Chapter 8

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"General Gong Sun is quite good to Lord Xuande," Chen Xi said with a smile, "It seems that General Gong Sun wants Lord Xuande to show himself in front of the various righteous heroes. After all, three hundred cavalry and two thousand infantry can be considered a small force."

"Alas, I am unworthy of such treatment!" Liu Bei sighed, feeling at a loss about how to respond to Gong Sun Zan's kindness.

"Once you become successful, just don't forget your old brothers," Chen Xi said with a teasing tone. Thinking about the future rescue of Xu Zhou, although Gong Sun Zan did not have high hopes, he still provided Liu Bei with five thousand infantry and cavalry out of classmate friendship, and even sent Zhao Yun to help. It was almost impossible for Gong Sun Zan to miss the chemistry between Zhao Yun and Liu Bei, but he still supported them so strongly, which clearly showed that Gong Sun Zan was absolutely loyal to those he recognized.

"If I ever become successful, I will never forget you," Liu Bei said solemnly to Chen Xi, and the slow-witted Chen Xi finally realized that Liu Bei's words were not just for Gong Sun Zan.

"Ha ha ha, you will become successful soon, very soon," Chen Xi said, turning his head slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable. He still wanted to meet Cao Cao, Sun Jian, Yuan Shao, and others, so he couldn't give an answer so quickly.

Seeing Chen Xi turn his head awkwardly, Liu Bei felt a bit disappointed, but he quickly recovered. As long as Chen Xi was still around, there would be plenty of opportunities to make him an ally.

The next day, the alliance officially began. Liu Bei, as a small force, had the right to appear behind Gong Sun Zan at the alliance venue, and naturally, Chen Xi took the opportunity to join in.

Let's talk about the eighteen warlords and their names:

1. The first warlord, known for his extensive social connections and heroic friendships, is General Yuan Shu, Governor of Nanyang, styled Gong Lu.

2. The second warlord, well-versed in the classics and widely read, is Inspector of Ji Province, Han Fu, styled Wen Jie.

3. The third warlord, known for his eloquent and profound discussions, is Inspector of Yu Province, Kong Zhou, styled Gong Xu.

4. The fourth warlord, known for his filial piety, kindness, and humility towards scholars, is Inspector of Yan Province, Liu Dai, styled Gong Shan.

5. The fifth warlord, known for his generosity and lavish spending, is Governor of Henei, Wang Kuang, styled Gong Jie.

6. The sixth warlord, known for his relief of the poor and lofty ambitions, is Governor of Chenliu, Zhang Miao, styled Meng Zhuo.

7. The seventh warlord, known for his benevolence and intelligence, is Governor of Dong Commandery, Qiao Mao, styled Yuan Wei.

8. The eighth warlord, known for his loyalty, integrity, and literary talent, is Governor of Shanyang, Yuan Yi, styled Bo Ye.

9. The ninth warlord, known for his wisdom, martial prowess, and literary skills, is Governor of Jibei, Bao Xin, styled Yun Cheng.

10. The tenth warlord, known for his noble lineage and hospitality, is Governor of Beihai, Kong Rong, styled Wen Ju.

11. The eleventh warlord, known for his martial prowess and imposing presence, is Governor of Guangling, Zhang Chao, styled Meng Gao.

12. The twelfth warlord, known for his benevolence, virtue, and gentle demeanor, is Governor of Xu Province, Tao Qian, styled Gong Zu.

13. The thirteenth warlord, known for his reputation among the Qiang and Hu tribes, is Governor of Xiliang, Ma Teng, styled Shou Cheng.

14. The fourteenth warlord, known for his powerful voice and heroic appearance, is Governor of You Province, Gong Sun Zan, styled Bo Gui.

15. The fifteenth warlord, known for his adaptability and bravery, is Governor of Shangdang, Zhang Yang, styled Zhi Sheng.

16. The sixteenth warlord, known for his heroic and unparalleled courage, is Marquis of Wucheng and Governor of Changsha, Sun Jian, styled Wen Tai.

17. The seventeenth warlord, known for his noble lineage and many former officials, is Marquis of Qixiang and Governor of Bohai, Yuan Shao, styled Ben Chu.

18. The eighteenth warlord, along with Cao Cao's own forces, makes up the eighteen warlords.

Each warlord had forces ranging from thirty thousand to ten thousand, and of course, there were also those like Cao Cao and Liu Bei, who only had two to three thousand troops. However, Cao Cao, as the initiator, definitely had a seat, while Liu Bei could only rely on his luck.

Fortunately, during a casual chat between Cao Cao and Liu Bei, Chen Xi casually revealed Liu Bei's identity as a member of the Han royal family. This was a significant piece of information, as the other members of the Han royal family were all in their own territories, while Liu Bei had come with over two thousand men. Regardless of the size of his force, it was still an important identity. After a brief discussion, Liu Bei was included in the alliance.

Liu Bei, who had already mingled with the warlords before the leader arrived, was in a much better position than waiting for the leader to grant him a seat. Now, Liu Bei could confidently find a place to sit, as a small warlord among the eighteen, and he had a bit of influence.

Liu Bei, still unsure of what was happening, was pulled by Chen Xi to sit next to Tao Qian and Kong Rong, who were also very interested in Liu Bei as a member of the Han royal family. The three of them quickly fell into a friendly conversation.

Chen Xi, along with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, sat behind Liu Bei. This time, it was different from the historical account, as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei also had seats, as they were part of a legitimate warlord force under the name of the royal family. No matter how small the warlord, as long as they were recognized, they were treated as equals.

With this protection, when Hua Xiong came to cause trouble, and Guan Yu offered to kill him, Yuan Shu would not dare to oppose him, as offending Guan Yu would not just offend Liu Bei but all the warlords present. Even if Yuan Shu were foolish, he wouldn't do that.

"Second Brother, sit here. Remember, you are now a general under Lord Xuande, not just a horse archer," Chen Xi began to instruct Guan Yu. After all, Liu Bei had only these two capable generals, and they had already mingled with the warlords. As long as they didn't reveal their true identities, no one would know. After all, when distributing supplies, Liu Bei would be treated as a warlord, and a warlord must have the presence of a warlord. The number of people didn't matter as long as they were strong enough, and no one would doubt it!

"Hmm?" Guan Yu was taken aback, stroking his long beard and slightly opening his eyes to look at Chen Xi. "Zi Chuan, speak frankly. I am not clear on the current situation. Why are we suddenly sitting here?"

"Because we are a loyalist force, and General Gong Sun gave us an opportunity. We took it and became a loyalist warlord. With Lord Xuande's status as a member of the Han royal family, as long as we show our value, everyone will recognize our status," Chen Xi said with a smile, surprised by how easy it was to talk to the seemingly proud Guan Yu.

What Chen Xi didn't know was that Guan Yu's cold and proud demeanor was more due to his lack of social skills and his imposing appearance, which made everyone feel a cold and proud aura. However, once familiar, and with the ability to communicate without offending others, Guan Yu was quite approachable.

"Is it really like that?" Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were taken aback.

"Yes, it is. I feel a bit excessive myself," Chen Xi said with a smile, but there was a hint of mischief in his eyes. "It will all depend on the two of you. If you get the chance, you must impress everyone. Your strength and Lord Xuande's status are mutually reinforcing. Your performance will affect Lord Xuande's future position."

"Position?" Guan Yu asked in a low voice.

"Yes, the amount of effort and the amount of exposure in this battle will determine how Dong Zhuo judges the strength of the loyalist forces. After Dong Zhuo's defeat, he will use the emperor to divide the warlords in the east. If Lord Xuande catches Dong Zhuo's eye, he will be a target for division, which means he will have a position and territory. This is the foundation for all future development. If you don't want to be dependent on others for decades without achieving your ambitions, you should do your best this time," Chen Xi said very seriously to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

This was something he had learned from the past. The alliance against Dong Zhuo was the opportunity for the rise of the eighteen warlords. Whether it was Cao Cao, Sun Jian, or Yuan Shao, they all gained what they wanted after this battle.

If Liu Bei could catch Dong Zhuo's eye in this battle and be used as a tool to divide the warlords in the east, the gap between Liu Bei and the other warlords would be instantly reduced to almost nothing. With the added status of being a member of the Han royal family, the comparison between them would be uncertain.