PFC Chapter 49 Sorry, I ruined your Lord Wen's good deed.
Chapter 49 Sorry, I ruined your Lord Wen's good deed.
Cao Hong grabbed his iron-framed bow and shouted, "The Grand Commandant has ordered that archers shoot down any traitor!" Before his words even finished, Cao Hong released the bowstring. "Thud!" With a twang, an arrow shot through the air, aimed straight at Lü Bu. Lü Bu, with his unparalleled martial arts skills, sensed it instantly and casually deflected it with his halberd. "Clang!" Cao Hong's arrow was easily deflected. "You worthless chicken and dog, how dare you be so disrespectful to me—" Lü Bu's disdainful shout was cut short as his eyes widened in shock. A rain of arrows, like falling meteors, descended from the sky. Lü Bu gasped, suddenly jolted awake.
Cao Cao's humiliating words were clearly a provocation, intended to provoke him into attacking. The ambushing archers were caught off guard and dealt him a heavy blow. "Dodge the arrows!"
Without a second thought, Lü Bu brandished his halberd and roared. Arrows rained down like rain. Countless arrows were easily deflected by the iron curtain created by Lü Bu's halberd. But the soldiers behind him were not so lucky. Blood splattered, and men and horses fell in disarray.
Hundreds upon hundreds of Lü Bu's soldiers were nailed to the ground like paper. Their screams rose and fell, making Lü Bu's scalp tingle.
Lu Bu planned a surprise attack with a light force, so he didn't bring any shields or other equipment. Faced with Cao Cao's rain of arrows, he was like a sitting duck, completely defenseless.
A volley of arrows struck, and Lü Jun suffered heavy damage.
Even Lü Bu was suppressed by the rain of arrows and could not advance another step. He could only desperately try to defend himself. "Lord Wen, our army has suffered heavy casualties and can't hold on much longer. Let's retreat!" Zhang Liao shouted hoarsely.
Lu Bu gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with resentful rage. But looking around, he saw swathes of soldiers being slaughtered, the splattering blood forcibly extinguishing his fury. Another battle would mean total annihilation!
Lu Bu shuddered and shouted urgently, "The entire army retreats! Retreat to Pengcheng immediately!" He spun Red Hare and, braving the rain of arrows, led the retreat. With their commander gone, the morale of Lu Bu's soldiers crumbled further, and they turned and fled in panic. After leaving behind thousands of corpses, Lu Bu's army fled in disarray.
"Chen Gongtai, your plan is indeed ingenious and ruthless. What a pity, you'd never dream that I, Cao Cao, would have such a fine son-in-law."
Looking at the defeated enemy army, Cao Cao stroked his beard and laughed.
With a sharp look in his eyes, Cao Cao pointed his whip and shouted, "All troops, pursue! Give me a final push and take Pengcheng!" The horns of the counterattack sounded. The gates of all the camps swung open with a roar.
Xiahou Yuan, Cao Hong, Li Dian, Yue Jin, and other generals of Cao Cao charged out. Thousands of Cao Cao's troops surged out of the camp like a torrent, pursuing the routed Lu Bu's army. Wherever the Cao Cao banners passed, countless enemy soldiers were crushed like ants.
Outside Xiaopei City, it became a hell for Lü Jun's soldiers.
"I plotted for days and nights, but it was no match for his little reminder, which easily allowed my lord to defeat Lü Bu and capture Pengcheng!" "With such a divine son-in-law, even if I hadn't come to join you, my lord would surely have conquered the world!" Guo Jia looked back in the direction of Xiaopei and sighed with admiration.
In Xiaopei City.
Tonight, the autumn air is crisp and clear, and the bright moon hangs high in the sky—a perfect time for moon-gazing. After dinner, Gu Cheng reclined in his rocking chair, sipping wine, and enjoyed the moon with Mi Huan and a few others. "A pot of wine among the flowers, I drink alone, unconcerned with worldly affairs. I raise my cup to invite the bright moon, and with my shadow, we become three..."
Gu Cheng, in high spirits, raised his cup to the moon and recited a poem. Zhou Tai, a rough man, naturally couldn't appreciate the elegance in the poem and was too busy drinking. Da Qiao and Mi Huan, however, were ladies of noble birth and had some knowledge of poetry. They were astonished, their faces changing color, their eyes wide with surprise. "What a brilliant line: 'Raising a cup to invite the bright moon, with my shadow making three,' truly exquisite!"
"I never expected that you, young master, would not only possess extraordinary wisdom but also such astonishing poetic talent!" Mi Huan exclaimed in admiration, gazing deeply into Gu Cheng's bright eyes with even greater respect. "I have no poetic talent whatsoever; I merely recited a few lines off the cuff," Gu Cheng replied self-deprecatingly.
His self-deprecation was genuine, but Mi Huan and Da Qiao, listening, secretly gasped and exchanged glances. "Such a stunningly beautiful verse, uttered casually, and he claims to have no poetic talent?" The two women shared the same thought, staring at Gu Cheng in disbelief. At that moment...
Xu Chu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Young Master, that pretty boy, one of Lü Bu's subordinates from last time, has come knocking again."
"Um?"
Gu Cheng frowned slightly: "He really is a persistent ghost. Wherever I hide, he follows me." "Young master, should I give him a good beating so he won't dare to bother you again!" Xu Chu's eyes flashed with a fierce light.
"A guest is a guest, one should not be rude." Gu Cheng stopped him, waving his hand and saying, "Let him in, we're just killing time anyway, let's see what he's up to this time." Xu Chu obeyed and left. Before long, Lü Lingqi, dressed in black, stood before Gu Cheng.
"Brother, we meet again. It took me quite a while to find you," Lü Lingqi said with a smile, bowing respectfully.
Gu Cheng smiled wryly and said, "Brother, didn't we make things clear enough last time? Are you still not giving up?"
"Brother Gu's letter of surrender is worth more than a million soldiers, helping Cao Cao easily capture Xiaopei and kill Guan Yu!" "Such brilliant strategies are naturally admired by my Lord Wen. How could I not want to recruit such a peerless talent?" Lü Lingqi's praise revealed her purpose.
"Brother, I don't understand what you're saying. What do you mean by a letter of surrender? What does Cao Cao's capture of Xiaopei have to do with me?" Gu Cheng had no choice but to pretend to be confused.
"Brother Gu, why pretend to be confused? I have already found out that Miss Mi was abducted from Liu Bei by you."
"To persuade Mi Fang to surrender, unless Miss Mi writes a letter urging him to do so, how could he possibly trust Cao Cao so easily?" "Brother Gu, you dare say this wasn't your work?" Lü Lingqi pointed out her deduction with a cold smile. Gu Cheng's confusion vanished, and his eyes showed a newfound respect for Lü Lingqi, thinking that this pretty boy did indeed possess some intelligence. "If I'm not mistaken, Miss Mi is among these three beauties, isn't she?" Lü Lingqi's gaze fell on Da Qiao, Mi Huan, and Diao Chan. Mi Huan didn't flinch, frankly stating, "Your guess is correct, I am Mi Huan." "I knew I wasn't wrong!" A hint of smugness flashed across Lü Lingqi's snow-white face. She turned to look at Gu Cheng again, sighing, "Brother Gu is truly exceptionally charming, to be able to make such a beauty willingly obey your orders. Brother Gu's luck with women is truly something I envy."
Upon hearing her words, Mi Huan blushed and lowered her head shyly, remaining silent.
Gu Cheng sneered, "Brother, don't be envious. I admit it's related to me, okay? In short, I will not serve your Lord Wen. I advise you not to waste your time here. With this energy, you should go back and help your Lord Wen resist Cao's army."
"Brother Gu, you're mistaken. My purpose in coming today is not to persuade you to leave your seclusion." Lü Lingqi sat down gracefully and poured herself a cup of fine wine without ceremony. Gu Cheng asked, puzzled, "Then why have you come to see me? Could it be that you're just after my wine?" "I've come today to save Brother Gu's life!"
After finishing her drink, Lü Lingqi glanced at Gu Cheng with a cold smile, a glint of icy light flashing in her bright eyes.
"Save my life?" Gu Cheng laughed and asked, "Then I'd like to hear how you plan to save my life, brother." Lü Lingqi glanced at the bright moon overhead, calculated the time with her fingers, and then said, "Lord Wen should be making his move soon. Brother Gu, you should come with me immediately and prepare to leave Xiaopei for refuge."
"Why would I seek refuge with you when I'm perfectly fine?" Gu Cheng said dismissively, instead lying back in the rocking chair and drinking with increasing relish.
Lu Lingqi frowned and said in a deep voice, "Now that things have come to this, I'm not afraid of you warning Cao Cao. Marquis Wen is about to launch a night attack on Xiaopei. When he storms into the city, swords and spears have no eyes; he might accidentally kill you!"
This statement came out.
Da Qiao, Mi Huan, Zhou Tai, and even Xu Chu were all taken aback. All eyes, filled with astonishment, turned to Gu Cheng.
"Young Master was right! Lü Bu really is going to ambush Xiaopei!" The same thought flashed through everyone's minds simultaneously. Gu Cheng, however, remained calm, continuing to sip his wine, ignoring Lü Lingqi's words. "Gu Cheng!" Lü Lingqi cried out anxiously, "I'm not joking with you! My Lord Wen really is going to ambush Xiaopei! If you don't come with me, your life will be in danger!"
"No way."
"I've heard that your lord Lü Bu has been frightened by Cao Cao and has even abandoned Pengcheng, leading his army south to Xiapi?" Gu Cheng didn't reveal the truth, feigning suspicion and disbelief.
"Brother Gu, didn't you consider yourself very high and look down on our Marquis Wen, thinking that Marquis Wen would surely be defeated by Cao Cao? How come you can't even see through such a strategy?"
A smug look flashed across Lü Lingqi's face as she sneered, "A plan? What plan?" Gu Cheng continued to feign ignorance.
"I won't hide it from you anymore. Abandoning Pengcheng and fleeing south was actually Chen Gong's plan. He wanted Marquis Wen to deliberately feign weakness so that Cao Cao would underestimate him and become complacent." "My Marquis Wen could then take advantage of the situation to lead a light army, marching day and night to strike Xiaopei, catching Cao Cao off guard."
"How about it? Now, Brother Gu, do you still dare to underestimate our Marquis Wen?" Lü Lingqi's eyes shone with pride, no longer concealing her intentions, and she laid bare Chen Gong's plan to Mi Huan. Zhou Tai and the others exchanged knowing glances, a hint of sarcasm playing on their lips. Lü Lingqi found their attitude quite strange. Shouldn't they be marveling at such a brilliant plan?
Even if things went badly, knowing that Xiaopei was about to fall and they might be in grave danger, they should be terrified. But why were these people so calm, even seeming to mock her? Lü Lingqi was enraged. She jumped up, pointing at Mi Huan and the others, and shouted, "What are you all laughing at? If it weren't for me today, you would all be beheaded! With life and death at stake, how can you still laugh!"
Her sudden outburst of anger startled Mi Huan and the other beauties, causing their smiles to vanish instantly.
Zhou Tai sneered, "Brother, don't flatter yourself. Instead of trying to save us, you should think about how to save your Lord Wen."
"Huh?" Lu Lingqi's heart skipped a beat, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment, unable to understand what he meant.
Gu Cheng said calmly, "Brother, don't get agitated. I appreciate your kindness, but my brother is right. You should leave the city as soon as possible and go save your lord."
Lu Lingqi became increasingly puzzled and asked in a deep voice, "Gu Cheng, what exactly are you talking about?"
Suddenly, a deafening battle cry rang out outside the courtyard, faintly coming from the south of the city. The confusion and anger on Lü Lingqi's face were instantly replaced by smugness and self-confidence.
She pointed to the south of the city and sneered, "Did you hear the sounds of battle? That's my Lord Wen, leading his army in a surprise attack on Cao Cao's camp. Gu Cheng, now you should believe me, I'm not joking with you."
As she spoke, she glanced smugly at Gu Cheng, anticipating his surprised expression. However, his handsome face remained calm and composed. Gu Cheng's reaction greatly displeased Lü Lingqi.
Her face darkened: "Gu Liheng, stop pretending to be calm. Even if you are brilliant, you will always make mistakes. Hurry up and pack your things, come with me out of Xiaopei, and go to my Marquis Wen."
Mi Huan and the others, fearing her fiery temper, could only suppress their laughter, daring not to utter a sound. Zhou Tai, however, could no longer bear it and burst into laughter. "You fool, what are you laughing at!" Lü Lingqi shouted angrily at him.
"Hey, you pale-faced brother, you underestimate our young master Liheng too much." Zhou Tai stopped laughing and said sarcastically, "Our young master saw through Lü Bu's plan to ambush Xiaopei long ago and sent someone to warn Cao Cao, but you're still here being so self-righteous. How can I not laugh..."
Lu Lingqi's face changed drastically. She suddenly glared back at Gu Cheng, her eyes wide with disbelief. "No wonder he wasn't nervous at all. Could it be that he really saw through Chen Gong's plan?" "Impossible! Even if he's incredibly clever, he can't have foreseen everything!" "Impossible! I don't believe it!"
Lu Lingqi's thoughts were in turmoil, her expression changing constantly, and she was momentarily lost in thought. "Brother, I am deeply grateful for your kind reminder. This cup of wine is my way of thanking you for your kindness." Gu Cheng raised his cup to Lu Lingqi and drank it all in one gulp.
Then, he said apologetically, "Unfortunately, I unintentionally ruined your lord's plan, and I can only apologize."
Lü Lingqi shivered.
Gu Cheng's words were tantamount to admitting that he had seen through Chen Gong's brilliant plan. "I don't believe it! Brother Gu, your wisdom is so ingenious!" Lü Lingqi gritted her teeth, refusing to believe it.
Gu Cheng poured her a glass of wine and said calmly, "If you don't believe me, brother, I'll have a few drinks with you. I believe the outcome of this battle outside the city will be decided soon."
After hesitating for a moment, Lü Lingqi sat down with a livid face.
She neither drank nor spoke, but simply stared intently at Gu Cheng, her eyes shifting with unpredictable emotions. Gu Cheng ignored her, continuing to sip his wine and admire the moon. Time flew by, and before they knew it, the moon had set.
The sounds of battle outside the city gradually subsided, indicating that the fighting seemed to be coming to an end. Inside Xiaopei City, however, no fighting broke out. Lü Lingqi grew increasingly uneasy, a sense of foreboding creeping into her heart. "Young Master, there's a man outside the manor who claims to be his subordinate and has urgent business to discuss with him," a guard announced as he entered. Gu Cheng waved his hand dismissively: "Let him in."
A short while later, Cao Xing entered the courtyard with a grave expression and whispered something in Lü Lingqi's ear. Lü Lingqi's face changed drastically, and she exclaimed in shock, "What did you say? Cao the traitor was prepared all along, and Marquis Wen suffered a crushing defeat?" Cao Xing sighed and nodded silently. "Gu Cheng, you—" Lü Lingqi turned abruptly, her eyes wide with disbelief and astonishment as she stared intently at Gu Cheng.