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

Chapter 48 Seeking land and houses, I fear I should be ashamed to face Liu Lang's talent! (Combined chapter, 4500 words)

"You've got guts! If I want to hit you, what crime do I need?"

If I attack you now, it is as if I were attacking Lü Bu.

"Don't stop me!"

Seeing that everyone wanted to persuade him, Zhang Fei broke free and personally whipped Cao Bao fifty times. He only stopped when everyone begged for mercy.

After defeating Cao Bao, Zhang Fei felt refreshed and drank with everyone until they were completely satisfied.

The guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely. The ebony table was now empty, and the silver candlesticks illuminated the leftover food. Seeing Zhang Fei lead everyone away, a group of trusted officers boldly came to help Cao Bao.

Why did Cao Cao go to such lengths?

"The Third General is impatient. You can just flatter him a few times and have him drink a few bowls of wine. Why suffer physical pain?"

"Who in the city doesn't know that the Third General and General Lü are at odds? Why did you have to bring him up?"

"The Third General? He's facing imminent disaster, yet he remains oblivious."

As the group chatted, they helped Cao Bao up, never expecting to be met with his cold, piercing gaze and a faint, sneer on his lips.

"Put on my armor and help me to the camp."

what!
Everyone was shocked and hurriedly tried to dissuade them.

"Lord Cao, calm down! Don't act rashly."

"Why did you go to such lengths in a moment of anger?"

"Zhang Fei is a match for ten thousand men. In the midst of a vast army, he can slay generals and capture banners as easily as taking something out of a bag. He is not someone you can defeat by force!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Bao burst into laughter.

“You are afraid of Zhang Fei’s strength, but are you not afraid of my son-in-law Lü Bu?”

He has tens of thousands of troops stationed outside the city, intending to conquer Xuzhou in one battle. Do you want to be buried with that black bastard at that time?

I have served in Xuzhou for half my life. I have worked hard, even if I have not made any great contributions. Given my status and achievements, that black scoundrel beat me or killed me on a whim because of a drunken quarrel. How much more so would he do to you?

If he beats me while drunk today, who knows if he won't kill someone while drunk at tomorrow's banquet? He must have killed quite a few soldiers while drunk these past few days, right?

Do you really expect to reason with a drunken, unruly person and guarantee that his whip will never fall on you?
Gentlemen, please consider this carefully.

Upon hearing Cao Bao's words, the generals' expressions changed drastically, and they were filled with extreme horror.

What is Cao Bao's intention? How dare he do this? That's Zhang Fei, a warrior capable of defeating ten thousand men!
But if what he said is true, Lü Bu has already led tens of thousands of troops to the outside of the city. Once the city falls, wouldn't Lü Bu be even more terrifying than Zhang Fei?
Moreover, Zhang Fei had only been in Xuzhou for a short time, while he and Cao Bao had been working together since Tao Qian's time and were old friends for many years.

If it were Lord Xuande in charge of Xuzhou today, everyone would be completely convinced and willing to submit.

However, with Xuande away, Zhang Fei was left unsupervised. He forced everyone to gather for drinks every day, and would whip and beat anyone who disobeyed.

Even though it's all just for show, who wouldn't suffer if it were to happen every day?

Seeing the changing expressions on everyone's faces, Cao Bao knew the time was right and proceeded to speak.

"Since Lord Xuande succeeded Lord Tao as the governor of Xuzhou, he has treated us with great courtesy and has never neglected us."

However, having lost all military power, even with courteous treatment, he had no real authority, and his life hung in the balance.

If Zhang Fei still held military power, would he dare to bully me like this today? Would he dare to coerce you like this?
If we do not seize the opportunity now, while Lord Xuande is away and Xuzhou has only recently changed hands, and while the soldiers are still grateful for our kindness and willing to follow us, we should take back power in one fell swoop.

Given time, the morale of the army will be captured by others, and we will completely lose power in Xuzhou. We will all be nothing more than fish on the chopping block.

The generals lowered their heads and remained silent for a long time before finally raising their eyes to look at him.

"What if Lü Bu were to take control of Xu Province?"

Cao Bao was overjoyed and hurriedly said to him:
"If my son-in-law takes over, he will not only return the troops to us, but also allocate money and grain to allow us to expand our army."

He currently has few soldiers and generals, and urgently needs our full assistance, as you all know.

Besides, he is my son-in-law. If you don't trust him, don't you trust me?

"If that is so, I am willing to follow Cao Cao's words."

After discussing and deciding, they went to the military camp to recruit their old troops. Cao Bao distributed gold and silver as pay, lit torches, and shouted:

"Liu Bei, under the guise of benevolence and righteousness, seized control of prefectures and counties, defied the imperial court's orders, and assumed the position of governor of the prefectures."

His younger brother, Zhang Fei, drank alcohol every night and frequently whipped his soldiers, sometimes killing them.

If I am still being punished, how much more so will you be?

From this perspective, where is the benevolence and righteousness? These are people without ruler or father, deceiving the world and stealing fame!

I will punish them on behalf of Heaven.

Cao Bao ordered his generals to lead their troops straight to the city gate.

"Cao Bao is here! Why don't you generals open the city gates?"

"Open the city gates?"

Cao Bao ordered the soldiers guarding the city to open the city gates under cover of night.

Unexpectedly, a mocking voice rang out, and a man holding a spear rode out slowly from the shadows.

"Open your eyes wide and see clearly who I am."

The newcomer had a leopard's head, bulging eyes, a swallow's chin, and a tiger's beard; it was none other than Zhang Fei!

"what?"

Upon seeing Zhang Fei, Cao Bao's voice trembled, "Zhang Yide! How...how could you be here?"

His gaze naturally fell on the refined scholar beside Zhang Fei.

"Chen Yuanlong, it's you!"

"General Cao, why bother? We've known each other for many years. Your strange behavior tonight is bound to arouse my suspicion."

Chen Deng shook his head and sighed, "Lord Xuande treated people with sincerity and never mistreated you in the slightest. How can you live with your conscience now that you have betrayed him?"

"Lord Xuande has not mistreated him, but what about Zhang Yide?"

Cao Bao sneered and said to the crowd, "If we fail now, and Lord Xuande is in our presence, we might have a chance to live. But if we fall into Zhang Yide's hands, we will surely die!"
My son-in-law, Lü Bu, is currently outside the city. If we light a fire as a signal, he will surely come to our aid. Only when the city falls will we have a chance to survive.

All soldiers, heed my command! Open the city gates and fight to the death!

Seeing this, Zhang Fei squinted his drunken eyes and vaguely opened them, "Yuanlong, what did I tell you? He married his daughter to Lü Bu and secretly had an affair; he should be killed on the spot."

And that traitor who served three masters—I've told my elder brother so many times, he's a fickle and treacherous person who will eventually cause trouble.

"But you all just thought I was a careless and reckless person, and never believed me, which has led to this disaster today."

Chen Deng: "."

He intended to explain that if Cao Bao were killed based on suspicion, Xuzhou would surely descend into chaos, and it would be better to take advantage of his rebellion to wipe out his followers in one fell swoop.

Then she remembered that Zhang Fei was still drunk, and she was too lazy to argue with him.

"I am Zhang Yide of Yan!"
Cao Bao, you refuse to die!

Zhang Fei roared like a thunderclap, his momentum like a galloping horse, as he charged forward with his spear.

Seeing him descend like a divine warrior, his spear sweeping and powerful, killing anyone who touched him, how could Cao Bao not be terrified?

He hurriedly ordered his generals to block him, while secretly calling for Lü Bu.

The fighting within the city ignited a fire; how could those outside the city not know?
Knowing that things had changed, Lü Bu ordered Gao Shun to lead the elite troops to be the first to break through the city, with other generals and more than 10,000 infantrymen following to provide cover.

On the city wall, Chen Yuanlong was leading his troops in defense. Knowing that Cao Bao intended to rebel, they had made preparations in advance. Rolling stones were like thunder and arrows were like rain. How could more than 10,000 new soldiers resist?

Before the people on the city wall could catch their breath, eight hundred inconspicuous men, mixed among the tens of thousands, had already pierced the city wall like sharp swords, braving arrows and rolling stones, and using ladders to climb up the city wall.

Clad in black armor, they were completely silent.

They kill or are killed without expression, remaining silent.

Until Gao Shun led his men to the top of the city wall and shouted:
"The will to charge into battle!"

The generals replied:

"There is no hope of survival!"

"Hold on! Drive them off the city walls, now!!!"

Chen Deng hurriedly ordered his men to guard the area, but the eight hundred men were like ruthless killing machines, slaughtering everything in their path until it was covered in blood and gore.

They are not immortal; they are made of flesh and blood. But when their predecessors die, their successors take their place, their eyes cold and unmoved.

Murder, just murder, pure murder.

The song goes:

"A fighting spirit, ready to die for their cause!" "Elite! Unrivaled elite in this era."

Chen Deng gritted his teeth. If he had five thousand of the most elite soldiers from Danyang in Xuzhou, he could have worn down these eight hundred soldiers. Unfortunately, they had all been taken away by Xuande in order to go north to attack Cao Cao and restore the Han Dynasty.

Now, with the city under attack from outside and a rebellion within, and eight hundred elite soldiers fighting their way through the city walls straight to the gates, morale is wavering. Even with his many clever schemes, he is helpless.

Sensing Cao Bao's unusual behavior, Chen Yuanlong made preparations in advance, intending to quell both external threats and internal strife in one fell swoop. He, Chen Yuanlong, did not lose to Chen Gong, but was defeated by these eight hundred soldiers.

Seeing that the city gate had been breached by the Trapped Camp, and knowing that the situation was hopeless, Chen Deng ordered his generals to do their best to delay while he hurriedly went to find Zhang Fei.

"I am Zhang Yide of Yan! Who dares to fight me to the death!"

At this moment, how could Cao Bao and his men be a match for Zhang Fei inside the city?

With a cry of "Where is my son-in-law Fengxian?", Cao Bao was pierced by a spear and fell dead to the ground.

Just as Zhang Fei was about to quell the rebellion and lead his troops back to defend the city, Chen Deng rushed over.

"The North Gate has been breached. Generals, hurry to the South Gate to find Lord Xuande."

"what!"

Intoxicated by the alcohol, Zhang Fei nearly stabbed Chen Deng with his spear.

"Chen Yuanlong!"

Didn't you say you'd use this as a pretext to eliminate Cao Bao and other potential threats? But how come you couldn't even hold out for a short while while defending the city?

Now, what use is Xuzhou if we lose it, besides Cao Bao? How can I face my elder brother?

Seeing that Zhang Fei was almost suspecting him of being a traitor, Chen Deng was extremely embarrassed, but he remained calm and continued to talk eloquently.

"If the general hadn't been drinking every night and whipping his soldiers at every turn, causing the army to lose morale and internal strife to arise, why would I have needed to resort to such a risky scheme?"
Wu Wo saw through Cao Bao's strange behavior and warned him, "General, you are probably fast asleep, drunk, and have been beheaded by Lü Bu without even realizing it."

Zhang Fei: "."

Seeing that he was speechless and had no reply, Chen Deng tried to save face and urged him again.

"Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Now is not the time to judge crimes. Generals, quickly leave the city and inform Lord Xuande of the alarming events in Xuzhou."

Otherwise, if he were to venture deep into enemy territory alone without reinforcements, his entire army might be wiped out.

"I am furious! You traitor who has served three masters, I will surely kill you one day!"

Zhang Fei cursed angrily, spurred his horse and rode away, "Yuanlong, come with me to rescue my sister-in-law's family. We're leaving the city now."

"The Bingzhou wolf cavalry are invincible throughout the land. How can they escape with their families?"

The three generals have departed, and I, the humble servant of Lord Xuande, will personally protect them.

"Chen Yuanlong! Have you truly betrayed my elder brother and intend to surrender to Lü Bu?"

"I will always remember Lord Xuande's kindness and righteousness, but the Chen family has lived in Xuzhou for generations and has its own way of making a living."

Generals, do not worry. Deng will surely ensure the safety of Xuande's family and will return Lü Bu with both hands.

"you!"

Zhang Fei was both angry and anxious, and knew that he had no other choice but to lead his remaining cavalry of several dozen men toward the south gate.

Before long, Lü Bu led 7,000 Bingzhou wolf cavalry into the city, and none could stop him.

Chen Deng led the officials of Xuzhou to welcome him, and bowed deeply in gratitude.

"Ascend, and with all officials present, welcome the Governor of Xuzhou."

"Now that we have Yuanlong, our great undertaking is accomplished."

Lu Bu, brimming with pride, laughed to the sky, unaware of the sinister glint in Chen Deng's eyes beneath his smiling face.

Now you have seized Xuzhou with the help of Cao Bao from within and without. In the future, I will let you, Lü Bu, taste the bitterness of losing Xuzhou due to collusion from within and without. This will be a fitting end to the favor I have shown to Xuande.

In the central command tent of Liu Bei in the State of Lu.

"Xun Yu has few soldiers and generals. The other day, his second brother killed three of his generals. Now he has abandoned the State of Lu and retreated to the Shanyang area."

Liu Bei unfolded the map and consulted his men, asking, "If I were to do this now, what should I do?"

Jian Yong and Sun Qian looked at each other and asked us for advice on military strategy. "Lord Xuande, are you serious?"

Fortunately, Guan Yu was present. Just as he was about to speak, a soldier came to report: "The Third General has arrived!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei cried out in grief and covered his face with his hands, weeping.

"The Han dynasty is in decline, and there is no way to reverse it!"

There's no other reason than that Zhang Fei was originally ordered to guard Xuzhou, and now that Zhang Fei has arrived, there's no need to think about it.

"Big brother!"

Sure enough, Zhang Fei, shirtless and carrying a bundle of thorns, came before Liu Bei, knelt down, and wept, saying:

“Lu Bu is a villain, ungrateful and treacherous. He colluded with Cao Bao from the inside. I made a mistake because of drinking, and we lost Xuzhou.”

Guan Yu was angry at his brother's lack of ambition, but also felt sorry for his brother, so he asked anxiously, "Where is my sister-in-law?"

"They all fell into the city and were entrusted to Chen Yuanlong."

As Zhang Fei spoke, he felt increasingly ashamed, realizing he had failed his elder brother, and drew his sword to commit suicide.

"Put down the sword!"

Liu Bei, who was seen weeping in front of everyone, stopped crying for the first time. When he looked up, there was no trace of sorrow on his face.
"Bei, a man who weaves mats and sells shoes, barely survives in this chaotic world."

As young men, we pursued our studies but achieved nothing. At a time when the world was in chaos, the three of us brothers risked our lives to restore the Han Dynasty and protect our country.

However, my merits were swallowed up, and I only got the title of county magistrate. Then I was dismissed by the court. On that day, Zhang Fei angrily whipped the inspector for me. I took off my seal and tied it around his neck, and left triumphantly.

How carefree and joyful that feeling was! I still remember it vividly to this day.

He slowly approached, and fearing he might hurt Zhang Fei, carefully removed the thorns from his back, and sighed deeply.

"We have traveled a long and arduous road, and you two brothers have followed me for many years, first serving under Gongsun Zan, and later living under the roof of Tao Qian."

He is of shallow talent and meager virtue, lacking both the heroic spirit of Cao Cao who assassinated Dong Zhuo and the illustrious reputation of the Yuan family, who had served as high-ranking officials for generations.

Now thirty-six years old, yet no achievements have been made; half a lifetime has passed, spent either in failure or in exile.

This time he didn't cry, but laughed. He laughed loudly, but that bitter laugh was even more moving than crying.

"I, Liu Bei, am truly a coward!"

He stopped laughing, then looked at Zhang Fei and said:
"Yide, did you follow me because Liu Bei holds Xu Province and is the governor of Xu Province?"

"Brother, I follow you because of your benevolence and righteousness."

"If that's the case, why did you lose Xuzhou because of me and abandon me?"

Zhang Fei was in tears, and threw his long sword to the ground, which moved everyone to tears.

Liu Bei alone laughed and said:
"My tears just now were not for Xuzhou, but because I was unable to go to the emperor's aid and restore the Han dynasty."

In the past, when the heroes of the eighteen towns gathered to fight against Dong Zhuo, the lords were seated in order of rank, but I, Liu Bei, was not qualified.

A mere weaver of mats and seller of shoes, who merely uttered the four words "Restore the Han Dynasty" in public, drew laughter from the crowd.

But what happened after that? The second brother, having warmed the wine, beheaded Hua Xiong; the three brothers fought Lü Bu at Hulao Pass, their fame spreading throughout the land. Where are the former warlords now?

He looked down at the crowd, his eyes already brimming with tears amidst the laughter and chatter.

"Yesterday's county magistrate, today's governor of Xuzhou, to me there is no difference. What is there to be happy about in gaining, or to be sad about in losing?"
In this world, there are many who pursue profit and vie for power, abandoning benevolence and righteousness and colluding with the wicked.

Even the most loyal and righteous people often abandon morality and righteousness in the face of setbacks and self-doubt, believing that chaos has always been the way of the world.

But just because it has always been this way, does that mean it's right?
I have dedicated half my life to this struggle, remaining steadfast in my commitment, not to conquer cities and seize territories, but solely to uphold righteousness for the world!

I want to clearly tell all the lords of the world that the banner of the Han Dynasty still stands, and those who are righteous and willing to die for their country will surely follow one after another to restore the Han Dynasty and return to the old capital!

All bowed and said:

"To fulfill the general's ambition, I am willing to serve like a dog or a horse!"

Liu Bei never expected that at this moment, he would ignite the passion of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and everyone else, inspiring them to dedicate themselves to the cause, working tirelessly until their dying breath.

This is not benevolence! This is not righteousness!
Rather, it is that dream that ignites in the heart of an ordinary person and never fades away, no matter how many failures and setbacks they experience!

Even those who weave mats and sell shoes must uphold the Han Dynasty!
Embracing an unattainable dream, drowning in cold reality, or igniting the world with it?
While Lü Bu betrayed the alliance and Liu Bei lost Xuzhou, Yuan Shu, far away in Yingchuan, also received a distinguished guest from Cao Cao's camp.

"To have Ziyi today is truly a gift from heaven!"

Jiang Gan: ? ? ?
What kind of talk is that? I'm here as an envoy, not to seek refuge with you!
　Thank you to "Garen the God" for the 6 monthly tickets, and thank you everyone for your support and love!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)