Guan Yinping.
Mentioning this third daughter of the Guan family, Lu Yu always recalled many things related to her.
For instance, legend had it that she was a disciple of Huang Yueying, not only proficient in swordsmanship but also skilled in various crafts and the art of qi men dun jia!
Of course…
These were not the most important things. The most important reason for her great fame was… her father Guan Yu's declaration, "How can a tiger's daughter marry a dog's son!"
It was when Sun Quan sent an envoy to propose marriage, and Guan Yu uttered this, almost infuriating Sun Quan to death.
This indirectly led to Sun Quan's decision to seize Jingzhou, to Lü Meng's crossing of the river in disguise, and ultimately to the tragedy of Guan Yu's defeat and retreat to Mai City, followed by a series of consequences such as the "Battle of Yiling"!
It was no exaggeration to say…
Because of that single phrase, "How can a tiger's daughter marry a dog's son," the troops and supplies that the Shu Han regime had accumulated for many years were lost overnight.
Of course…
There were many popular jokes online in later generations.
For example, Guan Yu actually meant to say, "How can my daughter marry Quan's son," but due to his accent from Hedong Xiè liáng County, which was Shanxi, he ended up saying, "How can a tiger's daughter marry a dog's son." The difference in meaning between "my" and "tiger," and "Quan" and "dog," was significant.
The former, "How can my daughter marry Quan's son," meant that since my elder brother Liu Bei entrusted Jingzhou to me, and your son wanted to marry my daughter, what was this all about?
Wouldn't this make my elder brother suspicious and sow discord between us brothers?
This was a refusal based on righteousness…
But "How can a tiger's daughter marry a dog's son," had a more insulting tone. Who would be willing to call their son a dog?
Of course…
Regardless of the truth, the Guan Yinping before Lu Yu's eyes would be the source of all these sins and a harbinger of disaster, a femme fatale!
Cough cough…
Lu Yu coughed lightly and looked back at Ma Yunlu beside him. "Let's forget about matchmaking, shall we? Do you have a way to make her eat?"
"Isn't that simple?" Ma Yunlu's large eyes opened.
"Simple?" Lu Yu spread his hands. "She is Guan Yu's daughter. If she is taken as a hostage, it would greatly benefit Great Wei in the future. But if she starves to death, it would be a complete waste of such a valuable resource!"
"Oh…" Ma Yunlu nodded. She didn't care about hostages or anything. Her eyes settled on him. "If I can make her eat, you have to promise me one thing?"
"What thing?" Lu Yu retorted.
"How can I think of it right away?" Ma Yunlu's large eyes blinked rapidly. "When I think of it, I'll tell you."
Heh…
Lu Yu inexplicably thought of a wuxia novel where a certain Zhang was tightly controlled by a county princess with "three requests." Indeed… princesses were all the same, a county princess from the Prince of Runan's mansion and a princess from Xiliang… both had the same habit.
"Alright!" Lu Yu was worst at dealing with women. One Guan Yinping was enough for him to ponder, and with Ma Yunlu added, let it be as it may!
"I promise you… but you have to ensure that Guan Yinping stops her hunger strike and lives obediently."
"Just watch!" Ma Yunlu gave Lu Yu a knowing smile, then swaggered into the courtyard.
Lu Yu followed, but maintained a certain distance.
He heard Ma Yunlu shout, "Where's my spear? Bring it here…"
Ma Yunlu picked up a spear and then took out a great saber. Holding a spear in one hand and a saber in the other, she showed no sign of strain. This was far superior to Lu Yu carrying a bag of rice up five flights of stairs.
Lu Yu followed her into the courtyard.
Then, with a "clang," the great saber was thrown before Guan Yinping.
Guan Yinping looked up blankly, her eyes full of surprise as she looked at Ma Yunlu.
"So, Guan Yun Chang is your father? Looking at you, a defeated opponent, your father isn't much better, is he?"
Provoked by Ma Yunlu like this…
Guan Yinping was furious and immediately stood up. "How dare you speak of my father…"
"What if I speak of your father?" Ma Yunlu put on a look of indignation. "My father is the General of Xiliang, the current Wei Wei, Ma Teng Ma Shoucheng. Even if your father practiced for a few more years, he wouldn't be my father's opponent!"
Uh…
As soon as this sentence was spoken, Lu Yu was stunned. It was as if… a durian fruit hanging from a durian tree, and you and I are under the durian tree!
— Sitting in rows under the durian tree, each person gets a durian fruit.
In ancient times, two women, and they could still compete over their fathers like this?
Can it be like this?
Under Lu Yu's astonished gaze.
"Today, I will let you experience my father's strength!"
Saying that, Guan Yinping went to pick up the saber. However… because her stomach was empty, even lifting the great saber, her wrist felt soft, like cotton.
"Hahahaha…"
Ma Yunlu, however, maintained a mocking and playful demeanor.
"This county princess dislikes taking advantage the most. After you've eaten, we'll fight again! Let's see if your Guan family saber is more powerful, or my Ma family spear!"
"Okay… you… you wait!"
Guan Yinping glared at Ma Yunlu with fiery eyes, then strode towards the Long Xiao Camp soldiers to beg for food.
As this scene unfolded, Ma Yunlu did not forget to turn her head and glance at Lu Yu…
Of course, the response she received was a big thumbs up.
Lu Yu gasped.
He suddenly realized that this girl, Ma Yunlu… or rather, his third future wife, had something going on, and was quite interesting!
…
…
In the general's mansion that night, a single oil lamp flickered, casting a hazy shadow that reflected Wen Pin's furrowed brow.
He was somewhat restless, and it seemed only by holding a book could he calm the turmoil in his heart.
Speaking of which, his appointment by Lu Yu as the commander of the Long Xiao Camp's navy was no trivial matter… the Long Xiao Camp's reputation was renowned throughout the Nine Provinces. He, a surrendered general?
Upon appointment, he became the commander of the Long Xiao Camp's navy.
It was somewhat stressful!
Think about who the famous land commanders of the Long Xiao Camp were?
Lu Ying, who recruited tens of thousands of elite soldiers single-handedly at Yanmen;
Zhang Liao, who slew the Wuhuan Chieftain Tadun at the Battle of Bǎiláng Mountain;
Gao Shun of the Forward Camp, Qu Yi of the Vanguard Camp, Gongsun Zan with the White Horse Volunteers under his command… not to mention the original generals Cao Xiu, and the infantry commanders Yue Jin and Xiahou Mao…
Weren't they all renowned figures?
Wen Pin felt a great deal of pressure!
Of course…
There was pressure, but it wasn't important. To reach his current position, one's ability to withstand pressure was often very strong, and even pressure could be converted into motivation to some extent.
But… a clever housewife cannot cook without rice. The general has no soldiers… to hold an empty title as commander was a bit…
"Cough cough…"
After a series of coughs, Wen Pin recalled that he had specially asked Lu Yu a few days ago about the whereabouts of the Long Xiao Camp's navy.
As their commander, shouldn't he go to the navy?
As a result, Lu Yu…
Simply replied, "I don't know"!
… That's right, Lu Yu genuinely didn't know. Who would know?
According to Lu Yu's plan, the Long Xiao Camp's navy had been practicing whale hunting for so long, and they were probably ready. Next, they would go and attack the Yamatai Kingdom for practice…
But upon going there, across the sea, without even a letter.
Lu Yu didn't know if Lü Bu and Gan Ning would follow Xu Fu's example from ancient times and, along with a group of young boys and girls… develop into the current Yamatai Kingdom.
But thinking about it, they wouldn't. Was Gan Ning the kind of person who could endure loneliness?
Even if Lü Bu had ambitions, he had to consider, where was his Diao Chan?
However…
After such a long time without any news, it was inevitably a little worrying!
Of course, as a "bare general" Wen Pin, Lu Yu, to keep him occupied, specially transcribed a book of military strategy and gave it to him to read…
This book of military strategy was originally "Qi Jiguang's Art of War." However, writing it with such a name would invite criticism, so Lu Yu changed the name to "General Qi's Art of War"… Having a surname but no name made it impossible to trace!
Thus, the bored Wen Pin was reading the book of military strategy under the candlelight.
"Mandarin Duck Formation? What kind of formation is this?"
"Training Essentials? What is this again?"
When Wen Pin read about the "Mandarin Duck Formation," he found the peculiar eleven-person formation rather strange!
Among these eleven people, four were equipped with long spears as the main attacking force.
In front of them were four soldiers. The soldiers on the right held large, rectangular five-pointed rattan shields, while the soldiers on the left held small, round rattan shields, all made of rattan.
Following them were two soldiers holding "wolf brushes," which were large bamboo stalks with branches and leaves, about one ren and three chi long.
"What is a wolf brush?" Wen Pin found it increasingly novel as he read…
The formation was novel, and the weapons were also novel.
What caught his eye the most was the "Training Essentials." This "General Qi's Art of War" was different from the general introductions of texts like "Sun Tzu's Art of War." It listed almost every detail with extreme precision.
From commands to combat tactics, to camp arrangements, martial arts, sentry duty, naval warfare, etc… even each soldier had sufficient requirements during battle.
If a scholar read such a book, they would surely get a headache.
Because it was too complicated and too trivial, it was difficult to vividly imagine, but the more Wen Pin read, the more he was shocked.
Terrible…
This "General Qi's Art of War" was too terrible, so terrible that any general who had fought a few naval battles could immediately improve significantly just by reading it.
There were too many details. What should be done when? What should each soldier do? The requirements were too detailed… it was as if one could achieve considerable success just by fighting and training according to the book.
Not to mention Wen Pin, who already had a certain understanding of naval warfare.
"Brilliant, brilliant…"
The further he flipped, the more his eyes widened, and his body even trembled.
Profound and extensive.
It was hard to imagine… that a book could make Wen Pin feel so deeply.
"If troops were trained like this, how could the Jiangxia Huang family's navy be defeated by the Jiangdong 'green-eyed brat'? With such training, the navy would be invincible!" Wen Pin's pupils widened…
He exhaled a long breath, and with a "gulp," he swallowed, then sighed.
"With the Marquis of Baima here? How can Great Wei lack naval generals?"
"Unifying Jiangdong is within reach!"
…
…
"Ready!"
With a loud roar, in the hinterland of the Yamatai Kingdom, a tribe, this was the last territory of the Kunu Kingdom.
They, who were full of "Bushido" spirit, clearly had no intention of fleeing or retreating.
Therefore… they would face this decisive battle!
The Japanese of Yamatai Kingdom still charged towards Lü Bu with simple fervor…
Gan Ning stretched and asked with interest.
"How about I go this time?"
"You'd better rest. You're needed for naval warfare. On land, I am enough!" Lü Bu was like a killing machine. His Fangtian Huaji had impaled over thirty tribes in twenty days.
He made over seventy tribes submit to Queen Himiko of the Yamatai Kingdom again.
Today was the final battle…
Lü Bu wanted to finish it himself.
"Alright," Gan Ning yawned, looking bored. He had thought they were coming here for naval or sea battles… but it turned out to be all land battles, which was embarrassing. It felt like fighting for nothing!
Gan Ning and his pirate brothers leaned against the trees, seeking shade, and some had already taken out delicious food.
These Japanese were also tired of fighting.
One look at the enemy and it was clear what kind of people they were. They charged fiercely at first, then ran very fast at the end… What's more, this General Lü Ying was truly a god of slaughter, chasing after them… for dozens of miles!
It could be summed up in four words—eradicate evil to the root!
"Father is approaching. Should we fire arrows?" Lü Lingqi asked Lü Bu…
Lü Bu's lips curved, revealing a faint smile. "How many Japanese have you killed, daughter?"
"Twenty-seven!"
"You still need to practice." Lü Bu said with a smile, pointing his Fangtian Huaji at the Japanese before him. "This battle, no arrows are needed. I want to achieve a two-thousand-man kill!"
Lü Bu said this…
Because in the previous twenty days, he had killed more than 1,700 Japanese, and was only more than 200 away from achieving the two-thousand-man kill!
He knew the Japanese liked to count these things, so he decided to record it as well.
Lü Bu even imagined that if he could truly achieve this two-thousand-man kill, he would find a temple and hang his name there, naming it "He who killed two thousand Japanese, Lü Ying, is here!"
If anyone refused to worship, it would be a new story of the two-thousand-man kill!
"Father, killing two hundred people at once is not easy!"
"Lingqi doesn't believe me?" Lü Bu looked down at the Japanese before him. In his eyes, these Japanese were still at the most primitive stage of weaponry, the katana… With such weapons and swordsmanship, in Lü Bu's eyes, it was as if they were moving in slow motion.
Left hand, right hand, all slow motion!
"Lingqi, watch carefully!"
Lü Bu's eyes sharpened, and he roared, "Kill!"
Immediately, countless bronze-skinned, muscular armored soldiers of the Long Xiao Camp charged towards the Japanese before them like tigers leaping from their cages!
Lü Bu calmly took out a silk handkerchief and wrapped it around his face.
It wasn't for depth, but to prevent the Japanese's blood from splashing on his face and affecting his vision. Besides, the blood of these Japanese disgusted and repulsed him!
It was still the familiar few hundred against thousands!
It was still a seemingly difficult battle, but every armored soldier of the Long Xiao Camp remained fearless.
Their heroic spirit of bravery shook the heavens, overshadowing the sound of the waves on the shore. A surging killing intent spread out, causing the thousands of Japanese to breathe rapidly, as if they were facing not a few hundred people, but an invincible army of tens of thousands.
Under the dark night, in the torchlight, beside the tribe!
The sharp edges were gilded by the moonlight, shimmering on the ground.
The clash of halberds and katanas.
The sound of the Fangtian Huaji crushing enemies.
Countless brilliant sparks collided under the night sky.
As the sparks extinguished…
Lü Bu, carrying his Fangtian Huaji, charged towards the "king" of the Kunu Kingdom.
With a "pat," the two bravest warriors beside the King of Kunu had their weapons shattered…
Their bodies were split in half from their chests.
They rode horses, but… the two warhorses bathed in their master's blood were still spinning aimlessly in place, not knowing where the front was!
Just as Lü Bu's Fangtian Huaji was about to pierce the King of Kunu's chest.
"General Lü, stop!"
Himiko's voice broke the cold silence. "Leave him… he… he is still useful?"
However…
Himiko's voice could not stop the descent of Lü Bu's halberd. With a single strike, the Fangtian Huaji severed the King of Kunu's head.
Only then was Himiko still in shock.
"General Lü… you…"
"Heh heh! Is the Queen teaching this General how to do things?" Lü Bu's faint smile was the response. "Under heaven, only one person can command me, and unfortunately, that person is not you!"
…
…