Chapter 030: A Cuckoo in the Magpie’s Nest

Zhang Fei entered the command tent, his face streaked with tears and snot as he recounted everything that had happened. Liu Bei merely sighed and turned his back to the assembly. Meanwhile, Guan Yu began to voice his reproach.

“Yide, our elder brother has warned you time and again not to let wine cloud your judgment… Xuzhou was our foothold, our place of refuge. Now that it’s lost, where can we settle? And our sister-in-law is still trapped in the city. You truly…”

Guan Yu’s reproaches brought Zhang Fei to a sobbing wail. The swarthy warrior drew his blade, pressing it against his own throat.

“I… I do not wish to live…”

“No! That must not be!” At last, Liu Bei intervened. He pressed Zhang Fei’s hand down, tears streaming down his own cheeks as well.

“Women are like garments, but brothers are like limbs. Clothes can be replaced, but how can severed limbs be restored?”

“Elder brother…”

“Third brother…”

At this, Guan Yu too stepped forward, and the three brothers embraced, weeping bitterly together. Jian Yong, who was still lingering in the tent, felt awkward and averted his eyes from the touching scene.

The next day, Liu Bei understood that Xuzhou was lost for good and could not be regained. The only course left was to find another place to settle and rebuild. After much thought, he decided that returning to Lü Bu and requesting temporary use of Xiaopei was the most practical solution.

They had come to campaign against Yuan Shu with great vigor, but Yuan Shu had taken the matter seriously and dispatched a formidable general to confront them.

Now that their rear base was lost, it was out of the question to continue a bitter struggle against Yuan Shu. Liu Bei’s thoughts turned to how he might withdraw quietly and without causing alarm.

“Report, my lord! Yuan Shu has sent his top general, Ji Ling, leading thirty thousand troops, and they are advancing upon us!”

Liu Bei was startled—it was just as he’d feared.

“Prepare to meet the enemy at once!” Even in retreat, they still had to fight this battle; to flee now would spell utter defeat, with no chance to cover their withdrawal.

But the tides of war shift swiftly, shaped by countless factors. Liu Bei’s troops had already heard that Xuzhou had fallen to Lü Bu; morale sank to its lowest ebb. Even with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, the two mighty warriors, defeat was now inevitable.

… 

With Xuzhou lost and no place to call home, Liu Bei indeed went to seek out Lü Bu. At first, Lü Bu was alarmed, thinking Liu Bei had come to wage war, but soon learned that Liu Bei merely wished to borrow Xiaopei to garrison his troops.

Seeking counsel from Chen Gong, Lü Bu received this advice: “Let’s test him first, see if he is sincere in coming to seek shelter.”

Thus, a charade of feigned courtesy unfolded. When he met Liu Bei, Lü Bu greeted him warmly, as if they were brothers, and invited him to sit at the place of honor.

“Xuande, I had no wish to take Xuzhou from you. But your third brother, drunk, abused the soldiers, inciting unrest in the ranks. I feared for Xuzhou’s safety and acted first to take charge, temporarily safeguarding it. Now that you have returned, it is only right that the seal of Xuzhou be returned to its true master.”

He spoke with apparent sincerity, producing the governor’s seal and personally handing it to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei gently pushed the box back, his tone calm and mild. “General Lü, all is ordained by Heaven. Since Heaven has entrusted Xuzhou to you, I am content. Besides, Xuzhou was never truly mine—I was but a caretaker for Elder Tao, awaiting its rightful master. It seems the true master is you.”

Having played the role of generosity, Lü Bu now let Chen Gong play the counterpart.

“General Fengxiao, Xuande’s words are not unreasonable. Since he insists, then you should accept Xuzhou.”

Liu Bei, able to yield and endure, betrayed not the slightest hint of emotion. Zhang Fei, on the other hand, could not help but curse, “A nest of snakes and rats, utterly shameless!”

Had Liu Bei not repeatedly warned him before they arrived, Zhang Fei would surely have lost control and laid hands on Lü Bu.

“Third brother, mind your tongue!” Liu Bei rebuked him, then turned to Lü Bu and saluted.

“I have a request.”

Lü Bu and Chen Gong chose to ignore Zhang Fei’s rudeness. Lü Bu replied, “Xuande, please speak.”

Liu Bei said, “My army is now without refuge. I ask that you allow us to temporarily station in Xiaopei.”

“Haha!” Lü Bu laughed boisterously, then declared with feigned magnanimity, “Since you ask so, I shall not refuse. As I said before, if you go to Xiaopei, all provisions and supplies shall be provided by me.”

With all matters settled, Liu Bei led his troops to depart. Lü Bu stood atop the city wall, watching Liu Bei’s army march toward Xiaopei, and sighed:

“To be honest, I do admire Liu Bei. Even after I took Xuzhou from him, he does not rage or complain, but calmly goes to guard my gates for me.”

Chen Gong, hearing this, sighed as well.

“Beyond admiration, do you not find him formidable? Liu Bei’s emotions never show on his face—he has elevated the art of striving by not striving to its very peak!”