Chapter 88: Jingzhou's Growing Power

He could place such immense hope in his servants. For a soldier, even for a great general, what greater honor could there be?

“We obey the imperial command!”

“Your Majesty may rest assured. We shall be utterly loyal to you, even unto death!”

Gao Shun spoke with unmistakable excitement.

Liu Xie was quite fond of Gao Shun.

What Gao Shun had just said, in a certain sense, carried even more weight than Lü Bu’s word.

Historically, Gao Shun had been held in very high regard.

He did not drink, lived with integrity, and prized his honor above all else.

One might say he was, in every respect, the ideal young man of that age.

In such an era, men like him were truly rare.

Moreover, the reason Gao Shun was so moved was that, despite his formidable abilities, he had never been given proper use when serving under Lü Bu.

That was also one of the reasons why, when Liu Xie asked Lü Bu for Gao Shun, Lü Bu had agreed without the slightest hesitation.

“Good. Since that is so,” Liu Xie said. “From this day forth, your Wolf Shadow Guard will have its own dedicated camp. As for training, I shall personally oversee it. One month from now, you will depart Wancheng with the army.”

Liu Xie was full of confidence.

In the twenty-first century, he had been an exceptionally capable instructor, one who had trained many masters and forged many elite forces.

Now, although the resources of this age were not as abundant, the true quality of its people was far beyond that of his former world.

After all, the standards of many men in this era were extraordinarily high.

Once he had decided, he acted at once.

Liu Xie immediately summoned Zhang Xiu.

In the mountainous area outside Wancheng, he had a dedicated camp built for the Wolf Shadow Guard.

At the same time, during these days, Fu Shou and Yuan Ying had also begun to make their moves.

Perhaps because they were all women, Fu Shou and Yuan Ying quickly grew close to Diaochan.

After all, Diaochan had no relatives or connections here.

To receive the care of Fu Shou and Yuan Ying was a rare blessing.

Once the two of them had become familiar with Diaochan, they began speaking with her about Lü Bu.

And through Diaochan’s lips, those words slipped, whether intentionally or not, into Lü Bu’s ears.

Naturally, Lü Bu did not take it seriously at first.

But as Liu Xie had said, once enough time passed and such things were heard again and again, they would inevitably have an effect.

As for Liu Xie himself, he devoted nearly all his attention to the Wolf Shadow Guard in the mountains.

Lü Bu, meanwhile, was racing against time to train his own troops.

The generals he had brought with him, led by Zhang Liao and Cao Xing, were likewise assigned duties by Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu throughout Wancheng and even across the whole of Jing Province.

In particular, in the other parts of Jing Province beyond Nanyang, those lands had for many years been controlled by Liu Biao’s former subordinates.

Now Liu Xie had arranged for all of these men to be sent there.

His intention was simple: through such measures, to gradually and completely seize control of Jing Province.

In the mountains, at the Wolf Shadow Guard camp, Liu Xie sat among the men without the slightest trace of imperial airs.

Surrounding him were all eighteen members of the Wolf Shadow Guard, along with Gao Shun and his own men.

Especially those of the Impregnable Camp.

Seeing how approachable Liu Xie was, they could not help feeling that they had chosen the right master.

“Everyone, what we must do next is very simple,” Liu Xie said. “We train. However, this so-called training will likely be somewhat different from what you have known before. As for how it will be done, the eighteen of them will arrange everything. One month is neither long nor short. I ask all of you to make the most of it.”

Gao Shun nodded solemnly.

He did not know exactly how Liu Xie intended to train them, but from Liu Xie’s serious expression he could tell that the coming month would be far from easy.

And indeed, as he had expected, the Wolf Shadow Guard subjected them to a hellish, punishing regimen.

Liu Xie no longer concerned himself with that. Instead, he turned his full attention to Yi Province and Hanzhong, where military campaigns were about to begin.

At that moment, word came from Yi Province: Governor Liu Yan had died of illness, and his son Liu Zhang had succeeded him and taken control of power.

When the news arrived, Liu Xie smiled faintly.

“Your Majesty,” Zhang Xiu said, “this Liu Zhang is vastly inferior to his father. Moreover, he has only just taken office, so his authority may not yet be secure. This seems highly favorable to us.”

Zhang Xiu could see the opportunity as well.

“Only Hanzhong’s Zhang Lu will be troublesome,” he added.

That was true enough. Liu Zhang might be mediocre, but Zhang Lu would not be so easy to deal with.

Hanzhong was also a place of great strategic importance.

Beyond Hanzhong lay Xiliang.

At present, Han Sui and Ma Teng held sway there.

If, when the time came, Hanzhong sought援 from Xiliang, then their troubles could become quite serious.

“Then we shall take Yi Province first,” Liu Xie said. “As for Hanzhong, we can deal with it later. Of course, not a single one of them will escape.”

A hard edge entered his thoughts.

Liu Yan and Zhang Lu had dared to send troops against him. That could only mean one thing: they had never truly regarded him as emperor.

If that was how they wished to behave, then they could not blame him for striking back.

While Liu Xie was busily preparing, both Yi Province and Hanzhong had already begun to sense danger.

That worried them deeply.

In truth, they could have foreseen it. When they had once marched against Liu Xie, then after he regained his strength, he would certainly come after them.

But back then, they had not thought so far ahead. They merely felt it was no great matter, and believed Liu Xie had little real power. Even if he wished to do something, he lacked the strength to carry it through.

Yet they had never imagined that, after seizing Jing Province, Liu Xie’s power would grow even stronger.

He now commanded an army of a million, had gained all the generals and troops of Jing Province, and even possessed such a divine general as Lü Bu.

There was also Liu Xun.

When Liu Xie went to Xu Province, he had even taken Liu Xun under his command along the way.

Beyond the great generals, the number of strategists at Liu Xie’s side was now considerable as well.

There was Jia Xu from the beginning, and later Chen Gong.

These men were all renowned advisers.

With great generals like Lü Bu and an army of a million besides, Liu Xie’s present strength was more than enough to sweep everything before him.

Thus, Zhang Lu and Liu Zhang both could no longer sit still.

“Your Majesty, our scouts have reported in,” Zhang Xiu said one day. “It is said that Zhang Lu of Hanzhong and Liu Zhang of Yi Province have joined forces once again, preparing to unite in resisting our attack.”

“Oh?” Liu Xie said. “So they intend to huddle together for warmth.”

He smiled thinly.

“They should have thought of that sooner. There is no need to rush. The month is not yet over. Once it is, we will march on Yi Province.”

Everyone nodded repeatedly.

With Liu Xie present, they all felt secure.

As for the cooperation between Zhang Lu and Liu Zhang, it was entirely within Liu Xie’s expectations.

In truth, they had only brought this trouble upon themselves.

If, back when he first attacked Jing Province, they had behaved themselves, perhaps Liu Xie would not have moved against them so quickly.

But now they had chosen death on their own.

Then there was nothing more to be said.

As time passed day by day, autumn was drawing to a close.

Another year was nearly gone.

Liu Xie felt a faint sense of emotion.

Since coming to this world, from the imperial palace in Xuchang to their escape and arrival in Wancheng, nearly two years had already passed.

In those two years, Liu Xie felt that he had done much, yet also very little.

But for this world, he knew the road ahead was still long.

The road of conquest stretched endlessly onward.

As a man from the twenty-first century, he understood better than anyone that, to the people of this age, the world was nothing more than the Han Dynasty.

But in truth, his ambitions did not end there.

Since he had come to this era, he would not stop with the Han Dynasty.

Of course, those were matters for the future.

For now, he had only to prepare for the campaign against Yi Province one month hence.

That month flew by in an instant.

During it, Lü Bu hurried to train his cavalry, while Liu Xie pressed forward with the training of his Wolf Shadow Guard.

The various strategists and generals each fulfilled their own duties.

In particular, the men Lü Bu had brought with him were adapting to their new surroundings.

A month later, the army set out.

Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu were once again left behind there.

“Lord Zhang, Lord Jia,” Liu Xie said before departing, “Wancheng is a place of great importance. I entrust it to the two of you. Please guard it with the utmost care. And General Hu, you shall remain as well. Though foreign war is important, our home base is of even greater significance.”

Before leaving, Liu Xie gave Zhang Xiu, Jia Xu, and Hu Che’er a very earnest charge.

The three of them had been with him from the very beginning after he arrived here.

They were also the three people he trusted most.

Though the campaign against Yi Province was important, the safety of the home base was of even greater importance.

He had to make sure Zhang Xiu and the others understood that.

“Your Majesty may rest easy. We shall certainly govern this land of Jing Province well,” Zhang Xiu replied solemnly.

“Your Majesty need not worry,” said Jia Xu. “I will see that food, provisions, and weapons are delivered without delay.”

“Your Majesty, this humble general will cooperate fully with the two lords and guard Jing Province well!” Hu Che’er declared. “As long as this general remains here, Jing Province shall know no harm!”

The three of them gave their assurances in all seriousness.

By now, their duties in Jing Province were clearly divided.

Zhang Xiu oversaw all major affairs, and when Liu Xie was absent, everything here was under his command.

Jia Xu and Hu Che’er supported him from the side.

Jia Xu was in charge of supplies, weapons, and the livelihood of the people.

Hu Che’er bore responsibility for the defenses of all Jing Province’s cities.

In truth, the burdens on their shoulders were all matters Liu Xie held close to his heart.

And they, in turn, had done an excellent job of easing his worries.

Moreover, Liu Xie had also noticed something else.

These people had changed compared with before.

Or rather, their attitude toward Liu Xie had changed.

In the past, everyone had addressed him as “Young Master.”

But at some point, they had begun to call him “Your Majesty.”

It was clear enough.

In their hearts, they already regarded Liu Xie as their sovereign, their Son of Heaven, their emperor.

In that, perhaps, lay the greatest recognition they could offer him.