Chapter Seventeen: Winning You Over with Fists

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After hearing the explanation from the prefect, Gongsun Zan immediately understood the situation. Without hesitation, he allocated half of his troops to Liu Bei, expressing his willingness to let Liu Bei take charge of the area. He had urgent matters to attend to at the rear and had to return, entrusting the entire mission to deal with Dong Zhuo to Liu Bei.

With a portion of the army handed over to Liu Bei, Gongsun Zan then tendered his resignation to Yuan Shao and led the five thousand White Horse volunteers he had brought with him back to Youzhou. He intended to make it clear to the northern barbarians that robbery and pillaging would be met with death.

Upon receiving this news, Dong Zhuo, following Li Ru’s advice, appointed Gongsun Zan as the General Who Guards the North, precisely to keep Liu Yu in check. However, he did not recall Liu Yu back to Luoyang, likely intending to use Liu Yu’s reputation to undermine Gongsun Zan. Since one side commanded the military and the other held political power, there was ample room for sowing discord, especially when military authority suppressed political affairs. In such cases, covert activities often had more destructive power than overt actions.

Now commanding eight thousand cavalry and infantry, Liu Bei felt considerably more confident. Undeniably, the soldiers from Youzhou who had shed blood fighting the northern tribes were far superior to the conscripted commoners from the Central Plains.

In his hurry to leave, Gongsun Zan left all the infantry behind and only kept a thousand of his elite White Horse volunteers with Liu Bei to maintain appearances. After all, in the northern frontier, the main force against the barbarians was cavalry; the more mounted troops he could bring, the greater the pressure on the barbarians.

“General Gongsun Zan is gone already? That was remarkably swift,” Chen Xi sighed. He had barely woken up when the other party had left, and no one came to wake him. Surely such a generous local lord deserved a proper send-off; such magnanimity was rare even in later generations.

With Gongsun Zan’s departure and the transfer of his authority to Liu Bei, Liu Bei, who already possessed some influence, suddenly found his voice amplified, and more importantly, his power strengthened.

In the following days, under Yuan Shao’s command, the allied forces continuously attacked Hulao Pass. Unfortunately, no matter how fiercely Yan Liang and Wen Chou fought, they failed to capture it. Even when the Second Lord and Zhang Fei joined the fray, the outcome was no different. Xu Rong calmly held off half a million allied troops, making everyone realize that personal martial prowess alone could not win a battle, even if one could single-handedly defeat tens of thousands...

“Zichuan, how long do you think it will take us to capture Hulao Pass?” Liu Bei stood at a distance, gazing toward the fortress.

“As long as Xu Rong holds, Hulao will remain unconquered. Among Dong Zhuo’s generals, this man is the most promising commander. It seems he also possesses some unique techniques,” Chen Xi said with resignation. Xu Rong was indeed formidable; historically, he had bested Cao Cao in one-on-one combat. Given the allied army’s zeal, it was no easy feat to dislodge Xu Rong, who held the terrain advantage.

“Ah, what a pity to have such a fine general on the opposing side,” Liu Bei’s appreciation for talent stirred once again, prompting Chen Xi to roll his eyes.

“But don’t worry, this fellow will soon be recalled to the rear. Our offensive will force Dong Zhuo to personally come to Hulao. Then, Lord Xuande will witness the might of the world's greatest warrior,” Chen Xi glanced at Xu Rong standing beneath the city gate tower. He sensed that Xu Rong’s troops coordinated far better than the allied forces. Even a master like Guan Yu had been surrounded by more than a dozen elite soldiers and targeted by dozens of arrows, sustaining some injuries in the process.

[As generals grow stronger, so do their troops. The importance of formation and order grows exponentially. Even an elite warrior like the Second Lord could single-handedly rout tens of thousands if the enemy were scattered. But facing an opponent with disciplined formations and excellent command, even the Second Lord might fall under the assault of a few hundred soldiers!]

Chen Xi, staring at Hulao Pass, reviewed his recent intelligence. In this world, the power of battle formations and unit cohesion was magnified, just as the influence of commanders was heightened. Skillfully employed, a general leading just over a hundred men could shatter an army of ten thousand.

“‘World’s greatest warrior’—such a grand title. Anyone daring to claim it would surely invite endless trouble. I’m curious to see how Dong Zhuo’s champion commands respect,” Liu Bei shook his head. Though intrigued by Chen Xi’s constant mention of this title, he withheld judgment. It wasn’t that Liu Bei lacked experience; Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were truly terrifyingly strong. Yet neither had the confidence to claim the title of the world’s greatest warrior.

“Wait a bit longer. Soon Lord Xuande will know. By the way, has General Hua Xiong’s injury healed?” Chen Xi changed the topic, no longer wanting to waste energy on the ‘world’s greatest warrior’ matter. Lü Bu’s strength was unquestionable; even Guan Yu and Zhang Fei together could not subdue him.

“General Hua got beaten by my second brother again. He’s probably still lying in the rear camp,” Liu Bei replied, taking up Chen Xi’s topic but not returning to the matter of the world’s greatest warrior. He had much patience for Chen Xi.

“Beaten again...” Chen Xi sighed.

Hua Xiong had awakened and bore no resentment over his defeat at Guan Yu’s hands; that godlike strike remained vivid in his memory. Though defeated, Hua Xiong showed no intention of surrender. In his own words, Dong Zhuo had shown him kindness; if death came, so be it—no arguments. As for Dong Zhuo’s misdeeds, those were his own concern. Loyalty or disloyalty was Hua Xiong’s personal matter; he accepted whatever punishment was meted out.

Such staunch resolve nearly drove the ever-blunt Guan Yu to fury during their discussion. With words failing to sway Hua Xiong, Guan Yu resolved to use the method he knew best: fists. Might makes right, and Guan Yu intended to teach Hua Xiong through combat.

Being an act of persuasion, Guan Yu naturally loosened Hua Xiong’s restraints. After a fierce brawl, Hua Xiong collapsed, yet this encounter revealed that the man who had felled him with three blades was not overwhelmingly stronger.

To Hua Xiong, the forces he had faced on the battlefield had seemed irresistible, but now, though still formidable, they appeared defeatable.

Blaming his previous defeat on carelessness and Guan Yu’s sneak attack, Hua Xiong remained defiant, only to be repeatedly subdued by Guan Yu’s fists.

Yet, no matter how many times Guan Yu knocked him down, Hua Xiong gritted his teeth and continued to stand firm against him.

By now, Guan Yu fully recognized this wild warrior from the west. For his loyalty alone, Guan Yu respected him. Blind loyalty—especially when placed in the wrong hands—often earns the favor of a man like Guan Yu, who values righteousness and fidelity. Thus, although Hua Xiong never surrendered, he was treated to good food and drink by Guan Yu, even as their daily bouts of physical persuasion continued.