"Prefect Zhang!" Cao Chun immediately shoved Zhang Miao down roughly. "To think you'd secretly collude with Lu Bu! Has my elder brother treated you poorly?"
With a thud...
Zhang Miao landed flat on his back. His head, which had only felt cool and achy, now felt pain all over his body!
But alas, caught red-handed, he… he had no way to argue!
Cao Chun was furious. He hadn't expected that while his elder brother Cao Cao was campaigning away, avoiding Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Gongsun Zan, and Liu Biao…
The greatest hidden danger in Yan Province wasn't outside, but within. His elder brother's most trusted old classmate was actually secretly in league with Lu Bu.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Cao Chun would never have believed Zhang Miao would betray him.
After all… before leaving for the campaign, his elder brother Cao Cao had held Zhang Miao's hand and entrusted his entire family to him!
The more he thought about it, the angrier Cao Chun became. Yet, amidst his rage, large beads of sweat began to trickle down, and a cold sweat broke out all over his back. How dangerous… this situation was too perilous!
If Lu Yu hadn't orchestrated this whole affair, then… Chenliu Commandery, with its surging undercurrents, would have likely been handed over to Lu Bu by Zhang Miao in three days!
Chenliu Commandery was the throat of Yan Province, an economically vital region. If it were truly lost in his hands, with Lu Bu's forces advancing, and Cao Cao's army away, other prefectures and counties near Chenliu would surely waver, possibly falling into Lu Bu's grasp… If Juancheng and Puyang were also lost… then…
With the Xuzhou army in front and Lu Bu's Bingzhou wolf cavalry behind, Yan Province was in peril, and the Cao clan was in danger!
Thinking of this, Cao Chun's gaze involuntarily drifted to Lu Yu.
Admittedly, Cao Chun wasn't as close to Lu Yu as his brother Cao Ren.
In fact, he hadn't interacted much with Lu Yu. But at this critical juncture, if not for Lu Yu's actions, Yan Province would be gone, and all the martial artists of Qiao Pei would be plunged into eternal damnation. It was no exaggeration to say that Lu Yu had saved the entire Cao camp!
With a gulp, he swallowed his saliva.
In Cao Chun's eyes, looking at Lu Yu now, there was boundless gratitude.
However… now was not the time to dwell on that. He had to take action… take emergency measures.
"Guards, escort Zhang Miao to prison immediately and interrogate him thoroughly to uncover his accomplices!"
Cao Chun commanded with a grave expression.
With Cao Cao absent, Zhang Miao was the highest official in Chenliu Commandery. But now, with the situation urgent and Zhang Miao colluding with the enemy, Cao Chun had to become the linchpin of Chenliu Commandery!
While securing Chenliu Commandery, he also had to protect Lu Yu… protect this man who had earned the greatest merit!
"Furthermore…" Cao Chun's commands continued. "Closely monitor the movements of all clans in Chenliu Commandery. If any harbor ill intentions, arrest them immediately! Better to capture the innocent than let the guilty go!"
"Report what has happened here, including Zhang Miao's treasonous letter… immediately to Commander Xun at Juancheng, General Xiahou at Puyang, and send it via express dispatch to Xuzhou!"
Cao Chun displayed his decisive demeanor. Within the Cao camp, his strategic acumen had always been severely underestimated.
This time, his commands made Lu Yu look at him with a sideways glance.
As several armored guards prepared to escort Zhang Miao to prison…
Just then, a crisp voice rang out.
"General Cao… wait a moment!" Lu Yu spoke, his words astonishing. "Now that we have uncovered the enemy's plan, there is no rush to send this urgent dispatch to various locations within these two days."
"Why doesn't General Cao act as if nothing has happened? Perhaps even sternly reprimand me, post a public notice, and even… have me beaten with fifty strokes in public!"
Having said this, Lu Yu paused, then opened his mouth, revealing a row of pearly white teeth. "This way, Lu Bu's army will certainly believe Chenliu Commandery is safe and will proceed with their plan to launch a surprise night attack on Chenliu in two days. And at that time, we…"
Lu Yu didn't finish his sentence, but with such a hint, how could Cao Chun fail to understand?
In the past… his elder brother Cao Ren had given him a transcribed and easy-to-understand military manual named "Thirty-Six Stratagems."
And one of the stratagems in it was named – "To Use the Enemy's Plan Against Them." Wasn't Lu Yu's suggestion now pointing towards the same direction as this "Use the Enemy's Plan Against Them"?
Wait…
Cao Chun suddenly realized. It seemed his brother Cao Ren had specifically mentioned that the young man who wrote the "Thirty-Six Stratagems" military manual was none other than Lu Yu!
Hiss… Cao Chun, realizing this belatedly, took a deep breath. No wonder… he could propose such a stratagem!
Heh heh… immediately, Cao Chun was delighted in his heart.
He felt that this time, Lu Bu would not only fall into this "Use the Enemy's Plan Against Them" stratagem but also into two other stratagems from the "Thirty-Six Stratagems": "Ten Thousand Ambush" and "Trapping the Turtle in a Jar"!
As for… Lu Yu's suggestion of reprimanding him and beating him with fifty strokes, it seemed to be a psychological ploy to confuse the enemy. In reality, it was also a stratagem – Zhang hits Li Si, one willing to be hit, one willing to hit. This was the stratagem of "A Bitter Scheme"!
With one utterance, he had brought forth four stratagems. No wonder his elder brother Cao Cao and brother Cao Ren held Lu Yu in such high regard. This youth… deserved all the praise they lavished upon him.
Of course, the beating with the military cudgel would still happen, but Cao Chun intended to administer it himself…
It was merely for show. There was no need to hit hard. Perhaps, a light tapping would be beneficial for young Master Lu Yu's health!
With this thought, Cao Chun announced loudly.
"Lu Yu has defied discipline and trespassed into the Prefect's mansion for trivial matters, engaging in a brawl with Prefect Zhang. It is disorderly and disregards rules. He is immediately to be subjected to fifty strokes of the military cudgel. I, this general, shall personally administer it. You must spread this matter far and wide, so that the people of Yan Province and all the armored soldiers know that even someone favored by Duke Cao, even the commander of the Dragon Cavalry, will be severely punished for defying discipline!"
Having said this, Cao Chun beckoned his trusted armored guards to his side.
He then quietly instructed, "From now on, strictly guard the Prefect's mansion. Entry only, no exit. None of the maids, servants, or guards within the Prefect's mansion are to be allowed to leave! Furthermore, secretly mobilize the troops stationed near Chenliu Commandery. I have my own arrangements!"
"Yes…" The trusted guards quietly agreed and secretly withdrew from the Prefect's mansion.
Cao Chun even thoughtfully summoned a physician for Zhang Miao. However… Zhang Miao's mouth was gagged, and he couldn't utter a single word. At this moment… his mood was akin to two Chinese phrases: "lan shou, xiang gu" (feeling blue, feeling sad).
Lu Yu, on the other hand, let out a long sigh…
He muttered to himself, with Cao Chun's intelligence, this beating… it wouldn't really happen, would it?
Of course, the outcome was as expected. Lu Yu shouted loudly, his cries tragic, like a pig being slaughtered, attracting crowds to the vicinity of the Prefect's mansion.
But the armored guards could see that this wasn't a beating at all, it was more like tickling!
Young Master Lu Yu's acting skills had soared to the heavens…
Lu Yu, lying down at this moment, found it quite comfortable… it felt like some master masseurs were working on him, like a full-body massage with essential oils.
Meanwhile, for the following two days, Chenliu Commandery, both inside and out, became increasingly turbulent, with surging undercurrents…
The starving wolves outside the city gradually revealed their ferocious fangs.
On the contrary, Lu Yu pretended to have his backside split open, unable to get up from the beating. He remained in the Prefect's mansion, but… he ate, he slept, and except for Sister Zhaoji being unable to enter and shedding a few tears, everything else was fine.
However, for the sake of the show… or rather, for the sake of confusion, Sister Zhaoji's tears were shed at the perfect moment.
Until two nights later, watching the setting sun, Lu Yu stood by the window, his eyes narrowed, a sly smile curving his lips.
He murmured:
"Unparalleled War God Lu Bu!"
"Heh heh!"
— "Face the gale!"
…
…