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Yuan Shao surveyed the large tent, his gaze shifting among the various lords before suddenly stopping behind Gongsun Zan. There stood three individuals, their appearances striking, with an air of coldness and confidence in their eyes, and a hint of a rebellious smirk on their lips. Yuan Shao furrowed his brow and asked in a low yet authoritative voice, "Gongsun Governor, who are these three?"
Gongsun Zan smiled slightly and clasped his fists in greeting to Yuan Shao. "Among these three, one is my childhood friend. Though he holds the position of Pingyuan Ling, he is a member of the Han Dynasty's lineage and renowned throughout the realm. This is Liu Xuande, who has defeated the Yellow Turbans."
At this revelation, Cao Cao's eyes lit up as he stepped forward and exclaimed, "Could it be that this is the Liu Bei who achieved great merit in suppressing the Yellow Turbans?"
Gongsun Zan nodded in affirmation. "Indeed, it is him." He then gently patted Liu Bei on the shoulder and smiled at Yuan Shao. "Not only is he my old friend, but he is also a man of Loyalty and Righteousness. Born in Zhuo County, despite facing numerous setbacks in his early years, he remains concerned for the world. In terms of ability and loyalty, he is far from ordinary."
Yuan Shao pondered for a moment, his gaze scrutinizing Liu Bei from head to toe. Soon after, a faint smile appeared on his face; although his tone was somewhat indifferent, it could not hide a hint of approval. "Since he is of the Han Dynasty's lineage, he naturally stands out from the rest. Someone, bring him a seat."
Liu Bei hesitated slightly and stepped back with cupped hands, saying softly, "I am Liu Bei, of humble status; I dare not sit with you lords."
Yuan Shao waved his hand with a hint of arrogance in his voice. "I do not value your official rank or fame; I respect you because you hail from imperial blood. Please take a seat; there’s no need for excessive courtesy."
Liu Bei repeatedly declined, but Yuan Shao would not allow him to say more and ordered that a seat be moved to the end of the table for him. Liu Bei reluctantly accepted with thanks and slowly sat down, unable to hide a trace of suppressed embarrassment and emotion on his face. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stood on either side of him, their expressions sharp and vigilant as they rested their hands on their weapons, standing imposingly behind Liu Bei.
Suddenly, a scout rushed into the tent, kneeling anxiously as he reported, "Hua Xiong leads his cavalry to our camp, brandishing a long spear and taunting Governor Sun while challenging us!"
Yuan Shao frowned slightly, irritation evident in his eyes as he coldly asked, "Who dares to fight?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a fierce general stepped forward from behind Yuan Shu and clasped his fists. "I am Yu She; I am willing to slay this rebel for the lords!"
A smile appeared on Yuan Shao's face as he nodded approvingly. "Good! General Yu indeed has courage; quickly go forth and achieve merit!"
Yu She responded affirmatively and left swiftly while everyone in the tent held their breath in anticipation. Before long, a messenger galloped in urgently and knelt down to report in panic, "Yu She engaged Hua Xiong but was slain beneath his horse within three exchanges!" The tent erupted into an uproar as everyone looked on in shock.
Governor Han Fu appeared uneasy but forced himself to remain calm as he slammed his hand on the table and declared, "My general Pan Feng can match thousands; I am willing to take down this rebel leader for the lords!"
Yuan Shao slammed the armrest, his face filled with anticipation as he said, "If General Pan goes out, he will surely boost our army's morale!" He then ordered someone to relay the command for Pan Feng to take the field.
Pan Feng, wielding a massive mountain-cleaving axe, rode out on horseback, exuding confidence and fully equipped. The generals in the tent whispered among themselves, placing high hopes on this General.
However, moments later, a scout rushed in, pale-faced and trembling as he reported, "Pan Feng has not even fought for a moment before being slain by Hua Xiong with a single blow! His body fell from his horse!"
This news struck like thunder in the tent, leaving everyone speechless, their faces reflecting fear and suppressed sighs.
Yuan Shao slammed the table in anger, his face turning red. "It's a pity that my Generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou could not arrive! If either of them were here, how could we fear Hua Xiong's arrogance!"
Just as he spoke, a deep and powerful voice suddenly boomed from below the steps: "I am willing to go and take Hua Xiong's head to present it here!"
The voice was deafening, causing everyone to turn their heads in unison. They saw a man slowly stepping forward. He was towering at nearly nine feet tall, with fiery phoenix eyes and sword-like eyebrows; his face resembled a heavy jujube, and his beard flowed like a long rainbow in the wind, exuding an imposing presence. His voice rang out like a great bell, leaving the crowd speechless.
Yuan Shao frowned slightly and glanced at Guan Yu with curiosity. "Who is this man? How dare he speak so boldly here?"
Seeing the inquiry, Gongsun Zan stood up and clasped his hands in greeting. "This is Liu Xuande's sworn brother, Guan Yu—Guan Yunchung. He played a significant role in defeating the Yellow Turbans."
Yuan Shao's frown deepened as he pressed further, "What position does he hold now?"
Gongsun Zan appeared somewhat awkward but answered truthfully, "He serves as an archer under Liu Xuande and follows orders."
As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over the tent; the atmosphere became tense. Yuan Shu suddenly slammed the table and stood up angrily. "Absurd! A mere archer dares to be so reckless here! Do you think there are no capable men among us lords? How can we allow him to speak such nonsense! Someone, drive this madman out!"
Before he finished speaking, Cao Cao had already risen and stepped into the center of the tent. He clasped his hands toward Yuan Shu with a smile, though his tone was serious. "Lord Yuan Shu, please remain calm. Since this man dares to recommend himself, he must possess extraordinary courage. Why not let him have a try? If he fails, we can hold him accountable; but if he succeeds, wouldn’t that help us diminish Hua Xiong's arrogance?"
Yuan Shao looked coldly at Cao Cao and said, "What you say makes sense, but if a mere archer is easily slain by Hua Xiong, what face do we have left? Wouldn't we become the laughingstock of the world?"
Cao Cao's lips curled slightly as he turned his gaze to Guan Yu and said softly, "This man has an impressive demeanor and extraordinary bearing. How could Hua Xiong know he is an archer?"
Hearing this, Guan Yu stepped forward, his phoenix eyes slightly raised. He bowed solemnly and spoke with a steady and powerful tone, "If I cannot take Hua Xiong's head, I am willing to offer my own in apology. There is no need for all of you to intervene."
Guan Yu's words were resolute, filled with an undeniable confidence that left the crowd momentarily speechless, their gazes shifting toward Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao remained silent for a moment, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. He looked at Guan Yu, seemingly weighing the truth of his words. Finally, he spoke, "Since you have volunteered to fight, I will give you this opportunity! But if you fail, do not blame me for being ruthless!"
Cao Cao ordered someone to pour hot wine and brought a cup to Guan Yu's side with a smile, saying, "Yun Chung, this wine is specially for your journey."
Guan Yu took the cup but did not drink immediately. Instead, he raised his eyes to Cao Cao and said solemnly, "General, let the wine wait. After I take Hua Xiong's head, I will return to drink."
His tone was as firm as steel. With that, he turned and exited the tent with steady steps, showing no hesitation.
The people in the tent watched Guan Yu leave, the atmosphere thickening as many lords exchanged glances filled with both doubt and disdain. Yuan Shu snorted softly and muttered coldly, "A mere archer who doesn't know his place; let's see how he humiliates himself."
Cao Cao raised an eyebrow but did not respond; his gaze remained fixed on Guan Yu's retreating figure, a hint of a meaningful smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Outside the tent, Guan Yu approached his horse and effortlessly picked up his long blade. The blade glimmered coldly under the moonlight as he lightly patted the horse's mane before leaping onto its back, standing tall like a spear. His figure blended into the night like an unyielding war god.
The sound of horse hooves echoed through the night as Guan Yu charged toward Hua Xiong's camp.
Yuan Shao glanced sideways at Cao Cao and disdainfully remarked, "Cao Gong is overestimating this archer. By the time the hot wine cools down, he might not even return."
Cao Cao smiled without speaking, gently swirling the wine cup in his hand, the aroma of the liquor wafting through the air. He seemed entirely unfazed by Yuan Shao's taunts, quietly awaiting the outcome.
The lords within the tent were immersed in tense anticipation when suddenly, the sound of drums from outside erupted, accompanied by the thunderous cries of battle that shook the ground as if it were trembling. The commotion resembled a landslide or a tidal wave, causing everyone to change color. Yuan Shao furrowed his brow and stood up, straining to listen, his tone becoming somewhat urgent: "That shout... has Yun Chung won or lost?"
Yuan Shu snorted coldly, speaking in a sarcastic tone, "It seems that archer has become a ghost beneath Hua Xiong's blade; what else can we expect?"
However, Cao Cao leisurely set down his wine cup, his expression calm as water, a meaningful smile playing at the corners of his mouth: "We will know the result in just a moment."
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of horse hooves thundered from afar, swift as wind and lightning, and in an instant reached the tent. The sound of jingling bells announced the opening of the tent flap, and a figure rode in—red-faced and clad in blue robes, with long hair flowing; it was none other than Guan Yu.
As everyone stared in astonishment, Guan Yu dismounted and held up a bloodied head in his hand, casually tossing it onto the ground. The head rolled to rest before Yuan Shao—it was Hua Xiong! The blood had yet to congeal, causing all the lords to gasp in shock.
"The enemy general Hua Xiong has been slain," Guan Yu's voice boomed like thunder, steady and resolute, his eyes radiating an undeniable fierceness.
The crowd was left speechless, their mouths agape. The arrogance and disdain that had filled the air moments before vanished completely. Yuan Shu's face shifted between shades of green and white; he dared not raise his eyes to meet Guan Yu's gaze.
Cao Cao chuckled lightly as he rose to meet Guan Yu, clapping his hands in praise: "Yun Chung is truly fearless and extraordinary! This wine is still warm; please have another cup!"
Guan Yu nodded slightly and accepted the wine cup that Cao Cao handed him, drinking it all in one go. His composed movements and indifferent expression created an oppressive atmosphere among all present, as if slaying generals were merely an everyday occurrence.
Yuan Shao suppressed his shock and forced out a smile, turning to Cao Cao: "Mengde truly conceals his talents well. Such a hero is indeed a blessing for our alliance!"
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