My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 241 The Greatest Swordsman Under Heaven! Xiao He is the most extraordinary man in history; we must hold on tight to this powerful figure!
A glint flashed in Cao Cao's eyes as he looked at the swordsman.

That man was named Wang Yue, and he was a retainer of Cao Pi, Cao Pi's son.

This man's swordsmanship was so superb that he was known as the greatest swordsman in the world.

To put it simply, he was a wandering swordsman who was valued by Cao Pi for his superb swordsmanship, so he kept him in his mansion.

After Cao Zhi "usurped the throne," Cao Pi learned that Cao Cao had returned to the capital, so he quickly sent Wang Yue to the capital to explain his loyalty to Cao Cao and to refuse Bian's order to force the emperor to issue an edict to enfeoff Cao Zhi as the Duke of Wei.

In his letter, Cao Pi also praised Wang Yue's abilities and recommended him to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao was quite satisfied with Cao Pi's performance during this internal strife and wrote back praising him.

After witnessing Wang Yue's swordsmanship, he incorporated Wang Yue and his hundred-plus swordsmen into his Tiger Guard Army.

At this critical juncture, unexpectedly, Wang Yue stepped forward and volunteered.

He was also incredibly arrogant and confident, claiming that he could intercept and kill Lady Bian and her son with a hundred swordsmen and reclaim the Imperial Seal of the State.

The generals present immediately showed some disdain.

"The Chu army escorting the lady and the fourth young master must have at least a thousand men. How could you and a hundred or so swordsmen possibly intercept them?"

"Wang Zichao, you're way too confident."

Xu Chu, as the commander of the Tiger Guard, was the first to voice his doubts.

Wang Yue's face remained confident as he sneered:
"The swordsmen under my command are all elite warriors capable of fighting ten men at once. Even when facing the enemy head-on, they can at least fight to a draw."

"Besides, I will not engage in direct combat on my way there. I will set up an ambush along the way and use assassins to deal with the Chu army."

"In that case, adding another hundred swordsmen will suffice!"

These confident and arrogant words stunned Xu Chu, and the sarcasm and doubt on his face faded considerably. He could only look at Cao Cao.

Cao Cao laughed.

This Wang Yue wasn't going to intercept the Chu army in a fair and square manner; he was going to assassinate them!

To put it bluntly, the mission is not to intercept the enemy as a member of the Wei army, but as an assassin.

Assassins naturally have their own methods, and their strength cannot be judged simply by the number of troops they have!
The movement of a mere hundred swordsmen would not attract the attention of the Chu army's spies, nor would it allow Xiao He to detect his intentions and take precautions in advance.

With Wang Yue's strength and those hundred elite swordsmen, an assassination tactic to ambush them halfway might very well be surprisingly effective.

Thinking of this, Cao Cao said happily:

"Very well, Prince Chao, I grant your request!"

"I grant you permission not to capture that wretched woman and rebellious son alive. If necessary, you may simply kill them. All you need to do is bring the Imperial Seal back to me!"

"If you succeed in this battle, I will appoint you as a general and bestow upon you a title of nobility!"

Wang Yue was overjoyed.

He joined Cao Pi's faction in order to secure a bright future and secure a government job in Cao Wei.

To be ennobled and appointed as a general—this was what he had sought for half his life.

Wang Yue then suppressed his secret joy and bowed deeply in gratitude:
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Wei. Please rest assured, Yue will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Wang Yue immediately accepted the order and left.

Cao Cao stroked his short beard, a cold smile playing on his lips:
"You vile woman and unfilial son, do you think that by stealing my Imperial Seal, you can smoothly present it to that treacherous scoundrel and exchange it for a life of wealth and honor?"

"I'll show you that whoever I want to die, dies. And no one can take what's mine!"

...

Three days later, on the east bank of the Wei River.

More than a thousand Chu soldiers were escorting two carriages, slowly heading south along the east bank road.

"Mother, have we really abandoned Father and gone to serve that Duke Chu?"

Cao Jie, inside the carriage, finally couldn't help but ask when he heard that they were about to enter Xuzhou territory.

Once they entered Xuzhou, it meant they had entered the territory of Chu, and the mother and her two children would never see Cao Cao again, even if it meant death.

“You and I both know your father’s methods. If we don’t betray him, we’ll only face death.”

"I'm not afraid of dying, I'm afraid you won't survive."

"As long as you can live well, I am willing to be hated by your father and cursed by the world."

Bian took her daughter's hand and, with a resolute expression, spoke her heartfelt words.

Cao Jie was shocked and immediately understood Bian's motherly love for her son. Deep emotion welled up in his eyes.

"Ah~~"

Cao Jie sighed softly, his face showing reluctance, and said:
"I understand my mother's predicament, but it's my mother who has suffered so much. She has to bear the blame for us so that we can live."

Lady Bian smiled and gently stroked Cao Jie's delicate hand, saying:

"I am just a singer, not a lady from a prestigious family. Why would I care about such empty titles?"

"As long as you and your brother are alive and well, let them curse all they want, your mother doesn't care."

Seeing his mother's open-mindedness, Cao Jie felt somewhat at ease.

After a moment's hesitation, he added with some concern:
"Mother, do you really think that Lord Chu will treat us well and give the three of us a wealthy and prosperous life, as you said?"

A look of respect appeared on Bian's face, and she smiled faintly:
"You can rest assured about this. The Duke of Chu is not a cruel and suspicious ruler like your father. He is a benevolent ruler, a rare sight throughout history."

"This time, in order to welcome us, Lord Chu did not hesitate to launch a large-scale war and march into Qingzhou. Xiao Bowen, with his high status, even came to Gaomi City to welcome my mother and the other two."

"Based on these facts alone, I am certain that Lord Chu will treat us well, ensuring that we have enough to eat and wear and can live out our remaining years in peace."

Cao Jie's worries vanished, and he nodded, saying:

“Mother is right. I have heard that Xiao Bowen’s actual status in the State of Chu is even higher than that of Guan Yu.”

"Given his status and position, the fact that he was so polite to us suggests that Lord Chu would treat us the same way."

Mentioning Xiao He, Lady Bian couldn't help but recall the scene of her first meeting with him.

As she pondered, Bian's eyes suddenly lit up:
"Jie'er, did you notice that Xiao Bowen looked at you a little differently that day?"

Cao Jie was taken aback, not understanding why his mother would suddenly bring this up.

Thinking back carefully, when they first met, Xiao He stared at her in a daze, and she had to bow again before he came to his senses.

"It seems...it does seem a little different~~"

Cao Jie muttered to himself.

Bian pursed her lips slightly, a meaningful glint flashing in her eyes.

"My intuition tells me that Xiao Bowen must have feelings for you. That's why I was so lost in thought when we first met." "If that's really the case, it would be a wonderful surprise for you, Jie'er, and for all three of us, mother and son."

"What kind of status does Xiao Bowen have in the State of Chu? If you, Jie'er, can submit to him, you will truly be rich and worry-free for the rest of your life."

"Your mother and brother will also benefit from your good fortune and receive the protection of Xiao Bowen, ensuring a safe and peaceful life for the rest of our days."

Cao Jie was taken aback at first, then her face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

It turns out that what Bian was referring to was different; it actually meant this!
"Mother, what nonsense are you talking about? How could Xiao Bowen have feelings for me?"

Cao Jie pouted coquettishly, then lowered her head in embarrassment.

Bian smiled, her face full of arrogance:
“You are my daughter. Even if you are not a peerless beauty, you are still worthy of the title of beauty.”

"Heroes have always loved beauties. Xiao Bowen is both a man and a hero. If he has feelings for my daughter, what's wrong with that?"

Cao Jie's heart skipped a beat, her face flushed red to her ears, and she clutched her clothes with her delicate hands, feeling incredibly embarrassed and unsure how to respond.

Seeing this, Lady Bian seized the opportunity and said:
“Since we have joined the State of Chu, we must find a way to establish ourselves there. As the saying goes, a woman should marry when she comes of age, and you will eventually marry a man from Chu.”

"This Xiao Bowen is not only high-ranking and powerful, but also handsome and elegant. Your brother said that his literary talent is unparalleled throughout history, and even your brother is willing to admit defeat."

"Such a person is truly a rare and extraordinary man, unparalleled throughout history!"

"If you could marry such an extraordinary man, it would be an immense blessing for you, Jie'er. I'd be overjoyed just dreaming about it!"

Cao Jie lowered her eyes and remained silent, only gently biting her red lips with her pearly teeth, her delicate hands constantly rubbing her clothes.

No one knows a daughter better than her mother. Seeing that her daughter had been persuaded, Bian's face lit up with joy, and she wanted to continue to comfort her.

Just then, a loud rumbling sound suddenly rang out from behind the carriage.

The mother and daughter were startled, their shy smiles vanishing instantly. They quickly pushed open the car window and looked back.

Suddenly, countless rocks and trees collapsed from the earthen slopes on both sides of the main road behind, blocking the road in an instant.

The original force of over a thousand men was thus divided into two parts, one in front and one behind.

Before Bian and her daughter could see anything amiss during the sudden landslide, Deng Ai, who was ahead, had already sensed something was wrong.

Such terrain is ideal for setting up ambushes, and the sudden tumbling of rocks and trees is highly likely to be man-made.

Could it be that Wei troops are lying in ambush, specifically there to intercept and kill Lady Bian and her two children?

That’s not right either.

To ambush his force of over a thousand men, at least three thousand Wei soldiers would have to be deployed, and they would also have to secretly cross the Wei River.

With such a large-scale troop movement, how could Chang'an's spies and informants not have noticed it? How could Xiao He's side not have issued a warning in advance?
Deng Ai had doubts, but dared not be careless, and shouted:

"All troops, immediately move towards the carriage! Beware of Wei army ambushes!"

"Immediately send men to cross over, and order those who have been cut off behind...men and troops, quickly clear the obstacles on Kaifeng Road and come to meet us—"

Before the order was given, screams suddenly rang out.

A passerby carrying firewood suddenly attacked, taking out a long sword from the pile of firewood and stabbing one of his soldiers to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the merchants and passersby who had been making way by the roadside drew their long swords and rushed towards the Chu soldiers.

Deng Ai's expression changed.

This road is the main route connecting Qingzhou and Xuzhou, so it's normal to encounter travelers and caravans traveling north and south along the way.

What Deng Ai did not expect was that the Wei army's ambush troops would disguise themselves as passersby, easily approach them, and launch a surprise attack, catching him completely off guard.

As for the stone and wood blocking the road later, it must have been to divide their thousand men into two groups and disperse their forces.

"Protect the carriage!"

Having figured this out, Deng Ai shouted angrily and brandished his spear, charging towards the swordsmen and assassins.

Although these assassins numbered only a hundred, their swordsmanship was exceptional, and each of them was capable of taking on ten men at once.

His Chu army numbered only about five hundred men, and if they were to engage in a direct confrontation, they would naturally not be afraid of these one hundred assassins.

However, they didn't have time to form a battle formation and were quickly overwhelmed by the close-quarters combat with these swordsmen.

In a short time, most of his troops had been killed or wounded, and it seemed that they were about to be unable to hold out.

"Ah~~"

A woman's scream rang out.

Deng Ai turned around sharply and was shocked to see an assassin who had pierced through the carriage wall. He wondered whether the sword had struck Bian or Cao Jie.

Deng Ai's expression changed, and he was eager to turn his horse and rush over.

"Kid, your opponent is me!"

A sarcastic, cold voice rang out.

A middle-aged swordsman rode up on his horse, sword in hand, blocking his path.

The middle-aged swordsman was none other than Wang Yue.

Deng Ai was furious and suddenly thrust out his silver spear.

Wang Yue scoffed, his figure shifting like a ghost, easily dodging Deng Ai's spear, and his longsword flashed upwards like lightning.

"Dang Dang Dang~~"

Guns and swords clashed, sparks flew.

Deng Ai was astonished to find that the man before him was extremely skilled in swordsmanship. He wielded a heavy sword with dazzling speed and lightning-fast power.

Under the opponent's fierce offensive, Deng Ai was quickly suppressed. Even when he used the spear technique he learned from Zhao Yun to the fullest, he was still at a disadvantage.

Just as he was being suppressed by Wang Yue and had no time to break free, more than twenty swordsmen pounced on the carriage where Bian and her two children were like a pack of wolves.

The remaining Chu soldiers fought desperately but were unable to hold out and were about to lose their ability to protect the mother and her two children.

Deng Ai was extremely anxious, yet helpless.

A cold, confident smirk appeared on Wang Yue's lips.

Sudden.

The sound of horse hooves sounded.

A dozen or so steps ahead, an old general with white hair and beard rode his horse, dragging his spear, and charged into the battle like a divine warrior descending from the heavens.

The old general wielded his silver spear with lightning speed, instantly felling seven or eight assassins to the ground as if they were made of paper.

To Deng Ai’s surprise, the old general’s spear technique was exactly the same as his own!
(End of this chapter)