I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 246 Liu Bei Joins Yuan
Liu Bei, who had already captured Xiaopei and was about to head east to take Xiapi, heard that Cao Cao was leading his army and immediately led his troops there.

When he heard that Cao Cao had executed Dong Cheng and others, and even spared Consort Dong, he burst into tears!

"To attack one's sovereign as a subject—this is something I've never heard of before! I never imagined Cao Cao could be so ruthless!"

Liu Bei specially set up a memorial altar to pay tribute to Dong Cheng, Consort Dong, and others. Afterwards, he officially issued a proclamation denouncing Cao Cao as a traitor to the Han Dynasty and severing all ties with Cao Cao!

Cao Cao, carrying the still-warm Yitian sword, arrived at the city of Xiaopei along with his generals Cao Chun, Xiahou Yuan, Yu Jin, and Yue Jin.

Upon seeing Liu Bei, Cao Cao pointed his sword diagonally: "Liu Xuande!"

The three words, each one seemed to be a hatred that had been forced out from between their teeth.

"Liu Xuande! I have never treated you badly! Why did you conspire with Dong Cheng to commit treason!"

Looking down at Cao Cao outside the city from his high vantage point, Liu Bei was clearly thinking of the time when they were together on the high platform by the Huai River, where he played the zither and Cao Cao composed poetry; he also thought of the scene in the courtyard of Xuchang where Cao Cao picked green plums for him and personally fed them to his lips.

But when Liu Bei shook his head, all those images vanished in an instant!

"Mengde is nothing more than a minor favor to me!"

"Serving the emperor and upholding the Han dynasty is the true righteousness!"

Liu Bei also drew his sword!

"Mengde! I have seen everything you have done in Xuchang!"

"The emperor's decrees are ignored, and the officials regard you as a tiger! How are you any different from Dong Zhuo back then?"

"Why did you attack Dong Zhuo before? That's why I'll attack you today!"

Looking at Liu Bei, Cao Cao felt as if he were seeing himself ten years ago.

At that time, I was just like Liu Bei.

They thought that once Dong Zhuo was defeated, the world would be at peace! And that peace should prevail!
However, what happened next was undoubtedly a major blow to Cao Cao!
There is absolutely no way for this world to be at peace on its own!

This world needs someone to stand up! Just like when I forged the Five-Colored Cudgel when I was the Northern Commandant of Luoyang! To use the law and authority to create a just and just world!
Therefore, at this time, Cao Cao's hatred for Liu Bei was mixed with a touch of nostalgia and sympathy.

At the same time, there is also pity and hatred for one's own ignorance and foolishness in youth!

"Liu Xuande, do you also believe that killing me will bring peace to the world?"

"Dong Zhuo is dead, but what has become of the Han Dynasty? The emperor has no support, and the officials are being bullied like chickens and ducks. Is this what you want to see?"

"If the emperor were to be handed over to you now, do you think you could impartially relinquish all power to the emperor and his ministers?"

Liu Bei looked at Cao Cao honestly and said, "I can!"

"..."

Cao Cao increasingly felt that he was talking to his past self from ten years ago.

The allied forces of the feudal lords hesitated to advance, and only he pursued them with all his might, but he was almost ambushed and killed by Xu Rong!

Back then, I was just like Liu Bei is now, thinking I could be Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou!
But when the emperor actually came to his side, Cao Cao realized that all of this was just wishful thinking!
Everything in the world can be divided, but power must never be divided!

Liu Bei's so-called "I can" was nothing more than his naivety and innocence before he had experienced these things!

Cao Cao snorted coldly.

If he could, he really wanted to send the emperor to Xiaopei right now, to Liu Bei, to see if Liu Bei was truly serving the emperor, or if he, like himself, would be denounced as a "traitor to Han" by the emperor!
Unfortunately, there can only be one emperor in this world, and at the same time, there can only be one Cao Cao!
Cao Cao held his long sword upright, showing that he was no longer interested in arguing with Liu Bei.

"Siege!"

Le Jin, short in stature but with a fierce expression, stepped out from behind Cao Cao.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that Yue Jin has scars of various sizes on his neck and wrists.

He often served as the commander in battles.

With fierce determination, we can break through any stronghold and overcome any obstacle.

He picked up the drumsticks himself, his hands never tiring.

Xiao Guo's fame is evident, and Yang Ping's literary talent is modest!
Le Jin led his heavily armored soldiers and bravely headed towards Xiaopei to claim the credit for being the first to scale the walls!

Commanding troops and pacifying the masses leads to harmony.

Obey orders without fail, and deal with the enemy decisively.

Majestic and dignified, Mount Tai is a model of civility!
Behind Le Jin, the one commanding the central army was not a general from the Cao and Xiahou factions, but Yu Jin, who had his deep gaze buried in his iron armor and was holding a command flag!
The two men, resembling lions and tigers, emerged from Cao Cao's army formation, which resembled a steel jungle, each eyeing their prey with greedy gazes.

At this time, Mi Fang also stood on the city wall with Liu Bei, wearing armor.

Upon seeing Yue Jin and Yu Jin's soldiers approaching Xiaopei, he unconsciously swallowed, causing his Adam's apple to tremble noticeably.

"Is Zifang scared?"

Mi Fang thought someone was making fun of him and was in a hurry to refute, but he found that Liu Bei was standing behind him.

Liu Bei placed his hand on Mi Fang's shoulder: "We are fighting for righteousness! We are fighting for the Emperor! We are fighting to restore the Han Dynasty!"

"Even if I die on the battlefield today, wrapped in a horse's hide, it's better than living a cowardly life and colluding with others!" Liu Bei then drew his longsword and handed it to Mi Fang: "This is the Su Tie Longsword that Zhong Shan gave me before... I don't know why he insisted on giving me two. Today, I entrust this sword to Zi Fang, to fight a bloody path for the Emperor of Han and for the common people!"

Mi Fang took the longsword and indeed realized that he was no longer afraid!
Gripping his sword hilt tightly, Mi Fang swore an oath to Liu Bei: "I will protect my lord's safety for all eternity!"

Liu Bei looked at Mi Fang with satisfaction, but the drums of Cao Cao's army had already sounded to signal their attack.

A group of Cao soldiers, who had fought countless battles since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, armed with swords, shields, and iron spears, slowly pressed towards Xiaopei.

Although Liu Bei's army was the one defending the city, all of Liu Bei's soldiers felt as if Cao Cao's army on the other side was a moving fortified city, slowly pressing towards Xiaopei!

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were the first to be hit.

Even Jian Yong and Sun Qian donned armor, stood atop the city wall, raised their longswords, and stared at the gaps in the battlements, ready to deal with Cao Cao's army climbing the wall at any moment!

"Teng!"

A Cao army soldier had just climbed up and poked half his head out, but was quickly pushed off by Liu Bei's soldiers on the city wall.

They used stones and rolling logs to pound down the walls, or swept along the city walls with ten-foot-long iron spears, which really did curb the momentum of Cao Cao's army's attack on the city!
But as the war drums sounded outside the city, Liu Bei's ears twitched slightly, and he heard a cacophony of sounds like buzzing...

The arrow breaks through the air!

Liu Bei hurriedly ordered his soldiers to take cover, but these soldiers were mostly new recruits whom Liu Bei had recruited, and they were not skilled at obeying orders.
With just one volley of fire, Liu Bei's army on the city wall lost 30% of its soldiers.

The missing 30% gap was quickly filled by Cao Cao's troops who had climbed up!

Just moments ago, Xiaopei was as solid as a rock, but in an instant, it became a dilapidated fence!
The low city wall was no match for the endless stream of Cao Cao's army. The next moment, the appearance of a short figure made all the Cao Cao soldiers excited!

Le Jin, surprisingly, fought his way onto the city wall as the commander-in-chief!

As Yue Jin appeared on the wall, the battle, which had not yet begun, came to an end.

"My lord! Run!"

Zhang Fei, Mi Fang, and others protected Liu Bei, but Liu Bei, wielding a long sword, still bravely charged forward to fight.

"My lord! We are willing to die here! But my lord cannot die here!"

Mi Fang used the longsword that Liu Bei had given him to block Liu Bei's blade with his backhand.

"In this world, only you, my lord, are capable of restoring the Han dynasty! If you die at the hands of Cao Cao, then the Han dynasty and the world will truly be doomed!"

Jian Yong and Sun Qian also repeatedly advised him: "My lord! You must not act rashly!"

Liu Bei bit his lip: "The traitors of Han are right in front of us, why say such things?"

"Besides, with the world so vast, is there anywhere else for me, Liu Bei, to go?"

"Yes! My lord! Yes!"

Jian Yong quickly replied, "Our lord once recognized Yuan Tan as a man of outstanding talent! This established a good relationship with Yuan Shao!"

"Now that Cao Cao has blocked the western road, we cannot go to Jiangdong. Why not lead our troops north and seek refuge with Yuan Shao?"

Liu Bei's personal guards were all Hebei soldiers who had followed him all the way from Youzhou.

Upon hearing Jian Yong's words, he quickly advised Liu Bei: "My lord! Head north!"

A group of personal guards held Liu Bei back, making him unable to move!
Seeing that Xiaopei was about to fall completely, Liu Bei sighed, "It seems that this is the only way."

Cao Cao's army launched an offensive like a raging fire. Liu Bei had no time to take his family and only led a few dozen cavalrymen north out of the city.

But after leaving the city, Liu Bei looked back and was shocked: "Where is Yun Chang? Where is Yun Chang?"

Seeing no response from behind, Liu Bei felt a pang of sorrow: "If Yun Chang is no longer here, what is the point of me going north now?"

"My lord! Yun Chang is highly skilled in martial arts; he will surely be alright!"

Mi Fang and the others, fearing that Liu Bei would stop, kept whipping his horse, saying, "My lord, hurry! Don't worry about Yun Chang!"

But by this time, dust was billowing behind them. Upon closer inspection, they realized that Cao Chun had led his cavalry to catch up!
When Mi Zhu and Mi Fang saw that Cao Cao's cavalry had arrived, they took one last look at Liu Bei, then raised Liu Bei's banner and disappeared into the alley.

Seeing this, Cao Chun confidently declared, "Liu Bei is in a hurry to escape, so he certainly wouldn't dare take the main road! The person on the side road is Liu Bei!"

When Cao Chun caught up with them, he found that it was Mi Zhu, Mi Fang and others. He was disappointed and could only take them back to Xiaopei.

Meanwhile, in Xiaopei, a large number of Cao soldiers surrounded a courtyard.

But these Cao soldiers just watched without moving forward, because at that moment a burly man with a red face and a beautiful beard was standing in front of the courtyard gate!
Although the big man was burly, what truly made Cao's soldiers dare not act rashly were the dozen or so corpses lying in front of him!

Cao Cao asked Yue Jin what was going on, and Yue Jin replied in a deep voice, "It is Guan Yu, a general under Liu Bei. Liu Bei's family is in the courtyard behind him."

Cao Cao looked at Guan Yu with admiration, and upon hearing that Cao Chun had failed to catch Liu Bei, he dismissed the surrounding soldiers and personally approached Guan Yu.

When Guan Yu saw Cao Cao approaching, he was naturally very wary, wondering what Cao Cao was up to.

But Cao Cao simply sheathed his sword: "Although I am fighting with Xuande, I do not wish to bring disaster upon his wife and children."

"Now that Yun Chang is here, I will escort his wife and children, while I will return to Xuchang alone!"

(End of this chapter)