novelAbuy Chapter 13 The Three Brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei
Chapter 13 The Three Brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei
At this point, Li Zhao patted Zhao Yun on the shoulder.
"Zilong, starting tomorrow, select one thousand elite soldiers from among the able-bodied men in the garrison and temporarily suspend agricultural work."
"You must train them yourself. Not to turn them into battle-hardened soldiers, but at least teach them how to kill with their weapons, not just dig holes in the ground."
Zhao Yun's eyes narrowed, and a chilling aura emanated from his body.
"Yes, sir! Yun will not fail you!"
……
With Zhang Mao dead, the Zhang family fell apart.
Li Zhao swiftly raided the Zhang family's property, and as he had predicted, the Zhang family's cellar contained a large amount of money and grain.
These supplies once again replenished the treasury of Pingyuan County.
Li Zhao did not exterminate Zhang's family members and servants, but instead scattered them and incorporated them into the agricultural settlement team, giving them a way to survive.
This act further enhanced Li Zhao's reputation for benevolence and righteousness.
When refugees from surrounding counties heard that there was a way to make a living in Pingyuan County and that there was a benevolent and righteous Prefect Li, they flocked there with their families to seek refuge.
In just one month, the population of Pingyuan County surged again.
[Li Zhao, Magistrate of Pingyuan]
[Registered population within the jurisdiction (including migrants): 42300]
Daily rice production: 42300 liters
Current grain reserves: 358000 shi (a unit of dry measure).
The population was over 40,000, and the grain reserves amounted to 350,000 shi (a unit of dry measure).
This is enough capital to carve out a territory in this chaotic world.
The agricultural settlement in the southeast of the city has expanded to 3,000 mu. As far as the eye can see, the new green rice seedlings sway in the wind, full of vitality.
On the edge of Tuntian District, a simple drill ground rose from the ground.
Every morning, deafening shouts of battle would emanate from the training ground.
The thousand selected strong men, under Zhao Yun's tutelage, have shed their unruly nature as refugees and are gradually taking on the appearance of an army.
They no longer carried farm tools, but spears and ring-pommel swords reforged from confiscated iron. Though rudimentary, they were sufficient to kill the enemy.
Standing on the command platform in the drill ground, Li Zhao looked at the soldiers training below and felt a surge of pride.
This is the foundation upon which he establishes himself in this world.
With food, soldiers, and the support of the people.
Even if Gongsun Zan really turns against him, he will still have the strength to fight.
"Report—"
A scout galloped in and fell off his horse at the foot of the platform.
"Reporting to the imperial court! A group of about twenty men has arrived from the direction of Ji County, carrying the banner of General Gongsun, claiming that the newly appointed magistrate of Pingyuan has arrived!"
Li Zhao raised an eyebrow.
A newly appointed Pingyuan magistrate?
It seems Gongsun Zan still doesn't trust him, as he's actually sent someone to steal his thunder.
"Who goes there? Who is leading the way?" Zhao Yun asked in a deep voice.
The scout replied, "General Zhao, the leader identifies himself as Liu Bei, Liu Xuande."
Liu Bei?
A strange light flashed in Li Zhao's eyes.
Liu Bei, the man who wove mats and sold shoes, yet had the world in his heart and wept for half of the Three Kingdoms.
The wheels of history have finally turned to this moment.
"Zilong".
A meaningful smile appeared on Li Zhao's lips.
"Come with me out of the city, let's go meet this... Liu Huangshu."
......
Outside the north gate of Pingyuan County, there is a ten-mile-long pavilion.
Li Zhao stood on his horse, with Zhao Yun and three hundred well-equipped elite soldiers stationed in the fields behind him.
These soldiers have now donned uniform leather armor, hastily made overnight from raw cowhide from the Zhang family's warehouse. The spears and halberds in their hands gleamed coldly in the sunlight. The ranks stood solemnly, utterly silent, save for the rustling of banners in the wind.
The momentum of this team was in no way inferior to that of Gongsun Zan's White Horse Cavalry.
At the end of the official road, more than twenty riders came raising dust.
The leader was seven feet five inches tall, with ears that reached his shoulders, hands that reached past his knees, a face like jade, and lips like painted rouge. He was not wearing heavy armor, but only a worn cloth robe, and looked more like a kind and benevolent elder than a military general.
But the two people beside him were completely different.
On the left was a man nine feet tall with a two-foot-long beard, a face like a red date, lips like painted rouge, phoenix eyes, and silkworm eyebrows. He was handsome and imposing, carrying a Green Dragon Crescent Blade in his hand.
On the right is a man eight feet tall, with a leopard's head and bulging eyes, a swallow's chin and a tiger's beard, a voice like thunder, and a momentum like a galloping horse, holding an eighteen-foot-long serpent spear.
Li Zhao's gaze narrowed slightly.
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei.
The three brothers finally arrived.
As Liu Bei approached, he reined in his horse and glanced at the army formation behind Li Zhao, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
He dismounted, strode forward, and bowed respectfully with his hands clasped in greeting.
"I have come to Pingyuan on the orders of General Gongsun. May I ask if you are Li Zhao, Li Mingting?"
Li Zhao dismounted and returned the greeting with a perfectly timed smile.
"It is indeed I, Your Excellency. You have come from afar; you must be tired from your journey."
Liu Bei straightened up and looked at Li Zhao with gentle eyes, as if trying to discern something from the young magistrate's face.
Gongsun Zan's orders were very clear:
Li Zhao was suspected of amassing military power and ordered Liu Bei to take over his post, with the instruction that anyone who resisted should be killed on the spot.
But Li Zhao before him was composed and showed no sign of arrogance.
On the contrary, the general named Zhao Yun behind him, with his hand on the hilt of his sword and his eyes like lightning, was full of vigilance towards the three brothers.
"Second brother, third brother, you must not be rude."
Liu Bei turned around and whispered a rebuke to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
Upon hearing Liu Bei's words, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei calmed down somewhat.
"Li Mingting has come here with General Gongsun's letter."
Liu Bei took out the appointment document from his bosom and handed it over with both hands.
"The general orders that I take over the post of magistrate of Pingyuan and assume office immediately."
Upon hearing this, the three hundred elite soldiers behind Li Zhao immediately stirred.
Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow, took a step forward, and exuded a murderous aura.
Li Zhao raised his hand to stop Zhao Yun, took the document without changing his expression, unfolded it, glanced at it, and then closed it and put it into his sleeve.
"Since it is General Gongsun's order, I will obey it."
Li Zhao turned to the side and gestured for them to proceed.
"Lord Liu, please enter the city to hand over the duties."
Liu Bei was taken aback.
He hadn't expected Li Zhao to relinquish power so readily, without the slightest hesitation.
This is completely different from Zhang Maoxin's claim of wolfish ambition.
"Li Mingting, please."
Liu Bei said something politely, then mounted his horse.
The group entered the city.
People on both sides of the street stopped to watch.
They looked at the new team with wary eyes.
"Who is that? He looks like an official."
"I heard he was sent by higher authorities to replace Magistrate Li."
"What? They've replaced him with Magistrate Li? Will we still be able to get enough to eat?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down, don't let anyone hear. Look at those red-faced and black-faced men, they look so fierce!"
Although the murmurs were soft, they clearly reached Liu Bei's ears.
He was constantly on the go and was very good at reading people's expressions and moods.
The way these people looked at Li Zhao was out of genuine love and respect, but they looked at him as if he were an invader.
The hearts of the people of Pingyuan County have completely turned to Li Zhao?
The main hall of the county temple.
Li Zhao ordered Sun Fu to bring the county magistrate's seal and presented it to Liu Bei with both hands.
"Lord Liu, this is the official seal of the Pingyuan Magistrate. I have prepared the keys to the storeroom and the household registers, and they are ready for handover at any time."