This is a dug-out tunnel, already thoroughly excavated.
One end of the tunnel leads to the Sikong Mansion, the other to Lady Gan's chambers. Cao Cao had anticipated the day Guan Yu would return, and a month prior, he had dispatched the Tiger Guards to secretly dig this passage.
It is rather amusing. Liu Bei escaped Xu Du through a tunnel, while Cao Cao used a tunnel to steal Lady Gan's heart! One can only say—the wheel of fate turns, heaven spares no one, all is destiny!
Although it is a tunnel, it is decorated with joyous occasion, adorned with red candles and red curtains everywhere. At this moment, Lady Gan, led by Cao Cao, has stepped inside. She holds a silk fan, dressed in magnificent attire, looking around in astonishment before quietly entering a secret chamber, where the festive atmosphere is even more pronounced. It seems Cao Cao had prepared this surprise for her.
Seated by the couch, Lady Gan's long red gown trails on the floor, appearing exceptionally beautiful under the torchlight. Cao Cao is also unusually well-dressed. However, this man, a hero in the eyes of the world, now shows a hint of sorrow in his gaze.
Lady Gan, concerned, calls out softly, "Cao Sikong..."
Cao Cao replies, "How many times have I told you? You needn't call me Sikong. Call me A'man!" Only those closest to him could call him A'man, such as his father Cao Song, or Lady Ding, Lady Bian...
"A... A'man!" Lady Gan still seems unfamiliar with this address, and even as she utters it, she does so with great reservation. The silk fan in her hand falters.
Just then, Cao Cao turns around, lets out a long sigh, and then gazes at Lady Gan with emotion, saying, "Newly split fine silk, pure and bright as frost and snow; using a round fan, the woman who wrote 'Song of the Round Fan' did not fare well, parted from her beloved, her latter half lonely and destitute."
"But... at least she was once favored by her husband!" Lady Gan had read some books and was not unfamiliar with the woman who wrote 'Song of the Round Fan,' Ban Jieyu. "Having lost the one I love, I would rather be like her, retreating to the Changxin Palace, preserving the last shred of dignity and memory!"
At this point, Lady Gan pauses. "Perhaps, from today onwards, I too will live in memories."
'Song of the Round Fan,' also known as 'Song of Grievance,' was written by Ban Jieyu of the Han palace. After the Zhao sisters entered the palace and became the exclusive favorites of Emperor Cheng, Ban Jieyu and other consorts became mere decorations. Ban Jieyu then composed this poem to express her feelings. Of course, this is not fitting for the occasion, nor is it important.
What is important is that Lady Gan feels she has no choice in her path forward! At this sensitive juncture, she absolutely cannot be with Cao Sikong... Ah, no, she must now address him as A'man... she absolutely cannot be with A'man! This concerns the reputation of both, and even... the fate of the realm. She... she cannot be so selfish. This is the nature of women; once entangled in a love affair, they will think solely of the man, willing to bear everything, to give everything.
"Is it very difficult for you to be with me?" Cao Cao says with emotion.
Their words are brief, yet each seems to stretch out, as if longer than countless long nights!
"Isn't it A'man who should be wronged for being with me?" Lady Gan lowers her head sadly. She gently strokes her belly, "I... I know everything."
Cao Cao reaches out and gently strokes Lady Gan's face, sighing, "When I went forth, the willows swayed. When I return, the rain and snow fall. Your green collar, my heart longs for you. Though I go not, will you not send word? There is a beauty, graceful and fair. We met by chance, and she is my wish."
Three lines in a row... The first line is from the 'Book of Songs: Xiao Ya: Cai Wei,' "When I return, the rain and snow fall..." This uses the swaying willows to symbolize his reluctance to part from Lady Gan, while the rain and snow describe the desolation of losing a loved one. The second line is from the 'Book of Songs: Zheng Feng: Zi Jin,' "Your green collar, my heart longs for you." Normally, this poem describes a woman's unrequited love, but spoken by Cao Cao now, it carries a different flavor, expressing the pain of a long-distance relationship. The third line is from the 'Book of Songs: Guo Feng: Zheng Feng,' "We met by chance, and she is my wish..." This depicts Cao Cao's vision of his beautiful love with Lady Gan.
A beautiful time, a chance encounter with a beauty, love at first sight, hand in hand they hide deep within the fragrant woods! Just like a pair of free and joyous little birds, once their "guān guān" calls harmonized, they fly wing in wing.
Indeed... Cao Cao is a great poet. He fully interprets his understanding of poetry in his love for Lady Gan. Coupled with his power and status, the contrast is irresistible to most women! This is skill... If dating had ranks, Liu Bei would undoubtedly be "Unbending Silver," while Cao Cao... is already "Peak King," looking down upon all!
"A'man..." Lady Gan murmurs softly... Cao Cao has already sat opposite her and picked up a "Hejin wine" (wedding wine) cup that had been prepared. Lady Gan, with a resigned and sorrowful air, picks up her half. This cup of wine! She understands, this is A'man making amends, this is the last memory. But... after this cup, will they part ways?
The two slowly lean closer... They drink the wine together at an extremely intimate distance. As the wine is consumed, Cao Cao's expression changes.
"Is Mei'er content to part ways just like this?"
Ah... ah... Lady Gan is startled.
Why else? She subconsciously thinks this: "A'man, in the current situation, I don't want to be the target of public criticism, the object of the northern literati's denunciation because of me... I... I..."
"I understand!" Cao Cao firmly utters these two words. But after these two words, his tone shifts. "Let's not talk about that for now. Shall I tell you a secret?"
"A secret?"
"Lu Yu, the Grand Minister of Han and commander of the Dragon Soaring Camp, is actually... my son. And he..." Before Cao Cao could finish speaking, Lady Gan freezes, her eyes widening round.
"Son? Your biological son?"
"Mei'er, please don't get agitated. Listen to me first." Cao Cao soothes Lady Gan and continues, "Yu'er is my eldest son. This is a long story, but... there is one thing." Cao Cao pauses, his tone becoming extremely serious. "Yu'er has devised a plan for me, but this plan requires Lady Gan to endure some hardship for a few years..."
"Plan? Hardship? Years?" Lady Gan is taken aback. She looks up, as if seeing a glimmer of hope in this secret chamber.
"That's right!" Cao Cao nods heavily. He slowly rises and softly recites, "I just recited many poems from the 'Book of Songs' and 'Guo Feng.' But... in terms of beauty, the one Yu'er composed for you and me, I find most fitting!" Speaking of this, Cao Cao turns around and says loudly, "If love between two people lasts for eternity, why should they be bothered about day and night..."
Whoa... This... Lady Gan seems to realize something. If love between two people... lasts for eternity, why should they be bothered... day and night? Day and night! This statement... is profound! This statement... seems to offer a way out of desperation!
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In Bing Province, outside Yanmen Pass, in a dilapidated tavern at the foot of Niutou Mountain.
Once upon a time, when Emperor Wu of Han launched his northern campaigns against the Xiongnu and restored the glory of the Western Regions, this place was extremely prosperous. Many Han people visiting Niutou Mountain would stop here for refreshments and meals. But now, the tavern remains... but the scene is one of abandonment. This is all due to Emperor Ling of Han's reign; the Xianbei people entrenched outside the frontier organized fourteen winter southward raids. This tavern... was looted clean in one of those raids! Whether it was rebuilt, one does not know! Whether the skeletons within have been dead for many years, one does not know! The only certainty is that they died miserably, tragically!
At this moment, Lu Bu, Gongsun Zan, Qu Yi, and Zhang Yan are seated within. They are here to attend a rendezvous... the appointed meeting at Niutou Mountain three days later. In fact, there are many others nearby, including soldiers from the Vanguard Camp and trusted guards of Gongsun Zan and Zhang Yan. Many are concerned that Tong Yuan might play a trick... This is a precautionary measure!
Waiting time is always tedious. Zhang Yan is fond of drinking and specially brought a few jars. The four drink and chat... with relaxed and carefree expressions. Not long after, another person enters through the tavern's door. He appears to be in his fifties, with a cold expression, holding a Flying Dragon Spear. After entering... he surveys the surroundings. Seeing a heroic man with a silver mask drinking, his eyes suddenly light up, and then he looks around at the people beside him.
The elder in his fifties is naturally Tong Yuan! "Heh!" With a cold laugh, he calmly walks towards their table. Zhang Yan, the most impatient, is about to make a move but is stopped by Lu Bu! Tong Yuan then sits on the stool opposite Lu Bu, glances at the wine on the table, sniffs it... and says, "Such a familiar wine aroma. Is it brewed at the Imperial Academy winery in Xu Du?" That's right, this wine... Lu Lingqi had brought two jars to Tong Yuan! Later, with the rift between Cao and Yuan... it became impossible to buy, even for a thousand pieces of gold, in Jizhou!
Lu Bu looks up at Tong Yuan, his expression showing little change. However, Gongsun Zan, Zhang Yan, and Qu Yi's eyes are stern, and their moods are quite heavy. Although this old man appears aged, his physique is very robust, especially his gait, which is very light! In fact, it's not just light, but... as the saying goes, amateurs watch the show, experts see the skill. Zhang Yan, originally named "Zhu Feiyan" (Flying Swallow), was already known for his "lightness like a swallow" among the Yellow Turban Army. Just by observing a person's steps, he could most directly feel the person's movement technique, likely surpassing his own "Feiyan"! He secretly thinks, "Most likely, the one who abducted Prefect Yang is this person!"
"Why did you ask us all to come? What are you thinking?" Lu Bu speaks, his tone equally cold. Qu Yi has pulled Tong Yuan down from his "mythical" status, making everyone lose their original fear of him. Of course... Lu Bu has never feared this fellow!
At this moment... Gongsun Zan, Zhang Yan, and Qu Yi each reach for their weapons... short spears, sabers, swords... In such a confined space as this inn, long weapons would be difficult to wield effectively! Therefore, they all chose short weapons.
"So you can be captured all at once, saving me the trouble of catching you one by one!" Tong Yuan picks up a pot of wine from the table and drinks a large gulp, not suspecting the wine to be problematic at all. Lu Bu shakes his head. "Once, I was also an extremely confident person like you, but because of certain people and certain events, I realized the meaning of 'too much is as bad as not enough.' In this world where people devour each other, blind confidence often leads to a terrible death!"
Upon hearing this... With a "crack," Tong Yuan's expression changes, and he puts down the wine pot. "I, Tong Yuan, invited you here because I intend to capture all four of you. Of course, I wouldn't mind taking off a few heads either!" As these words leave his mouth... Gongsun Zan, Zhang Yan, and Qu Yi's expressions tighten. Their hands under the table grip their belts, and half of their sharp weapons are already revealed.
Lu Bu, however, seems unconcerned by Tong Yuan's threat. He looks directly at Tong Yuan, meeting his snake-like eyes. "I had no intention of letting you leave today either! The seventeen soldiers of Yanmen died, their blood debt must be repaid!"
"Hahaha..." Tong Yuan covers his face and laughs. "With you lot?"
"You can try!" Lu Bu says coldly.
"What an arrogant fellow!" Tong Yuan laughs, covering his face as if hearing the funniest joke in the world. Before his laughter fades, he suddenly thrusts his arm forward, and the spear behind him ferociously lunges towards Lu Bu's cold mask! Fast... Swift as lightning! No one expected Tong Yuan to act so suddenly. Zhang Yan is the first to react, his saber already swinging out!
"Clang... Clatter!" A loud sound, heavy and abrupt, comes to a halt. Tong Yuan's spear has been retracted. He uses the Hundred Birds Facing the Phoenix Spear technique, which often contains many feints, with the real killing moves hidden within these feints! Zhang Yan can no longer hold back. He steps onto the table, moving forward with his light-as-a-swallow steps... revealing his extremely thin saber... a silver light flashes, the blade aiming directly for Tong Yuan's throat. Zhang Yan is fast, but Tong Yuan is faster... He forcefully kicks off the ground, retreating over two meters with his stool. Then, with a flick of his wrist, several thin "blades" as thin as cicada wings shoot towards Zhang Yan. Fortunately... Qu Yi had mentioned these blades, so Zhang Yan was already being cautious. He dodges his head, evading the blades... While dodging, Tong Yuan stands up, hooks the stool beneath him, and throws it at Zhang Yan again! "Swish." The stool flies towards Zhang Yan. He dodges, evading the direct hit, and with a swift stroke of his saber, he cuts the stool in half, preventing it from hitting the others behind him.
One must know... Zhang Yan's saber is different from ordinary sabers. It has been modified... He was known as "Feiyan" (Flying Swallow) among the Yellow Turban Army. His agility is not comparable to ordinary people. Therefore, he specially crafted this extremely soft saber. Because the blade is soft and difficult to grip, it is as hard as steel wire and as soft as silk thread... In close-quarters combat, he can maximize his agility. Of course, the difficulty of using such a "soft saber" is also greater!
Tong Yuan is slightly stunned. He did not expect this fellow's agility to be so good. "Hmph..." With a cold snort, Tong Yuan's spear actually splits into two, becoming two weapons: one steel rod and one short spear... At the same time, he uses the rod to block Zhang Yan's attack, while the short spear pierces towards Lu Bu! Suddenly, the long spear, which was disadvantageous in the narrow terrain of the tavern, splits into two, becoming extremely suitable for such combat environments!
At this moment. Gongsun Zan swings his short spear... "You want to compare short spears? Let this general give it a try!" Gongsun Zan is skilled in spear combat, proficient in both long and short spears... But who would have thought that the White Horse General, who galloped across the battlefield on a white horse, carrying a long bow, would be so nimble in close combat within this narrow tavern! For a moment, Gongsun Zan, Zhang Yan, and Tong Yuan are entangled in combat... Their moves are incredibly fast, like lightning; their footwork is bizarre, like whirlwinds; every strike is fierce, every strike aims to kill!
"Quite interesting!" Tong Yuan murmurs softly... The collision of four weapons sends all three reeling back. Tong Yuan stumbles back one step, while Gongsun Zan and Zhang Yan retreat one and a half steps. Tong Yuan touches his ear. In the recent onslaught from the two, a blade had grazed past his ear, leaving a slight wound on his cheek, from which a trickle of blood flows! Gongsun Zan and Zhang Yan are also not unscathed. Gongsun Zan has a small cut on his eyebrow, and Zhang Yan's ankle has been scratched, drawing blood! Clearly, Tong Yuan has a slight advantage!
"General Ying, look..." Qu Yi's gaze follows the battle, and he does not forget to analyze for Lu Bu. "Although Tong Yuan's spear skills are high and his footwork is fast... he is not at ease facing General Gongsun and General Zhang. And his most terrifying aspect is actually his footwork... choosing this tavern as the battleground was indeed a wise choice!"
Hearing this, Lu Bu nods heavily. He is a man who has died once and is by no means the impulsive Lu Fengxian of the past! His mental maturity is far beyond what it was. When facing an enemy of this caliber, Lu Bu considers more thoroughly and comprehensively... That is why he specifically chose to set up the battlefield in the tavern... to restrict the opponent's footwork! And the reason his Fangtian Huaji has not yet been raised is that he intends to observe first, to understand the opponent's methods!
But... faintly. He discovers that many of Tong Yuan's spear techniques and footwork... bear striking resemblances to his own martial arts. This is extremely strange! After all, the last person who made him feel a similar connection in martial arts was Zhao Zilong of Changshan! He exhales softly. Lu Bu's eyes narrow as he continues to observe!
At this moment, Zhang Yan and Gongsun Zan's attacks continue. Zhang Yan skillfully flicks his soft saber, thrusting out three blade blossoms... aiming for Tong Yuan's throat and chest... Gongsun Zan also thrusts his short spear towards Tong Yuan's abdomen!
Heh heh... Tong Yuan sneers. The rod and short spear in his hands merge once more, becoming a long spear. Then, he concentrates his strength at the tip of the spear and actually lifts the tables, stools, and cabinets within the tavern, throwing them at Zhang Yan and Gongsun Zan! He even throws a stool and a chest at Qu Yi and Lu Bu respectively! Zhang Yan and Gongsun Zan first dodge, then advance. But Tong Yuan's spear splits in two again... and he engages them in combat. His movements are extremely fast, seamless... almost perfectly timed. And in such a cramped terrain, Qu Yi has not even found an opportunity to join the battle before a large chest is hurled at him. He raises his leg to kick and shatter the chest. However... he underestimates Tong Yuan's strength. The moment his foot touches the chest, he immediately realizes something is wrong, because... the chest's force is too great. With a thud... Qu Yi is heavily struck by the chest, his entire back pressed against the wall. Dust falls from the eaves, landing on his head and face, making him appear exceptionally dishevelled.
"Damn you!" At this, Qu Yi can no longer care about the narrow terrain and, enraged, swings his sword at Tong Yuan! And because of his involvement... the entire battle becomes even more perilous! Three against one, their attacks are more ferocious, but also more chaotic... and their defense is inadequate! Blood... Blood is spilled! In just a hundred breaths, Zhang Yan's ribs have two more gashes, blood flowing freely; Gongsun Zan's leg is wounded, unable to advance, only able to fret anxiously in the rear; Qu Yi has a gash on his arm. The entire three-on-one battle... is extremely fierce. Of course, Tong Yuan is also not faring well. His lower abdomen has a fingernail-width hole, and although the wound is not large, it is very deep. Sweat begins to bead on his forehead.
"Hoo..." Finally, having reached this point, Lu Bu, who had been sitting upright, suddenly stands up. A hundred breaths of combat, a hundred rounds of engagement... He has finally found the weakness of this old rogue Tong Yuan! One! A huge weakness!
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