Afterward, Zhang Liao reported the army's specific affairs to Liu Xie and showed him around the main camp.
Walking and stopping along the way, they reached the camp Zhang Liao had set aside for the Feathered Forest Guard after roughly half an incense stick's time.
All three thousand members of the Feathered Forest Guard wore armor and carried keen weapons, each mounted on a fine warhorse from the grasslands. They looked imposing indeed.
They were every inch an elite cavalry force.
Even if their individual quality fell short of the White Horse Volunteers, with the advantage of their armor and weapons, their fighting strength was certainly greater.
After inspecting them, Liu Xie nodded in satisfaction.
He turned to Zhang He and Gao Lan, who stood attending him nearby. "Yuan Shao has troops hidden in Qu Liang and Guantao. If he leads them here tomorrow, whether we can annihilate them will depend on you."
Zhang He replied solemnly, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. The Feathered Forest Guard were selected from elite soldiers to begin with. With armor and weapons like these, we will ensure Yuan Shao comes but never returns!"
Gao Lan nodded firmly in agreement.
"Excellent! I hope you two can restore the Feathered Forest Guard to the glory they enjoyed under Emperor Wu, the Filial and Martial. Tomorrow, let me see whether their edge is sharp!"
At these words, Zhang He and Gao Lan felt their blood surge.
They wished they could lead the Feathered Forest Guard out that very instant and slay the Yuan Thief amid his vast army.
Xu County, the imperial palace.
After recuperating at home for a day, Fu Wan was summoned to the imperial palace by Empress Fu. When she saw his condition, she could not help being startled.
"Father, what happened to you?"