"Hmph!"
Watching the burly, strong man charge forward...
Lu Bu tightened his legs around Red Hare. As the saying goes, among men, there is Lu Bu; among horses, there is Red Hare. In his eyes, no one in the entire Han Dynasty could match him in a one-on-one fight.
This fellow in front of him, though burly, was just as vulnerable.
He gripped the Fangtian Huaji even tighter, licked his lips, his face contorted into a grimace. Finally... he raised his Fangtian Huaji and smashed it towards the approaching man.
"You want to spar with me? You're asking for death!"
In a duel between masters, there were no fancy moves needed. Weapons clashed, that was all there was to it!
After two explosive roars, Lu Bu and Dian Wei clashed.
As Lu Bu charged, the Bingzhou Wolf Riders behind him became spirited as if by dragon's might. With bloodshot eyes, like tigers descending from the mountain, they raised their war halberds, completely forgetting that they were still surrounded.
Thousands of Bingzhou Wolf Riders, charging with all their might, exuded immense power and unparalleled momentum.
As for the reason, they knew... their General Lu Bu would surely slay the enemy leader and capture the king. Once the leader died... what did it matter if there was an ambush?
In these years, how many ambushes had the Bingzhou Wolf Riders faced?
And every time, it was their General's peerless martial skill that had turned danger into safety!
But...
This time, things seemed a bit different. Lu Bu was indeed an unparalleled war god, but his opponent was no ordinary fellow!
An unparalleled war god versus the ancient Fierce General... this was destined to be a fierce battle.
...
"I'm here to beat you..." Dian Wei roared.
Before participating in this encirclement, Lu Yu had told him that there was a formidable fighter named Lu Bu in the enemy formation.
He was easy to identify: the horse he rode was red, his helmet was a silver crown adorned with two dragons, his weapon was a Fangtian Huaji, his voice was loud, and he liked to lead the charge.
The task Lu Yu assigned to Dian Wei was not to defeat him, but to hold him off...
As the saying goes, first Lu Bu, then Zhao Yun, then Dian Wei. Lu Yu couldn't quite judge how powerful Lu Bu's martial arts truly were. What if... one strike killed Cao Chun and Cao Xiu instantly? Then, not to mention a ten-fold ambush, even a thirty-fold ambush would be neutralized.
Looking across the Cao camp, only Dian Wei could contend with Lu Bu.
Of course... for Dian Wei, what did it mean to "hold him off"? This clearly meant that Young Master Lu Yu looked down on him... He ate five jin of meat every day in the Dragon Soaring Camp, was it... just to hold off the enemy?
Dian Wei was putting all his might into this, determined to knock Lu Bu to the ground.
His thinking was simple: if he didn't do this, it would be a disservice to the five jin of meat Lu Yu gave him every day!
At this moment, Dian Wei did not hesitate. Like a wild bull, he fought Lu Bu for over thirty rounds...
Lu Bu's arms were numb. This feeling was something he had only experienced when fighting Zhang Fei Zhang Yide at Hulao Pass.
This fierce barbarian in front of him had immense strength!
To ensure Dian Wei's safety, Lu Yu had specifically equipped him with heavy armor. Dozens of jin of heavy armor on his body, and he was also on horseback.
Logically speaking, Dian Wei should have been fixed on his horse like canned food. Not to mention maneuvering his body, even lifting his feet would have been difficult.
But Dian Wei, carrying dozens of jin of iron armor, was like a man completely unaffected. His movements were vigorous, his body agile, the battle armor on him constantly clashing with a metallic resonance, and the double halberds in his hands continuously attacked Lu Bu's vital points...
He was like a heavy assault tank.
Of course... Lu Bu's combat power was not to be underestimated. His strength was slightly inferior to Dian Wei's, but his body's agility, the integration of his weapon, and even his horsemanship all surpassed Dian Wei's!
This also allowed him to maintain an advantage throughout the exchange, and Dian Wei was being suppressed...
But... suppressed or not, for Lu Bu to defeat Dian Wei, it was impossible within a hundred rounds.
"Take this halberd from me..."
Suppressed, Dian Wei's nose was crooked with anger. At this moment, he erupted. He blocked Lu Bu's Fangtian Huaji with one halberd and thrust the other directly at Lu Bu's heart.
Clearly, the force of one halberd could not withstand Lu Bu's Huaji, and Dian Wei's fighting style was "forceful attack," commonly known as "trading life for life." If Lu Bu's Fangtian Huaji were to hit Dian Wei, Dian Wei's single halberd would also pierce Lu Bu's chest at the same time...
Such a disregard for one's own life in battle was unique to Dian Wei in the entire Han Dynasty.
The battle halberd drew closer. Dian Wei's leopard-like speed, his tower-like sturdy physique, and... under the moonlight, the faint blue light reflecting off his chainmail, the entire scene gave a suffocating feeling.
Many soldiers who were still fighting at this moment tacitly retreated, all witnessing this peak duel beneath the city gate...
If Lu Bu won, the Bingzhou Wolf Riders would still have a sliver of hope. If Dian Wei won, then the Yan Province soldiers' morale would soar, and Lu Bu and the Bingzhou Wolf Riders would be in dire straits.
"You intend to... die together?"
Lu Bu muttered. He instinctively withdrew his Fangtian Huaji to block, but in a duel between masters, any reduction in offense led to Dian Wei's storm-like continuous attacks.
The powerful double halberds struck harder and faster with each blow... forcing Lu Bu to retreat repeatedly.
In close-quarters combat, Red Hare's speed could not be utilized. Being ambushed... also made it difficult to concentrate!
Finally... Dian Wei abandoned his horse and charged at Lu Bu himself. Lu Bu, who was not expecting this sudden offensive... was caught off guard. With a "bang," two bodies collided.
The Fangtian Huaji in Lu Bu's hand stopped...
Because he felt as if his upper body had been hit by a bull, his bones felt like they were about to shatter.
Fortunately, his reaction was quick enough... he retreated explosively. Even so, he felt a thick, sticky sensation in his throat, and coughed up blood repeatedly.
Dian Wei on the other side was also not feeling well...
Clearly, he had not expected Lu Bu's body to be so robust, like a steel plate. As Lu Bu coughed up blood, Dian Wei also felt a trickle of blood well up in his throat.
"You... come on!"
Dian Wei pointed at Lu Bu, wanting to fight again... but now, he couldn't move his feet!
Lu Bu had not won, nor had Dian Wei lost...
But now, both were unable to move. The violent collision of their bodies had temporarily rendered them combat-ineffective.
And this... was a devastating blow to the morale of the Bingzhou Wolf Riders, as if the sky had collapsed.
The reason the Bingzhou Wolf Riders had gained renown in recent years was primarily due to their General Lu Bu. When he challenged enemy generals in front of the army, the troops' morale naturally soared to its peak, and their charge was naturally unstoppable.
But... today's situation was completely different. Not only did General Lu Bu fail to slay the enemy general in formation, but he had also ended up in a mutually destructive battle with him. This meant... the backbone of the Bingzhou Wolf Riders was gone!
At this moment, "Lu Bu is heavily injured, what are you waiting for... whoever cuts off Lu Bu's head will be rewarded with a thousand gold!"
Cao Chun shouted, and immediately, the thousands of troops stationed in Chenliu rushed towards the Bingzhou Wolf Riders.
At this moment... the legendary myth, the unparalleled war god Lu Bu, who had been hyped to the clouds, was severely wounded. This gave all the armored soldiers the possibility of defeating him and taking his head!
Now, Cao's army had their morale soaring. They waved their war halberds, thrust their spears, and continuously attacked. The entire area beneath the Chenliu city was almost a one-sided slaughter, like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
Especially the Dragon Soaring Camp knights, they seemed fearless of death, charging wherever the enemy was numerous, vying with each other, shouting all sorts of strange sounds. "One, two... seven, eight... fifteen!"
Or "one mu of land, two mu of land, three mu of land... five mu of land."
This was a rule set by Lu Yu. For every enemy head taken on the battlefield, in addition to the original meritorious reward, there was also a reward of land.
In this era, whether it was commoners or soldiers, their desire for land was almost fanatical. Who wouldn't want to have hundreds of mu of fertile land, like the great clans, collect rent... become a rent collector, eat and drink well...
With just a few hundred mu of land, their lives, their children's lives, and their grandchildren's lives would be secured for generations!
And within the Dragon Soaring Cavalry, there was only one way to directly obtain land – to kill the enemy and earn merit! To cut off the enemy's head!
Under the charge of the Dragon Soaring Cavalry, the Yan Province defenders who were ambushed from all sides also emerged from the enemy's flanks in batches. They coordinated seamlessly, the cavalry only compressing the enemy's range of activity on the periphery, while the archers rained arrows on the dense enemy formations!
As time went by, Lu Bu and the Bingzhou Wolf Riders were on the verge of despair...
At this moment, how they wished to see "light," a light that would allow them to escape to heaven!
This extraordinary night was about to reach its end.
...
...
In the early morning, the first ray of sunlight shone into the courtyard of the Chenliu Commandery Governor's mansion.
Lu Yu got up very early... It was only today that he planned to return home.
After getting dressed, escorted by a few armored soldiers, Lu Yu hurried towards his own residence.
Some early-rising citizens saw Lu Yu and murmured to themselves, "Didn't this Young Master Lu receive fifty military strokes two days ago?"
Others whispered.
"Fifty military strokes are enough to incapacitate an adult man for half a month! How is it that he... walks with such vigor, as if nothing happened?"
"Could it be... he wasn't hit?"
"But... the news is all over the city! I heard his sister Cai Zhaoji almost fainted from crying!"
Facing these conversations, Lu Yu was too lazy to explain. Turning a corner, he arrived at the gate of the "Cai" mansion.
At this moment, a faint sound of a zither echoed in the mansion. The melody was melodious, like light music, exceptionally pleasant and peaceful.
This scene formed a stark contrast with the solemn and murderous atmosphere at the southern city gate last night.
Indeed...
News of the battle last night was still being suppressed.
The common people did not know.
Last night... Lu Bu, who had attempted to attack Chenliu, fell into the ambush meticulously planned by Lu Yu and Cao Chun.
A ten-fold ambush, catching a turtle in a jar.
Under the repeated charges of Cao Chun, Cao Xiu, Dian Wei, and others, Lu Bu suffered heavy losses. If not for Red Hare's swift escape and the timely intervention of Gao Shun's Camp of Traps and Zhang Liao's cavalry to rescue Lu Bu, the unparalleled war god of an era might have perished at the southern city gate of Chenliu Commandery.
Early in the morning, Cao Chun had sent someone to inform Cai Yan of everything that had happened last night, along with the plans he and Lu Yu had made over the past few days...
Upon learning that her brother Lu Yu was unharmed, and that the fifty military strokes were just a pretense, and that the invading enemy had been routed, Cai Yan's tears finally stopped.
It was good that her brother was safe...
However, the intelligent Cai Yan also sensed another layer: perhaps... her tears as an elder sister were also part of her brother's plan?
Out of joy, Cai Zhaoji took out the "Jiaowei Qin" left by her father and began to play it early in the morning.
The melody was gentle and melodious... from low to high, like a small stream, flowing slowly.
With her slender hands lightly caressing the zither strings, Cai Zhaoji appeared exceptionally serene...
Lu Yu stepped in gracefully. Cai Zhaoji's zither skills were, of course, impeccable... It was said that at the age of six, she could discern a broken zither string.
"Hoo..."
With a gentle exhale, Lu Yu walked towards her with a smile. "Sister Zhaoji, this melody today seems a bit out of place. How about playing a song with a solemn and murderous aura, like 'Po Lu Ling'?"
Hmm... hearing Lu Yu's voice, Cai Zhaoji looked up gracefully. Who else could it be but the Lu Yu brother she had been longing to see?
She suddenly stood up, intending to embrace Lu Yu. After all... for several years, she had never been separated from her brother for such a long time.
Even though that time was only three days!
But... she took only one step before retracting it, her expression becoming a little more serious.
"Brother Yu actually knows to come back?"
Evidently, Cai Zhaoji was angry...
Lu Yu understood this. He had heard from Cao Chun and Cao Xiu that Sister Zhaoji had shed many tears these past three days. Now... her scolding him a few words to vent her emotions was something Lu Yu could understand.
Lu Yu scratched his head. "Sister Zhaoji... it was truly sudden..."
"Sudden? Couldn't you have told me?" Although it was a scolding, Cai Zhaoji's voice was so pleasant that the scolding... sounded like feigned annoyance between lovers.
"Sister Zhaoji, I was wrong... is that acceptable?"
Lu Yu lowered his head and approached her, slowly raising his hand, his thumb and index finger touching Sister Zhaoji's chin. "Sister, you've cried, and you've scolded. Next... can you smile now?"
"You... Pfft!"
She had reprimanded him at first, but seeing Lu Yu's actions and his expectant expression, she couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter.
If someone else had flirted with her like this, Cai Zhaoji would have already called for help, and perhaps even slapped them.
But her brother Lu Yu... she was used to it. When she was a child, whenever Brother Yu angered her, he would always do this. As long as she smiled, all her anger and worries would dissipate.
"See, everything is better now..." Lu Yu also said with a smile.
Cai Zhaoji frowned slightly and feigned seriousness. "You can't do this again in the future. Even if you need your sister's tears, just tell me in advance... Can I pretend not to see if I need to cooperate with your act?"
Uh... Lu Yu felt that Sister Zhaoji was singing.
Just as he intended to comfort her further...
At this moment, a maidservant hurried over.
"Miss Cai Yan, Young Master Lu, outside the gate... Madam Ding requests an audience!"
"Madam... Madam Ding?" Cai Zhaoji paused slightly and quickly asked, "Which Madam Ding?"
In her memory, there weren't many renowned madams in Chenliu Commandery with the surname Ding. There were only two... One was Xiahou Yuan's wife, Ding Xiang, and the other was her brother Cao Cao's principal wife, named - Ding Hui!
Could it be...
Before Cai Zhaoji could think further, the maidservant reported truthfully, "It's the wife of Governor Cao..."
It was indeed...
The principal wife of her brother Cao Cao, Madam Ding, had come. Cai Zhaoji dared not delay. She hastily put away the Jiaowei Qin and hurried towards the main gate.
Lu Yu, however, his eyes darted around...
Madam Ding?
This Madam Ding, who had left a significant mark in both interpretations and historical records, Cao Cao's principal wife? This Madam Ding, who didn't even give Cao Cao face? Why had she come?
According to the normal progression, shouldn't Cao Chun, Dian Wei, and Cao Xiu be the ones to recount last night's battle situation?
For a moment, Lu Yu was a bit confused...
What was going on?
...
...