sjar Chapter 1019: The two sides confronted each other and realized that they had been tricked
Chapter 1019: The two sides confronted each other and realized that they had been tricked
Guan Yu, filled with doubt, hurried back to Liu Bei's camp. Upon seeing Liu Bei, he dismounted, knelt on one knee, and solemnly replied, "Brother, we've searched all the way to the vicinity of Xudu, but haven't seen any enemy troops stationed there. This is truly bizarre."
When Liu Bei heard this, his brows twisted into knots, and he wondered to himself: What on earth is Cao Ang up to? Pang Tong, standing beside him, also had a serious expression, stroking his beard in deep thought.
Beside Liu Bei, Pang Tong also wore a solemn expression. He narrowed his eyes slightly, lost in thought. After a moment, Pang Tong slowly spoke, "My lord, Cao Ang's actions are truly bizarre. He and Lü Bu's army were stationed here, appearing to be on high alert. Why then did he suddenly feint and return directly to Xu Du? There must be something fishy going on." Liu Bei nodded slightly, his expression growing more serious, his mind growing more and more certain that this matter was far more complex than it appeared. He paced back and forth in the tent, the ground beneath his feet seemingly etched with deep footprints. Each step carried his concern and reflection on the situation, his attempts to find a response.
By this time, Zhang Fei, standing aside, could no longer contain his anger. His eyes widened, his beard standing on end with rage, and he couldn't help but shout, "Brother, who cares about any conspiracy! Let's go straight to Xudu and take care of Lu Bu and Cao Ang. Let's see what tricks they can come up with!" Liu Bei turned his head abruptly, glared at Zhang Fei, and said sternly, "Third brother, don't be impulsive! We haven't figured out their strength yet, and we're not sure whether Cao Ang and Lu Bu have really joined forces. If we rush forward like this, won't we just fall into their trap? Then, not only will we fail to solve the problem, but we will also be plunged into an irretrievable situation!"
Guan Yu also slowly stood up. His expression was calm and his gaze was resolute. He said, "Brother, sir, although Yide acted rashly, his words also reminded us. Now that our army is here, can we only stand still and wait for death? Regardless of his plots and tricks, as long as we advance steadily, with the strength of our army, what do we have to fear?" Pang Tong frowned slightly. He actually didn't fully understand Cao Ang and Lu Bu's true intentions yet, but there seemed to be no better way. After a moment of thought, he said, "Well, since the lord is determined, and since everyone thinks so, why don't we advance steadily? As the saying goes, 'one force can defeat ten skills.' Perhaps as we advance, we can discover their weaknesses and find a countermeasure."
Although Liu Bei still harbored many doubts, seeing everyone shared the same sentiment, he pondered for a moment before finally giving the order: "Pass the order down! Disband camp and march towards Xudu!" With Liu Bei's command, the entire camp instantly erupted in activity. Soldiers quickly packed up their tents, assembled their weapons, and loaded their supplies onto carts. Military flags fluttered in the wind, a silent declaration of the coming challenge. The army marched towards Xudu in a mighty procession. The clatter of measured footsteps and horse hooves blended like the muffled sound of war drums, echoing across the land. Throughout the journey, Liu Bei's brow furrowed, his eyes revealing deep worry, a lingering fear of the unknown situation he was about to face. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, like two door gods, stood guard beside him, vigilantly guarding him, their hands tightly gripping their weapons, ready to respond to any potential emergency.
As they drew closer to Xudu, the tension intensified. Liu Bei periodically inquired with his scouts about the situation ahead, but each time he received the unannounced answer that nothing unusual had been discovered. Pang Tong sat in the carriage, his eyes closed. He appeared to be resting, but in reality, his mind was a sophisticated machine, working furiously, trying to uncover the hidden conspiracy of Cao Ang and Lü Bu beneath this seemingly calm surface. He knew full well that this operation was fraught with uncertainty; the slightest misstep could plunge Liu Bei's army into a desperate situation.
Finally, the army arrived at the gates of Xu City like a tide. The defenders on the city walls were already in full battle formation, weapons in hand, their eyes vigilantly watching every move outside the city. The atmosphere was so oppressive that it felt almost suffocating. Lü Bu, clad in armor, stood majestically on the city walls. Seeing Liu Bei's army approaching with such momentum, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He crossed his arms and shouted, "Liu Bei, what exactly do you want to do by bringing your troops here this time? Are you trying to take advantage of the chaos to capture Xu City?"
Liu Bei remained calm, his legs lightly clamped around his horse's belly as he spurred his horse forward a few paces. He responded in a resounding voice, "Lü Bu, I, Liu Bei, raised an uprising to protect the Han Dynasty. I single-mindedly want to unite my forces to defeat the traitor Cao Cao. You, Lü Bu, have always been hailed as a hero. Are you truly willing to be manipulated by a treacherous man like Cao Cao? Why don't you wake up?" Lü Bu sneered at this and said disdainfully, "How could I be in cahoots with Cao Cao? I already occupy Xu City. But you, when I was pursuing Cao Ang, joined forces with him to block our advance. Now you, the villain, are the first to accuse me?"
Zhang Fei was furious upon hearing Lü Bu's distorted claims. His eyes bulged like bells. He brandished his Zhangba Snake Spear and roared at Lü Bu on the tower, "Lü Bu, stop slandering me! You keep saying you're going after Cao Ang, but why are you standing still? It's clear you're plotting to trick us!"
Pang Tong listened quietly, but he keenly grasped a clue. He cleared his throat and spoke aloud, "General Lu, you said you've captured Xudu. What about the troops Cao Cao left there? What happened to them?" Lu Bu raised his head and shouted, "Of course I defeated them! That day, I pursued Cao Ang with all my might, intending to completely crush him, but you suddenly appeared and supported him. And you keep claiming to be loyal subjects of the Han Dynasty. It's truly ridiculous!"
Liu Bei was surprised to hear this and quickly asked, "Is Ma Chao from Xiliang in Xudu?" Lu Bu looked down at Liu Bei's army as if they were idiots and sneered, "Where is Ma Chao in Xudu? You're talking nonsense in broad daylight!"
Pang Tong's mind raced, piecing together the various clues in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more ominous the situation became. He blurted out, "My lord, have we fallen into a trap?" He looked at Liu Bei and said solemnly, "My lord, Lü Bu's words were so convincing and the details he described were so logical. I'm afraid he's telling the truth."
Liu Bei was surprised, his eyes full of disbelief, and said, "Could it be that Cao Ang really has such a deep mind?"
Pang Tong nodded slightly and began to analyze the situation in detail. "In my opinion, Lü Bu pursued Cao Ang here and was about to capture him when he saw our army approaching from afar. Lü Bu was apprehensive and confused about our intentions, so he stopped and observed the situation. We, on the other hand, were also unsure whether Lü Bu and Cao Ang were in cahoots, and we were worried that a rash move would put us in trouble, so we stopped as well."
Liu Bei frowned slightly, listening carefully to Pang Tong's analysis as a clearer picture gradually dawned on him. Pang Tong continued, "At this very moment, Cao Ang, in an attempt to disrupt the situation, deliberately brought up Ma Chao, Prince of Liang, and fabricated the lie that Ma Chao was about to arrive with a large army. This instilled fear and suspicion in both of us. In doing so, he successfully provoked a conflict between us and Lü Bu, leading us to a stalemate. He then took the opportunity to slip away and escape."
After listening to this, Liu Bei was secretly amazed and couldn't help but say to himself: "Cao Ang is so young, but he has such scheming and courage. He should not be underestimated!" Then, Liu Bei told Lu Bu exactly what Pang Tong had analyzed.
After hearing this, Lu Bu was also shocked. His eyes widened with disbelief, and he said, "This...how did this happen? That Cao Ang was so cunning that he had tricked us all!" At this moment, Lu Bu was both annoyed and angry. He was annoyed that he was tricked by Cao Ang, and angry that Cao Ang dared to use such tricks under his nose.
For a moment, an awkward silence descended, the atmosphere so oppressive it felt as if water could be squeezed out of it. Just then, Pang Tong broke the deadlock. He looked at Lü Bu and said earnestly, "General Lü, now that you have captured Xudu, this is undoubtedly a golden opportunity. Why don't we unite our forces and pursue Cao Ang together? Then, forming a coordinated attack from the north and south with Yuan Shao, we can completely defeat Cao Cao and restore the Han Dynasty."
Lü Bu's expression froze, and he snorted coldly, "If you want to pursue Cao Ang, go ahead. But you can't enter Xudu no matter what. I've finally driven out Cao Cao's forces and established a firm foothold here. I, Lü Bu, respect the Emperor and bring peace to the world."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei frowned slightly, then spoke with a determined gaze, "Marquis Wen, Liu Xie is merely a puppet of Cao Cao. To be honest, I hold the late emperor's orphan in my hands, and he is currently with Liu Jingsheng in Jingzhou. Since you, General, are deeply dissatisfied with Cao Cao's rule and have already occupied Xudu, you should obey the will of heaven and hand over Liu Xie. Join us in supporting the late emperor's orphan to succeed to the throne. This is the true way to restore the Han Dynasty."
When Lu Bu heard this, he was immediately filled with anger, his eyes widened and he shouted loudly: "Liu Bei, what nonsense are you talking about! The current emperor is the younger brother of the late emperor, and he has been on the throne for a long time. As a relative of the Han royal family, you should support him wholeheartedly, so how can you say you are the orphan of the late emperor? The way you talk shows that you also have evil intentions and are trying to establish another emperor to do something illegal!" Lu Bu was so angry that he was shaking all over, and the Fang Tian Hua Ji in his hand subconsciously tightened, as if he was going to attack Liu Bei in the next second.
Liu Bei's expression remained unchanged as he calmly spoke, "Marquis Wen, I, Liu Bei, am solely dedicated to the revival of the Han Dynasty. I have absolutely no selfish motives. Liu Xie is being manipulated by Cao Cao, and the Han Dynasty has been thrown into disarray. The orphan of the previous emperor is the legitimate heir. If he can ascend the throne, he will surely restore the Han Dynasty's dignity."
Lü Bu sneered disdainfully, "Hmph, nice words! You're just trying to use this to expand your own power. I, Lü Bu, will never let you succeed."
Neither side gave in, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, like the oppressive atmosphere before a storm. Tensions reached a fever pitch. Zhang Fei, already hot-tempered, was infuriated by Lü Bu's unreasonable behavior. With a roar like an enraged lion, he brandished his Zhangba Snake Spear and spurred his horse forward to confront Lü Bu.