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Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei felt a deep sense of frustration as they sat idly in the military camp. One day, unable to contain himself any longer, Zhang Fei said to Liu Bei, "Brother, it's not a solution to remain cooped up like this! Why don't we go out into the streets and see what this capital city is really like?" Guan Yu nodded in agreement, adding, "Brother, perhaps a walk will help ease your worries and lighten your heart."
After pondering for a moment, Liu Bei agreed. The three of them quickly changed into casual clothes and left the military camp, blending into the bustling streets of the capital. The city was alive with activity—people chattered, vendors shouted their wares, and carriages moved about, a stark contrast to the clashing swords and flashing blades of the battlefield. However, as they ventured deeper into the inner city, the opulence of noble carriages and their accompanying guards became increasingly apparent, highlighting the stark divide between the wealthy and the common folk.
As they walked along, they encountered a magnificent carriage approaching them. It was flanked by numerous guards, yet the decorations on the carriage were not overly extravagant. The curtain was slightly lifted to reveal a middle-aged man with a dignified yet worried expression—it was Zhang Jun, an official in the court.
Upon seeing him, Liu Bei felt a stir in his heart and quickly stepped forward to bow respectfully. "Sir, are you Zhang Jun?" he asked.
Zhang Jun frowned slightly at being stopped and glanced at Liu Bei and his companions. Noticing their simple attire, he responded with some skepticism, "Indeed. Who are you?"
Liu Bei remained calm, clasping his hands together with determination in his expression. "I am Liu Bei, styled Xuan De. I have accompanied the imperial forces to fight against the Yellow Turbans and have achieved several merits in battles at Nanyang and Wancheng. Yet I have not received any official appointment from the court until now. I am anxious and uncertain about my future. Today, seeing you here gives me hope; I have matters to discuss with you."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jun's expression shifted to one of surprise as he dismounted to scrutinize Liu Bei more closely. Although Liu Bei's clothing was plain, his demeanor exuded authority and sincerity that inspired respect. "So you are Mr. Xuan De! I have heard much about your bravery against the Yellow Turbans; seeing you today confirms your reputation. Given your achievements, why have you not yet received recognition?"
Liu Bei let out a bitter smile, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Perhaps my contributions are deemed insignificant or obstructed by others; I dare not speak recklessly. I only ask that you advocate for the people’s concerns and seek appointments for us soldiers."
Zhang Jun's expression grew serious as he replied softly, "Mr. Xuan De, please remain patient; this matter concerns the greater affairs of the court. Allow me to enter the palace and investigate further."
Returning to the palace, Zhang Jun immediately sought an audience with Emperor Ling of Han. Bowing deeply before the emperor, he spoke with a strong voice: "Your Majesty, although the Yellow Turban Rebellion has been quelled, its root causes remain unaddressed. The uprising stemmed from the Ten Eunuchs' monopolization of power and their corrupt practices—only those close to them receive positions while others face execution—leading to widespread resentment among the people that sparked the rebellion. I believe we must execute the Ten Eunuchs publicly and announce rewards for those who have served well in order to restore order and peace!"
At these words, Zhang Rang—the most favored among the Ten Eunuchs—immediately grew furious and knelt down to plead: "Your Majesty! Zhang Jun's words are clearly slanderous against loyal ministers! We all serve this court with one heart; how can we be defamed by such individuals? Please see through this!"
Emperor Ling was already displeased with Zhang Jun's forthrightness; hearing Zhang Rang's protest only darkened his mood further. He coldly commanded, "Guards! Expel Zhang Jun from the palace! He shall not be allowed to return!"
Fuming as he left, Zhang Jun was unaware that the Ten Eunuchs were huddled together plotting in secret. "Zhang Jun is intent on seeking favors for those who fought against the Yellow Turbans; he likely has ulterior motives," Zhang Rang sneered. "Why not send Liu Bei off to Dingzhou for now? Give him a title as county constable to placate him; we can deal with him later."
As fate would have it, Liu Bei was indeed appointed as Constable of Anxi County in Zhongshan Prefecture of Dingzhou. Upon receiving this edict, he sighed bitterly as he set down the letter: "To have failed in achieving great deeds for the world yet find myself in such a humble position is truly shameful."
"Guan Yu said in a deep voice, 'Brother, this is not the time to seek achievements. We must secure our position and wait for the right moment to act.'
Zhang Fei, however, was filled with indignation. 'These corrupt officials are clearly brushing you off! But as long as we have ambition, we will surely find an opportunity.'
Liu Bei patted Zhang Fei on the shoulder, his tone calm. 'Yi De need not be angry. Although the county magistrate's position may be small, it can still benefit the people. We should first establish ourselves here before pursuing greater matters.'
In Anxi County, Liu Bei had been in office for a month, committing no wrongs against the people and governing with integrity. The citizens held him in high regard. He, along with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, maintained their close bond; they shared meals at the same table and slept in the same quarters. Liu Bei personally handled all matters, big and small, while Guan Yu and Zhang Fei often stayed by his side. To outsiders, the three seemed like one entity, with no distinction between master and servants.
Not long after Liu Bei took office in Anxi County, news arrived that the court had issued an edict: 'All officials appointed based on military merit must undergo re-examination to weed out incompetent and corrupt officials.' Upon hearing this news, anxiety spread among the people of the county, and Liu Bei felt a growing unease within himself, pondering, 'This decree is likely aimed at us military meritocrats.'
At that moment, word came that the Supervisor was coming to Anxi County for an inspection. Liu Bei personally led a group out of the city to welcome him. From a distance, he saw the Supervisor approaching on a grand steed, dressed in fine garments and holding a silver whip, his demeanor haughty. Liu Bei quickly stepped forward to pay his respects, saying respectfully, 'I am Liu Bei, here to welcome you, Superintendent.'
The Supervisor merely glanced up slightly and pointed his whip dismissively as a form of acknowledgment before riding ahead. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei witnessed this scene and were already seething with anger. Zhang Fei muttered under his breath, 'This corrupt official has such an air about him! If it weren't for my brother stopping me, I would have made him dismount and recognize who is truly in charge!' Guan Yu turned to Liu Bei and said solemnly, 'Brother, this man is so arrogant; he is likely not a good person. We must be cautious.'
Upon arriving at Guanyuan Inn, the Supervisor sat high on the dais while Liu Bei stood at the steps below, bowing respectfully. The Supervisor leaned back in his chair and spoke slowly, 'Liu Bei, what is your background?'
Liu Bei clasped his fists and replied, 'I am a descendant of Zhongshan Jing Wang. I rose from Zhuo County after defeating the Yellow Turbans in over thirty battles. Fortunately, I have received the court's favor to hold this position.'
Hearing this, the Supervisor raised an eyebrow and slammed his hand on the table in anger. 'You have quite a nerve! How dare you falsely claim royal lineage and exaggerate your achievements! Officials like you are exactly whom the court intends to purge!' Before Liu Bei could defend himself, he was waved away by the Supervisor.
Returning to the county office, Liu Bei reported the situation to the County Officials, who all looked troubled. An elderly official whispered, 'My lord, this Supervisor is notoriously greedy for money. His words are so rude because he likely failed to extort bribes from you and now seeks to harm you instead. If we can prepare some valuables for him, we might avoid disaster.'
Liu Bei furrowed his brow and spoke somberly: 'I have governed without wrongdoing thus far; where would I find valuables to give him? Such actions would only encourage corruption.'"
The next day, the Supervisor summoned the County Official to Guanyuan Inn, coercing him to commit perjury and falsely accuse Liu Bei of corruption and harming the people. The County Official was tied up on the ground, trembling in fear. Upon hearing the news, Liu Bei made several attempts to plead for him, but each time he was turned away by the Supervisor's gatekeepers, leaving him helpless.
At this moment, Zhang Fei was already seething with rage. After drinking a few bowls of strong liquor, he rode past Guanyuan Inn and saw fifty or sixty commoners kneeling on the ground, all with sorrowful faces, hoarsely crying out. Zhang Fei reined in his horse, jumped down, and strode forward, demanding, "What are you crying about here?"
An elderly man wiped his tears and trembled as he spoke, "General Zhang, the Superintendent is forcing the County Official to commit perjury to harm County Magistrate Liu! We have come to plead desperately, but we can't even get through the door and are driven away by the guards!"
Upon hearing this, a fierce light flashed in Zhang Fei's eyes as he gritted his teeth. He shouted angrily, "This dog official dares to humiliate my brother! Just wait and see how I deal with him!" With that, he brandished his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear and marched into Guanyuan Inn. The gatekeepers, terrified by his fierce demeanor, scattered in all directions.
Zhang Fei burst into the Back Hall and saw the Supervisor sitting at the head of the hall, whipping and scolding the bound County Official on the ground. With a roar that shook everyone in the hall, Zhang Fei exclaimed, "You villain harming the people! Do you recognize your ancestor Zhang Fei?"
The Supervisor looked up in confusion, but before he could react, Zhang Fei had grabbed his hair and yanked him out of his chair, dragging him to the horse post outside. Zhang Fei raised his Willow Branch and shouted, "Let’s see if you dare harm the people again!" Each lash of his whip cracked loudly as it struck; the Supervisor cried out in pain while the commoners cheered from the sidelines.
Liu Bei heard the commotion from the front hall and hurried over. Upon seeing the Supervisor tied to the horse post, he was taken aback. "Yi De, how could you do this!"
Zhang Fei pointed his whip at the Supervisor, still seething with anger. "Brother, this dog official has humiliated you and harmed countless people; it would not satisfy my heart's hatred if I do not kill him!"
At that moment, Guan Yu approached slowly and said solemnly, "Brother, among thorn bushes is not a place for phoenixes to dwell. You have achieved countless merits yet only hold a minor position; now you must endure this humiliation. In my opinion, it would be better to kill this villain harming the people and abandon your post to seek another path."
Liu Bei pondered for a moment before sighing deeply. He personally removed the seal from his waist and hung it around the Supervisor's neck while coldly stating, "You oppress the common people; you should be executed according to law! Out of consideration for my benevolence, I will spare your life. This seal is here; I Liu Bei resign from my office from now on!"
With that, he waved his sleeve and left. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei followed closely behind him. Only the beaten Supervisor remained at Guanyuan Inn, battered and bruised on the ground, crawling in despair with tears streaming down his face.
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