Volume 1, Chapter 20: Why Not Find a Peach Orchard and Swear an Oath of Brotherhood?

When Bai Chou and Zhao Yun left the Spring Full Tower, it was already the next morning.

The two did not return to the inn but headed toward the bustling marketplace.

Zhao Yun stretched lazily and protested, “Brother Chou, why don’t we rest at the inn first? What’s the point of going to the market so early?”

Bai Chou glanced at Zhao Yun’s weary face and laughed, “Zilong, judging by your looks, last night those girls must have worn you out.”

Zhao Yun clasped his hands behind his head, trying to perk up. “Brother Chou, you’ve got it wrong. After entering the room last night, we didn’t do those intimate things. Instead, we played dice and fought crickets all night.”

Bai Chou chuckled mischievously. “Zilong, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re a young man full of vigor; there’s no need to hide things between us.”

Zhao Yun replied firmly, “Brother Chou, I swear, we didn’t do anything! By the way, did you manage to scout out the layout of the backyard? Any plans?”

Bai Chou waved off the question. “It’s not convenient to talk about here. I’ll tell you once we’re back at the inn.”

Qi Prefecture, nestled by the Yellow River to the north and the Tai Mountain range to the south, was a key stopover for merchants and travelers journeying north and south. Over time, its economy flourished, becoming one of Tang Nation’s vital economic centers. The marketplace was packed with countless shops, alongside taverns, gambling dens, and pawnshops. Wealthy merchants with purses full of gold, self-important scholars, sword-wielding wanderers, and all manner of people flowed through the streets.

Bai Chou gazed at the bustling scene before him and sighed, “Just looking at this thriving market, you’d never guess there was any war.”

Zhao Yun nodded. “Qi Prefecture is the second largest city in Tang and a vital thoroughfare, so naturally it’s lively. But if you go to more remote counties, people are often reduced to eating tree bark and roots—or even worse, exchanging children in desperation. Take my family’s farmland, for example; it was unjustly seized by that foolish county magistrate and handed to the wealthy landowner He Yuanwai. My elder brother Zhao Lei was also persecuted to death by them.” His eyes reddened as emotions choked his voice.

Bai Chou looked at Zhao Yun but found no words of comfort.

“If I had any land to survive on, I wouldn’t have wanted to roam the world. I’m only searching for a way to live,” Zhao Yun continued.

Bai Chou patted his shoulder. “Zilong, a gentleman’s revenge may take ten years, but it’s never too late. When the day comes that we succeed, I’ll bring you the heads of that magistrate and He Yuanwai to drink with. How does that sound?”

Zhao Yun smiled softly, about to reply, when a nearby vendor suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

“Judging by your accent, mister, you’re not from Qi Prefecture,” the vendor said.

Bai Chou and Zhao Yun both turned to look.

The vendor wore a straw hat and a coarse linen robe. His broad face, large nose, and wide mouth were striking, but the most peculiar feature was his extraordinarily long ears, hanging down to his chin. Beside him were two baskets filled with woven straw sandals.

Zhao Yun didn’t reply but nodded slightly, preparing to leave. Then the vendor’s accent thickened as he said, “Mister, please don’t take offense. I just heard your accent and figured you might be from the Ji Prefecture area. I fled from Zhuo County to Qi Prefecture, hoping business would be better here. But it’s been two days and I haven’t sold a single pair of sandals. Please, as a fellow countryman, have some pity.”

With that, the vendor pulled several pairs of sandals from the basket and pressed them into Zhao Yun’s hands.

Only then did Bai Chou notice not only the vendor’s long ears but also his unusually long arms—ears hanging to his shoulders, hands reaching past his knees, selling straw sandals...

Good heavens! Could this man possibly be Liu Bei?

Bai Chou stopped Zhao Yun, who was about to pay, and asked, “What’s your name and where are you from? There’s no such thing as forced sales.”

“My ancestors were also royal relatives. My surname is Liu, given name Bei, from Zhuo County. Since you and I are both from Ji Prefecture, it’s only right we look out for each other. Besides, I’m not cheating you—the price won’t be high. Why stop me?” Liu Bei’s face darkened, annoyed that Bai Chou was blocking a sale that was about to close.

Then he looked earnestly at Zhao Yun. “Brother, meeting an old friend in a foreign land is fate. Why don’t we find a peach garden, swear an oath before heaven, and share wine as sworn brothers?”

Bai Chou cursed inwardly, “Big-eared thief!” Without a word, he grabbed Zhao Yun’s arm and hurried away, leaving a bewildered Liu Bei behind.

Only after turning back and seeing Liu Bei had no intention of following did Bai Chou slow his pace.

“Brother Chou, why were you so nervous just now? When we fought Dong Ping, I never saw you lose your composure like that,” Zhao Yun asked, puzzled.

Among the many historical figures of the Three Kingdoms, Bai Chou despised none more than Liu Bei—whose mouth was full of righteousness and morality, yet behind the facade was a hypocrite who rose to power through deceit and manipulation.

A true villain acts openly and honestly; though wicked, he does not hide it. A hypocrite pretends to be just and upright while hiding a dagger behind his smile.

Compared to the hypocritical Liu Bei, Bai Chou even admired the true villain Cao Cao more.

In his heart, Bai Chou thought: Why nervous? Of course, I’m afraid this big-eared thief will snatch you away! Everyone knows you’re his Five Tiger General, the savior of the realm at Mount Rang, the fearless warrior at Changban. You’ve given him your heart and soul. Now that I’ve finally built a good relationship with you, I can’t let him ambush us halfway.

Though he thought this, Bai Chou said aloud, “Zilong, people’s hearts are hard to read. Who knows if he’s a spy planted by the Black Tiger Gang in the market? Maybe he’s here just to gather intelligence against Wei Tianpeng.”

Zhao Yun laughed. “No way, Brother Chou. At worst, we buy a pair of sandals from him. How much harm can that do? Besides, isn’t Wei Tianpeng very arrogant? Does he really have such a boring spy in Qi Prefecture?”

Bai Chou put on a serious face and said nonsense with a straight face, “Look at those long ears and arms—clearly an ominous sign. He’s no good. Anyway, if you see him again, just keep your distance.”

Zhao Yun nodded helplessly, then glanced back at Liu Bei’s stall, muttering to himself, “You know, when he said he wanted to swear brotherhood, I actually felt a strange impulse inside.”

...

After buying what they needed at the market, the two returned to the inn.

Zhao Yun looked at the fishing lines on the table, puzzled. “Brother Chou, I understand why you bought night clothes, but why so many fishing lines?”

Bai Chou tugged hard on the fishing line, satisfied with its toughness and strength, then lowered his voice to explain, “Last night, I carefully examined the backyard. Apart from some thick trees, it’s almost exactly like the bird’s-eye map Xin Qiji drew.”

Zhao Yun recalled, “Those trees are indeed thick and can hide someone, but they’re spaced over ten zhang apart. Tomorrow, there’ll definitely be guards around the small building, plus experts like Li Kui and Lei Heng stationed there. With our skills, it’s impossible to sneak silently past the trees to the innermost building.”

Bai Chou nodded. “You’re right. Walking through is impossible. But have you thought about moving silently from the sky?”