The matter is as it is.
Lu Bu was such a person, a person with obvious character flaws.
What was originally a small matter of a banquet of wine and meat was, in his mind, filled with conspiracy theories!
Speaking of which...
Hou Cheng was truly wronged. He had originally intended to treat his lord with fine wine and delicacies, but instead, he was met with a torrent of scolding and a brutal beating.
Lu Yu's voice continued.
"Seeing this wine and meat, and having heard Hou Cheng's words, Lu Bu unleashed a barrage of curses at him, saying that this general had just promulgated a prohibition on alcohol, and yet you brewed wine. Not only that, but you dared to openly drink with the soldiers and even feigned offering the wine. Were you trying to collude and frame this general?"
"Then... crackle, crackle, it was a round of military cudgeling, with not a shred of mercy!"
Lu Yu's words were brief, but the information they conveyed was immense.
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed. He couldn't fathom how arrogant Lu Bu truly was, or to what extent his suspicion ran, to commit such an act.
"What happened next?" Cao Cao curiously continued to ask.
"Naturally, Hou Cheng received his punishment with the cudgels, and he returned the gifts from the other generals. Everyone left disappointed. Even so, Hou Cheng remained uneasy, for he had already offended Lu Bu because of this matter. Today he was merely beaten, but what if Lu Bu became displeased one day and killed him? What then?"
At this point, Lu Yu's eyes blinked rapidly. "Chancellor Cao, do you think Hou Cheng... or rather, the other generals, after being beaten and hearing about this incident, could they still willingly pledge loyalty to Lu Bu? It's possible... that they already harbored thoughts of surrender, and all that was lacking was an opportunity, a token of allegiance!"
Heh...
As Lu Yu mentioned the token of allegiance, Cao Cao immediately thought of the heads of Yang Feng and He Man.
It seemed that when Xu Huang and Xu Chu defected, it was precisely with such tokens of allegiance, along with tens of thousands of troops!
What a familiar recipe, what a familiar taste, you understand!
"This information also came from Yang Xiu, didn't it?"
"Sort of!" Lu Yu scratched his head. He couldn't very well say that it was all written in books!
"Hahaha..."
Cao Cao burst into hearty laughter. What was originally a tedious and boring journey was now filled with joy thanks to Lu Yu's words, making Cao Cao's mood as bright as a clear sky.
He did indeed have a thought in his heart: would Lu Yu, like in the past when he plotted to seize Yang Feng and He Man, try to win over these eight elite generals to betray Lu Bu, perhaps even using Lu Bu's head as a 'token of allegiance'?
However, if that were the case, it would be somewhat anticlimactic.
"Hahaha..." Cao Cao laughed again, and as his laughter subsided, he looked back at Lu Yu and teased, "Lu Sinong, would you like to try commanding this campaign against Lu Bu?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu repeatedly waved his hands. "What do I know about this?"
"You don't know, you can learn!" Cao Cao said with a smile. "You can divine fortunes and calculate, so commanding troops is much simpler than those things you do."
As he spoke, Cao Cao looked out the window and loudly ordered, "Announce to the army that all command of this campaign will be under Lu Sinong. Whoever disobeys his orders will be punished by military law!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
The Tiger Guards immediately relayed this order to all the army camps.
Many soldiers were slightly stunned...
Ho, His Excellency Cao himself was leading the expedition, yet he had handed over the authority to command the army to Lu Sinong. This was an unprecedented situation in past campaigns.
This... carried significant meaning!
Of course, after giving the order, Cao Cao smiled and looked at Lu Yu again.
How could Lu Yu not understand Old Cao's intentions? Truth be told, thanks to the intelligence provided in advance by Yang Xiu, all the necessary deployments had already been made.
The generals in each camp had already received their orders on how to fight!
What need was there for command? Even a dog could win such a battle!
Old Cao was actively giving him, Lu Yu, the credit.
"Chancellor Cao, I am unworthy of this merit..." Lu Yu, as humble as ever, tried to decline.
"If I say you are worthy, then you are worthy!" Cao Cao's eyes narrowed. What was this little bit of credit? The position of heir apparent in the future will be yours, and you will gain even more credit in the future!
Just then...
"Chancellor Cao, Chancellor Cao, where are you? I have important matters to report!"
Not far away, dust billowed as a cavalry troop approached from afar...
Xu Chu intercepted them first and, after an inquiry, learned that they were troops from Liu Bei's command in Xiaopei City.
Cao Cao had previously ordered that if they were confirmed to be Liu Bei's men, they were to be brought to Cao Cao's carriage.
Seeing the approaching figures, Cao Cao leaned his arm on the window frame and said,
"I am Cao Cao. Who are you? What is the matter you wish to report?"
"I am Mi Fang, a general under Liu Bei!" Mi Fang reported with cupped hands. "That scoundrel Lu Bu has launched a surprise attack on Xiaopei City. Our lord is currently defending the city. I implore... I implore Chancellor Cao to quickly come to our aid, exterminate the rebel, and save our lord!"
Hmm...
Hearing this, Cao Cao's eyes curved into a crescent moon, and his entire demeanor became cheerful.
"I know, I know. Don't you see I am leading a large army towards Xuzhou?"
Cao Cao immediately said with a smile, "Hurry back and tell your lord to defend the city well. I will dispatch a vanguard to his rescue! They will arrive within two days, and my army of a hundred thousand will arrive within three days! Then, we will coordinate from within and without to eliminate Lu Bu in one fell swoop!"
As he spoke, Cao Cao suddenly thought of something. "Right, tell your lord that he must hold Lu Bu back and absolutely must not let him escape. Once my army arrives and eliminates Lu Bu, on the day of victory, your lord and the court will be greatly rewarded. And you, too, will be greatly rewarded!"
Cao Cao's words were quite grand.
"I dare not..." Mi Fang was about to turn his horse around upon hearing this.
Cao Cao continued to instruct, "Zixiao, General Mi Fang's horse is not good. Replace it with a fine horse! Also, pass an order for Yuan Rang to lead the vanguard and advance quickly! Rescue Xiaopei! Arrive within two days!"
Hearing this, Mi Fang, who was previously grateful, had a sudden thought.
Wait a moment...
Mi Fang, with a dawning realization, suddenly thought of something. He immediately frowned and asked, "Chancellor Cao, how... how did you know Lu Bu would attack Xiaopei City? That he would surprise my lord? I haven't even reached Xudu City yet, so how is it that Chancellor Cao's army has already marched out and is heading straight for Xiaopei?"
Heh...
To be honest, this question did stump Cao Cao.
Cao Cao glanced back at Lu Yu inside the carriage, then turned his gaze back to Mi Fang outside the window. He smiled and retorted, "Yes! Yes! How would I, Cao Cao, know this in advance?"
"Haha, you might not believe it when I say it, but there is indeed someone in Cao's camp who can divine fortunes and anticipate the enemy! Hahahaha... Hahahahaha!"
A sighing laugh echoed through the entire army...
Followed closely by the neighing of warhorses.
With the neighing, the horses galloped, their hooves striking rhythmically, kicking up sand and dust, and raising clouds of dirt!
The entire Cao army shifted from a slow march to a forced march. At this speed, they could reach Xiapi City within three days.
When Cao Cao pulled his body back from the window sill...
Lu Yu couldn't help but curiously ask, "Chancellor Cao, it seems I don't need to command, do I?"
"Hahaha..." Cao Cao replied with a smile, "It's better for me to command. However, the final record of merit will bear your name, Lu Yu! Haha..."
Hiss... Hearing this, Lu Yu's eyes darted around. He pondered that Old Cao was quite considerate!
However...
Although Old Cao was considerate, his command was flawed, extremely flawed!
Why would he send Xiahou Dun as the vanguard?
Lu Yu felt a faint sense of foreboding. It seemed that among Lu Bu's eight elite generals, there was one named Cao Xing, who was always adept at sneak attacks. It was possible that in this battle, Xiahou Dun might become a blind marquis!
Cough cough...
With a light cough, Lu Yu proactively mentioned, "Chancellor Cao, may I also instruct the Dragon Cavalry camp a few words!"
Cao Cao waved his hand, indicating that Lu Yu could command as he pleased.
Lu Yu then called out to Cao Xiu, who was riding the horses around the carriage.
His instructions followed in rapid succession... "General Cao Xiu, you will immediately inform Generals Huang Zhong and Dian Wei to lead the Dragon Cavalry to reinforce General Xiahou Dun..."
As he spoke, Lu Yu's tone became even more solemn. "Furthermore, tell Huang Zhong that the enemy's formations are all composed of petty individuals who will surely resort to sneak attacks. He need not adhere to any code of martial honor! For such villains, every one shot down is a victory!"
"Understood!" Cao Xiu agreed and galloped off to make arrangements!
In just a moment...
Hundreds of Dragon Cavalry soldiers in black armor moved out. They galloped forward, following Xiahou Dun's cavalry unit, heading towards Xiaopei City.
Da da da...
The sound of hooves echoed, and each hoof seemed to strike a rhythm and a beat. Such discipline made the other Cao army soldiers sigh with admiration from afar, proclaiming that the Dragon Cavalry camp was indeed worthy of being called an invincible army!
Meanwhile, Cao Cao, after hearing Lu Yu's deployment, was slightly puzzled.
"Does Lu Sinong not trust Yuan Rang?"
"No..." Lu Yu waved his hand, and said humbly, "I want Generals Huang Zhong and Dian Wei to learn more from General Xiahou!"
While this was a polite statement, the question remained: who was learning from whom?
That, however, was another story!
Since Lu Bu had someone skilled in sneak attacks, Lu Yu directly matched him with Xiahou Dun, an archery master!
--- "Only I shoot at others, how can others shoot at me?" the archery master!
...
...
Xiaopei City...
This Xiaopei City, situated between Cao Cao and Lu Bu as a buffer zone, had low walls and a shallow moat.
It seemed entirely incapable of being associated with the phrase "easy to defend and difficult to attack."
And at this moment, Lu Bu personally directed the second wave of siege by the Bingzhou troops.
Arrows rained down like a swarm of locusts. Under the fierce assault of siege engines, the already unfortent Xiaopei City was on the verge of collapse. The East Gate had already been breached.
Under the city gate, Lu Bu's eight elite generals were leading the Bingzhou troops against Zhang Fei's forces, clashing fiercely!
The situation grew increasingly tense, with a constant sense of alarm.
Both the attackers and the defenders were on edge, feeling as if every blade of grass and every tree were an enemy soldier.
"Damn it all, hold the line, you bastards! Not a single one of these Bingzhou scum will get into the city!"
Zhang Fei, brandishing his Eighteen-Foot Serpent Spear, did not forget to boost morale.
Liu Bei's situation was also not good. He was in the inner city, surrounded by several thousand cavalry. Amidst the pre-battle shouts, Liu Bei had deployed these thousand riders as a mobile force to reinforce various city gates.
In reality, Liu Bei's plan was to choose the most easily breakable city gate to escape if the city fell.
As long as the green mountains remained, there would be firewood to burn!
As for... escaping...
He had confidence!
He could also find the most suitable escape route under extreme circumstances!
Liu Bei was extremely skilled at escaping...
From his youth, when he wove mats and hawked them as a street vendor selling straw sandals, whenever he encountered city guards, ah, no... to be precise, whenever he encountered officials inspecting or searching, he could always bolt and escape unscathed!
This was a talent!
It was also experience gained from countless escapes. When it came to escaping, no one was more skilled than him!
However...
Liu Bei was not in good condition at the moment. His body was still trembling, and he even found it difficult to speak. He could only shake his head slightly, as if...
This escape was ten times more perilous and ten times more difficult than any previous one, making it as difficult as climbing to heaven!
"We have... we have held out for three days already. I wonder if Mi Fang has seen Cao Cao? And if Cao Cao will come to our aid?" Liu Bei muttered to himself.
But in his heart, he was also thinking, even if Cao's army marched three hundred li a day to rescue them, they would at the earliest arrive in two days. But judging by the current situation, even tonight would be difficult!
The night seemed long, and the starlight was dim, posing a great challenge for the defenders!
"Dong dong"
The sound of battering rams hitting the city gates echoed through the heavens, adding immeasurable desolation and sorrow to this defensive battle!
The area beneath the city walls was already piled with corpses...
More Bingzhou soldiers, however, charged forward!
With bated breath...
And at this moment, Liu Bei's mood could only be described as "bated breath."
Beside him...
Messengers from various gates reported in succession!
It seemed that of the seven thousand armored soldiers initially stationed in Xiaopei, less than three thousand were still alive. Only the East Gate, defended by Zhang Fei, had a more optimistic situation.
As for the other gates... it was only a matter of time before they fell!
And the most terrifying thing was that Guan Yu could not resist rushing to their aid!
But as expected, he too was caught in a complete encirclement. They were using the tactic of encircling the reinforcements. The situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable!
Hoo...
Taking a deep breath, Liu Bei raised his voice.
"Everyone, brace yourselves! Tonight is the most difficult night. If we get through it, our reinforcements will arrive!"
Upon hearing this, all the armored soldiers' spirits were lifted, and they dared not slacken in the slightest.
At the first watch of the night...
"Dong dong dong..." The drums thundered.
"Clang!"
Another city gate was shattered by a battering ram. The earth itself seemed to tremble... as if an army of tens of thousands was breaking into the city.
Sitting on his horse, Liu Bei's heart was pounding in his throat.
Beside him...
Mi Zhu, relying on the sound of hooves he heard, repeatedly reminded him, "My lord, I fear at least several thousand cavalry have entered the city!"
--- Several thousand cavalry, several thousand Bingzhou wolf cavalry...
This number of enemy troops was enough to completely destroy the defenses of Xiaopei City from within.
"Quick, abandon the city!"
Liu Bei made a decisive order without any hesitation.
"Retreat..." Everyone slapped their horses and frantically galloped towards the East Gate, where Zhang Fei was stationed.
The city had fallen. The worst-case scenario had occurred.
...
...
At the East Gate!
Liu Bei and Zhang Fei's troops were surrounded by Lu Bu's eight elite generals—Wei Xu, Cao Xing, Cheng Lian, and Song Xian.
They were unable to break through...
Facing an enemy force several times their own, Liu Bei's defeat seemed inevitable.
"Uncle, go quickly! Your son will cover the rear!"
At this moment...
Guan Ping, Guan Yu's eldest son, wielding his great saber, charged in from outside the city... forcing back the advancing enemy troops, and managed to carve a bloody path for Liu Bei and Zhang Fei.
Guan Ping had originally been by Guan Yu's side, but when reinforcing Xiaopei, Guan Yu was trapped in an encirclement, held back by Zhang Liao and Gao Shun.
All that Guan Yu could do was order Guan Ping to bring a squadron of elite cavalry to rescue his elder brother!
And at this moment, Guan Ping's appearance was perfectly timed!
"Uncle, when you see Father, please tell him... his Ping has not disgraced him!"
Guan Ping smiled, his expression solemn. The words that followed were like a farewell.
"Uncle, you... you take care!"
With these words, Guan Ping, with his personal guards, blocked numerous surging enemy troops...
Gaining a sliver of escape time for Liu Bei and Zhang Fei's main forces.
Hearing Guan Ping's words, Liu Bei's expression was slightly moved.
As for Zhang Fei, being a man of iron will, his eyes were actually a little moist, and his voice carried a hint of a choked sob.
"Nephew, you go, let your uncle cover the rear!"
"Nephew, go quickly, otherwise no one will be able to escape!"
As they argued over who would cover the rear, Liu Bei's voice came in succession.
"Retreat, retreat quickly!"
It wasn't that Liu Bei lacked loyalty, but if they didn't leave now, they truly wouldn't be able to!
But just then...
The sound of urgent hoofbeats approached from outside the East Gate.
"That... is that?"
Zhang Fei saw this scene and froze, his gaze vacant.
"It's Cao's army... it's Cao's army! It's Xiahou Dun's banner!" Mi Zhu identified accurately. He exclaimed, and did not forget to sigh, "So fast, Cao's army arrived so quickly!"
Indeed, calculated at three hundred li per day, it should have taken at least five days for Cao's army to reach Xiaopei City from Xudu City, but... why? Three days? Cao's army arrived in three days?
Of course...
At this moment, no one would care about that!
Cao's army, or rather, Xiahou Dun's banner... was their hope for turning the tide.
"It really is... it really is Cao's army!"
Liu Bei also gasped, and his panting mouth finally curved into a smile.
Under the hazy moonlight, a cavalry force of five thousand men charged forward!
The man at the forefront had a fierce countenance, holding a long spear, majestic and overbearing.
--- "Scoundrels, where do you think you're going!"
A roar like that of a tiger and a dragon... his eyes gleamed with cold light, his gaze stern!
Closely following behind...
Thousands of cavalry, like a sharp long saber, pierced directly into the enemy's gathering point. The formation of tens of thousands of Bingzhou soldiers was instantly torn open with a crack!
And this crack continued to deepen, continued to widen!
"Da da da..."
The sound of hooves echoed, whistling past.
"Not good..."
"Cao's army is here, run quickly!"
"Run ah..."
The Bingzhou soldiers suddenly panicked, after all... they had never gained any advantage when confronting Cao's Dragon Cavalry before!
Besides, the current general, Wei Xu, could not command the respect of the troops!
At this moment, even though Wei Xu drew his saber and beheaded two fleeing soldiers, more and more armored soldiers were escaping, and he couldn't stop them.
"General Cao Xing! General Cheng Lian!" Wei Xu immediately ordered, "Find a way to kill the leading general of Cao's army!"
This...
Cao Xing and Cheng Lian paused, exchanged glances, Cao Xing drew his bow, and Cheng Lian immediately understood.
Sneak attack with arrows!
Although it was not martial, it was the most effective way to kill the enemy general and turn the tide of battle!
"Your subordinate accepts the order..."
Cheng Lian and Cao Xing agreed and led their troops to clash with Xiahou Dun.
Soldier against soldier, general against general!
Cheng Lian against Xiahou!
However, under the cover of the moonlight, Cao Xing, hidden in the shadows, had his bowstring drawn taut.
"Swoosh..."
The arrow broke through the air, shooting directly towards Xiahou Dun!
If this arrow hit, the situation would be reversed again!
...
...