Chapter Fifty-Four: Liu Pi Challenges

That night, Bo Cai sat alone in his tent, drinking to drown his sorrows.

“Commander, Commander Peng Tuo has arrived with his men,” a personal guard announced, rushing in.

Bo Cai’s spirits lifted at once. “Oh, he’s really here? Quickly, invite him in!”

But before the guard could leave, Bo Cai stopped him, thought for a moment, and said, “Wait. I’ll go greet him myself. You go and prepare a feast immediately—I must entertain Commander Peng properly.” With that, he hurried out of the tent.

Just outside, he saw Peng Tuo approaching, accompanied by a young Yellow Turban officer who looked exceptionally strong and valiant.

“Haha! Peng Tuo, you’ve finally arrived! Come in, come in—I’ve already prepared a feast, just waiting for you!” Bo Cai called out with a hearty laugh.

Peng Tuo replied in a mocking tone, “Bo Cai, you don’t look so well.” Without even glancing at Bo Cai, he strode straight into the tent. Two tigers cannot share one mountain; in this region, Bo Cai and Peng Tuo each commanded the largest Yellow Turban forces, and both were vying for supremacy over Yingchuan. The rivalry between them, both overt and hidden, was fierce, and their relationship far from amicable.

Bo Cai’s face darkened at Peng Tuo’s words, but he quickly suppressed his anger. He needed Peng Tuo, and now was not the time for a falling out. He followed him into the tent.

Once they were seated, Bo Cai broke the silence. “I wonder, Commander Peng, how many troops have you brought with you this time?”

Peng Tuo raised his chin proudly, holding up four fingers. “Forty thousand. This time, I’ve brought forty thousand men.”

“Forty thousand… I fear that may not be enough,” Bo Cai replied, worry in his voice. His own force of over a hundred thousand had been utterly routed by Liu Yao’s mere ten thousand. Peng Tuo’s forty thousand might fare no better.

Peng Tuo shot him a disdainful look. “Hmph. Your men were too weak, that’s why you lost to Huangfu Song and the other one. My forty thousand are true elites—no one in Runan could stand against them. If I had been there, I’d have left not a man of theirs standing.”

“You…” Bo Cai seethed with rage—Peng Tuo had publicly humiliated him twice that day. If he didn’t need Peng Tuo’s help, he’d have cut him in half by now. He forced a cold smile. “This time, the one coming to Changshe’s aid is that Governor of Youzhou, Liu Yao, who has a fearsome black-faced general. You’d best be careful not to fall into a trap.”

“Youzhou’s Governor!” Peng Tuo started at this, but quickly covered it with bravado. “So what? He’s just a boy in his teens. Who knows if those stories about him defeating the Wuwan are even true? The Great Teacher is simply too cautious. If it were up to me, I’d crush such a brat with one hand.” Peng Tuo was full of confidence; he’d been victorious in Runan without a single setback, and his arrogance knew no bounds.

“As for his famed general, there’s even less to worry about.” Peng Tuo pointed at the Yellow Turban officer behind him and said confidently, “This is the top general in my army, Liu Pi—Liu Taichu. His martial skills are unmatched. No matter how many men the enemy fields, they are no match for him.”

Bo Cai was taken aback; he hadn’t expected Peng Tuo to have such a formidable commander under his banner, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. Still, he forced a sneer. “Then tomorrow, I’ll leave it to Brother Taichu to show his mettle.” Whether Liu Pi won or lost, it would benefit Bo Cai—if he won, Changshe would be within reach; if he lost, Peng Tuo’s arrogance would be curbed. Bo Cai had long since tired of Peng Tuo’s smug face.

“Very well. Tomorrow morning, I will give you five thousand men. Go and break this Liu Yao’s spirit—let him learn to fear the name Peng Tuo. I want him to tremble at the mere mention of me! Hahahaha!” Peng Tuo laughed wildly.

“Yes, Commander. Tomorrow I will give it my all,” Liu Pi replied with confidence. He had never known defeat and already looked down on all warriors under heaven.

Only Bo Cai watched the pair with a look of disdain.

The next day, Liu Yao was discussing matters with Tian Feng when an officer from Huangfu Song’s army summoned them to the council chamber.

They hurried over, sending word for Zhang Fei and the others to join them as well.

Inside the main hall, Liu Yao saw Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, both looking troubled. He asked, “General Huangfu, what has happened that you called for me in such haste?”

“Your Highness,” Huangfu Song replied, “last night our scouts reported that another Yellow Turban force has arrived—over thirty thousand men, flying banners with the character Peng.”

“Oh? The Peng banners? Could it be Peng Tuo? Wasn’t he in the Runyang region? What’s he doing here in Changshe?” Liu Yao wondered aloud.

Tian Feng pondered and said, “My lord, I suspect Bo Cai, thinking himself no match for us, sent for Peng Tuo’s help.”

“Hey, Liu Yao, you brat! And you, Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, a pair of cowards! Your grandpa Liu Pi is here—come out and fight if you dare!” Suddenly, a thunderous shout echoed from outside, heard by all present.

“What’s going on?” Huangfu Song barked toward the doorway.

“Reporting, sir—it’s the Yellow Turban rebels. They’re here, challenging us to battle,” a Han soldier replied.

“Oh? I hadn’t planned to go looking for them, yet they’ve come to us instead. How interesting. Generals, would you care to join me on the city wall and have a look?” Liu Yao sneered.

“How could we refuse?” Huangfu Song replied, heartened by Liu Yao’s composure.

The group ascended the walls. Looking down, they saw a Yellow Turban commander on horseback, flanked by more than ten thousand golden-armored soldiers, hurling insults up at them.

“Come down and face your grandpa Liu in three hundred rounds if you dare, you rats!” Liu Pi shouted over and over, taunting them.

“Hmph!” Huang Zhong snorted coldly. He held Liu Yao in the highest regard and could not tolerate anyone insulting him. Without waiting for orders, he drew his bow, loosed an arrow, and sent it whistling past Liu Pi’s scalp—close enough to warn but not to wound. Had Liu Yao given the word, that arrow would have ended Liu Pi’s life.

Liu Pi, drenched in cold sweat, convinced himself he had only been caught off guard by a sneak attack. He kept shouting, “Cowards! Shooting from the shadows—do you dare come down and fight me man to man?”

Liu Yao watched Liu Pi as one might watch a clown. He knew the man—history recorded that Liu Pi would eventually surrender to Liu Bei and die protecting him. His martial skills were barely mediocre, yet here he was, barking so loudly.

Liu Yao turned to those beside him and said coolly, “Who among you wishes to go down and silence this fool for good?”

Before Liu Yao had finished speaking, Zhang Fei stepped forward earnestly. “My lord, I made a mistake last time. Allow me to make amends in battle.”

Liu Yao looked at Zhang Fei and said, “Very well, Yide. Take my command token, lead a thousand from the assault battalion, and go meet the enemy.” With that, he handed Zhang Fei his token of authority.

Zhang Fei accepted it gratefully. “Thank you, my lord!” He departed at once to prepare for battle.

Soon, Zhang Fei had his troops in order. The gates of Changshe swung open. Zhang Fei, at the fore, led a thousand men from the assault battalion out of the city to confront Liu Pi’s Yellow Turban force. The two armies stood face to face outside the city walls.