Zhao Yun, who was training cavalry on the plains of Xuzhou, had no idea that he, the highest commander of the Xuzhou defense zone, was about to be transferred to Yanzhou. He continued to train his cavalry, having fully mastered all the tactics of the White Horse Volunteers. The only task left was to integrate his military talent into the White Horse Volunteers.
"Shoot!" Zhao Yun commanded as he led his cavalry in a rapid, crisscross maneuver. Shadows merged into one, and then, in a coordinated motion, all the cavalrymen nocked arrows and shot as their horses leaped.
"Thud, thud, thud!" The rain of arrows landed perfectly within the large circle Zhao Yun had drawn, and the White Horse Volunteers continued their unceasing barrage.
"Report, General! Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping request an audience," a scout announced as Zhao Yun prepared to activate his military talent for further training.
"Zhangming, take command of the troops. I need to attend to some matters. Lead them in regular exercises and practice your formations as well," Zhao Yun instructed Xue Shao.
"Yes, sir!" Xue Shao saluted.
Zhao Yun had great respect for Xue Shao, a former centurion of the White Horse Volunteers. Now, capable officers like Xue Shao who could train the White Horse Volunteers were scarce, and those who could add new dimensions to their training were even rarer.
Glancing at his cavalry from afar, Zhao Yun sighed. Although their combat abilities were no less than before, they no longer possessed the pure white majesty of the past. The pristine appearance that had once made them stand out was gone.
It wasn't easy to find good horses in the Central Plains, let alone uniform colors. Even powerful figures like Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao didn't bother with such extravagance. The only person obsessed with uniform colors was probably the eccentric Gongsun Zan.
Zhao Yun thought to himself. After the defeats at Longkou and Jieqiao, and losing most of Youzhou to Ju Yi, Gongsun Zan was left defending Yubeiping. His personality had grown more eccentric, and the heroic and bold spirit he once had was hard to find.
However, Zhao Yun was relieved that no matter how much Gongsun Zan had changed, his attitude toward the Hu people remained the same. He still loathed them, continued to fight them, and had not withdrawn the Youzhou cavalry and infantry that defended against the Xianbei and Wuhuan.
Back when Gongsun Zan contended with Yuan Shao for control of the north, his strength came from his military might. Beyond the White Horse Volunteers, he commanded a large force of border troops!
Gongsun Zan was a staunch nationalist, which is why, even when he had the chance to turn the tide, he refused to recall his border troops. In his heart, losing a battle or even dying was acceptable, but allowing Han territory to fall into the hands of the Hu was not. Though he wasn't loyal to the Han dynasty, he was loyal to the Chinese people—a pride he would never relinquish.
Because of this, unbeknownst to most, Gongsun Zan recalled Tian Yu, a man he didn't particularly like but respected for his ability and integrity, and gave him a mission: to defend the northern frontier for twenty years without getting involved in any wars in the Central Plains.
After Tian Yu accepted the mission, Gongsun Zan handed over all the military authority for the northern defense, including 13,000 Youzhou cavalry and over 30,000 border infantry. This transfer took place without anyone else knowing.
These cavalry and infantry were scattered across the region. In peacetime, they farmed the land, but whenever the northern Hu tribes invaded, they would take the initiative to strike back under Tian Yu's command. This was Gongsun Zan's second line of defense, after the now-destroyed White Horse Volunteers.
After taking command, Tian Yu swore to Gongsun Zan that he would defend the northern frontier for the next twenty years. With that, Gongsun Zan's last worry was put to rest, and he had nothing more to fear.
Gongsun Zan may have had strong likes and dislikes, but he knew who to place in the right positions. Although he didn't like Tian Yu, he knew that if anyone could defend Youzhou after his death, it would be Tian Yu. After all, Gongsun Zan wasn't completely ignorant of power dynamics—once Yuan Shao secured victory, he would need to appease the Youzhou nobility, and Tian Yu, who had both ability and Gongsun Zan's disfavor, would surely be chosen for such a role.
Gongsun Zan trusted his judgment, and indeed, in a previous life, Tian Yu proved to be exactly what Gongsun Zan had envisioned. Tian Yu guarded the northern frontier for decades, refraining from involvement in the internal strife of the Central Plains. During Yuan Shao's reign, during Cao Cao's reign, and even during Cao Pi's reign, Tian Yu fought the Hu tribes—Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Xiongnu—defending Youzhou and Bingzhou until his death. He rarely left the northern frontier.
Zhao Yun was unaware of these details, but he believed that Gongsun Zan would never forsake his pride.
"General Zhao." Just as Zhao Yun stepped out of the military camp, he saw Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping approaching, covered in dust from travel.
"It's been a long time, gentlemen," Zhao Yun greeted them with a salute. Regardless of their status, since they were serving Liu Bei, Zhao Yun treated them with respect.
"General Zhao, we've come from Shu Commandery, traveling by ship to Taishan and then overland, so we thought we'd stop by to see you. We also purchased some warhorses in Liangzhou and have brought them to you," Zhang Shiping said wearily. This business trip involved buying horses in Liangzhou, transporting them by water from Shu, and passing through Jingzhou and Yuzhou—quite the journey.
"Thank you both. How is the price of horses now?" Zhao Yun asked gratefully. With both Jizhou and Bingzhou restricting horse exports and Gongsun Zan unable to spare any horses for others, the supply lines depended on the connections of families like the Zhen and Mi families, as well as horse traders like Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang.
"The price of horses in Liangzhou has reached 60,000 coins, but fortunately, we've been trading with liquor, so it cost us about 20,000 coins in the end. The real challenge is transportation," Zhang Shiping said helplessly. Liangzhou had no shortage of horses, but getting hold of them was another matter. This trip had nearly gone awry—after all, Liangzhou wasn't familiar territory for Zhang Shiping. However, they succeeded, and with more trips, things should get easier.
"I also did some business with the Nanman and acquired some exotic treasures. Would you like to take a look, General Zhao?" Su Shuang said with a smile.
Before Zhao Yun could refuse, Su Shuang had his men bring forth a giant elephant and a lion, both of which left Zhao Yun astonished. Both animals possessed a strong internal energy and looked incredibly fierce—truly remarkable!
"Don't be surprised, General Zhao. There's one more creature, though it remains untamed. Please come and see for yourself!" Su Shuang said with a smug grin.