Chapter 146: Yuan Tan Lays Siege

To present such a piece of writing to her was, without a doubt, an act of courting.

Cao Peng's feelings were unexpectedly so intense, so blazing that they touched her deeply.

"General..."

Zhen Mi lowered her head shyly. She had already resigned herself to the fate of marrying Cao Peng.

However, the literary talent Cao Peng displayed today genuinely subdued her heart.

Seeing her in this state, Cao Peng—had he not known how to proceed—would hardly have been a seasoned romantic.

He stepped forward gently, moving much like a hunting leopard closing in on its prey.

Before Zhen Mi even realized it, she lifted her head in slight surprise, and Cao Peng had already reached out, drawing her delicate figure into his embrace.

Zhen Mi simply allowed Cao Peng to hold her in his arms.

Her exquisitely beautiful face rested against Cao Peng's chest, blushing as adorably as a ripe apple.

Cao Peng chuckled inwardly. It seemed that to win over a literary-minded maiden, one truly needed to deploy the ultimate weapon of poetry and prose.

In this ancient era, such methods were truly infallible.

Just at this harmonious moment, Zhao Yun, clad in silver armor, arrived.

"Ahem..."

Faced with such a scene, he ought to have silently walked away, but he indeed had urgent matters to report, leaving him no choice but to use a cough to break his own awkwardness.

The two who had been closely embracing were instantly startled by the interruption.

Zhen Mi, blushing furiously, hurriedly leaped away from Cao Peng's side.

Cao Peng looked at the intruding Zhao Yun with a trace of reproach in his gaze.

"I say, Zilong, look at how badly timed your arrival is! Didn't I tell you to eat and drink your fill? If nothing else, you could have taken some coin to the streets to find a maiden for amusement—what are you doing coming to me?"

Zhao Yun hurriedly said, "General, there is an urgent military emergency! Yuan Tan is leading an army to attack the city!"

Hearing this, Cao Peng remained completely calm and composed, asking indifferently, "Oh? He arrives rather quickly. How many men does he have?"

"A vast, dark sea of people with no end in sight. This general estimates there could be tens of thousands," Zhao Yun said with a heavy expression.

"Heh, nothing more than a mob of rabble. Just watch how I shatter the enemy."

Cao Peng turned to leave with Zhao Yun, but his hand was gently caught by Zhen Mi.

Cao Peng looked back.

He saw Zhen Mi's eyes twinkling as she said softly, "General, you must return safely..."

Looking at this delicate young maiden, a wave of tenderness welled up in Cao Peng's heart.

"Look how frightened you are. It is merely Yuan Tan bringing tens of thousands of troops to attack; before me, they are nothing more than clay chickens and earthen dogs."

Even though Cao Peng was full of confidence, who could ever truly predict the unpredictable nature of the battlefield?

Zhen Mi already considered herself Cao Peng's woman, so naturally, she felt deeply anxious at this moment.

Seeing her continuing to look this way, Cao Peng said, "If you are willing, you may accompany me to the city walls and watch how I deal with him."

...

When Cao Peng brought Zhen Mi up to the battlements and looked down at the vast army below, carriages and horses were already arrayed in full readiness for a siege.

Yuan Tan stood in his stirrups, holding his blade, burning with rage.

His eyes instantly caught sight of Zhen Mi standing upon the city wall.

As for the man beside her, who possessed an extraordinary bearing, he must surely be the legendary Cao Peng.

Seeming to notice Yuan Tan's gaze, Cao Peng deliberately pulled Zhen Mi even closer against his body.

This scene, entering Yuan Tan's eyes, nearly caused him to vomit a mouthful of blood and drop dead on the spot.

"Scoundrel, you are courting death!" Yuan Tan raised his broadsword, pointing it at Cao Peng with a look so fierce it seemed he wished to devour him alive.

Watching Yuan Tan's furious display, Cao Peng was just about to issue a mocking retort when an electronic synthesized voice echoed in his mind.

"Through environmental detection by the system, the host is currently undergoing the plot sequence of intercepting Zhen Mi."

"Zhen Mi has already bestowed her heart. If the host can successfully break out from the encirclement of Yuan Tan's tens of thousands of troops, the mission will be deemed a success, with an unknown reward."

After hearing the system's introduction, a plan instantly formed in Cao Peng's mind.

"Mi'er, do you dare to ride the Red Hare with me and leave the city?" Cao Peng asked.

Hearing this, Zhen Mi nodded without the slightest hesitation.

Naturally, she knew that swords and spears had no eyes and that the battlefield was merciless, but she felt not a shred of fear simply because Cao Peng was by her side.

"General, this might be a bit too daring..."

The one speaking was Zhen Mi's older brother, Zhen Yan.

He had never imagined that Cao Peng would be such a lunatic.

How could someone like this possibly save them?

At that moment, Yuan Tan shouted from below the city, "Zhen Yan, let me ask you, have you already surrendered Zhen Mi to Cao Peng merely to cling to life?"

Zhen Yan was momentarily stunned by the question; he had not expected Yuan Tan to care so deeply for Zhen Mi.

Viewed in this light, not having rushed to send Zhen Mi to serve Cao Peng earlier actually turned out to be a blessing.

For if things went poorly later on, the Zhen family would still have room to maneuver with Yuan Tan.

Who could blame Yuan Tan, that lustful wretch, for setting his sights on his younger sister?

However, he dared not offer any explanation right now, with Cao Peng still standing beside him.

If this madman were to slice him down with a single stroke, wouldn't his losses be catastrophic?

While Zhen Yan remained silent, Cao Peng laughed wildly and answered for him, "Yuan Tan, Zhen Mi is already my woman now. What else do you wish to ask?"

Hearing these words, Yuan Tan flew into an instant rage.

"Cao Peng, you despicable and shameless wretch! If you have the guts, come down here. Once I capture you, I will flinch the skin from your bones and pull out your tendons!" Yuan Tan roared angrily.

"Heh..."

With a faint smile, Cao Peng actually led Zhen Mi out of the city. Accompanying him were only Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, followed by a mere ten Tiger and Leopard Cavalrymen.

Compared to Yuan Tan's tens of thousands of troops, such a lineup appeared pitifully thin.

This was sheer disregard for his presence, and Yuan Tan immediately prepared to order his army to charge.

He could already envision Cao Peng being crushed into dust beneath the hooves of his charging forces.

Seeing that Yuan Tan was about to launch an offensive, Guan Yu and Zhao Yun raised their guards.

Yet Cao Peng chuckled and said, "There is no need for the two generals to be so tense; he is merely trash!"

Cao Peng left Zhen Mi in Zhao Yun's care, saying, "Zilong, help me take good care of her!"

The Red Hare transformed into a streak of blazing fire, charging out in the blink of an eye.

At that moment, Cao Peng wielded the Dragon Scale Halberd, his movements resembling those of a descending god of war as he brandished it.

"Yuan Tan, you piece of trash, didn't you want to take my life? Come if you have the guts!"

Seeing how arrogant the fellow was, Yuan Tan immediately spurred his horse forward with his spear, completely forgetting to command his rear army to launch their assault.

Yet the elite troops behind him could not afford to let him act recklessly and hurriedly surged forward to support him.

With a sweeping arc of his long halberd, the cavalrymen who made contact with Cao Peng felt an irresistible wave of immense power wash over them.

As the halberd churned through the ranks, flesh and blood flew everywhere.

"Zilong, I go to assist the General; you stay here safely."

Guan Yu rode out brandishing the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, mounted upon a fine steed Cao Peng had recently specially procured for him.

Though incomparable to the Red Hare, it was still a supreme masterpiece.

Lord Guan dragged his heavy blade along the ground, creating a continuous trail of sparks and electric flashes.

Reaching Cao Peng's side, he swept his heavy blade horizontally, shielding Cao Peng from the surrounding swarming cavalry.