Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Cao Cao and Chen Gong traveled tirelessly, reaching the borders of Chenggao three days later. As dusk fell, the evening glow filtered through the trees, casting deep shadows. Cao Cao reined in his horse, raised his whip, and pointed toward a villa where faint lights flickered. He said to Chen Gong, "There lives an elder named Lu Boshe, who is a sworn brother of my father. Let us seek shelter there and gather some information."
Chen Gong wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded, saying, "It's best to have acquaintances for protection; traveling at night is too dangerous."
The two dismounted and lightly knocked on the gate of the villa. An elderly man with a white beard came out to greet them. After sizing them up for a moment, he exclaimed, "You are Mengde! I've heard that the court has issued orders to capture you. How is it that you can come here?"
Lu Boshe lowered his voice and added, "Your father has long since taken refuge in Chen Liu. The situation outside is tense; it is truly dangerous!"
Cao Cao clasped his hands in a bow and spoke sincerely, "If not for County Magistrate Chen's willingness to help me at great risk, I would have already met my end. I apologize for troubling you, Uncle."
Lu Boshe turned to Chen Gong and bowed deeply, saying, "The great kindness of Governor Chen will never be forgotten by the Cao family. Without your presence, Mengde would not be standing here today!"
Chen Gong hurriedly supported him and humbly replied, "Uncle is too kind. Protecting Lord Cao is my duty; there is no need for such heavy words."
Lu Boshe stood up and welcomed them inside, saying, "The accommodations are humble; please sit for a moment while I arrange a place for you to rest."
After speaking, Lu Boshe led them into a grass hut and invited them to take a seat before turning to head toward the inner courtyard. Soon after, he returned with a jug of clear water and said apologetically, "My home is modest; I have no fine wine or dishes to offer you. Please allow me to go to the west village to buy some wine; otherwise, I will feel uneasy."
Cao Cao quickly stood up to stop him. "Uncle need not trouble himself so; my brother and I can make do with something simple."
Lu Boshe waved his hand with a smile and said, "A guest from afar cannot be left hungry! Old Man will be back shortly."
With that, he mounted an old donkey tied outside and hurried away, disappearing into the shadows cast by the evening breeze rustling through the trees. Cao Cao watched his retreating figure with a deep gaze, remaining silent. Chen Gong whispered, "Though this place seems safe, every moment spent here increases our danger. Lord Cao must remain vigilant."
Cao Cao and Chen Gong sat quietly in the grass hut, acutely aware of the surrounding silence. Suddenly, they heard faint sounds of grinding blades coming from behind the villa. Cao Cao frowned and said quietly, "Lu Boshe is not my close kin; this sound of sharpening knives raises suspicion. Let us go listen."
"Perhaps it's just for slaughtering livestock, we shouldn't act rashly," Chen Gong replied in a low voice.
Cao Cao, however, had already stood up, gripping the hilt of his sword and signaling for Chen Gong to follow. The two held their breath and quietly made their way to the back courtyard. Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the dilapidated windows, revealing several figures inside busily engaged in conversation. "Bind them and kill them to avoid trouble, what do you think?" one person whispered, the sound of sharpening knives particularly jarring.
Cao Cao's expression changed dramatically, his eyes glinting with coldness as he leaned closer to Chen Gong's ear and whispered, "It’s indeed a trap! If we don’t strike first, we may not escape unscathed." With that, he drew his sword and charged into the room, its blade gleaming ominously.
Chen Gong had no time to say more and could only follow. The few people inside turned in shock as Cao Cao swung his sword, and amidst the flashing blades, screams erupted. In a matter of moments, eight men lay dead on the ground, blood pooling around them.
Cao Cao strode into the kitchen, scanning the area until his gaze landed on a corner where a pig was bound. Ingredients like scallions, ginger, and garlic were laid out on the counter, clearly prepared for slaughtering the pig. Chen Gong was taken aback; blood still dripped from the tip of his sword as he said softly, "Mengde, your suspicion has led us astray! These people were only preparing to kill a pig for guests; they meant no harm!"
Cao Cao paused briefly but quickly replied coldly, "Better to wrongfully kill than to be captured. I cannot take that risk." He wiped the blood from his blade, a hint of chill flashing in his eyes.
Chen Gong suppressed his anger and helplessly followed Cao Cao as they hurried out of the estate and mounted their horses to flee.
They had not gone far when a familiar figure approached on a donkey from afar—it was Lu Boshe. His face was filled with joy; two bottles of wine hung from the saddle while he carried fruits and vegetables in his hands. He called out cheerfully from a distance, "Mengde! Sir! Why have you left so soon? I bought some wine and dishes; come back with me!"
Cao Cao halted his horse, his expression grim as he struggled to mask the turmoil within him. He replied coolly, "Uncle, we are already wanted by the court; how can we linger and bring trouble upon you?"
Boshe laughed heartily. "Since you are here, you are my guest. I have instructed my household to prepare a pig for your welcome; why rush to leave? Come back—this wine and food haven’t even been opened yet!"
Ignoring Lu Boshe's calls, Cao Cao pressed his legs against the horse's belly and accelerated away. Chen Gong followed closely behind him, unease flickering in his eyes. However, just as they had taken a few steps away, Cao Cao suddenly pulled on the reins, causing the horse to rear up. He swiftly drew his sword from his waist and turned with a cold glare back at Lu Boshe before charging towards him.
"Mengde! What are you doing?" Chen Gong exclaimed in shock, but Cao Cao paid him no mind.
As Cao Cao approached Lu Boshe, he shouted, "Uncle, who are those people coming from over there?" He pointed into the distance, his gaze fixed on Lu Boshe's reaction. Boshe paused for a moment, instinctively turning to look back. In that instant, a cold glint flashed; Cao Cao drew his sword and swiftly severed Boshe's head. His body stiffened for a moment before he fell heavily from the donkey.
"Mengde!" Chen Gong, witnessing this scene, was filled with shock. He immediately dismounted and rushed in front of Cao Cao, angrily asking, "Why did you kill him again? You have already mistakenly killed his family; now you won't even spare him! What kind of righteousness is left in such actions?"
Cao Cao looked expressionlessly at Boshe's body lying in a pool of blood and coldly replied, "If Boshe returns home and finds his entire family slaughtered, how could he possibly let it go? He would surely come after us with a group of men, and we would find it hard to escape. Rather than wait for him to act, it is better to strike first."
"But he just came joyfully with food and wine to entertain you!" Chen Gong clenched his fists, his tone filled with accusation. "How can you treat a benefactor like this? How can you bear it?"
Cao Cao turned his head, his gaze dark and a slight cold smile playing on his lips. His voice was low and calm: "If I must choose between being the one who wrongs the world or allowing the world to wrong me, I would rather wrong the world."
Chen Gong was momentarily speechless, shock and helplessness mingling in his eyes. He sighed deeply, lowered his head in silence, and then mounted his horse. As Cao Cao rode away, he glanced back at the body lying in the pool of blood, his brow slightly furrowed. But soon, his face returned to its cold demeanor. The two men exchanged no further words; only the sound of horse hooves echoed in the tranquil night, like a heavy lament.
The night was quiet, with moonlight spilling like water across the courtyard of the inn. Cao Cao had long fallen into a deep sleep, his even breathing blending with the moonlight filtering through the wooden window. Chen Gong sat in a corner of the room, leaning against the cold hard wall, repeatedly gripping and loosening the hilt of his sword. His gaze was fixed on Cao Cao's sleeping form, his expression gloomy as conflicting emotions churned within him.
"I thought he was a man of loyalty and righteousness, willing to abandon his official position to follow me. Yet I did not expect him to be so ruthless and devoid of any compassion. Although Lu Boshe had no ties to him, he welcomed him with open arms only to meet such an end. A person so heartless—wouldn't keeping him around be a disaster?" Chen Gong murmured to himself as he lowered his head, lightly tapping on the sword hilt with his fingertips like war drums echoing in his heart.
He stood up, the blade slightly unsheathed, its cold light glimmering in the moonlight. Chen Gong's steps were light yet steady; each step felt like testing his own resolve. He approached the bedside and looked down at Cao Cao's face; even in sleep, Cao Cao furrowed his brow slightly and moved his lips as if still plotting his next move in a dream.
"You are a born opportunist who excels at using everyone but will never tolerate anyone betraying you," Chen Gong silently thought as he raised the sword higher, its tip aimed directly at Cao Cao's chest.
Comment 0 Comment Count