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People of the Han Dynasty rose early, most already awake by the hour of mao (5–7 a.m.). Generally speaking, common folk went to sleep shortly after nightfall, rarely lighting lamps—oil was too costly—so naturally, they rose with the dawn.
Fei Qian stood in the courtyard of the courier station, gazing over the walls at the mountains on either side. Though the depths of winter had not yet fully passed, some trees had already begun stealthily sprouting new buds, dotting the dark green slopes with vibrant, fresh shoots of tender green. Due to the proximity of the Yellow River, the air was quite humid, and a layer of mist clung to the mountain peaks, drifting lazily.
The environment of the Han Dynasty had not yet suffered the severe degradation of later eras. Many of the trees on the mountains were thick-trunked, clearly having grown for years, their roots deep and leaves lush—unlike in later times, where one would only see saplings as thick as a bowl, toppling over in strong winds…
More importantly, the air—though slightly damp—was not oppressive. It carried a natural fragrance of grass and wood, filling the lungs as if breathing life into the entire chest.
Heh. If someone like Lü Bu were to time-travel to the modern era and inhale our "absolutely safe, guaranteed within standards" air for a few days, he'd probably be bedridden within a month…
Huang Cheng stood beside him, following Fei Qian's gaze left and right before speaking up: "Young Master Fei, these mountains—sheer cliffs on both sides—aren't easy to climb..."
Well, expecting a Han Dynasty man to appreciate scenery like this is probably too much to ask.
Fei Qian couldn't be bothered to explain. Instead, he asked, "Is everything packed and ready?"
Huang Cheng nodded. "All set, Young Master Fei."
"Good. Come with me to bid farewell to Governor Zheng, then we'll set off."
Before Fei Qian had gone far from the courier station, chaos erupted in the streets. The crowd split apart as if cleaved by an invisible blade. Fei Qian and Huang Cheng quickly stepped aside as a fast courier horse, its rider shouting urgently, charged toward the station before slowing. With a final tug on the reins, the horse reared, let out a long whinny, and halted, frothing at the mouth.
The rider practically tumbled off the horse. Several courier station attendants rushed forward—one grabbing the reins of the exhausted horse, another helping the rider sit up, while a third handed him a rice ball and a bamboo tube of water.
Though clearly exhausted, starving, and parched, the rider didn't eat or drink first. Instead, in a hoarse voice, he announced: "A large force of Yellow Turban rebels has appeared in Hongnong! They've already reached the walls of Xin'an!" With that, he untied the military dispatch from his person and handed it over.
The crowd erupted in panic. Some even began wailing, the scene descending into chaos.
What?
Fei Qian was equally shocked. How could the Yellow Turbans suddenly appear in Hongnong?
Could it be the White Wave Bandits moving south?
After instructing Huang Xu and the others to wait at the courier station, Fei Qian hurried with Huang Cheng to the inner city, where Hangu Pass Governor Zheng Jian and Commandant Guo Pu were already locked in argument.
Guo Pu, clad in full armor today, slapped his chest plate, making a metallic clatter. "A rabble of a thousand or two bandits dares to besiege Xin'an? They're practically begging for death! A thousand cavalry—no, just eight hundred—would be enough to slaughter them so thoroughly they wouldn't know how they died! Governor Zheng, no offense, but you're being too timid!"
"Commandant Guo, war is a grave matter. We must proceed with caution—" Zheng Jian began, then noticed Fei Qian. "Ah, Young Master Fei, perfect timing. Commandant Guo insists on leading troops to engage..."
Hm?
Are they expecting me to mediate this?
Fei Qian cautiously cupped his hands. "My apologies, but I know nothing of military affairs and cannot offer advice. This matter is best decided by the two of you."
What a joke. As a Left Attendant of the court, without any official transfer orders or imperial authority, voicing an opinion in this situation would be overstepping my bounds by interfering in the military affairs of a critical pass.
Besides, he was only here to find out—with Xin'an under siege, how are we supposed to proceed on the road ahead?
××××××××××
Every time Lü Bu met Li Ru, he couldn't help but feel an inexplicable unease.
Li Ru skimmed the inventory Lü Bu had submitted before setting it aside indifferently. In a neutral tone, he asked, "Do you have grievances against Wen Cai?"
Lü Bu hurriedly denied it, recounting the earlier incident and emphasizing that it wasn't him picking a fight with Hu Zhen, but Hu Zhen acting unreasonably and refusing to follow protocol, leading to a minor clash...
Li Ru nodded, neither approving nor disapproving, as if the matter were trivial. He picked up a document from his desk, brushed a few swift characters across it, and motioned for an attendant to hand it to Lü Bu.
When Lü Bu saw it, his face lit up with joy, and he quickly thanked Li Ru. The document granted him a batch of rewards—livestock, wine, and other provisions—to be claimed from the official stores. Given that Lü Bu and his men had been subsisting on flatbreads and wild herb soup during their days in the mountains, this was a welcome chance to feast.
"Recently, some Yellow Turban remnants have been causing trouble near Gucheng. I intend to dispatch Wen Yuan to suppress them. What are your thoughts, Fengxian?" Li Ru asked casually, as if discussing a minor errand.
"Ah... As the Chief Clerk commands," Lü Bu replied, clasping his hands.
Li Ru smiled. "Chancellor Dong plans to proceed with relocating the capital. Leaving the central court without a senior general to guard it would be unwise. With your return, we can rest assured."
"I will ensure the Chancellor's safety!" Lü Bu agreed readily. After all, he had previously been stationed at the central court under Dong Zhuo—this was merely a return to his original post.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Li Ru dismissed Lü Bu. His eyes followed Lü Bu's retreating figure briefly before he shook his head slightly. This Fengxian... useful, but not for great things.
Once outside Li Ru's residence, Lü Bu pulled out the document and studied it again, clicking his tongue before tucking it away with a grimace. Taking the reins from a servant, he mounted Red Hare and rode off, whip in hand.
Earlier, Lü Bu had been too absorbed in the thrill of promotion and wealth to immediately grasp Li Ru's intentions. But after some reflection, he had realized—Li Ru is dismantling the Bingzhou faction!
He wasn't oblivious. By sending Zhang Liao to suppress the Yellow Turbans near Gucheng, Li Ru was effectively separating Zhang Liao from Lü Bu's command, establishing him as an independent leader...
But what could he do about it?
Sigh... Where do we, the sons of Bingzhou, go from here?
How should I, Lü Bu, proceed on the path ahead?