xymnovel Chapter 44 Kill Guan Yu
Chapter 44 Kill Guan Yu
Fu Shiren's eyes lit up with excitement, but he quickly declined, saying, "If General Guan finds out that I drank alcohol while on duty, I will be severely punished."
"It's just a few drinks. If you don't tell and I don't tell either, how will General Guan know?" Mi Fang said dismissively, forcefully shoving the wine jar back at Fu Shiren. Unable to resist his craving, Fu Shiren took the jar and slipped into the city tower to drink alone. Mi Fang, a sly smile playing on her lips, followed him in. The two then drank together, one cup after another.
After a dozen or so drinks, Fu Shiren was already slightly drunk.
Sudden.
Outside the city gate, the sounds of battle suddenly rang out. "Could it be a night attack by Cao Cao's army?" Fu Shiren was startled. He jumped up, drew his sword, and rushed out the door, scanning the surroundings. The fighting was indeed taking place.
But the enemy was not Cao Cao's army, but the hundred or so private soldiers of the Mi family.
Fu Shiren's face paled in shock. He turned around abruptly and shouted, "Minister Mi, how dare your men—"
The words were not spoken.
Behind him, Mi Fang drew his longsword and slashed down. "Crack!" A flash of light, and Fu Shiren was struck by the sword, falling to the ground. "Mi Fang, are you crazy? What do you want to do?" Fu Shiren knelt on the ground, clutching his wound and shouting in shock and anger.
"Liu Bei is a hypocrite. When he needed my Mi family's help, he treated us like honored guests. Now that my Mi family is useless, he abandons us like worn-out shoes!" "That scoundrel Guan Yu is targeting me at every turn. He wants to use the pretext of requisitioning grain to punish me according to military law. He is truly hateful!" "I, Mi Fang, have seen through his brothers' true colors. Tonight, I will surrender the city to Cao Cao!" Mi Fang's tone was indignant and cold, finally revealing the truth.
Fu Shiren suddenly realized what was happening and angrily cursed, "Mi Fang, how dare you betray our lord and General Guan! You, you—" He then brought his sword down again.
Fu Shiren's head fell to the ground.
Mi Fang stepped out of the city wall and shouted, "Lower the drawbridge, open the city gates, light the signal fires, and welcome Lord Cao into the city!" The order was given, and three pillars of smoke immediately rose from the city wall. Outside the city, in the Wei camp...
Over ten thousand Wei soldiers, fully armed, had assembled in their camp. Cao Cao sat high on his horse, his eyes fixed on the west gate of Xiaopei. Half an hour had passed. Cao Ren couldn't help but ask, "Minister Cao, the soldiers have been waiting for half an hour. Why haven't they attacked the city yet?" "Let's wait a little longer. We can charge in when the city gates open on their own."
Cao Cao's smile held a hidden meaning. Cao Ren was taken aback, his eyes filled with confusion, and asked, "Minister Cao, how could the city gate open by itself out of the blue?" Cao Cao smiled without saying a word.
Guo Jia, standing beside him, laughed and said, "General Zixiao, don't be impatient. You'll know the answer soon enough." Cao Ren was completely bewildered and felt even more confused.
The other soldiers, unaware of the details, were equally suspicious. Suddenly...
On the city wall, three beacon fires shot skyward. Cao Cao's eyes lit up.
Immediately afterward, a scout galloped back, shouting, "Reporting to the Minister of Works, infighting has broken out among the enemy troops at the West Gate. The city gates have been opened, the drawbridge lowered, and the surrender flag raised on the city walls!"
The Cao army was immediately in an uproar.
"Lord Cao, what, what, what is going on?" Cao Ren looked at Cao Cao with surprise and joy, his voice hoarse with excitement. All the generals were overjoyed, and all their eyes were fixed on Cao Cao.
Cao Cao stroked his beard and sneered, muttering, "Guan Yu, you were so confident in your military prowess, believing Xiaopei to be an impregnable fortress. But you never imagined that my son-in-law could break it with a single letter."
Son-in-law? Letter?
Cao Cao's mutterings only deepened Cao Ren's confusion and bewilderment. Suddenly, a murderous glint flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, and he cracked his whip: "Mi Fang has surrendered the city! The army will immediately storm Xiaopei and capture Guan Yu alive!"
Xiaopei City, the prefectural capital. "Guan Yu threw the grain register on the ground, angrily saying, 'That useless Mi Fang! The deadline has arrived, and he's still short 20,000 bushels of grain! How dare he!'"
When the bearded man became angry, everyone in the hall was terrified and dared not raise their heads.
Zhao Yun sighed, "Mi Fang had no choice but to break into people's homes and almost resort to robbery to collect grain in order to requisition it. He has indeed done his best, and it is not easy to collect 30,000 bushels of grain. General Guan, please be lenient."
"Zilong, this is utterly absurd!" Guan Yu glared at him and said in a deep voice, "I am a general who obeys orders. If he is not severely punished, where is my authority?" Zhao Yun, rebuked, could only remain silent. "Guards!"
Guan Yu waved his hand and shouted sternly, "Bring Mi Fang to me immediately! I want to question him and punish him according to military law!" The order was given, and the soldiers were about to go. Suddenly...
One of Fu Shiren's personal guards scrambled in, shouting, "General Guan, Mi Fang has assassinated my General Fu and seized the west gate, intending to let Cao Cao's army into the city!"
The hall erupted in uproar. "What!" Guan Yu was shocked and furious, slamming his fist on the table and standing up, thinking he had misheard.
"General Guan, Mi Fang has rebelled, killed my general, and is about to seize the gate and surrender to Cao Cao!" the guard cried.
Guan Yu swayed, his flushed face freezing in shock and rage. After a long while, Guan Yu, his face contorted with rage, roared, "Mi Fang, you disloyal and treacherous villain! How dare you betray my brother! How hateful! How hateful!"
"Alas," Zhao Yun sighed, "This Mi Fang, most likely couldn't gather enough provisions and feared severe punishment from General Guan, so he surrendered to Cao Cao out of fear." "Zhao Zilong!" Guan Yu glared at him sharply, demanding, "Are you blaming me for driving that traitor to rebellion?" Zhao Yun stiffened and quickly replied, "General Yunchang, please calm down. How could I dare? My meaning is..."
"No need for explanations!" Guan Yu waved his hand to interrupt, and said sternly, "I will lead my personal guards to the west gate now and kill that traitor. You must quickly gather the troops from all camps and head to the west gate to rendezvous. We must not allow Cao Cao to take this opportunity to invade Xiaopei!"
Having said that, Guan Yu picked up his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and galloped away. Zhao Yun shook his head and sighed, then hurried off as well.
Moments later, Guan Yu, leading three hundred personal guards, charged madly to the west gate. The prefectural government office was closer to the west gate, and when Guan Yu arrived, Cao Cao's army had not yet entered the city. However, Mi Fang had already scattered the guards, occupied the city gate, and was summoning Cao Cao's army outside the city. Guan Yu scanned the area and immediately recognized Mi Fang. "Mi Fang, you treacherous dog, how dare you betray my elder brother! I will tear you to pieces!"
Guan Yu's eyes widened, and with a roar, he charged towards Mi Fang.
Mi Fang's body stiffened as he saw Guan Yu charging towards him, and his expression changed drastically. "Stop him! Stop that Guan fellow!" Mi Fang shouted in a trembling voice as he retreated. The Mi family's private soldiers mustered their courage and surged forward.
Guan Yu wielded his Green Dragon Crescent Blade wildly, slicing away the Mi family's private soldiers who blocked his path as if they were made of paper. No one could stop him, and he went straight for Mi Fang.
"Damn it, that Guan fellow arrived too quickly! Why hasn't Cao Cao's army arrived yet!" Mi Fang was terrified. He couldn't care less about guarding the city gate; he turned his horse and fled towards the city gate. It was too late.
Guan Yu's horse was fast, and in the blink of an eye, he caught up with him. "You disloyal and treacherous villain, where do you think you're going!" he roared, and his Green Dragon Crescent Blade slashed down from the sky.
Mi Fang whirled around, only to see the deadly blade already slashing down from mid-air. Terrified, he tried to parry with his spear, but it was too late. *Crack!*
Mi Fang, along with his horse, was cut in two by Guan Yu. "Traitor!" Guan Yu spat at Mi Fang's corpse with utter contempt.
Then, he raised his Green Dragon Blade and shouted, "Close the city gates immediately and lower the drawbridge!" His words had barely left his lips when a rumbling thunderclap approached.
Guan Yu's heart skipped a beat. He looked up abruptly and saw countless Cao army cavalry pouring into the city gates like a flood. The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had arrived.
Cao Cao's army finally arrived, but it was too late to close the city gates again. "Block Cao Cao's army! Block them!" Guan Yu roared, brandishing his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, his face contorted with rage.
Behind him, Liu Bei's soldiers, intimidated by the imposing presence of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, retreated step by step, none daring to advance. The next instant, the iron cavalry surged forward, engulfing Guan Yu. Guan Yu wildly brandished his sword, cutting down countless Cao army cavalrymen one by one. His martial arts were indeed unparalleled.
Unfortunately, he couldn't turn the tide of battle alone. More elite cavalry surged past him, charging deep into the heart of Xiaopei. Guan Yu was surrounded; his attempt to break out was too late. Not long after...
Cao Cao also entered the city, climbed the city tower, and raised the Cao banner above the west gate.
Cao Cao looked down at the city walls and saw Guan Yu charging wildly like a trapped beast amidst the heavy encirclement, and for a time no one could subdue him. "Guan Yunchang, indeed, your bravery remains undiminished."
Cao Cao sighed with emotion, a hint of regret for Guan Yu in his eyes. "My lord, please allow me to go forth and capture Guan Yu alive!" Dian Wei volunteered angrily.
Xiahou Yuan readily agreed, "Minister, this humble general is willing to go and capture Guan Yu!"
Cao Hong stepped forward and said, "Please allow me to fight and capture Guan Yu alive!"
Cao Cao waved his hand with delight: "You all go out and fight together, and you must capture Guan Yu alive for me!" The three generals obeyed the order and left.
Cao Cao's army split like waves, and three of Cao Cao's generals charged straight at Guan Yu.
"Dian Wei is here! Guan Yu, stop your arrogance!" "Xiahou Yuan is here! Guan Yunchang, dismount and surrender immediately!" "Guan Yu, I, Cao Hong, will fight you!" The three generals, accompanied by thunderous roars, charged straight at Guan Yu.
Panting heavily, Guan Yu was exhausted. Seeing the three Cao generals charging towards him, he felt a chill. The words "dismount and surrender" stung Guan Yu's pride. "You worthless chickens and dogs, how dare you fight me!" Guan Yu roared, unleashing his fury, dragging his blood-stained blade as he charged towards the three generals. The four warriors clashed violently, locked in battle. Cao Cao stood atop the city wall, watching the fierce battle unfold.
"Guan Yu is indeed a tiger general of our time. No wonder he was able to kill Hua Xiong while the wine was still warm at Hulao Pass and even compete with Lü Bu," Guo Jia sighed with admiration.
"Guan Yu was indeed a tiger general of his time, but unfortunately his martial arts skills were ultimately inferior to those of Lü Bu."
Cao Cao sighed softly, but his eyes still held a hint of appreciation. He stroked his beard and smiled, "Even if he is not as good as Lü Bu, such a fierce general would still be very good if he could be used by me."
Just as his lord and ministers were lamenting, the battle below the city had raged for nearly a hundred rounds. With a mournful cry, Guan Yu, wounded by several blades, was finally knocked from his horse. Cao Cao's troops swarmed forward and bound Guan Yu tightly. Seeing Guan Yu captured alive, Cao Cao let out a long sigh of relief.
"Liheng, thank you for your brilliant plan, which allowed me to break through Xiaopei and capture Guan Yu!" Cao Cao looked back towards Hulu City, a look of satisfaction and gratitude on his face.
Lakeside City, Gu Residence.
The sun was high in the sky when Gu Cheng yawned and pushed open the door. Diao Chan and Mi Huan both stepped forward to help him wash and change. Da Qiao was not to be outdone; she personally prepared breakfast and invited Gu Cheng to sit down with a smile. "This is what I call a comfortable life..." Gu Cheng thought to himself with satisfaction.
Just then, Xu Chu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Young Master, General Wei has arrived, saying he has good news to share." "Good news? It can't be that Cao Cao has already captured Xiaopei so soon," Gu Cheng casually guessed, then waved his hand and said, "General Wei is an old acquaintance, please invite him in." Not long after, Cao Ang rushed in excitedly.
Before he could even sit down, he exclaimed with elation, "Young Master Gu, great news! I just received the battle report: Cao Cao captured Xiaopei yesterday and took Guan Yu prisoner!"
Everyone was overjoyed.
Mi Huan's nerves immediately tightened, her mind preoccupied with Mi Fang's life or death.
"Oh, so fast?" Gu Cheng's face remained expressionless as he calmly asked, "Then how did Cao Cao conquer Xiaopei?"
"Speaking of which, it was truly a blessing from heaven for Cao Cao. It was only because Mi Fang surrendered that Cao Cao was able to easily break down the gate!" Cao Ang exclaimed with a sigh.
Clearly, Cao Cao had not informed Cao Ang of Gu Cheng's plan. Mi Huan's eyes lit up, and a hint of joy appeared on his face.
"Huan'er, it seems your second brother is a pragmatic person who knows how to save himself." Gu Cheng smiled slightly and looked at Mi Huan.
Mi Huan couldn't help but ask, "General Wei, what about my second brother? Is he alive or dead?" "Your brother, alas," Cao Ang sighed, regretfully saying, "Although your brother surrendered at the gate, Guan Yu arrived too quickly. Your brother didn't have time to escape and was killed by Guan Yu."
Mi Huan froze, her expectant expression instantly turning to astonishment. Gu Cheng was also quite surprised; he hadn't expected Mi Fang to be so unlucky, actually losing her life. "Huan'er," he said, looking at Mi Huan, wanting to offer some comfort. Mi Huan suddenly cried out, her vision went black, and her body slumped to the side. Gu Cheng didn't have time to think; he caught her, and Mi Huan fell into his arms, already unconscious. The courtyard erupted into chaos.
Gu Cheng remained calm and checked her pulse, confirming that she had only fainted from shock and was not in any danger. He then instructed Diao Chan and the other woman to take Mi Huan back to her room to rest.
"To be honest, Mi Fang did serve Cao Cao, but unfortunately, he was unlucky. It's a pity for Miss Mi," Cao Ang sighed. Gu Cheng, however, said calmly, "Mi Fang was fickle and unreliable; he was nothing but a petty person. His current fate is Heaven's punishment for him."
Changing the subject, Gu Cheng asked curiously, "However, it's rather unexpected that Cao Sikong actually captured Guan Yu alive." "Yes, it's quite a pleasant surprise."
"When Guan Yu slew Hua Xiong, Cao Cao greatly admired him. Now that he has captured him alive, he must be overjoyed." "I think Cao Cao will treat him with the utmost courtesy and will try his best to subdue Guan Yu," Cao Ang said. "He wants to subdue Guan Yu?"
Gu Cheng said dismissively, "Guan Yu is an ungrateful wolf. If I were Cao Cao, I would have killed him to eliminate any future trouble."
"Kill Guan Yu?" Cao Ang's eyes widened in surprise. He asked in astonishment, "Guan Yu was a fierce general of our time, and Lord Cao valued talent and men of talent. Why did you kill Guan Yu?" "Guan Yu was different from others. The meaning of his life was to live for Liu Bei." "No matter how much courtesy Lord Cao showed him, how high an official position he was given, or how many women and money he was given, even if he was treated better than a son, he would never truly surrender."