Chapter 31: The Miserable Liu Xuande

Xuande was filled with despair. There was no one here to offer food, and in this desolate wilderness, what could he possibly do?

Liu Xuande and Zhang Fei led their troops back, their heads hanging low, in stark contrast to the excitement they had felt when they first set out. As they trudged back, their spirits drained, and the journey home felt unbearably long.

But the worst part was the supply situation. They had assumed that upon reaching Changshe, they could replenish their provisions with the help of General Huangfu Song. Now, without seeing General Huangfu Song, who would provide them with supplies?

It was a miserable situation. On the way back, they started with one full meal a day, but eventually, even that was no longer possible. What were they to do?

The Black Fiend, Zhang Fei, was wild and wouldn't let himself go hungry. If there was no food, he would rob it; if needed, he would even steal chickens. In any case, Grandpa Hei would not go hungry!

Liu Xuande, with his moral integrity, refused to eat food offered without respect, let alone robbing for it! Of course, if a feast of meat and fish were laid out on the table, Liu Xuande would eat it ravenously, like a starving wolf. But one thing was certain: Liu Xuande would never ask where the food came from. He prided himself on his moral standards, shone with golden light, and would never stain himself. So, as long as he didn't see or smell anything wrong, whatever his brothers offered was accepted without question—morality be damned.

After a long journey, crossing mountains and rivers and enduring countless hardships, Liu Xuande and the Black Fiend Zhang Fei finally led their militia back to Hebei.

By this time, Liu Xuande, Zhang Fei, and the others looked like beggars, each of them thinner and more haggard than before, in a truly pitiful state.

Many of their soldiers couldn't endure the hardships and had deserted along the way. Now, Liu Xuande had only about three hundred men left. Looking at his bedraggled troops, Liu Xuande felt a deep sorrow. The opportunity seemed so good—why was it so difficult to succeed?

One day, as they were marching, they saw a group of over three hundred men escorting a prison cart. When they got closer, they realized that the prisoner inside was General Lu Zhi. Startled, Liu Bei dismounted hastily and asked what had happened.

Lu Zhi told Liu Bei, "The situation in Hebei has been at a standstill. Zhang Jue has holed up in the city and refuses to come out. It's difficult to defeat the Yellow Turban Army in a short time. Meanwhile, the Emperor sent the eunuch Zuo Feng to inspect the situation in Hebei. Zuo Feng demanded a bribe from me, but I refused. After returning, he slandered me before the Emperor, accusing me of inaction in Hebei and deliberately delaying the war. The Emperor believed his lies and blamed me. He has already sent Colonel Dong Zhuo to replace me and take command of the Hebei front. Now I'm being escorted to Luoyang to face punishment!"

The Black Fiend Zhang Fei was so enraged that he began shouting wildly, brandishing his sword to kill the soldiers and rescue Lu Zhi.

Liu Bei was so frightened that he quickly stopped him. "Second Brother, you can't act rashly! How can you casually kill imperial soldiers? The court will judge this matter fairly."

Liu Bei managed to calm Zhang Fei down, allowing the soldiers to breathe a sigh of relief before they continued escorting Lu Zhi toward Luoyang.

The Black Fiend Zhang Fei grumbled angrily, "Now that Lieutenant Lu has lost his command, we've lost our only support. If someone else takes command, we'll have no one to rely on. We might as well go back to Zhuo County for now."

Liu Bei thought about it and agreed with Zhang Fei's suggestion. The two of them led their troops back toward Zhuo County.

After marching for less than two days, they suddenly heard the sounds of battle coming from behind a mountain.

The two rode up to a hilltop and saw a vast Yellow Turban Army chasing after retreating imperial soldiers. In the distance, the Yellow Turban banner bore the words "General of Heaven."

Liu Bei said, "This must be Zhang Jue. Haha, it seems Heaven favors us, my brother! Our chance for glory has come. Let's charge into battle!"