Chapter 5, Gongsun Zan of the White Horse
The servants of the Mao family, who were engaged in a fierce battle with Gongsun Zan, became excited upon seeing the man arrive. Someone shouted, "Great, General Wu has come; this fellow can't escape now." As they spoke, several of them covered each other as they retreated, their movements surprisingly orderly.
As the situation shifted, Liu Bei found himself at a disadvantage. Without any weapons, he faced the renewed assault from the servants of the Mao family. He was caught off guard and suffered two blows, yet he gritted his teeth and refrained from crying out in pain, maneuvering like a small tiger against the servants. Fortunately, Gongsun Zan quickly seized a long knife and handed it to him, which brought about a slight improvement in his circumstances
He glanced at Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei. Liu Bei's complexion was quite poor, while Gongsun Zan appeared as cold as water, sneering without responding. Liu Xiu pondered for a moment, thinking that Liu Bei had already made sufficient gestures, even returning his sword, yet this military candidate still refused to let go, insisting on competing with Gongsun Zan once more. He felt that this confrontation was likely unavoidable, so he wondered whether he should intervene or not. He knew that both Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei were not capable individuals and could not be relied upon. Naturally, he did not expect to assert his dominance and bring these two under his control; remaining an outsider would be the best strategy. However, regardless of the circumstances, Liu Bei was his "brother." At this moment, seeing him being beaten without any reaction seemed somewhat unreasonable.
Wu Junhou snorted and then looked towards Liu Bei and Liu Xiu, who had been standing beside Gongsun Zan: "What about you?"
He was lamenting when Gongsun Zan took a step forward, snatched a knife from the hands of a wicked servant, and struck the servant's face with the back of the knife. With a crisp sound, the servant's face instantly turned red, and he covered his face, letting out a loud cry as he jumped aside. Seizing the opportunity, Gongsun Zan strode in, unleashing a flurry of violent blows. Although he did not use the knife to harm anyone, his fists and feet were incredibly fierce, causing the servants to tumble and cry out for their parents.
The once lively scene suddenly fell silent. A leader stepped forward and whispered a few words into the ear of the military commander, occasionally casting a glare at Gongsun Zan. The military commander, upon hearing this, showed no particular reaction, merely gesturing for those around to attend to the still-dazed young man from the Mao family. He then took a step forward, hands clasped behind his back, and scrutinized Gongsun Zan from head to toe, a smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth: "Are you a scholar here to seek knowledge?" The military commander, upon hearing this, showed no particular reaction, merely gesturing for those around to attend to the still-dazed young man from the Mao family. He then took a step forward, hands clasped behind his back, and scrutinized Gongsun Zan from head to toe, a smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth: "Are you a scholar here to seek knowledge?"
As the saying goes, one can tell a person's character at three years old and their disposition at seven. This young man is indeed one who is unyielding and resolute. Even when on someone else's territory, he still exudes such authority. It is no wonder that he shows no mercy towards those barbaric tribes.
Liu Bei, feeling exhilarated, let out a cheer and charged into the fray. Gongsun Zan said little, merely smiled at Liu Bei before continuing to pursue the servants. Although the servants and the scholars initially suffered some setbacks, they were not weaklings. Under the command of a few leaders, they quickly stabilized their formation, surrounding Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei in the middle, gradually turning the tide. Gongsun Zan, though still appearing indifferent, did not dare to be negligent. He drew the long knife from his waist and prepared to engage cautiously. Although the servants and the scholars initially suffered some setbacks, they were not weaklings. Under the command of a few leaders, they quickly stabilized their formation, surrounding Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei in the middle, gradually turning the tide. Gongsun Zan, though still appearing indifferent, did not dare to be negligent. He drew the long knife from his waist and prepared to engage cautiously
This is true martial arts ? Liu Xiu instinctively held his breath
Apart from being somewhat strong, I possess no particular skills. If it were those servants of the Mao family from earlier, I would have the confidence to take on one or two of them. However, the martial general before me is clearly not someone who can be dealt with merely through brute strength; he is a trained fighter. Although it is said that sheer strength can overcome skill, can I be certain that my strength surpasses his? I fear that may not be the case.
Liu Xiu secretly shook his head, realizing that he was indeed encountering someone unreasonable. What fairness could there be in this wager? It was merely a case of bullying the weak with power. The military lord surnamed Wu exuded a calm demeanor, clearly not comparable to those servants of the Mao family. With a single gesture, he controlled the white horse, and there was an underlying aura of intimidation in his movements, as if he had taken lives before. Looking at the scar on his face, it was possible that he was a warrior who had fought bloodily on the battlefield. Although Gongsun Zan was brave, he had never been on the battlefield, and it was likely that he would not be a match for him.
"Young man, your martial skills are quite impressive, to have actually taken the knife from my Mao family’s troops." He paced back and forth with his hands behind his back and said, "How about this: I will make a wager on behalf of my master. We will have a match; if you win, everything will be settled. If you lose, you will leave this horse behind. It will not be for nothing, as we will proceed according to the prior agreement made by my master. Do you have the courage for this?"
At that moment, several people rushed out from the valley. The leader, a man of medium build but remarkably sturdy, walked with a strong presence. He scanned the situation in the arena and, without a word, took three steps forward and swiftly approached the white horse. He reached out and grabbed the horse's halter. The horse, which had been jumping joyfully, was suddenly seized and became even more agitated, tossing its head and tail, and forcefully stamping its hooves on the ground in an attempt to break free. However, despite the man's average height, he was as solid as a mountain; no matter how the horse struggled, he remained completely unmoved. With one hand, he grasped the waistband of the young man from the Mao family and effortlessly lifted him down from the horse.
"Otherwise," Liu Bei shook his head and said, "Your master insists on riding Gongsun's horse. They made a bet and asked us to be witnesses. Your master is here; why not ask him if this is true? As for this sword, it is not mine; it belongs to your Mao family. It was merely taken by Gongsun due to superior skill, so it has nothing to do with me." Saying this, he held the long sword upside down and presented it with both hands to the military officer.
Gongsun Zan, neither humble nor arrogant, sheathed his long sword and, with a dismissive gesture, raised his head and said: "I, Gongsun Zan from Liaoxi, have come here to seek knowledge. Unexpectedly, someone attempted to rob me, insisting on riding my horse, yet lacking the ability to do so, and even inciting his servants to harm others. Thus, I merely administered a slight punishment."
As soon as the young Mao family member's feet touched the ground, he immediately collapsed into a heap, wanting to cry but unable to produce tears. He could only raise his trembling finger to point at Gongsun Zan, and after his bloodless lips quivered for a long time, he finally uttered two words: "Beat him!"
"Playing peacemaker?" Wu Jun let out a cold laugh: "Is this how you play peacemaker? You even brought out the knife?"
The stakes were analyzed clearly, yet Liu Xiu felt a restless urge within. He believed that although the situation was unfavorable, it was quite unpleasant to bow down to the overbearing Mao family. Faced with the confident Wu Junhou, he experienced an indescribable impulse to challenge him, akin to a gambler witnessing a high-stakes bet. Knowing full well that the chances of winning were slim, he could not suppress the addiction to gamble, willing to risk everything for a chance to fight.
"Liu Bei from Zhuo County, the grandson of the late Minister Liu. " Liu Bei cupped his hands in greeting and said gently, "We happened to be passing by and saw them in conflict. Noticing that the servants of the Mao family were surrounding Brother Gongsun alone, we were afraid that it might lead to a fatal incident, so we came to mediate the situation."
Liu Xiu was taken aback by the words, and he scrutinized the young man once more. Is he the renowned Gongsun Zan of the White Horse? Indeed, he seems to possess a certain heroic demeanor. However, this fellow is a well-known hothead. Although he once had his moment of glory, he was ultimately defeated by Yuan Shao, leaving him in a state of utter disgrace. It is said that in the end, he burned himself to a crisp like a roasted duck.
In the past few months, Liu Xiu had been diligently exercising, but he had only focused on building strength and had not practiced martial arts in earnest. Now, seeing Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei wielding their swords and engaging in combat with more than a dozen of Mao's servants, he felt both nervous and excited, his eyes wide open as he memorized Gongsun Zan's movements. Gongsun Zan's every gesture was clean and decisive, exuding a strong killing intent. Each strike either hit the most ferocious servant or neutralized an incoming attack. His movements appeared simple yet were highly effective, starkly contrasting with the action films Liu Xiu had seen in his previous life.
The scene here is lively, yet the young Mao family member, who is still struggling on the horse, has been forgotten. The youth clings to the horse's neck, not daring to let go for even a moment, and he does not even have the courage to cry out for help. His face has turned pale. Several servants, despite their desperate attempts to rush forward, are all unceremoniously kicked away by the fierce white horse, unable to get close, and they are anxiously shouting and calling out.
Wu Junhou looked at Liu Bei with some surprise, seemingly moved by Liu Bei's calmness and thoroughness. After hesitating for a moment, he took the knife, performed a flourish with it, and then re-examined the proud Gongsun Zan. He smirked and let out a laugh, but the scar on his face made his smile appear somewhat sinister