Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 316 Lü Bu: It was Cao Cao who betrayed me!
Dust billowed across the sky, the earth throbbed like a drumbeat, and heavy iron hooves rolled in from the horizon.

At first, it appeared like a faint thunderclap, then in an instant, it roared!
Ten thousand cavalrymen, arrayed in sharp formation, their black armor gleaming in the sunlight, swept in like dark clouds pressing down on the city.

The leader wore a purple-gold crown with three forks, a red cotton robe with flowers from Sichuan, a beast-faced chainmail armor, a lion-head belt, a halberd in his hand, and rode Red Hare at full gallop. Who else could he be but Lü Bu among men?

After days of continuous raids, the cavalry swept across Liang and Lu like a whirlwind, moving swiftly and rapidly.

At this moment, Huanyuan Pass was in sight, and the Han army camp, the destination of this trip, was in the distance. In front of them was another checkpoint camp guarded by the Han army.

The Han state established many such checkpoints at strategic and dangerous locations, but they were usually manned by only a few troops.

Their main responsibilities included checking passing traffic for suspicious persons, collecting tolls, and sending out signal fires in case of emergency military situations.

Lu Bu was already used to this. When he saw Han soldiers blocking his way again, questioning and inspecting him, Lu Bu ignored them, pointing his halberd diagonally at the sky, and shouted:

"Now that you have met the King of Qi, why do you not bow?"

I have been ordered by the King of Han to rush to the aid of Huanyuan from a thousand miles away. How dare you delay the battle?

Anyone who stands in my way shall die!

As soon as he finished speaking, the red tassel on the halberd fluttered in the wind, and the sunlight reflected off the halberd's blade, making it gleam with a cold light. It seemed that if he did not dodge, the halberd would fall and destroy his internal organs.

Lu Bu knew very well that in the world today, apart from a few top experts like Ji Ling, no one dared to stand in his way with his Red Hare and Fangtian Halberd.

The fact that he was so skilled at this scene clearly meant it wasn't the first time he'd done it.

It should be noted that at the beginning, when Lü Bu led his army to change course at the border of Xu and Yan, determined to cross Liang and Lu for a surprise attack, he was quite cautious when faced with the Han army's inspection.

But after several attempts, he quickly discovered that because the Han troops in Liang, Lu, and Ying had all been transferred to Huanyuan Pass, the area was completely undefended, and no one could stop his advance.

After that, Lü Bu began to look down on these Han soldiers in their camps who bowed down to him when they were under his command.

If it weren't for the need to keep the information secret so that he could turn against his own side and annihilate the elite Han army outside Huanyuan Pass, thereby reversing the situation between their Cao-Lü alliance and the Han state, he would have loved to devour Liang, Lu, and Ying along the way, just to get a taste of their flavors.

Fortunately, it was at this time that the King of Han claimed to have mobilized "830,000 troops," which put immense pressure on people. Even the fickle Lü Bu worried that he might have the chance to eat but not the chance to enjoy it.

Therefore, he temporarily suppressed his greed and prioritized cooperating with his ally Cao Cao to annihilate the elite Han army outside Huanyuan Pass.

At that time, the battle would cut off one of the Han King's arms, reversing the balance of power between the Cao-Lü alliance and the Han army, and with Cao Cao's main force also holding them back.

He could then safely take over the sparsely populated Liang, Lu, and Ying regions, and join forces with Cao Cao to resist Yuan Shao.

And this time, it's clearly the same.

In Lü Bu's mind, as long as he announced the name of the King of Qi, under the pretext of rushing to the aid of Qi from afar, and with his unparalleled martial prowess in the world to intimidate him, he could achieve his goal.

The Han army camp before them would be just like every other camp they had passed along the way; even if they had doubts, they would not dare to disobey the King of Qi's orders!
As the camp drew near, horses' hooves thundered, sending stones flying and withered grass lying flat on the ground!
The halberd, reflecting the sunlight, seemed to pierce the eyes of those on horseback.

Riding high on his horse, Lü Bu could almost see the sunlight piercing the fearful and awe-inspiring face of the lowly soldier, making it impossible for him to even look up at the king's countenance.

However, that little person who should have humbled himself, dodged the halberd's edge, and knelt on the ground shouting "Long live the King of Qi!"

His trembling body froze on the spot, and a murderous intent, colder than a halberd, flickered in his eyes, which were squinted into slits by the sun.

He closed his eyes, raised his head, and almost roared, yet he seemed to be high above.

He arrogantly declared, "My family has held high office for four generations; how could I possibly know anything about a mere king from a lower state like you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, to Lu Bu's incredulous gaze, the soldier raised his head, closed his eyes, jumped to the side, rolled twice on the ground, and even bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

It was truly a bloodbath that splattered five steps away, with a few drops even landing on Lü Bu's face.

Lu Bu: "???"

Before he could even react, Lü Bu, leading his cavalry, had sped past without slowing down at all. He had just entered the camp's passageway when he heard a soldier rolling on the ground behind him, seemingly badly wounded, shout loudly from his dantian:
"The King of Qi is plotting a rebellion!"
The King of Qi attempted to assassinate the adopted son of the King of Han, which was tantamount to treason and deserved to be executed!

Brothers, you must avenge me, the King of Han, and the honor of the Han Kingdom!!!

As the shouts subsided, the sounds of soldiers yelling and clashing armor echoed across the surrounding mountains and plains, forming a mighty torrent.

A densely packed army emerged from inside and outside the camp, completely surrounding the third of the troops led by Lü Bu who had already stormed into the camp.

Even more soldiers bravely stepped forward to block the gate, preventing the remaining two-thirds of Lü Bu's army from continuing to advance into the camp.

At this moment, not only was Lü Bu confused, but his generals also did not know what this meant, and whether they should rebel immediately.

Therefore, they dared not make any rash moves, but only watched Lu Bu from the outside, waiting for his order to continue charging in.

At that very moment, with the cry of the fallen soldier, the roar of the Han army resounded like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami shaking the heavens and the earth.

"How dare a lowly king plot against the adopted son of the King of Han?"

"King Qi assassinated the adopted son of King Han; King Qi has rebelled!"

"The King of Qi has rebelled!"
"Now we will execute the King of Qi to avenge the prince of Han!"

Lu Bu: "???"

Who the hell assassinated the adopted son of the King of Han?
That's incredibly slanderous!

When did a lowly soldier inspecting a military camp become the adopted son of the King of Han?

His eyes widened in anger, and he turned to stare coldly at the fallen soldier, rebuking him:

"Traitor, don't you dare slander me!"
I have a marriage alliance with the King of Han, and I spared no effort to travel a thousand miles to come and provide assistance.

How dare such despicable and base people sow discord between relatives and strangers?

"Who is slandering me?"

The soldier who had collapsed and was coughing up blood pulled out a bloodstained certificate from his pocket, held it proudly in the sunlight, and looked down on Lü Bu.

"Look carefully!"
It is written in black and white that I am the legitimate adopted son of the King of Han.

Four generations of high-ranking officials—this is the illustrious reputation of my family. The most outstanding talents in the land are all former officials of my family.

"You, a lowly king of a humble state, have met the prince of a superior nation, why do you not bow?"

Looking at the certificate, the words "Adopted Son of the King of Han (One-Day Experience)" shone brightly in gold.

Lü Bu: "."

Hearing shouts of "King Qi has rebelled!" all around him, and watching the soldier who took the "Adopted Son Experience Card," patted his backside, and stood up from the ground, full of energy.

Lu Bu gritted his teeth and gripped his halberd tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

At this moment, how could he possibly harbor any illusions? How could he not know that he had been tricked and ambushed?

The only thing he couldn't understand was that when he rushed to the aid of the Han army from afar, he claimed to be heading to Huanyuan Pass to support the Han army.

Among his subordinates, the only one who knew his true scheme was Chen Gong, with whom he had discussed the plan all night.

Even if Chen Gong were to betray the Han army, and his side was full of cavalry heading straight for Huanyuan Pass, Chen Gong would still have to pass the message to the King of Han first, and then forward it to Huanyuan Pass.

It can be said that Lü Bu, who was proficient in the art of defection, was running at full speed in order to catch the Han army off guard and inflict heavy losses on them. Even the intelligence transmission couldn't keep up with his speed.

This is why Cao Cao received the news so hastily that he didn't have time to rush to Huanyuan Pass to cooperate with him. And precisely because Lü Bu arrived so quickly, Yang Hong and Lu Xun, with malicious intent, preemptively told Lü Bu before he even arrived, requesting Huanyuan Pass's cooperation.

Even if Cao Cao's side was nearby, it would be a miracle if they could coordinate a pincer attack against the Han army's deliberate advance ahead of the real Lü Bu, with the lightning-fast speed of the fake Lü Bu.

It was just bad luck for Xiahou Yuan. He was fast, a master of rapid marches, and understood the importance of speed in warfare. He was caught in the crossfire.

Lu Bu, at this moment and in this place, truly couldn't understand it.

Surely it couldn't be that Cao Cao's side was passing messages to the Han army to harm them, could it?

It doesn’t make sense!

They ran faster than the intelligence could be transmitted. Who could have known they were going to rebel and deliberately set a trap for themselves?

Unfortunately, with the Xuanjia army closing in on him, he had no time to think about these things.

He spurred his Red Hare horse forward, brandished his halberd, and shouted, "Kill!"

"The King of Han has harmed me!"
Soldiers, follow me to break through the encirclement!
Hou Cheng, you must quickly go to Huanyuan Pass and request Cao Cao's army to come to your aid.

At his command, the cavalry outside the camp disregarded all restraint and charged into the camp to rescue Lü Bu.

Meanwhile, Lü Bu, who was inside the stronghold, led his troops in a charge outwards.

Between the inside and outside, they also fought with the Han army blocking the gate. The three groups of people were fighting together, with no distinction between them.

Horses were all crowding the entrance to the stockade. The cavalry, who were originally able to roam freely and move freely throughout the land, were suddenly hampered and trapped inside the stockade, unable to advance or retreat.

Fortunately, Lü Bu's martial arts were unparalleled in the world. He reined in his horse and fought fiercely at the gate of the camp. His tall figure on the horse almost completely enveloped the soldiers. Under the heavy halberd, those who could stand in his way were defeated.

How could an ordinary person possibly withstand his immense power!
Just then, a loud shout rang out, "Ling Cao is here! How dare you, a lowly king of a humble state, be so insolent!"

Before the people arrive, the sound arrives first!
As soon as he finished speaking, a man with a gun charged out from the crowd—it was Ling Cao!

Seeing Ling Cao thrust his spear at him, Lu Bu, already feeling betrayed and seething with anger, showed no mercy.

Ignoring the risk of his hand being cut by the spear, he reached out with his left hand to grab the spear shaft that Ling Cao was thrusting at him, and with his right hand, he slashed at Ling Cao's head with a halberd.

Ling Cao was shocked by what he saw and found it horrifying!

He had mastered all the martial arts in his life and considered himself superior to everyone else, but today he was careless and was no match for him.
Lu Bu among men, how terrifying was he?
How exactly did General Ji Ling defeat such an unparalleled expert in one move?

In a flash, Ling Cao was terrified. He quickly dropped his spear, jumped off his horse to avoid the halberd, and narrowly escaped with his life.

Lu Bu sneered and was about to give chase when another man rode up on horseback, clad in silver armor and wielding a silver spear, shouting:
"Taishi Ci of Donglai is here; do not harm my generals!"

As he spoke, he engaged Lü Bu in combat with a spear and a halberd.

However, Lü Bu's moves were powerful and deadly, yet he was also agile and wielded his halberd with ease.

After exchanging only a few blows, Taishi Ci knew he was no match for his opponent and was merely putting up a desperate fight.

Fortunately, Lu Bu was confident in his martial prowess, and this time he only brought his subordinates such as Hao Meng, without any major generals accompanying him.

Seeing that Taishi Ci could not hold on, Chen Dao also came to his aid with his spear.

"You dare to be so arrogant after injuring my sworn brother?"

"Lu Bu, watch me, Chen Dao, fight you!"

With Chen Dao's help, Taishi Ci wielded his silver spear with impenetrable skill, finally catching his breath and hurriedly thanking Chen Dao.

"Young master, be careful. Lü Bu is famous throughout the world, and he is indeed a man whose reputation is not undeserved."

Chen Dao nodded, and the two worked together seamlessly to fight Lü Bu.

However, he only lasted for less than thirty rounds before showing signs of weakness. Fortunately, he also defeated Xu Sheng, one of Lu Bu's eight generals, and came to his aid with a large sword.

"Second Brother, don't panic, Xu Sheng is here!"

As he charged forward with his sword, the three of them fought Lü Bu together. Their weapons clashed like spinning wheels. Lü Bu stood firm on Red Hare and fought fiercely. The three of them rode around him and fought, but they couldn't make him move even a step.

The onlookers were all horrified. What a peerless Lü Bu! Unless General Ji Ling intervened, he would truly be invincible.

The three fought Lü Bu for over fifty rounds, but their defenses became increasingly weak, and they were about to be defeated again.

Ling Cao then found another large spear and charged forward on horseback.

The four were still no match for him. Before long, Yue Jin gave a bitter laugh and also drew his sword to meet the attack.

After seventy rounds, Lu Xun looked around his men and saw that only the fake Li Dian remained. He knew that Li Dian was all show and no substance, and that Chen Zhang's mediocre skills meant that it would be a miracle if he didn't cause trouble.

So he would occasionally glance at Xiahou Ba, who was hidden among the crowd and hesitated to make a move, the meaning of which was self-evident.

After all, their own teacher's legitimate adopted sons were renowned throughout the land, and every single one of them was a highly skilled individual.

Xiahou Ba, who is currently ranked fourth among his teacher's adopted sons, must not be an incompetent person.

Xiahou Ba: "."

Meeting Lu Xun's meaningful gaze, Xiahou Ba knew that the situation was urgent and he could no longer afford to be cunning or dishonest.

"Well, now that things have come to this, as the adopted son of the King of Han, I have no choice but to take action."

As he spoke, he immediately spurred his horse backward and shielded Xiahou Yuan in front of him.

“Father, since we’re already here.”

Now that you have been newly appointed, this is the perfect time for you to make your mark and achieve great things.

Anyway, the Xiahou family has no way out now. If we don't fight hard now to make a good impression on the King of Han.

How can we establish ourselves in the Han Kingdom and gain the favor of the King of Han?

Keep going, Father!

This is an opportunity I've fought for you to establish a great career and prove your worth!

Xiahou Yuan: "."

This is truly bizarre!

Is something wrong? I was clearly sent by Cao Cao to support Lü Bu.

However, Xiahou Ba's fallacious arguments were actually quite reasonable. Now that his entire family had surrendered to Yuan, given Cao Cao's suspicious nature, there was no way they would go back.

That's true, we're already here, what else can we do?

Completely helpless against his own unlucky son, Xiahou Yuan could only cry out:
Xiahou Yuan is here!

"Lu Bu, stop your arrogance! Watch me slay you!"

Lu Bu was shocked upon hearing this. What?
Xiahou Yuan?
"Oh no! It was that traitor Cao who ruined me!"

(End of this chapter)