The wilderness around Wancheng offered a pleasant scenery!
Below the mountains, a stream gurgled, and weeds grew everywhere, with wild flowers blooming unattended.
Enjoying a rare few days of leisure, Lu Yu, dressed in ordinary commoner's attire, strolled through the woods. Indeed, the fresh air and the fragrant scent of the flowers brought a rare sense of exhilaration!
Besides Dian Wei and a few Dragon Soaring Cavalry guards escorting him,
Cao Xiu had just arrived.
"Young Master Lu, the Yue Dan Ping is only three days away… If we don't return triumphantly soon, I fear we will miss this grand event!"
Cao Xiu reported truthfully.
Lu Yu countered, "Has Commander Cao made any moves?"
"Still nothing!" Cao Xiu was somewhat anxious.
Frankly, even though he was a warrior, he wished to witness the spectacle of the restarted Yue Dan Ping!
Yet, whether it was his uncle Cao Cao or Commander Lu Yu, both were exceptionally patient.
Uncle Cao Cao was busy with the governance of Wancheng. As for Commander Lu, he spent days sightseeing… enjoying himself immensely, almost as if he had forgotten the grand occasion in Xudu.
"Then there's no rush…" Indeed, Lu Yu's lips curled into a smile, as calm as usual. He chuckled softly… "Let's wait another day. Tomorrow at noon, we shall return to Xudu City!"
This…
"Then we won't make it!" Cao Xiu blurted out.
Heh heh…
Lu Yu smiled faintly, "It's better not to make it! If everything is too deliberate, it loses much of its authenticity."
Just then…
Lu Yu's gaze fell upon an unusual object revealed in the mud by the lake. He bent down to examine it, discovering a small turtle.
Lu Yu swiftly grabbed it, and its head instantly retracted with a "whoosh."
This action amused Lu Yu greatly. He placed the turtle in his hand and examined it closely, sighing as he did, "General Wen Lie? Do you know how to catch this turtle's head?"
Ah… ah…
Lu Yu's words bewildered Cao Xiu. Had Young Master Lu gone mad today? They were discussing the Yue Dan Ping, and suddenly… the topic shifted to a turtle.
Lu Yu's words continued, "In times of chaos, even a turtle becomes extremely cautious, retracting its head into its shell for comfort. But… once it extends its head, there is infinite danger. They say extending your head is a sword strike, and retracting it is also a sword strike. As for… catching this turtle's head, you have to…"
As he spoke, the little turtle, as if cooperating, poked its head out again, its round eyes scanning around. Unexpectedly, Lu Yu's thumb and index finger closed together, gripping the turtle's head.
"See, I've caught the turtle's… head!"
Saying this, Lu Yu gave an order. "Stew it tonight. Add it to our dishes!" He then handed the little turtle to a Dragon Soaring Cavalry guardsman, and continued, "If it hadn't been careless, thinking the riverbank was safe, how could it have been caught so easily? If it hadn't been careless, thinking it was safe in my hand, how could its little head have been caught!"
With that, Lu Yu turned back to Cao Xiu, his eyes twinkling. "They say it's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. General Wen Lie, ponder this, really ponder it!"
Saying this, Lu Yu strode forward briskly.
As he walked, he continued to ask, "Commander Dian? General Yang De Zu? General Qin? Any news?"
"Regarding Young Master Yang's words," Dian Wei scratched his head, pondered for a moment, and then replied, "When the last letter was sent back, they had already reached Yanmen. However, the letter mentioned that it seemed… the barbarians were moving south, raiding the border!"
Hmm…
Upon hearing of the barbarians raiding the border, Lu Yu's eyes flickered, and he muttered to himself, "This… is bad!"
Indeed, it was bad!
The timing of these barbarians raiding the border was truly opportune. However… this time, they were likely to kick a steel plate.
Because…
—The guardian deity of Yanmen has returned!
He alone was enough to make these barbarians tremble…
However, he hoped that Yang De Zu could hold them back, lest that person who "kills anyone in his path and slays any Buddha"… get too carried away with killing and delay important matters!
Just as he thought of this…
Dian Wei's voice reached him again. "As for General Qin, it seems… he has passed through Jizhou, but whether he has reached Youzhou is unknown."
"Good, I understand!" Lu Yu nodded…
Yang Xiu, Lu Bu, Qin Yilu…
Lu Yu was quite confident in this trio venturing into the enemy's territory for some mischief.
He just didn't know if they could complete their mission as planned and achieve great merit!
This is a thorn in the flesh, let's just… wait and see!
After inquiring about the "junglers" deep behind enemy lines, Lu Yu suddenly remembered something and changed the subject. "What about Cao Anmin? How is he in prison?"
"He was fine a few days ago," Dian Wei replied immediately. This was something he was very familiar with. As Cao Cao's nephew and a captain in the Dragon Soaring Camp, almost all the armored soldiers in Cao's camp cared deeply for him.
On one hand, Lu Yu insisted on enforcing military law and discipline;
On the other hand, Cao Cao wished to care for his nephew!
Because of this, Cao Cao and Lu Yu had almost come to blows!
No one knew where this matter would eventually lead.
"When he was first imprisoned, Cao Anmin's state of mind was quite stable. But in the past few days… he has become extremely dejected. In fact, from yesterday until now, he hasn't eaten or drunk anything. Sometimes he even bangs his head against the wooden door… Young Master Lu, perhaps…"
Dian Wei wanted to intercede for Cao Anmin. After all, he was a soldier of the Dragon Soaring Cavalry, a brother in arms!
In the past, when attacking Runan City, Dian Wei had closely coordinated with him, and Dian Wei quite admired the young man!
But…
Before he could utter his plea,
Lu Yu cupped his chin slightly…
"Is that so!"
He mused to himself, Cao Anmin's behavior? This clearly indicated a mental breakdown… Once the mind breaks, one plunges into an abyss of no return.
He had originally intended to use this to temper the young man, to give him a heart as strong as steel. But… it seemed he wasn't as strong as he had imagined!
His previous patient guidance and remonstrances were not enough!
With this thought, Lu Yu immediately gave an order. "In the central army tent, on my desk, there is a copy of 'The Thirty-Six Stratagems.' Commander Dian, please find time to deliver it to the prison and let Cao Anmin read it during his free time! Stop him from banging the prison door for no reason. What if he damages the prison door?"
Just… just this?
As Lu Yu finished speaking, Dian Wei scratched his head, somewhat confused. What was the meaning of sending a copy of 'The Thirty-Six Stratagems'?
Cao Anmin was on the verge of collapse.
Could reading a book… cure him?
Of course…
How could Dian Wei know?
One of the stratagems in 'The Thirty-Six Stratagems' bore a striking resemblance to the lyrics, "The black in front of me is not black, what is white about what you say."
It was the Stratagem of Inflicting Suffering on Oneself—Zhang beats Li Si, one willingly gets beaten, the other willingly beats.
Of course…
In fact, what Lu Yu was most concerned about at this moment was the border region?
Lu Bu of Jiuyuan? Has he gone berserk?
Definitely, certainly, and undoubtedly… he has most likely gone berserk!
…
…
In Bing Province, Yanmen, a bloody sunset stained the sky!
A horse-drawn procession was galloping along the official road, with a carriage in the center!
Peeking through the carriage curtain, a long sigh escaped…
A young, handsome gentleman let out a long sigh.
Yang Xiu, that's right… Yang Xiu was sitting in the carriage, with over a dozen Dragon Soaring Cavalry guards by his side. As for this trip to Bing Province, a total of fifty Dragon Soaring Cavalry had been deployed.
The remaining thirty-odd riders, without exception, were following Lu Bu in his charges and killings, their killing intent at its peak!
Heh heh…
Every time he thought of this, Yang Xiu would chuckle.
He had witnessed what a reckless fool was…
…Lu Bu was like a fuse, igniting with the slightest touch!
Utterly impulsive, almost brainless…
Compared to him, Yang Xiu was a calm person. He knew very well… that the mission assigned to him by Young Master Lu to Bing Province was to incite the Vanguard Camp. What did this have to do with the barbarians moving south?
Lu Bu was indeed going berserk, but… this had no bearing on Young Master Lu's deployment, the overall situation, or the mission!
Even worse, there was always the danger of his identity being exposed.
The most terrifying thing was that the situation here was developing in a direction that Yang Xiu could not control. Brother Lu Bu was flying ahead, and he, Younger Brother Yang Xiu, was chasing behind!
He couldn't help but chase!
Being in the war-torn land of Yanmen, besides Lu Bu, no one else could give Yang Xiu a shred of security.
"Damn it all!"
Yang Xiu felt he had truly been dealt a terrible hand!
At this moment, more than a thousand meters ahead, Lu Bu, leading the Yanmen righteous men, had charged from Yanmen Commandery to Yanmen Pass, instantly stirring up a bloody storm.
The Xianbei who had breached Yanmen Pass were celebrating. Who would have realized that a terrifying phantom cavalry was steadily approaching, relentlessly harvesting the lives of their own kind!
Like "Old Li," there were many righteous men whom Lu Bu had saved. They followed by Lu Bu's side, and by the side of these thirty-odd Dragon Soaring Cavalry. In their hearts, they were filled with immense shock.
Because…
Under the might of this general on the red horse and the black armored knights, no barbarian army could withstand them for even a single encounter!
Even more terrifying was the extremely coordinated teamwork of these knights, as if they were a single entity. The weapons and armor of these knights were also invincible…
Yes, halberds that could cleave stone and break metal, and armor that was impervious to blades and spears. In this borderland, facing barbarians, only two words could describe them – invincible!
Especially the general leading the charge on the red horse was ferociously brave. Every swing of his Heaven-Halberd sent waves of barbarians falling to the ground, lifeless!
"Strong… such a strong army!"
"Indeed, such knights… could they rival the Dragon Soaring Cavalry that echoes throughout the Nine Provinces?"
"This general… perhaps, perhaps only the departed peerless war god Lu Bu could compare to him!"
Many righteous men looked at Lu Bu's figure, and they couldn't help but gasp in awe.
The Dragon Soaring Cavalry they spoke of were legendary beings, invincible in every battle.
The peerless war god Lu Bu they mentioned was the most peerless of their time, unmatched by anyone!
These words, one by one, reached Lu Bu's ears. He, who was "killing berserk," no longer cared to pay attention. His eyes were filled with crimson, with bloodlust!
As if…
Only the hot blood of the barbarians could allow him to constantly rediscover his lost soul!
"They're running… Run quickly!"
"Monster, this one on the red horse is a monster!"
"Spare me…"
"Ah…"
The wails continued, spreading further!
Lu Bu casually rescued righteous men and commoners along the way. Bing Province was a land that valued martial arts, and every man here knew martial arts. What they lacked was a leader!
Countless strong men joined Lu Bu's ranks. The original contingent of thirty men gradually expanded, forming a force of over two thousand people, and this number continued to climb!
Especially with Lu Bu's repeated question—
—Can you still fight!
Hoo…
—We can fight!
—Dare we fight to the death?
…
On the battlements of Yanmen Pass, the Xianbei general Yuwen Xian was celebrating with over ten subordinate generals.
Suddenly…
A barbarian hurried over to report.
"General Yuwen… a Han cavalry unit has been discovered outside Yanmen Commandery. They attacked suddenly, and our brothers have suffered heavy casualties! They… they are approaching our Yanmen."
He had not understood the full situation, only heard that something had happened both inside and outside Yanmen city, so he rushed to report!
"Han cavalry?"
Yuwen Xian's eyes narrowed…
A group of his generals were eager to fight.
"These lambs to the slaughter dare to make trouble!"
"They must have eaten the hearts of bears and the courage of leopards!"
"General Yuwen, please allow your subordinate to lead our cavalry to annihilate them, capture these ignorant fools, and then we can skin them alive and cook them!"
Everyone was enraged…
But only Yuwen Xian's expression was unusually calm. "Our scouts have just confirmed that there is a White Horse Cavalry gathering outside Yanmen Pass, which somewhat resembles the White Horse Yi Cong of Youzhou from days past! The cavalry within the pass will surely join forces with them. This is a perfect opportunity to catch them all in one net!"
White Horse Yi Cong, you say?
The moment these four words were uttered, all the Xianbei generals shivered, instinctively gasping in awe…
Clearly, the words "White Horse Yi Cong" held immense deterrence for the barbarians…
Even for the Xianbei, their deterrent effect was only second to the peerless flying general who had already perished – Lu Bu Fengxian!
…
Ten li outside Yanmen Pass, here… is a cluster of trees in the desert!
Countless people from nearby villages had gathered here…
After all, the border between the Great Han and the Xianbei was not just Yanmen Pass. Outside Yanmen Pass, there were over ten villages where Han people also lived!
At the assembly point, there was also a contingent of several hundred cavalry, all riding white horses, clearly possessing the demeanor of the "White Horse Yi Cong" from days gone by.
And at this moment…
According to intelligence gathered by scouts, the entire Yanmen Commandery had fallen. Even if they could reach Yanmen Pass, the escape routes were filled with Xianbei.
Hoo…
A long breath was exhaled.
Two men were squatting on the ground, drawing maps and discussing escape routes for the common people to flee south.
Among these two men, one was named Yan Rou. Captured by the Xianbei in his youth, he endured hardships and earned their trust, eventually being recommended as a Wuhuan Sima, making him one of the few Han people trusted by both the Xianbei and Wuhuan.
This time, with the Xianbei advancing south…
He was the first to step forward, wanting to protect as many of his people as possible. The survival of the tens of villages and thousands of commoners here was due to his early warning.
But…
How to flee south?
This was a great challenge.
The other man was named Tian Yu, a subordinate general under Gongsun Zan. Since the White Horse Yi Cong led by Yan Gang was annihilated by the Vanguard Death Warriors, Gongsun Zan had been trying to re-establish a "White Horse Yi Cong" legion. Thus, he appointed Tian Yu to select elite soldiers for practical training in Yanmen!
He never expected to encounter the barbarians raiding south!
The mission of the White Horse Yi Cong was to protect the borders of the Great Han. Tian Yu made a decisive move… to protect the common people as they fled south!
This led to his meeting with Yan Rou!
Incidentally, their former lords were Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan respectively, who were sworn enemies. Logically, they should have been at each other's throats upon meeting.
But…
Due to Yuan Shao's neglect of Yanmen, and with countless people caught in the crossfire, the two decided to put aside their grievances and join forces to lead the common people south, to escape this disaster!
Of course…
Escaping was not easy, with ambushes ahead and pursuers behind, the current situation was one of complete encirclement.
After much deliberation, they decided to split into two routes… One route would be led by Yan Rou, taking many common people along mountain paths to slowly move south!
The other route would be commanded by Tian Yu, leading five hundred "White Horse Yi Cong" to advance towards Yanmen Pass, to attract the attention of the Xianbei, and at the same time… to test if they could break through and head south to Henei!
Yuan Shao was definitely out of the question!
Then…
They could only reach Henei and request reinforcements from Cao Cao!
"Sima Yan, it's time to depart," Tian Yu sighed.
"But… the thousand-odd righteous men guarding Yanmen have not returned yet!" Yan Rou murmured hesitantly…
As these words left his lips, countless common people felt a pang of sadness. A righteous man with a wounded right arm replied mournfully, "Sima Yan, they… they won't be coming back. By the time your intelligence reached Yanmen Pass, it was already too late."
"They are most likely… alas, let's go, let's go…"
Hearing this, tears welled up in Tian Yu's eyes. Who would have thought that the Yanmen Pass, which had never been breached by the barbarians in the past, would fall in just one day this time?
How ironic? How absurd?
Let alone when Lu Fengxian was alive, the barbarians dared not move south to graze their horses!
Even if Gongsun General's three thousand White Horse Yi Cong were still present, how could the Xianbei be so unrestrained?
It was also Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu's fault. Despite holding the prestigious position of Inspector of Bing Province, he completely ignored the Xianbei's southward invasion, abandoning all resistance!
How sad, how lamentable!
Who knew how many righteous men and commoners would forever sleep here due to his indifference!
Tian Yu glanced at the over five hundred "White Horse Yi Cong" behind him.
They were called Yi Cong, but they were merely soldiers riding white horses. Their training time was still too short.
"I promised Inspector Liu Yu," Yan Rou murmured, "I endured humiliation among the Wuhuan, just so I could protect our Han people at critical moments. But… now… so many righteous men have died at Yanmen Pass, and only I am left to live. How… how can I face Inspector Liu Yu!"
Yan Rou appeared very desolate.
The death of the thousand-odd righteous men guarding Yanmen was too tragic an outcome.
"All our Han men are valiant, not a single coward. Today… for the revenge of the barbarian dogs' invasion, our Han men will tenfold repay them! Sima Yan, you and I will one day slaughter their Xianbei royal court, and restore the glory of the Champion Marquis who built the Fenglangjuxu!"
"We will establish our Han people's homeland in the Western Regions, and drive these barbarian dogs out of the border forever!"
Tian Yu patted Yan Rou's shoulder, his voice firm!
Just then…
—"Sima Yan, General Tian… it's bad, it's bad."
—"There are… thousands of barbarian cavalry, heading… towards us!"
A scout reported with a look of panic.
As these words were spoken…
Tian Yu and Yan Rou's expressions suddenly darkened!
What?
Was their plan to flee south exposed?
What should they do now?
…
…