My Three Kingdoms is not right

As night fell, Luoyang was shrouded in darkness.

There were only faint, scattered lights in the direction of Yang'an Hall in the Southern Palace.

However, the General Wei's mansion in the east of the city presented a completely different scene.

The hall was brightly lit, with nine bronze sparrow lamps burning simultaneously, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.

The table was laden with delicacies—roasted mutton, stewed chicken, fresh fish sashimi, candied plums, and wine transported from Guanzhong.

Clearly, the court's predicament had no impact on this place.

The servants filed in, constantly adding wine and dishes. The aroma of meat mingled with the fragrance of wine, filling the air.

Dong Cheng personally took the wine pot and filled the wine cups of the guests opposite him.

"Mengde, please."

Cao Cao held the cup with both hands, his posture humble: "General Dong, you are too kind."

Tonight she changed into a deep crimson robe, her dark hair loosely tied up, making her look less sharp and more like an elegant noblewoman.

However, the occasional glint of sharpness in her phoenix eyes when she raised them was still undeniable.

Dong Cheng sat down opposite her, raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp. He wiped his mouth before speaking: "Mengde's abrupt request to marry Princess Wannian in court today is rather presumptuous."

Cao Cao put down his wine cup: "Please enlighten me, General Dong."

"Princess Wannian is a precious jewel of the royal family. I know Mengde is young and impetuous," Dong Cheng shook his head. "However, matters have priorities. Right now, the most important thing is the stability of the court and the situation around His Majesty!"

"Han Xian was already wary of Mengde, and this incident has only increased his vigilance. There will likely be many more obstacles ahead."

"General Dong is absolutely right. It was my oversight." Cao Cao smiled slightly. "However, Han Xian may seem powerful, but he is actually weak inside and out. He is not worth fearing."

"General, rest assured, I am fully confident in handling this."

A smile gradually appeared on Dong Cheng's lips.

After escorting the emperor to Luoyang, Yang Feng, whose army was the strongest, stationed his troops in Liang County, and Luoyang City became the battleground for the two powerful forces, Yang Feng and Han Xian.

These days, the two are openly and secretly fighting for power in the court, but Dong Cheng is always at a disadvantage due to his small number of soldiers.

Cao Cao's elite army was the external aid she secretly brought in.

"Excellent!" Dong Cheng raised his cup, his spirit soaring. "Mengde is indeed courageous and insightful! Come, drink this cup to the brim!"

After the two shared a drink, Dong Cheng put down his wine cup and spoke more casually: "If we can defeat Han Xian this time, then while Mengde guards his region, I will handle things for you in court. With our combined efforts, nothing in the world will be difficult!"

Cao Cao nodded repeatedly: "We are entirely relying on General Dong."

"Don't worry," Dong Cheng patted his chest, his chest trembling, "I will submit a memorial tomorrow, requesting the Emperor to grant Mengde an official rank and title."

Cao Cao sneered inwardly, but on the surface he showed even more gratitude: "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, General."

He then hesitated for a moment: "I won't be staying in Luoyang for long either. I ask the general to cooperate with the handover of city defenses as soon as possible."

Dong Cheng was taken aback: "Why are you in such a hurry?"

Cao Cao sighed, his face full of worry, and said, "Lü Bu has stationed troops in Xuzhou and is eyeing Yanzhou covetously. Zhang Xiu is secretly colluding with Liu Biao, and things could change at any time. If I stay away from Yanzhou for too long, I fear trouble may arise."

A hint of relaxation flashed in Dong Cheng's eyes.

Although she won over Cao Cao to suppress Han Xian, she was also worried that Cao Cao would become too powerful in Luoyang and become the next threat.

It would be better to leave sooner.

"Rest assured, Mengde, I will arrange for key positions inside and outside the city to coordinate with your army's actions!"

……

Late at night.

After leaving General Wei's residence, Cao Cao rode slowly, his respectful demeanor completely gone.

Instead, there was an undisguised mockery.

"Such mediocre people actually dare to dream of holding a position in the court, controlling the emperor, and treating all the heroes and heroines of the world as nothing." She muttered to herself, a sharp glint flashing in her phoenix eyes.

Cheng Yuze, standing beside her, chimed in, "What's even more ridiculous is that she actually thought that the lord was 'invited' by her."

Cao Cao slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the dilapidated streets and alleys of Luoyang.

Under the moonlight, the former capital city resembled a giant corpse.

Rotten, hollow, and lifeless.

"Speaking of which," she suddenly said, her tone tinged with amusement, "the entire court, from top to bottom, is actually no match for that young man beside the throne."

Cheng Yu was slightly taken aback: "Is my lord referring to Princess Wannian?"

Cao Cao did not answer, but merely turned his head slightly, looking towards the direction of the Southern Palace. The image of that figure standing beneath the Emperor's steps in the Great Hall during the day inexplicably appeared before his eyes.

He was clearly just a member of the imperial family who grew up in the deep palace, a golden branch and jade leaf who should have been pampered in a world of splendor.

Yet he dared to be calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant, in the imperial court.

Yet he dared to lead a few dozen emaciated imperial guards to fight against thousands of mountain bandits.

A night breeze blew by, carrying a hint of warmth, and she suddenly felt a slight heat on her cheeks.

The drinks tonight have a bit of a kick.

-----------------

Under the same moonlight, in a secluded corner of Nangong.

The young eunuch on night patrol suddenly stopped and pricked up his ears.

"...da da da".

What was that sound?

She stiffened, a chill running down her spine. She recalled the terrifying tales circulating in the palace: hungry ghosts haunted the imperial kitchen, wielding knives to carve bones and chew human flesh at midnight…

Her teeth chattered, and goosebumps instantly rose all over her body.

She swallowed hard, mustered her courage, and tiptoed toward the kitchen, peering through the crack in the door.

Inside the kitchen, a dim oil lamp was lit.

A dark figure stood under the lamp.

The person had their back to the door, their figure blurred, and two long swords in their hands gleamed coldly as they rose and fell at inhuman speed.

On the cutting board lay objects of indistinct shapes. With each stroke of the knife, a few dark droplets of liquid splashed up, tracing brief arcs in the dim light before disappearing into the shadows.

"!!!"

The young eunuch rolled his eyes and fainted on the spot.

In front of the cutting board.

Liu Xun stopped wielding his sword and looked towards the door in confusion.

Was there any sound just now?

After listening for a while, all I could hear was the faint chirping of cicadas and the sound of wind rustling through the grass.

"It's probably a fox..."

He shrugged and continued chopping vegetables.

The radish on the cutting board has been cut into even, hair-thin strips.

no way.

Cao Cao sent provisions, so the court no longer had to drink wild vegetable porridge. But this also meant that he had no reason to spend his days chopping vegetables to gain experience.

I had no choice but to sneak in at night when no one was around.

Da da da, da da da, da da da da da...

With two knives wielded like wheels, the rhythm of slicing vegetables rivaled that of a drummer.

Finally, the long-awaited upgrade notification popped up before my eyes:

[Skill Upgrade!]

[Blade proficiency has been increased to level 5, reaching a level of mastery.]

[Your melee combat skills have improved significantly; you are awarded 2 points of Strength.]

[Would you like to check the latest status?]

Yes!

Liu Xun put down the kitchen knife and stretched. A faint warmth flowed slowly through his limbs and bones, allowing him to clearly feel the increase in his strength.

A semi-transparent system panel pops up in front of you:

[Player: Liu Xun]

[Martial prowess: 73. Invincible in the surrounding villages, but don't be too arrogant if you encounter a famous general.]

[Charm: 82 Natural beauty plus a princess aura makes you unparalleled in charm.]

[Strategy: 60. Extraordinary education will give you, with your ordinary talents, extraordinary insights.]

[Bond Attributes: None]

[Skills Overview]

[Melee: Level 5]

[Riding Skill: Level 3]

[Cooking Skills: Level 4]

Okay, that's all for today.

Liu Xun nodded in satisfaction, wiped the kitchen knife clean, and put it away.

The higher the skill level, the more experience is required, so you can't level up your melee skill in a short time just by chopping vegetables.

Strength 73

In the Three Kingdoms period, he was already considered a second-rate military general.

He can defeat weak generals in one-on-one combat, and dealing with ordinary soldiers, bandits, and robbers is a piece of cake for him.

Compared to the generally physically weak men in this world...

Liu Xun silently looked at the increasingly prominent muscle lines on his arms.

Yes, it's absolutely a phenomenal existence.

The other skill, "riding," can only be improved through regular horseback riding and mounted combat; there are no shortcuts to improvement.

As for his cooking skills, he's close to leveling up, but Liu Xun doesn't need any charm bonus, so he has no motivation to grind for them.

Overall, the panel attributes are mediocre.

To improve quickly, you need to try to discover more 'skills'. Ideally, you should also exploit some bugs.

Recalling the scene of the cunning young woman proposing to him during the day, Liu Xun couldn't help but shudder.

"No, I need to get stronger quickly."