With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 119, Cao Cao harbors murderous intent.

Cao Ren arrived shortly after hearing the news and found Zhao Yun and the others guarding the door.

Cao Ren strode inside, but Zhao Yun coldly watched him and stepped forward to stop him. "General Cao Ren, what brings you here? I can help you convey this message to His Majesty."

Cao Ren snorted, his gaze fierce. "Get out of my way. I want to see His Majesty now."

Cao Ren didn't take Zhao Yun seriously at all, and he even brought a lot of armored soldiers with him, making the atmosphere tense.

The fact that Liu Xie and Lü Bu's daughter met alone made Cao Ren somewhat wary.

After all, Cao Ren only cared about Cao Cao's attitude. If Cao Cao insisted on killing Lü Bu, Cao Ren felt that Liu Xie had no need to contact Lü Bu's daughter.

A dispute soon broke out outside, and the two sides drew their swords, creating a tense atmosphere. Zhao Yun and Wang Yue stood in front of Cao Ren, while Wu Anguo gripped his single sword tightly.

Just as Cao Ren was about to draw his sword and force his way in, the door creaked open from the inside.

Cao Ren looked up and was immediately shocked. He saw that Liu Xie was wearing clothes, half-naked, with his abdominal muscles faintly visible, and barefoot.

Through the crack in the open door, Cao Ren saw a disheveled woman lying on the bed behind Liu Xie, her snow-white skin faintly visible, sobbing softly.

Although it was only a fleeting glance, Cao Ren was greatly surprised and hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, is the woman in that room Lü Bu's daughter?"

Liu Xie pulled up his trousers and nodded slightly. "Not bad, but she is now my woman."

"what?"

Cao Ren stomped his foot hard, looking helpless. They had only just entered the city, and the emperor had already slept with Lü Bu's daughter. Was he in such a hurry?

Just as he feared, Cao Ren questioned with some displeasure, "Your Majesty, our army has only just entered the city. We should first appease the people. What you're doing..."

Liu Xie didn't find anything wrong with it at all. "Zixiao, regarding matters between men and women, Cao Cao once told me that one should act according to one's nature. Before I came to Xuzhou, I heard that Lü Bu had a tiger-like daughter who was heroic and charming. Today, after seeing her, she has indeed lived up to my expectations. As for appeasing people's hearts, taking this woman is the same as taking Lü Bu. This will be beneficial to appeasing people's hearts."

Cao Ren's lips twitched involuntarily. Sleeping with a woman is enough to appease people?

However, Liu Xie's words left him speechless, and Cao Ren had no choice but to immediately report the matter to Cao Cao. He then stamped his foot and turned to leave.

Liu Xie glanced at Cao Ren's retreating figure, his expression returned to normal, and he turned and went back into the house.

"Alright, the person is already gone."

Lu Lingqi hurriedly got off the bed and knelt on the ground, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving my life."

Liu Xie waved his hand, "Hurry up and put your clothes on. Remember, when you go out later, you need to dress up a bit when you walk."

"Still pretending? Pretend what?" For the first time, Lu Lingqi stared wide-eyed at Liu Xie with a bewildered expression.

As Liu Xie put on his clothes, he laughed and said, "What do you think? In their eyes, you're no longer a virgin. If you act like nothing happened after you go out, they'll find out."

"Then what should I do?" Lu Lingqi had no experience at all.

Liu Xie thought for a moment, "Have you ever sprained your ankle?"

"Sprained your ankle?"

"That's fine, just like that, don't overdo it."

After quickly getting dressed, Liu Xie was about to leave when Lü Lingqi asked again, "Will my father really be alright?"

Liu Xie gave her a reassuring look, "Don't worry, I'll be on my way to save him!"

…………

White Gate Tower!
Xu Huang was the only one whose mind wasn't on this matter; he kept looking around, wondering when His Majesty would arrive.

Lu Bu saw all the different aspects of life.

At this moment, Lü Bu abandoned all dignity. In the past, he was high above others and enjoyed the adoration of thousands, but now, he had no dignity left.

Cao Cao looked at him and let out a disdainful sneer, "Lu Bu, you are a fierce tiger. How can you not bind a tiger tightly?"

Lu Bu was speechless, unable to refute Cao Cao's previous comparison of him to an eagle.

Cao Cao once said to Chen Deng: "I treat Wen Hou like a hawk. I dare not feed him before the fox and rabbit are satisfied. He is useful when he is hungry and flies away when he is full."

Chen Deng asked who the fox and the rabbit were.
Cao Cao said, "Yuan Shu of Huainan, Sun Ce of Jiangdong, Yuan Shao of Jizhou, Liu Biao of Jingxiang, Liu Zhang of Yizhou, and Zhang Lu of Hanzhong are all foxes and rabbits."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu was not angry at all. Instead, he threw down his sword and laughed, saying, "Cao Cao knows me well!"

Cao Cao was indeed very good at manipulating Lü Bu. Seeing that Cao Cao had no intention of forgiving him, Lü Bu hurriedly looked for help. Looking around, his gaze fell on Liu Bei.

He quickly moved closer and pleaded, "Today, you are a guest of honor, while I am a prisoner. Why don't you help me?"

Liu Bei glanced at him and nodded slightly. Lü Bu was secretly delighted, but little did he know that his glimmer of hope was immediately dashed.

Cao Cao turned his gaze over and it landed on Liu Bei.

"Xuande, what do you think? Should Lü Bu be killed?"

Liu Bei knew that Cao Cao had always been suspicious of him, so he did not help Lü Bu.

Not only did Liu Bei not help, he also pushed Lü Bu further into the fire.

"Have you forgotten what happened to Dong Zhuo and Ding Jianyang in the past?"

Cao Cao's expression immediately changed. He looked at Lü Bu again, his eyes now filled with a chilling killing intent.

Lu Bu was startled and realized that Cao Cao intended to kill him. He looked at Liu Bei angrily and almost roared, "You big-eared scoundrel, you are the most untrustworthy! Don't you remember shooting the halberd at the gate?"

Liu Bei disliked Lü Bu from the bottom of his heart. Lü Bu was fickle, untrustworthy, and had ambushed him several times. If the two of them had truly joined forces, he would not have been afraid of Cao Cao at all, and he would not be in this situation where he was living under someone else's roof.

Of course, Liu Bei's actions weren't exactly ethical either. At least, Lü Bu saw him as his last straw, and Lü Bu felt that he and Liu Bei had some connection.

When Lü Bu shot the halberd at the gate, he did indeed help Liu Bei. Lü Bu always remembered this, and he did not neglect Liu Bei's family members when they were captured twice.

But Lü Bu never dreamed that when his life was in danger, Liu Bei not only didn't save him, but also gave him a hard push.

Just then, Gao Shun was brought over. Gao Shun's elite troops had left a deep impression on Cao Cao. When Gao Shun came before Cao Cao, he stood upright without kneeling, his body as solid as if cast in iron.

Seeing Lü Bu beg for mercy, Gao Shun scolded him with exasperation, "What's the big deal about dying? Why beg for mercy?"

For some reason, Gao Shun, a man of unyielding integrity, failed to attract Cao Cao's attention.

Cao Ren rushed to the foot of the White Gate Tower, about to go up and see Cao Cao, but in the blink of an eye, he stopped.

He summoned a close attendant and sent him to inform Cao Cao. This way, if Cao Cao truly intended to kill Lü Bu, Cao Ren could easily excuse himself by saying he arrived too late to stop it.

But if Cao Ren told Cao Cao about it in person, it would be troublesome. Even if Cao Cao wanted to kill Lü Bu, he would find it difficult to do so.

Killing Lü Bu is tantamount to killing the emperor's brother-in-law. Knowing that Liu Xie had taken Lü Bu's daughter as a concubine, it would be unreasonable to insist on killing Lü Bu.

Cao Ren, though seemingly rough, was actually quite shrewd. His attendants hurried up the stairs to Cao Cao's side.

He leaned down and whispered a few words in Cao Cao's ear, and Cao Cao's expression immediately changed.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes, it's absolutely true. General Cao Ren saw it with his own eyes. His Majesty was getting dressed at the time. There's no mistake about it."

Cao Cao glanced at Lü Bu, who had given up all hope and stood there blankly, waiting for Cao Cao's final command.

Cao Cao was certain he wanted him dead, but it was unclear how he would die.

But at this very moment, Liu Xie actually slept with Lü Bu's daughter.

Cao Cao stood up in a hurry; Liu Xie had presented him with a very difficult problem.

Should we kill Lü Bu or not?
To be honest, Cao Cao did have a slight admiration for Lü Bu and wanted to recruit him.

After all, Lü Bu was invincible, and Cao Cao was in dire need of capable men. It would be a lie to say that he had no thoughts about Lü Bu at all.

However, Lü Bu was fickle, and Cao Cao could hardly guarantee that he would be completely loyal to him. Now that Liu Xie had interfered, there was even less chance for him.

His daughter was favored by Liu Xie, and just by sleeping with him, it meant that even if Cao Cao didn't kill him, Lü Bu would never pledge allegiance to Cao Cao.

Lü Bu would definitely side with Liu Xie.

Cao Cao was in a dilemma. Guo Jia saw that he looked worried and wondered what he was thinking, so he quickly came over.

"My lord, what troubles you?"

"Fengxiao, His Majesty is truly unexpected..."

Cao Cao gritted his teeth, gave a bitter laugh, and lowered his voice to tell Guo Jia what had happened.

Guo Jia fell silent after hearing this, his mind racing. After a while, Guo Jia suddenly looked up and said, "My lord, have you thought about whether to keep Lü Bu or not? If we keep him, we have to be constantly on guard against him. If it weren't for His Majesty's connection, we could have won him over with high-ranking positions and salaries. But now, this tiger is impossible for you to tame. Keeping him around is like doing His Majesty a favor and giving us another opponent."

Guo Jia's expression was serious, and his tone was firm: "Before His Majesty arrives, you should make a quick decision and kill Lü Bu to eliminate future troubles. Dong Cheng and Fu Wan are not worth fearing, but if His Majesty has another Lü Bu by his side, then things will be troublesome."

Cao Cao nodded repeatedly, "Fengxiao's words make sense. Good, then kill him."

Once Cao Cao made up his mind to do something, he never hesitated and immediately ordered Lü Bu to be strangled.

No one objected to Cao Cao's order. Xu Huang looked down anxiously again. There was still a distance to go from here to the execution site. Xu Huang patiently continued to wait.

The note said that if Liu Xie couldn't get there in time, Xu Huang should immediately stop him, stand up and plead for him, and buy time.

Liu Xie left Lü Bu's general's mansion and headed straight for the White Gate Tower.

Gao Shun and Lü Bu were escorted down the White Gate Tower, one after the other.

The execution took place right below the city. Cao Cao had won a great victory and was in such high spirits that he naturally wouldn't allow Lü Bu to be strangled in front of him.

Next, it was Zhang Liao's turn. Zhang Liao was proud and fearless. Not only did he not beg for mercy, but he also cursed Cao Cao to his face.

Cao Cao was not angry. He personally untied Zhang Liao's ropes, showing both politeness and magnanimity. Even if Zhang Liao were to leave, Cao Cao would not stop him.

Guan Yu also pleaded for Zhang Liao's life in person, and in the end, Zhang Liao chose to surrender to Cao Cao.

Then came Chen Gong. When Cao Cao saw Chen Gong, he was overjoyed and wept with emotion. He personally untied Chen Gong and offered him a toast.

Cao Cao discarded Lü Bu and Gao Shun like worn-out shoes, and wanted to kill them without any mercy.

Cao Cao treated Zhang Liao and Chen Gong like treasures and honored guests. Unfortunately, Chen Gong had long seen through Cao Cao's true colors, and no matter how many nice words Cao Cao said, it was difficult to sway his heart.

Although Lü Bu and Gao Shun walked side by side, their expressions were completely different.

Gao Shun strode confidently, showing no fear of death, while Lü Bu felt infinite sorrow and longing.

Although the distance to the execution site was not far, every step Lü Bu took was extremely difficult.

He hated Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Everyone here wanted him dead. No one cared about him, and no one pleaded for him.

Lu Bu hated everyone and felt endless regret for his life.

The reason Liu Xie didn't have Xu Huang appear beforehand was because this stretch of road was truly Lü Bu's path of repentance.

Liu Xie hoped that Lü Bu could reflect on his actions, because only through this journey could he understand many things!
Do not break or stand!

Let Lü Bu experience the feeling of being put in a life-or-death situation, of despair and helplessness!
Lu Bu's life, from joining forces with Ding Yuan, to joining forces with Dong Zhuo, to vying for supremacy with Wang Yun, to turning against Liu Bei, flashed repeatedly through his mind like a movie, constantly cleansing his heart.

His life had its most glorious moments. He stood proudly at Hulao Pass and joined forces with Wang Yun to kill Dong Zhuo, making him famous throughout the world.

He gained the best reputation! He got the most beautiful woman, and he got the best BMW!

When you're successful, everyone envies you!
Little did he know that today would be the most humiliating and shameful day of his life!
Wagging their tails and begging for mercy, abandoning all dignity and pleading for survival, they end up being despised and hated by everyone, suffering a disgraceful and tragic end, hanging themselves.

As the execution site drew closer, Lü Bu finally thought of his wife and daughter. What would happen to Lady Yan if he died? What would happen to Diao Chan? What would happen to his daughter?
If they fall into Cao Cao's hands, will they be treated well?

The thought of Cao Cao's habit of seizing other men's wives and daughters made Lü Bu's eyes turn red. He hated Cao Cao, and he also hated himself for not being able to protect them and for not being worthy of being a man of integrity.

"Hurry up, don't dawdle."

Seeing that Lü Bu was walking slower and slower, the soldiers escorting him became impatient and gave him a hard shove in the back.

Gao Shun glanced at him and said, "My lord, with me by your side, you won't be alone on the road to the Yellow Springs!"

Lu Bu glanced at him, feeling a surge of emotion. "Gao Shun, I never imagined that you would be the one by my side in the end."

Not long ago, Lü Bu had seized Gao Shun's military power and handed over the Trapped Camp to Wei Xu.

Because Wei Xu was a close relative of Lü Bu, Lü Bu distanced himself from Gao Shun after a few slanderous words from Wei Xu. However, Wei Xu was one of those who betrayed Lü Bu.

Gao Shun snorted, "Although I have some reservations about how you do things, my lord, I will only ever acknowledge you as my lord. Once I acknowledge you as my lord, I will never do anything rebellious."

Call him blindly loyal or dull-witted, that's just the kind of person Gao Shun was!
P.S.: Calling Lü Bu "Imperial Uncle" and "Imperial Father-in-Law" is not wrong. According to modern usage, "Imperial Father-in-Law" is better, but considering the context of the Three Kingdoms period, "Imperial Uncle" is also appropriate. The term "father-in-law" only appeared in the Northern and Southern Dynasties; at that time, one's wife's father and brothers could all be called "uncle."

(End of this chapter)