Zhang Fei's Strange Request

"Reporting to the Prince Consort, though Zhang Fei said that deliberately, he would absolutely kill the captives in private. He could not possibly divide his forces because of prisoners of war, nor could he let prisoners affect his mobility." Liang Qian explained the basics of warfare to Xiahou Mao.

"Since you knew this would be the outcome, why did you still—" Xiahou Mao's face was full of question marks.

Liang Qian shook his head speechlessly. "The soldiers' families are all inside the city. If this subordinate had not met Zhang Fei's demands, the relatives of those captives would certainly have mutinied. I feared I would not be able to contain the chaos that followed. Shanggui City might even have been lost..."

Seeing Liang Qian answer so fluently, Xiahou Mao guessed that the man had prepared his excuses in advance to evade responsibility, leaving him no loophole through which to press charges. He could only nod lightly in agreement.

Liang Qian remained calm and unruffled. Xiahou Mao disliked seeing him so "pleased with himself," and coldly mocked himself, "By General Liang's account, how could such a crafty commander be Zhang Fei? He sounds fit to stand shoulder to shoulder with Zhang Wenyuan; even Zhou Gongjin would be no match for him."

"Uh... though it is unbelievable, it truly was Zhang Fei's doing." Liang Qian lowered his head.

"Hmph. A famed general like Zhang Fei actually stooping to the tricks of bandits—truly rather despicable." Xiahou Mao paced in circles on the spot, fuming.

Liang Qian did not dare respond, making the scene awkward. Just then, a guard entered from outside to report that Han Shao had returned to Shanggui from Qishan Road, and the troops he had taken appeared to have suffered no losses.

Xiahou Mao thought that someone had delivered provisions