Chapter 25: Granting the Flag and Setting Out on Expedition

  But it is said that on that day, Empress Dowager Liu Bei's mother in Chengdu City intercepted the expeditionary army and presented a war flag, saying that this war flag has a meaning! What does it mean?

  "Earlier, I said that these four war flags have extraordinary significance. What is the significance? The Han court is now in danger, like a precarious egg! My son Liu Bei was personally appointed by Emperor Ling of Han as the King of Han Xing! My child has the responsibility to revive the great Han from the beginning! I have three sworn sons - my second son Guan Yu, who drank wine and beheaded Hua Xiong, fought bravely at Tiger Trap Pass against Lü Bu, and released Zhang Wen from Yangping Gate! What a mighty hero! My third son Zhang Fei, who can take the head of a general in an army of 10,000 as easily as taking something out of his pocket! The old traitor Dong Zhuo came to attack, and now he is defending the country, sharing the worries for the emperor! He is also a loyal and righteous son, an invincible hero, whom everyone cannot match! My three sons are like this, what more can I ask for?! My fourth son Li Yu, who has never been defeated since he started his career, always wins when he attacks, and turns the tide of war in times of crisis! He is called a god of war by us! In my opinion, this is truly a name that matches reality! Now, with four sons fighting for the country, attacking Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, I have four sons, three sworn sons, whom I regard as my own flesh and blood! Now, grant me four sons each a brocade flag, to express a mother's heart! And to commend my son Liu Bei's four sons for their loyalty and dedication to the country! You are fortunate to follow such heroes on this expedition, and you will surely be remembered in history, your names passed down for generations!"

  Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians shouted in unison: "The Empress is wise! The Empress is wise! The Empress is wise!"

  Chen Gong led the way, kneeling down and shouting: "Empress Dowager Wang, your teachings have made your son famous! His name will be revered for thousands of years!"

  The Empress Dowager helped Chen Gong up and said: "I don't seek eternal fame, but I wish for the great Han to revive!"

  Liu Bei stepped forward and said: "Mother, with such loyal ministers and good generals, the Han Dynasty will surely be restored!"

  "Mother, rest assured and take care of your body at home. I will return triumphantly and fulfill my filial duties before you!"

  The old lady said: "Han Xing, you don't obey me today as a mother, because there is still a reason behind! Filial piety! Today, you also kneel down!"

  "Your orders!" He flung open his robe and knelt down on the ground!

  The old lady glanced at Queen Wang!

  "The Empress of Han, Consort Mi, stepped forward and said: 'Gentlemen, I am the daughter-in-law of Emperor Xian of Han and the Queen of Yi Province, Consort Mi! The embroidered flag that I have personally made has a profound meaning. Today, the imperial family is facing an invasion by external bandits, and the fate of the Han dynasty hangs in the balance! My husband, Liu Bei, was appointed as the King of Hanzhong by the late Emperor himself. Now, my fourth uncle, Li Yi, has abandoned his family and children to follow my husband into battle, which is not only to help his brother but also to fulfill his duty to heaven! What is heaven? The imperial authority of our great Han dynasty is heaven itself! Although dark clouds are gathering now, the sky in Yi Province is still clear and bright, thanks to the efforts of all of you, gentlemen, and the officials of the court! Today, I present this flag to the soldiers who are going into battle. It is a symbol of justice and righteousness! You, gentlemen, are fighting not only for the glory of our great Han dynasty but also for the well-being of all living beings! This is what it means to fulfill one's duty to heaven and to go into battle for the country! Therefore, I am confident that your names will be remembered for eternity!"

  The three armies shouted in unison: "Carry out the will of heaven! Go on an expedition for the country!"

  Li Yu knelt down and said: "The inside and outside of the palace are united in one mind, my brother will surely return triumphantly! Thank you, Queen, for the kindness of sending the flag!"

  Guo Jia also said: "The queen is so wise and virtuous, it's hard to find such a person even after ten thousand years!"

  The queen looked at Wang Xue, who stepped forward and said: "Today my husband Li Yu is going to war for the country, sharing the labor of our lord! Today, 70,000 soldiers are all under my husband's command. I present this flag to you, wishing that when you go out, you will return with the same number! My husband Li Yu is called the God of War, and he must win every battle! I am pregnant now and cannot follow him to war, but I know that this battle will be a victorious one! The land of Hanzhong will surely be ours! I would like to wish all heroes an early triumphant return! As my delivery is approaching, can you please let my husband be by my side at that time? It's all up to the efforts of all the soldiers! Now I present this brocade flag to all the heroes, wishing you an early victory and a triumphant return! Thank you, all soldiers!"

  This time, the voices of the three armies are even higher. You see that Wang Xue is not good at martial arts, but every time he goes out to battle, he is always by Li Yu's side! Sharing the joys and sorrows with the soldiers, and Li Yu has never been one to make exceptions for himself, which is extremely rare on ancient battlefields! What do the soldiers eat? The commander-in-chief eats the same thing, never allowing the cooks to make special food. So Li Yu and his wife have a very high status in the army!

  "Madam, be at ease! The banner is raised and we will triumphantly return soon! The banner is raised and we will triumphantly return soon! The banner is raised and we will triumphantly return soon!"

  Li Yu now understood why the old lady didn't let him get up, Li Yu clasped his hands and bowed to Madame Wang Xue saying: "Madame, I have already dedicated my life to the country, it's hard for me to dedicate it to family again! But with a wife like you, what more could a husband ask for? Thank you, madame, for presenting the flag today!"

  "Guo Jia also said: 'General Li has shown great kindness and loyalty today! This good deed will be passed down for ten thousand years!'"

  At this time, Wang Xue stepped back one step. Cai Wenji understood that it was her turn and stepped forward to say: "Greetings, everyone! You may not know me! I am the Left State Minister of Yizhou, the fiancée of Military Advisor Guo Jia who is currently on a military expedition, which has delayed our wedding! I, Cai Wenji, admire him greatly. There will be a page about me in the future annals of great stories! Today, I present to you this brocade banner, may your horses gallop to success! I wish all of you soldiers to fight bravely and defeat the enemy as soon as possible, return triumphantly, and help Guo Jia and I fulfill our marriage vows! Now, I thank all of you soldiers!"

  At this time, Guo Jia understood why the old empress dowager had made him kneel. Guo Jia spoke up and said: "With a virtuous wife like this, I, Guo Jia, am truly fortunate!"

  The morale of the three armies is now fully boosted, and it can be said that the will to fight is like clouds filling the sky all around, and the morale is like a rainbow hovering above! Li Yu stood up at this time, drew his sword in hand and roared: "With loyalty and dedication, we will report to our country, and replace heaven's way of justice! When the horse arrives at success, the flag will be opened and we will return victorious!" The three armies shouted in unison: "With loyalty and dedication, we will report to our country, and replace heaven's way of justice! When the horse arrives at success, the flag will be opened and we will return victorious!"

  At this time, Liu Bei ordered Zhuge Liang to take care of some matters. At that moment, Zhuge Liang happened to turn around and return, witnessing the scene. He then bowed to Liu Bei.

  Liu Bei asked Zhuge Liang, "National Uncle! Have you arranged the matters entrusted by the king earlier? That was Han Xing's request just now!"

  Zhuge Liang cupped his hands and replied, "The matters entrusted by Your Majesty have been prepared, awaiting your orders!"

  Liu Bei nodded in approval. He then spoke a few words to Li Yu, who nodded thoughtfully before saying, "Brother Wang, I ask you to personally go out and arrange the incense and candles on the city tower. The rest will be taken care of by me."

  Liu Bei nodded and said, "Good! But I wonder what thoughts you have today, Fourth Brother?"

  After speaking, Liu Bei descended from the city tower, took care of the incense and candles, and ordered someone to bring a table up to the tower. Several people placed the table in the center.

  They also brought out a pair of candle holders and an incense burner, arranging them neatly. Liu Bei returned and said to Li Yu, "Fourth Brother, everything is ready. What are your thoughts?"

  Liu Bei stood before the sacred incense case, lit incense and candles, and bowed to heaven and earth. He then took off his clothes and knelt on the ground. His wife, Wang Yu, personally ground the ink. Li Yu knelt on the ground and said: "Mother, please tattoo the four characters '精忠报国' (devoted loyalty and dedication to the country) on my back. From now on, I will take these four characters as the standard for being a person in this life." The old lady was taken aback and said: "As your mother, I see that you are already devoted to the country, why do you need to harm yourself like this? It's good enough! Why must you still harm yourself?" Wang Yu understood that her husband Li Yu wanted to learn from Yue Fei's example of tattooing himself to dedicate his life to the country. Seeing that the old lady was reluctant to take action, she said: "My husband Li Yu is making a vow to heaven and earth today, asking mother to tattoo the four characters '精忠报国' on his back. He wants to be a loyal minister who will be remembered for all eternity. Please don't hesitate, mother. Even if it's a thousand years later, my husband can still be famous in history. Later generations will say: 'What a great Li Hanxing, he dedicated his life to the country and was loyal until death, leaving behind a good name that will last for centuries!'" Liu Bei stepped forward and advised Li Yu: "Fourth brother, the sage said: 'The body is given by one's parents, do not dare to harm it.' Mother cannot bear to do it, so let's just forget about the tattoo." Li Yu knocked his head on the ground and said: "Big brother, mother! Although it says 'the body is given by one's parents, do not dare to harm it', but today I want to engrave the four characters '精忠报国' on my back for life. For big brother to conquer the world, today we are going out to battle in Hanzhong, and this can boost the morale of our soldiers. Let's win the battle with one blow!" The old lady heard Li Yu's words and could only hold back her tears as she said: "My son is right, I will tattoo him." She then took off half of Li Yu's clothes.

  The old lady took the brush from Wang Xue's hand and first wrote the four characters "Jing Zhong Bao Guo" on Li Yu's back, then took the embroidery needle in her hand and stabbed it into his back. Li Yu's flesh twitched. The old lady's eyes welled up with tears, knowing that Li Yu was in pain! Unable to bear it, she asked, "My son, does it hurt?" Li Yu smiled and said, "Mother, you haven't even started yet, how can you ask if I'm in pain?" The old lady wept and said, "My son, you're afraid of your mother's soft hands, so you say it doesn't hurt. Alright! My son, with a heart for the country and loyalty, to be a great loyal minister, how could I wrong my son?" After finishing speaking, the old lady gritted her teeth and started tattooing on Li Yu's back. Not long after, the four characters "Jing Zhong Bao Guo" were finished, and the old lady personally applied the vinegar ink, making it permanent. Then Li Yu got up and thanked the old lady for the tattoo.

  At this time, Liu Bei also shed tears, thinking to himself: "Fourth brother! Fourth brother! If I ever betray anyone in the future, it will not be you!" At this time, Empress Dowager spoke to her own son Liu Bei, saying: "Xuande, you can send someone to immediately bring me the Han Dynasty's Imperial Seal. Mother has orders!" Liu Bei did not understand his mother's reasoning but also did not dare to delay and ordered someone to bring it over. Before long, Liu Bei brought back the Han Dynasty's Imperial Seal that had been passed down for hundreds of years. Empress Dowager saw that Liu Bei had brought back the Imperial Seal and opened her mouth to instruct him, saying: "My son Xuande, quickly set up an incense altar to make offerings to Heaven and Earth and the ancestors of the Han imperial family!" Although Liu Bei did not understand these principles, he also did not dare to delay and hastily lit incense in his hands to make offerings to Heaven and Earth and the ancestors. Just then, Empress Dowager said: "The fate of our great Han Dynasty is destined to have such hardships! But now my son's sworn brother Li Yu, Li Hanxing, is a gift from Heaven to revive our great Han. I think that at present, with many heroes vying for power and the Han imperial family in danger, but now with my sworn son Li Yu assisting my son Liu Bei, given time, he will surely eliminate the other heroes and revive our great Han! But now I am worried, fearing that in the future there will still be treacherous officials who will harm loyal and honest scholars. Now I want my son Liu Bei to personally write a book of pardon for the crimes of Li Yu, a loyal minister of our great Han, and an oath of eternal gratitude! So as to avoid repeating the mistakes of today's downfall of our great Han! Furthermore, my son Liu Bei is now a king and does not dare to usurp the emperor's throne. But now I want to let my son Xuande use the emperor's Imperial Seal. If there is guilt, it will be on me alone and have nothing to do with others!" Empress Dowager finished speaking and then bowed her head, saying: "If Heaven and our ancestors are merciful, please protect my son and three sworn brothers and revive the Han Dynasty's rivers and mountains!"

  Here is the translation:

  I, Liu Bei, do not dare to be slow and immediately use the Imperial Seal of Transmission to write this decree. I am the Emperor who has received the Mandate of Heaven: I, Liu Bei, am the grandson of Emperor Jing of Han. Today, I have usurped the imperial throne and used the Imperial Seal of Transmission, which is unfilial. However, this is an extraordinary situation, and I have heard that it is difficult to establish a state without worrying about its fate.

  I, the Emperor, have personally experienced great hardships. In the past, I suffered from the Yellow Turban Rebellion, but my brother Liu Bei pacified it with his sword! After the death of Emperor Ling, the world was shaken, and Emperor Shao took the throne in name only. However, he had no real power, and the eunuch He Jin had no strategy, which led to the invasion of the warlord Dong Zhuo. Although Dong Zhuo has died, the current situation is that the bandits are rampant, competing for power in the Central Plains, and Emperor Xian has been captured by the bandits in Chang'an! The imperial authority is now in ruins.

  I, the Emperor, have received the Mandate of Heaven and have not abandoned the Han dynasty. From the time I started the rebellion against the Yellow Turbans, I had vowed to restore the great Han dynasty and save the people from danger. With the support of Heaven, my ministers have supported me, and I have been enthroned as the King of Yi Province. However, every day there are reports of war, and every night there are warnings of wolf smoke. This is the time when my officials and I must work together to achieve our goals.

  Now, I, Liu Bei, am determined to restore the Han dynasty and avenge past grievances. My heart is set on restoring the great Han dynasty, and I consider the people's welfare to be of utmost importance! In this chaotic world, there must be heroes who will rise up to save the day. Suddenly, there are Li Yu and Li Han, who possess both literary and military talents. The Empress Dowager has personally written a letter praising their loyalty and dedication to the state.

  Li Yu is now leading an army to defeat the bandits, eliminate the evil, and welcome back the Emperor to restore the great Han dynasty. He is saving the people from suffering and danger. This is indeed a great fortune for the Han dynasty, the imperial court, the ancestral temples, and the entire world! The people are fortunate indeed!

  You must hasten your progress and comfort my heart! I hereby decree that in the future, I, Liu Bei, will never betray Li Yu, and no matter what crimes he or his family may commit, this decree shall serve as a pardon for their lives.