Chapter Eight: So This Is How You Sneak In~

“General Gongsun is quite kind to Lord Xuande,” Chen Xi said with a smile. “It seems that General Gongsun wants Lord Xuande to make an appearance before the various righteous heroes. You must understand, three hundred cavalry and two thousand infantry already count as a small power on their own.”

“Alas, Xuande is unworthy of such favor!” Liu Bei sighed. Gongsun Zan’s kindness left him unsure of how to respond.

“As long as you don’t forget your old brothers when you become prosperous, that’s what matters,” Chen Xi teased lightly. Thinking of the upcoming relief of Xuzhou, although Gongsun Zan was not optimistic, he nonetheless supplemented Liu Bei’s forces directly with five thousand infantry and cavalry and even sent Zhao Yun to assist. It was hard to believe Gongsun Zan did not notice the close rapport between Zhao Yun and Liu Bei, yet he still supported them so strongly. This clearly showed that Gongsun Zan was utterly loyal to those he recognized as brothers.

“If the day comes when I become prosperous, I will never forget,” Liu Bei said solemnly, looking at Chen Xi. Only after a moment did the slow-witted Chen Xi realize that Liu Bei’s words were meant not just for Gongsun Zan’s ears.

“Hahaha, that day will come soon, very soon,” Chen Xi replied awkwardly, tilting his head. He still wanted to meet Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Yuan Shao before giving any definite answers.

Seeing Chen Xi turn away uneasily, Liu Bei felt a twinge of disappointment, but quickly recovered. After all, Chen Xi was still by his side, and there would be plenty of opportunities. Sooner or later, they would become his allies.

The next day, the alliance meeting officially began. As a small power, Liu Bei qualified to attach himself behind Gongsun Zan and appear at the venue. Naturally, Chen Xi seized the chance to slip in as well.

Now, let us recount the names and titles of the eighteen lords present:

The First Force, refined and noble, gathering heroes—Yuan Shu, former general and governor of Nanyang, styled Gonglu.

The Second Force, versed in the classics and well-read—Han Fu, Inspector of Jizhou, styled Wenjie.

The Third Force, eloquent and learned in history—Kong Zhou, Inspector of Yuzhou, styled Gongxu.

The Fourth Force, filial and benevolent, humble to scholars—Liu Dai, Inspector of Yanzhou, styled Gongshan.

The Fifth Force, righteous and generous, lavish with gold—Wang Kuang, Governor of Henei Commandery, styled Gongjie.

The Sixth Force, aiding the poor and urgent, ambitious—Zhang Miao, Governor of Chenliu, styled Mengzhuo.

The Seventh Force, kind and learned—Qiao Mao, Governor of Dong Commandery, styled Yuanwei.

The Eighth Force, loyal and upright, refined and cultured—Yuan Yi, Governor of Shanyang, styled Boye.

The Ninth Force, clever and resourceful, skilled in both war and letters—Bao Xin, Chancellor of Jibei, styled Yuncheng.

The Tenth Force, descended from sages, hospitable and respectful—Kong Rong, Governor of Beihai, styled Wenju.

The Eleventh Force, outstanding in martial arts and bearing—Zhang Chao, Governor of Guangling, styled Menggao.

The Twelfth Force, a benevolent gentleman, virtuous and gentle—Tao Qian, Inspector of Xuzhou, styled Gongzu.

The Thirteenth Force, renowned among the Qiang and Hu, famed beyond the frontier—Ma Teng, Governor of Xiliang, styled Shoucheng.

The Fourteenth Force, voice like a great bell, heroic and splendid—Gongsun Zan, Inspector of Youzhou, styled Bogu.

The Fifteenth Force, adaptable and brave—Zhang Yang, Governor of Shangdang, styled Zhisheng.

The Sixteenth Force, a peerless hero, unmatched in courage—Sun Jian Wentai, Marquis of Wucheng and Governor of Changsha.

The Seventeenth Force, with four generations of high officials, a family of experienced administrators—Yuan Shao, Marquis of Qixiang and Governor of Bohai, styled Benchū.

Alongside them was Cao Cao’s own contingent, making a total of eighteen lords.

Each contingent ranged from thirty to fifty thousand troops, with some as few as ten or twenty thousand. Of course, there were smaller forces like those of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, with only two or three thousand soldiers. The difference was that Cao Cao, as the initiator, held a guaranteed seat, while Liu Bei’s place depended on favor.

Fortunately, during a casual chat between Cao Cao and Liu Bei, Chen Xi inadvertently revealed Liu Bei’s identity as a member of the imperial family. This was important. While other imperial kin remained confined to their own territories, Liu Bei had come with over two thousand men. Regardless of size, his status could not be ignored. After some discussion, Liu Bei was accepted and slipped into the alliance.

Then began the usual bickering. Without a leader, the alliance was chaotic. Cao Cao voluntarily relinquished the position of alliance leader, leaving the two brothers of the Yuan family—who disliked each other—eyeing the role. After Cao Cao extended goodwill, the imposing hero Yuan Shao smoothly took the position, while Yuan Shu was relegated to overseeing logistics.

By this time, Liu Bei had already blended in with the lords. He had mingled among them before the alliance leader’s arrival and was now free to take a seat. As a minor lord among eighteen, he at least had a voice on the surface.

Before Liu Bei fully understood the situation, Chen Xi tugged his sleeve and seated him beside Tao Qian and Kong Rong. Both were intrigued by Liu Bei’s status as an imperial relative, and the three quickly engaged in relaxed conversation.

Chen Xi, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei sat behind Liu Bei. This was a stark departure from history, where Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had no official seats. After all, this was a legitimate lordship claiming imperial kinship. No matter how small a lord’s power, once recognized, all rulers were equal in status.

With this protection, when Hua Xiong dared to cause trouble later, Guan Yu stepped forward to declare he would kill him. Yuan Shu would certainly not oppose this, knowing that offending Guan Yu would mean offending everyone present. Even if Yuan Shu were foolish, he would not act so recklessly.

“Second Lord, sit here. Remember, you are now officers under Lord Xuande, not mere mercenaries,” Chen Xi began instructing Guan Yu. After all, Liu Bei’s two fierce generals were the only ones who really upheld his reputation. Now that they had joined the lords, as long as they kept silent, no one would question them. Supplies would be allocated through Liu Bei’s contingent, and a lord must carry the dignity of a lord. Numbers did not matter; as long as they were formidable, no one would doubt it.

“Hmm?” Guan Yu paused, stroking his long beard, then opened his eyes slightly and looked at Chen Xi. “Zichuan, to be honest, I don’t quite understand the situation. Why have we suddenly been seated here?”

“Because we are a loyal royalist force. General Gongsun gave us an opportunity, and we naturally became a royalist lordship. With Lord Xuande’s status as an imperial relative, as long as we prove our worth, everyone will recognize our identity,” Chen Xi replied with a smile, surprised at how approachable the usually proud Guan Yu was.

What Chen Xi did not know was that Guan Yu’s cold demeanor stemmed more from his awkwardness in speaking and his solemn expression, which gave off an aura of aloofness. Yet once familiar, and given their capability, Guan Yu was quite easy to talk to.

“Is that really possible?” Zhang Fei and Guan Yu both blinked in surprise.

“Yes, it’s possible. I even find it a bit excessive myself,” Chen Xi chuckled, a teasing glint in his eyes. “That will depend on the two generals. When the time comes, you must impress everyone present. Your strength and Lord Xuande’s status complement each other perfectly. Your performance now will influence Lord Xuande’s official rank later.”

“Official rank?” Guan Yu asked sharply.

“Yes. The contribution in battle and the degree of exposure will determine Dong Zhuo’s assessment of the royalist forces’ strength. After Dong Zhuo’s defeat and retreat, he will rely on the emperor he holds to divide the lords of the East. If Lord Xuande catches Dong Zhuo’s eye, he will naturally become a target for division and gain official rank and territory. This will be the foundation for all future developments. If you don’t want to be dependent for decades and never realize your grand ambitions, you must give your utmost effort this time,” Chen Xi said earnestly to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

This was his conclusion from experience: the campaign of the eighteen lords to oppose Dong Zhuo was the true opportunity for rising figures among them. Whether Cao Cao, Sun Jian, or Yuan Shao, they all gained what they wanted after this.

If Liu Bei could attract Dong Zhuo’s attention and become a pawn in dividing the eastern lords, the gap between him and the others would shrink to almost nothing. Then, cloaked in the title of imperial kin, who was superior or inferior would be anyone’s guess.