Chapter 042: A Forced Fruit Quenches the Thirst

Lü Bu suffered a grievous wound, and his troops, under the onslaught led by Cao Peng, immediately fell into disarray. Cao Peng had no interest in these ragtag soldiers, leaving Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei to mop up the remnants while he himself made straight for Lü Lingqi.

Despite her fine steed, Lü Lingqi could not escape under the deliberate encirclement of so many men. Cao Peng led his forces to surround her, but ordered his men not to attack; he wanted to take a good look at this beautiful maiden himself.

Lü Lingqi pointed her halberd at Cao Peng, her lovely face cold as frost. "So many men bullying a single woman—what sort of skill is that? If you have any courage, face me one-on-one!"

She herself was surprised by the casual challenge, yet Cao Peng nodded in agreement and approached her with a solemn air. "Your words are reasonable, maiden. Allow me to test your abilities!"

Cao Peng drew a long blade, one specially commissioned by Cao Cao in Xuchang, forged of the finest black steel and sharp beyond compare.

"If you’re so eager for death, you have only yourself to blame!" Lü Lingqi cried, charging with her halberd. Her movements were swift and agile.

She wielded a halberd technique designed by Lü Bu especially for her—not a style of brute force, but one of speed and precision.

Cao Peng met her with his blade. The arc of his weapon blurred into illusions—it was his Eight Wilds Sabre Technique.

Though the Eight Wilds Sabre Technique was simple in form, it was exceedingly practical in the chaos of battle. The first time he sparred with Dian Wei, his greatest failing was his lack of experience against real opponents.

Afterward, he pestered Dian Wei for countless practice bouts, and with the experience gained in recent battles, he had gleaned some of the subtlety in swordplay.

Lü Lingqi’s rapid attacks were suppressed; he always managed, through sudden shifts and striking from unexpected angles, to force her on the defensive.

Yet as time went on, his repertoire of moves was limited, and once they became predictable, Lü Lingqi regained the advantage, pressing him back with relentless force.

Cao Peng several times found himself in peril; Dian Wei watched, heart pounding, convinced that Lü Lingqi’s prowess far exceeded Cao Peng’s.

He grew anxious, and Cheng Yu was even more so. “Captain Dian, intervene! If this continues, and Cao Peng is harmed, how will we answer to our lord?”

Dian Wei gritted his teeth, deciding he could no longer allow Cao Peng to continue this reckless behavior.

Lü Lingqi was focusing intently on her duel with Cao Peng when suddenly the whistle of a weapon cut through the air beside her ear. With no time to look, her instincts guided the halberd in defense.

But Dian Wei’s overwhelming strength was enough to drive even Lü Bu back; how could she hope to withstand it?

Her halberd was knocked aside, and Lü Lingqi was sent flying, weapon torn from her grasp, powerless. She closed her eyes, resigned to death.

But the pain she expected did not arrive. She fell hard, only to find Cao Peng, mounted on his steed, blocking her from harm.

Cao Peng broke into a cold sweat, for Dian Wei’s halberd hovered at the tip of his nose.

“Young general, what are you doing? You know blades have no eyes—if you’d slipped, you’d be dead already!”

Dian Wei was blunt and forthright, genuinely baffled by Cao Peng’s reckless conduct.

Cao Peng patted his shoulder. “All right, all right—I admit it was my mistake.”

Then he ordered, “Take this woman into custody!”

Lü Lingqi, now dismounted and surrounded by cavalrymen armed with lances, had no choice but to surrender.

Back at the camp, as he pondered how best to communicate with Lü Lingqi, a soldier arrived to report:

“General, the lord has arrived!”

“Very well, I’ll go at once,” Cao Peng replied.

He hadn’t expected old Cao to appear—wasn’t this interfering with his pursuit of romance?

“Treat this young woman well. Make sure she’s given proper food and drink—do not neglect her in the slightest!” he instructed before leaving.

...

“I hear you’ve got some skill, boy!” the elder greeted him. “You’ve captured Lü Bu’s beautiful daughter—well, how was it? Have you tasted the prize yet?”

Cao Peng flushed with embarrassment; he wasn’t nearly so shameless. Old Cao was a seasoned veteran, and his words were as direct as a speeding chariot.

“You jest, uncle...”

As for how to deal with Lü Lingqi, Cao Peng had considered it. Now that she was in his grasp, if he wished to force matters, he could. Forced fruit may not be sweet, but it quenches thirst, and as for affection, that could be cultivated with time.

Amused by his own thoughts, he chuckled, prompting Cao Cao to smack him lightly.

Pulled from his reverie, Cao Peng quickly adopted a serious demeanor and asked, “Let’s discuss business. Uncle, what brings you here?”

“It’s about Liu Bei. I can’t quite see through the man. I want to know—is he truly a paragon of virtue, or merely a hypocrite?”