New Three Kingdoms Tales: Starting as the expressionless Liu Bei

Night had fallen in the blink of an eye. Diao Chan nestled in Lü Bu's arms, tears streaming down her face, her voice choked with sobs as she spoke:

"General, what should we do? Diao Chan doesn't want to enter the palace as a concubine. I only want to be with you, General, to be together through life and death, and never be separated..."

Lu Bu sighed deeply and pulled her even closer to him: "Chan'er, I can't live without you either. I can't live a single day without you."

Their secret plot was bound to be overheard. Just then, Wang Yun found himself in the position of the eavesdropper.

He staggered back from outside, his hair disheveled, dressed in coarse, tattered clothes, and carrying a chipped, broken bowl in his hand.

Wang Yun stealthily crept to the back window of Diao Chan's bedroom, and listening to the conversation between the two inside, a meaningful smile appeared on his wrinkled old face.

The two people inside were completely unaware that an old beggar had appeared outside the window to eavesdrop. Diao Chan, still nestled in Lü Bu's arms, said with teary eyes:

"General, you should have come sooner; you should have taken Diao Chan away yesterday..."

Lu Bu was filled with remorse, clenching his fists and angrily pounding his leg: "It's my fault, I'm too late, too late!"

Wang Yun squatted outside the window, listening to the two of them repeating the same few useless words over and over again. Frustrated, he scratched his head and muttered in a low voice, "Daughter, just say what I taught you!"

Inside the room, Diao Chan seemed to suddenly remember something. She slowly took out the silver hairpin from her sleeve, presented it to Lü Bu with both hands, her voice both sorrowful and resolute:

"General, Diao Chan's life is unfortunate; I fear I will never be able to serve you in this life. Only in the next life can we be together forever. Please forget me..."

Lu Bu stared at the silver hairpin, his eyes practically spitting fire. He shook his head violently and said decisively:

"Wild geese fly high, always in pairs. If one leaves, the mate will starve to death. Lü Bu is willing to take up his halberd tomorrow, personally behead that traitor Dong Zhuo, and flee to the ends of the earth with my young lady!"

Moved, Diao Chan threw herself into his arms, hugging his waist tightly. After a moment, she raised her head, looked into Lü Bu's eyes, and said:

"General, I know you possess a strange power that can unleash astonishing strength. If you use that power, you will surely be able to kill that traitor Dong Zhuo."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu's excited expression suddenly dimmed. He hesitated for a long time, then sighed and honestly said:

"Miss, you are unaware of this. There is a soul chain binding me and that Prime Minister Dong."

"Once I kill him using some kind of supernatural power, the chains will kill me as well. Only by killing him with ordinary physical means, without using any supernatural power, can I break the chains."

Outside the window, Wang Yun and Diao Chan inside the room almost simultaneously revealed an expression of understanding. Diao Chan then used a feigned retreat to advance, pulling Lü Bu closer to her and softly saying:

"General, you should not attempt to assassinate that traitor Dong. He has many loyal followers, and that old villain is cunning and treacherous. If you fail in your assassination attempt, you will surely die on the spot, and then my daughter will have no one to rely on."

Lu Bu sighed softly, nodded, but a glimmer of hope suddenly ignited in his eyes:

"The Prime Minister has treated me well. He has never refused me anything I've asked for. Over the years, I've followed him in countless battles, accumulating a mountain of merits. Tomorrow, after the court session, I will go to him and ask for you. He shouldn't refuse me."

Diao Chan was secretly delighted, but remembering Wang Yun's instructions on the complex scheme, she quickly suppressed her joy and shook her head, saying:

"General, I fear your chances of success are slim. For what Dong Zhuo desires is not my daughter's beauty, but her lifespan."

Lu Bu was shocked and could hardly believe his ears. He grabbed Diao Chan's wrist and asked urgently, "What? What do you mean by that, Miss?"

Diao Chan raised her hand and gently pressed Lu Bu's hand, signaling him not to rush. Then she sighed and slowly recounted the past that had been buried deep in her heart.

Her gaze fell on the flickering candlelight on the table, as if she were looking into the distance, and her voice was much softer than before.

"I was originally a little ghost who wandered in the wilderness and survived by stealing incense from graves. One time, I was eating incense at my adoptive father's ancestral grave when he happened to see me."

As she spoke, a warm smile appeared on her lips, as if she could see again the old man who had picked her up from the wilderness.

"My adoptive father was a kind man. After learning that I had died unjustly, he not only did not drive me away, but took me back to his home and raised me well. He even found me a body."

She looked away, staring at her hands, her expression filled with gratitude and guilt.

"I can never repay my godfather's kindness in this lifetime. I have always wanted to repay him, but he always says that it is just a small matter and not worth mentioning."

Her voice suddenly choked, her eyelashes drooped, and her fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her dress above her knees.

"Later, my godfather suddenly passed away due to illness. I cried for a long, long time that day, kneeling before his coffin and praying to God to bring my godfather back."

She raised her hand, gently wiping away the tears that were about to fall from the corner of her eye with her fingertips, took a deep breath, and then continued speaking.

"My cries probably really moved the heavens, and God gave me a chance to save him, turning me into a life-extending monster."

"I can use the method of yin and yang interaction to prolong people's lives, and I can also transfer my own lifespan to my godfather in a clever way."

After hearing this, Lü Bu was stunned for a long time before muttering, "No wonder. No wonder I feel inexplicably comfortable whenever I'm with Miss lately."

Diao Chan nodded, looked into Lü Bu's eyes, and said earnestly:

"General, that traitor Dong is definitely after my lifespan. Think about it, if he steals my lifespan, he can drink even more wine."

"Wine is a supreme commodity; everyone who has seen it is tempted. Dong Zhuo would never refuse it and offer it to the general."

Lu Bu sighed deeply, lowered his head, and said in a hoarse and low voice, "How could I not know these things? But even if there is only a 10% chance of success, I still have to give it a try."

Outside the window, Wang Yun squatted against the wall, listening to the conversation inside. He grinned foolishly, muttering to himself, "Good! Good ambition! This girl speaks so well, even better than I could have taught her!"

He stood up, patted the dirt off his knees, tiptoed around quietly, and walked cheerfully into his room.

Inside the window behind them, the dim lamp went out as well.