Volume 1, Chapter 493 – Opportunity

“My surname is Zhang, my given name is Fei, my courtesy name is Yide. What business do you have with me, young lady?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Shi Lan could not help going blank for a moment and found herself speechless. She had only pulled out an excuse at random. How could she have expected to run straight into the man himself?

What was more, the Zhang Fei in her mind had always been a fierce battlefield general with a leopard’s head, round eyes, and a voice like rolling thunder. He clearly had not the slightest connection to the man before her.

But on second thought, compared with eighth-rank strength, appearance simply did not matter. She immediately stopped hiding herself, revealed her true face, and cupped her hands as she spoke:

“My name is Shi Lan. I have long admired the name of Zhang Yide of Zhuo Commandery. I heard that you delight in befriending heroes from across the world, so I came especially to pay you a visit.”

Since the excuse had already been spoken, Shi Lan could only go along with it.

“Young lady, you are remarkably beautiful.”

At the sight of Shi Lan’s true appearance, Zhang Fei’s eyes brightened slightly, then he shook his head.

“Since you came, you should have come openly and straightforwardly. Why sneak around with your head and tail hidden? I thought you were some petty rat from the Way of Great Peace.”

The Way of Great Peace?

The Yellow Turban Rebellion?

Zhang Jiao?

Hearing that name, several key pieces of information flashed through Shi Lan’s mind in an instant. Judging by Zhang Fei’s strength, Zhang Jiao of this world probably truly possessed powers capable of summoning wind and rain, unfathomable as gods and ghosts. Before she could ask further, a sudden shout rang out from outside the door.

“Father!”

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A figure flashed past Shi Lan’s eyes and bounced to Zhang Fei’s side. It was a girl of about sixteen, dressed in a flowing green immortal-style skirt, her fair skin suffused with an enticing rosy glow.

“You’ll have to forgive the laugh, young lady. This is my second daughter, Zhang Xiao.”

Zhang Fei stood up, patted the girl on the head, and smiled.

“This is Miss Shi Lan. We have a guest before us, so do not be rude.”

Shi Lan froze once more. Zhang Fei’s overly youthful appearance had made her subconsciously overlook certain things.

No matter what, an eighth-rank expert could never possibly be a young man barely in his twenties. Zhang Fei’s exact age was a mystery, so it was perfectly natural for him to have married and had children.

Yet this was once again very different from the memories in her mind.

After regaining herself, Shi Lan began probing indirectly while speaking with Zhang Fei, trying to find out just how great the gap was between this world before her and the one in her memories.

Yet the more she learned, the more muddled her mind became.

Zhang Fei was already married. His wife’s surname was Xiahou, given name Jinqiu. She came from the prestigious Xiahou clan and had borne Zhang Fei two sons and two daughters.

The oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden had naturally happened, but that was long ago. Liu Bei and Guan Yu were currently both in Zhuo Commandery, and they too had long since married and produced children.

Among them, Liu Bei in particular had many wives and concubines, with Sun Shangxiang being only one of them. He had three sons and two daughters. Guan Yu had taken only a single wife and had the fewest children, with just one son and one daughter.

It was not only Liu Bei and Guan Yu. The current governor of Zhuo Commandery was named Gongsun Zan, and under his command was also a battle general named Zhao Yun. This mere Zhuo Commandery was practically a place where tigers crouched and dragons coiled.

When the conversation turned to the current state of the world, Zhang Fei showed not the slightest concern. Although eunuchs held power and controlled the court, in his eyes this was not a major matter. The Great Han was still the Great Han. With dynastic fortune suppressing all beneath heaven, every sort of demon and monster would find it hard to stir up any storms.

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At most, when the next Han Emperor took over the government, he would have to spend some effort rectifying the court.

Just as the two were speaking, a streak of spiritual light came from the sky and fell into Zhang Fei’s hand.

“Eldest Brother is inviting me to his residence for a talk. Would you be interested in coming along, young lady?”

After reading the message within the spiritual light, Zhang Fei voiced the invitation.

“Would that be too much of a disturbance?”

Shi Lan was naturally curious about Liu Bei, but the necessary words of courtesy still had to be spoken.

“Eldest Brother is even more hospitable than I am. If a guest comes to his door, he’ll be delighted beyond measure.”

Zhang Fei waved a hand and immediately prepared to head out. At the side, Zhang Xiao cried out:

“I want to go too. I want to see Liu Shan.”

“When grown men are discussing matters, what is a child butting in for? Stay at home and behave.”

Zhang Fei glared and rebuked her in a low voice.

“A young woman who does not know how to carry herself properly will be looked down on.”

Watching the scene before her, Shi Lan could not help feeling that something was rather strange. Zhang Fei looked far too young. Between him and Zhang Xiao, rather than father and daughter, they looked more like brother and sister.

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And if one went by age alone, she herself might not even be older than Zhang Xiao.

…

…

Liu Bei’s residence was not far from Zhang Fei’s dwelling. The trip took no more than the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

After entering the estate, Shi Lan followed behind Zhang Fei and, led by a servant, walked into a great hall.

Even before entering, Shi Lan heard the sound of drums and music, lofty and drifting into the dark beyond, exquisitely pleasing to the ear.

A young woman of exquisite age knelt seated to one side of the hall, lightly plucking a yaoqin. In the center of the hall, more than ten women dressed in gauzy short skirts were dancing.

Above the jade steps in the hall, a man of about twenty-three or twenty-four reclined sideways upon a jade couch, a wine cup in hand, his eyes half narrowed and his face full of enjoyment.

The man was extremely handsome, his face like carved jade, his earlobes hanging to his shoulders, his arms long like an ape’s, and an innate air of noble grace surrounded him.

With such an appearance, there could be no one else but Liu Bei.

Shi Lan took one glance, then withdrew her gaze, her palm tightening slightly.

Another eighth-rank expert!

“Yide has come. Quickly, take a seat!”

Seeing Zhang Fei enter, Liu Bei rose from his couch. After dismissing the dancers, he looked toward Shi Lan.

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“And who might this be?”

“This is Miss Shi Lan.”

Zhang Fei briefly introduced the two of them. After they each took seats at the low tables below the jade steps, he spoke to ask:

“Eldest Brother, you suddenly asked me here. Is there something to discuss? Does it have to do with the Way of Great Peace?”

“It does indeed have something to do with that, but not entirely.”

Liu Bei shook his head slightly, tilted back his head, and drained the wine from his cup. The goblet struck down heavily as a trace of disdain flashed through his eyes.

“A rabble of crows is not worth fearing in the slightest. Though the Han belongs to the virtue of fire, those mere sorcerers actually think they can use the theory of the Five Elements’ generation and conquest, letting earth swallow fire, to steal the heavenly position of the Great Han. It is laughable in the extreme, a direct defiance of the Heavenly Dao. Even one as powerful as Wang Mang still failed in the end. Is that lesson from the past still not enough? So long as Heaven’s will does not sever the Flame Han, the Great Han will never perish.”

Hearing this, Zhang Fei could not help giving a cold laugh as well.

“That Zhang Jiao learned a bit of true transmission from Old Immortal Nanhua and thought he could stir the winds and clouds of the world and fool the masses. Little does he know that he is simply courting death.”

“I have received news that in the coming days the Way of Great Peace will rise in rebellion, swallow the dynastic fortune of the Great Han, and the imperial court will surely send troops to suppress the revolt. But at present there are simply no troops in court fit for use, so the matter of suppressing the rebellion will most likely still fall upon the various regional lords.”

A sharp light flashed through Liu Bei’s eyes as he said in a deep voice:

“Zhang Jiao may be foolish, but for brothers like you and me, this may not be without opportunity. Right now, every official post in the court is controlled by the Ten Constant Attendants. We possess martial strength, yet we are all commoners without office, unable to obtain even half a position. If we establish military merit in this war, we will be able to approach state affairs openly and with full justification. When that time comes, with dynastic fortune under Heaven, even the Ten Constant Attendants will be unable to stop us.”

“Eldest Brother means…”