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

Chapter 170, All-out Battle Against Yan Liang

When Cao Pi returned to his residence, he was exhausted and went straight to sleep, hoping to catch up on some sleep before it was time to clock in.

Because my father was extremely strict, he would never allow anyone to sleep in the middle of the night.

When Cao Ang returned, he immediately went to find Cao Pi. He took a few steps into the room and came to the bedside, where he pulled off the quilt covering Cao Pi.

Cao Pi was still pretending to be stupid. He yawned and asked in a daze, "Brother, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Do I need to repeat myself what you did?"

Cao Ang pulled Cao Pi off the bed and onto the ground, raising his hand to strike him, but hesitated to bring it down.

After all, they were brothers. Madam Ding was gentle and modest, and always taught him to get along well with his brothers and sisters. Over the years, Cao Ang had never laid a hand on any of his younger brothers.

Cao Pi snorted and said dismissively, "Brother, why are you so angry? It's just a woman. I'll send someone to give her some money and that will be enough."

Cao Ang angrily rebuked, "You bullied them by force, and you think you can just get rid of them like that? Why don't I tell my father about this right now and see how he deals with you?"

Upon hearing that his father was to find out, Cao Pi was immediately terrified. He feared nothing but his father, Cao Cao.

Cao Pi would tremble all over whenever Cao Cao glared at him. From a young age, Cao Pi was like a mouse seeing a cat whenever he saw Cao Cao; it had become a conditioned reflex.

They were clearly father and son, and Cao Cao wouldn't eat him, but Cao Pi was still afraid.

"Brother, rest assured, I will definitely repent and never do it again," Cao Pi quickly said, trying to please Cao Ang.

Cao Ang couldn't bear it in the end, so he pushed him and said through gritted teeth, "Remember what you just said. If I find out again, I won't be polite."

Cao Pi was still somewhat worried and reminded him again, "Of course, of course. Brother, we've made a promise, you absolutely must not tell Father."

Cao Ang glared at him. "Father is busy dealing with Yuan Shao. Do you think I want to cause him trouble with your mess?"

"That's good, that's good." Cao Pi breathed a sigh of relief as long as Cao Ang didn't complain.

As for whether to change it next time, Cao Pi was the same as Cao Cao in this respect.

Absolutely not! I'd rather die than change!
Just as dawn broke, Yan Liang arrived, leading over ten thousand men in a show of force, challenging the enemy outside the city.

After a quick wash, Cao Cao ate a few bites of food and led his men up the city wall, only to find that Liu Xie had been there for quite some time.

Yan Liang rode his horse, sword in hand. Below his high, straight nose, his lips were tightly closed. He wore iron armor and exuded a violent aura.

His madness and arrogance brought him fame and made him the head of the Four Pillars of Hebei, but this arrogance that disregarded the world also destined him to destruction!

Guan Yu, standing beside Liu Xie, stared coldly at Yan Liang, his phoenix eyes fixed on him.

Yan Liang was arrogant, but Guan Yu was even more arrogant.

As for Lü Bu, he glanced at Yan Liang a few times and then looked away. Looking around the world, no one who could defeat Lü Bu had yet been born.

Therefore, Lü Bu's arrogance revealed a deep self-confidence and a strong sense of disdain.

Others are arrogant because of their personality! Lu Bu's arrogance stems from his strength!
"General Yan Liang, do you see him? That man in the dark robe is the current emperor." Guo Tu quickly pointed to Yan Liang after seeing Liu Xie.

Although he was not wearing the crown symbolizing the emperor's majesty, Liu Xie, surrounded by Guan Yu and others, still looked elegant and was quickly spotted by Yan Liang in such a prominent position on the city tower.

Liu Xie was dressed in a dark robe, exuding an air of authority and handsome appearance. His features were well-proportioned, with a high nose bridge, bright and piercing eyes, and an air of supreme authority about him.

As Yan Liang sized him up, Liu Xie was also observing Yan Liang. When their eyes met, Liu Xie even gave Yan Liang a calm smile.

Yan Liang said loudly, "Your Majesty, I did not expect you to come to Baima this time."

Liu Xie nodded. "General Yan, I am the Emperor. Why do you not kneel before me?"

Gan Ning and the others, who were standing nearby, knew that Liu Xie was saying this on purpose, so they quickly joined in the commotion, shouting loudly, "Yan Liang, why don't you dismount and kneel down? What are you waiting for?"

Everyone started to jeer, which made Yan Liang blush with embarrassment. He sat on his horse, staring wide-eyed, not knowing how to respond.

No matter who faces the emperor, they will be at a disadvantage, because the emperor himself represents righteousness and an overwhelming sense of oppression.

Despite the decline of the Han Dynasty, no one dared to openly disregard the emperor; the emperor remained sacred and inviolable.

After a while, seeing that Yan Liang didn't dare to raise his head, Liu Xie waved his hand and said, "Alright, everyone, stop making a fuss. Yan Liang is following Yuan Shao, so I don't need to bother with him. When I see Yuan Shao, I will ask him in person and see if Yuan Shao truly cares about me as his emperor."

Guo Tu's eyes darted around a few times, his gaze shifting from Liu Xie's face to Cao Cao, secretly admiring him.

It's unbelievable that Cao Cao could train the emperor so well, making him willingly help him. Cao Mengde really had a knack for it.

Guo Tu mistakenly believed that Cao Cao was controlling Liu Xie's actions from behind the scenes.

When Cao Cao saw Yan Liang suffer a setback, and his arrogant and domineering demeanor vanished in front of the emperor, he felt greatly pleased.

However, although Yan Liang suffered a setback, this did not solve the actual problem, since Yan Liang's martial arts were unparalleled and ordinary people could not defeat him.

Cao Cao walked over and said to Liu Xie, "Your Majesty, Yan Liang is extremely skilled. It is not enough to just say a few words. We must send a capable and fierce general to fight him. If we can win the battle, Yan Liang will not be so arrogant."

Liu Xie nodded and said, "Lord Cao, you have a forest of elite soldiers and a cloud of fierce generals under your command. Who do you think can defeat Yan Liang?"

Cao Cao's smile froze instantly. He had already tried it yesterday, and Xu Huang and the others were no good. He couldn't possibly send out all his generals one by one.

"Your Majesty, Yan Liang is indeed formidable. Ordinary people would find it difficult to defeat him. Perhaps only Lü Bu could defeat him."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu couldn't help but feel smug. He raised his head and showed a pleased expression on his face.

No matter who praises him, Lü Bu will enjoy it; this is a flaw that a single-minded man can never change.

But now Lü Bu only listens to Liu Xie's orders, so even if Lü Bu is indecisive and fickle, it all becomes meaningless.

Because Liu Xie didn't need Lü Bu to be opinionated, as long as he was obedient!
"Lord Cao, rest assured, I have my own plans."

Since Cao Cao had no one else to send, Liu Xie naturally wouldn't hesitate to seize this opportunity to make a name for himself.

He glanced at the generals around him. Gan Ning, Zhou Cang, Zhao Yun, and the others were all looking at Liu Xie, their eyes brightening with anticipation, eager to volunteer for battle. Liu Xie considered it for a moment. Lü Bu did indeed have the strength to defeat Yan Liang, but if he gave the opportunity to Lü Bu right away, the others would inevitably feel disappointed, and some would be resentful.

We need to give everyone a chance to test their skills. If they can't beat Yan Liang, they'll naturally be convinced. Handing them over to Lü Bu directly would be inappropriate.

Besides, Liu Xie also wanted to see everyone's strength and looked forward to their performance.

Liu Xie made up his mind, called Lü Bu over, and whispered a few words of advice to him.

As expected, Gan Ning, Zhou Cang, and the others were somewhat disappointed, their expressions changing as they mistakenly believed that Liu Xie intended to send Lü Bu into battle directly.

Even Guan Yu was somewhat unconvinced, his hand still tightly gripping the Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

This was a rare opportunity, and Liu Xie quickly made arrangements, sending out Zhou Cang, Gan Ning, and others. Lü Bu went down from the city wall with them to meet the enemy.

Only Guan Yu was left behind, which greatly puzzled Guan Yu. "Your Majesty, why won't you let me go into battle?"

Liu Xie laughed and said, "Yun Chang, you are incredibly brave and strong, with the courage to fight ten thousand men. Yan Liang is no match for you at all."

Then, Liu Xie lowered his voice and said, "Don't forget, your brother Liu Bei is still with Yuan Shao."

Even if Guan Yu really killed Yan Liang and Wen Chou, as long as he went to join Yuan Shao and reunite with Liu Bei, Yuan Shao might not necessarily hold it against him, but Liu Xie still didn't want to take the risk.

Liu Bei presented the imperial seal to Yuan Shao, but it hasn't been put to use yet. Therefore, it's best to leave Yan Liang to someone else to deal with.

When Liu Xie said that Yan Liang was no match for Guan Yu and would die at his hands, Guan Yu immediately stopped being angry and stroked his beard with a smug look on his face.

Arrogant people inevitably enjoy hearing praise and compliments from others, and Guan Yu was no exception.

What's more, it was the emperor who praised him.

"Your Majesty, then I will not kill him, nor will I reveal my name. I will simply go out of the city to meet him. Is that alright?"

Guan Yu was indeed itching to fight. His eyes were fixed on Yan Liang below the city, and the blood in his body was becoming restless and difficult to suppress.

Seeing that he was determined to take action, Liu Xie sighed and said, "Alright, but remember, you must not kill him. Go quickly and come back quickly, and do not reveal your name."

Yan Liang had never been to Hulao Pass, nor had he participated in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, so he did not know Guan Yu, and Guan Yu did not know him either.

Yan Liang was getting impatient waiting outside the city when the city gate creaked open and several generals rushed out. Yan Liang glanced at them and couldn't help but feel disappointed. There were only a few people, not even any soldiers to hold the fort.

Zhou Cang was the first to go into battle, and Liu Xie had already arranged the order of their battles.

Zhou Cang brandished his broadsword and spurred his horse straight to Yan Liang's horse. As instructed by Liu Xie, Lu Bu moved his Red Hare closer while he kept watch from the side.

Liu Xie had just instructed him: "Fengxian, your skills are too amazing. Yan Liang is no match for you. Let the others try their skills first, but you must ensure their safety."

Although he couldn't directly engage Yan Liang in battle, Lü Bu was quite pleased with Liu Xie's words.

Zhou Cang was strong and powerful. Although he could not compare to first-rate generals like Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong, he was still qualified as a second-rate general. However, after going up against Yan Liang, he barely managed to exchange a few blows before Yan Liang knocked his weapon away with a single stroke.

Yan Liang roared and quickly raised his sword, about to take Zhou Cang's life, when Lü Bu charged forward on his Red Hare like a red lightning bolt, reaching Yan Liang in the blink of an eye.

Immediately afterward, the halberd struck out swiftly, slamming hard onto Yan Liang's broadsword. Yan Liang felt a jolt in his hand, and his body swayed involuntarily, almost falling off his horse.

Lu Bu glanced at Zhou Cang and said, "Quickly retreat; you are no match for this man."

Zhou Cang sighed and had no choice but to urge his horse to turn back.

Yan Liang stared at Lü Bu, still shaken. His arm was still numb, and he thought to himself: This guy has incredible strength.

He couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

Lu Bu glanced at him and replied with great disdain, "Lu Bu of Jiuyuan!"

"Alright, I've heard of your reputation before. Now, let me see just how powerful you really are." Yan Liang gritted his teeth, glared, and gripped his broadsword tightly, his fighting spirit soaring rapidly.

Lu Bu glanced at him but shook his head. Just as Yan Liang was momentarily stunned, Gan Ning spurred his horse and charged over.

Lü Bu turned his horse around and moved aside. Lü Bu was absolutely obedient to Liu Xie's orders.

Liu Xie was not only the emperor, but also his savior and his good son-in-law. He also knew Liu Xie's temperament well and would praise him from time to time. Even if Lü Bu was a fierce tiger, he would become very obedient in front of Liu Xie.

Yan Liang was puzzled to see Lü Bu step aside. Gan Ning shouted, "Yan Liang, your master Gan Ning is here. I'm here to meet you."

Yan Liang snorted coldly, his face habitually showing a disdainful expression.

If it were Lü Bu who fought, Yan Liang would definitely take it seriously, but Gan Ning didn't arouse his interest at all. Who knew that as soon as they clashed, Gan Ning suddenly slashed out with his sword. Yan Liang had only used half his strength and was somewhat absent-minded. Unexpectedly, his sword was directly slashed off course by Gan Ning and almost slipped from his hand.

Gan Ning unleashed a barrage of blows, relentlessly attacking Yan Liang and forcing him into perilous situations. Yan Liang was forced to brace himself and respond with seriousness.

The horses galloped, bells jingled, and the two men clashed with their weapons, their two large swords striking each other incessantly, producing a high-pitched and stirring metallic clang.

Gan Ning fought with increasing ferocity and high morale. Although Yan Liang was quite exhausted when he got serious, Gan Ning's momentum clearly surpassed his. Whenever Gan Ning made a move, he would go all out, regardless of life or death.

However, Yan Liang was ultimately more skilled and stronger than Gan Ning. After a fierce battle lasting more than forty rounds, Gan Ning was at a disadvantage.

Seeing that Gan Ning still wouldn't give up and was still clinging to Yan Liang, Lü Bu rushed over again and used his halberd to deflect their weapons.

With a clang, both Gan Ning and Yan Liang's arms trembled. Gan Ning was still unwilling to give up, but Lü Bu shook his head at him, "Gan Ning, let's stop here. You are no match for him."

Gan Ning gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at Lü Bu. At this moment, he was already desperate.

Just then, Liu Xie's voice came from the city, "Gan Ning, stop. Your fighting spirit is stronger than Yan Liang's, and your strength is only slightly inferior. If you continue fighting, even if Yan Liang can defeat you in the end, he will be injured."

The ruthless fear the stubborn, and the stubborn fear the reckless! Gan Ning is the reckless one!
Even Cao Cao deeply agreed with Liu Xie's words. Indeed, Gan Ning fought with great spirit, and although he was defeated, he was still honorable. He was a ruthless man who was not afraid of death!
Yan Liang was only slightly better than him. In terms of ruthlessness and recklessness, Yan Liang was far inferior to Gan Ning!

It's almost the end of the month, so if you have any tickets, please send some. Thanks!

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(End of this chapter)