Liu Bei’s entire army began to move along with the Xiliang Cavalry.
“Hmph!” Xu Shu snorted at Liu Bei’s confidence. Liu Bei’s Army had moved to take Shouchun.
The army marched forward with their generals, including Zhang Xiu, in front. A blackish faced man on a horse then went to the front.
“Yuanzhi, long time no see. I had truly been concerned about you.” This meant was the the Military Advisor of the Liu Bei’s Army, Pang Tong Pang Shiyuan.
“Haha, Shiyuan. You said you were at Nanyan but here you are, making a ruckus!” Xu Shu knew had seen Pang Tong in the Liu Bei’s Army when Shouchun was attacked. However, that was hundreds of meters away. They never had the chance to exchange words like this.
“If you, Xu Shu Xu Yuanzhi can leave the mountains, why can’t I? I believe you have met Milord Lord Xuan De. As for your Lord, forgive my words but you have made the wrong choice. Even Kongming refused to go to him. Yet, you still… Sigh.” Pang Tong shook his head and showed an expression of concern towards Xu Shu. Liu Mang had been looked upon highly by Zhuge Liang. This was why Xu Shu was also interested in him. Initially, Xu Shu also wanted to join Liu Bei but he went to Liu Mang first because of the recruitment order. However, in the end,Xu Shu swore fealty to Liu Mang was because of what happened at Hefei that day. The distinct punishment was what made Xu Shu wanted to join Liu Mang and it had nothing to do with Zhuge Liang.
Now, Pang Tong had ridiculed his choice and even said that Zhuge Liang do not think highly of Liu Mang. If Pang Tong had only ridiculed Xu Shu, Xu Shu would not have said anything. However, once Pang Tong ridiculed Liu Mang, Xu Shu was no longer polite.
“Haha. In that case, congratulations! Shiyuan’s Lord Xuande must be a great man! He is a leader that can stand tall or submits as required! When Marquis Wen captures his Xuzhou, he welcomes Marquis Wen with a smiling face! Lord Xuande was even able to exercise patience towards Cao Mengde. He is so good at it that even the Emperor could not clearly understand him! Lord Xuande is truly a formidable person!” Xu Shu praised and even bowed towards Liu Bei. However, those words were actually insults.
A leader that can stand tall or submits as required is a common phrase that is also a praise. However, these words could not only be looked at on its surface. When interpreted in a good way, it meant that the person had tolerance. If interpreted in a bad way, it meant that the person was a coward. What was the point of following a coward? A person with such tolerance can tolerate things others could not. They could also accomplish things others could not. However, Liu Bei started off with the high position of the Left General and Imperial Uncle. An accomplishment would mean becoming the Emperor. On top of that, Liu Bei was an ambitious person. In other words, he was saying that Liu Bei was a treacherous hypocrite conspiring to become Emperor.
“Yuanzhi. You still do not know how to appreciate kindness!” Pang Tong’s eyes turned cold. Since he had been studying with Xu Shu, they never quite got along with each other. Xu Shu was only a man from a humble family. Xu Shu would not have become a resourceful advisor if he had not studied but would simply remain as a simple swordsman.
A long time ago, Xu Shu had almost gotten himself executed for murder. He was good at martial arts but he needed knowledge if he was going to gain a lot of enemies. However, not many people would take him in as a student as he was from a humble family. Only Shui Jing took him in. Shui Jing had many studious subordinates. Besides Xu Shu, Shui Jing also taught Pang Tong, Zhuge Liang, Shi Tao, and many other children from Jingzhou. Xu Shu could not be compared to them in lineage and was ashamed. Xu Shu studied hard despite being looked down on others. He knew he had to study hard to preserve his dignity.
Pang Tong said Xu Shu did not know how to appreciate kindness because Pang Tong’s uncle, Pang Degong, looked favourably towards Xu Shu. Because of his uncle, Pang Tong decided to help out Xu Shu. However, Pang Tong did not know that this was a humiliation to Xu Shu. Xu Shu was a man. He did not need to be sheltered under someone’s wings.
Pang Tong had this misconception when Xu Shu rejected Pang Tong’s help to preserve his own dignity. They only got to know each other more because of Zhuge Liang but they only remained a little more than friends.
“Shiyuan. You are still so competitive!” Xu Shu who had always been humiliated could not always stay calm. Pang Tong’s days during his studies was also not smooth sailing. In Pang Tong’s case, he was looked down on because of his appearance. Everyone said not to judge a book by its cover but the truth is that the cover was extremely important. Pang Tong was jeered at for being fat and having dark skin. The smaller noble families would not dare to do so but the big families like the Cai, Kuai, and Huang families. In other words, both Xu Shu and Pang Tong were equally humiliated.
To not be looked down on by others, Pang Tong strived to be better than others and hide his inferiority. These two advisors have now pointed out each other’s weak points. They both looked at each other unyieldingly. Pang Tong then laughed.
“Pang Shiyuan. What are you laughing at?” Xu Shu shouted coldly. Xu Shu’s animosity showed that he was no longer talking about friendship but about confrontation.
“I am laughing because very soon, you are going to offer Shouchun to us and become my prisoner!”
“You must be dreaming!” Xu Shu interrupted him.
“You will find out whether I am dreaming! Men, bring that here!” Following Pang Tong’s cold words, a carriage was driven out to the front.
“Let me go!” A screaming female voice could be heard inside the carriage. Xu Shu’s face turned blue. He did not expect it to be true.1
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1. Strategist of the year, assuming the random screaming female voice of a person you could not see to be your leader’s wife despite not knowing what she looks or even sounds like.