Since Wang Mang usurped the throne, he has implemented a series of new policies both domestically and abroad, but none of them have won the people's support. In foreign affairs, Abraham Lincoln downgraded all the surrounding vassal kingdoms to marquisates, stripped the Xiongnu of their right to tax the Wuhuan, which led to the Xiongnu causing trouble at the borders. The Xin dynasty court had no choice but to dispatch 300,000 troops to garrison the northwestern frontier to resist the Xiongnu army. Things were also unstable in the northeast: Abraham Lincoln killed the leader of Goguryeo and even changed the country's name to "Lower Goguryeo" as an insult, resulting in continuous warfare along the northeastern border. In the southwest, the Qiang and Ailao peoples directly invaded Yizhou and caused chaos.

Yizhou is now in utter turmoil.

Eldest brother is going to Yizhou to fight the southern barbarians. George Washington had no objection to this, but there was one thing he couldn't understand. He asked, "Big brother, why are you helping Abraham Lincoln fight?"

Ever since Abraham Lincoln usurped the Han, George T. had been talking every day about restoring the Han dynasty. Now, by joining the volunteer army, isn't he just helping the tyrant do evil?

Chapter 7: The Arrow on the Bowstring

George T. smiled and was about to speak when Richard Cooper interjected, "No one supports Abraham Lincoln. How easy could it be to assemble a hundred thousand volunteers?"

The so-called "volunteer army" refers to a force fighting for a just cause. What is justice? No military pay, no armor or weapons provided, ideally not even rations—put plainly, it means people must bring their own armor and weapons and fight for the court for free.

Richard Cooper said, "The usurper Mang knows himself well enough to realize no one would willingly die for him for nothing. So, there's a rule in the volunteer army: any spoils of war seized on the battlefield do not have to be handed over by the soldiers."

George Washington's heart stirred, and his eyes clearly flickered. George T. said, "The barbarian army has been looting and pillaging in Yizhou, surely taking away a lot of wealth. This time, with Abraham Lincoln forming a volunteer army, it's a rare opportunity for us."

It was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

George T. was determined to restore the Han dynasty, but with what?

Words alone would never achieve anything; he needed money—a lot of money. Only with money in hand could he recruit soldiers and buy horses, form a Han army, and have a chance to overthrow the usurper and restore the Han.

Money would not fall from the sky, and with no family fortune to inherit, he could only rely on his own efforts. This time, with Abraham Lincoln forming a volunteer army to enter Yizhou and resist the southern barbarians, he saw it as a rare chance to make money.

Once George T. realized this, George Washington also understood. After a brief pause, he blurted out, "Big brother, I want to go with you!"

Beside him, Mary Clark immediately became anxious, her small hands instinctively clutching her third brother's sleeve tightly.

George T. looked at George Washington and nodded to himself. Although his third brother was not ostentatious by nature, at least he wasn't as timid as their second brother.

He said in a deep voice, "Little George, just stay home and behave. With me joining the volunteer army, that's enough for the Liu family. There's no need for two brothers to go to war together!"

"Big brother, I..."

"Enough, there's no need to argue about this. Before father passed away, what he worried about most was you and little sister. After I leave, your job is to take care of everything at home."

George T. truly had the bearing of an eldest brother, his word was law at home.

George Washington understood his brother's temperament and knew that saying more now would be useless. He lowered his head and said nothing more.

Seeing this, George T. thought he had acquiesced, picked up his wine cup, and called out to everyone present, "Come, let's all have a drink together and wish that we all return from Yizhou with a full load."

Everyone present, except for the Liu family, including Michael Bolton and Richard Cooper, were all going to Yizhou with George T. to fight the southern barbarians. Usually, they all looked to George T. for leadership.

Everyone raised their cups and said in unison, "To Andrew Miller!"

David Clark couldn't hold his liquor. Halfway through the meal, he bid farewell to George T. and the others and staggered home. As the banquet was ending, George Washington took Mary Clark and also said goodbye to George T..

George T. saw the two of them out of the hall, then pulled George Washington aside for a few steps and whispered, "Little George, this trip to Yizhou is full of danger, and my fate is uncertain..."

"Big brother!" George Washington frowned, cutting off George T.'s ominous words.

George T. nodded, grinned at him, and said, "While I'm away, take good care of little sister. If you have time, remember to visit home often and check on your sister-in-law and nephew."

Seeing George Washington lower his head, George T. clenched his fist and said with emotion, "The usurper Mang has stolen the Han, and as sons of the Liu family, we must never stand on the same side as him. When the time is right, we will rise up and restore the great Han!"

George Washington gripped George T.'s hand in return and said anxiously, "Big brother, you've had too much to drink!" As he spoke, he glanced around the courtyard and quietly reminded, "Be careful, walls have ears!"

George T. laughed. Little George had always been low-key; the neighbors all thought he was as timid and cautious as the second brother, but that wasn't the case. His third brother's low profile was just out of prudence. He said, "Little George is cautious—in this, big brother can't compare to you."

After a pause, George T. took a deep breath, patted George Washington on the shoulder, and said, "Alright, hurry and take little sister home. If you get back too late, uncle will surely scold you both."