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The next morning, sunlight flooded Xuzhou Prefecture as Lü Bu, clad in armor and accompanied by several attendants, strode confidently into the county office. With a smile on his face and a booming voice, he announced, "I have come to congratulate you, Brother Liu, on receiving the imperial decree!"
Upon hearing of Lü Bu's arrival, Liu Bei quickly instructed, "Please invite him in." Moments later, Lü Bu entered the main hall, where Liu Bei greeted him with cupped fists and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Wen Hou. Please take a seat."
Lü Bu laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively. "Brother Liu's achievements are remarkable; receiving this honor is only fitting. I have come to celebrate, not to overstep my bounds."
Just as they were speaking, a furious roar echoed from outside the hall: "Lü Bu, prepare to die!" Zhang Fei stormed into the hall, brandishing his sword with anger blazing in his eyes. He fixed his gaze on Lü Bu and strode forward. "Lü Bu, you treacherous villain! Today I will rid the world of your menace!"
Seeing this, Lü Bu furrowed his brow and stood up, warily gripping his Fangtian Halberd. "Why does Yi De wish to kill me? I have no grievances with you or the Liu family!"
Zhang Fei sneered and pointed his sword directly at Lü Bu. "Cao Cao has informed my brother that you are an ungrateful person and urged him to kill you. Today, I Zhang Fei will carry out this task on behalf of my brother!"
Liu Bei's expression changed drastically at this sight. He hurriedly stepped between them and pressed down on Zhang Fei's sword with both hands, shouting angrily, "Yi De, do not be rude!"
Zhang Fei protested vehemently, "Brother! This Lü Bu is a Slave to Three Masters; how can we allow him to live? If he remains in Xiao Pei, he will surely become a future threat!"
Liu Bei frowned and spoke in a low but stern voice. "When have I Liu Bei ever been untrustworthy? Lü Bu has come to us in his time of need; if I kill him now, how am I any different from a villain?" He forcefully pushed Zhang Fei aside. "Step back and return to camp!"
Zhang Fei shot one last furious glare at Lü Bu before storming out. Lü Bu's expression darkened as he held onto his spear without lowering it, a hint of unease flickering in his eyes. He slowly asked, "Brother Liu, could it be that today’s incident is truly instigated by Cao Cao?"
Liu Bei sighed deeply and said, "Wen Hou, come with me to the Back Hall; I have something to discuss."
Inside the Back Hall, Liu Bei dismissed those around them and adopted a serious demeanor. He took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Lü Bu while speaking in a hushed tone. "Cao Cao has recommended me for the position of Xu Province Governor but secretly sent this letter urging me... urging me to assassinate Wen Hou."
Lü Bu took the letter and quickly scanned its contents. As the words registered in his mind, his fists clenched tighter and anger ignited in his eyes but was soon overshadowed by sorrow. He slammed the letter down on the table and said solemnly, "Cao Cao’s scheme is clearly meant to turn us against each other. His intentions are treacherous and unworthy of any loyal subject!"
Liu Bei looked earnestly at Lü Bu with a firm tone. "Wen Hou, rest assured. How could Xuan De commit such an unjust act? Since I have promised protection, I will never betray that principle."
Lü Bu raised his head; a deep gaze reflected a flicker of gratitude. He sighed heavily and said, "Liu Xuande, though I Lü Bu have fallen to this state, I still know right from wrong. Though Cao Cao's schemes are vile, they cannot compare to your righteousness. This kindness will remain etched in my heart."
Liu Bei patted Lü Bu on the shoulder with a note of reassurance in his voice. "Cao Cao is full of tricks; we must trust each other if we are to weather this storm together."
As night fell and candlelight flickered softly, Lü Bu stood before Liu Bei with heartfelt gratitude. He bowed deeply three times and spoke sincerely, "Mr. Xuan De treats me with such high regard; I have no way to repay you. If there comes a time when you need my assistance, I will go through fire and water without hesitation."
Liu Bei quickly helped him up, his tone sincere. "Wen Hou, there is no need for such formality. The world is full of hardships; we should support each other." He patted Lü Bu's arm and smiled, "Since the day is drawing to a close, why not stay and share a few drinks with me?"
Lü Bu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and replied with a smile, "Since Mr. Xuan De has extended such kindness, how could Lü Bu refuse?"
The two raised their cups and exchanged pleasantries, the atmosphere surprisingly free of tension. It was not until late at night that Lü Bu stood to take his leave, slightly intoxicated as he swayed back toward Xiao Pei.
***
As soon as Lü Bu left, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei hurried into the hall. Zhang Fei's face was filled with anger as he immediately asked, "Brother, why didn’t you kill Lü Bu? He is a menace; keeping him alive will only bring us trouble!"
Seeing Zhang Fei's fury, Liu Bei raised his hand to signal him to calm down, speaking in a steady yet firm tone. "Brother Three, have you considered why Cao Cao wants us to kill Lü Bu?"
Guan Yu furrowed his brow slightly, pondering for a moment before slowly saying, "Are you suggesting that Cao Cao has ulterior motives?"
Liu Bei nodded, his tone growing serious. "Cao Cao is cunning; he fears we might ally with Lü Bu against him and thus schemes to pit us against each other. If I were to kill Lü Bu now, it would surely throw Xuzhou into chaos. If Lü Bu learns of this, he would strike first. We would both suffer losses while he reaps the benefits."
Guan Yu nodded thoughtfully. "What you say makes sense, Brother. Cao Cao's scheme is indeed treacherous; we must remain vigilant."
However, Zhang Fei was unconvinced. He slammed his hand on the table with a thunderous voice. "But I can't stand this Lü Bu! He’s no good; keeping him alive will only lead to disaster. Brother, I think we should strike him down today to avoid future troubles!"
Liu Bei looked at Zhang Fei's furious expression and spoke with more patience in his voice. "Brother Three, although Lü Bu has wavered many times, he comes to us now out of desperation for help. If I were to kill him now, wouldn’t that betray our trust in the world? A man without integrity cannot stand; how could I commit such an act of betrayal?"
Zhang Fei opened his mouth to argue further when Guan Yu placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Brother Three, let’s listen to Brother for once. Benevolence and righteousness are the foundation of our Liu Clan; how can we abandon them for personal grudges?"
Zhang Fei scratched his head in frustration; though unwilling, he had no counterargument and reluctantly sat back down in his chair, grumbling under his breath, "It's hard to be a good person!"
Liu Bei watched Zhang Fei's demeanor and smiled before turning to Guan Yu with a resolute tone. "Cao Cao harbors malicious intentions; we must tread carefully to protect ourselves and the people of Xuzhou."
Guan Yu smiled faintly and nodded. "What you say is true. In that case, let us follow your plan."
Under the flickering candlelight, Liu Bei's gaze deepened as if looking beyond the humble hall toward a distant future.
Cao Cao sat at his desk, playing with the letter from Liu Bei that had just arrived, his brow slightly furrowed. The tone of the letter was respectful, yet ambiguous, only mentioning "taking time to consider" without a word about the secret plan he had entrusted to Liu Bei. He put down the letter and asked the messenger kneeling before him, "What was Liu Bei's response?"
The messenger lowered his head and reported, "Liu Xuande expressed his gratitude and hospitality but avoided discussing the matter of Lü Bu. He stated that he would guard Xuzhou alongside Lü Bu and showed no intention of hostility."
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao let out a light, cold laugh. "Liu Bei is indeed hypocritical, unwilling to take action."
He turned to Xun Yu, who stood beside him, his tone tinged with impatience. "Xun Yu, the plan of 'Two Tigers Competing for Food' has failed. What should we do now? Are we just going to let Liu Bei and Lü Bu remain safe in Xuzhou, waiting for them to grow too powerful?"
Xun Yu maintained his composure and stepped forward, cupping his hands in salute. "My lord need not worry. Since this plan has not succeeded, I have another strategy called 'Drive the Tiger and Swallow the Wolf' that will surely keep Liu Bei from finding peace."
Cao Cao's eyes brightened at these words. He set down the letter in his hand, leaned back in his chair with interest, and asked, "How will this plan be executed?"
Xun Yu smiled slightly and spoke confidently. "Yuan Shu is entrenched in Shouchun with great ambitions, intent on declaring himself emperor, and he has always been at odds with Liu Bei. If we send someone to secretly inform Yuan Shu that Liu Bei intends to petition the emperor for control over Nan Commandery, Yuan Shu will surely be enraged and march against Liu Bei. Meanwhile, we can issue an edict in the name of the emperor commanding Liu Bei to attack Yuan Shu, forcing him into a great battle."
Cao Cao nodded slightly, a glimmer of appreciation in his eyes. "Indeed a brilliant plan; let Liu Bei and Yuan Shu exhaust each other while I watch from the mountain as the tigers fight."
Xun Yu nodded gently, his tone becoming even more composed. "Moreover, if Liu Bei is preoccupied with dealing with Yuan Shu, Xuzhou will undoubtedly be thrown into chaos. Lü Bu will see the disorder and likely harbor ambitions of his own, seizing the opportunity to usurp power. At that time, Liu Bei will be beset by internal strife and external threats, leaving him powerless to defend himself while we can act at our leisure."
After listening to this, Cao Cao raised his hand and slapped the table in delight. "Excellent! We shall proceed according to Xun Yu's plan!"
He immediately ordered a trusted messenger to secretly depart for Shouchun to meet Yuan Shu and convey false information to sow discord. At the same time, he issued an edict in the name of the emperor commanding Liu Bei to mobilize troops against Yuan Shu without delay.
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