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Liu Bei had no literary talent, and the entire situation was summarized in just a few words, leaving Liu Yang in shock.
It turned out that Liu Bei's real surname was Gu, and coincidentally, he was also named Bei. His father was the renowned General of the Northern Defense, and from a young age, he had been fascinated by military strategy, always looking up to his father as a role model, hoping to become a great general like him.
In pursuit of this life goal, he worked tirelessly, risking his life in battles until he finally achieved it. He was granted the title of Flying Dragon General, becoming another formidable general in the eyes of the people.
However, despite being a military general, he was still part of the court and could not escape the intense struggles of political intrigue.
He was resolute and refused to submit to the Crown Prince's influence, unwilling to become a weapon for the Crown Prince. The calluses on his hands from self-taught martial training were not meant to be stained with the blood of his colleagues.
The Crown Prince could not tame him and began to worry that he might be used by others. The reputation and strength of the Flying Dragon General were too significant in the competition for the throne; whoever gained his support would have a much greater chance of winning.
To prevent him from becoming an obstacle, the Crown Prince allied with Gu Bei's younger brother, Gu Rong. Together, they set a trap for him.
They invested heavily in that scheme and achieved a resounding victory. The invincible Gu Bei was defeated.
He lost due to a lingering naivety about the cruelty of human nature, believing that as long as he did not participate, he could remain uninvolved and focus on defending the borders and protecting his homeland.
"I was too naive to think that they would spare me out of our past acquaintance or brotherly bond. In the end, I not only harmed myself but also implicated my brothers."
At that time, nearly all of his loyal subordinates were killed; their bright red blood soaked into the yellow earth, turning it dark.
Gu Bei recalled that scene and couldn't help but feel his eyes redden with grief, his heart aching like it was being cut by knives.
"So what happened next? How did you escape?" Liu Yang asked cautiously. Although Gu Bei stood right in front of him and he knew he had survived, just thinking about the horrors of that time sent chills down his spine.
Gu Bei suppressed the surge of killing intent within him and continued, "Before my subordinates died, they fought for me to gain a slim chance of survival. I stepped over their corpses and managed to escape by sheer luck. But I was severely injured and didn't get far before I fell unconscious."
He looked at Liu Yang and said, "Just when I thought I was doomed, an old man appeared on that battlefield—tattered clothes, emaciated frame—having traveled thousands of miles just to collect his child's remains."
Liu Yang quickly connected the dots and exclaimed, "It's my father!"
At that age, he might not have been very old, but it didn't mean he was forgetful; he remembered many things. "At that time, my elder brother was conscripted. Later, there was a disastrous battle where many people died. Someone from our village escaped back and brought the news that my brother had died on the battlefield. After my father mourned, he decided to go retrieve my brother's remains and bring him home for a proper burial."
Liu Bei nodded. "The old man I saw back then was indeed Uncle Liu. In such a vast battlefield filled with countless corpses, how could he possibly find his son? By the time he found me, he had already lost hope and was preparing to return home."
As fate would have it, Liu Bei's father encountered Gu Bei.
"I resembled your brother somewhat, and we shared the same name. In a daze, I heard someone call out 'Bei,' and I instinctively responded. When I woke up again, I had already been taken to a clinic for treatment, where my life was saved."
Uncle Liu saved Gu Bei, believing it to be destiny. His own son lay buried far away; at the very least, he couldn't let another person's son die before him.
"You know what happened next," Gu Bei continued. "After this incident, I felt disheartened and unwilling to return to face the bloodshed of the court. So I followed Uncle Liu to the Liu family."
Gu Bei bore a striking resemblance to the real Liu Bei, and with a scar on his face from an injury, it was easy for others to assume his appearance had changed slightly due to his wounds.
Moreover, since he was brought back personally by Uncle Liu, no one in the village would suspect Gu Bei's true identity.
Gu Bei fully revealed the truth of the matter to Liu Yang but chose to omit some of the more gruesome details that he felt were inappropriate for a child to hear.
Liu Yang was deeply saddened by the news of his elder brother's death and felt sorry for Gu Bei's misfortune. "I can't believe there was such a backstory behind this. I feel so useless; I couldn't help at all."
If only he could grow up faster, he thought, then he could do more instead of just hiding in a safe corner after the fact and feeling heartbroken—completely useless.
"Don't blame yourself," Gu Bei said. "This is all my fault. My brothers—the soldiers on the battlefield—your elder brother—I owe them all a life."
"No!" Liu Yang defended him passionately. "This is all because of that Crown Prince and your wicked-hearted brother! You are also a victim; how can you take the blame for this?"
Gu Bei asked in surprise, "Aren't you angry with me? You've kept this from your family for so long, living under your brother's identity just to survive?"
"I'm not angry!" Liu Yang replied firmly. "My father was already in poor health. He was heartbroken over my brother and passed away shortly after returning. If it weren't for you, neither Seven nor I would have survived."
He looked up at Gu Bei, standing tall. "My father saved one of you, but you saved both Seven and me. To our Liu family, you are the true benefactor! No matter what happens, in my heart, you are my elder brother!"
"You," Gu Bei was taken aback by Liu Yang's broad-mindedness at such a young age, feeling a sense of comfort. "As long as you're not angry, I will always be your elder brother."
Long ago, during the days with the Gu family, Gu Bei had already immersed himself in the role of Liu Bei; he was the son of the Liu family, the elder brother of Liu Yang and Liu Qi.
Suddenly, Liu Yang thought of something and asked, "What about Brother Gu? He's someone you know, right? Someone from before?"
"Yes, he was once my subordinate. I planned to live under the name Liu Bei in hiding. He came to find me, hoping I would return to inherit military power. However, he wouldn't give up and kept coming to persuade me."
Gu Bei revealed Gu Da's identity, which clarified Liu Yang's doubts.
He had previously felt that Gu Da's skills and intelligence were not those of an ordinary person. Now knowing he was a capable assistant to a general made sense.
"So this time, it was because your sister-in-law was framed and imprisoned, facing execution. That's why you left a letter and ran away to seek help. You intended to reveal your identity to rescue her from danger, right?"
Liu Yang quickly grasped the main point but felt a bit worried. "But if you expose your identity like this, won't the Crown Prince and your brother come looking for trouble again?"
There was no way around it; Ye Xiaohan's life was more important.
"Don't worry about that; I'll handle it. You should go back now and avoid running into me. I don't want you two to be targeted," Gu Bei said. "As long as you're safe, they won't be able to do anything to me."
Liu Yang nodded. "I understand. I'll head back now. Take care of yourself, elder brother!"
Watching the disappearing figure of Liu Yang, Gu Bei knew he had heard everything. Liu Yang was always very clever, able to distinguish between what was urgent and what could wait; he would not falter at a critical moment.
As for him, he had to face an even greater storm. He needed to withstand it all so that the important people in his life could live in peace.
In the following days, the calmness prevailed, but Gu Bei understood that this was merely the tranquility before the storm, which would soon be shattered.
His speculation proved correct; on the third day, the torrential rain arrived.
"General, you can't just go back like this. We must prepare; rushing in will only lead us into their trap!" Gu Da urged anxiously, hoping to make Gu Bei reconsider.
Gu Bei smiled slightly, pressing down on a roll of yellow silk with his fingertips. "The emperor's urgent decree states that if we do not set off immediately upon receiving it, we will be guilty of defying the imperial order. There is no room for refusal."
"Even so, we can't just walk into a trap. If we delay a little, we can buy some time for my subordinates to organize and escort you to the capital!" Gu Da could only think of this solution in his helplessness.
Gu Bei knew that even if he disagreed, Gu Da would secretly follow him. Rather than letting him act independently, it was better to keep him close where they could look out for each other.
"Fine, let's do it your way. Remember, don't bring too many people; making a big show will only give them leverage against us." Gu Bei actually did not want more people involved in this conflict.
"Understood! I will take care of it right away!" Gu Da responded and hurried off.
After he left, Gu Bei had someone quickly pack his belongings before going to bid farewell to Ye Xiaohan and the Liu siblings.
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