Chapter 124: Ruin His Reputation

"Enough! Yunchang has seen through your true face, you long-eared thief, and has turned from darkness to light!"

Cao Peng’s shout shattered the emotionally charged meeting between Liu, Guan, and Zhang.

"Yunchang, stand down!"

Guan Yu nodded, exerted force to deflect the serpent spear, and retreated.

"You little thief, this is a matter between the three of us brothers! What business is it of yours?" Zhang Fei roared, pointing his serpent spear at Cao Peng in a fit of rage.

Cao Peng laughed. "Zhang Yide, I know you are a man loyal to the imperial court, merely blinded for a moment by this long-eared thief. Why not follow Guan Yunchang and turn from darkness to light?"

"Bah! You dare to insult my eldest brother? See if I don't poke ten thousand holes through you!"

Zhang Fei charged at Cao Peng with his spear. Cao Peng let out a wild laugh, parried with his Dragon Scale blade, and engaged him in combat. As they fought on horseback, the hooves of their steeds kicked up a cloud of dust.

Cao Cao and his officers, watching from the hillside, were seeing Cao Peng's martial prowess for the first time. For a moment, they found it impossible to reconcile this scene with the image they previously held of him.

Just then, Liu Bei stepped forward again. "Yunchang, how did they bewitch you? To think you would actually..."

"Say no more. Consider the brotherhood we shared in this life nothing more than a dream!"

Guan Yu turned his horse and left after saying this. He joined the fray between Cao Peng and Zhang Fei, knocking aside Zhang Fei’s spear with a single strike of his blade.

Zhang Fei, frustrated and eager to attack again, was silenced when Guan Yu suddenly spoke: "Yide, you will understand soon enough. Your second brother will be waiting for you to turn from darkness to light!"

Zhang Fei was about to renew the attack, but the sound of gongs echoed from Yuan Shao's army, signaling a retreat. He had no choice but to fall back with Liu Bei.

Guan Yu looked at Cao Peng with an apologetic expression. "Anmin, I am sorry. I simply could not bring myself to strike."

Cao Peng smiled; he had never truly expected Guan Yu to kill Liu Bei personally. "Yunchang, you need not worry about Liu Bei anymore. I have my own plans."

...

The skirmish had many twists and turns, but the Cao army emerged victorious.

"Anmin, you needn't leave, surely?" Cao Cao asked.

Cao Peng replied, "Yuan Shao’s massive army stationed in Qingzhou has yet to retreat. They may have designs on Xuzhou. If I return, I can ensure my uncle has no worries behind him. And should the front line require it, I shall surely lead my troops to return!"

Seeing the logic in Cao Peng's reasoning, Cao Cao said no more. Before departing, Cao Peng left behind a silk pouch. "Yuan Shao issued a proclamation denouncing us as rebels; it is time we gave him a proper reply."

Cao Cao accepted the pouch and said, "Take the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry with you. Hone that force well in Xuzhou."

Cao Peng frowned. "That hardly seems appropriate."

Cao Cao laughed. "They are our trump card, and you are the only one capable of unleashing their full potential. I will not leave them at the front line to be squandered by others."

As he spoke, Cao Cao glanced intentionally at Cao Ren and the others. Cao Ren, Xu Huang, and the rest lowered their heads. After this battle, they had no choice but to yield; Cao Peng possessed not only extraordinary strategy but also formidable martial strength—the very capital for his arrogance.

Cao Peng smiled, accepted the command, and departed for Xuzhou with the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and Guan Yu in tow.

Guo Jia had something on his mind but hesitated to voice it. He wanted to warn Cao Cao that by sending Cao Peng to Xuzhou, his influence in the army would become so deeply rooted that he might eventually become impossible to control. However, seeing how Cao Cao treated Cao Peng even more affectionately than his own sons, he dared not speak.

When Cao Cao opened the silk pouch left by Cao Peng, he burst into laughter. "I never imagined such a brilliant scheme! What face will Liu Bei have left after this? The whole world will know that Liu Bei is nothing but a hypocrite who steals fame."

Cheng Yu was curious, but Cao Cao kept the secret to himself.

...

Meanwhile, Liu Bei had retreated to Yuan Shao’s territory. Guo Tu, Shen Pei, and Xu You were all present by Yuan Shao’s side. As soon as Liu Bei entered the tent, all eyes were fixed upon him.

Yuan Shao roared, "You long-eared thief! What do you have to say for yourself now? Was that not Guan Yu just now?"

Liu Bei replied in a dejected tone, "It was..."

Yuan Shao sneered, "Very well. In that case, die! Guards, drag him out and behead him as a public example."

Zhang Fei immediately blocked the way, his eyes bulging as he bellowed, "Who dares touch my eldest brother?"

Yuan Shao barked, "Seize them!"

Just as Zhang Fei was about to erupt, Liu Bei held him back and spoke: "Lord Yuan, Guan Yunchang is no longer my second brother. He has betrayed his honor and defected to the Cao rebels. I ask you to inform the entire army that, as of today, Guan Yu has no connection to me! He is a traitor who aids the villainous."

Yuan Shao’s expression flickered. He was a man of indecision, and hearing Liu Bei’s words, he suddenly convinced himself that Liu Bei was a loyal subject.

"Haha, after all, he is Imperial Uncle Liu. How could he be in league with a rebel?"

"Indeed, I suspect there must be some misunderstanding."

It was Guo Tu and Xu You who spoke up for Liu Bei. Liu Bei gave them a grateful look, thinking to himself that the bribe money had been well spent.

Xu You stepped forward and said, "My Lord, we should follow the Imperial Uncle's suggestion and issue a notice immediately so that the whole world knows Guan Yu is a man who betrayed his honor, and let all under heaven despise him!"

"Exactly!" agreed Guo Tu.

Yuan Shao frowned, finding their words reasonable. Executing Liu Bei was impossible; he was, after all, an Imperial Uncle. Cao Cao held the Emperor to command the lords, and Yuan Shao’s own justification for his campaign was the secret edict Liu Bei had brought. To kill Liu Bei would be to contradict himself.

"Very well, let it be done as you suggest."

He personally helped Liu Bei to his feet. "Xuande, I nearly wronged you again."

As the situation unfolded, Zhang Fei tugged at Liu Bei’s sleeve. "Eldest brother, could second brother have been bewitched? How can we be so ruthless?"

Liu Bei said coldly, "Since he has defected to the Cao rebels, he is no longer my brother. From now on, whenever you see him, show no mercy!"

Zhang Fei felt a chill in his heart, never expecting his eldest brother to be such a cold-blooded man.

Once Yuan Shao’s order was issued, everyone knew that Guan Yu had betrayed Liu Bei to join Cao Cao. The soldiers whispered among themselves, and despising Guan Yu became the trend. After all, if someone could betray a bond as deep as the Peach Garden oath, they could no longer believe in loyalty anywhere in the world.

For a time, Guan Yu became the target of universal condemnation.

Witnessing this, Liu Bei secretly rejoiced in his own scheme. Little did he know, a stinging slap to the face was soon to follow.