Chapter 096: Liu Bei Requests to Join the Battle

Since Cao Peng had agreed to take them in, he would naturally lend some help in the matter they sought.

In truth, he could have paid no price at all and simply devoured those two women there and then.

But that was not the kind of man he was.

The little mercy left in his heart still remained.

Cao Cao did not take issue with Cao Peng having shown some leniency toward the members of the Dong and Fu clans.

For a report had just come from the front, and it had already left Cao Cao’s nerves taut as drawn bowstrings.

Yuan Shao had crushed Gongsun Zan, annexed his lands, absorbed his troops and horses, and after reorganizing his armies had turned his blade straight toward Cao Cao.

The signal for a great war had already arrived.

Cao Peng, having received detailed reports from Man Chong’s Brocade Guard, also threw himself into a frenzy of work.

One day, carrying the compiled intelligence, he went to see Cao Cao, only to run into Liu Bei at the Chancellor’s residence.

So this so-called Big-Eared Rogue did have a shred of conscience after all.

Having heard of Gongsun Zan’s defeat and ruin, and thinking of the many favors he had once received from him, Liu Bei had come to Cao Cao to ask after the situation.

When Cao Peng arrived, he nodded to Liu Bei in greeting, then reported to Cao Cao, “The Brocade Guard has obtained important military intelligence!”

Hearing this, Liu Bei was about to take his leave, but Cao Cao stopped him.

“Speak freely. Xuande is no outsider.”

Cao Peng curled the corner of his mouth, thinking to himself that Old Cao had apparently been fooled again by Liu Bei’s divine-level acting.

Then again, with all the twists and turns surrounding the Imperial Edict hidden in the Belt, Dong Cheng, Fu Wan, and Ma Teng had all died.

Somehow that had kept Liu Bei from being caught up in the affair.

Since Cao Cao did not mind, there was no reason not to speak.

“News from the Brocade Guard says that Yuan Shu, indulging in extravagance and excess in Huainan, has shown no concern for either soldiers or commoners and has aroused universal fury. He can no longer hold his ground. So he has secretly sent men to contact Yuan Shao, wanting to present the imperial seal and only asking that Yuan Shao save him.

“Yuan Shao, greedy for the imperial seal, actually agreed to accept Yuan Shu’s allegiance.”

After hearing this, Cao Cao’s brow furrowed.

He was an expert in military affairs and immediately understood the implications.

If Yuan Shu led his remnants to join forces with Yuan Shao, it would only make Yuan Shao’s power even greater.

Yuan Shu had to be intercepted and killed. That was the most urgent matter.

Liu Bei also saw the key point, and he thought of something even more important.

Standing beside Cao Cao was like walking alongside a tiger. It was far too dangerous.

He might as well find a way to extricate himself now.

Thus Liu Bei clasped his hands and said, “Chancellor, Yuan Shu’s defeat will surely take him through Xu Province. I am willing to lead a force and campaign against him on your behalf!”

Cao Cao heard this and thought that Liu Bei was rather skilled at reading the room.

So he said, “If Xuande is willing to help me shoulder my burdens, that would be splendid. I will give you fifty thousand men. Depart the day after tomorrow.”

Cao Peng, who had already seen through everything, remained silent throughout.

Because he knew that even if he told Cao Cao Liu Bei would absolutely betray him, Cao Cao probably would not believe it.

This was not mere speculation; it was the truth.

In the original history, Cheng Yu and Xun Yu both urged Cao Cao not to let Liu Bei command troops, saying that once Liu Bei held military power, he would surely become uncontrollable.

Yet Cao Cao not only refused to accept their advice, he even told them that Liu Bei was a gentleman, and that they were judging a gentleman’s heart with a petty man’s suspicion.

In the end, after defeating Yuan Shu, Liu Bei really did detain the troops and horses.

Cao Cao knew he had made a mistake and had been deceived by Liu Bei, but being too proud to admit it, he would rather suffer in silence than acknowledge his own error.

“Anmin, I’ve noticed your expression has been somewhat unusual all this time. Is there something you wish to say?”

Unexpectedly, even this old fox of a man had seen that Cao Peng had something on his mind.

Cao Peng smiled and said, “I was only thinking that since Liu Bei has requested command for this campaign, Uncle has agreed to it, but it may be unwise to let him lead the army alone.

“Since I’ve been cooped up in the city for so long that I’m practically rusting, I’d like to go with him.”

“You?” Cao Cao had not expected Cao Peng to want to go on campaign with Liu Bei.

“The Brocade Guard is in a critical period right now. Can you leave it?”

“It will be fine. Man Chong and Chen Qun are both more than capable of handling things, and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry also needs to see a real battlefield.”

Since Cao Peng had said as much, Cao Cao felt there was some sense in it and agreed to let him accompany Liu Bei.

When asked which general he needed to go with him, Cao Peng suddenly thought of Dian Wei.

He had heard that Dian Wei’s injuries had healed and that he had already returned to the army.

Might as well bring him along as well.

When Cao Peng saw Dian Wei again, his feelings were mixed.

This was a man with whom he had shared hardship and life-and-death peril.

Cao Peng asked first, “How are your injuries?”

“The rest of me is mostly fine now. It’s just this one arm—it still doesn’t feel as strong as it used to,” Dian Wei said with a wry smile.

It seemed that the fall from the cliff had indeed left him with some hard-to-heal wounds.

Cao Peng’s thoughts shifted. After a moment’s consideration, he said, “This is a pill I obtained by chance. Take it.”

He handed Dian Wei a Tiger and Leopard Body-Tempering Golden Elixir.

Dian Wei took the pill and looked at it for a moment in his palm.

Though somewhat startled, he did not hesitate and swallowed it at once.

Afterward, Dian Wei felt a mighty primal force surging within him, ready to burst forth.

Under the flesh of his muscles, one could even hear the faint sound of bones vibrating.

“General, this is truly...”

His joy was impossible to hide.

One must know that at his level, even the slightest improvement in strength was harder than climbing to heaven. Yet because of that pill, not only had his remaining injuries been completely healed, his martial prowess had also risen another level.

If his peak strength before had left him able to contend with Lu Bu only at a four-to-six disadvantage, then now he could fully suppress Lu Bu.

“All right, rest well. We set out the day after tomorrow.”

Cao Peng patted his shoulder, left him a bottle of newly brewed strong liquor, and was preparing to leave.

“Wait, Young General!” Dian Wei called out to him.

Then he placed a fragment of some weapon into Cao Peng’s hand.

When Cao Peng took the black fragment from Dian Wei, he was immediately shaken.

Sure enough, Lu Lingqi had used that thing after all.

So Dian Wei knew the truth, yet had remained silent all this time.

Perhaps others did not know the true nature of that object, but Dian Wei could not have been unaware.

Because in Wancheng, he had once suffered at Cao Peng’s hands because of it.

It seemed he owed him a debt of gratitude.

Between men, favors need no thanks; they are simply remembered in the heart.

Before leaving, Cao Peng still intended to go somewhere else: Diao Chan’s quarters.

Because of Lu Lingqi’s matter, Diao Chan had been in very low spirits these past days.

And Cao Peng had been busy with other affairs, so he had not been able to pay her much attention.