The two turned their heads to look toward Zhang Huai. The latter strode quickly with large steps and soon arrived before them. Several beads of sweat produced by the heat hung on his fair face, and his scholar’s robe had been heated by the sun until it was hot. He cupped his hands slightly toward Song Qin: “General Song is also here?”

“Military Advisor, what new tricks has that bastard surnamed Liu pulled now?”

After hearing Zhang Huai’s earlier exclamation, Zheng Hu also couldn’t be bothered to continue competing with Tao Kui. The two waded through the stream to shore, one foot deep and one foot shallow.

Seeing that all present were not outsiders, Zhang Huai made a long story short: “Liu Biao ordered people to secretly take away his mother and younger sister.”

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hu couldn’t help but start cursing: “I said that old bastard definitely had no good intentions! Previously having his old mother and younger sister come to the military camp to deliver porridge and water, he privately spread rumors trying to entrap our Second Brother. If it weren’t for the Military Advisor’s resourcefulness, hinting for the wealthy merchant families of each county to also send people to Second Brother’s tent for a visit, who knows how this matter would have ended!”

“This time when Big Brother returned injured from Ping’an Mountain, he volunteered on his own initiative. He definitely had a belly full of bad schemes early on. When the Pei bandits’ people came up the mountain to persuade surrender, they must have also secretly promised that old bastard other benefits!”

As the largest bandit county within Tongzhou territory, after Xiao Li had initially severely dampened the momentum of the mountain bandits within Ping’an County, Song Qin led people and spent several more days before finally taking it down. However, when Song Qin was clearing out the remaining bandits, he was ambushed and injured, so he had to withdraw first to recuperate.

Xiao Li had originally intended to send Zheng Hu, but Liu Biao suddenly volunteered again.

Back when he was able to persuade his fellow village elders to accompany him in raising the rebel flag, his eloquence was naturally not lacking. Before many leaders, his words of loyalty and volunteering went straight to the heart, falling just short of tears and snot flowing down.

Xiao Li now managed a mass of over ten thousand people. Among them were common people who voluntarily joined the army, as well as forces from various counties that had merged together.

Although he had tightened military discipline, it was difficult to ensure hearts were unified in a short time. After all, in these chaotic times, those who gathered in this small Tongzhou but did not directly join the armies of Southern Liang or Northern Wei—who wasn’t doing it to secure a good future?

If he did not use Liu Biao and only used his own direct subordinates, Liu Biao and his fellow villagers were not docile types. If they privately stirred things up, it was hard to guarantee it wouldn’t make those who had merged over from other counties feel that Xiao Li was biased.

This force of theirs had just gained momentum. In order not to be noticed too quickly by Jinzhou, Ping’an County was still flying the bandit flag externally. If hearts were unsettled at this time, the strength they had just twisted into one cord would probably dissolve back into scattered sand.

Moreover, Zheng Hu was impulsive and easily angered. Without someone at his side to advise him, he could very easily fall into others’ schemes.

After weighing various factors, Xiao Li finally agreed to Liu Biao’s volunteering. However, he dispatched a minor leader from another county to go to Ping’an Mountain to garrison together with Liu Biao, and also ordered people to secretly keep close watch on the movements of Liu Biao and his fellow villagers.

Several days ago when the Pei army garrisoned at Tongcheng County went up Ping’an Mountain to persuade surrender, urging them to capitulate, with another minor leader present, the news naturally transmitted back quickly.

However, Liu Biao suddenly dispatching people to secretly take away his own mother and younger sister—the intention behind this could not help but make one think deeply.

Xiao Li asked Zhang Huai: “Were they detained?”

Zhang Huai answered: “The Liu family mother and daughter have been placed under house arrest. Those several fellow villagers of Liu Biao have also been taken into custody first.”

Song Qin frowned: “Where were they planning to take the Liu mother and daughter? Ping’an Mountain?”

Zhang Huai shook his head: “Those several Liu Family Village people were stubbornly tight-lipped. At first they insisted it was only that Liu’s mother missed her son and wanted to bring the Liu family mother and daughter to Ping’an Mountain. But the road they took was not the one to Ping’an Mountain. Huai separated them into different cells and interrogated them individually before tricking out that they were to take the Liu mother and daughter away from Tongzhou to avoid disaster. However, they also don’t know what Liu Biao is plotting. They only said Liu Biao assured them that before long he would lead them to get ahead in life.”

Zheng Hu scoffed: “That old bastard is using those words to coax three-year-old children! Only his group of fellow villagers would believe it! What will he use to get ahead? His mouth that’s so skilled at saying nice things?”

However, Zhang Huai’s expression did not appear relaxed. Rather, he looked somewhat worried: “When things go against the norm, there must be something demonic about them. Although Liu Biao is boastful and eager for glory, he is not one to act rashly. That day when people from the Pei clan of Tongcheng came up the mountain, they indicated that as long as the various bandits of Ping’an County were willing to submit, their Pei clan would help attack Pingdeng County together. From then on throughout all of Tongzhou, only the various bandits of Ping’an County would reign supreme, and they could even receive an official title from Pei Song.”

Xiao Li said: “The bait they cast is large. Their purpose, presumably, is also to have the bandit types within Tongzhou territory continue fighting with us. However, Ping’an County has long been taken by us. Jinzhou, which Tongcheng relies on, is already showing signs of defeat under the fierce attacks of Southern Liang’s tripartite armies and is powerless to send reinforcements to Tongcheng. Once Jinzhou is broken, the heartland gateway will be completely opened. With Southern Liang’s allied forces and Wei Qishan attacking from north and south, Pei Song will have absolutely no chance of victory. Liu Biao has always been shrewd. He would not be foolish enough under such circumstances.”

Zhang Huai nodded: “What the Lord says is precisely what has puzzled Huai endlessly.”

Zheng Hu had always been straightforward. Listening to the two of them analyze all these twists and turns only made his head feel big. He said: “This old man is too lazy to think about whether that bastard surnamed Liu is stupid or not. Second Brother, Military Advisor, just tell us what to do now!”

The sun sank increasingly westward. He looked at the two on the riverbank. Zhang Huai seemed to have some idea, but after glancing at Xiao Li, he did not speak.

Xiao Li, backlit by the setting sun’s afterglow, contemplated with lowered eyes for a moment before saying: “No matter what Liu Biao and Pei Song’s people are plotting in secret, since he has just transferred the Liu mother and daughter, it means their side hasn’t begun moving yet. Let’s strike first and seize the initiative—take Tongcheng, capture Liu Biao. When the time comes, we won’t fear being unable to pry open their mouths.”

—

Ping’an Mountain.

Inside the command tent, Liu Biao paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. He had a sturdy build, with a square face and wide brows. If it were not for a pair of overly lively eyes that revealed a cunning gleam, judging by appearance alone, one would only think him a loyal and reliable person.

Beside the long table in the tent, a man in scholar’s robes with two small mustaches at the corners of his mouth was writing some kind of letter.

To the side, another person had been trussed up and thrown into a corner, glaring furiously at Liu Biao. Yet no matter how angry he was in his heart, with his mouth stuffed tightly shut, he could only emit a series of angry muffled sounds.

Liu Biao was already agitated. Hearing that person’s muffled sounds made him even more vexed. He walked over and directly kicked the man’s abdomen. After the man bent over even more in pain, he warned: “Ma Laosan, you better behave yourself! Do you still think this is your Ma Family Slope? Don’t count on that one surnamed Xiao either. When Commandant Pei’s great army bears down, the first one I’m going to kill is that pretty boy!”

This Ma Laosan was precisely another minor leader that Xiao Li had dispatched to Ping’an County to garrison together with Liu Biao.

Liu Biao seemed to hate Xiao Li extremely. That one kick at Ma Laosan wasn’t enough—he continued kicking viciously several more times. As he kicked, he cursed: “Just look at what kind of thing he is! The foundation that I led the brothers of Liu Family Village to conquer—he steals my position as Lord? When I and the brothers were killing the county magistrate, who knows in which corner Xiao Li was still begging for food!”

Ma Laosan was kicked until he rolled on the ground in pain. The blood foam surging up from his throat had completely soaked through the cloth stuffing his mouth.

Outside the tent someone suddenly reported: “Brother Liu, Pingdeng County sent back word that Auntie and the others have been safely sent out of Tongzhou.”

Hearing this news, the string that had been taut in Liu Biao finally relaxed. At least he didn’t continue taking out his anger on Ma Laosan and called outward: “Understood. Withdraw.”

“Master, the letter is drafted.” At the table, the thin man with the small mustache set down his brush and also called out to Liu Biao.

This person was originally the advisor beside Pingdeng County’s magistrate.

Liu Biao was illiterate, and among the fellow villagers who followed him, all were farming men—no one had attended school. After he killed the magistrate back then, this advisor kowtowed to him begging for mercy. Liu Biao thought the other party was literate and could be useful, so he kept him at his side.

Previously, that little bit of learning in this advisor’s belly had been sufficient. He offered counsel and strategies for Liu Biao, successfully helping him rise to the position of leader of Pingdeng County.

But after Zhang Huai arrived at Pingdeng County, that little bit of ability was completely insufficient.

At first Liu Biao also wanted to take Zhang Huai for his own use. Who would have expected the other party’s ambition was boundlessly large, with no intention whatsoever of serving him as master? Now he had even become that one surnamed Xiao’s running dog.

Every time Liu Biao thought of it, his teeth itched with hatred.

His mother and younger sister going to the military camp to show goodwill to Xiao Li was actually not his idea. It was the Liu clan elders seeing that his struggle for position was hopeless and that Xiao Li had taken almost all the forces within Tongzhou territory into his pocket—only then did they think to form a marriage alliance with him.

Thus, even if the leader of this Tongzhou rebel army was not Liu Biao, in the future the one to inherit all this could still be someone of Liu family bloodline.

After this scheme fell through, the Liu clan people felt humiliated. Liu Biao was angry, but his mind was active. Seeing there was an opening at Ping’an County, he understood that if he didn’t compete now, in the future their Liu Family Village people would truly have no hope of getting ahead.

Fortunately, heaven had not been unkind to him. After arriving here, he indeed quickly saw a turning point.

Liu Biao walked toward the advisor. The advisor held up the newly drafted letter and handed it over with a fawning smile: “Please review it.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, realizing it was inappropriate, he hurriedly stood to the side and pointed at the letter’s contents, reading them aloud: “Respectfully to the Lord, Tongcheng has had no unusual activity recently. Ping’an Mountain has newly conscripted seventy soldiers. The roster is attached as follows…”

In order to control the movements of the dozen-plus counties within Tongzhou territory, the leaders garrisoning each county had to send a letter every short half ten-day period to report the situation within the county to Xiao Li.

Previously when people from the Pei clan of Tongcheng came to persuade surrender, at that time Liu Biao had not yet subdued Ma Laosan and could only first pass this news back to Xiao Li’s side.

Now although Ma Laosan had been bound by him, to avoid arousing Xiao Li’s suspicion, this letter still had to be sent on time.

After listening, Liu Biao felt there were no errors. He pressed his thumb in the ink pad and stamped a fingerprint at the end of the letter, then walked toward Ma Laosan and held down his thumb to also stamp a fingerprint.

Even though Ma Laosan was unwilling, having been bound and starved for a long time, and having just suffered a beating, he simply could not struggle against Liu Biao.

Both men were illiterate and naturally could not write their own names. This was a method Zhang Huai had devised to distinguish the authenticity of letter reports.

After stamping the fingerprints, the advisor took the letter and left the tent to find someone to deliver it. Liu Biao used his large palm, rough with calluses like a palm-leaf fan, to pat Ma Laosan’s face in an extremely humiliating manner, threatening: “Behave yourself! Keeping you until now is only because I still need to use that finger of yours. If you provoke me, I have plenty of ways to keep that finger of yours intact while turning you into a human pig!”

Having released this vicious threat, thinking of the grand plan about to succeed, he only felt his chest swelling, completely unable to suppress that excitement. He walked out of the command tent to get some air.

Outside, a drizzling rain fell. In the mountain forest, a night rain had started, thoroughly dousing the scorching heat of daylight.

A patrol team carrying torches passed by. He glared and shouted: “All of you, stay alert! Don’t slack off!”

The patrol squad being yelled at looked bewildered, but still stood up a bit straighter and continued forward through the muddy water underfoot on patrol.

Liu Biao turned his head to look at the distant mountains shrouded in rain curtain and night, thinking that before long, all seventeen counties of Tongzhou would become his possession. He immediately felt boundless pleasure and bold spirit rising, and even the breath expelled from his chest was much more refreshing.

The Pei army of Tongcheng had already become his own people. This mountain had long had no threats whatsoever.

After Liu Biao let out a long breath and prepared to return to the tent to rest, suddenly shouts of battle shook the heavens in the distance. Firelight also closed in from all directions through the night.

Liu Biao was shocked and alarmed. His first reaction was that he had been exposed, yet he also felt it was impossible.

In his urgency, he couldn’t think more and could only flee in panic first.

A soldier ran head-on into him. Upon seeing it was him, as if seeing a savior, the soldier said miserably: “Brother Liu… Brother Liu, the Lord has led people to attack…”

Liu Biao’s face was full of murderous intent. After pushing the person aside with one hand, he continued fleeing through the rain curtain.

He knew the mountain terrain like the back of his hand. He quickly took advantage of the night to avoid people, taking a small path to escape into the back mountain.

After running for who knows how far, he finally let himself fall into the muddy ground, lying on his back gasping for great breaths.

In the forest that had originally been quiet and empty of people, torches suddenly flared up. Liu Biao was greatly alarmed and sprang up from the ground in one motion, only to see the surroundings of the forest were already full of people.

Liu Biao’s earth-yellow face instantly turned white.

Zheng Hu pulled off the oilcloth covering him from the rain, his eyes staring at Liu Biao provocatively as he moved his neck, unable to hide his excitement: “Second Brother, you calculated really accurately. This grandson really did choose this path to escape!”

Liu Biao looked at the man whose handsome face carried an evil and fierce wildness under the firelight and tree shadows. As his gaze met the other’s, he couldn’t help but shudder.

The desire to survive made him barely calm down. He turned to accuse: “My… My Lord, what is this? I thought it was an enemy attack…”

Hearing this grandson still wanting to quibble at this juncture, Zheng Hu felt his teeth itch with hatred. If it weren’t for the fact that Xiao Li hadn’t given the word, he really wanted to go forward and hammer him into a meat patty.

Xiao Li had not donned armor. His personal guards held up a large oilcloth umbrella beside and behind him, the umbrella surface firmly covering his head, blocking all the rain.

He asked lightly: “Upon encountering an enemy attack, General Liu would abandon the soldiers below without regard?”

Liu Biao hurriedly said: “This subordinate deserves death ten thousand times. I beg the Lord…”

A flash of weariness passed between Xiao Li’s brows. Not having the patience to continue listening to him play the fool and wag his tongue, he interrupted: “If you want to live, confess truthfully. What trump card have Jinzhou and Tongcheng hidden that makes you dare to work so hard for them?”