The one thing that never changes is change itself, and this saying holds true when it comes to kingdoms. Small kingdoms can unite into a big one; a big kingdom can also divide into small ones.
In the late Han Dynasty, the imbecile Emperor trusted eunuchs to counsel him. Ten of them actually ganged up and called themselves the Ten Regular Attendants. The country was getting more corrupt by the day.
In AD 184, Zhang Jiao formed a rebel army which soon became half a million strong. The official troops fled at the mere sight of his army. The Emperor called upon everyone to fight against the rebels.
When Zhang Jiao led his army into Youzhou, the northeastern region of the empire, the governor of Youzhou, Liu Yan, decided to enlist more troops to fight the rebels.
One of the notices calling for volunteers caught the attention of Liu Bei, who was 28 years old and six feet tall with ears so long that they touched his shoulders, and arms long enough to reach his knees. He wasn’t into studying, and although he was a man of few words, he liked to associate with men of mark. He was a man of filial piety and made a living by selling straw shoes.
He looked at the notice and sighed.
“Sighing won’t defeat the rebels,” a rasping voice called out abruptly. Liu Bei turned and saw a man about his own height. He had large eyes, bristling whiskers, and was strong like a bear. At once Liu Bei saw he was no ordinary man and asked his name.
“My name is Zhang Fei. Why’re you sighing?” the strong man said.
“I’m Liu Bei. I’m distantly related to the Imperial Family. I heard about the rebels, Yellow Turban Army, and I wish I could destroy them, but I don’t have money to raise an army.”
“I’ll help you in the cause. You see, I want to destroy them as well.”
Liu Bei was unable to contain his joy. They betook themselves into an inn and talked more over drinks.
As they were drinking, a huge man walked in. “Get me some wine,” he shouted, “and be quick about it. I’m in a hurry.”
Liu Bei looked over the newcomer. He was about seven feet tall with an attractive red face, 10-inch-long beard, and beautiful eyebrows. Liu Bei invited him to sit with them and asked who he was.
“I’m Guan Yu. I killed a filthy rich bully and became a fugitive. I came to join the army.”
Liu Bei told him about their plan, and Guan Yu gladly joined them. Then the three of them went to Zhang Fei’s place.
“I have a peach orchard out back,” said Zhang Fei. “The trees are in full blossom right now. I say we swear brotherhood there.” Both Liu Bei and Guan Yu liked this idea.
The next day, they offered sacrifices—a dark bull and a white horse—to the gods, and kneeled before incense burning on the altar.
“We three, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei swear brotherhood today,” they said together. “We swear to fight the rebels and bring peace to the masses. Though not born on the same day of the same month in the same year, we hope to die so! If we go back on our oath, let the lightning strike us dead!”
Then Guan Yu and Zhang Fei bowed before their elder brother, Liu Bei. Zhang Fei was the youngest among the three.
They recruited five hundred men, bought horses, and had blacksmiths forge weapons. Liu Bei’s weapon was a pair of swords, Guan Yu’s weapon was called Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which weighed one hundred and twenty pounds, and Zhang Fei’s weapon was called Serpent Spear as its head was shaped like a serpent. Each had a helmet and full armor.
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The three brothers marched their newly-recruited troops to Liu Yan. The governor received them with warm welcome.
A few days later, Cheng Yuanzhi came to attack the city with a Yellow Turban army, which was fifty thousand strong. Liu Yan sent Liu Bei to fight them with his five hundred. Liu Bei gladly undertook the mission and marched to the foot of the Daxing mountains where they saw the Yellow Turbaners, who wore yellow headscarves with hair falling over their shoulders.
Standing between his two brothers, Liu Bei shouted, “Lay down your arms and I’ll let you live!”
Cheng Yuanzhi got furious and sent out his champion, Deng Mao, to challenge the official army. Zhang Fei rode forward at once with his Serpent Spear. One thrust, and Deng Mao rolled off his horse, pierced through the heart. Cheng Yuanzhi whipped up his horse, raised his sword, and charged at Zhang Fei. But Guan Yu flew at him. In his shock, Cheng Yuanzhi failed to parry the blow and got sliced in half by the Green Dragon Crescent Blade.
With their leader killed, the Yellow Turbans were thrown into disarray and retreated. Liu Bei pursued and captured many rebels. Liu Yan rewarded the victorious army personally.
“I have word that Lu Zhi is fighting Zhang Jiao in Guangzong,” Liu Bei said to Liu Yan. “He was once my teacher, so I want to go help him.” Liu Yan assented.
Then the three brothers started for Guangzong with their five hundred men. Lu Zhi received them with great joy as soon as they reached his camp.
Zhang Jiao's one hundred and fifty thousand troops and Lu Zhi's fifty thousand troops were facing each other. Neither had had any success.
“Zhang Jiao’s two brothers, Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao, are fighting Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun at Yingchuan,” Lu Zhi said to Liu Bei. “You have five hundred men, and I’ll give you a thousand more. You go there and find out the status of their battle.”
Liu Bei did as he said and marched day and night to Yingchuan.
By then, Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao had been forced to retreat. They encamped by the thick grass.
“It’s our chance,” Huangfu Song told Zhu Jun. “We can attack them by fire.”
“Good call,” Zhu Jun agreed.
At night, a strong wind arose. Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun snuck their troops to the rebels’ camps and set the grass on fire. The wind grew the fire, making it spread like crazy. And in an instant, the camps had been engulfed by flames.
The official army attacked the panicked rebels—which didn’t even have time to put armor on—with ease.
The battle continued till dawn, but Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao managed to escape with some of their men.
Suddenly, a troop of soldiers appeared and stopped them on their escape route. Their leader was about six feet tall with narrow eyes and a long beard. His name was Cao Cao. He had been given command to help fight at Yingchuan.
Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao managed to escape again, but at the cost of thousands of their men and horses.
When Liu Bei arrived at Yingchuan, the fight was almost over. “Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao have been defeated. They will surely make for Guangzong. You need to go back,” Huangfu Song told Liu Bei.
The three brothers thus retraced their steps. Half way along the road they met a party of soldiers escorting a prisoner chained up in a wagon. When they drew closer, they saw the prisoner was none other than Lu Zhi, the man they were going to help. Liu Bei hastily dismounted and asked what had happened.
“The emperor sent Zuo Feng to ask me about the status of the battle,” Lu Zhi said, “and the eunuch wanted a bribe. But I barely had enough provisions for the troops. He went back and told the emperor that I was hiding behind high walls and had shaken the soldiers’ morale. The emperor raged and replaced me with Dong Zhuo. Now they are taking me to the capital to answer my charge.”
Zhang Fei was so angry that he wanted to kill the escorts and save Lu Zhi. But Liu Bei stopped him in time.
Liu Bei marched the troops towards his hometown since there was nowhere else for them to go right now.
Two days later, when they were marching, they heard the thunder of battle behind some hills. Hastening to the top, the three brothers saw hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turbaners driving the official troops back. On the rebels' banners were the words Zhang Jiao.
“Prepare for battle!” Liu Bei shouted at his men. Then the three brothers galloped towards the rebels.
When they charged into the Yellow Turbaners, Zhang Jiao was in hot pursuit. The rebels got caught by surprise, thrown into confusion, and driven back fifteen miles.
The three brothers saved Dong Zhuo and went with him to his camp.
“What offices do you hold in the government?” Dong Zhuo asked.
“We are not holding any,” replied Liu Bei.
Dong Zhuo sneered and didn’t show them any respect.
“We saved his sorry ass in a bloody fight and he didn’t even acknowledge that!” Zhang Fei said angrily after they walked out. “I’m going to kill that ungrateful piece of shit!” He stomped towards Dong Zhuo’s tent, holding firmly a sharp sword.