According to ancient texts, during the Three Kingdoms period, there was a bizarre incident of bride-snatching in the territory of Eastern Wu.
It was when Liu Bei personally led an expedition against Eastern Wu to avenge Guan Yu. His advance was unstoppable, and he quickly breached Eastern Wu's defenses, causing widespread panic among its people.
Under the prevailing system at the time, Eastern Wu conscripted heavily for the war. For every family, one male over fourteen years of age had to join the army. In addition, unmarried women of fourteen years and above were forcibly sent to the front lines to provide certain indescribable services to the soldiers as a morale boost and to encourage men to enlist.
Naturally, the common people did not want their daughters to go to the front lines for those indescribable acts.
Thus, the practice of hastily marrying off men arose everywhere.
Imagine, esteemed viewers, walking down the streets of Eastern Wu, being inexplicably stopped, and then pleaded with… to marry someone's daughter. Not only would you receive no bride price or betrothal gifts, but you would also be given a car and a house as part of the dowry. If you weren't satisfied, no problem, return to the street, and there would be other girls waiting for you to marry them…
It is said that in Eastern Wu at that time, parents would be shouting late into the night: "Is anyone awake? Hurry up and wake up to get married… the bridal chamber is ready!"
Of course, if you were upright and told them, "Sorry, I already have a wife," these parents would still look at you with hopeful eyes. "Sir, do you mind taking another one!"
As the shortage of men became severe, marrying two, three, or even four wives became common…
The saying goes, "To find a husband is the greatest fortune." As long as you married, let alone a car or a house, they would even provide additional wives for you; all compromises could be made!
Lu Yu did not know how exaggerated the situation was back then.
However, to be fair… at this very moment, facing Xiahou Dun's gaze, which was resolute yet hopeful, Lu Yu's bewilderment and surprise were no less than theirs.
Lu Yu could somewhat understand their feelings.
"Younger brother? Why are you silent? Do you not acknowledge me as your elder brother?" Seeing Lu Yu's complex expression, Xiahou Dun spoke.
"General Xiahou, I need some quiet!" Lu Yu blurted out.
"Quiet about what? You should be thinking about what to say next when facing this 'brotherhood pledge,' facing the gods, and with the witness of my old brothers…"
Uh… Lu Yu looked around. Dozens of eyes shot towards him, each pair filled with four words—eager anticipation.
Lu Yu pondered… he could not avoid this oath of brotherhood today.
If that were the case… then, so be it.
It was just that Xiahou Dun was a bit older… if he, Lu Yu, were to make a concession, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Come to think of it, Lu Yu's sister, Cai Wenji, called Old Cao an elder brother, and Xiahou Dun also called Old Cao an elder brother. In that sense… if Lu Yu called Xiahou Dun an elder brother, not only would the seniority be appropriate, it would be perfectly fitting!
Having figured this out, Lu Yu changed his address. "Elder Brother Xiahou thinks so highly of me; I, Lu Yu, am deeply honored…"
With that, Lu Yu burned incense and bowed. "For this first bow, Elder Brother Xiahou and I meet as kindred spirits in triumph, the willows smile as they greet the altar!"
Standing up, Lu Yu bowed again. "For this second bow, I wish Elder Brother Xiahou and I strength and ambition to pacify the nation, to achieve great deeds and display our talents!"
Rising again, Lu Yu made his third bow: "For this third bow, Elder Brother Xiahou and I are bound by loyalty and righteousness, to share weal and woe, never to part, our lives and deaths unchanged! Heaven and earth, sun and moon bear witness to our brotherhood!"
Lu Yu's voice grew louder with each bow, his momentum surging like a rainbow.
By the end, he was almost singing!
After all, the lyrics of "Brother Huan's" song were very fitting. Wasn't it more novel than the cliché "born on the same year, month, and day, die on the same year, month, and day"?
After Lu Yu's three bows, Xiahou Dun was slightly stunned. Younger brother is so eloquent!
Xiahou Dun also wanted to say something.
But… the words reached his lips, and he didn't know how to express them. Ultimately, it was the disadvantage of lacking education!
"What younger brother just said is also what I, your elder brother, have in mind… Of a thousand words, I am left with only one sentence." Xiahou Dun held Lu Yu's hand. "From now on, we brothers will live and die together, sharing hardships!"
Uh…
At this moment, Lu Yu felt no emotion like the moving brotherhood scenes he saw in TV dramas. Perhaps it was because they weren't bowing to Guan Yu, lacking the sense of ritual!
Besides that, Lu Yu's hand hurt. Damn it, Xiahou Dun's grip was too strong; Lu Yu felt his wrist go numb!
"Sharing hardships, very good… I and elder brother will definitely share hardships!"
Finally… the basic steps of the brotherhood oath were completed. Lu Yu wondered… was it over?
Although… it wasn't a big deal to be sworn brothers with Xiahou Dun; it just used up some arm strength and hand strength!
Lu Yu mused that if he didn't train his body well, in the future… he would likely not be able to withstand Xiahou Dun's soul-crushing shoulder pats whenever he felt like it.
"Elder Brother Xiahou…" Lu Yu's tone was as usual!
"Younger brother!" Xiahou Dun's tone was incomparably solemn, his eyes a little distant, and even… a hint of sinister charm appeared at the corner of his mouth!
That's right, sinister charm!
This atmosphere made Lu Yu a little embarrassed.
"Ahem… Elder Brother Xiahou, actually… your younger brother has something else to do! How about I… I'll go first…"
Lu Yu intended to slip away; he felt quite uncomfortable here.
Unexpectedly, Xiahou Dun had no intention of letting Lu Yu go. "What could be more important than us brothers drinking heartily? Come… younger brother, let me reintroduce you. These are all my brothers, and from now on… they will also be your brothers!"
As soon as he finished speaking…
"I, Liu Erhu, toast to you, young brother Lu…" An old soldier walked up to Lu Yu, holding two bowls of wine in his hands. Without a word, he downed them in one go.
Lu Yu, unwilling to offend him, immediately drank his too. "Lu Yu pays his respects to Brother Erhu!"
Hahaha…
After a burst of laughter, another old soldier approached Lu Yu. "I, Qian Laosan, toast to you, young brother Lu…"
Uh…
A sense of foreboding arose in Lu Yu's heart. Indeed, looking around, the more than seventy old soldiers each held two bowls of wine!
This… meant that after finishing this bowl, there were still over seventy more?
Suddenly, Lu Yu felt a bit disoriented.
At this moment.
A few more old soldiers surrounded him. "May I ask if you are married, young brother Lu? Ah… haha, someone as outstanding as you, young brother Lu, is likely already married, right? It doesn't matter… we just don't know if you mind taking another one? This old man has two daughters… they are just of age, and they are very affectionate… they wish to marry the same…"
Before the old soldier could finish, Xiahou Dun blocked Lu Yu. "Old Li, how can you do this? I consider young brother Lu my brother, yet you treat him as a son-in-law. Are you trying to outrank me, Xiahou Dun?"
Hahaha…
The old soldier, addressed as Old Li, replied with a laugh. "That's a different matter entirely. This is clearly two different things. Even if… I become your father-in-law, young brother Lu, we will still address each other separately. I call him younger brother, and he calls me father-in-law… This way, Brother Yuan Rang, you won't be at a disadvantage either… Hahaha…"
"No, no, no!" Xiahou Dun waved his hands and introduced, "Younger brother, don't listen to this Old Li. He was my former advisor. Advisors, like you, have knowledge in their minds, but… they are full of mischief!"
Ah… Ah?
Lu Yu was slightly stunned. He felt… like he was being attacked for no reason?
This thought only flashed for a moment. Soon… Lu Yu was once again drowned in wine. Damn it, he was truly drunk. Drinking beer straight from the bottle shouldn't be played like this…
It turned out that becoming sworn brothers with Xiahou Dun not only drained one's wine but also one's liver!
…
…
At the border of Xiapi City, Xuzhou.
More than six thousand Bingzhou Wolf Riders were arrayed, all looking rather disheveled. Some bore minor injuries, and their faces showed signs of exhaustion, clearly having traveled for over ten days and nights, crossing Yuzhou to reach this place.
At this moment… they did not set up camp, nor did they advance further.
This was a stance, meant to convey to Liu Bei, the master of Xiapi City, that they were not here to attack, but to sincerely seek refuge and loyalty.
Half an hour earlier, Zhang Liao had already taken a letter to Xiapi City to meet Liu Bei. Whether Liu Bei would take them in was still unknown!
Everyone waited anxiously.
At the forefront of the six thousand Bingzhou Wolf Riders, the two mounted figures were Lu Bu and Chen Gong.
The battle of Puyang had greatly exceeded their expectations. However… Lu Bu did not blame Chen Gong, because in his opinion, Chen Gong's strategies were already impeccable.
Their defeat was due to Cao's forces' divine weapons that could shave iron and their impenetrable armor!
Lu Bu felt that even if Cao Cao had used the deception to attack from three sides that night, if he, Lu Bu, had been faster at eliminating the enemy on the south gate… returning to support the three gates would have been timely.
Who would have thought that a mere few hundred cavalry, stubbornly resisting, could hold back Lu Bu's main force for so long, and even hold their ground until the end!
This battle… was lost due to weapons and armor, not strategy!
"Mr. Gongtai, please don't dwell on the battle of Puyang. This defeat is not your fault, only that our Bingzhou soldiers' blades were not sharp enough and our armor not sturdy enough."
Seeing Chen Gong's still grim expression, Lu Bu comforted him.
Chen Gong waved his hand. How could he not know this was a comfort?
However… Cao Cao's strategy had still greatly exceeded his expectations. He, Chen Gong, had countered a stratagem, and Cao Cao had also countered a stratagem. Yet, in the end… Chen Gong had miscalculated one step!
Although… he tried not to think about it… he had lost, and how could he feel at ease whenever he recalled it?
However, now… it was not the time for dejection and regret. He had to find a way to compensate.
"Fengxian, I have long forgotten about the matter of Puyang City. What I can think of now is Xiapi City. In this world, with our power, the only place we can strategize for is Liu Bei's Xiapi City!"
Chen Gong's implication was that, looking at the world, they were the soft targets, and similarly, Liu Bei was also a soft target!
If they wanted to establish themselves in this chaotic era, soft targets could only aim for other soft targets.
Although Lu Bu's intelligence was not high, he could still understand Chen Gong's words.
He immediately retorted, "Mr. Gongtai, what if Liu Bei does not allow us into the city? What should we do then?"
This…
Chen Gong paused slightly, then shook his head. "He will not. Fengxian, you can rest assured, Liu Bei will definitely welcome us into the city!"
Hmm…
Lu Bu was still confused. "Why is that?"
"Three reasons." Chen Gong said with a slight smile. "First, Liu Bei is a benevolent ruler. If he does not welcome us when we seek refuge, it would violate his benevolence, and other talented individuals would naturally hesitate to approach him. Liu Bei is a wise man and would not make such a mistake!"
"Second, you, General, killed the usurper Dong. That is a great merit to the Han Dynasty. Liu Bei considers himself loyal to the Han Dynasty, so how dare he reject you from afar? Wouldn't this also go against his claim of supporting the Han?"
At this point, Chen Gong paused and looked into the distance, still waiting… waiting for the distant dust to rise, waiting for the distant swift horses to arrive.
Chen Gong continued:
"Third… Liu Bei's biggest enemies now are Cao Cao and Yuan Shu. He cannot fight Cao Cao, and he cannot defeat Yuan Shu. He desperately needs your help! And… Xiapi City borders a place called 'Xiaopei' with Yuan Shu and Cao Cao. Liu Bei desperately needs someone to guard Xiaopei as a buffer zone between him and Yuan Shu and Cao Cao!"
Chen Gong's analysis could not be more insightful.
Regardless of Liu Bei's reputation for righteousness and his actions to support the Han, the analysis of the buffer zone alone was sufficiently insightful!
Cao Cao used Liu Bei as a buffer zone between himself and Yuan Shu, and Liu Bei had also considered finding someone to be a buffer zone between himself and Cao Cao and Yuan Shu!
In this way, if Yuan Shu or Cao Cao were to attack Liu Bei, they would inevitably have to fight Lu Bu, the watchdog, first. For this reason, accepting Lu Bu and allying with Lu Bu… this would bring Liu Bei nothing but benefits and no harm!
Of course, this was for a sincere Lu Bu. If… Lu Bu and Chen Gong had other intentions, that would be another story.
"Mr. Gongtai…" Lu Bu asked again. "Then, if Liu Bei takes us in? What should we do next? Will we willingly become his watchdogs, defending against Cao Cao and Yuan Shu's attacks for him?"
Hoo…
Hearing this, Chen Gong sighed lightly.
"What watchdog or not, Fengxian, don't speak so harshly. Who is whose watchdog is not yet determined."
Speaking of this, Chen Gong narrowed his eyes. "As far as I know, the forces within Xiapi City are complex, and we have great potential!"
"They can be broadly divided into three factions: Liu Bei has allied with the commoner faction led by Sun Qian, Mi Zhu, and Mi Fang. The aristocratic faction led by Chen Gui and Chen Deng has always had a rift with the commoner faction and has never truly submitted. Furthermore, the Danyang faction led by Cao Bao has not surrendered its military power… This means that Liu Bei's position as the governor of Xiapi City is not very stable!"
"Then… what is your meaning, sir?"
Lu Bu asked urgently. At this moment, a flickering flame of ambition ignited in his eyes.
An opportunity, Lu Bu seemed to smell the scent of Xiapi City… it was the scent of meat!
"Hahaha…" Chen Gong waved his hand. "The leader of the Danyang faction, Cao Bao, has a daughter named Cao Yuan. She is in the bloom of youth, but is said to be plain-looking and strong-willed. No young master in Xuzhou dares to marry her. This daughter has been unmarried for a long time, which is a worry for Cao Bao!"
Hiss… Lu Bu listened with some confusion. What was the connection between plotting to take Xiapi City and Cao Bao's daughter, Cao Yuan?
"Sir…" Before Lu Bu could speak, Chen Gong's words preempted him. "Since no one dares to marry her, why doesn't Marquis Wen marry her? If she becomes the general's wife, then within Xiapi City? Will the Danyang troops listen to Marquis Wen or Liu Bei?"
With such a reminder, even a blockhead like Lu Bu would understand.
Good heavens, Mr. Gongtai is playing a grand game! From Liu Bei accepting their surrender, to settling in Xiaopei, to establishing a father-in-law relationship with Cao Bao, and finally… seizing Xiapi City from Liu Bei's hands, this…
Lu Bu's eyes flickered. Instinctively, he felt that this plan was feasible, this plan could work!
Just as he was about to praise Chen Gong, Lu Bu suddenly thought of a problem… a very serious problem.
His legitimate wife, Lady Yan, was still alive.
Currently, Lu Bu had one wife and one concubine. His wife was Lady Yan, and his concubine was Diao Chan. He had a daughter with Lady Yan named Lu Lingqi, and Diao Chan had just given birth to a daughter named Ling Ju!
Concubine Diao Chan was one thing, but his wife, Lady Yan, was still alive? How could he marry Cao Bao's daughter?
"Sir, my wife…"
As Lu Bu was about to speak, Chen Gong, having anticipated his question, raised his voice.
Chen Gong lamented, "Fengxian, it is only now that I understand a truth…"
"In a chaotic world, if you want to establish yourself, you must be ruthless. You must learn from Cao Cao, 'I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me.' If you learn from Liu Bei, 'I would rather the world betray me than I betray the world,' then this Xiapi City will be yours, Lu Bu!"
Speaking of this, Chen Gong patted Lu Bu's shoulder meaningfully, leaving behind nine words: "In a chaotic world, a man without poison is not a true man!"
That's right… a man without poison is not a true man!
If Lady Yan doesn't die? How can Lu Bu remarry? How can he establish a father-in-law relationship with Cao Bao? How can he plot to take Xiapi City and establish himself in this chaotic world?
Heh heh… Chen Gong inwardly smiled, a smile mixed with various emotions.
In the past, he had left Cao Cao because Cao Cao had killed the entire Lv Boshe family, and because of Cao Cao's words, "I would rather betray others than be betrayed by others."
But now, he himself, under the无奈 of this chaotic world… had ultimately become the person he despised!
…
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