Chapter 82: An Unexpected Windfall

After a long while, the second Wolf-Shadow squad returned at last.

This time, however, each of them was carrying a great bundle of bamboo.

Seeing this, the others looked at one another in bewilderment, unable to guess what they meant to do.

"What are those for, sir?" Liu Xun asked curiously.

"You'll know soon enough."

"Get ready. We charge out."

Liu Xie spoke with a grave expression.

When the enemy's arrows had nearly run their course, their infantry began advancing once more toward the bamboo grove.

"Listen carefully, all of you!" Liu Xie said. "As soon as the chance comes, get out at once. Take their horses, then leave the city as quickly as possible."

"Understood!"

Everyone gave their assent.

The enemy continued inching forward.

The moment they drew near, twenty Wolf-Shadow men suddenly sprang to their feet and hurled the bamboo in their hands with all their strength.

One end of each stalk had been sharpened into a crude but effective spear.

A storm of bamboo shafts flew through the air and crashed down upon the advancing soldiers.

"Go, charge out!" Liu Xie shouted.

At once, the twenty Wolf-Shadow fighters took the lead and burst from cover.

Liu Xie and the others followed close behind.

A savage battle erupted in the woods.

The soldiers from the eastern state were caught completely off guard.

Before long, the Wolf-Shadow men had led the group out of the bamboo grove, cutting down dozens of enemy riders along the way.

Then they seized the horses and rode off without looking back.

"Sir, the city gates may already be under enemy control," Liu Xun said anxiously as they fled. "We may not be able to get out."

"Never mind. We'll find a way." Liu Xie was unconcerned. He simply led the others in a desperate run toward the gates.

Sure enough, when they reached the city gate, they found it already crowded with enemy troops moving up onto the walls.

It seemed the eastern forces had only just arrived and had not yet fully secured the area.

"Wolf-Shadow, attack!" Liu Xie ordered.

"First squad, continue protecting the prince! Second squad, come with me to take the gate!" one of the Wolf-Shadow men roared.

At once, ten men broke away from the group and surged toward the gate at astonishing speed.

"Who are you?" "Stop!"

The soldiers stationed at the north gate shouted as the Wolf-Shadow men came charging in.

There was no reply.

The ten men kept running like the wind, killing straight through the gatehouse and forcing the gate open.

Behind them came Liu Xie and the rest, close on their heels.

"Quick, stop them!" "It's Liu Xun! Don't let them escape!"

The soldiers had recognized Liu Xun among them.

In an instant, the whole gate area descended into chaos.

But the Wolf-Shadow men were simply too ruthless, too fast.

Anyone who rushed forward was cut down at once.

Before the soldiers could even react, Liu Xie and the others had already broken through the gate and gotten out.

"Sir, we've really made it out!" Liu Xun was practically glowing with excitement.

To be honest, when the city fell and he was trapped in the prefect's residence, he had already steeled himself for death.

But after Liu Xie's arrival, everything had changed. When Liu Xie first came, Liu Xun had thought those twenty men would amount to very little.

Yet now, with nothing more than those twenty men, their merciless methods, and their lightning-fast rhythm of battle, they had truly carried everyone out of a hopeless situation.

At this moment, Liu Xun felt nothing but profound admiration for Liu Xie.

As for those twenty Wolf-Shadow fighters, he had never seen soldiers so formidable in his life.

"There's no need for surprise, Zitai," Liu Xie said. "There will be many more things for us to do next."

He did not think much of it.

He knew very well that, to the Wolf-Shadow Guard, this was nothing more than a basic operation.

Then he looked toward the three people nearby.

"I'm sorry for involving you as well," he said with apology. "I never meant to drag others down with me. But please rest assured, I will see that you reach a safe place."

"Your Majesty is too modest," the old man said softly. "In these troubled times, such things are all too common."

Liu Xie nodded.

As long as they did not blame him, that was enough.

"Then, Sir, where do we go now?" Liu Xun asked.

Liu Xie looked toward the distant horizon.

"To Xu Province, to Ox-Treading Mountain."

That had always been his destination. Lujiang Commandery had only been a place along the way.

Still, it seemed his gains in Lujiang had not been small. Liu Xun and the few men under him were likely to follow him from now on.

The group traveled on until nightfall, when they reached a small town and found an inn to stay at temporarily.

Once everything had been settled, Liu Xun came at once to Liu Xie's room and knelt with a thud.

"Liu Xun thanks you for saving my life, Sir!" he said earnestly. "Your great kindness, I shall never forget it!"

Liu Xie quickly helped him up.

"You speak too seriously, Zitai. You once served under Yuan Shu. And now Yuan Shu is serving in my land of Jing. If you do not despise me for it, you may follow me to Jingzhou in the future."

This was, in a way, an invitation.

At that, Liu Xun became even more moved.

"I am grateful for your acceptance, Sir!" he said. "From this day forth, Liu Xun will gladly devote himself body and soul to your service!"

He did not refuse, and immediately agreed.

Liu Xie nodded in satisfaction.

"Good, then."

"We are headed for Xu Province this time. You know that Cao Cao is currently at war with Lü Bu there, and we, too, must take part in what is unfolding."

He briefly explained their purpose.

"Um, Sir," Liu Xun said, looking doubtful. "Do you mean that with so few men, we are going to get involved in what is happening in Xu Province?"

It was hard to believe.

The situation in Xu Province was extremely chaotic. Cao Cao had tens of thousands of troops there, and Lü Bu was no less well armed. They were locked in repeated and ferocious battles.

As for them, though Liu Xie's Wolf-Shadow Guard was indeed formidable, what could so few men accomplish?

"We are going to Xu Province and we will be involved in certain matters there," Liu Xie said. "But do not worry, Zitai. We will not have only this handful of men."

"In Xu Province, we also have an army of over ten thousand."

As he said this, Liu Xie smiled faintly.

His mind drifted back to what had happened nearly a year ago, when he and Fu Shou had fled from Xuchang.

It had been on the road, while passing Ox-Treading Mountain, that they had won over Zhou Cang and Pei Yuanshao, who had been entrenched there. Later, Fu Shou's father, Fu Wan, had also gone there.

And after nearly a year of development, the strength of Ox-Treading Mountain had already grown to formidable proportions.

The reason Liu Xie had not brought troops with him this time was precisely because he intended to make use of the forces at Ox-Treading Mountain once he arrived.

Though Liu Xun did not fully understand Liu Xie's words, he still bowed respectfully in assent.

Afterward, Liu Xie went to the room occupied by the three travelers: the two women and the old man.

They had traveled together all the way here, and yet he still did not know their names, nor had he properly looked after them.

After all, it was because he had involved them that they had suffered this misfortune.

"When this humble subject greets Your Majesty," the old man said hurriedly and bowed low as Liu Xie entered.

The two women behind him also knelt.

"There is no need for such ceremony," Liu Xie said. "I am the one who dragged you into this. I am truly sorry."

With that, he took a seat in the room.

"Your Majesty speaks too gravely," the old man said respectfully.

Liu Xie gave a slight nod, then continued, "By the way, I have not yet asked your names."

"Oh, this old one bears the surname Qiao," the old man said. "These two young ladies of mine may be called Big Qiao and Little Qiao."

Liu Xie froze for a moment when he heard this, his heart filling with curiosity and surprise.

"You mean to say your two daughters are Big Qiao and Little Qiao?" he asked in disbelief.

How could he not know Big Qiao and Little Qiao? They were famous beauties of the age of the Three Kingdoms.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"In that case, may I ask how old your daughters are?" Liu Xie asked again.

He was still not entirely certain that these were truly the legendary Big Qiao and Little Qiao, but their ages would help confirm it.

"In reply to Your Majesty," Qiao said respectfully, "my elder daughter is eighteen, and my younger daughter is sixteen."

"Eighteen... sixteen."

Liu Xie calculated silently to himself.

Little by little, he became certain that the two peerless beauties before him were indeed the renowned women of the Three Kingdoms: Big Qiao and Little Qiao.

Then this old man must be Elder Qiao.

Liu Xie's heart stirred with excitement.

He had never imagined that, by some twist of fate, he would bring Big Qiao and Little Qiao here.

If he reckoned the time correctly, this was just when Sun Ce had led his troops to attack Lujiang, and when he had first met Big Qiao and Little Qiao together with Zhou Yu, before bringing them back to Jiangdong to marry.

Yet now, Liu Xie had suddenly appeared, and by sheer coincidence had encountered the two Qiaos even before Sun Ce and Zhou Yu did.

This was truly to seize the advantage first.

"Your Majesty," Elder Qiao said again, bowing with clasped hands. "This old one has a request. I wonder whether Your Majesty might grant it."

"Speak freely, Elder Qiao. There is no need to be reserved," Liu Xie replied warmly.

"Your Majesty," the old man said, "if it is possible, I wonder whether I and my two daughters might follow Your Majesty back to Wancheng."

"Oh, please do not misunderstand, Your Majesty. This old one has no wish to climb too high. It is only that Wancheng, which Your Majesty governs, is one of the few places of peace in these times. I merely wish to spare my daughters and myself from seeing too much warfare."

He explained himself carefully.

Liu Xie raised an eyebrow.

This request was somewhat beyond his expectations.

In truth, he had indeed wanted to bring the three of them back to Wancheng. But he had been worried they might refuse, and so had not spoken of it.

To think Elder Qiao would bring it up himself.

This was perfectly to Liu Xie's liking.

"Very well, then Elder Qiao may return with us to Wancheng," he said. "However, for now we must still go to Xu Province, where there are many matters to attend to. Once the situation here is resolved, I shall certainly bring the three of you back to Wancheng to live."

Liu Xie did not refuse and agreed at once.

This left Elder Qiao and the two Qiaos deeply moved.