The Red-Fisted Terror of Peach Village
In the northern province of Youzhou, where fine horses roamed the grasslands and foreign tribes launched frequent raids, the people had grown as rugged as the land itself. Yet this particular village seemed strangely peaceful, almost untouched by the region's fearsome reputation. Then again, Youzhou was vast. A quiet hamlet like this wasn't all that unusual.
And right now, a small-statured girl with striking red hair was sprinting through that very village at full speed. Setting aside how adorable she looked, the fact that she was charging forward while carrying a spear longer than she was tall—and at a pace no ordinary person could match—made it clear she was anything but ordinary.
The place she was rushing toward with such desperate urgency turned out to be... a rather shabby house. Its walls had been reinforced well enough to keep it from collapsing, but the worn-down look couldn't be hidden. Still, it was efficient enough for people to live in comfortably. In the yard, beneath the shade of a large, well-grown tree, sat the presumed owner of the house. She was weaving a straw mat with a gentle smile on her face.
Her smile was bright and soft, a blade of green grass dangling from her lips, giving her an air of complete leisure. There was a certain aura about her that made her seem special. And then there were those enormous breasts—truly weapons of mass seduction—and a beauty so striking it could ruin a person for life. She had the kind of looks that made men lose their minds.
Yet despite that breathtaking beauty, no one in the village dared lay a hand on her.
"Big Sis—!! Whoa?! What the heck is this?!"
It wasn't because she held some lofty status. Well, she did have a special bloodline, but she was so poor that it barely meant anything. So why did no one dare touch her?
The answer was simple.
"You got into another fight today, didn't you, Big Sis?! I thought you were a gentle soul when I first met you, but you're actually more hot-blooded than me!!"
"Hm? Oh, is that my cute and lovable little sister?"
She was... ridiculously strong. And she didn't hide that strength at all. Anything that annoyed her got turned into a bloody pulp by her two fists.
Anyone who saw the shocking scene in front of her house right now would instantly understand just how strong she was.
"Ugh... uuuugh..."
"Grrrrk..."
"Still, it's really unfair that people misunderstand when they see this, you know? I was just peacefully weaving my mat when these rotten bastards attacked me first."
"But you turned every single one of them into meat paste without leaving anyone out! You were totally waiting for them to attack, weren't you?! Just like when you beat me up back then!!"
"Hehehe... It's all a misunderstanding, I tell you. A misunderstanding."
At first glance, she looked like an incredibly gentle and benevolent beauty. But if anyone saw the carnage spread out in front of her house—and the blood dripping from her two fists and splattered across her face—nine out of ten would completely change their opinion in an instant. Right now, she looked downright terrifying, as if her entire impression had flipped in a heartbeat.
Of course, the fact that she had personally knocked them all down, piled the thugs up like a bloody tower (their faces now twice their normal size and leaking blood everywhere), and was calmly sitting on top of them weaving a mat probably had a lot to do with that terrifying image. It was very much her own doing.
Even if dozens of armed thugs—pathetic as they were—rushed her, she would beat every last one of them senseless with her bare hands, making sure none could escape. She was a woman who could become truly terrifying when the situation called for it. An overwhelmingly powerful, blood-chilling beauty.
The name of this beautiful yet terrifying woman was...
"Ah, Xuande Big Sis! If you keep living like this, you'll never get a lover! Every time you drink, you just sigh about how you want one too!"
Her family name was Liu, her given name was Bei, and her courtesy name was Xuande. As anyone could tell from her surname, she was a distant member of the Han imperial family. She had studied under the renowned scholar Lu Zhi (though she was quite the truant problem student), and she was a woman destined to become emperor one day. She was also the eldest of the famous Peach Garden Oath trio—though in this case, they were the Peach Sisters rather than the Peach Brothers. Not that they had sworn the oath yet.
For now, she was known as the boss of the Straw Mat Gang of Nu Village, the terror who had turned the entire village into a place of fear with nothing but her two fists. They called her the Red-Fisted Demon of Nu Village. It was said that not a day went by without blood drying on her knuckles from beating up every thug in sight.
She wasn't actually running a criminal organization. It just sort of happened after she started gathering cute little sisters and beating up thug gangs left and right. ...She did accept a modest protection fee on the side, though.
"In this vast world, is there not even a single place for me to lay my head~!"
"Hmph! Acting all carefree again!"
If this monstrously powerful woman was Liu Bei, then who was the small-statured but clearly extraordinary girl with the red hair?
The answer was simple.
"...Ahem. Yide. By the way, what made you run here in such a hurry?"
"Oh right! I almost forgot!"
This unique red-haired girl's name was Zhang Fei, courtesy name Yide. She was the youngest of the Peach Sisters and the peerless warrior who would one day single-handedly hold off Cao Cao's massive army at Changban.
"You know that general who came to subjugate the barbarian bastards that keep raiding everywhere?"
"Ah, you mean the one you kept talking about with sparkling eyes, saying you really wanted to see him once? The Colonel Director of the Retainers, Pa Shien?"
"Yeah, yeah! Last time he was also serving as county magistrate, so he immediately headed beyond the border to slaughter the barbarians. I felt both disappointed and impressed at the same time...!"
Zhang Fei came from a once-prominent family that had fallen on hard times. Perhaps because of that, she held a deep admiration and respect for noble houses and renowned scholars—enough that in the original history she would later be described as someone who "revered gentlemen." And by her standards, Yuan Shu was the perfect ideal.
Born into the greatest noble family in the land, he had taken the lead since childhood in exterminating bandits for the sake of the people. He made friends based on ability regardless of status or origin. When someone worthy suffered injustice, he stepped forward to help them. He was diligent in his duties, and now he had personally come to the northern frontier to deal with the invading tribes and bring stability.
Someone born with excellent bloodline who didn't abandon the weak but took the lead himself, who didn't stray too far from righteousness—he was a true gentleman. Bold and generous, with the charisma to draw people in—he was a hero. There wasn't a single reason for Zhang Fei not to like him. In fact, it would be impossible for her not to like and admire him even more.
That was why she carried feelings of admiration and reverence toward him like a hardcore fan obsessed with an idol. Even though she'd never even seen his face.
Liu Bei let out a small chuckle as she watched Zhang Fei. She had spent a lot of time with her and knew that Zhang Fei had once declared she would definitely make her name known to the world someday. She also knew better than anyone that Zhang Fei possessed the strength to match that ambition. That was why she found Zhang Fei's starry-eyed admiration for Yuan Shu so adorable.
It was funny how this girl, who usually had such a foul mouth and acted like a complete tomboy, suddenly used respectful language and polite manners whenever she talked about Yuan Shu.
"From the way you're talking, it sounds like the Colonel Director of the Retainers has finally returned. News from beyond the border was scarce, but it seems he's completed one of his expeditions."
Liu Bei was the type who tried to stay informed about the state of the world. Naturally, she was interested in the stories about Yuan Shu, the famous figure who had come to Youzhou. Even though they were around the same age, the way he boldly spread his wings stirred something in her own dreams.
She was still living quietly in this backwater village—beating up thugs and weaving straw mats without anything particularly special happening—but she too had a dream. An ambition. She wanted to become someone who shone brightly in this chaotic world, just like him.
"From the merchants' stories I've occasionally heard, it seems he's only been winning..."
"They say it's not just ordinary victories! Don't be shocked when you hear this, Big Sis!? He's subjugated hundreds of tribes, killed who knows how many, captured hundreds of thousands, and seized so many horses it's practically millions! The carts carrying the spoils of war stretch as far as the eye can see!"
Of course, that included the tribute meant for the imperial court. And as with all rumors passed by word of mouth, there was quite a bit of exaggeration... Still, even after subtracting the exaggeration, the achievements were undeniably massive. After setting aside spoils and bribes, the share for his family, generous rewards for the cooperating tribes and exhausted soldiers, there was still a huge amount left over. It was an absolutely overwhelming victory. The kind that would be recorded in history.
The fame and prestige Yuan Shu would gain from such a feat would skyrocket. Especially since the family backing him was none other than the prestigious Yuan clan of the Four Generations of Three Dukes.
"Mmm, I understand now. You want to go see the Colonel Director of the Retainers, right? Since he'll be on his way back."
The triumphal return of a general who had achieved such merits wouldn't be ordinary. Knowing Yuan Shu's personality, he might generously scatter rewards among the people, so the crowds would be enormous. Even so, Liu Bei also wanted to catch a glimpse of him in person, just like Zhang Fei.
"That's right! As expected of Xuande Big Sis!"
"Then I should get ready. We can't just go like this! Did you tell Yunzhang?"
"Actually, Sister Yunzhang was the one who told me the news! She's probably getting thoroughly prepared right now."
As Liu Bei cleaned up the yard and prepared to head out with Zhang Fei, the second of the Peach Sisters appeared—Guan Yu, courtesy name Yunzhang. The woman who would later be revered as a god.
She didn't have the famous long beard, but instead possessed long, beautifully maintained black hair that cascaded past her waist all the way to her hips. Her stern expression and height—easily a head or two taller than most adult men—naturally gave off an overwhelming sense of pressure.
She was habitually combing her hair with a handmade comb. It was clear from her appearance that she had already finished preparing with great care.
"You've dressed up properly!"
"Heh, a stylish person never lets their guard down. Especially on an occasion like this."
Guan Yu spoke in a calm voice, but the corners of her mouth were slightly lifted in satisfaction at her own appearance.
"Whoa! When did you get here, Sister Yunzhang!"
"Just a moment ago. You look splendid too, Yide."
Zhang Fei had gone back home to change into her expensive clothes.
"Hehe. Since it looks like everyone's ready... shall we head out?"
Even Liu Bei had taken the time to bathe, purify herself, and dress neatly! The Peach Sisters of the Peach Garden Oath—the Liu-Guan-Zhang trio—began making their way toward Yuan Shu.
...Though whether they would actually get to meet him remained to be seen.