Three days later, on the road from Zhen Ding to Zhuo Jun, a large army was traveling in a winding path.

The group numbered approximately ten thousand, a vast and imposing force, exuding an aura of solemnity and impending doom.

Zhang Yan led 1,000 cavalry and 2,000 infantry as the vanguard, while Du Chang led 2,000 men as the rearguard.

Liu Wei equipped the entire Taiyue Army Corps with blue-quality equipment.

At the same time, because about 40,000 soldiers and civilians from Heishan were recruited, Liu Wei's system also added 40,000 people to its population count.

Although these 40,000 people are just a drop in the ocean compared to the current system population of over 25 million.

But even a fly is still meat, and Liu Wei accepted it all.

The equipment and provisions for 7,000 people naturally cost over a million gold coins. The increase in population of 40,000 is like the rebate you get when you buy something expensive online!

In the center are Liu Wei and his guards: Murong Ping, the Seventeen Riders of Yanyun, Wang Fangyi's Guard Battalion, Zhao Yun's Righteous Cavalry, and five hundred Guan Ning Iron Cavalry.

When passing through Zhao Family Village, Liu Wei specially allowed Zhao Yun and his thirty followers to visit their relatives.

Zhao Yun and his men were extremely grateful. After expressing their thanks, they returned to the manor in full military attire.

They each returned home to visit their relatives, their time together brief but their affection lasting.

Fan Juan, who had already moved into Zhao Yun's house, was overjoyed to learn that Zhao Yun had become a captain and was highly regarded by Liu Wei, leading five hundred cavalrymen.

"Juan'er, I'm going to Youzhou to follow my lord in fighting the enemy, quelling the rebellion, and making a name for myself!"

"After the war is over, I will beg my lord to let me return and marry you."

As they parted, Zhao Yun held Fan Juan's hand and spoke earnestly.

"I will definitely wait for you!" Fan Juan said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Second brother, you'd better hurry up and go, don't delay the military situation!"

Zhao Yun's brother came out to see them off, saying, "Don't worry! Your sister-in-law and mother already consider Fan Juan their daughter-in-law, and they're just waiting for you to come back so they can get married!"

With tears in his eyes, Zhao Yun bid farewell and, along with Zhao Xin, Zhao Kai, and thirty other loyal followers, quickly caught up with Liu Wei's main force.

To prevent anyone from tipping off Yuan Shao, Liu Wei and his party headed north from Zhen Ding, along the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains, bypassing the Zhongshan Kingdom, and directly entered Zhuojun.

Naturally, they did not pass through Wuji Zhenjiazhuang.

It's estimated that we won't have a chance to see the five beauties of the Zhen family again until after the Youzhou affair is over.

As for Zhen Mi, whose heart had already been stirred by his actions, she could only keep her feelings to herself.

While Liu Wei was marching, more than 30,000 civilians who had been eliminated after the reorganization of the Black Mountain Army were escorted by Zhang Baiqi and 2,000 men.

After all, Youzhou was still under the control of the rebels. If the 30,000 people wanted to find a place to live and work in peace, they would probably have to wait until Liu Wei pacified Zhang Chun and drove out the Wuhuan and Xianbei.

However, with their families in tow, these 30,000 men were not marching very fast; it was not impossible for them to be a month slower than Liu Wei's group.

In addition, the day after Liu Wei set off, Gao Lan sent another letter to Ye City, saying that the Black Mountain Army was becoming more rampant and that Yuan Shao needed to provide reinforcements.

Later, Yuan Shao sent an envoy ostensibly to offer condolences, but in reality to investigate the veracity of the news.

Gao Lan immediately took him to the places where other leaders of the Black Mountain Army were entrenched to suppress bandits several times. After that, the envoy believed him and returned to report to Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao was reassured by Gao Lan's actions and ordered him to continue attacking the Black Mountain Army in Zhengding, but he did not send troops to support him or allocate any supplies.

Liu Wei had anticipated these events, and now that they had come to pass, Gao Lan was even more impressed.

Subsequently, troops were organized to manage Zhengding for Liu Wei in accordance with Liu Wei's strategy of "attacking the Black Mountain Army in the west, confusing Yuan Shao in the south, ostensibly to suppress bandits, but secretly to nurture them," thus laying the groundwork for Liu Wei's future attack on Bingzhou.

The leaders of the ten Black Mountain armies, along with Zhang Yan, were recruited and incorporated into Liu Wei's army, becoming officers and generals under his command.

This left the other leaders of the Black Mountain Army without their leader.

However, Gao Lan came to wipe them out again.

Some fled to Bingzhou to become refugees, while others could only resist.

To everyone's surprise, Gao Lan did not exterminate them. Instead, when they were short of food, he left or abandoned several hundred kilograms of food in the ravines and dense forests near their stronghold, allowing these Black Mountain soldiers to survive.

However, the majority still went to Bingzhou.

Because at some point, rumors suddenly spread among them that food was being provided in Bingzhou, and that Dong Zhuo, the governor of Bingzhou, was very welcoming to these people.

In short, everything was proceeding according to the plan that Liu Wei had previously devised with Tian Kai and Gao Lan.

......

"My lord, Governor Liu, having learned of your army's arrival, has sent the three of us ten miles away to greet you. He himself is waiting outside Fanyang City with a group of officials from Youzhou for you to enter the city!"

When Liu Wei's army entered the territory of Zhuojun, Liu Bei, accompanied by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, came from afar.

After Liu Bei led five hundred followers to Liu Yu's place, he was assigned to garrison Fangcheng, which is near Fanyang.

When Liu Yu received the news that Liu Wei's army was about to arrive, he transferred Liu Bei's troops back to Fanyang and sent Liu Bei to welcome Liu Wei!

After all, Liu Bei was Liu Wei's man. Now that Liu Wei has arrived, he should be made to follow Liu Wei's orders and arrangements.

"Xuande, you've worked hard!"

Immediately afterwards, Liu Wei introduced Liu Bei and his two companions to the newly acquired Tian Kai, Zhao Yun, Zhang Yan, and others.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei exchanged polite greetings with Tian Kai and Zhang Yan, but when they saw Zhao Yun, they both glanced at each other simultaneously.

As two people with exceptionally high martial prowess, they could naturally sense that Zhao Yun's martial skill was extraordinary, probably even surpassing theirs.

Such a young person is so unfathomable.

This made the two of them feel a sense of threat.

When Liu Bei met Zhao Yun, his restless little hands betrayed his affection for Zhao Yun.

Upon their first meeting, Liu Bei immediately went up to Zhao Yun and took his hand.

This immediately put Zhao Yun on alert, and he stared fiercely at Liu Bei.

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