Chapter 109: Liu Bei, You Are a Man Devoid of Sovereign and Father

Chen Deng looked surprised, then smiled and said, "Thank you, Father. Your son has learned his lesson."

At this moment, he felt that the stinging pain on his face had faded away.

Once Chen Gui had finished writing the letter, he showed it to Liu Bei. Liu Bei found it satisfactory and handed it to Chen Deng. Chen Deng mounted a swift horse and immediately rode out of the city gate.

He had not been riding for long before he ran head-on into Cao Peng's army.

Zhang Liao, leading the vanguard, spotted someone riding a horse toward them from afar. In the dead of night, for a lone rider to be approaching was naturally suspicious. Zhang Liao acted with lightning speed, giving the rider no chance to explain; his spear struck the man, knocking him from his horse.

"General, spare me! I am here to see General Cao Peng!"

After being thrown from his horse, Chen Deng looked disheveled and pathetic, but realizing his life was at stake, he hurriedly pleaded for mercy. Zhang Liao lowered his spear, though he remained unconvinced. Seeing that the man posed no major threat, he grabbed him by the collar and hauled him quickly toward Cao Peng.

Upon reaching Cao Peng, Zhang Liao tossed him forcefully to the ground. Chen Deng, bruised and battered, scrambled to his feet and cried out with a grievance-filled expression, "General, it is me, Chen Deng!"

Seeing his wretched state, Cao Peng felt an urge to laugh but held back, thinking it inappropriate.

"My apologies, Brother Chen..."

He then turned to Zhang Liao and said, "Wenyuan, quickly apologize to Brother Chen; he is one of our own."

Cao Peng spoke these words while suppressing a smile. Zhang Liao, showing no objection, immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "I have offended you, Brother Chen. Please forgive me; I was merely performing my duty."

Although the apology lacked sincerity, Chen Deng had no choice but to accept it. What else could he do? The man had already apologized.

Cao Peng immediately changed the subject. "Brother Chen, what brings you here? Has something happened in Xuzhou?"

Chen Deng replied immediately, "That big-eared thief, Liu Bei, has returned to Xuzhou ahead of you. He used a stratagem to kill the Inspector of Xuzhou, Che Zhou!"

Upon hearing this, the others wore varied expressions.

Dian Wei said angrily, "I never imagined that big-eared thief was so despicable! How is this any different from betraying our lord?"

"Indeed, General, please give the order! I am willing to lead the troops myself to slay the big-eared thief!" Zhang Liao added, cupping his hands.

Seeing his two brothers so agitated, Cao Peng hurriedly waved his hand. "Generals, stay calm. I have my own plans for this matter."

He certainly did have a plan; he felt no panic at all. The script had not deviated much, and as such, Liu Bei’s actions would likely follow the historical narrative he knew so well.

Cao Peng suddenly asked, "Surely Liu Bei knows his own strength. Since he is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, has he not sought reinforcements from Yuan Shao?"

Chen Deng had not expected Cao Peng to consider this angle, and his expression shifted instantly. He replied in an ambiguous tone, "This... perhaps... he might have..."

"I was in such a hurry to report to you, General, that I left the city in haste and did not learn the specifics."

After speaking, Chen Deng could not help but regret his words, fearing his tone had given him away. Fortunately, it was dark, and the sudden pallor of his face likely went unnoticed by Cao Peng. Furthermore, Cao Peng did not press the matter, instead saying, "Lead the way. I want to see for myself if this Liu Bei is truly so shameless."

As he spoke, Cao Peng cast a sidelong glance at Zhao Yun. In Zhao Yun's heart, he had always believed Liu Bei to be a man of benevolence and righteousness, but the things he was hearing now were truly shattering his worldview. However, having only heard rumors, he was curious to see with his own eyes if Liu Bei was truly like that. Cao Peng had long since mastered the psychology of Zhao Yun.

Leading the army, they arrived at the gates of Xuzhou in an instant. Tens of thousands of troops moved in a grand procession, surrounding the city with an atmosphere as oppressive as dark clouds ready to crush it.

"Who is beneath the city walls?" the guards atop the ramparts shouted.

Cao Peng curled his lips in a slight smile. Liu Bei was quick; he had already replaced the city guards with his own former subordinates. He raised his Dragon-Scale Halberd, pointed it upward, and shouted, "I am Cao Peng! Tell Liu Bei to come and see me at once!"

There was no need for him to announce his titles; the mere name "Cao Peng" left the soldiers on the walls terrified. They hurried to report to Liu Bei, who soon arrived at the battlements.

Cao Peng did not give Liu Bei a chance to speak, instead berating him sternly.

"Liu Bei, I trusted you and allowed you to lead troops to pursue Yuan Shu, intending to give you a chance to earn merit. I never expected you to be so ungrateful! You used the soldiers I gave you to occupy Xuzhou and kill Che Zhou. Your current actions are nothing short of treason against the Chancellor and the Imperial Court!"

After being bombarded by Cao Peng’s relentless verbal assault, Liu Bei was momentarily speechless. Seeing Cao Peng’s aggressive demeanor, he gathered his composure and began his performance.

"Cao Cao is the Chancellor of Han in name, but a thief of Han in reality. I am now acting under the Emperor’s blood-written edict to purge the traitors. Slaying Che Zhou and seizing Xuzhou is an act to restore the Han Dynasty and uphold justice!"

Liu Bei’s voice was deafening, and as soon as these words were uttered, the surrounding people began to murmur. It was well known that he was recognized by the current Emperor as his uncle, and since he had come from the capital, his claim of acting under an imperial blood edict caused a stir of curiosity among the onlookers.

"Hahaha..."

While everyone speculated on the contents of the alleged blood edict, Cao Peng let out a sharp, piercing laugh, drawing everyone’s attention. He channeled his inner energy into his dantian, aiming to make his voice carry as far as possible so that every soldier nearby could hear him.

"Liu Bei, you are truly a fraud who steals fame to deceive the world. I thought your fabrication of being an 'Imperial Uncle of the Han' was bold enough, but now you dare to repeat the same trick by inventing an imperial blood edict. By doing this, you are not only showing contempt for the Court and disrespect for the Emperor, you are a man without a lord or a father!"

As soon as Cao Peng finished speaking, Liu Bei was instantly infuriated. Liu Bei was a man of great self-restraint, but for Cao Peng to call him "a man without a lord or a father" in front of so many people was equivalent to pointing at his nose and calling him a beast, or cursing his father as dead. In an era governed by filial piety, such a public insult was enough to make anyone lose their temper.

The person best at using such tactics was Zhuge Wolong from Nanyang. The saying goes that the tongue can kill, and those who fell victim to it were often the pedantic scholars of old. Those people, clinging to their status, could not bring themselves to trade insults in kind, and in such a war of words, they were left with no choice but to be berated—a truly miserable experience.