Chapter 102: Zang Ba of Mount Tai

“No! I do not agree!” Liu Yao rose abruptly, his voice resolute. “Fengxiao, how could you possibly infiltrate the enemy camp? If anything were to happen to you, how could I bear the guilt? Absolutely not. This matter is off the table.” The significance of Guo Jia to Liu Yao was unquestionable; he regarded Guo Jia as a brother and could never allow him to face such danger alone.

“My lord,” Guo Jia responded, moved by Liu Yao's concern for every brother. Overwhelmed with emotion, he knelt before Liu Yao and said firmly, “Since I proposed this plan, I have full confidence in it. I ask for your approval.” Truly, a soldier dies for those who understand him.

“Fengxiao!” Liu Yao was both angry and touched, hesitating for a long moment before sighing in resignation. “Very well, Fengxiao, rise.”

Understanding Liu Yao’s consent, Guo Jia quickly stood and thanked him. Liu Yao looked at Guo Jia with a bitter smile, thinking to himself, “It is I who should be thanking you, Fengxiao.”

“Zilong, take one hundred of my personal guards and escort Fengxiao up the mountain. Even if persuasion fails, it doesn’t matter. If it comes to a real fight, then so be it. But I want to ensure both of your safe return. Understood?” Liu Yao instructed Zhao Yun.

“Your order is received. I shall protect the strategist with my life, not allowing him to suffer the slightest injury,” Zhao Yun replied with steadfast determination, deeply moved by Liu Yao’s care.

With a helpless sigh, Liu Yao glanced at Zhao Yun and Guo Jia before turning and leaving the tent, leaving a few behind exchanging surprised looks.

“Ding! Mission to eliminate the Taishan bandits activated. Task one: slay Zang Ba; reward: five lottery draws. Task two: slay Wu Dun, Yin Li, Sun Guan, and Sun Kang; reward: one lottery draw each. Will the host accept the mission?” The ancient tome’s voice rang once more.

“Decline!” After some hesitation, Liu Yao rejected the tasks. After all, there was still a chance to recruit Zang Ba and the others.

Meanwhile, as Liu Yao pondered how to deal with the Taishan bandits, dire news arrived from Luoyang.

In the year 185 AD, the second year of Emperor Ling’s Zhongping era of the Eastern Han, beyond Liangzhou’s borders, the Qiang chieftain Li Wenhou and Beigong Boyu assassinated the Protector of the Qiang, Leng Zheng. Afterwards, Boyu and Li Wenhou appointed the Han general Han Sui as their leader. Through continuous wars of annexation, Han Sui’s power grew swiftly, commanding an army of one hundred thousand. Not only did he kill Chen Yi, Governor of Jincheng, but in Zhongping’s second year, under the pretext of suppressing eunuchs, he led his forces to invade the Sanfu region.

When Emperor Ling of Han learned of this, he was furious. He had just quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and now faced a Qiang uprising. He immediately ordered troops to suppress Han Sui’s rebels.

Naturally, his first thought was his son Liu Yao, but Liu Yao had left Luoyang half a month prior, with his whereabouts unknown even to Emperor Ling, leaving the emperor deeply troubled.

Ultimately, on the recommendation of General He Jin, Huangfu Song was dispatched as commander with fifty thousand troops to restore order in Sanfu.

Huangfu Song had only just been appointed Governor of Jizhou in November, barely settled, when he received this urgent news. With no choice, he hastened to station his army in Chang’an to resist the encroaching Qiang forces led by Han Sui.

On Taishan Mountain in Qingzhou, two young men led over a hundred elite soldiers along a mountain trail, openly and without concealment.

These were naturally Guo Jia, Zhao Yun, and their hundred-strong personal guard. Guo Jia knew the vastness of Taishan well; trying to find the bandit stronghold with their limited forces was unrealistic. Instead, they opted to wait openly, hoping the bandits would come to them—a strategy that made things much easier.

“Strategist, you must be tired. Sit down and rest for a while. Drink some water before we move on,” Zhao Yun said, noticing Guo Jia’s labored breathing.

Guo Jia nodded in agreement and casually sat on a large rock. They had been wandering the mountain paths for half a day, and the rough terrain had exhausted even Guo Jia’s stamina. If he were to collapse from fatigue, how could he complete Liu Yao’s mission?

“Here, strategist.” Zhao Yun took two water skins from a soldier and handed one to Guo Jia.

Gratefully, Guo Jia drank deeply but frowned at the bland taste, secretly longing for Liu Yao’s treasured fine wine. Meanwhile, his disdain for the Taishan bandits grew. They had been wandering openly for so long without detection—under Liu Yao’s command, such negligence would have long warranted dismissal.

Perhaps Guo Jia’s thoughts stirred the forest, for soon strange noises echoed through the trees.

“Who’s there?” Zhao Yun immediately challenged, raising his voice sharply.

Suddenly, three to four hundred men dressed as commoners, wielding farming tools and swords, burst from the woods. Zhao Yun eyed them warily but harbored no great concern; his hundred or so elite guards could easily overwhelm such a scattered force.

“Who are you?” a man, apparently a minor leader, stepped forward. Upon seeing the well-equipped troops, he frowned in suspicion and demanded loudly.

Guo Jia stepped forward to speak, but the bandits recoiled fearfully, watching him warily. Guo Jia was puzzled—he did not possess the rough features of a common soldier like Zhang Fei. Was he really so intimidating? His opinion of the bandits dropped threefold.

“I am Guo Jia, strategist under General Liu Yao, the Great Han’s Cavalry General. I have matters to discuss with your leader, Zang Ba,” Guo Jia declared loudly.

“Liu Yao!” The bandits immediately grew anxious at the mention of Liu Yao’s name. His fame was widespread, and even though Guo Jia appeared slight, they regarded him with newfound respect.

“You two, go inform the leader,” the minor chief ordered two men, who quickly vanished into the forest.

Guo Jia smiled at the scene, then resumed his seat, leisurely sipping water.

After a while, the two messengers returned, whispering in the chief’s ear before stepping back.

The chief strode forward. “Our leader agrees to see you. Follow us and don’t cause trouble.” With that, he led the way.

Guo Jia signaled Zhao Yun and the others to follow. The bandits surrounded the hundred-strong guard, wary of any conflict.

In a small valley on Taishan, Guo Jia was surprised to find such a flat area, the bandit’s lair.

“You two may enter to meet the leader, but the others must stay here,” the chief said, pointing at Guo Jia’s guards.

Guo Jia understood; waving to his men, he led Zhao Yun into the tent where Zang Ba awaited.

Inside, five men were present—one seated in the main seat, the others at lower positions. Guo Jia thought, “These must be Zang Ba and the four brothers Liu Yao spoke of.”

“Are you the strategist Guo Jia under General Liu Yao?” Zang Ba asked arrogantly from the main seat.

“That is correct,” Guo Jia replied casually.

Zang Ba nodded but then eyed Zhao Yun, recognizing him as a formidable adversary.

“May I inquire your name, sir?” Zang Ba asked, folding his arms respectfully.