Where are you going?

Wang Bo had originally scoffed at Ding Yuan’s move—this was clearly an act with ulterior motives! Yet, upon learning who would be leading the troops, his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

The commander was none other than Zhang Liao, styled Wen Yuan, famed throughout the history of the Three Kingdoms as one of the illustrious “Five Tiger Generals.” He was a man Wang Bo had long admired.

Wang Bo did not even finish reading Ding Yuan’s letter before rushing out to greet the newcomers in person. Chen Dao, watching from the side, could not help but feel a wave of disdain: What sort of man is this? He changes his face faster than flipping a page!

Zhang Liao, surprised to see Wang Bo himself coming out, stopped a dozen steps away and saluted with clasped fists. “Under the command of the Inspector of Bing Province, I, Zhang Liao, General of the Yamen, have been ordered by Inspector Ding to bring a thousand men to Xinghan City, to aid in the campaign against the foreigners. Zhang Liao greets General Wang!”

But Wang Bo, wearing a look of infatuation, seemed not to hear a word Zhang Liao said. He simply kept his hands lightly on Zhang Liao’s arms, his eyes roaming up and down, left and right, devouring the sight before him. As he looked, he pursed his lips, nodded approvingly, and hummed softly to himself.

“Sword-like brows, tiger’s eyes, a heroic bearing, clad in a purple robe with a great blade, moving with the stride of a dragon and the step of a tiger…”

He stared so intently that Zhang Liao grew uneasy. Only when Zhang Liao repeated, “Zhang Liao greets General Wang!” did Wang Bo snap out of his trance.

“Good! Good! Excellent! Wen Yuan, you are truly a young hero! Come, please, be seated in my tent!” Wang Bo wiped his mouth and spoke in a strong voice.

“How does General Wang know my style name?” Zhang Liao asked, puzzled.

“Oh, that… Inspector Ding mentioned it in his letter, so I learned of it,” Wang Bo lied without so much as a blush.

“So that’s it. Please, General, after you. I, Zhang Liao, am unworthy of such honor. General Wang, there is no need for such ceremony,” Zhang Liao replied, neither servile nor arrogant.

“Ah, Wen Yuan, how can you say so? We are united in our purpose to drive out the foreigners; we are brothers in arms, there is no distinction of rank here! Even among the men of Xinghan, there is no such—”

Wang Bo turned to gesture, but saw only Chen Dao standing beside him. His hand, frozen mid-motion, dropped awkwardly as he muttered, “You have not yet met our brothers, Wen Yuan…”

Chen Dao at last could not stifle a laugh and let out a snort.

Wang Bo turned on him in anger, “Go and summon the brothers!” Then, turning to the outside of the tent, he called, “Attend me! Bring wine and prepare a feast! I shall welcome General Zhang and wash away the dust of his journey!”

At the banquet, conversation flowed freely, the guests laughing and toasting, everyone in high spirits. Under Wang Bo’s deliberate encouragement, Zhang Liao relaxed his usual stern demeanor, revealing a youthful energy as he fraternized with the others, drinking and praising the wine of Xinghan.

Ping Han and Huang Long, the two simpletons, were like cats catching the scent of fish; one cup after another, they drank themselves into a stupor, scarcely taking part in the conversation.

At last, Wang Bo could stand no more. He slapped the table and scolded the two, “You drunkards—drink yourselves to death if you wish! But if either of you lets drink interfere with your duties again, I’ll have you tending horses and cattle!” The whole gathering erupted in laughter. Wang Bo, having finished his scolding, immediately turned and smiled at Zhang Liao, “Wen Yuan, pay them no mind!”

Ping Han and Huang Long, undeterred, winked and made faces at Wang Bo, who, grinding his teeth in mock annoyance, moved as if to rise and thrash them. But he stumbled, and if not for Chen Dao’s steadying hand, would have made a spectacle of himself.

Wang Bo could only wipe his face and, amid the laughter, mumble, “I cannot drink any more. Brothers, you keep Wen Yuan company—don’t mind me!” With that, Chen Dao helped him away to rest.

The next day, Wang Bo met with the representatives of the merchant caravans. The caravan leaders pledged to donate half of their current cargo to the Xinghan army, to boost morale.

Wang An also delivered to Wang Bo several dozen skilled craftsmen gathered by the Wang family’s trading group. Wang Bo, who had been fretting over the lack of artisans, was delighted and immediately ordered the wine office to increase supplies to the Wang family caravan, sending Wang An off beaming.

After seeing off the caravans, Wang Bo accompanied Zhang Liao on a tour of the outskirts of Xinghan City, and at Zhang Liao’s request, made a special trip to the Yunu Pass.

Everything at Yunu Pass filled Zhang Liao with curiosity and admiration.

He marveled at the ingenious construction of the pass walls, especially the hidden troop tunnels. He was amazed by the choice of location for the pass, and by the grim spectacle of the mound of enemy skulls below.

Wang Bo explained: the pass was built mainly to defend against the nomadic tribes, exploiting their weakness in siege warfare. That was why the walls were built so thin, and why the idea for the hidden troop tunnels—capable of inflicting heavy losses on the enemy—had come about. It was not meant to last years, only to serve in an emergency, and so could be built quickly.

To truly eliminate the threat of the nomads, passive defense was useless. One had to find a way to counter their cavalry, strike proactively—either destroy them utterly, or make them submit. Only then would peace be lasting; there was no other way.

Standing atop the pass, his purple cloak billowing in the mountain wind, Zhang Liao took a deep breath, ignoring the stench carried on the breeze. A surge of heroism rose in his chest as he cried, “General, your deeds are worthy of the ‘Champion Marquis’ himself, reborn! Magnificent! This is what it means to be a man! With blade in hand, I too would trample the barbarians beneath my horse! Hahaha!”

Calming down, Zhang Liao sighed with some regret, “I wish I could have taken part in this campaign! General, why did you not pursue the Barbarians as they fled Yunzhong, and strike at Wujin? If we had fortified the mountain pass at Wujin, our forces could readily have attacked at will!”

Wang Bo thought for a moment, then replied, “Wen Yuan, you may not know—the time for slaying the barbarians is not limited to a single moment. If you are determined, there will be many opportunities.”

“At present, Xinghan City has only just been established; our footing is not yet secure, and everything is in need of attention. Our forces are few, our armor and horses insufficient—how could we risk all for a moment’s glory, with no thought for the future? Our recent victory was due to the advantage of the terrain and the fact that, at the turn of spring and summer, the bulk of the Xianbei forces under Bude-gen had not yet returned. It was a stroke of luck and cost us dearly as well.”

“Now it is autumn, and the Xianbei herdsmen will soon return. Bude-gen, who regards our Xinghan army as a thorn in his side, will not rest until we are removed. Our new recruits have not yet been trained or tested in battle; to rely solely on this pass is to risk having the will, but not the strength, to hold out.”

“To advance to Wujin without the advantage of the terrain would be like an insect trying to stop a cart in the face of tens of thousands of Xianbei cavalry!”

“We must work diligently to strengthen ourselves. In less than two years, when our army is strong and our horses many, we will drive the Xianbei dogs from Yunzhong! Only I fear that Bude-gen, wary of raising a tiger, will not give us the chance to grow. But if Wen Yuan remains here, what fear is there that you will lack the chance to charge forth and cut down the barbarians?”

“General, your wisdom is profound! I am instructed! If the nomad cavalry comes this winter, I will fight at your side and slay them!” Zhang Liao saluted with both fists, answering solemnly.

On the way back, Chen Dao whispered to Wang Bo, “My lord, are you not being too hasty? Zhang Liao is but a Yamen general—if you treat him with such favor, might it not backfire? Besides, how do you know he has true talent?”

Wang Bo laughed heartily and replied with a mysterious air, “Your lord knows what he is doing! If that is your only concern, worry not! I always treat talented men the same, regardless of their origin or rank. If you, Shuzhi, are not satisfied, why not spar with Wen Yuan yourself some day? I wonder, who would prevail?” With that, he spurred his horse, leaving Chen Dao behind frowning and galloped off laughing.

That night, before sleeping, Wang Bo considered: Since Chen Dao, in history, led Liu Bei’s personal guard, he must be a superb commander. He had already shown his worth in the battle at Yunu Pass, but he was still so young—would he be up to it? It seemed a waste to keep him only as a bodyguard. Perhaps he could command troops—maybe even create a “White Feathers Guard” of his own; that would be a great asset! He thought again of Zhang Liao, then fell into a pleasant sleep.

The next morning, after his run, Wang Bo, in good spirits and with rare leisure, strolled to the training ground. Watching the soldiers of Xinghan, bare-chested and sweating, drilling with loud shouts and great energy, his heart swelled with pride: Look at that! These are my men! Hmph!

As he was inspecting the training, a sudden, loud cheer erupted not far away, drowning out the shouts of the drills. Wang Bo frowned and walked over to investigate.

A large crowd had formed a tight circle. Even the soldiers who were supposed to be training nearby were distracted, and the officers had vanished. Squeezing through a gap, Wang Bo tried to see what was happening.

Xu Chu was in the midst of the crowd, shouting encouragement and even jumping up and down in exaggerated excitement. Someone pushed him from behind; he waved his arm in annoyance and continued cheering, not noticing that with this swing, he knocked Wang Bo aside. Had it not been so crowded, Wang Bo would have fallen flat on his face.

Annoyed, Wang Bo retaliated by kicking Xu Chu in the thigh. Damn it, hitting your lord? Do you want to rebel? But the effort was wasted; Xu Chu did not budge, and Wang Bo nearly lost his balance again.

“Which bastard kicked me? I’ll—oh! My lord…” Xu Chu, about to retaliate, spun around in anger, but seeing Wang Bo, shrank back, trying to slip away.

“Stop! Where are you going?”

Xu Chu had no choice but to return, bracing himself for a scolding, but Wang Bo ignored him, turning his attention to the field.

There, Chen Dao and Zhang Liao were engaged in a duel. Both wielded blades—Zhang Liao with a two-handed long saber, Chen Dao with twin short blades, one in each hand. Both wore tight-fitting attire, one dressed in white, the other in purple, and fought with great vigor.

Zhang Liao’s swordplay was all about momentum—each move was powerful and sweeping, his strikes resounding through the air, exuding an aura of invincibility. His great blade, measuring five feet, chopped, swept, and slashed as if carrying the weight of a thousand pounds, making a deep whooshing sound, an unstoppable force.

Chen Dao, by contrast, was quick and agile, his technique subtle and precise. He specialized in using skill to overcome strength, redirecting huge force with a light touch. His twin blades flashed coldly, striking with uncanny speed and deadly intent. He never wasted energy on head-on clashes, always withdrawing as soon as their weapons met.

The two battled for half an hour without a clear victor. At last, Zhang Liao feinted and leapt out of the circle to catch his breath, seeing that Chen Dao was still composed and unruffled. He shouted, “Do you dare to fight me on horseback?”

Having failed to gain the upper hand on foot, Zhang Liao’s competitive spirit was roused. Besides, as a newcomer enjoying Wang Bo’s special favor, he could not lose face so easily. Seeing victory was unlikely, he quickly challenged Chen Dao to a mounted duel, determined to show off his specialty and not let the Xinghan soldiers look down on him.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Chen Dao replied, undaunted.

The two brought out their warhorses. Zhang Liao mounted with his saber and galloped off; Chen Dao borrowed an iron spear from Wu Huan, mounted up, and rode to meet him.

But this contest ended quickly, without the spectacular clash Wang Bo had imagined.

The reason: Zhang Liao was a master horseman, moving with perfect ease and wielding his saber with even greater vigor than on foot. Chen Dao, whose strength lay in agility, found himself hampered on horseback; his skills were constrained, and he was forced to contest Zhang Liao’s overwhelming strength head-on, exposing his own weakness and quickly losing.

So, in the end, Zhang Liao proved superior in mounted combat, and Chen Dao in fighting on foot. Zhang Liao could last over an hour on foot before tiring, but Chen Dao could not last even half an hour on horseback.

The spectators were thrilled—the skills of the two were clearly far above those of Yang Feng, Liao Hua, and the other Yellow Turban generals. Only then did they realize there were always greater talents out there, and the arrogance born of their string of victories was thoroughly dispelled.

Wang Bo mused to himself: It seems that the tales in the old Romance of the Three Kingdoms were not just fiction! There truly is an immense gulf between great generals and ordinary ones. Perhaps “one man against ten thousand” is not mere legend. It seems my Wolf-Owl Guard still has a long road before it can run rampant.

Casting his gaze at Chen Dao, who stood fuming with his spear stuck in the ground, Wang Bo walked over, patted his shoulder, and whispered, “Shuzhi, don’t be discouraged! Your lord will help you defeat this one.”

Chen Dao turned, eyes full of hope. Wang Bo smiled mysteriously. “Come with me. I have something for you. Challenge Wen Yuan again this afternoon, and you’ll surely best him on horseback!” With that, he put his arm around Chen Dao’s neck and led him to the armory.

At the armory, Wang Bo took a strange contraption from several craftsmen—a device with ropes, pads, and two wooden blocks fitted with iron rings.

He called for a warhorse and carefully strapped the device to its back, letting the two iron blocks hang down on either side of the belly. As Chen Dao watched curiously, Wang Bo mounted and galloped along the track, awkwardly brandishing a spear as he rode.

After a few laps, he stopped in front of the open-mouthed Chen Dao and, wearing a smug expression, laughed, “Shuzhi, don’t you want to try?”

As Chen Dao hurried to mount, Wang Bo tapped his hand in mock disdain, “What’s your rush? Wait for me to get off!” Laughing, he dismounted.

After Chen Dao had ridden a few laps, he reined in his horse, which neighed and stopped before Wang Bo. From the saddle, Chen Dao threw back his head and shouted, “My lord, you are a genius! I am in awe!”

Eager to challenge Zhang Liao, Chen Dao was about to rush off, but Wang Bo caught his arm. “No hurry, Shuzhi! Wait until after lunch. And when you fight, don’t let anyone see it—cover it with a cloth. Heh heh!” He did not finish before breaking into a sly laugh, which Chen Dao echoed.

Shortly after noon, as Wang Bo sat eating, Chen Dao’s voice rang out from outside the tent: “Zhang Liao, styled Wen Yuan! Do you dare face me, Chen Dao, in combat again?” He shouted three times.

Wang Bo smiled faintly and did not move, finishing his meal and leafing through a geography book, all the while thinking: The season is deep into autumn now—can Bude-gen and his Xianbei cavalry swallow this humiliation? No, I must place hidden sentries along the valley road from Yunu Pass to Wujin County…

Lost in thought, he was soon roused by a swelling commotion outside, which, after much noise and the shouts of Xu Chu, finally quieted as the crowd approached. Wang Bo understood the reason and waited patiently for them to arrive.