The Three Kingdoms: Home Travel

Cao Cao returned to his tent and examined Jiang Zhe's brocade pouch closely by candlelight, murmuring, "Does such a talent truly exist in this world?"

Recalling the day the two drank and laughed, Cao Cao laughed heartily, "Shouyi, you are truly invaluable in helping me! Hahaha!"

"Why is Mengde laughing so loudly?" Xiahou Yuan asked as he entered. "Having heard that Dong Zhuo has led 200,000 troops to Hulao Pass, Mengde still has the heart to laugh?"

"Let's see!" Cao Cao smiled and handed the brocade pouch to Xiahou Yuan.

After reading it, Xiahou Yuan was both surprised and suspicious, and said in fear, "Is that person a ghost or a god?"

Cao Cao laughed heartily for a long time, then said, "This is my good friend from Luoyang. He is witty, humorous, and sincere—a truly loyal and honest man! He and I are very close! Judging from his appearance, he has only one eye and one mouth; how can he speak of ghosts and gods!"

"If he is neither a ghost nor a god, how could he possibly be able to predict events from a hundred miles away like a god?" Xiahou Yuan exclaimed in amazement. "Mengde, if you wish to restore the prestige of the Han Dynasty, you should ask this man for help!"

Cao Cao nodded with pleasure, then smiled wryly and said, "But this man is currently trapped in Luoyang. How can I obtain him?"

Xiahou Yuan chuckled and said, "Since he possesses such talent and knowledge, why should Mengde be alarmed? We will surely meet again in the future!"

"Miao Cai's reasoning is correct!"

At Wang Yun's residence in Luoyang, Wang Yun summoned wise and virtuous officials from the court to discuss matters in a secret room.

Afterwards, Wang Yun summoned Jiang Zhe and said, "Shouyi, I have gathered my comrades. One day we can assemble two thousand men. When Dong Zhuo returns to Luoyang, we will launch a surprise attack. Do we have a chance of winning?"

Jiang Zhe said, "Let's have Lu Bu test the waters!"

Wang Yun nodded with pleasure, "Yes! Shouyi, go ahead!"

As expected, Dong Zhuo suffered a crushing defeat and returned to his residence, feeling dejected.

One day, Lü Bu arrived at Wang Yun's residence and met Jiang Zhe. He sneered, "Could it be that your injuries have healed? Are you preparing to return to Xuzhou?"

Jiang Zhe smiled slightly and said calmly, "Our agreement to fight is over. Whether I return to Xuzhou or not is my business!"

Lu Bu's face turned cold, and he said, "Then why did you summon me?"

Jiang Zhe frankly said, "You taught me martial arts, so I owe you a favor. Therefore, I have a few words to offer you!"

Lu Bu frowned, stared at Jiang Zhe for a long while, and said, "Speak!"

"Now that Dong Zhuo has been defeated, he will surely be looking for a way to retreat! Moreover, he is out of money and supplies, and will likely plunder the capital on a large scale. If this matter is entrusted to you, you must absolutely not go!"

Lu Bu's expression changed, and he asked with surprise and uncertainty, "Why?"

Jiang Zhe chuckled and said, "Why ask Zhe about something so obvious? If you become the villain, you'll never be able to recover! You'll be scorned by the world!"

"I have my own thoughts on this!" Lu Bu hesitated for a moment before returning to his residence.

Upon returning to his residence, Lü Bu was suddenly summoned by Dong Zhuo, so he went to the Prime Minister's residence.

Li Ru, standing beside Dong Zhuo, said, "Today's initial defeat has shaken the morale of our troops. We must reward them to win them back. However, our army is running low on funds and supplies. Fengxian, what suggestions do you have?"

Lu Bu's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Never!"

Li Ru smiled and said, "I have a plan, but I don't know if Fengxian can do it for me?" He then told him his plan with a smile.

Looting the capital? Seizing the wealth from the imperial tombs? Just as Jiang Shouyi had said? Lü Bu was shocked and furious. If he did this, just as Jiang Zhe had predicted, he would be condemned by the world and would never be able to recover!

Lu Bu walked out in a daze and bumped into a man who said, "Fengxian, this must not be done!"

Lu Bu looked up and saw it was Li Su. He asked in confusion, "I don't know why you've entrusted this matter to me!"

Li Su looked around and said, "Have you been visiting Wang Yun's residence frequently these past few days?"

Lu Bu nodded, then suddenly realized, "Is this a test they're giving me?"

Li Su said, "In the past, Dong Zhuo held great power, and we joined him only for his power. Now that he has committed such a heinous act, how can we help him? Today's events are Li Ru's scheme. If you help him, you will be committing tyranny; if you do not help him, you will be considered disloyal, and he will kill you!"

Lu Bu asked in confusion, "How can this be?"

"It would be better to kill him!" Li Su said coldly. "Fengxian, do you still remember my childhood ambition? Isn't the position of Grand General your ambition?"

"Hmph!" Lü Bu sneered. "Dong Zhuo is too powerful. Shall we kill him?"

"Fengxian, there's no need for your ridicule! When you went to Hulao Pass, I heard that Wang Yun was plotting against Dong Zhuo. Why don't you go and meet him, Fengxian?"

Lu Bu thought for a moment and said, "Let me consider it!" Then he left.

Li Su watched Lü Bu walk away, then glanced at the Prime Minister's residence, and sneered inwardly, "Li Ru! You pushed me too far! But you have only yourself to blame!"

That night, Lü Bu pondered deeply in his own residence for a long time, as the words of Jiang Zhe, Li Ru, and Li Su flashed before his eyes.

Just as he was pondering this, Li Su entered and hurriedly said to Lü Bu, "Fengxian, something terrible has happened! Someone has claimed that you visited Wang Yun's residence several times because of his niece. That scoundrel Li Ru, in order to test you, has instructed Dong Zhuo to have you present this woman to him..."

"What?" Lü Bu abruptly stood up, roaring, "How dare this scoundrel repeatedly deceive me!" Then he asked strangely, "How do you know?"

"There is a trusted guard by Dong Zhuo's side; inform him!" Li Su said hurriedly.

Lu Bu's expression changed, and he paced back and forth in the courtyard, feeling agitated.

Seeing that Lü Bu was still hesitating, Li Su stepped forward and said, "If you do one of these two things, what joy is left in your life, Fengxian? Now we should urgently contact Wang Yun, kill Dong Zhuo, and gather his followers to fulfill our long-cherished wish! I am willing to be the vanguard!"

"If you have wronged me, I will kill you!" Lü Bu hurriedly spurred his horse to Wang Yun's residence.

Seeing Lü Bu leave, Li Su sneered inwardly, "Li Ru, Dong Zhuo, this is because you've distanced yourselves from me, don't blame me!"

When Lü Bu arrived at Wang Yun's residence, Wang Yun was still awake.

"What brings you here?" Wang Yun asked calmly.

"I heard you intend to kill Lord Dong! I've come to see for myself!"

Wang Yun was secretly alarmed, his expression changed drastically, and he forced himself to say, "How hateful that villain leaked the secret!"

Lu Bu smiled slightly and said, "Jiang Zhe here has a word for me..." He then explained the matter.

Wang Yun exclaimed in shock and anger, "How dare this traitor do such a thing?"

Lu Bu said in a low voice, "If I am willing to lend you a hand, would you be willing to marry Ah Xiu to me?"

Wang Yun was taken aback, then looked at Lü Bu and said, "Xiu'er already has a husband; this is highly inappropriate! Even if I were to agree to this for the sake of the Han dynasty, Xiu'er would absolutely not agree! Moreover, Shouyi possesses great talent, which I greatly admire! How could I do such a despicable thing!"

Lu Bu sighed and said, "I don't understand. You say Jiang Zhe is a great talent! Xiu'er also says Jiang Zhe is a great talent! I am skilled in martial arts, how could I possibly be inferior to Jiang Zhe?"

Wang Yun glanced at Lü Bu and said, "Fengxian, it's not that I'm criticizing you! You previously killed Ding Jianyang for power. Ding Jianyang was a good friend of Xiu'er's father and treated Xiu'er very well in the past..."

"I didn't kill Ding Jianyang!" Lü Bu shouted, revealing everything.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yun immediately nodded and said, "In my opinion, this is all due to Li Su's interference!"

"What?" Lu Bu exclaimed in surprise.

"They must have been disappointed by Dong Zhuo and were at odds with Li Ru, so they came to you for help!"

"That scoundrel!" Lu Bu clenched his fist in hatred.

"Fengxian, don't be angry! If it weren't for him, you would never have come to me! With your help, killing Dong Zhuo will be easy!"

"I helped you kill Dong Zhuo, what will you do to repay me?"

"Apart from Shouyi and Xiuer, everything is fine!" Wang Yun said with a smile.

Lu Bu was speechless. He had originally intended to have Jiang Zhe under his command so that he could have a better future, but upon hearing this, he fell silent.

Wang Yun glanced at Lü Bu, as if he could see through Lü Bu's thoughts, and said, "Fengxian, for a man to live in this world, reputation is of utmost importance! I have been teaching Shouyi here all along, but his heart is only for Xiuer. He has a lot of talent, but perhaps Fengxian is just like Shouyi..."

"I am certainly not like Jiang Zhe!" Lu Bu sneered. "If this succeeds, I will become a general! I will show Xiu'er whether Jiang Zhe or I am more capable!"

"General? That's fine too!" Wang Yun said with a smile.

After the two plotted together, Lü Bu quietly left.

Wang Yun's gaze turned cold, and he muttered, "If Shouyi harbors your ambitions, then I have nothing to worry about... Hmm! However, I certainly won't value him that much! I'll use you for now! I'll deal with you later!"

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