Volume 1, Chapter 17: Gaining Gongming, Three Generals Compete

After Yang Feng took his leave with his own hidden agenda, he left behind a Xu Huang who was both stirred and somewhat uneasy. The young general stood in the hall, his hands clenching and unclenching involuntarily, a fine sheen of sweat coating his palms. He did not know the true purpose behind the Emperor’s request to have him transferred from Yang Feng’s ranks, nor did he understand why this young sovereign would pay such close attention to a nobody like himself.

The glow of the setting sun spilled through the window lattice, casting a long, slender shadow of Xu Huang’s tall frame. He looked up slightly, stealing a glance at the Emperor upon the throne. Liu Xie was studying him with a meaningful gaze—one that felt as if he were appraising a rare treasure, yet simultaneously inspecting an unsheathed blade.

"General Xu, there is no need for such formality," Liu Xie’s voice broke the silence of the hall. A smile played on his lips, yet his eyes remained sharp as a blade. "I have heard that your courage is peerless among Yang Feng’s forces. Seeing you today, it is clear that your reputation is well-deserved."

Xu Huang hurriedly cupped his hands in a salute: "Your servant is unworthy of such praise!"

In his heart, Liu Xie reviewed Xu Huang’s data panel once more:

[Xu Huang, courtesy name Gongming]
Command: 91
Might: 93
Intellect: 78
Politics: 69
Charisma: 77
Loyalty: 80
Special Ability:
Spirit of Zhou Yafu: When commanding cavalry, unit movement speed increases by 10%, unit Might +2, and the commanded unit will not suffer a rout.

Due to Liu Xie’s appreciation, Xu Huang’s loyalty had risen from 70 to 80.

"As one of the five elite generals of the Wei Kingdom..." Liu Xie suddenly realized his slip of the tongue and quickly corrected himself, "No, as a pillar of the Han Dynasty, I have long heard of your capabilities, General Xu."

Xu Huang was stunned, both shocked and delighted. He was shocked that the Emperor knew him so well, and delighted that his talents finally had a stage upon which to shine. Yet, upon reflection, he felt a flicker of unease—what did the Emperor mean by "Wei Kingdom"?

Seeing the shifts in Xu Huang’s expression, Liu Xie realized his mistake and quickly changed the subject. "General Xu, I intend to appoint you as Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard. You shall work alongside Yang Zaixing and Hu Che'er to ensure my safety. Once the army has been reorganized, I shall have you lead troops to conquer in all directions. How does that sound? In your leisure, you may spar with the other two generals; I believe you will find it beneficial."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of rhythmic, powerful footsteps echoed from outside the hall. A fierce warrior strode in, eight feet tall, with a face like a dark date and eyes burning with intensity—it was Yang Zaixing. Following him was Hu Che'er, whose frame was shorter but whose arms were thick as iron; the ground seemed to tremble slightly with every step he took.

"Your Majesty, your servant has come to report!" Yang Zaixing’s voice rang out like a bell, his armor clattering as he cupped his hands in salute.

Liu Xie nodded with satisfaction, his gaze sweeping between the three of them. "General Yang, you have come at the perfect time. This is Xu Huang, Xu Gongming. He will be your deputy from now on. You must grow close."

Yang Zaixing turned to study Xu Huang, a spark of competitive spirit flickering in his eyes. "I have long heard of your name, General Xu. Why don't we head to the drill ground for a spar right now?"

Feeling the powerful aura radiating from the man, Xu Huang’s own fighting spirit was ignited. "I would ask for nothing less!"

Liu Xie watched their departing backs, a meaningful smile curling his lips. He summoned the system interface to check Yang Zaixing’s attributes:

Yang Zaixing
Command: 82
Might: 98
Intellect: 72
Politics: 55
Charisma: 85
Special Ability: Indomitable God of War
Effect 1: When leading cavalry in a charge, chance to break formation +30%.
Effect 2: Dueling and Charging: When surrounded, Might randomly increases by 2-5 points. The more perilous the situation, the greater the boost, lasting for one hour.
Effect 3: Berserker State: Triggers when troop strength falls below 30%. Might temporarily increases by 10 points, lasting for half an hour. After the effect ends, the user suffers from a weakened state: stamina decreases by 50%, Might decreases by 20.
Loyalty: 92

"98 Might, plus the bonuses for dueling..." Liu Xie calculated inwardly, "Xu Huang is likely in for some trouble."

Indeed, when Liu Xie arrived at the drill ground, he saw Xu Huang’s helmet being knocked off by Yang Zaixing’s spear. The watching guards let out gasps of surprise, but Xu Huang did not lose heart. He wiped the sweat from his face, his eyes burning with even greater intensity. "Again!"

Hu Che'er, itching for action, joined the fray, and the three of them fought back and forth with great enthusiasm. Hu Che'er’s sudden, monstrous strength caught Xu Huang off guard several times; once, he was nearly disarmed.

Yet, to everyone’s surprise, under the "torment" of the two, Xu Huang did not retreat; instead, he grew braver with every exchange.

"Interesting..." Liu Xie could not help but sigh as he watched them.

He hoped that under the pressure of Yang Zaixing, Xu Huang and Hu Che'er would break through their current limits and improve. Speaking of improvement, Liu Xie looked at his own physique and then at the three men sparring. He let out a long, wistful sigh: "It is fortunate I was reborn as an Emperor. If I had to charge into battle myself, I would need to conquer more territory, accumulate National Destiny points to raise my own stats, then find some small fry to bully, and have the civil officials boast of my image as a brilliant monarch who can handle a spear in battle and compose poetry upon dismounting—only then would I gain enough popular support!"

Day after day, the three could be seen sparring on the drill ground. Xu Huang went from being on the defensive to gradually being able to hold his own against both of them, his rapid progress astonishing even Yang Zaixing.

More remarkably, Xu Huang began to take the initiative to seek them out for sparring, the hunger in his eyes like that of a famished wolf sighting its prey.

"Your Majesty, this Xu Gongming..." After a bout one day, Yang Zaixing approached Liu Xie, hesitating.

"What is it?" Liu Xie set down his bamboo scroll.

"He improves too quickly," Yang Zaixing said, a rare look of admiration on his face. "Your servant has never seen anyone with such innate talent. Given time, I fear..."

Liu Xie laughed heartily. "When has my judgment ever been wrong?"