Chapter 847: Generals of the West, Ministers of the East

Zhang Fei silently swallowed, feeling a sense of awe as the Xiliang cavalry charged forward with an overwhelming aura. It felt as if he were facing a peerless warrior. These were truly one of the strongest armies in the world. Just their presence was enough to make ordinary people fear even looking at them.

"Zijian's return has really stirred things up," Fazheng remarked with amazement from the side. He had barely enjoyed a few peaceful days at home before Zhang Fei dragged him back to the battlefield. But he had no complaints; after all, glory and ranks were earned on the battlefield. This was where men could make their mark.

"Indeed, the Xiliang cavalry is something else..." Chen Xi muttered, tugging at the corner of his mouth. The largest and most ferocious elite force in the land was now before them.

"But from up close, they look a bit too disorganized," remarked Chen Chi, who had been stationed at Jiyin and had come to meet Hua Xiong’s forces. As the Xiliang cavalry approached, their lack of proper equipment became clear.

If it weren’t for the overwhelming aura that suffocated everyone present, one might even mistake them for refugees instead of soldiers. Among them, only a few, likely officers, wore armor. The rest of the Xiliang cavalry had barely any metal on them, apart from their weapons, and even those were not standardized.

"It's just an issue of equipment. The strength lies in the people, not the gear. Don't be fooled by their lack of armor or protection; they are still the strongest cavalry in the world!" Zhang Fei said in a low voice, filled with admiration. Despite their ragged appearance, the Xiliang cavalry had earned the title of the strongest cavalry, even with just their basic weapons.

"Exactly. Any force that meets them head-on on the plains is doomed. The harsh environment of Yong and Liang has given them unparalleled physical strength, and their battles with the nomads have forged them into iron-willed warriors. No amount of external equipment can change that," Chen Xi said with a serious expression.

"Greetings to Commander Chen!" Hua Xiong led his troops forward, clasping his hands in a salute. The large banner with the character 'Chen' flying over the camp had already confirmed Chen Xi's role in this expedition.

"Enough with the formalities. In the military camp, there’s no need for such ceremonies. I've already summoned three hundred military doctors and brought along veterans skilled in battlefield medicine. Let's focus on saving the wounded first. Summer is a dangerous time, and without quick treatment, things could worsen," Chen Xi waved his hand dismissively and said to Hua Xiong, "As for the standardized armor and weapons, I’ve already prepared those as well."

"Many of our brothers' wounds have already festered. We barely made it back through forced marches. I just hope they can survive," Hua Xiong sighed. He didn’t even want to mention that some of the wounded soldiers had already died on the journey.

"Let’s head into the camp. Get the military doctors working immediately. As for the troops, let them rest and eat. We can discuss the rest later," Chen Xi said with a sigh, ordering the military doctors to get to work. Zhang Fei patted Hua Xiong on the shoulder and said, "You did well."

"Out of the over forty thousand Xiliang cavalry, after fighting against dozens of Qiang tribes, we're down to less than twenty thousand, including the wounded. All of my personal guards are gone," Hua Xiong said in a pained voice.

Hua Xiong couldn’t understand Li Jue's final decision—why hadn't he surrendered to him earlier? Hua Xiong believed that if Li Jue had surrendered, he would have risked everything to ensure the safety of everyone by retreating to Yanzhou, to Liu Bei’s territory.

"Don’t be so downcast," Liu Ye said, patting Hua Xiong on the shoulder. He understood Hua Xiong’s thoughts but also recognized that Li Jue had made the best decision. Had Hua Xiong taken in Li Jue and his forces completely, even Liu Bei would have found it difficult to navigate the situation.

[Li You truly is brilliant…] Liu Ye thought as he glanced eastward. He was now certain that Li You was indeed Li Ru, but he had no intention of exposing this. As long as they were both working to support Liu Bei, that was all that mattered.

"Gongxi, take them to get their weapons and armor," Chen Xi said to Chen Chi. Although the armor and weapons were crafted by third-tier garrison soldiers, they were still far superior to the Xiliang troops’ current state of near-nakedness.

"Wang Fang, Li Meng, take them to get their equipment, and make sure to collect extra. But don’t waste anything," Hua Xiong instructed the officers who had followed him. Looking at the Xiliang cavalry again reminded Hua Xiong of how they had fought in the past. Armor had always been a luxury, and even a leather jacket was considered decent.

"Understood!" Wang Fang and Li Meng cupped their fists in salute and led the Xiliang cavalry to the rear camp to receive their armor. Orders from Hua Xiong were carried out without question. Now that Li Jue, Guo Si, and Fan Chou had all gone to the Western Regions, and Zhang Ji was dead, the Xiliang cavalry in the Central Plains recognized only Li Ru, Hua Xiong, and Zhang Xiu as their leaders.

Hua Xiong glanced at Hu Feng’s retreating figure before silently withdrawing his gaze.

"You seem quite fond of that kid," Zhang Fei remarked curiously.

"He’s Zhang Xiu’s nephew. I had high hopes for Bo Yuan, but unfortunately, he joined Cao Cao," Hua Xiong sighed, still not understanding why Zhang Xiu hadn’t come with him.

"Oh, don’t worry. I’ll look after him. Also, I haven’t seen you with any family," Zhang Fei said, nodding in understanding. It was clear why Hua Xiong was so protective—he had few remaining ties to his old comrades, and this nephew of Zhang Xiu was one of the last.

"No need to take care of him. He’ll earn what he deserves through his own efforts. My job is to make sure his merits aren’t overlooked. I won’t do anything more than that," Hua Xiong shook his head. "As for my own family, I met him while I was begging for food…"

"Oh." Zhang Fei nodded, refraining from asking further. He knew exactly who Hua Xiong was referring to.

"How’s the situation in Guanzhong?" Chen Xi casually asked Liu Ye as they walked together.

"Not good. Cao Cao’s control of Guanzhong is inevitable. Though Han Sui is called the 'Nine Bends of the Yellow River,' my feeling is that if he dares to enter Guanzhong, even with only a tenth of his forces, I could still gradually whittle him down," Liu Ye said with a dismissive wave.

"Well, it’s like they say—Guanzhong produces generals, and the Central Plains produces ministers. You know the drill. Where do you think Cao Cao plans to go next?" Chen Xi nodded.

"Yes, I've seen many experts in Sili Province. Although not all of them are Cao Cao’s men, Zijian alone felt he couldn’t beat four or five of them. He estimated there were two or three he couldn’t gauge without fighting, and one or two that he thought might be on par with Zilong," Liu Ye replied.

"Are you joking? Guanzhong doesn’t churn out generals like that," Chen Xi asked, looking intently at Liu Ye.

"Zijian, you’re not joking, are you?" Zhang Fei, who had keen hearing, whispered, catching every word of Chen Xi and Liu Ye’s conversation.

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