contending for survival resources;
the exploitation by officials and powerful clans...
cultural discrimination...
these primary reasons for the Qiang rebellion could equally apply to... the injustices suffered by the people of Guanzhong and Longxi in recent years.
The people of Guanzhong have had a terrible time these past few years...
They yearn for change!
Han Sui's methods were a bit radical, Dong Zhuo's even more so, but... Ma Teng, Ma Chao... and those Xiliang warlords, who among them doesn't harbor this sentiment?
The moment Lu Yu stepped into the Xiliang great tent, the topic of discussion naturally gravitated towards these issues.
Xiliang was not unwilling to belong to the Han Dynasty, but the people of Xiliang also wanted to stand up... to straighten their spines, to seek fairness...
Yes, fairness... fairness...
Whether it was the recommendation system or serving in both civil and military posts... the people of Xiliang only wanted bloody fairness!
Of course...
These discussions centered around "fairness" came to an abrupt halt with the announcement of a messenger and the delivery of a letter...
The reason? A major incident had occurred: Xiahou Yuan was kidnapped.
This was huge!
Not only Lu Yu was stunned, but so were Ma Teng, Ma Chao, Ma Yunlu, Pang De... and Xiahou Dun, who had just arrived.
After all...
Xiahou Yuan had rendered great service to the Great Wei twice. Xiahou Yuan had saved Ma Teng and was a benefactor to Xiliang.
Without him this time, the situation might have taken a turn for the worse!
Rescue was a must...
But...
How to rescue? How to go about it?
...
...
Thump, thump, thump...
Numerous horses galloped towards the tavern nestled in the vast yellow sand. Inside, the armored soldiers of the Dragon Cavalry had regained consciousness... they still felt a sense of disorientation and dizziness!
"Is this... Western Regions' soporific incense?"
Ma Yunlu caught the lingering scent...
She immediately identified it as a soporific incense from the Western Regions that could cause temporary unconsciousness.
Once...
This "soporific incense" was very popular in Xiliang, but ever since the "Silk Road" connecting the Western Regions to the Han Dynasty was cut off by the Qiang and Hu, this incense had not reached Xiliang for a long time.
But...
"Wang Yue!" Ma Teng glared at Han Sui, "Are you saying it was Wang Yue who abducted our benefactor?"
Han Sui had already lost an arm. Under the threat of Ma Teng's saber, he could only confess...
Upon hearing the name "Wang Yue," Lu Yu's eyes narrowed. This was not the first time he had heard this name recently.
The return of Sima Yi and Yang Xiu...
had brought to mind Wang Yue, the "Number One Swordsman of the Han Dynasty."
This was a true warrior!
This was also a reckless warrior!
And possibly... a formidable foe!
And...
When Lu Yu entered Xiahou Yuan's chambers, he noticed a fresh letter on the desk, addressed in four characters: "For Lu Yu's Eyes Only!"
He quickly unfolded it. The content was straightforward...
It demanded that Lu Yu—appear alone!
The meeting place was a mountain range at the border between Xiliang and the Qiang and Hu territories, named "Yinlin Yuan." Due to its location on the border, very few people resided there!
The letter stated that if Lu Yu appeared alone in five days, then... Wang Yue would release Xiahou Yuan.
What the letter did not mention was the consequences if Lu Yu refused to go...
But... anyone could see that Wang Yue was determined to succeed this time!
After reading the letter, Lu Yu passed it to his subordinates, while he fell into a profound contemplation.
"This Wang Yue is likely the one who attempted to assassinate me back then!"
Ma Teng's face was a mask of fury. He deeply cared about Xiahou Yuan's safety. The people of Xiliang valued loyalty, and even more so, kindness!
"I never imagined this swordsman would be so despicable, holding our benefactor's life hostage to force the Marquis of Nanshan to comply! Such actions... are completely contrary to the 'chivalry' advocated by the wandering knights!"
At this point, Ma Teng was still seething with anger, but upon thinking of Wang Yue's swordsmanship, he showed a look of shame.
"Everyone, I won't hide it from you. I, Ma Teng, consider myself quite skilled in martial arts, and my saber techniques are renowned in Xiliang. Yet, if I were to face Wang Yue, I doubt I could last ten rounds! If the Marquis of Nanshan accepts the appointment... it would undoubtedly be a death sentence!"
In truth...
Ma Teng wanted to add that if the Marquis of Nanshan refused, then their benefactor Xiahou Yuan would be in dire peril.
But how could he possibly voice these words?
Xiahou Yuan was his benefactor, and Lu Yu was also his benefactor, and moreover, the latter was his future son-in-law!
This was like being offered two cups of poisoned wine!
"Who is this Wang Yue? Does anyone recognize him?" Xiahou Dun frowned...
This...
Cao Hong appeared hesitant to speak.
Xiahou Dun glared at him, "Zi Lian, speak your mind. What time is it? Stop dithling!"
Cao Hong glanced at everyone and then looked at Xiahou Dun.
"Yuan Rang, once, I was drinking with Zhang Wenyuan of the Dragon Cavalry Camp. At that time... Zhang Wenyuan mentioned an old incident to me. It happened in Yanmen when he had a skirmish with this Wang Yue. In that battle... his crescent halberd didn't last a single move against Wang Yue! If it hadn't been for their agreement to stop at a slight touch, Zhang Wenyuan's feat of breaking through ten thousand with eight hundred, and silencing the children of Jiangdong, would not exist today. There would only be a Zhang Wenyuan with a severed arm!"
This...
Cao Hong's words... added a thick layer of frost to the already grim atmosphere.
Even Zhang Wenyuan and Ma Shoucheng were not his match...
This...
To send Lu Yu, who couldn't carry a bag of rice up to the fifth floor and was weak without the strength to truss a chicken, to face him? Wasn't that sending him to his death?
Malicious, insidious...
Indeed, Wang Yue had pinpointed Lu Yu's only weakness—cowardice!
In every battle Lu Yu participated in, there was no record of him charging into the fray... or being on the front lines.
Wang Yue intended to magnify this weakness of Lu Yu's "cowardice" indefinitely... to the point of making him spurned by the world.
Strike the snake at its seven inches...
Wang Yue's "revitalization" was hopeless, and his time was short...
Therefore... he decided to firmly grasp Lu Yu's Achilles' heel!
To utterly ruin his reputation!
"Damn it..." Ma Chao bared his teeth. Xiahou Yuan had saved his father, making her the greatest benefactor to the Ma clan of Maoling, Fufeng...
Indeed, without Xiahou Yuan, he, Ma Chao, would still be in the dark!
Still serving the "murderer of his father"!
"If I were to go, so be it! Humph, what kind of dog-like swordsman is he? My sword is not necessarily inferior to his!"
Indeed...
Ma Chao was exceptional in swordsmanship, and perhaps he could contend with Wang Yue, but... the other party had specifically named Lu Yu to go, which was awkward...
Ma Chao wanted to say something, but facing such a situation, he didn't know how to begin.
He couldn't possibly advise Lu Yu to go to his death, could he?
For a moment, all eyes focused on Lu Yu... This time, his decision concerned his reputation, and the world's perception of him!
"Zi Yu..."
Xiahou Dun still wanted to persuade him...
Unexpectedly, at this moment, Lu Yu, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
"Five days from now? What do I, Lu Yu, fear? Hah—I! Will! Go! Appear alone!"
—I! Will! Go!
—Appear! Alone!
These two phrases, as they escaped his lips, left everyone dumbfounded.
Who would have thought that the consistently timid... no, it shouldn't be called timid, but rather cautious Lu Yu, would make such a choice after careful consideration!
This...
"Zi Yu, this isn't..." Xiahou Dun still wanted to persuade him. Although Xiahou Yuan was his niece, and his cousin Xiahou Yuan's adopted daughter whom he cherished as his own.
But...
Xiahou Dun still couldn't let his good friend go to his death!
Moreover, with Lu Yu's mediocre skills, if he went... wouldn't it be a direct march to his doom?
But Lu Yu gave him no chance to speak.
"Elder Brother, my decision is made..."
"In five days, I will go alone!"
This...
Lu Yu's voice was not loud, but at this moment, nothing could be more resonant and powerful than these words!
Sigh, due to negligence, his own wife, Lu Yu, had fallen into the enemy's hands, so naturally, he had to rescue her himself!
For a moment...
Lu Yu recalled a historical story about "a lone swordsman attending a meeting." At this moment, the story was soul-stirring!
...
...
Autumn cicadas chirped mournfully, a leaf fell, and the land was desolate...
In Anding City, amidst the vast yellow sand...
Lu Yu was alone in a study, with stringent security outside.
This was the first day since he decided to "attend the meeting alone" in five days.
First, Guo Jia entered... his face was full of worry... as if burdened by countless unspeakable matters!
A quarter of an hour later, Guo Jia left...
As he left, Guo Jia's expression had slightly changed.
Then, Zhuge Jun entered... and stayed with him for a full hour before departing.
By this time, it was noon.
When Guo Jia returned again, he happened to meet Lu Yu opening the door...
The first thing he heard from Lu Yu was a voice...
"Chivalry violates the law through force!"
"He? Did he bring her?"
Indeed...
Attending the meeting alone...
was not attending the meeting to die. A sword might take a life, but wisdom... could create miracles!
...
...
In Xuchang City, chaos ensued outside the sleeping chambers of the King of Wei's palace. Maidservants and eunuchs scurried about with basins and towels.
Xun Yu, Xiahou Yuan, and others watched with anxious anticipation.
Cao Cao's headache had recurred, and this time it was even more severe!
It had reached a point where measures had to be taken.
However, Hua Tuo's "skull drilling" test on death row inmates had not yielded satisfactory results. Out of over twenty such procedures, only one survived, and... this person's condition was not optimistic.
Even if he could live a few more days, what meaning would that hold?
It was no exaggeration to say...
If...
Now, with a "more violent" skull drilling method, Cao Cao himself might not survive it.
Just then...
A fast horse arrived from Xiliang. The rider was panting, having traveled at an urgent pace of eight hundred li. His expression was one of extreme tension...
This was an urgent report from General Xiahou Dun...
The report contained only one piece of information: the Marquis of Nanshan intended to attend the meeting alone...
"What's the matter? Why such panic?"
At present, Xun Yu and other court officials were all focused on Cao Cao. Cao Pi, as the Commandant of the Five Passes, naturally bore more responsibility.
All incoming dispatches were handled by him.
And although Cao Pi's face was etched with worry at this moment...
His deep composure masked an immense sense of sorrow within him.
Xiliang had lost!
Han Sui had been captured!
All their elaborate schemes had ultimately... turned to nothing.
It seemed...
the position of heir apparent was drifting further away from him.
An overwhelming sense of desolation radiated from within him.
"Reporting to Young Master Pi, regarding Xiliang... Xiliang..."
The messenger recounted the recent situation in Xiliang in detail.
Cao Pi had expected it to be a report of victory, of universal celebration, of rewarding the army, and he didn't want to hear it! He was extremely annoyed by such things!
But...
As the messenger's report continued, Cao Pi's eyes gradually widened.
It was...
a twist!
Wang Yue... had actually used despicable means to kidnap Lu Yu's wife, and Lu Yu... actually chose to attend the meeting alone...
This... this...
Cao Pi could hardly believe his ears.
Even Wu Zhi, his strategist, could not believe it...
Lu Yu, who was always cautious and methodical, to go... for a woman! To attend a meeting!
The "meeting" here was no different from attending a death sentence.
Exchanging glances...
Cao Pi instructed the messenger, "My father is suffering from a terrible headache, and I fear he cannot withstand such news. You should go and rest first, and I will report it at an opportune moment!"
"But..." the messenger said, "General Xiahou specifically instructed me to... to report to the King of Wei, stating that this concerns the life and death of the Marquis of Nanshan!"
As these words left his mouth...
"Hmph..."
Cao Pi let out a cold snort. For the first time, he raised his eyebrows, revealing a hint of coldness, "The life and death of the Marquis of Nanshan is important, but is my father's safety not? If, because of this matter, something were to happen to my father, can you bear the responsibility?"
This...
The messenger dared not retort.
Indeed... King Wei Cao Cao was the ruler of the Great Wei, and he... he could not afford to have anything happen to him! This... was irrefutable!
With that, the messenger reluctantly withdrew.
Wu Zhi, standing beside him, blinked repeatedly, signaling to Cao Pi.
Cao Pi understood and immediately dismissed all the servants.
Only then did Wu Zhi speak, "Young Master, there is always a way out of every predicament... Fortunately, this news has reached you, hah... Heaven helps the Young Master, heaven helps the Young Master!"
This...
Cao Pi asked, "Ji Zhong, what do you mean by that?"
Wu Zhi explained, "Originally, with Xiliang secured, the Marquis of Nanshan's prestige would be unprecedented. If he brought Young Master Cao Chong along, it would be to grant some merit to Young Master Chong, and then support him as heir apparent..."
At this point, Wu Zhi's eyes flickered, and he continued, "The Marquis of Nanshan is the divine physician of this era. How could he not see that the King of Wei's headache has become incurable? It was to prolong his own prosperity that he chose his young and accommodating favorite disciple to succeed him! Originally, this was a done deal, but Wang Yue has caused such a disruption!"
"Disruption?" Cao Pi asked further.
"Precisely." Wu Zhi smiled, "Wang Yue kidnapped Madam Xiahou. If Lu Yu doesn't rescue Madam Xiahou, then Xiahou Miaocai will not spare him, and the world's evaluation of him will plummet. At that time, the Cao Chong that he supported may not smoothly ascend the throne!"
"Originally, this was not a big deal; it was just an opportunity for various young masters. But... unfortunately, he, who was wise in all his decisions, made a fool of himself over women. He chose to attend the meeting alone... Hahaha... Hahaha... I have only heard of the Marquis of Nanshan's flawless planning and outstanding strategy, but never of his superior martial arts and unparalleled swordsmanship, hahaha, hahaha... Is this not heaven helping Young Master Pi?"
Uh...
Hearing this one speech was better than reading ten years' worth of books!
Cao Pi gasped for air...
His eyes narrowed, but in an instant, they widened again, filled with killing intent.
"Ji Zhong, you seem to have missed something!"
"Hmm..."
"That messenger cannot be allowed to live!" Cao Pi's voice was low...
Boom... Wu Zhi was startled. He stared at Cao Pi with wide eyes. What a decisive, patient, and when necessary, extremely cruel Young Master Pi!
Cao Pi's voice continued, "The messenger has been on his way from Xiliang for two days, and the five-day appointment... Heh heh, as long as I delay it for a few more days, everything will be over!"
Cao Pi's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Ji Zhong, this time our opponent is Lu Zi Yu. Every detail must be handled with utmost caution! Better to kill indiscriminately than to miss!"
This...
Wu Zhi looked up at Cao Pi, who had become somewhat terrifying.
"Yes... yes..."
...
...
On the other side, September 8th, the fifth day of the "five-day appointment"!
"Dong... dong..."
Firm and heavy footsteps emerged from the study.
A pair of resolute, determined eyes flashed from "Lu Yu's" pupils...
Today...
It is time—to attend the meeting alone!
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(PS: High-octane warning!)
(Beep beep beep...)
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