“Your highness is overpraising us!” Liu Mang was the successor of Lu Bu, the young master of the Lu Bu army. Thus, being praised by Liu Mang had caused Cheng Yu to be very happy. Without mentioning anything else, just by Liu Mang’s title of the Prince of Shu had caused all these soldiers to greatly revere him.
Liu Mang took a deep breath. What stood before him was a thousand pairs of eyes and also a thousand lives. Liu Mang had thought that because he had experienced a couple large battles, his heart would’ve grew cold. However, upon seeing those simple and honest eyes, he had once again grew softhearted.
The soldiers that Chen Deng have brought with him were likely former peasants, farmers, and other common people. They did not seek much, all they sought was an acknowledged place in the warring era, a place where they would not starve, a place where they could live.
The incompetence of a general would cause the death of the whole army! These thousand soldiers have now all become his subordinates, he is now responsible for all their futures, all their lives.
After taking the another slow and deep breath, Liu Mang said. “Soldiers, perhaps you know me, perhaps you don’t, however I must tell you all today: I, Liu Mang, from today henceforth, am your general! I will be bringing you all to the battlefield! Perhaps the smiles that you saw today will be forever gone! Perhaps in a single battle, the arms or legs that have been with your all your life would suddenly disappear! However, what I want to tell you all was that I, Liu Mang, am unable to promise that you will survive in the battlefield, but I could tell you clearly: As long as you’re alive, I will never forsake you! Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor!”
“Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor!?” Standing at a side, Cheng Yu was dumbstruck. He was a Prince, he was the Prince of Shu, he was the successor of Lu Bu, he actually shouted ‘together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor’? One must know that what stood in front of him was a group of common soldiers, they were only a group of ordinary people.
“Shit!” Liu Mang also became aware of the mistakes in his words, ‘together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor’, only two things could cause someone to say that. One, during the time one swore brotherhood and two, during the time of a rebellion. If you want someone to risk their lives for you, then you would have to say those words, otherwise, who would bother risking their lives for you? However, how many actually shared the riches and honor that they obtained? It was possible to die together, however sharing riches and honor was hard to accomplish.
Neither Liu Mang nor Cheng Yu was able to anticipate that once Liu Mang said those words, the soldiers were immediately stirred up. They were shouting loudly: “We pledge our lives to follow the general till death! We pledge our lives to follow the general till death!” How many generals was able to say ‘together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor’? In a general’s eye, the soldiers might just be capitals to promote their positions or capitals to show their strength.
Let wrong be wrong! Liu Mang steadied himself and shouted. “Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor! Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor!”
“Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor! Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor!” Perhaps Liu Mang’s speech had influenced these soldiers, they also started shouting after Liu Mang.
Their voice was heard throughout the main barracks.
Lu Bu was looking at the map in the main tent. As the commander of the army, he naturally had to be certain of the routes. Suddenly, he heard the shouts that could even shake the heavens. Immediately, he called for some soldiers to inquire them about what happened.
“Hanyang?!” Soon, Lu Bu found out the source of the noise. With his eyes flickering, Lu Bu mumbled. “Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor!?” Oh Hanyang, exactly how big was your ambition?
All the other generals had also heard the noise. Each and every one of them had a complicated expression. No one knew what they were thinking.
The army of the Great Han actually shouted the slogan of rebels.