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Zhang Fei was deeply immersed in a drunken slumber, snoring loudly as the wine jug beside him toppled over, filling the room with a strong aroma of alcohol. His face still bore the flush of intoxication, and he mumbled incoherently, completely unaware of the commotion outside. Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached, and the door burst open as a servant rushed in, shouting, "General! It's bad! Lu Bu has led his troops into the city and is already at the gates!"
Hearing this, Zhang Fei jolted awake, his bleary eyes flashing with anger. He shook himself upright, still dazed from the drink, and hoarsely shouted, "That scoundrel Lu Bu dares to cause trouble here! Bring me my armor!" As he commanded with fury, he stood up but stumbled slightly due to his drunkenness.
His attendants hurriedly helped him don his armor. Grabbing his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear, he staggered out of the courtyard. Just as he mounted his warhorse, a deafening battle cry echoed from afar. In the moonlight, Lu Bu's banners drew closer amidst the clamor of battle, and his imposing figure on Red Hare stood out vividly.
Lu Bu spotted Zhang Fei standing at the gate with his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear. Although he exuded his usual bravado, his steps were somewhat unsteady, clearly still recovering from his drunken state. He thought to himself, "Zhang Fei is incredibly fierce; even though he's drunk today, a direct confrontation would lead to heavy casualties for both sides. It would be better to slowly force him back."
At that moment, Zhang Fei's anger surged as he fought against the effects of alcohol and bellowed like thunder, "Lu Bu! You treacherous Slave to Three Masters! How dare you come to my territory and cause chaos? I'll turn you into minced meat!" With a fierce swing of his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear, he charged into battle. The soldiers around him were awed by his ferocity and dared not approach.
However, Zhang Fei's steps were unsteady; although he wielded the spear with great force, his accuracy suffered significantly. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Bu commanded his troops to surround Zhang Fei instead of engaging him directly, intending to drive him out of the city.
Zhang Fei fought valiantly while cursing through gritted teeth, but each movement became increasingly laborious. Fortunately, his eighteen personal guards fiercely protected him while shouting, "General, do not linger in battle! The city has fallen; you must prioritize your safety!" They desperately blocked Lu Bu's pursuing soldiers. Though Zhang Fei felt reluctant to retreat, he realized he was isolated and unable to contend with Lu Bu's forces; thus, he charged toward the eastern gate with his guards.
Flames erupted along their path as cries of battle filled the air. Zhang Fei was filled with regret but felt powerless to change their fate. He burst through the eastern gate and glanced back at the chaotic Xuzhou; Xuan De's residence was already surrounded by Lu Bu's army. Pain flickered in his eyes as he recognized their dire situation. Gritting his teeth, he shouted defiantly, "Lu Bu, wait for me! One day I will tear you apart!" With that vow echoing in the night air, he led his guards through the encirclement and gradually disappeared into the darkness.
Just after Zhang Fei had led his eighteen riders out of the city gates and hadn’t gone far when he heard a series of horse hooves behind him. Turning around, he saw Cao Bao leading a group of over a hundred men in pursuit. Cao Bao rode forward on horseback, shouting hoarsely, "Zhang Fei! You won't escape today! I will avenge today's humiliation!" He waved a spear in hand as he charged towards Zhang Fei.
Seeing this, Zhang Fei's gaze turned cold and filled with rage. He turned his horse around and brandished his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear with great vigor as he roared back, "Cao Bao! You traitor dare to chase me today? You’re seeking death!" With that declaration, he spurred his horse forward. The two warriors clashed instantly.
Though Cao Bao's spear skills were not weak, they appeared clumsy against Zhang Fei. He had expected Zhang Fei’s movements to be sluggish due to intoxication; however, every strike from Zhang Fei was powerful and formidable. After just three exchanges, Cao Bao was panting heavily and drenched in cold sweat—he could hardly continue fighting.
"Retreat!" Cao Bao shouted in panic. He pulled on the reins and turned to flee as his soldiers followed suit. Seeing Cao Bao attempting to escape ignited Zhang Fei’s fury; he bellowed after him, "You think you can get away?" He urged his horse onward while thrusting his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear like lightning.
Cao Bao had just escaped to the riverbank when the hooves of his horse stumbled, making it difficult to control its speed. Suddenly, he felt a cold, piercing pain in his back. Looking down, he saw that the Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear had pierced through his heart, blood gushing out. His body stiffened, and he fell from the horse, plunging into the river and sinking to the bottom along with the icy water. The warhorse beneath him neighed and also fell into the river.
Zhang Fei retracted his spear and cast a cold glance at Cao Bao's remaining soldiers not far away. With a voice like thunder, he shouted, "Who else dares to defy me? Come and try!" The soldiers were already terrified and dared not approach; they dropped their weapons and turned to flee.
Only then did Zhang Fei turn his horse around to gather the soldiers who had followed him out of the city. Standing on a high ground, his voice boomed, "Follow me south to meet Mr. Xuan De! We may have lost the city today, but we will reclaim it in the future!" The soldiers responded eagerly and followed Zhang Fei as they left Xuzhou in a grand procession.
Meanwhile, Lü Bu had entered the city with his army. Clad in armor and riding on Red Hare, he looked coldly at the devastated Xuzhou and commanded with authority, "Pacify the people; do not disturb them." His subordinates quickly took action to stabilize the situation within the city.
Lü Bu arrived at Liu Bei's residence and ordered, "Post a hundred men here; no one is allowed to enter without permission. Those who disobey will face military law!" The soldiers immediately complied, surrounding the Xuan De residence tightly. Lü Bu snorted coldly and turned to leave, already plotting how to utilize Xuzhou's resources to further solidify his position.
Zhang Fei fled with dozens of riders to Xuyi, covered in dust and pale-faced. He dismounted and rushed into the main tent, kneeling on the ground as he gasped out, "Brother, Lü Bu has allied with Cao Bao! Taking advantage of my drunkenness, they opened the city gates and launched a night attack on Xuzhou! I... I was unable to defend the city and could only retreat here. Please punish me!"
Liu Bei sat solemnly in the tent. Upon hearing this, he was momentarily taken aback before his expression darkened. He lowered his head in thought for a moment before sighing softly, "In matters of gain and loss, there is little cause for joy or sorrow; it is only that the common people suffer that pains my heart." His tone was calm, but his brow was filled with helplessness.
At that moment, Guan Yu's expression changed dramatically as he stepped forward, fixing a sharp gaze on Zhang Fei. His voice was low but laced with barely contained anger: "What about our Sister-in-law? Where is she now?"
Hearing this question, Zhang Fei's face turned red with shame. He leaned forward heavily onto the ground and whispered, "When Lü Bu attacked the city, I could only lead a few men to break through... The Sister-in-law... she was trapped inside and could not be rescued." His voice grew softer until it was almost inaudible.
Guan Yu's face darkened instantly. He ground his teeth in anger, his long beard trembling slightly. He shouted furiously, "Zhang Fei! When you were tasked with guarding the city, you claimed you were cautious enough to ensure nothing would go wrong! When our brother left, he repeatedly warned you against drinking and being negligent. But what happened? Not only did we lose the city, but our Sister-in-law also fell into enemy hands! How can you still stand here?"
Zhang Fei's face was filled with shame as he pressed his forehead against the cold ground, trembling all over. He knew that his mistakes were indefensible. Suddenly, he drew his long sword from his waist with a heavy heart and cried out sorrowfully: " second brother is right! I, Zhang Fei, have brought ruin upon my country and family; I have no face to live in this world any longer!" With that, he positioned the sword across his neck, gripping it tightly as he prepared to make a fatal cut.
"Stop!" Liu Bei shouted, stepping forward quickly to embrace Zhang Fei, forcefully taking the sword from him and throwing it to the ground. The long sword made a crisp sound as it landed and then lay quietly on the tent floor.
Liu Bei tightly grasped Zhang Fei's shoulders, his gaze deep but his voice gentle yet firm. "Brother Three, how could you be so foolish? As the ancients said, brothers are like limbs, while wives are like clothing. Clothing can be mended when torn; but if limbs are severed, they cannot be reattached. We three brothers swore brotherhood in the Peach Orchard, sharing hardships and life and death together. If you were to seek death over a momentary mistake, how could I and Second Brother bear this pain?"
Zhang Fei's eyes were red, his voice choked with emotion. "Elder Brother, I failed to defend the city, and even lost our sisters-in-law. I truly have no face to live on…"
"Enough!" Liu Bei interrupted him, his tone turning stern. "How can you speak of giving up so lightly because of a momentary error? The city was never ours; it was borrowed. As for our family, although Lü Bu is unjust, he would never harm innocent people. He keeps our sisters-in-law to threaten us but has no intention of hurting them. As long as we devise a careful plan, we can surely rescue them."
At this point, Liu Bei's eyes had grown moist, his voice trembling. "If you truly go through with this, what face do I have left as your elder brother to face our family? To face Second Brother? Brother Three, what oath did we take when we swore brotherhood in the Peach Orchard? We did not seek to live together but wished to die together. If you leave today, what will become of that oath?"
After speaking, tears streamed down Liu Bei's face. He released Zhang Fei's shoulders, let out a long sigh, turned away, and covered his face with his hands as he cried loudly.
Guan Yu stood nearby; the anger he had felt earlier had transformed into deep and complex emotions. He looked at Zhang Fei not with reproach but with a kind of restrained pity. Finally, he sighed softly and stepped forward to pat Zhang Fei on the shoulder, speaking in a low voice. "Brother Three, my words were too harsh earlier; I understand your grievances. But today's failure is not solely your responsibility; both Elder Brother and I failed to anticipate Lü Bu's cunning. Living on is the only way to reclaim what we have lost."
Zhang Fei lowered his head, tears continuously falling to the ground. His body trembled slightly; he opened his mouth but could not find the words. Eventually, he knelt down heavily and knocked his head three times on the ground while choked with sobs. "Elder Brother, second brother, it was my ignorance that caused you worry. From now on, I, Zhang Fei, will no longer be foolish; I will strive to reclaim our sisters-in-law and the city without failing you again!"
Liu Bei turned around, wiped away his tears, reached out to help Zhang Fei up, and spoke gently. "This is my Brother Three, Zhang Yide." Guan Yu nodded slightly; though he said nothing more, the bond of friendship in his eyes was unmistakable. The three men fell silent for a moment in the tent, yet the atmosphere was filled with a silent determination and mutual understanding.
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