Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 25 It’s really a scam
Wei Xiaobao shouted loudly on purpose to attract the attention of the surrounding soldiers.

Zhang Liang would never let Wei Xiaobao tell everyone about his plan to assassinate Lu Zhi. After all, he was suspected of instigating Tang Zhou's rebellion.

Wei Xiaobao did this for another reason, which was that he was worried that Zhang Liang would kill him to silence him. If he made such a fuss, everyone would see that he was taken away by Zhang Liang, and he would not be afraid of Zhang Liang doing something bad to him.

Zhang Liang immediately blocked Wei Xiaobao's mouth and said, "Come back to the military tent with me and we'll talk."

Zhang Liang dismissed the onlookers and even left his personal guards on the city wall to defend the city. He then returned to the military tent with Wei Xiaobao.

As soon as Wei Xiaobao stepped into the military tent, he pretended to be excited and said, "Everything the general arranged has been completed."

Zhang Liang sneered and asked, "Really? Lu Zhi is dead?"

Wei Xiaobao felt a chill run down his spine from Zhang Liang's laughter, and quickly said, "He's not dead yet, but he'll be dead soon."

Zhang Liang asked, "Lu Zhi isn't dead yet, so why do you say the matter is settled? Have you already met that so-called eunuch and discussed with him the scheme to frame Lu Zhi?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "I met a eunuch, and he was accompanied by Tang Zhou."

Zhang Liang asked, "Is this the eunuch who is in contact with Ma Yuanyi?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Before I could figure out his identity, he escaped overnight. I took advantage of his escape to find an opportunity to escape the barracks with him."

Zhang Liang sneered again and said, "So, during your time in Lu Zhi's army, you didn't see the eunuch you mentioned, nor did you attempt to assassinate Lu Zhi? And then you escaped and returned safely to Guangzong County. It seems you have quite a lot of skills."

Wei Xiaobao chuckled and said, "It's all thanks to General Tiangong and your boundless magical powers that I'm safe and sound. I don't have any abilities at all."

Zhang Liang laughed heartily and said, "You're quite capable! You've even got me hooked!"

Wei Xiaobao sensed something was wrong in Zhang Liang's words and was just trying to figure out how to get his meaning when he heard Zhang Liang say, "Come in."

Wei Xiaobao looked behind him and saw the curtain of the military tent lifted up, and Tang Qin was already standing in front of him.

Wei Xiaobao secretly thought it was not good. "Could it be that damned eunuch Tang Zhou let him go? No wonder Zhang Liang has such a strange expression. He must have heard something from Tang Qin that made him suspicious of me. I have to find out what Tang Qin said that was detrimental to me."

Tang Qin had a smug look on his face, and was just about to enjoy Wei Xiaobao's helpless look after his lie was exposed, but he saw Wei Xiaobao rushing towards him with his arms outstretched.

Before Tang Qin could react, Wei Xiaobao had already hugged Tang Qin in his arms, howling at the top of his lungs: "Brother Tang, I thought I would never see you again."

Wei Xiaobao's behavior not only surprised Tang Qin, but also stunned Zhang Liang.

Wei Xiaobao howled and squinted his eyes, and soon tears actually flowed from his eyes. In the end, he even blew his nose and wiped the snot mixed with tears on Tang Qin's shoulder.

Tang Qin pushed Wei Xiaobao away with disdain and said, "Stop pretending! You've probably been hoping for my death for a long time, haven't you?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Brother Tang, what are you talking about? We are good brothers who have been through thick and thin together. When you were kidnapped by that traitor Tang Zhou, I was worried that he would kill you to show his loyalty. If I hadn't had to rush back to report the news, I would have begged Lu Zhi to kill me and accompany you on your journey to the underworld."

Zhang Liang said, "You've done such a great service for Lu Zhi, and yet he's willing to kill you?" Wei Xiaobao was shocked. "Does Zhang Liang know I'm here to persuade you to surrender? Damn it! I'm here to find your eldest brother to send us back. I don't care whether you surrender or not. Please don't kill me for being a persuader. I'd be wronged if I did."

Wei Xiaobao said, "General, this is unfair. I'm wholeheartedly loyal to you. How could I have done any meritorious service for Lu Zhi?"

Zhang Liang said, "If I hadn't planned it well, Lu Zhi would have caught me that night. I didn't expect you, at such a young age, to be so cunning. When your first plan failed, you sneaked into Guangzong County and tried to deceive me again. Fortunately, Tang Qin returned first, otherwise I would have fallen into your trap again."

Wei Xiaobao had already understood by now that Zhang Liang suspected him because he thought that the sneak attack that night was a plan arranged in advance by Lu Zhi. This was just Lu Zhi's excuse to deceive Zuo Feng to shirk the responsibility of burning military rations. Since Zhang Liang knew this, it must be that Tang Qin heard it from Zuo Feng and then passed it on to Zhang Liang.

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "Since Zuo Feng believed that the sneak attack was a deliberate plot orchestrated by Lu Zhi, then he naturally believed that I was a soldier and Tang Qin was a bandit. So why would he let him go? Could this kid be scheming too?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "General, please don't fall for Lu Zhi's scheme to sow discord. Brother Tang and I suffered greatly after being captured by him. If I hadn't followed the general's advice and told Lu Zhi about the city's defenses, I'd probably still be trapped in that prison cart where I can't even stand up or squat down." After saying this, Wei Xiaobao turned to look at Tang Qin and asked, "Brother Tang, isn't that right?"

Tang Qin thought for a while before slowly nodding and saying, "Maybe you and Lu Zhi were acting to trick me?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Brother Tang, did you tell the general that I was Lu Zhi's spy?"

After all, informing on others is not a glorious thing, even if it is a report on a brother in your own camp, let alone being asked face to face by the person himself.

Tang Qin avoided Wei Xiaobao's gaze and nodded.

Wei Xiaobao asked again, "Did you hear this from Zuo Feng?"

Tang Qin said, "Lu Zhi told Zuo Feng himself."

Wei Xiaobao said, "That's right. I was the one who told Lu Zhi to say that. I finally gained his trust and waited for three days before I heard that Zuo Feng was coming to the front to supervise the army. I was also unsure if this Zuo Feng was the person we were looking for. Later, I heard that Lu Zhi was worried that the court would blame him for the burning of the grain and grass, so I gave him this idea."

Zhang Liang asked, "You seem to be really concerned about Lu Zhi, aren't you?"

Wei Xiaobao continued, "Actually, I wanted to test Zuo Feng's identity. I don't know where the general left the code, but I think the code was probably left there when they burned the grain that night. Lu Zhi would definitely take Zuo Feng with him to investigate in order to prove that the burning of the grain was part of the plan. Then Zuo Feng would have seen the code."

Zhang Liang nodded and said, "It's a pity that I left the code somewhere else that night."

Wei Xiaobao said, "It's useless to stay anywhere. Zuo Feng was frightened by Lu Zhi that night and ran away."

Zhang Liang asked, "What's the matter?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Lu Zhi spoke ill of the Emperor in front of Zuo Feng, saying that the Emperor was foolish enough to believe slander. Zuo Feng knew that Lu Zhi would kill him to silence him, so he fled overnight. But if he was fleeing, why did he take Brother Tang with him? And why did he let Brother Tang go later?"

After saying these words, Wei Xiaobao and Zhang Liang turned their gazes to Tang Qin.

Tang Qin stood there, hesitating, "I... I don't know either."

Wei Xiaobao laughed secretly in his heart: "It seems that you are indeed deceitful. It is not that easy to kill your father. Now let's see how you explain it!"

(End of this chapter)