by death and the extermination of your clan. Do you dare…?”

“Shut up!” Liu Qi suddenly stood up, pointing at the envoy and shouting, “You dog servant, everyone knows that Cao the traitor abuses his power to oppress the emperor and issues false edicts to harm others. How dare you howl here? Get out!”

The envoy, who had come with Cao Cao’s authority, expected to intimidate everyone with his presence, but did not anticipate Liu Qi’s boldness. He hurriedly put away the imperial edict and left in embarrassment.

Guan Yu and the others were shocked; while Liu Qi spoke the truth, reprimanding the envoy to his face was akin to insulting the emperor.

However, Liu Qi did not care about such matters. Sometimes, it was necessary to break free from the constraints of feudal systems and act as recklessly as Cao Cao to survive in these chaotic times.

In an era of turmoil, the bold thrive while the timid perish; only those who break the rules can stand out.

After driving away the envoy, Liu Qi clasped his fists to everyone and said, “The emperor is in distress, oppressed by treacherous villains. Fortunately, Lord has seen through this. The path to aid the emperor is long and arduous; we must work hard.”

Guan Yu clasped his fists and said, “Although I am untalented, I can clearly distinguish loyalty from treachery and right from wrong. With my brother’s last wishes, I will certainly do my utmost. Cao Cao’s petty schemes cannot sway my heart. I will not rest until the traitors are removed.”

Zhang Fei also clasped his fists and said, “I feel the same way!”

Seeing everyone salute, Liu Qi felt much more at ease. As long as everyone was of one mind, time would heal all rifts.

Xu Shu spoke up, “Since Cao Cao’s schemes have failed, he will certainly command Cao Ren to send troops to apply pressure. Next, we must work hard, generals, to engage in battle.”

Guan Yu clasped his fists and said, “I am willing to be the vanguard!”

Zhang Fei shouted, “If the traitor Cao sends troops, I will leave no one alive!”

Liu Qi was overjoyed to see that this imperial edict had instead ignited the ambitions of Guan and Zhang. This truly was a case of turning misfortune into fortune.

He stepped forward, grasped the two men’s strong arms, and said earnestly, “Compared to my uncle, I am like a firefly beside the bright moon, but a single spark can start a prairie fire. From now on, I wish to advance and retreat together with you all, to share in hardships and achieve great things.”

“Understood, General!”

Everyone saluted in unison. At this moment, united against a common enemy, the distance between them shrank significantly.

As Guan Yu and Zhang Fei joined the training, the atmosphere in the camp gradually became lively. The soldiers emerged from the gloom of Liu Bei’s death, and morale soared.

Liu Qi discussed with Xu Shu, “Cao Ren has gathered his troops in Fan City, numbering about thirty thousand. We need a plan to defeat them.”

Xu Shu smiled and said, “Don’t worry, General. Guan, Zhang, are all worth thousands of men each. Cao Ren has no great generals under his command; thirty thousand soldiers are not a concern. If Cao Ren comes in person, I will definitely take Fan City!”

Liu Qi nodded, saying, “Defeating the enemy is not difficult. This time, I not only want to capture Fan City, but I also want to reclaim Wan City and secure all of Nanyang. What do you think, strategist?”

Xu Shu was surprised by Liu Qi’s ambition and took a moment to ponder before responding, “Xinye has only eight thousand troops, which is insufficient to secure all of Nanyang. We need to transfer troops from Xiangyang, but this will certainly prompt Cao Cao to launch a major attack, which could destabilize Jingzhou.”

Liu Qi sighed lightly and said with a bitter smile, “I have been in Jingzhou for over half a month, issuing notices to recruit talents, yet no one has come forward. I know this is due to my previous illness making me too timid, not worthy of being a wise leader. As the saying goes, good birds choose the right trees to perch on; the world sees us as rotting wood, so why would they come to us?”

Xu Shu quickly replied, “General, there’s no need to belittle yourself. This battle against Cao Ren will surely make a significant impact.”

Liu Qi smiled and said, “That’s exactly my intention! If this battle takes place, I must achieve fame in a single fight, making it known to the world that I, Liu Qi, also have the strength to restore the Han dynasty. Only then can I gather talented individuals to share in this great undertaking.”

Xu Shu fully agreed, recognizing that Liu Qi’s current reputation was indeed insufficient to attract talent.

He understood that Zhuge Liang was cultivating in the mountains, actually waiting for a wise leader. Now that Liu Bei had died, only by having Liu Qi prove himself could he summon him out of retirement.

After reaching an agreement, Liu Qi sent Liu Pan to deliver a letter, dispatching thirty thousand elite soldiers to Wen Pin, ready to cross the river north at any time. This was also the main reason he kept Wen Pin in Xiangyang.

Before setting out, Liu Qi had already decided to make a bold move!

The power dynamics of the Three Kingdoms and the allocation of talents were about to take shape. If he didn’t make a significant impact now, who would be willing to follow him?

Quietly mobilizing troops, a few days later, scouts reported that Cao Ren was sending five thousand troops to capture Xinye, led by the generals Lu Xiang and Lu Kuang.

Guan Yu was the first to request permission, saying, “I see the two Lus as mere weeds; I wish to defeat Cao’s troops.”

Zhang Fei, Wei Yan, and others were also eager to join the fight. Some wanted to vent their anger by killing enemies, while others were anxious to achieve merit and showcase their skills.

However, Liu Qi said, “Everyone, please remain calm. In this battle, our priority should be to capture the enemy. The forces in Jingzhou are limited; capturing more enemy troops for our use is the best strategy.”

Xu Shu suggested, “We can have Lord Guan and Yide lead troops to ambush from the sides. The general can personally lead the defense from the city to annihilate them in one swift blow.”

Liu Qi acted according to this plan. Guan, Zhang, and Zhao, the three great generals, first exited the city, while he held his troops back, waiting for the Cao army to arrive.

Half an hour later, dust rose on the western road, and soon flags fluttered as the Cao army rushed forward, with a thousand cavalry arriving first at the city’s base.

Liu Qi’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he smiled, “Right now, the army is most in need of cavalry; we absolutely cannot let these thousand warhorses escape.”

As he spoke, a warrior on horseback shouted loudly, “Liu Qi, you little brat, quickly open the city and surrender to avoid death. Otherwise, we will breach the city and leave not a single one of you alive!”

The challenger was Lu Xiang, who, seeing Liu Qi defending the city, dared not engage in battle and was extremely arrogant.

Liu Qi called for Huang Zhong to lead the troops to confront the enemy, while he left Wei Yan and Xu Shu to guard the city and observe the battle.

Foot soldiers advanced to form a formation, with the archers, trained by Huang Zhong, defending the city gate. Liu Qi rode forward and said in a deep voice, “Who dares to shout here, being nameless?”

Seeing Liu Qi emerge from the city, Lu Xiang, accompanied by an old general with white hair, became even more boastful. He laughed heartily, “Liu Qi, you sickly man, dare to defy the imperial decree? What good is this old general out of the city? Quickly summon Guan Yu to plead for mercy!”

Liu Qi smiled coldly and said to Huang Zhong, “Han Sheng, show him what you’re made of!”

Huang Zhong, who disliked others mentioning his age, spurred his horse and brandished his blade, charging straight at Lu Xiang.

Lu Xiang, with a dismissive expression, continued to laugh on horseback, waiting for Huang Zhong to get closer so he could stab him down with his spear.

As Huang Zhong approached, a dazzling flash of blade light cut through the air.

Ha ha ha…

Lu Xiang’s laughter abruptly stopped as half of his body, from his neck to his left shoulder, was severed, and blood sprayed out in a dazzling display.

“Elder Brother—” Lu Kuang shouted with wide eyes, his voice hoarse.

The Cao army was thrown into chaos, shocked that Lu Xiang could not block the old general’s strike.

Boom, boom, boom—

At the same time, drums sounded loudly on the city walls as Huang Zhong led his troops forward. The ambush forces of Guan and Zhang also charged out, and the sounds of battle erupted outside Xinye City.