Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter Nineteen: Zhao Yun and the Great Bandit

In the third year of Zhongping, during the autumnal equinox, the autumn wind sweeping across the Guanzhong Plain carried its characteristic biting chill.

A contingent of over a hundred men had arrived from Jizhou, advancing southwest toward Gaoling City. Leading them was a youth of seventeen or eighteen, his eyes bright and sharp, his brows sword-like, his bearing handsome and spirited. Clad in simple leather armor beneath a somewhat worn white robe, astride a white steed, he radiated an indomitable vigor that even the weariness of travel could not conceal.

Within the prefectural government of Gaoling City, Liu Heng’s eyes flickered with a barely perceptible gleam upon receiving a letter. He personally went out beyond the city walls to await the arrival along the official road.

When the hundred-strong force came into view, Liu Heng rose swiftly to look on. The handsome youth at the forefront, upon seeing Liu Heng, swiftly dismounted and saluted with clasped fists. “Zhao Yun of Changshan, leading the righteous volunteers of the prefecture, pays respects to Lord Liu!”

“Zi Long, please rise quickly!” Liu Heng suppressed a smile, striving to appear calm, then stepped forward to help Zhao Yun up. “A fine hero of Changshan coming from afar to serve us is truly a blessing to Left Fengyi! You must be weary from the journey—come, rest inside the city first.”

As they entered, Liu Heng asked, “I have heard that many heroes from Jizhou flock to Inspector Wang Fen. Why then, Zi Long, do you seek me so far away?”

Zhao Yun replied earnestly, “The realm is unsettled, and the people suffer greatly. We believe in following those who govern with benevolence. I have heard it said: If all prefects were like Lord Liu of Left Fengyi, how could there be unrest? Thus, I have come to serve you.”

“Such praise is undeserved!” Liu Heng felt embarrassed; where had such words come from? It was as if they were putting him on the spot.

Liu Heng did not immediately confer an official position upon Zhao Yun but incorporated him and his volunteers into the troops commanded by Xu Huang. Zhao Yun temporarily took the role of garrison commander, participating in the suppression of remaining bandits and rebels within Left Fengyi.

Zhao Yun bore no complaint against this arrangement, diligently carrying out every order.

A month later, a long-entrenched bandit group in the mountains used their knowledge of the terrain to lure Xu Huang’s troops into a narrow valley. They blocked the retreat with rolling logs and rocks and rained arrows from above, placing Xu Huang’s men in grave peril.

Just as Xu Huang was about to force a breakout despite heavy casualties, a clear, commanding voice rang out: “General Gongming, do not panic! Zhao Yun has arrived!”

Zhao Yun led several dozen horsemen to the valley entrance, charging straight for the bandit leader. His horse flew like an arrow; when he was about twenty paces away, he hurled his silver spear with deadly precision.

The spear pierced through the bandit leader’s body, pinning him to a tree behind. The sheer force of the strike instantly shattered the bandits’ morale.

“Excellent!” Xu Huang’s blood boiled with excitement. “Men, the reinforcements are here! Follow me and break through!”

He swung his heavy axe and charged at the valley’s mouth.

Zhao Yun drew his silver spear and plunged into the enemy ranks with his volunteers. As their spear shadows flashed and danced, the leaderless bandits quickly broke and fled.

With the pressure of arrows and rolling logs at the valley entrance lifted, Xu Huang led his men in pursuing and wiping out the scattered bandits throughout the mountains.

After this battle, Xu Huang and Zhao Yun developed a deep mutual respect and brotherly bond.

Soon after, Zhao Yun secured his footing in Liu Heng’s army through his extraordinary valor and calm disposition.

On the seventeenth day of the ninth month of the third year of Zhongping, Liu Heng officially appointed Zhao Yun as Colonel, placing him in sole command of Liu Heng’s elite cavalry unit, the “Black Armor Battalion.”

Because of his white horse and silver spear, his soldiers respectfully called him the “White Horse Colonel.”

In the winter month of the same year, the cold wind swept across the loess plateau in northern Left Fengyi like a blade.

A small band of about a dozen fierce bandits struck a northern farming village. Their leader was particularly conspicuous: nearly nine feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a dark, furrowed face, fiercely glaring eyes, a stubbly beard like steel needles, and a somewhat ugly yet imposing appearance that was hard to ignore.

At the village entrance, they encountered a tough patrol of over thirty men led by Xu Huang. A fierce struggle erupted instantly.

Xu Huang’s troops were battle-hardened veterans, armored and arrayed, fighting with unmatched courage. Yet the bandit leader was equally ferocious, charging headlong into their ranks.

A shield-bearing soldier tried to block him but was swept aside by the leader’s short halberd, then violently slammed against the shield, both man and shield flying backward. Another soldier lunging forward with a spear was caught by the leader’s left hand, then kicked so hard that he collapsed clutching his abdomen and howled in pain.

Xu Huang’s eyes twitched with anger. “Villain, do not be arrogant! Xu Huang is here!”

He dismounted and wielded his heavy axe, meeting the bandit leader head-on.

The clash of axe and halberd rang out sharply.

Xu Huang’s axe strokes were wide and powerful, while the bandit’s halberd attacks were fierce and precise. They fought over a dozen rounds without a clear victor. Yet Xu Huang grew increasingly alarmed by the man’s strength; it was unlike anything he had encountered, and he was beginning to falter.

Unexpectedly, the bandit leader, though wildly aggressive, seemed to avoid harming the village’s elderly, women, and children. His men merely seized food supplies, causing no further harm.

Amid the chaos, the leader’s dual halberds flew, wounding two more soldiers who tried to surround him. Seeing his men overwhelmed by Xu Huang’s veterans, he let out a fierce roar: “Wind tight! Pull together!”

Xu Huang’s mind flashed with a thought: such a warrior wasted as a bandit was truly a pity. If only he could be won over...

“Surround him! Ready your bows and crossbows!” Xu Huang commanded decisively. Parrying a halberd strike, he stepped back and ordered the remaining soldiers to halt pursuit of the fleeing bandits. Spears sealed off the leader’s escape route, while archers nocked arrows aimed at the towering man.

The bandit leader glanced around; his comrades had scattered amidst the confusion, leaving him alone.

He looked down at his dual halberds, then at the frightened villagers peeking from their homes, and sighed deeply.

In that sigh was reluctance, weariness, and perhaps a hint of relief.

Seeing this, Xu Huang exhaled in relief and approached the leader. “A mighty warrior such as yourself, how did you come to be a bandit? I see you seize grain but spare lives—you are not utterly villainous. Come with me to Gaoling. My lord, the marquis, thirsts for talent. You may yet find a way.”

The leader asked, “The marquis you speak of—is he Lord Liu, the Marquis of Yangwu?”

“Indeed!”

“Very well, I will follow you to Gaoling.” With that, he dropped his halberds and allowed the soldiers to bind him tightly with thick ropes.

...

“Report! My lord, General Xu has returned from patrol, capturing a fierce bandit leader, now held in the prefectural prison!”

The report interrupted Liu Heng’s discussion with Xun Yu and others about spring planting plans for the coming year.

“Oh? General Gongming himself captured him?”

Liu Heng set aside a map. “Do we know his name or background?”

“Your Excellency, the escorting soldiers say the bandit leader was incredibly strong, wielding a pair of large iron halberds. He fought General Xu for over ten rounds, nearly besting him. His name is currently unknown.”

Liu Heng sprang to his feet, his heart pounding uncontrollably, a wave of ecstatic joy threatening to overwhelm him. A pair of large iron halberds? Since Zhao Yun’s arrival, he had been instructing Xu Huang in martial arts, who admitted to great improvement. For someone to challenge Xu Huang so fiercely—could it be Dian Wei?

He forced himself to steady his racing pulse, took several deep breaths, and spoke calmly, “Understood. Prepare horses; go to the prefectural prison and bring Gongming as well.”

...

Deep within Gaoling’s prison, the bandit leader sat cross-legged on the floor with eyes closed.

Footsteps echoed clearly in the silent corridor.

The leader slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the cell door. Approaching first was a young man dressed in dark robes, youthful yet composed, his gaze appraising and intense—something difficult to describe, a mixture of scrutiny and fiery warmth.

Behind him followed the red-faced, bearded general Xu Huang, who had captured the man.

At the sight of the “fierce bandit,” Liu Heng’s heart surged. Upon confirming from Xu Huang that this man was indeed Dian Wei, his emotions were indescribable. He never imagined Dian Wei would arrive in Left Fengyi in this manner.

Liu Heng dismissed the jailers with a wave, entering the cell with only Xu Huang at his side. He approached Dian Wei.

Xu Huang stood guard with his blade, eyes wary.

Liu Heng’s gaze fell on the iron shackles binding Dian Wei’s hands, and his brow furrowed.

He then knelt and produced a key he had just obtained from the jailer.

“Click... click...” Under Dian Wei’s astonished gaze, Liu Heng unlocked the shackles with a clang as they fell to the ground.

“Bring wine and meat,” Liu Heng ordered without turning away.

Outside, Jing Bo had already prepared a large tray bearing a jar of wine and several steaming, fragrant cuts of cooked meat, which he promptly brought in.

Liu Heng personally lifted the wine jar, broke its seal, and the rich aroma filled the air. He poured a cup and handed it to Dian Wei.

“Brave warrior, you have suffered much,” Liu Heng said, his eyes blazing as he looked at the man. “I have heard General Gongming tell of your past—your swift justice, your loyalty to friends, a true hero indeed! Yet killing and fleeing serves no man’s honor. Today, when traitors run rampant, it is the time for heroes to wield their strength! I, Liu Heng, a humble relative of the Han house, entrusted by the Son of Heaven to guard Left Fengyi, vow to eradicate villains, uphold the state, bring peace to the land, and ease the people’s plight. If you will not abandon me, stand by my side, and your name will be remembered in history, your family honored. Is that not far better than the life of a fugitive, always on the run?”

He paused. “As for your killings, born of righteous anger—for those rich men in Chenliu who oppressed the weak, their deaths are well deserved! I, Liu Boyu, will bear that burden alone. Should anyone trouble you for this, let them come find me!”

These words struck Dian Wei like thunder. Though he had hoped to find a way through his martial prowess in Gaoling, he never imagined this young, reputedly ruthless marquis would personally unlock his shackles, offer him wine and meat, and speak with such bold generosity.

The phrase “swift justice and loyalty” echoed his inner frustrations; the promise to “bear it alone” gave the wandering outlaw an unprecedented sense of belonging.

He suddenly raised his head to look at Liu Heng.

Liu Heng’s eyes were open and sincere, burning with passion.

Dian Wei’s chest heaved violently, his nose tingling, and a sheen of tears glistened in his fierce eyes.

He sprang to his feet, drank the wine in one gulp, then smashed the cup to the ground, stepped back, and knelt deeply, bowing his head with great force. “Dian Wei is but a rough and uncultured man. That the marquis does not disdain me, but instead personally unbinds and offers wine—henceforth, this lowly life is yours! I vow to serve you faithfully, guarding your spear and horse, willing to face fire or death without hesitation! Should I ever harbor treachery, may heaven and earth punish me!”

“Good! Good! Excellent!” Liu Heng exclaimed thrice, stepping forward to firmly help the towering man up. “Having Dian Wei is like Gaozu gaining Fan Kuai, or Guangwu obtaining Yao Qi! From today on, you will be my personal guard commander! This armor shall be your new attire!”

With a wave of his hand, Xu Huang brought forth a brand-new set of finely crafted iron scale armor and a broad-bladed, ring-hilted sword.

...

Time passed swiftly to the beginning of the fourth year of Zhongping.

In two years, under Liu Heng’s iron-fisted rule and the efforts of his civil and military advisors, Left Fengyi had long shed its former scars.

The reinforced walls of Gaoling City stood majestic and grand. The bustling streets teemed with people, former refugees having settled and made homes. The prefectural government’s administration was renewed; though not perfect, taxes were fairer, and the powerful no longer brazenly plundered official property or oppressed the countryside.

Liu Heng’s reputation as a wise and virtuous relative of the Han house spread across the Guanzhong Plain like a spring breeze.

At the Gaoling City training grounds:

“Ha! Ha!”

Dian Wei, clad only in a single shirt, his dragon-like muscles coiled and rippling, wielded a pair of large iron halberds in fierce sparring with Xu Huang’s heavy axe.

Both were top-tier warriors relying on brute strength. Each clash of weapons sent sparks flying, drawing gasps and cheers from their guards.

“Excellent! Again!”

Dian Wei’s eyes widened, his halberds spinning like black whirlwinds, his strikes heavy and forceful.

“Think you can scare me?” roared Xu Huang, his beard bristling, his giant axe swinging in wide, powerful arcs, matching attack for attack.

Elsewhere, a very different scene unfolded.

Zhao Yun, clad in silver armor and white robes, tall and upright, directed a dozen elite riders of the Black Armor Battalion in practicing mounted spear thrusts.

His voice rang clear: “The body and horse as one, power flowing through the spear’s tip! Thrust like a white rainbow piercing the sun! Withdraw like a nimble snake returning to its den! Remember, you are cavalry—storm winds, blazing fire—not clumsy millstones! Again!”

He spurred his white horse, the silver spear flashing like lightning, deftly knocking the red tassel off a target. His movements flowed like water, inspiring heartfelt cheers.

Liu Heng stood with hands behind his back atop the high platform, watching these three very different commanders under his banner, along with Chen Shuzhi, who had followed him earliest, filling him with assurance and pride.

Together with the upright and capable Zheng Hun overseeing administration; the steady and competent Du Ji managing agriculture; the cold and impartial Fa Yan in charge of law enforcement; the just and fierce Zhang Ji coordinating affairs; and the strategic genius Xun Yu—the luminaries of history now gathered under Liu Heng’s standard made this unfamiliar era feel less alien, filling him instead with a sense of control and the desire to create.

Within him, ambitions brewed silently, gathering strength ready to break forth.