Chapter 111: Big-Eared Bandit, Are You Abandoning Your Wife?

After receiving the order to attack, Dian Wei, Zhang Liao, and Zang Ba each had their own thoughts.

Zang Ba was utterly confused, while the simple-minded Dian Wei didn’t overthink it—if Cao Peng ordered the attack, then they would just attack.

The analytical Zhang Liao, however, believed that Cao Peng waited until this moment to strike because their supplies were nearly depleted, hoping to ignite the soldiers’ fighting spirit and force a battle of no retreat.

He wanted to fight a desperate, all-or-nothing battle.

But when they reached the outskirts of Xuzhou, he realized he had overthought.

Around Xuzhou, there were four subordinate cities like little Pei, positioned in all four directions.

These four satellite cities existed so that in case of an enemy attack, they could be the first line of defense, forming a pincer alongside Xuzhou’s main forces.

Yet, to their astonishment, the drawbridges had been lowered and the gates flung wide open—as if welcoming Cao’s army inside.

“Could this be a trap?” Zang Ba murmured to Zhang Liao.

Zhang Liao was equally baffled. Entering under such suspicious circumstances seemed risky, but hesitating might make them look cowardly.

“Generals, you lead the troops to wait here. I will go in first to scout,” Dian Wei, the fearless warrior, declared.

Brash as always, he charged forward, thinking, no matter the cunning trap, he would strike first with his axe.

“General Dian!” Zhang Liao reached out, attempting to stop him, but Dian Wei had already rushed into the city.

Zhang Liao and Zang Ba stood dumbfounded—their morale utterly crushed by Dian Wei’s boldness.

Moments later, a thunderous roar echoed from within the city walls—Dian Wei’s voice booming like a mountain roaring.

“Hurry in and attack! It’s not a trap!”

Exchanging wary glances, Zhang Liao and Zang Ba hesitated briefly, but since Dian Wei was certain, they gritted their teeth and led their troops into the city.

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As Xuzhou’s defenses fell swiftly, Liu Bei hurriedly donned his armor and mounted his horse.

“What’s going on? How could the enemy breach our defenses so quickly?”

Sun Qian stood before him, wearing a grave expression.

“My lord, the Cao forces did not break through by force. It was Chen Gui’s betrayal—he opened the city gates!”

“What!” Liu Bei’s teeth clenched in rage.

“Where is that wretched Chen Gui now? I want to kill him!” Though seething with hatred, Sun Qian informed him that Chen Gui had already fled the city, likely defecting to Cao Peng.

“Cao Peng?!” Liu Bei’s face turned pale. If Sun Qian was right, then this was all a trap set by Cao Peng.

Amidst the shouts and clashing swords from all directions and the fires blazing within the city, Liu Bei knew Cao Peng must have led his forces inside.

Few soldiers still stood loyal to him—most must have surrendered.

The best strategy now was to flee—preserving the green hills to ensure future fires.

As a seasoned escape artist, Liu Bei knew it was time to run.

But just then, a squad clad in Cao’s armor spotted him.

“That man up ahead looks like Liu Bei! Capture him!”

Leading the group was a captain with a spear, once under Dian Wei’s command, stationed near the front at Xuzhou, who recognized Liu Bei.

Drawing his paired swords, Liu Bei was capable of holding his own against a second-rate general.

Though he could not slay the captain outright, a familiar roar sounded from behind.

“You little thief! How dare you harm my brother!”

Like a ferocious tiger, Zhang Fei appeared, his face twisted with fury, hurling his formidable spear with deadly precision.

The spear pierced through the Cao captain and embedded into the ground.

Zhang Fei rode up, pulled the spear free from the corpse, and raised it defensively before Liu Bei.

“Big brother, don’t panic. Follow us and we’ll fight our way out!”

Alongside Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, wielding his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, arrived by Liu Bei’s side.

The tension in Liu Bei’s chest eased. No matter how many times he failed, as long as these two brothers were with him, he felt capable again.

A comeback was not impossible.

“Quickly, Yun Chang and Yi De, we must break out and head to Hebei to find Yuan Shao. We’ll gather troops there and exact our revenge.”

Liu Bei had already planned his retreat—abandon Xuzhou, seek refuge with Yuan Shao in Hebei, and beg for support again.

But Guan Yu suddenly spoke, “Big brother, but the young lady is still trapped inside the city. We…”

Liu Bei cut him off sharply, “Ah, Yun Chang, when has it not been like this? I’ve told you before: women are like clothes, brothers like limbs. Lose the clothes and get new ones. Let’s go!”

“Yes, second brother, let’s go!” Zhang Fei, ever loyal, followed Liu Bei’s lead.

Guan Yu fell silent and charged forward with them.

Just as they neared the city’s edge, Cao Peng himself rode up behind them.

He said to Zhao Yun, “Zilong, those two beside Liu Bei are his brothers: the red-faced one is Guan Yu, who once famously beheaded Hua Xiong during the coalition against Dong Zhuo. The black-faced one is Zhang Fei, who fought evenly with Lü Bu.”

Zhao Yun, humble and easy-going, took mental note.

But Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei clearly wished to avoid a prolonged fight—they only wanted to break out quickly.

Suddenly, Cao Peng shouted with inner strength, “Xuande, your wife and followers are still trapped inside, captured by us. Will you abandon them and flee?”

Liu Bei cursed him silently—using righteousness and moral pressure to dominate opponents was his own tactic, yet today Cao Peng was turning it against him.

How could he respond?

And if he didn’t stop to answer, wouldn’t that confirm he was abandoning his wife and followers?

How could he live with that?

As Liu Bei scrambled for a way out, Guan Yu reined in his horse.

“Yi De, take big brother and flee. I’ll slay this villain first, then return for my sister-in-law and the others!”

Liu Bei’s face fell, gripping his reins tightly.

“Yun Chang, don’t act rashly. Preserve your strength—better to live and fight another day. We must break out first, then plan carefully.”

Words he had heard many times since following Liu Bei.

Repeated defeats, lost chances—all because of their code of righteousness.

Guan Yu had grown weary of this!

Today, he refused to run anymore—even if it meant death.

This was not just loyalty and righteousness, but a fierce spirit pent up within him, desperate to be unleashed.