Huaxiong threw a handful of money and swaggered through the gates of Chang'an. His current appearance was so changed that no one could recognize him unless they were old acquaintances. After hearing that Emperor Xian was to abdicate in favor of Dong Zhuo, Huaxiong understood that the time had come. He also realized that the abdication period would be the death knell for his former lord, Dong Zhuo.
Since arriving in Yongzhou last November, Huaxiong had spent four months consolidating the bandits of Yongzhou and placing his trusted guards among them. They might not yet be able to form a proper military formation, but they could at least put on an intimidating display. As for actual combat strength, he still relied on his 4,000 well-trained troops.
Interestingly, Huaxiong now commanded not only a cavalry unit but also an elite infantry unit trained in the mountainous regions of Taishan, bringing his total force to 7,000 men. In comparison, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei each led a mixed troop of 4,000, and although Zhao Yun commanded over 10,000 men, only 1,500 elite cavalry and 2,500 mixed infantry were truly battle-ready. The rest were just over a thousand basic infantry.
This situation left Huaxiong puzzled. His force, though labeled as a mixed unit, could actually split into two distinct units. Additionally, his deputy Zang Ba had another 1,000 men under his command, forming two solid mixed units.
Huaxiong initially thought the troops trained in Taishan would turn into farming soldiers after the battle, but Liu Bei assigned an entire reconstituted infantry unit to him instead. This filled Huaxiong with confusion, especially when Liu Bei supplemented the unit's ranks. The new recruits, under the guidance of veterans, became steadfast and fiercely loyal to Huaxiong.
Though confused, Huaxiong felt grateful for Liu Bei's trust. His straightforward nature meant he didn't dwell on things he couldn't understand. He simply followed orders.
Grateful for Liu Bei's trust, Huaxiong intensified the training of his men. Passing through Bingzhou camps, he often envied the fearsome dead-eyed soldiers of the Trap Formation led by Gao Shun. Even Lu Bu, riding his Red Hare, was once routed by these 700 soldiers, reportedly only because Gao Shun showed mercy.
Huaxiong aspired to such levels of excellence, so he secretly asked Gao Shun for advice. Gao Shun had replied, "Absolute obedience is the key to elite troops." Initially, Huaxiong thought it was a joke, but after rigorous training, he realized it was a formidable task. However, he believed his current troops might achieve it.
Realizing the significance of military formations, Huaxiong started studying military strategies like the Xuanxiang Formation. He had mastered the basic level and aimed to advance to the upgraded Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation and the ultimate Eight Trigrams Formation.
Currently, Huaxiong's mastery of the Arrowhead Formation allowed him to distribute his unit's energy to the soldiers on the formation's edges, albeit inconsistently. But this only worked with his infantry. When commanding cavalry, Huaxiong laughed off the idea of sharing energy during a charge, knowing it was beyond his current capability. Properly distributing energy during an attack would enable his cavalry to pierce through enemy lines effortlessly.
Despite his success, the more Huaxiong learned, the more he feared Gao Shun. Huaxiong could barely redistribute energy among his troops, while Gao Shun could likely do so with precision, adjusting for attack and defense dynamically. This understanding made Huaxiong realize why the Trap Formation suffered few casualties in battles.
Though Huaxiong doubted he could defeat Gao Shun's Trap Formation, he believed his 4,000 loyal infantry would fight to the death, potentially decimating Gao Shun's unit, albeit at great cost.
Having scouted out the necessary locations, Huaxiong waited for the right moment. The kidnapping would occur the night before Emperor Xian's abdication, as Chen Xi had instructed.
For safety, Huaxiong decided to handle the operation personally. However, he noticed that his infantry became undisciplined without him, transforming back into elite soldiers upon his return.
Sitting in the corner of a tavern near Jia Xu's residence, with windows open on both sides, Huaxiong watched the comings and goings. No one would suspect this single-clad man from the West of closely monitoring Jia Xu's and Li Ru's households.
"Hmm..." Huaxiong observed Jia Xu's garden being filled with dirt. It soon became clear to him what was happening.
[Jia Xu, always looking out for himself, fleeing without informing Li Jue and others despite having the power to prevent this mess. Dong Zhuo treated him well, yet Jia Xu did nothing to repay that favor, choosing instead to run away at the crucial moment.]
Anger flickered within Huaxiong, but he quickly calmed down. He was no longer the same man from Xi Liang. However, his disdain remained evident. Failing to repay one's lord despite receiving favor marked one as a traitor, no matter how talented.
[Forget it. Let's rescue the strategist first. As for Jia Xu, count yourself lucky. Chen Xi ordered us to bring you back alive.] Huaxiong ordered some pork legs and other food, keeping a watchful eye on Jia Xu's and Li Ru's residences.
On the borders of Yongzhou, the market for Xi Liang's horses already had 4,000 horses, including many wild ones yet to be tamed. The horses, fed by the Yongzhou bandits, waited as the bandits claimed they were still gathering funds. Even with some spare cash, bandits couldn't afford so many horses.