Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 110: Playing tricks on Yan family

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's attack on Pengcheng was very successful. Mi Zhu had already contacted the clansmen in Pengcheng. When Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's army arrived, someone opened the city gate, and the army occupied Pengcheng without any effort.

The outcome of this battle was already anticipated by Liu Bei. How to defend Pengcheng next was the key to whether Xuzhou could be successfully recaptured.

Liu Bei's army had only 30,000 men, and half of them were assigned to Guan Yu to garrison Pengcheng. Zhang Fei only brought 1,000 soldiers back to Xiaopei.

After Zhang Fei returned, he brought Wei Xiaobao a message from Guan Yu. Guan Yu was worried that after occupying Pengcheng, Lü Bu would vent his anger on Zhang Liao, so he asked Wei Xiaobao to find a way to contact Chen Deng to rescue Zhang Liao.

Wei Xiaobao was worried that his plan would be exposed, so he made an agreement with Chen Deng that after receiving the message, he would act according to the plan, but he would not send any message to Chen Deng.

Wei Xiaobao's mind has been on Da Qiao these two days, but Shuang'er and Mu Jianping are always with Da Qiao, and Da Qiao is full of hostility and contempt for Wei Xiaobao, so Wei Xiaobao has never found a chance to get close to Da Qiao.

Now Guan Yu entrusted him with the task of rescuing Zhang Liao. Wei Xiaobao had no choice but to put Da Qiao's matter aside for the time being.

Lu Bu led his troops to attack Pengcheng. Wei Xiaobao was not worried that anyone in Xia Pi City would recognize him, so he sneaked into Xia Pi City alone to meet Chen Deng.

After meeting Wei Xiaobao, Chen Deng told Wei Xiaobao the news that Lu Bu was planning to use his daughter to exchange for food with Yuan Shu.

Wei Xiaobao asked curiously, "How could Lü Bu, who occupied the vast city of Xiapi, have fallen to such a state that he had to trade his own daughter for food?"

Chen Deng said, "Xia Pi City originally had some grain, but unfortunately, Lü Bu's subordinates, Hou Cheng, Song Xian, and Wei Xu, were greedy and actually used the grain to make wine and sell it."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Like-minded men lead like-minded soldiers. Lü Bu loved to drink, so his men brewed wine to curry his favor. Lü Bu was also greedy and lustful, so his soldiers learned how to brew and sell wine from him. I used to regret not learning the winemaking craft and not being able to make a fortune, but I didn't expect someone else to have the same idea as me."

Chen Deng continued, "The 100,000 dan of grain that Yuan Shu had promised to Lü Bu was intercepted by Liu Bei. Now Lü Bu wants to borrow more grain, so Yuan Shu has demanded that Lü Bu marry his daughter to his son."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Lü Bu and Yuan Shu are now relatives. With their alliance, it will be difficult for the Prime Minister to retake Xuzhou. Now that Liu Bei has surrendered to the court and occupied Pengcheng, if we can trap Lü Bu in Xiapi and wait for the Prime Minister's army to arrive, our plan will be successful. By then, let alone the prefect of Guangling, if I praise you a few times in front of the Prime Minister, even the governor of Xuzhou will be a piece of cake."

Chen Deng was overjoyed when he heard this, and immediately knelt on the ground to kowtow to Wei Xiaobao to express his gratitude.

Wei Xiaobao ignored him and continued, "If only there was a way to prevent Lü Bu and Yuan Shu from marrying."

Chen Deng said, "Although Lü Bu wants to marry his daughter off, his wife, Lady Yan, doesn't seem too happy about it."

Wei Xiaobao asked, "Isn't Yuan Shu a family of three dukes for four generations? Why wouldn't you be happy to marry your daughter to his son?"

Chen Deng said, "Lü Bu's daughter has been pampered since she was a child. It's natural that she's reluctant to let him go so suddenly. Furthermore, after Yuan Shu obtained the imperial seal, he wanted to become emperor. Yan is worried that if she marries her daughter to him, Yuan Shu's sons will have many wives and concubines, and her daughter will inevitably fall out of favor and suffer."

Wei Xiaobao was shocked, and dared not show any color on his face. He pretended to be calm and asked, "How did you know that Yuan Shu had obtained the jade seal?"

Chen Deng said, "One of Lü Bu's subordinates is a man named Tang Zhou, formerly a disciple of the Yellow Turban leader Zhang Jue. The other day, he went to Guangling to persuade the Yellow Turbans to surrender on Lü Bu's behalf, but unexpectedly encountered Liu Bei's men, who also tried to win him over. In the end, for unknown reasons, the Yellow Turbans broke through Yuan Shu's encirclement and escaped, and Tang Zhou was captured by Yuan Shu in the chaos."

Wei Xiaobao laughed inwardly: "This is all my own doing, how could I let you know about it?"

Chen Deng continued, "Yuan Shu released Tang Zhou only after he revealed his identity to him. He just entered the city yesterday. Yuan Shu released Tang Zhou because he wanted Lü Bu to support him in becoming emperor, and he used Tang Zhou as a matchmaker."

Wei Xiaobao asked, "If Yan doesn't want to marry her daughter off, will Lu Bu listen to her?"

Chen Deng said, "Lü Bu lacks strategy. Now that Chen Gong is not in Xia Pi, he will definitely listen to his wife on matters like this."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "I'm the best at dealing with old women like this. Even the Queen Mother was fooled by me, let alone Lu Bu's wife."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Take me to see Madam Yan and tell her that I was sent by the Prime Minister to win over Lü Bu. I have my own way to ruin this marriage."

Chen Deng took Wei Xiaobao to the Xia Pi prefectural government to meet Yan Shi. Upon hearing that Wei Xiaobao was a high-ranking official in the imperial court, Yan Shi was of course very polite to him.

Wei Xiaobao got straight to the point: "The Prime Minister originally wanted to appoint General Lu as the Governor of Xuzhou, but I heard that General Lu was entangled with Yuan Shu, so I came to see if this was true."

Yan glanced toward the side door and said, "My general is loyal to the court. How could he be entangled with Yuan Shu? I hope the envoy will say a few good words for my general when he returns."

Wei Xiaobao went on to say, "Madam Yan is only thinking about General Lu. General Lu really doesn't know how to appreciate the good fortune he has!"

Yan was surprised and asked, "Why do you say that, envoy?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "I feel sorry for Madam Yan! Madam, do you know why the general went to attack Pengcheng?"

Yan said, "How can a woman like me understand military and national affairs?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "General Lu's attack on Pengcheng was not for military or national affairs, but for a woman!"

Yan asked hurriedly, "What woman?"

Wei Xiaobao continued, "I heard that Diao Chan, the adopted daughter of Prime Minister Wang Yun, is currently in Xiaopei. The general attacked Pengcheng only to eventually capture Xiaopei. Isn't it for this woman?"

Wei Xiaobao apologized in his heart: "My beautiful wife, I am using you as a gimmick for the time being, please don't blame me!"

When Yan was in Chang'an, she had heard that Lu Bu had a conflict with Dong Zhuo because of Diao Chan. When she heard Wei Xiaobao mention Diao Chan, she couldn't help but feel suspicious and kept looking at the side door.

Wei Xiaobao had already seen through all of Yan's little tricks.

Tang Zhou suddenly flashed out from the side door and said to Yan, "Madam, this man is full of nonsense. Madam, please don't be fooled by him."

Wei Xiaobao laughed inwardly: "You kid really are hiding there, I'm waiting for you to come out!"

Wei Xiaobao laughed heartily, and everyone present was baffled by his laughter.

Tang Zhou asked loudly, "Wei Xiaobao, why are you still laughing now that I've seen through your evil plan?"

Wei Xiaobao stopped laughing and asked, "Master Tang, I'm just worried about my wife. If Lü Bu gets Diao Chan, she'll be left alone. Wouldn't that be pitiful? Could this also be considered a treacherous plot? Lü Bu even killed Dong Zhuo for Diao Chan. Don't you know this?"

Yan turned to Tang Zhou and asked, "General, did you really assassinate Dong Zhuo because of that vixen?"

Wei Xiaobao cursed in his heart, "When did my beautiful wife become a vixen? I can only blame Lu Bu for being wishful thinking and foolish enough to let Wang Yun and Jia Xu take advantage of him."

Tang Zhou nodded helplessly.

Yan was immediately furious and said to Tang Zhou, "Hurry up and send a letter to the general. Tell him I have something important to discuss and ask him to come back quickly."

Tang Zhou said: "The general is currently attacking the city, I'm afraid."

Yan yelled, "Just go if I tell you to. Stop talking nonsense here! If he refuses to come back, don't even think about seeing us again!"

Tang Zhou looked at Wei Xiaobao hatefully and turned away.

Wei Xiaobao was still thinking about saving Zhang Liao, so he quickly took Chen Deng to say goodbye to Yan and returned to Chen's house.

(End of this chapter)