Chapter 0007: The Arrow is on the String

The so-called righteous army refers to a force of great righteousness. What is great righteousness? It means not demanding military pay, not requiring armor or weapons, and ideally not even asking for military provisions. In simple terms, it is about having people prepare their own armor and weapons to assist the court in fighting battles for free

Liu Yan smiled and was about to speak when Zhu Yun interjected, "Wang Mang is not favored by the people; how easy is it to assemble an army of one hundred thousand volunteers?"

Wealth does not fall from the sky; without a family inheritance to rely on, he can only strive with his own hands. This time, Wang Mang has formed a righteous army to enter Yizhou and resist the southern barbarians. In his view, this is a rare opportunity to make money

Those present here, apart from the Liu family, including Zhang Ping and Zhu Yun, are all to accompany Liu Yan to Yizhou to fight against the Southern Barbarians. On ordinary days, they all look up to Liu Yan as their leader.

Liu Liang is already over fifty, his hair and beard are grizzled, and the old man has an expression of displeasure as he asks, "Why have you only just returned?"

Liu Yan nodded slightly, smiled with the corners of his mouth, and said to him: "While I am away, you must take good care of my younger sister. If you have time, remember to come home often to see your sister-in-law and nephew"

The strength of the Han army is quite formidable, and the reason is simple: they are well-equipped. The armor of the Han army is made of scale armor, which consists of iron plates linked together to form a suit of armor

The armor consists of several layers; the innermost layer is made of fabric, followed by a layer of cotton padding in the middle, and the outermost layer is covered with a thick layer of leather

Elder brother, I ... ...

Liu Zhong, unable to withstand the effects of alcohol, bid farewell to Liu Yan and others halfway through the banquet, swaying as he made his way home. As the banquet was nearing its end, Liu Xiu pulled Liu Boji and also took his leave from Liu Yan.

Liu Xiu nodded and said, "Uncle, I also want to follow my elder brother..."

Seeing this, Liu Yan assumed that he had tacitly approved of his decision. He picked up his wine cup and called out to everyone present: "Come, come, come, let us all drink a toast together, wishing that on our trip to Yizhou, each of us can return with a full load."

Liu Yan escorted the two of them out of the hall, then pulled Liu Xiu aside, taking a few steps to the side, and whispered: "A Xiu, my journey to Yizhou is fraught with danger, and my life and death remain uncertain..."

Upon returning to Uncle Liu Liang's home, just as I reached the entrance, I saw Liu Liang walking out from inside the door

Even during the late Western Han Dynasty, the combat effectiveness of the Han army remained formidable. During the reign of Emperor Yuan, Chen Tang led the Han army to repeatedly defeat the Xiongnu forces.

The combat effectiveness displayed by a Han soldier on the battlefield is roughly equivalent to that of five Xiongnu warriors

Liu Yan chuckled and said, "At the very least, we must wait until Lian Dan and Shi Xiong lead their troops into Yizhou." Liu Yan was well aware of his own capabilities; with himself and his group of friends entering Yizhou before the official troops, it would merely be a quest for death against the main force of the Nanman army. He had already devised a plan, allowing a portion of Lian Dan's forces to enter Yizhou for combat first. Once the official troops and the Nanman army had exhausted each other, he would then go to Yizhou to take advantage of the situation and seize some benefits.

Liu Xiu understood his elder brother's temperament and knew that no matter how much he said now, it would be of no use. He lowered his head and did not continue to speak.

It is the opportunity he has been eagerly waiting for

Liu Xiu nodded

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Liang's expression changed, and he reprimanded: "Your elder brother is being reckless, and you are following him in his folly? Why not enjoy a peaceful life instead of joining some rebel army? Do you and your elder brother know how to fight?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Boji, who was beside him, immediately became anxious, her small hands instinctively gripping San Ge's sleeve tightly

Upon mentioning Liu Yan, Liu Liang immediately felt a surge of anger and said in a low voice: "You must not follow in your elder brother's footsteps, idling away the days and associating with a group of dubious friends. In the future, you should also visit your elder brother's house less often. Who knows, one day those dubious friends of your elder brother might commit a crime, and you would all be implicated."

To inquire about the combat effectiveness of the Han army at that time would undoubtedly reveal it to be among the very best in the world

In this way, the Lian Dan faction increasingly requires the assistance of the righteous army, and the need to summon the righteous army has become more and more urgent

However, the leaders of the Southern Barbarians were not to be underestimated. Aware that a direct confrontation would not be favorable against the Han army, they adopted a strategy of fragmentation, dividing their forces into numerous smaller units that scattered throughout the territory of Yizhou.

General Lian Dan commanded an army of 100,000 troops and entered Yizhou, engaging in combat with the barbarian forces

Seeing Liu Xiu with his head bowed, Liu Yan clenched his fist and sighed, "The usurper Wang Mang has seized the Han dynasty. As descendants of the Liu family, we must stand against this usurper. We shall wait for the opportune moment, and when the time is ripe, we will raise our banners and restore the great Han dynasty!"

Liu Xiu and Liu Boji respectfully paid their respects to their uncle. Liu Xiu said: "Uncle, after we finished our meal, we spoke with elder brother for a while, which is why we returned late"

Days passed one by one, and Longyuan had not returned. The war in Yizhou had become increasingly intense.

Liu Xiu let out a sound of understanding, then turned away from his elder brother and took his younger sister Liu Boji back to their uncle's house

Liu Xiu instructed his younger sister to return first. After Liu Boji left, Liu Xiu said: "The southern barbarians have invaded Yizhou, endangering the people. The court has dispatched Lian Dan to lead an army of 100,000 to eliminate the southern barbarian forces. Additionally, there are plans to organize a volunteer army of 100,000. My elder brother intends to join the volunteer army"

Liu Yan smiled. Ah Xiu has always been low-key, and the neighbors all think that Ah Xiu is like Lao Er, timid and afraid of trouble. In reality, this is not the case; San Di's low profile is merely a result of caution. He said: "Ah Xiu is cautious, in this regard, elder brother, you are not as good as him"

Liu Xiu felt a stir in his heart, and his eyes clearly flickered for a moment. Liu Yan said: "The barbarian army has been burning, killing, and plundering in Yizhou, and they must have seized a considerable amount of wealth. This time, Wang Mang is organizing a righteous army, which is a rare opportunity for us."

Liu Yan was determined to restore the Han dynasty, but what means did he have to achieve this restoration

Zhu Yun said: "Even the reckless bandits have self-awareness, knowing that no one would be willing to serve them for free. There is a rule in the righteous army: any spoils of war captured on the battlefield do not need to be surrendered by the soldiers of the righteous army"

The formidable Xiongnu army, renowned for its ferocity, is still vastly inferior when faced with the Han army. The combat strength of the Southern Barbarians, which is even less than that of the Xiongnu army, finds it even more challenging to secure a victory against the Han forces

On the road, Liu Boji held Liu Xiu's hand and asked, "Third Brother, is Eldest Brother really going to Yizhou to fight against the barbarian army?"

Does San Ge believe that Lian Dan can defeat the barbarian army

Liu Yan looked at Liu Xiu and nodded quietly. Although the third brother was naturally unassuming, he was fortunately not as timid as the second brother

In this way, not only does it cause Lian Dan to run around tirelessly, but more importantly, it can often cut off their supply lines.

Liu Boji asked again, "Will there be any danger"

Elder brother! Liu Xiu frowned and interrupted Liu Yan's ominous words

Liu Xiu smiled and said with certainty: "Lian Dan is skilled in battle, and the Southern Barbarians' army will surely not be his match"

Liu Xiu inquired, "When do you plan to set off, elder brother?"

The Mang army of the Xin dynasty is essentially the Han army, with weaponry and equipment that are not significantly different from those of the Han army

Liu Yan possesses the demeanor of an elder brother, commanding authority at home with a decisive voice

Everyone thinks Liu Xiu is a simple and honest country boy, but few know that every time he goes to the market to buy grain, he always inquires about events happening across the country, such as where there are honest officials, where there are corrupt officials, which generals are skilled in battle, and which generals are merely good-for-nothings, and he can mention a few of them.

Liu Liang had no daughter and treated Liu Boji as his own child. Seeing the little girl indeed looking weary, he no longer nagged her and urged, "Hurry back to your room and go to sleep"

Lian Dan was a fierce general under Wang Mang, and together with Wang Mang's sixth son, Wang Kuang, they can be regarded as two sharp blades in Wang Mang's hands

Over time, although Liu Xiu only stayed in this small place of Chongling, he had a profound understanding of the affairs of the world

Everyone raised their glasses and said in unison: "Cheers to Bo Sheng!"

Given the manufacturing level and production capacity of the barbarian tribes at that time, it was quite difficult to penetrate the armor of the Han army. Therefore, on the battlefield against the Hu people, the Han army was usually able to achieve a one-to-five ratio in combat.

Liu Xiu said: "There will certainly be dangers in battle, but elder brother is very clever. We should wait for Lian Dan's forces to enter Yizhou first. In this way, when elder brother goes to Yizhou, he will not encounter large numbers of barbarian troops, but only small groups of defeated soldiers"

Relying solely on words, one will spend a lifetime in empty talk. He needs wealth, a substantial amount of wealth. Only with money in hand can he recruit soldiers, can he establish a Han army, and only then will he have the opportunity to overthrow the bandits and restore the Han dynasty

The Sixth Prince Wang Kuang was already quite ruthless by nature, but compared to Lian Dan, he was merely a small fry. Later, during the war to suppress local rebel forces, Lian Dan's brutality was even more evident, but that is a story for another time

The soldiers donned such armor, which was both flexible and safe from self-inflicted injuries, while also providing the protective effect of double-layered armor

Alright, there is no need to continue debating this matter. Before father passed away, what he was most concerned about was you and your younger sister. After I am gone, your task is to take good care of everything at home

The old man became increasingly angry as he spoke, stamping his foot forcefully and said indignantly, "I will go find him tomorrow!"

After Lian Dan led an army of 100,000 into Yizhou, the initial stages of the campaign did not proceed very smoothly

After a brief pause, Liu Yan took a deep breath, patted Liu Xiu on the shoulder, and said: "Alright, quickly take your sister back. If you return too late, your uncle will surely blame both of you"

Liu Xiu let out a quiet sigh and said nothing further. He knew that, given the temperaments of his uncle and elder brother, neither would agree to his joining the righteous army

Liu Liang immediately frowned and asked, "Did your elder brother tell you this?"

Do not be misled by Liu Liang's foul temper and stubbornness, resembling an old antique; however, the old man is indeed advanced in age and well-versed in worldly affairs. His words today have truly turned out to be prophetic.

Hearing her uncle criticize her elder brother in this manner, Liu Boji felt a surge of displeasure, yet she did not dare to express it in front of her elders. The young girl deliberately yawned and said, "Uncle, I am tired"

Liu Xiu grasped Liu Yan's hand firmly and said urgently, "Elder brother, you have had too much to drink!" While speaking, he also glanced around the courtyard and quietly reminded, "Be careful, there may be ears on the other side of the wall"

He said in a deep voice: "A Xiu, you just stay at home honestly. In our Liu family, having one elder brother participate in the righteous army is already enough; we do not need two brothers to go to battle together"

Liu Yan realized this, and Liu Xiu also came to the same realization. After a brief moment of contemplation, he exclaimed: "Elder brother, I want to go with you!"

However, he did not say the latter part. Lian Dan is a person of extreme cruelty, committing all kinds of evil, and his cold-bloodedness is shocking. Wang Mang sent Lian Dan to fight in Yizhou, and the suffering will likely not be limited to the barbarian troops, but will also extend to the people of Yizhou