usatvline Chapter 83 Lu Bu's Hou Cheng
Chapter 83 Lu Bu's Hou Cheng
The next day, the wedding procession set off back to Zhuoxian County.
The dowry from Lady Hou was extremely generous, with a hundred maids and servants to take care of the newlyweds.
The Hou clan members and their retainers numbered two hundred, all skilled in archery and horsemanship, and were loyal and brave men, who served as their private guards.
Gold, silver, valuables, silks, satins, grain, and utensils filled ten carts, enough to fill the treasury.
Liu Bei paid no attention to these riches, but unexpectedly discovered a surprise in the dowry procession.
A robust young man named Hou Cheng!
The man was eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and a thick back.
He was clearly a skilled border soldier who had practiced martial arts for many years. He carried a ring-pommel sword at his waist and a hard bow on his back. He was an excellent horseman and controlled his horse with unwavering stability.
Upon learning the man's name, Liu Bei immediately summoned the steward of the Marquis's residence and inquired about his background.
The steward bowed and replied, "Sir, this man is named Hou Cheng. He is from Jiuyuan in Bingzhou and is a relative of my master. He served in the army in the border region in his early years. He is exceptionally brave and skilled in archery and horsemanship."
"For this dowry, the Prefect specially sent a message to the various Marquis clans, instructing them to select strong men from their clans to protect the young master and lady."
Liu Bei said gratefully, "You are so kind, Father-in-law!"
Liu Bei knew that the Hou clan was using him to cultivate outstanding talents within their clan.
But isn't this also an investment in and support for him?
Like his fellow Liu clansmen, these Hou clansmen will also be his most reliable confidants in the future.
What startled him even more was the name and the place of his birth.
Memories of my past life surged up.
Hou Cheng!
One of Lü Bu's eight generals, a fierce general of Bingzhou army, skilled in archery and horsemanship, brave and good at fighting, and made many meritorious contributions under Lü Bu!
He was already disappointed, as he had little interaction with Lü Bu before and had no hope of recruiting him.
Unexpectedly, I met Hou Cheng, one of Lü Bu's future eight generals, at the Marquis of Shanggu's residence!
This is an absolutely amazing surprise!
It's hard to subdue a tiger, so intercepting one of his generals is a good idea.
Liu Bei immediately ordered Han Dang to test Hou Cheng's martial arts skills.
Han Dang was the fiercest general in Liaoxi. Upon hearing this, he immediately accepted the order, found Hou Cheng, and proposed to spar.
Hou Cheng showed no fear and drew his sword to meet the challenge.
First, they fought on foot, the two exchanging blows in an open space by the roadside, with a crowd of guards and wandering knights watching.
Han Dang's ring-pommel saber was powerful and heavy, and every move was ruthless, all of them deadly moves for fighting on the battlefield.
Hou Cheng's swordsmanship was steady and solid, carrying the fierce style of the Bingzhou army, combining defense with offense, and advancing and retreating with proper measure.
The two exchanged blows, the clanging of metal against metal ringing out incessantly. They fought for more than twenty rounds before Hou Chengcai gradually grew weaker, yet he still maintained an impenetrable defense, leaving no opening whatsoever.
Han Dang secretly admired him and then proposed a mounted combat contest.
The two mounted their horses and clashed in the open field.
Hou Cheng's horsemanship truly showcased the spirit of the Bingzhou warriors; he controlled his horse with incredible agility, turning and twisting with incredible skill, his long sword flashing in his hand.
He fought back and forth with Han Dang for a full thirty rounds before Han Dang forced him back with a single blow, knocking him off his horse and forcing him to admit defeat.
In the final archery contest, Hou Cheng drew his two-stone bow and fired three arrows from a hundred paces away, all hitting the bullseye perfectly. His archery skills were superb, and even Han Dang nodded in praise.
After the test, Liu Bei was overjoyed.
Hou Cheng's martial arts, archery, and courage are all top-notch. Although he is not as good as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, or even as good as Cheng Pu and Han Dang, he is definitely a rare and outstanding general.
He immediately summoned Hou Cheng in person, gently reassured him, and was even more satisfied with Hou Cheng's calm and reliable character.
He was immediately appointed as the Marquis of the Imperial Cavalry, commanding two hundred members of the Marquis family, and placed under his personal guard.
Hou Cheng was originally a servant who accompanied Liu Bei in his dowry, but he never expected that Liu Bei would appreciate him so much and directly entrust him with an important position in the personal guard.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, he immediately knelt on one knee and solemnly swore: "This humble general, Hou Cheng, vows to serve my lord to the death, even unto death!"
Liu Bei personally helped him up and gave him a good talking-to, thinking to himself: If we can't recruit Lü Bu, it's not bad to be able to intercept one of the Eight Warriors.
Given time, Hou Cheng will surely become one of my most formidable generals.
The wedding procession set off from Juyang and returned to Zhuojun.
As Liu Bei traveled south, he secretly hoped that he could encounter a fierce general who would plunder him along the way, just like in the novels, and then subdue him, preferably a peerless tiger general like Xu Huang or Dian Wei.
But reality is not as legendary as in the stories. Five hundred elite cavalrymen escorted the emperor, with two fierce generals, Han Dang and Hou Cheng, in charge.
The bandits along the way, upon seeing the procession from afar, would flee at the mere sight of it, none daring to stroke the tiger's beard.
Only wandering knights and heroes from all corners of the land continued to flock to him, drawn by his reputation.
Scholars from humble backgrounds who had been persecuted by eunuchs and martial arts masters whose land had been seized by powerful figures all came to seek refuge with Liu Bei because they admired his benevolence and reputation.
When the team arrived in Zhuoxian, the initial five hundred people had expanded to eight hundred, and their momentum had grown stronger.
On the day of the wedding, the Liu family ancestral home in Zhuoxian County was filled with unprecedented grandeur.
During the Han Dynasty, weddings were held at dusk, which was considered auspicious, hence the name "dusk ceremony".
The wedding procession deliberately controlled its speed, arriving at the ancestral land at dusk. Drums and music resounded, and firecrackers crackled, immersing the entire Zhuoxian County in celebration.
Liu Bei, dressed in a black cap and Hou Yuan, in a black and crimson wedding gown, under the guidance of the master of ceremonies, completed the entire wedding ceremony, including washing hands, sitting opposite each other, sharing food, drinking from the same cup, bowing to the ancestors, and paying respects at the temple.
During the wedding ceremony, the hall was filled with distinguished guests. The Prefect of Zhuojun sent his chief clerk to offer congratulations, and Qiao Xuan, the Governor of Youzhou, sent generous gifts from Jicheng.
Even Gao Yan, the governor of Shanggu, sent someone to offer his congratulations.
Below the hall, people from the surrounding villages and towns were packed so tightly that it was impossible to move.
When Liu Bei was fighting the epidemic, he saved countless lives.
Now that he is getting married, the people spontaneously come to congratulate him, carrying their own grain, eggs, and cloth, crowding the streets and alleys of the Liu family's ancestral land, creating a lively and joyous atmosphere.
The entire Liu clan territory, inside and out, was almost overflowing with guests.
At the wedding banquet, guests toasted each other, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.
As Liu Bei went from table to table offering toasts, a burly man with a full beard caught his attention when he reached a table of local gentry.
Liu Bei recognized him as Zhang the butcher, a well-known figure in Zhuo County. He was wealthy, generous, and highly respected in the village.
Most importantly, he has a son.
Liu Bei smiled, picked up his wine bowl, drank with him, and chatted gently for a few moments.
After a few rounds of drinks, Butcher Zhang became more talkative, patting his chest and laughing, "Sir, to be honest, my son has admired you for a long time."
They talk about you all the time, clamoring to come and pay their respects, wanting to follow you into battle and achieve great deeds!
"I was afraid he would be unruly and disturb your wedding celebration, so I didn't dare bring him."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's heart trembled, and an indescribable mix of warmth and bitterness welled up within him.
Zhang Fei, also known as Zhang Yide, is the son of Zhang the butcher!