Chapter 50: Giant Deer

  That night, Zhang Han learned through scouts that the camp of Xiang Liang was still in a state of revelry and debauchery, and his heart was filled with great joy.

  "This time, I'll see where you can run! You've won a few small victories and now you don't even know your own name. Tonight, I'll let you taste what it's like to be defeated!" Zhang Han thought coldly to himself.

  Just past midnight, Zhang Han ordered his troops to quietly open the city gate and sneak into Xiang Liang's camp. Since they had just celebrated and drank a lot of wine, most of the guards were asleep, so Zhang Han's troops didn't have to exert much effort and easily broke into Xiang Liang's camp. With one order from Zhang Han, all his men rushed into Xiang Liang's camp like a swarm of bees. For a time, inside Xiang Liang's camp there was the sound of clashing steel shaking the sky, flames shooting up to the heavens. Xiang Liang's tens of thousands of troops were mostly still asleep, so most of them fled in all directions, slaughtered by Zhang Han's soldiers. The commander Xiang Liang was killed by the enemy in the chaos.

  In front of Xiang Liang's tomb, Liu Bang and Xiang Yu both cried until they were tearful. Naturally, the two men's mental states must have been different. Xiang Yu was truly crying, it was that kind of heart-wrenching wail after losing a loved one; while Liu Bang, at most, was half true and half false. It can be said that there is a certain amount of acting involved, which is also possible. On the one hand, Xiang Liang was the commander-in-chief of this branch of the righteous army, and when the commander-in-chief died, as his subordinate, he had to show some sadness, otherwise it would not work, and others would gossip that he was ungrateful and inhumane. So, when the commander-in-chief died, Liu Bang naturally had to put on a show and cry with Xiang Yu. On the other hand, it was true sorrow. Not for anything else, but because of the betrayal by Yong Chi back then, he listened to Zhang Liang's suggestion and borrowed troops from Xiang Liang's army. At that time, regardless of what Xiang Liang thought, he lent him 5,000 soldiers. It was precisely with those 5,000 elite soldiers that they scared away Yong Chi and recaptured Fengxiang. If it weren't for Xiang Liang, Fengxiang might still be occupied by Yong Chi now! And the importance of Fengxiang to Liu Bang is self-evident. It was his hometown and the place where he started the uprising, and as his most important base, without Fengxiang, Liu Bang would not have been able to start the rebellion.

  So, at this time, Liu Shanhe was thinking about how to make this play better and more realistic. It's worth noting that the main force of this righteous army is still the troops of Xiang Yu and his uncle. Before Xiang Liang died, there were two uncles and nephews, and it was difficult for Liu Shanhe to stand out on his own. Now, it seems like a kind of fate. Xiang Liang is dead, leaving only Xiang Yu. And that Xiang Yu, compared to his uncle, is more arrogant and self-willed, only knowing how to cruelly kill people to vent his anger, but not knowing how to use his brain to think about things. So, even if Xiang Yu receives guidance from a superior, it's still nothing to be feared.

  At this point, a faint smile that was almost imperceptible flashed across Liu Shanhe's eyes. However, on the surface, he remained as before, kneeling with Xiang Yu in front of Xiang Liang's tomb, wailing loudly and sorrowfully, as if his heart was filled with boundless grief.

  Although it was a true sorrow different from Xiang Yu's, Liu Shanhe was born with a good mouth because he had a good brain. "I should take this opportunity to win over Xiang Yu and make my relationship with that person closer, which is still very necessary for my own strength development in the future." Liu Shanhe thought, his mouth involuntarily speaking out loud: "General Xiang Liang, General Xiang Liang! I didn't expect, I didn't expect that after parting ways at Xue City, it would become a permanent farewell! The general is gone, the sky has collapsed; the general is gone, and the sun and moon have lost their light. Why, why didn't you let me Liu Bang die instead of the general? Heaven is unfair! Heaven is unfair! In the past, when I Liu Bang's army was defeated at Fengxiang, it was General Xiang who generously supported me, driving away that treacherous rebel and quickly retaking Fengxiang, allowing me Liu Bang to regain my dignity! General Xiang, you were the one who made the three armies of Chu strong and proud! The heroes from all over the world also looked up to you, making the world surrender to you! Now that the general is gone, I Liu Bang can only repay the kindness of Xiang Yu's brothers to express my heartfelt gratitude! To avenge the general's death, Liu Bang will not hesitate to sacrifice himself, even if it means being torn apart and his liver and brain splattered on the ground!..."

  At this time, Xiang Yu was extremely indignant, grabbed a wooden stick and broke it violently, saying: "Zhang Han, you old thief, if I don't kill you with my own hands, I won't be human!"

  Liu Bang raised his head, wiped his eyes and looked at Xiang Yu, saying: "General Xiang Yu, General Xiang Yu! Rest assured, from now on, your enemies will also be the enemies of Liu Bang. From now on, you two will join forces to overthrow the cruel Qin dynasty, capture Zhang Han alive, if I don't avenge this for you, I'd rather die than live!"

  Having heard Liu Bang's heartfelt words, Xiang Yu was deeply moved and grasped Liu Bang's hand tightly: "Duke of Pei, thank you, Duke of Pei!"

  After that, Liu Bang helped Xiang Yu up. At this time, another plan was brewing in Liu Bang's mind, which was to take advantage of this step and become sworn brothers with Xiang Yu. In this way, he could form a closer alliance with Xiang Yu's Chu army, relying on the power of the Chu army to make himself stronger. By then, he would be fearless. However, for now, his own strength was still far from sufficient! The Chu army was brave in battle, numerous in number, and extremely powerful, all of which were beyond comparison with his own small army. Therefore, if he wanted to become strong as soon as possible, he had to rely on Xiang Yu's Chu army first. This was what Zhang Liang had taught him from the beginning!

  At the mere mention of Zhang Liang, Liu Shanhe's heart ached with a pang. Alas, sir, when can you return to my side? Without you, I, Liu Shanhe, am almost unable to take a step!

  At this time, Xiang Yu was still staring at a low mound after being helped up by Liu Bang. Obviously, he had not yet recovered from the pain of losing his uncle. So, Liu Bang grabbed Xiang Yu's hand and said: "General Xiang Yu, I am not talented, but if you are willing to accept me, I would like to become sworn brothers with you. We don't have to be born on the same year, month, or day, but we must die on the same year, month, and day. From now on, our two lives will be tied together, sharing honor and shame!" As he spoke, Liu Bang took a bowl of water and wine from in front of Xiang Liang's mound, bit his own finger, and dripped blood into the liquid. Then, he handed it to Xiang Yu. The latter looked up at Liu Bang with tears in his eyes, then drew out his sword and lightly cut his own finger on the blade, also dripping his blood into the bowl of water and wine.

  Then, Liu Shanhe picked up the bowl of blood wine and drank a few mouthfuls. After that, he handed the bowl to Xiang Yu again. Xiang Yu took it, looked deeply at Liu Shanhe, and then also tilted his head back and drained the cup in one gulp. After finishing the wine, Xiang Yu smashed the wine bowl fiercely onto the ground. Next, both of them knelt down again in front of Xiang Liang's tomb and performed three kowtows. Then, they bowed to each other with three kowtows again.

  Then, Liu Shanhe looked up at the sky and almost shouted hoarsely: "Heaven and earth, please bear witness for us. From now on, Xiang Yu and I will make a blood oath, with one heart and one mind, helping each other and never changing our hearts! Heaven is above, as a clear proof!"

  Liu Shanhe's words moved everyone to tears, even the toughest of men were almost brought to tears. Meanwhile, Liu Shanhe himself was secretly laughing at his own successful performance. In fact, this wasn't because he had a bad heart, but rather it was an act he had to put on for his own survival and development. It seemed that the experiences he gained from hanging out with street gangs in his younger years were finally being put to use. As for how genuine these brotherly sentiments were, perhaps only heaven knows!

  The dusk has fallen, and the crows are flying incessantly in the sky, preparing for their night life. Liu Shanhe and Xiang Yu's group finally ended their mourning ceremony for Xiang Liang and headed towards their own camp. Soon, a group of dozens of people disappeared into the vast twilight.

  Jingling, the capital of King Huai of Chu.

  Song Yi hastily drove his horse forward and had an audience with King Hui of Zhao.

  The current Prince of Huai, is no longer the ignorant child of seven or eight years old in the countryside, but has grown into a refined and elegant young man. With the help of Chen Yin, the current Prince of Huai, has become quite dignified and is also very diligent in government affairs, earning the respect and admiration of many people. Now seeing Song Yi come, he asked loudly: "I don't know how the battle situation is now? Where is Zhang Han now?" It seems that this prince is indeed a heroic king, always concerned about the war situation on the front line.

  Song Yi reported: "After Zhang Han was defeated by Xiang Liang in Dingtao, he led 300,000 Qin troops to cross the Yellow River and attack Zhao. The King of Zhao retreated to Julu with General Chen Yu and Chancellor Zhang Er to defend against the enemy, the situation is extremely critical!"

  King Huai listened and didn't say a word for half a day. He knew that if the giant deer of Zhao was lost, Zhang Han's 300,000 Qin army would directly threaten his capital, and by then it would be too late. The 300,000-strong Qin army under Zhang Han's training were all fierce warriors! They fought bravely and killed people without blinking their eyes.

  Everyone in the court was also at a loss, unsure of what to do next.

  However, fortunately, King Huai's grandson Ping has now grown up with considerable experience and knows that continuing to discuss this topic is meaningless. So he changed the subject and said to Song Yi: "Song Ai Qing, I think you are brave and resourceful, and very good at using troops!" The tone of King Huai's speech showed his boundless admiration for Song Yi.

  Song Yi immediately got the affirmation of King Huai, somewhat constrained and uneasy, humbly said: "Your Majesty is overpraising me, Song Yi's learning is shallow, and he is also a defeated general, how can he talk about using troops?"

  The king still remained impassive and said, "My dear minister, do not speak like this. Last time you said that Xiang Liang's troops would definitely be defeated, but I did not believe it at first. Later on, it turned out to be true as you had predicted. Isn't this a good proof?"

  The words of King Huai touched a sore spot in Song Yi's heart, and he let out a long sigh, saying: "Alas, if General Xiang Liang had listened to me earlier, he wouldn't have ended up with his head and body in different places."

  "So, what about Xiang Yu?" It seems that King Huai also wanted to see what kind of person Xiang Yu was. Previously, he was afraid of Xiang Liang's power and didn't dare to take action. Now that Xiang Liang is dead, Xiang Yu has lost his leader, and the position of King of Chu is becoming more stable, so he dares to ask about Xiang Yu's situation. After all, only by fully understanding the character and abilities of each general can they be used effectively. Otherwise, people cannot be used to their fullest potential, and great things will not be accomplished.

  When the King of Chu asked him, Song Yi was taken aback for a moment before quickly recovering and said: "I dare to report to Your Majesty! General Xiang Yu is brave in battle and invincible. However, he has one major flaw, just like his uncle, which is that he is overly stubborn and arrogant, lacking in strategy. At best, he is only a talented general, not a talented commander."

  King Hui listened to Song Yi's words and nodded thoughtfully. As for what he was thinking at this moment, perhaps only heaven knew.

  It seems that it's time for everyone to discuss countermeasures. At this moment, Xiang Liang has died, and several people with weight are Xiang Yu, Liu Bang, Fan Zeng, and Song Yi. So, King Huai sent someone to urgently invite Xiang Yu, Liu Bang, and Fan Zeng to come and discuss important matters together. However, at this time, in Xiang Yu's camp, Xiang Yu was actually kneeling on the ground. The person he was kneeling to was none other than Military Advisor Fan Zeng.

  Only to see that General Fan turned his face inward, leaving only his back to Xiang Yu, not moving for half a day, nor saying a word. It seems that this old man was really infuriated. As for how Xiang Yu offended Mr. Fan, everyone knew the truth.

  "Mr. Fan, General Xiang Yu has been kneeling here for over two hours already, please agree to his request!" This was Liu Shanhe's voice.

  Because Liu Shanhe is still fighting with Xiang Yu, the two armies are not far apart. It seems that Xiang Yu is not stupid either, seeing that Mr. Fan refused to acknowledge him as his junior, he sent someone to bring this big brother who had just been recognized for a short time. Liu Shanhe heard and couldn't help but smile wryly in secret, thinking, what can I do even if I go? However, since Xiang Yu sent someone to invite him, and this is also the first time Xiang Yu has asked for his help since they became sworn brothers, he naturally cannot ignore it. So, he rode his horse over, and soon arrived at Xiang Yu's camp.

  But Fan Zeng still snorted and said: "It's his own business to kneel there, what does it have to do with me?"

  Xiang Yu, after hearing Fan Zeng's words, felt very wronged and said: "If it weren't for my uncle's last will, which stated that if he died in battle, I should definitely make Fan Zeng my foster father. Otherwise, I wouldn't have knelt!"

  After hearing Xiang Yu's words, he couldn't help but feel both angry and amused. He slightly turned his body and said, "Alas, you uncle and nephew are really just the same! If your uncle had listened to me earlier, it wouldn't have come to this today! Alas!" As he spoke, Fan Zeng let out a long sigh.

  As soon as Xiang Liang was mentioned, Xiang Yu couldn't help but feel a surge of sadness, his face long and gloomy. It seemed like he was talking to himself, yet also speaking to the crowd, and specifically addressing Fan Zeng: "I, Xiang Ji, have been an orphan since childhood, raised solely by my uncle. Therefore, I, Xiang Ji, cannot ignore my uncle's words. Today, all of you generals are present, and I ask that you bear witness. If General Fan agrees to help me destroy the tyrannical Qin and avenge my uncle, I, Xiang Ji, will treat him like a father from now on."

  After listening to Xiang Yu's words, which seemed sincere and heartfelt, Fan Zeng couldn't help but crawl up from the ground, his face contorted in a comical expression, unsure whether he was laughing or crying. He pointed at Xiang Yu and said: "Ah, your words sound really good now! But if it were really a matter of life and death, would you still listen to me?"

  Fan Zeng said so because he had a thorough understanding of Xiang Yu and his nephew. He knew that the words Xiang Yu spoke earlier were only believable to ghosts. They would say nice things to your face, but after a long time, they would still do their own thing.

  After hearing Fan Zeng's words, Xiang Yu was also speechless for a moment. Because the things Fan Zeng said earlier were actually true. Although he said so just now, it was indeed as Fan Zeng said that if things really reached a critical point, he himself did not know whether he could listen to others' opinions. One's own nature is naturally very clear to oneself.

  As soon as the scene became somewhat awkward, Liu Shanhe came out to mediate and said: "Since General Fan doesn't trust General Xiang Yu, I wonder if General Fan can trust me? As his elder brother, I'll come forward to vouch for him."

  Fan Zengyi heard Liu Shanhe say this, and couldn't help but get up, with a head full of misty water, staring blankly at Liu Shanhe for several eyes, asking: "You, when did you become brothers?"

  Actually, Fan Zeng still has great respect for this Lord Pei. Although he now has few soldiers and generals, this person's face is extraordinary, his temperament is open-minded, and he truly seeks talents like a thirsty man, listens to advice like flowing water, and is a rare lord. It's just that all of this is destined by heaven, and it's impossible for me to work with him. As for who will win the world in the future, it's also hard to say. Although this person currently has no power, who can guarantee that he won't have great developments in the future?