My Three Kingdoms is not right

The Marquis of Wen's residence in Xiapi City.

The main hall was brightly lit, and people were drinking and chatting.

Lu Bu sat in the main seat, having removed his armor. A crimson brocade robe was casually draped over his shoulders, its collar wide open, revealing the striking curve of his collarbone.

She held a wine cup in one hand and rested the other on her knee, her bare feet treading on a tiger skin, her beautiful face radiating smug satisfaction.

"Although we failed to capture Tangshan today, we did capture Princess Wannian alive!" She raised her cup and looked around at the generals below. "With her in our hands, Cao Cao is hesitant to act rashly, and this battle is assured!"

"General, you are mighty!" Hou Cheng was the first to stand up and respond, his face beaming. "The Imperial Guards are indeed formidable, but before you, General, they are nothing but chickens and dogs! You charged into the enemy lines alone, capturing the enemy chieftain alive—truly unparalleled!"

Wei Yue chimed in, "Cao Cao would never have imagined that the general would achieve such a remarkable feat so early in the battle! He's probably having a headache right now!"

As Lü Bu listened to these flattering remarks, her smile deepened. She tilted her head back and drank the wine in her cup, then slammed the empty cup onto the table, exhaling a satisfied breath of wine.

"It's a pity that the Imperial Guard camp is dilapidated and I don't want it, otherwise Tangshan would already be mine."

The generals launched into another round of boasting, making the banquet atmosphere even more lively.

Gao Shun sat at the lower end of the table, neither raising his cup nor responding to any words.

Her elite troops fought a fierce battle today, not as easily as Lü Bu had described.

Zhang Liao sat opposite Gao Shun, holding a wine cup in her hand, but did not drink. She looked at the scene of singing and dancing in the hall, her brows furrowed.

Halfway through the banquet, Chen Gong hurriedly walked in from outside.

She changed into a clean blue dress, her hair was neatly combed, but there was a hint of fatigue in her eyes.

"General, the city is besieged by a large army. It is not advisable to hold a banquet too late, as it will affect tomorrow's battle."

Lu Bu's expression was not good, but he still waved his hand and said, "Gongtai is right, let's disperse for today!"

After the generals in the hall left, Chen Gong spoke up: "I came from the princess's side. The doctor said it was a temporary fainting spell, but her pulse was stable and there was nothing seriously wrong. She should wake up after a night's rest."

Lu Bu nodded and smiled, "That's good. It would be a pity if such a beautiful woman died."

Chen Gong looked at the undisguised joy on her face, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said, "General, your courage in charging into the enemy ranks and capturing the commander is truly unmatched."

"However, the prince we captured is actually a hot potato, with endless potential for trouble."

Lu Bu was pouring himself some wine when he heard this and looked up: "Gongtai, what do you mean by this?"

Chen Gong sighed: "Cao Cao will not withdraw his troops for his sake."

"I have known Cao Cao for many years and have long seen through his true nature."

"She could utter the words, 'I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me,' and she could order the massacre of the people of Xuzhou to avenge her father. Would such a person abandon her goals for a hostage?"

Lu Bu's smile gradually faded.

"Even if we assume Cao Cao does care about Liu Xun," Chen Gong continued, "she would never show it openly. With 30,000 troops besieging the city, if she were to retreat because of a single hostage, how could Cao Mengde (Cao Cao) maintain her authority and command the world?"

Lu Bu's face darkened: "If Cao Cao insists on attacking the city, I will strip the princess of her clothes in front of everyone on the city wall!"

"General, you must not have such thoughts!" Chen Gong's tone suddenly became urgent: "Liu Xun is no ordinary prisoner. He is the emperor's younger brother, Princess Wannian, and is backed by a prestigious aristocratic family headed by Yang Biao, as well as the emperor and members of the Liu imperial clan!"

"If you kill or humiliate him, General, you will be making an enemy of the entire world."

"At that time, the general will be surrounded by enemies on all sides, and will have no place to stand anywhere in the world!"

Lu Bu snorted coldly, unwilling to accept it: "So, according to you, capturing him was not only useless, but also a mistake?"

"It's useful," Chen Gong shook his head, "but not in this way. General, you must not only treat her with courtesy, but also find ways to satisfy the princess and get her to cooperate."

Lu Bu frowned: "Does Gongtai mean I have to appease him?"

"Not only should we treat them with respect, but we should also entertain them in a grand and lavish manner." Chen Gong nodded.

"Internally, we must let the powerful clans and gentry of Xuzhou see that the general has no intention of breaking with the court, much less betraying the Han dynasty. This battle with Cao Cao is merely a struggle between the armies of Cao and Lü, and has nothing to do with the emperor or the court."

Lu Bu bit his lip, offering no rebuttal.

"To the outside world," Chen Gong continued, "we must let Cao Cao's army outside the city see that Her Highness the Princess is safe and sound in our army and is being treated with great courtesy."

"Although most of Cao Cao's generals obey him, his soldiers respect the imperial court. If they knew that Princess was being mistreated by us, it would only fuel their hatred and resentment. But if they saw her being treated as an honored guest, they would be more cautious."

"Moreover, many generals in the Imperial Guards and Cao Cao's army have a history with Your Highness. If these people know that Your Highness is safe and sound in our hands, they will not dare to fight recklessly on the battlefield."

After listening, Lü Bu remained silent for a long time.

She picked up the wine cup, only to find it was empty. Chen Gong stepped forward to refill it for her, then stepped back, waiting for her reply.

"I understand what Gongtai means." Lü Bu tilted his head back and finished his drink. When he put down the wine cup, his eyes had regained their clarity. "Then, in Gongtai's opinion, how should we entertain him?"

"I plan to move to the government office and vacate my own courtyard for Your Highness. It's in the center of the city, so no one will gossip even in broad daylight."

Lu Bu was slightly taken aback: "Gongtai's courtyard?"

"Indeed." Chen Gong nodded. "Your Highness is a man, and it is inconvenient for him to live in the General's Mansion. If any rumors spread, it would damage Your Highness's reputation, which would be undesirable."

When Lü Bu heard the words "ruined reputation," her expression became somewhat unnatural. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

"Furthermore," Chen Gong continued, pretending not to notice her odd behavior, "the general can send troops to monitor and control His Highness under the guise of protection, but the manners must be impeccable and the attitude polite."

"On ordinary days, we can invite him to dine with the general. In this way, His Highness will be like a guest in our army, rather than a prisoner."

Lu Bu nodded: "Gongtai has thought things through thoroughly, so you may make the arrangements."

"There's one more thing," Chen Gong's tone turned serious, "General, your fondness for wine and women is your true nature, and I've never objected. However, Liu Xun is no ordinary man, and he's not someone you can lay a finger on."

Lü Bu suddenly turned around and glared at Chen Gong.

Facing Lü Bu, who was much taller and bigger than him, Chen Gong did not back down at all, and calmly said, "General, please calm down. I said all this for your future."

"Your Highness is a fine jade, but not one that the General should touch."

The two stared at each other for a long time.

In the end, Lü Bu looked away first.

"Don't worry, Gongtai. I know what's important."

Chen Gong breathed a sigh of relief, but then added in a low voice, "General, if the war goes badly, His Highness is the last line of defense. Even with thousands of troops under Cao Cao's command, he is unwilling to bear the consequences of publicly killing a member of the imperial family."

Lü Bu sneered, "Even if I, Lü Fengxian, am incompetent, I would never need to rely on a man to save my life."

Chen Gong shook his head, took his leave, and departed.

Lu Bu looked down at the remaining wine in the cup and suddenly chuckled softly.

"So what if it's pretty?" she muttered to herself, spilling the remaining wine on the ground. "You can only look at it, not touch it."

"Someone, bring two beauties to serve you!"