Chapter 140 Leave your sister behind, and get out!

Looking at his cowardly appearance, Cao Peng couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.

Zhen Jiang truly could not bear to watch any longer. Stepping in front of her brother, she spoke up, "My Zhen family is not what you imagine. My younger sister refused to come of her own accord, and it has nothing to do with my brother."

"Oh?!"

Cao Peng looked at Zhen Jiang with a mixture of interest. He had not expected this young maiden to possess such courage, daring to talk back to him.

"Then perhaps you could explain why your sister refused to come?" Cao Peng asked.

Ignoring her brother's signals urging her to stop, Zhen Jiang raised her chin and replied, "My sister is a person of exceptionally high standards. Expecting her to offer herself to you in person is naturally out of the question."

Cao Peng smiled. "Interesting. Once I capture Jizhou City, won't she belong to me all the same? Your brothers have long since offered you sisters to me."

Zhen Jiang's delicate brows twitched. Cao Peng's words were brutally straightforward. Although, as he said, women in times of chaos were merely like commodities, at the mercy of powerful men who plundered at will, women of such exquisite beauty still possessed their own dignity.

Perhaps provoked beyond endurance, Zhen Jiang turned the tables on Cao Peng: "If the General were to dispatch troops to annihilate the two Yuans and seize Yuan Shao's four provinces, you would naturally be a paramount hero. Yet months have passed since Yuan Shao's death, and the General remains inactive—surely this is not the behavior of a hero!"

In the young maiden's eyes, whether it was Cao Peng's earlier manipulative schemes or his current demeanor, there was not the slightest sense of decisive boldness. Even though her brother had promised her to Cao Peng, she hoped Cao Peng was a grand hero capable of conquering the world, rather than someone who relied solely on underhanded plots and always lurked in the shadows.

"Heh, Miss Zhen, you certainly have a sharp tongue!"

Cao Peng's ambiguous, half-smiling gaze terrified Zhen Yao, causing the color to drain entirely from his face.

Kowtowing, Zhen Yao pleaded, "General, this is my younger sister speaking out of foolishness; I beg you not to hold it against her!"

The smile vanished instantly from Cao Peng's face as he barked coldly, "Zhen Yao, get out of my sight right now."

"..." Zhen Yao stood frozen in utter bewilderment, too terrified to move.

Repeating himself, Cao Peng said, "I told you to get out immediately. I wish to speak with your sister alone. Did you not understand?"

Seeing the sinister glint in Cao Peng's eyes, Zhen Yao felt a surge of panic. Yet what choice did he have at this point? He could only turn and shuffle out of the military tent.

As he was leaving, his hand was caught by Zhen Jiang.

"Brother..."

The young maiden was already regretting giving in to her sharp tongue just moments ago. Now that Cao Peng had dismissed her brother and left her here alone, she had no idea what he intended to do.

"Sister, take your brother's advice—following General Cao is the right choice!"

Desperately wrenching his hand free from his sister's grip, Zhen Yao pushed open the tent flap and hurried outside.

Zhen Jiang tried to chase after him, but the guards stationed outside blocked her path with their long halberds.

Cao Peng looked up and down at the youthful maiden. Because of her nervousness, her face was lightly flushed.

"Heh, did you think I would resort to force against you?" Cao Peng asked.

Zhen Jiang was taken aback. Could she have misjudged Cao Peng? Leaving her here alone did not mean he intended to violate her.

Cao Peng chuckled, "Among the women I have possessed, many possessed beauty equal to or even surpassing yours. Do not flatter yourself."

Hearing this, Zhen Jiang turned slightly pale. She had been terrified just moments ago, yet hearing Cao Peng say he did not desire her filled her with an even greater dread. After all, the very purpose of her coming here was to curry favor with him, and his words confirmed her worst fears.

In a chilling tone, Cao Peng continued, "Do you not realize that your Zhen family is facing imminent destruction?"

"Both of Yuan Shao's sons wish to pull the Zhen family to their respective sides, but whichever path you choose leads to death. Because you are merely a family of merchants, whichever side you aid will bring about your destruction at the hands of the other."

Zhen Jiang's face turned ashen; she knew Cao Peng spoke the truth. Consequently, the earlier Cao Peng dispatched his troops, the sooner the Zhen family might escape peril.

"Both of your elder brothers understand the situation clearly, but will you two women become the sinners responsible for the destruction of the Zhen family?"

Cao Peng's words completely shattered Zhen Jiang's remaining pride and defiance. Biting her lower lip with her pearly white teeth, she trembled as she pleaded, "I beg the General to dispatch troops early and save us..."

Seeing her expression, Cao Peng smiled inwardly. This proud maiden had been completely subdued by him. This was entirely within his expectations; if she hadn't figured this much out, she wouldn't have come here in the first place.

As he had just mentioned, her two brothers had already figured this out long ago. If Cao Peng delayed his campaign until the moment he attacked Zhongshan State, the Zhen family would likely have ceased to exist long ago.

However, would Cao Peng lose his head over these women and launch an attack prematurely?

The answer was naturally no. He was a creature guided by intellect. If he were to fly into a rage over a beauty and attack now, he—who could otherwise sit back and reap the profits of the fisherman—would inevitably provoke Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan into uniting against him. While he possessed the capability to annihilate both, doing so would result in many unnecessary casualties.

Deliberately raising an eyebrow, Cao Peng asked with a smile, "Since you want me to dispatch troops early to save the Zhen family, why did you provoke me just now?"

Zhen Jiang dropped to her knees and said, "This humble maiden was in the wrong. I beg the General for punishment."

Cao Peng smiled. "Punishment won't be necessary. However, since you angered me, you must find a way to appease me; otherwise, I will not send out the troops."

Looking at Cao Peng's half-smiling face, Zhen Jiang felt tears welling up in her eyes. As the eldest young miss of the Zhen family, she had never suffered such grievance. Never before had she experienced such a profound sense of humiliation.

Yet Cao Peng showed not the slightest shred of pity. Instead, he pressed on, "Do you feel aggrieved already? In my eyes, this doesn't even count as anything."

*A demon!*

These two words flashed through Zhen Jiang's mind. She had never imagined Cao Peng could be so ruthless.

Clenching her teeth, the young maiden spoke up, "As long as the General is willing to dispatch troops, this humble maiden will do anything you ask."

"Oh? I wonder what I might want you to do. Why don't you demonstrate your sincerity yourself?" Cao Peng smiled.

Even Cao Peng had to mentally curse his own shamelessness. Still, playing this game was rather amusing.

The slender, graceful maiden stood up. In the prime of her youth, she extended her fair, delicate hands and gently untied the outer robe she wore. Beneath it, she wore a layer of silk as thin as a cicada's wing.

As her blushing face flushed crimson and she raised her hands to untie the inner fastenings, Cao Peng finally spoke.

"Stop right there."