The military clans of the Western Command, including the miscellaneous-rank generals and banner chiefs a rung below them, had plenty to say about Liu Cheng.
Whenever these men spoke of Liu Cheng, they invariably began with his background. His roots were much like theirs: a lone household among the Northern Migrants, relying on his clansmen. Everyone knew Liu Huzi, and everyone knew those branches of the Liu Clan of Pengcheng. There was a vague sense that he was half one of their own. Then came their bewilderment. Why could someone none of them had ever seen before become a celebrated scholar right out of the gate, while others could only remain elite soldiers for one generation after another?
Why did all those great figures hold him in such regard?
And since they truly had no idea what the trick was, they could only put it down to his talent for attaching himself to the powerful-Xi Yin, Xie Shang, Sima Yu, Huan Wen, the Empress Dowager, the emperor, and so on.
But because of the bloody battle at Lantian and the counterattack at Xuchang, especially the latter, which most of them had experienced themselves, they also had to admit that the fellow had ability. The story of the imperial seal had blossomed into seven or eight different versions throughout the Western Command. Everyone agreed that he really was formidable when it came to snatching credit.
Their final conclusion was that the lad had some ability, could get things done, had a sharp eye, knew how to flatter, was lucky, and dared to grab and fight for what he wanted. That was how he had reached his present position, covering in seven or eight years the ground other families took two or three generations to traverse.
Of course, that was only a