The fall of Yanmen had passed for a full day, leaving behind a scene of widespread suffering and countless casualties.
To hold on for even a moment longer, the soldiers who were righteous warriors fought with their very lives…
After the pass was breached, nearly a thousand righteous warriors remained, engaging in a final street battle with tens of thousands of Hu people who had poured into Yanmen.
And now…
Of these thousand-plus people, only a few dozen, including "Old Li," were still alive. Who could have imagined the kind of desperate struggle they had endured!
"Dada-da..."
The sound of hooves grew louder...
Everyone noticed the remarkably indifferent gaze of these knights, as if their eyes held only an infinite killing intent, sending shivers down their spines.
In contrast, the general leading them, riding a red horse and wearing a mask, had a gaze filled with a certain complexity, as if he had lost something and was trying to find it again.
"Hmph... Han troops still exist?"
"Overestimating themselves..."
"Capture them, and I'll personally lop off their heads, one by one! I'll kill them slowly!"
The Hu people were martial, and the Xianbei were even more so. They were not to be trifled with. Upon seeing the enemy approach, they sobered up significantly, drawing their curved sabers to engage!
"Seeking death!"
"Hmph..."
A minor leader among the Hu people immediately mounted his horse and charged forward!
Soldier against soldier, general against general.
If it was one-on-one...
He was confident that there were too few Han people who could fight.
"Heh, you? Worthy?"
Lu Bu sneered, his Fangtian Huaji already swinging. His martial skill was unparalleled, and having grown up in Yanmen, he was all too familiar with the Hu people's characteristics. With a downward strike, he aimed at a point where the Hu people's curved sabers could not block!
The minor leader, sensing something was amiss, quickly dodged to the side.
Alas...
Lu Bu had already predicted his prediction!
"A mere mayfly trying to shake a tree!"
In the blink of an eye, Lu Bu's Fangtian Huaji shifted from a vertical chop to a horizontal sweep...
Anyone who had used a Fangtian Huaji knew how difficult it was to wield. Very few people in this era could switch attack methods as freely as Lu Bu!
Clang...
Clang!
In the twilight, the minor leader's pupils constricted, his heart clenched, and countless beads of sweat dripped down!
Just as everyone was watching intently, a line of blood spurted from his waist...
"Wu-ah..."
The entire person, armor and all, was cleaved in two by this Fangtian Huaji.
Cut in half at the waist!
Thump...
Thump...
With two dull thuds, his upper and lower halves fell to the ground, the minor leader's eyes still wide with astonishment!
Fast...
Too fast. Many hadn't even reacted before the Fangtian Huaji began its next round of reaping!
The unparalleled martial skill of Lu Bu...
The agile and swift Red Hare horse.
The exquisitely forged Fangtian Huaji, and that... the "invulnerable" divine armor. Lu Bu was already peerless, and now, equipped with this set of gear gifted by Lu Yu, he was no longer simply peerless, but... invincible!
Under his leadership, the thirty-odd Dragon Cavalry cut through the Hu people in the street like vegetables, slaughtering nearly a hundred of them!
Before Lu Bu and the Dragon Cavalry, these Hu people were like children. Their martial skills, their equipment... how could they compare to the world-renowned Dragon Cavalry, even just thirty-odd riders!
The entire scene...
It was as if the god of death was mercilessly harvesting lives.
"This... is this too strong?"
Many of the rescued righteous warriors gasped in disbelief.
They had witnessed the ferocity and fearlessness of the Hu people. Compared to them... let alone these self-organized righteous soldiers, even well-equipped official troops would have suffered more defeats than victories.
The warlords within the Han territory were strong in troops and horses...
But few warlords would focus their energy on resisting foreign invasions. This was true for Han Fu in the past, and it was true for Yuan Shao today, which was why the Hu people invaded south every winter.
In the past...
There was also Gongsun Zan's three thousand White Horse Volunteers guarding the frontier, so formidable that the Hu people dared not raid the borders...
But...
They were annihilated by Yuan Shao's Vanguard Camp and had been gone for three years.
How many people would remember that in the past, at Yanmen Pass, there was such a cavalry that struck fear into the hearts of the Hu people, making them dare not herd their horses south, dare not even draw their bows in complaint!
—Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian!
The Bingzhou Wolf Riders he led were the guardians of Yanmen Pass and the frontier of Bingzhou!
"Good... very good!"
Old Li's eyes were filled with tears. His whole body trembled with excitement.
Because the one riding the red horse and wielding the Fangtian Huaji looked so much like the Lu Fengxian of the past!
Not the peerless flying general Lu Bu, but Jiuyuan Lu Fengxian!
Especially the eyes beneath the mask, he was almost certain it was him... it must be him!
The bloody setting sun filled the sky, dyeing the fiery streets and alleys of Yanmen red...
And this slaughter did not last long.
In just over an hour, the Hu people near the street alleys were all slaughtered by Lu Bu and the Dragon Cavalry. The blood added another touch of scarlet to Red Hare's mane and turned Lu Bu's robes crimson, exuding a murderous aura!
When everything returned to silence...
Lu Bu dismounted and walked up to the little girl named "Er Bao." Er Bao curiously looked up at Lu Bu, her big eyes blinking frequently, as if gazing at a hero.
"Heh, little one, you aren't afraid of me?"
Lu Bu squatted down and asked...
"No, not at all," the little girl giggled, her expression very bright. "Mother said you are our new guardian god of Yanmen, and you will protect us!"
*Huff...*
A new guardian god?
Upon hearing this, Lu Bu's heart was inexplicably touched.
He subconsciously asked again, "Then? What about the old guardian god?"
"Him?" The little girl glanced back at her mother, then turned her head back, her eyes filled with a trace of loneliness. "He left. Mother said his surname was Lu... He used to protect us, but then we didn't know where he went? Does big brother know?"
Surname Lu?
Didn't know where he went?
Big brother?
*Huff...* Lu Bu let out a long breath.
He subconsciously replied, "He got lost. Lost in the decadent luxury of the Central Plains. He forgot his mission. He died! He died like a walking corpse!"
"Then..." the little girl continued to ask. "Will big brother also get lost? Will he also die?"
This...
The little girl's innocent and well-behaved demeanor softened Lu Bu's heart!
"Big brother won't. Big brother will guard this frontier!"
Saying this, he extended his index finger, hooked it slightly, and tapped the little girl's nose. "Live well, with your mother, live well!"
A soft admonishment...
Lu Bu did not consider himself easily moved.
But... could anyone see such a little girl in this tragic world, bullied by these Hu people, and remain unmoved?
They were all Han people...
They were all compatriots!
At this moment... Lu Bu inexplicably felt a tremor that reached the depths of his soul.
He seemed to have figured something out. He understood what Lu Yu had mentioned, about shedding the vanity titles of Marquis of Wen, God of War, General Fenwei, and returning to the most essential Jiuyuan Lu Fengxian, and the emotions he felt then.
"Find back... the Jiuyuan Lu Fengxian of the past, is that it?"
Lu Bu recalled his past conversations with Lu Yu...
And Lu Yu's conversations with him always revolved around helping him find that lost "Jiuyuan Lu Fengxian"!
—The guardian god in the hearts of the frontier people!
Heh heh...
Lu Bu smiled slightly and murmured in his heart.
—No wonder I was sent to Yanmen. This son-in-law... truly put in effort!
At this moment, the suspended soldiers were also being released one by one.
Old Li, along with dozens of scarred armored soldiers, approached Lu Bu. "Li San, a righteous warrior of Yanmen Commandery, Bingzhou, thanks General for saving my life."
"Thank you, General."
Everyone was visibly moved. They had heard Lu Bu's words earlier, so they deliberately avoided mentioning the former guardian god of Yanmen.
However, Old Li firmly believed that the general before them was Jiuyuan Lu Fengxian!
*Huff...*
Lu Bu's gaze swept over them, then turned back to the surrounding smoke. Outside the city... there were still countless villages being slaughtered!
His gaze was calm.
His tone was solemn. "Can you still fight?"
His tone was light and calm, his demeanor understated, but... these words once again ignited their blood.
These righteous warriors immediately clenched their fists.
"We can fight!"
"With the General here, we will fight to the death!"
"Please, General, save Yanmen!"
Looking at their fervent gazes, Lu Bu felt a little uneasy.
"General, huh..."
He seemed to recall the past, recalling the scenes of him fighting amidst thousands of Hu people.
At that time... although he held a civil post like "Secretary," wasn't he called "General" by everyone in Yanmen, both civilians and soldiers...
His eyes hazy...
Lu Bu sighed faintly. This "General" was not the same "General." This lost title of "General" was still too heavy for him.
However...
"Heh heh..." Lu Bu's lips curved into a slight smile.
He chuckled softly, as if, just as Lu Yu had said, he had found something lost, and this feeling was wonderful, incredibly wonderful!
...
...
At the border between Jizhou and Youzhou.
Thick black smoke billowed from the beacon towers, like the fanfare of war, carrying a chilling killing intent towards the interior of Youzhou.
A skirmish...
Yuan Shao's main cavalry, the elite cavalry led by Yan Liang and Wen Chou, clashed with Gongsun Zan's cavalry.
Yan Liang and Wen Chou were indeed invincible, but the Gongsun clan was clearly superior in cavalry command. The two sides were evenly matched.
Alas...
However, with the addition of Qu Yi's Vanguard troops, the nemesis of cavalry, Gongsun Zan's cavalry collapsed like a mountain falling... and he had no choice but to retreat to Yijing and hold his ground, refusing to come out...
After this battle, Gongsun Zan was determined to be a "shut-in"!
Relying on the solid defenses of Yijing and the millions of stones of stored grain, he decided to wait it out!
And...
At this time, countless Yuan camp soldiers patrolled the border between Jizhou and Youzhou, fearing that envoys or spies from Xuchang city in the south might infiltrate Youzhou!
At this moment, Cao Cao had secured the four prefectures of the Central Plains in advance, gaining strategic initiative. Yuan Shao's greatest fear was an alliance between Gongsun Zan and Cao Cao, attacking him from both north and south, which would be a fatal blow!
Coincidentally... at this time, Qin Yilu arrived alone on horseback. He was originally on a mission from Lu Yu to contact Gongsun Zan, and he carried the ambition to achieve great deeds, with grand and lofty dreams!
But... who would have thought that before he could achieve his goal, he would be captured by General Zhang He of the Yuan army at the front line.
...
Yuan Camp Great Tent, Central Army Tent.
Because of the great victory, Yuan Shao, in a cheerful mood, was rather self-satisfied.
Just then.
"Report... My Lord, a Cao army spy has been discovered. He seems to be attempting to pass through Jizhou and proceed to Youzhou!"
Zhang He elegantly entered the central army tent.
"Spy?" Yuan Shao gently blew on his mustache. "Bring him up, I want to see who this spy sent by Cao Aman is!"
Not long after...
Qin Yilu was escorted into the central army tent by the Great Halberd Soldiers.
Upon seeing Yuan Shao, Qin Yilu immediately knelt with a *pata* sound...
To him, kneeling was nothing; it was too common.
He could endure the humiliation of Cao Cao taking his wife! He still harbored grand dreams of a comeback!
Now... kneeling before Yuan Shao, he felt no psychological pressure.
*Huff...*
Yuan Shao was a little bewildered. Weren't the rumors saying that Cao's camp had upright civil and military officials?
Why was this envoy so timid?
"Who are you? Where are you from, and where are you going?"
"Your subordinate is Qin Yilu from Xinxing Yunzhong... I... I am from Xiapi City, going to... to the northern frontier Youzhou to visit relatives! I don't know... I don't know why? But I was captured by this general! I haven't committed any offense!"
Hmm...
Upon hearing Qin Yilu's words, Yuan Shao was stunned at first. But then.
"Hahaha..."
"Hahahahaha..."
He seemed to have heard something extremely amusing and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
His laughter not only confused Qin Yilu but also confused Zhang He and the Great Halberd Soldiers in the tent.
"Duke Yuan, he is indeed a general of Cao's camp—Qin Yilu. My soldiers recognized him!" Zhang He repeatedly reminded him. "Now that Lu Bu has been defeated, and Qin Yilu has surrendered to Cao Cao, it is certain that he is a spy sent by Cao Cao appearing here. Why is Your Grace laughing so heartily?"
"Hahaha..."
Yuan Shao continued to laugh.
Finally, after a while, his laughter subsided. He waved his hand, and without waiting for Qin Yilu to explain, he stated with great certainty.
"You are mistaken... mistaken!"
"If this person is indeed Qin Yilu... no, General Qin, then he absolutely cannot be Cao Aman's spy, nor can he be Cao Aman's envoy!"
Ah... ah...
Zhang He felt he hadn't understood. Why?
Why couldn't Qin Yilu be that?
Before Zhang He could ask for details, Yuan Shao, with great interest, walked up to Qin Yilu. "General Qin is going to the north to visit relatives, is that right?"
"Yes... yes..."
Yuan Shao's extremely polite tone made Qin Yilu a little stunned.
He opened his mouth and replied.
"I have a cousin who does business in this Yan territory. I am heartbroken now and just want to live a peaceful life."
"I understand, I understand!" Unusually, Yuan Shao ordered the Great Halberd Soldiers to untie Qin Yilu while patting his shoulder. "I understand, I understand! Cao Aman is a wicked kid. One day, when I, Yuan Shao, defeat him, I will also help General Qin vent that anger."
As if hinting at something else.
Speaking of which, Yuan Shao waved his hand and instructed his attendants. "Go, present some travel expenses to General Qin, and get General Qin a good horse. Then let General Qin head north!"
Uh...
Qin Yilu was dumbfounded by these words!
You're letting me go just like that?
There wasn't even any harsh interrogation? So easy?
Of course...
He wasn't the only one surprised. Zhang He felt his intelligence had been greatly insulted. He had clearly captured a spy, yet his lord treated him courteously and let him go, even giving him travel expenses. What was the reason for this?
"Duke Yuan... this..."
Zhang He still wanted to persuade him!
However, Yuan Shao waved his hand, signaling him not to say more. After Qin Yilu left.
Yuan Shao, standing with his hands behind his back, seemed to recall something pleasant.
"Hahahaha..."
He let out another hearty laugh.
"Why are you laughing, Duke Yuan?" Zhang He quickly asked...
Yuan Shao patted his chest as if to calm his racing heart, and then explained, "Junyi, people say that hatred for a father's murderer is irreconcilable. But you don't know, the hatred of having one's wife taken is even more irreconcilable! Qin Yilu and Cao Aman have this 'hatred of a usurped wife'."
"According to our spies in Xuchang city, after Cao Cao killed Lu Bu, he recruited Lu Bu's generals, but he specifically fancied Qin Yilu's wife, Lady Du. So, he forcefully took her. Qin Yilu dared not speak out, outwardly appearing subservient, but how could he not harbor anger in his heart about such a matter?"
"Junyi, tell me? Such hatred for a usurped wife is no different from 'violating a man before his eyes.' How could he be Cao Cao's envoy? How could he be Cao Cao's spy? How could he serve him? Hahaha... hahahaha... Poor him, he must be disheartened and despairing now. Let's not wrongly accuse an honest man who has been cuckolded."
"Even if he were to go to Youzhou, he would undoubtedly speak ill of Cao Aman. I want to publicize Cao Aman's evil deeds of occupying another's wife and violating a man before his eyes to the world, so that he will be despised by everyone! In this way, after I break through Youzhou, the people of Youzhou will unite against him, and Cao Aman will be disgraced!"
Saying this, Yuan Shao burst into laughter again.
"Hahahaha... Issue an order. No matter where General Qin goes, our army will let him pass. Absolutely no obstruction. Violators will be dealt with by military law!"
This...
Zhang He's eyes darted back and forth. It seemed that Duke Yuan's words made sense, but also not entirely!
What if?
What if Qin Yilu actually liked having a "green hat" on his head?
Of course...
This possibility was very small. After all, who, as a man, could tolerate such hatred for a usurped wife?
Therefore, it was highly probable that he had indeed arrested the wrong person!
"Duke Yuan is wise. I, your subordinate, have arrested the wrong person. I shall take my leave..." Zhang He bowed and prepared to exit the military tent.
"Wait!"
Yuan Shao suddenly stopped Zhang He, as if he had just thought of something. "Now Gongsun Zan is relying on his abundant grain reserves and is holding Yijing city without coming out. We also need some grain!"
"I once had a child marriage engagement with the Zhen family of Zhongshan Wuji. My second son, Yuan Xi, is to marry Zhen Mi, the fifth daughter of the Zhen family. The two families will be on good terms forever. Junyi, you are the most steady. Accompany me to the Zhongshan Zhen family. Firstly, to discuss the marriage of our children, and secondly, I, Yuan Shao, will also borrow some military grain from them. The Zhen family has stored a lot of grain over the years!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
"Yes..." Zhang He bowed in agreement.
...
*Huff...*
On the other side, Qin Yilu, who was originally a "prisoner," was treated with various courtesies by the Yuan army without understanding why!
Travel expenses, fine horses, and even... passage was granted along the way!
Even when he reached the foot of Yijing city, the Yuan army tacitly retreated thirty li, as if to tell Gongsun Zan, "Hey, we'll let you open the city gates for a few days!"
And it was also a way of telling Qin Yilu, "We can only help you this much. You'll have to find a way to enter the city yourself!"
This...
Finally, upon reaching the foot of Yijing city, Qin Yilu felt a mixture of confusion and flattered surprise.
He didn't know why this was happening!
But... vaguely...
He still felt that it was inseparable from Duke Lu's arrangements. After all, his plans were foolproof, and he attacked the enemy's heart. This was not the first time Duke Lu had done this.
So...
Now!
Qin Yilu raised his eyes and looked at the Yijing city gate that had finally opened. He rode his horse towards it. He knew he would still be strictly questioned by the Youzhou officials.
But...
He was one step closer to completing his mission and achieving great merit.
The world all knew he was cuckolded, that his wife was taken by Cao Sikong...
But who in the world knew about his grand and lofty goals and dreams?
One day, when his achievements were enough for him to fulfill that dream, that vision, he would silence all those who mocked him!
*Huff...*
A sentence that Duke Lu had casually uttered, Qin Yilu still remembered it vividly—
—Others laugh at my madness, I laugh at their lack of vision!
For that goal, that dream!
He could endure more!
...
...