My Three Kingdoms is not right

As evening approached, Song Xian arrived again.

A hint of excitement flickered in her eyes: "Cao Cao's camp has responded. Tomorrow night at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), they will agree on a location outside the city and light three torches as a signal. Once we see the signal, we will proceed according to plan."

Finally, I can leave this place.

Hopefully the fever will break by tomorrow.

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

The following night, Liu Xun pushed open the hidden door to the backyard.

From the very first day he moved into this courtyard, he was preparing to escape.

He knew the soldiers' sentry posts, escape routes, and passageways under the woodpile like the back of his hand.

The coarse cloth short coat he was wearing was also "borrowed" from the kitchen helper two months ago. It fit perfectly, and the grayish material was not noticeable in the night.

Her hair was wrapped in a cloth, and her face was smeared with soot. Even if someone happened to see her, they would never recognize that this ordinary servant was actually the incomparably charming princess.

He left smoothly and glanced back at the courtyard.

The place where I had been "imprisoned" for several months looked exceptionally quiet and peaceful under the moonlight.

Take care of yourself!

A night breeze, carrying moisture and the stench of silt from the moat, swept over us. Most of the floodwaters in the city had receded, but the ground remained slippery.

They encountered no major setbacks along the way, but the morale of Lu Bu's army in the city was already low, and the night patrols were very sloppy.

Liu Xun had Song Xian arrange the route beforehand—it was all the patrol routes in her defense zone, and the soldiers he encountered were all her men. When they saw him, they would lower their heads and turn to the side, pretending not to see him.

I still had a low-grade fever, and I started to pant halfway through the walk, feeling a bit dizzy and lightheaded.

As they approached the south gate tower, a group of soldiers came to greet them.

"Your Highness has arrived!" The one leading the group was Song Xian's confidant. "I will take you to the city wall."

Upon reaching the top of the city wall, a breathtaking view unfolds.

Outside the city of Xiapi, as dusk fell, the water had receded considerably, revealing vast stretches of muddy tidal flats. In the distance, the lights of Cao Cao's army camp flickered in the night.

On the city wall, Hou Cheng and Song Xian were already waiting by the crenellations.

Upon seeing Liu Xun, the two quickly stepped forward and knelt on one knee, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

They had never been so particular about etiquette before.

Liu Xun helped them up, saying, "No need for such formalities."

"We are relieved that Your Highness is coming," Song Xian said in a low voice. "Wei Xu's camp is far away; he will be there shortly."

Hou Cheng's injuries hadn't fully healed, and his movements were somewhat stiff: "Please take good care of me, Your Highness."

"Don't worry." Liu Xun nodded. "Is there any movement outside the city?"

"The time isn't up yet." Hou Cheng looked towards the dark wilderness in the distance. "There's still a little over half an hour left."

Song Xian pointed to a high ground in the distance and added, "At three-quarters past midnight, three torches will be lit there. Once we see the signal, we will open the city gates."

Just then, footsteps came from the stairs.

Wei Xu led a dozen or so personal guards up the city wall. Upon seeing Liu Xun, she greeted him with her usual warm smile and clasped her hands in a fist salute: "Your Highness arrived first!"

Liu Xun smiled and nodded at her.

Everything is ready; now all we have to do is wait.

Liu Xun leaned against the crenellations, gazing out of the city.

The night grew deeper, and the wind on the city wall was biting cold. He wrapped his coarse cloth clothes tighter around himself, but still felt the chill penetrate to his very bones. A low-grade fever blurred his vision, but he forced himself to stay awake.

Time passes little by little.

The atmosphere on the city wall grew increasingly tense. The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes frequently glancing towards the agreed-upon high ground outside the city.

finally--

On the distant high ground, a small fire lit up.

Next, the second point, and the third point.

The three torches stood out starkly against the dark night.

"They're here!" Song Xian exclaimed softly.

Hou Cheng and Wei Xu exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Open the city gates!" Song Xian ordered.

The city gate was a heavy iron and wood structure, normally requiring more than a dozen people to push it open. Hou Cheng had arranged for his trusted men to wait inside the gate beforehand, and now, at his command, the heavy hinges began to turn slowly with a teeth-grinding creak.

The city gates opened.

The night wind, carrying moisture from the water outside the city, blew in, almost extinguishing the torches on the city tower.

Liu Xun looked out of the city. In the darkness, he could vaguely see a large army moving towards the city gate in the distance, like an undercurrent.

Once Cao Cao's army enters the city, everything will be over.

However, at that moment, Liu Xun suddenly heard another voice.

Hooves, shouts, and carnage!

The streets of the city become clearer and clearer as they approach.

"What's going on?!" Everyone's expression changed.

A soldier stumbled up the city wall, shouting, "It's Lü Bu! Lü Bu has brought his personal guards!"

Below the city gate, screams, the clash of weapons, and the splashing of horses' hooves through the puddles blended into a chilling soundscape.

Then, everyone on the city wall heard that sound.

That roar that made them tremble:

"traitor!!!"

Lu Bu's voice pierced the night, like a red-hot iron cone stabbing into everyone's eardrums.

"I'm going to kill you all!!!"

In the torchlight, Hou Cheng's face turned deathly pale.

Song Xian's knuckles cracked as he gripped the knife handle tightly.

Wei Xu leaned against a pillar, his lips trembling, "How did she know?!"

Liu Xun's heart sank to the bottom.

Lü Bu has arrived.

How could it be so fast?

Did their plan leak from the very beginning? Or had Lü Bu already become suspicious and was simply waiting?

But these issues are no longer important at this moment.

"No need to panic!"

Liu Xun shouted sternly, "Cao Cao's army will be here soon! Let's go down and guard the city gates to stop Lü Bu!"

"If we fail, I may escape unscathed, but you will surely die!"

The three exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with unwavering resolve.

They knew Liu Xun was right.

Things have come to this point, we have to persevere!

"Protect the city gate!" Hou Cheng roared and rushed towards the stairwell first.

The guards swarmed forward, engaging Lü Bu's personal guards in a fierce battle. Swords clashed, screams filled the air, and the city wall instantly transformed into a scene of carnage.

In the firelight, Liu Xun saw Lü Bu.

She was clad in silver armor, without even having time to put on her helmet, and her eyes burned with a frenzied rage.

He held the halberd that struck fear into the hearts of all under heaven, its blade glowing a dark red light in the firelight.

Like a tiger descending the mountain, blood and flesh flew wherever it passed.

Despite the fierce fighting and desperate resistance of Hou Cheng and his personal guards, Lü Bu's martial prowess was too great, and his personal guards were all elite soldiers handpicked from among the best.

For a time, they could only retreat step by step, unable to stop her advance.

"Hou Cheng! Song Xian! Wei Xu!" Lü Bu swung his halberd, cleaving the soldiers in front of him in two at the waist. Blood mist exploded in the flames. "I treated you like sisters, how dare you betray me?!"

Wei Xu gritted his teeth, brandished his sword, and charged forward.

"clang!!"

Swords clashed, sparks flying. Wei Xu's sword wailed as it flew from her hand, striking the city wall and sending sparks flying. She was thrown back several steps by the impact, crashing into the wall, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Song Xian lunged at Lü Bu from the side, aiming his spear tip straight for Lü Bu's waist and abdomen.

Lu Bu didn't even look at him. He used his halberd to deflect the spear and then swung it backhand to slash at Song Xian's ribs.

Song Xian hurriedly raised her spear to block, but with a muffled thud, the spear shaft was cleaved in two by the halberd blade. If she hadn't retreated quickly enough, she would probably have been disemboweled.

Witnessing all this, Hou Cheng held his sword, trembling all over, and dared not step forward for a moment.