Chapter 86: Cao Cao Was Amused to the Point of Laughing in Frustration

After returning to camp, Lu Bu handed over his halberd and looked to his generals with a shout. “Let the whole army eat and drink their fill tonight. Tomorrow, we will crush the enemy camp and seize Liu Bei in one stroke!”

“Yes!” the officers answered in unison.

“Bo Ping, tomorrow you will command the Garrison-Breaking Camp. If the other units cannot breach the fortifications, lead your men to smash them open for me,” Lu Bu said to Gao Shun.

Gao Shun pondered for a moment, then advised, “My lord, Liu Bei is a man of great talent. By rights, as a vassal of Cao Cao, he ought to be defending Xiao Pei. The city has high walls and thick defenses, far stronger than this camp, yet Liu Bei has led his army out to meet the enemy in the open. It is truly strange.”

“Yes, it is strange,” Lu Bu frowned.

“My lord, I believe he does not wish to be restrained by Cao Cao. He wants to root himself in Xiao Pei, and so he has taken the risk of battle, fearing that you would ruin the peasants’ spring planting,” Gao Shun said firmly.

When Lu Bu heard this, he could not help but laugh. “That makes sense. Then how should we break him?”

“My lord, Liu Bei prides himself on benevolence and righteousness and is deeply loved by the common people. When he returned to Xiao Pei, he gathered several thousand scattered soldiers and recruits, which shows how the people are attached to him.

“Since he claims the name of virtue, my lord might as well force him to come out and fight,” Gao Shun suggested.

“Liu Xuan-de is nothing but a rat. How would he dare to come out?” Lu Bu asked in doubt.

“My lord, our army need only make a show of force, as though we are crossing the camp to harass the fields of the people, while you personally lead the Wolf Cavalry to hold the camp and face him in opposition.

“Liu Bei calls himself benevolent, and most of the soldiers under him are men of Xiao Pei. If he does not leave the camp to rescue them, his troops will lose all will to fight, and his reputation for righteousness will be shattered.

“If he does leave the camp to battle, then with only a few thousand men, how could he possibly be your match? So whether Liu Bei fights or does not fight, he will be defeated.”

Gao Shun cupped his fists and declared loudly.

“Good. We’ll do as you say,” Lu Bu said with a hearty laugh and a nod. “Zhang Liao, you stay and join me in crushing Liu Bei. Wei Xu, you command the infantry in the assault. Gao Shun, lead the Garrison-Breaking Camp to support him!”

“Yes!” all the generals replied.

“All right, go and prepare,” Lu Bu said.

With that, he was the first to remove his armor and return to his tent.

Zhang Liao watched Gao Shun’s retreating figure and felt indignant on his behalf. He hurried after him and said, “Bo Ping, my lord must surely be listening to slander and deliberately keeping his distance from you!”

Gao Shun stopped and looked at Zhang Liao with solemn eyes. “Wen Yuan, you and I are both subordinates. How can we overstep ourselves and speak of our lord? Do not say such things again.”

As he finished, Gao Shun departed with one hand on his sword.

How could he not know that Lu Bu had been listening to slander? But he was not the sort to flatter or curry favor. He disdained argument. He would simply do his duty well.

“Ah...” Looking at that upright figure, straight as a spear, Zhang Liao sighed.

He felt wronged on Gao Shun’s behalf. Such a general—loyal beyond compare, brave in battle, and strict in military discipline—had not only failed to win favor under Lu Bu, but had been slighted instead.

Only Lu Bu could do such a thing.

The blame lay only in Gao Shun’s dislike of bootlicking and praise-seeking.

---

The next day, at dawn.

Just as Liu Bei had risen, Sun Qian hurried over and cried, “My lord, disaster! Disaster!”

“Gongyou, has Lu Bu assaulted the camp?” Liu Bei asked urgently, his expression tense.

“My lord, Lu Bu has not attacked the camp, but he has sent Gao Shun and Wei Xu northward, intending to plunder the people of Xiao Pei in scattered raids. Meanwhile, he himself has stayed outside with the Wolf Cavalry and has even had countless letters shot into the camp.

“Now the news has spread inside. The soldiers are talking, and if this continues, a mutiny is inevitable!” Sun Qian said anxiously.

“What!” Liu Bei sprang to his feet, staring wide-eyed.

After drawing a deep breath, his gaze darkened.

“Lu Bu is so vicious. He is forcing me into a decisive battle!” His voice was cold, thick with hatred, because now he had no choice but to fight.

“My lord, what should we do now?”

“Big brother, big brother! That brute Lu Bu has come to harass our rear! If you ask me, let’s fight him to the finish!” Zhang Fei shouted before he had even arrived.

“Third Brother, your timing is perfect,” Liu Bei said.

“Send orders throughout the army. Let each unit eat its fill. Tomorrow, you and I will each lead a force. You will lure Lu Bu into battle, and when the two armies are locked in chaos, I will strike out and utterly defeat him.”

After some thought, Liu Bei continued, “We cannot drag this out. The longer it lasts, the less fighting spirit the men will have. We must decide victory or defeat in one battle. If we win, we can advance into Xu Province. If we lose, I can only fall back to Xiao Pei and seek aid from Cao Cao.”

“Good, good! I’ve long wanted to fight Lu Bu again!” Zhang Fei rubbed his hands together, eager for battle. The world might fear Lu Bu, but he did not.

---

In the third year of Jian'an.

Lu Bu led more than ten thousand infantry and cavalry against Liu Bei. In the end, Liu Bei was forced into battle, but because his army’s morale was unstable, he was defeated by Lu Bu’s cavalry, and several thousand troops were wiped out in flames.

Liu Bei fled back to Xiao Pei that very night with only a few dozen remnants. Lu Bu gathered the survivors and laid siege to Xiao Pei. Frightened and uneasy, Liu Bei urgently sent Jian Yong racing through the night to seek help from Cao Cao.

He requested that Cao Cao send troops to relieve Xiao Pei!

---

Yuzhou, Xu Chang.

Cao Cao held the document in his hand and laughed. The more he laughed, the colder it became, until at last he slammed the paper onto the table with a sharp crack and barked, “That Liu Bei actually dared to leave the city and fight in open field!”

“What virtue does he have that he would dare ride out and face Lu Bu in the open?” he scoffed.

Cao Cao was furious. How could he not understand Liu Bei’s purpose in going out to fight? It was nothing more than not wanting to be controlled by another. And now that he could not win, he had come begging for aid?

“My lord, Jian Yong is still waiting outside. Shall we receive him or not?” Xun Yu asked. He knew Cao Cao understood, and that further words would be useless, so he came straight to the point.

“What do you think?” Cao Cao frowned and looked at Guo Jia.

“No rescue. Liu Bei is a man of great talent and will never be content beneath another. My lord might as well sit back and watch the outcome before making plans for Xu Province,” Guo Jia said with cupped fists.

Cao Cao then looked at Xun You.

“My lord, I believe we should help him. Though Liu Bei is gifted, he relies on your support. If we save him, we can win the hearts of the realm. Moreover, we can seize Xu Province in the same stroke, and simply let Liu Bei work in the court,” Xun You said with a faint smile.

Cao Cao then looked at Cheng Yu. “Zhongde, what do you think?”

“My lord, would it not be even better to both rescue him and not rescue him?” Cheng Yu replied with a light smile.

“What do you mean?” Cao Cao asked.

“Right now, the state of Chen has not yet been settled, and spring planting has only just begun. It would be improper to launch a campaign at this time. My lord might as well plead illness and refuse to meet him, giving Jian Yong and Liu Bei a warning.

“After some days, send a famed general to relieve Xiao Pei. Holding Xiao Pei would first prepare the way for your personal campaign, and second, it would draw even more men to your side.

“When Xu Province has been taken, my lord can then keep Liu Bei in Xu Chang. In this way, you will not chill the hearts of those who come seeking support, and you will also hold Xu Province and pacify Lu Bu. Would that not be excellent?”

Cheng Yu smiled warmly, exchanging smiles with Xun You, Guo Jia, and the others. The three of them had laid out three different strategies before Cao Cao, and now it was up to him to choose.

After a brief silence, Cao Cao said, “Go. Tell him my old illness has suddenly flared up and I am bedridden. Let Jian Yong rest at the relay station, and when I have recovered, I will receive him.”

“Yes!” Xun Yu replied.