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Yuan Shao surveyed the grand tent, his gaze shifting among the various lords until it suddenly halted behind Gongsun Zan. There stood three individuals, their appearances striking, with an air of cold confidence in their eyes and a hint of a rebellious smirk at the corners of their mouths. Yuan Shao furrowed his brow and asked in a low yet authoritative voice, "Gongsun Governor, who are these three?"
Gongsun Zan smiled slightly and clasped his hands in salute to Yuan Shao. "Among these three, one is my childhood friend. Though he holds the position of Pingyuan Ling, he is a member of the Han Dynasty lineage and renowned throughout the realm. This is Liu Xuande, who has vanquished the Yellow Turbans."
At this revelation, Cao Cao's eyes lit up as he stepped forward, exclaiming, "Could it be that Liu Bei who achieved great merit against the Yellow Turbans?"
Gongsun Zan nodded in affirmation. "Indeed, it is him." He then gently patted Liu Bei on the shoulder and smiled at Yuan Shao. "Not only is he my old acquaintance, but he is also a man of Loyalty and Righteousness. Born in Zhuo County, despite facing numerous setbacks, he remains concerned for the world. When it comes to ability and loyalty, he is far from ordinary."
Yuan Shao pondered for a moment, his gaze scrutinizing Liu Bei from head to toe. A faint smile appeared on his face; although his tone was somewhat indifferent, it could not hide a hint of approval. "Since he is of the Han Dynasty lineage, he must indeed be exceptional. Someone, bring him a seat."
Liu Bei hesitated slightly and stepped back with cupped hands, saying softly, "I am Liu Bei, of humble status; I dare not sit with you lords."
Yuan Shao waved his hand with a hint of arrogance in his voice. "I do not value your official rank or achievements; I respect you because you hail from imperial blood. Sit down; there is no need for excessive courtesy."
Despite Liu Bei's repeated refusals, Yuan Shao would not allow him to say more and ordered that a seat be moved to the end of the table for him. Liu Bei reluctantly accepted and slowly took his seat, unable to hide a trace of suppressed shyness and emotion on his face. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stood on either side of him, their expressions sharp and vigilant as they rested their hands on their swords, standing guard behind Liu Bei.
Suddenly, a scout rushed into the tent, panic etched across his face as he knelt to report. "Hua Xiong leads his cavalry downriver, brandishing a long pole with Governor Sun's Red Cap on it, insulting and challenging us before our camp!"
Yuan Shao's brow furrowed as irritation flickered in his eyes. He coldly asked, "Who dares to fight?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a fierce general stepped forward from behind Yuan Shu and clasped his hands in salute. "I am Yu She; I am willing to slay this rebel for the lords!"
A smile broke across Yuan Shao's face as he nodded approvingly. "Good! General Yu indeed has courage; quickly go forth and achieve merit!"
Yu She responded affirmatively and left swiftly while everyone in the tent held their breath in anticipation. Before long, a messenger galloped back into the tent and knelt down in panic to report, "Yu She engaged Hua Xiong but was slain beneath his horse within three exchanges!" The tent erupted into chaos as everyone reacted in shock.
Governor Han Fu appeared uneasy but forced himself to maintain composure as he slammed his hand on the table and declared, "My General can match thousands; I am willing to take down this rebel leader for the lords!"
Yuan Shao slammed the armrest, his face filled with anticipation as he said, "If General Pan goes out, he will surely boost our army's morale!" He then ordered someone to relay the command for Pan Feng to take the field.
Pan Feng, wielding a massive mountain-cleaving axe, rode out on horseback, exuding confidence and fully equipped. The generals in the tent whispered among themselves, placing high hopes on this General.
However, moments later, a scout rushed in, pale-faced and trembling as he reported, "Pan Feng has not even fought for a moment before being slain by Hua Xiong with a single blow! His body fell from his horse!"
This news struck like thunder in the tent, leaving everyone speechless, their faces reflecting fear and suppressed sighs.
Yuan Shao slammed the table in anger, his face turning red. "It's a pity that my Generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou could not arrive! If either of them were here, how could we fear Hua Xiong's arrogance!"
Just as he spoke, a deep and powerful voice suddenly boomed from below the steps: "I am willing to go and take Hua Xiong's head to present it here!"
The voice was deafening, causing everyone to turn their heads in unison. They saw a man slowly stepping forward. He was towering at nearly nine feet tall, with fiery phoenix eyes and sword-like eyebrows; his face resembled a heavy jujube, and his beard flowed like a long rainbow in the wind, exuding an imposing presence. His voice rang out like a great bell, leaving the crowd speechless.
Yuan Shao frowned slightly and glanced at Guan Yu with curiosity. "Who is this man? How dare he speak so boldly here?"
Seeing the inquiry, Gongsun Zan stood up and clasped his hands in greeting. "This is Liu Xuande's sworn brother, Guan Yu—Guan Yunchung. He played a significant role in defeating the Yellow Turbans."
Yuan Shao's frown deepened as he pressed further, "What position does he hold now?"
Gongsun Zan appeared somewhat awkward but answered truthfully, "He serves as an archer under Liu Xuande and follows orders."
As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over the tent; the atmosphere became tense. Yuan Shu suddenly slammed the table and stood up angrily. "Absurd! A mere archer dares to be so reckless here! Do you think there are no capable men among us lords? How can we allow him to speak such nonsense! Someone, drive this madman out!"
Before he finished speaking, Cao Cao had already risen and stepped into the center of the tent. He clasped his hands toward Yuan Shu with a smile, though his tone was serious. "Lord Yuan Shu, please remain calm. Since this man dares to recommend himself, he must possess extraordinary courage. Why not let him have a try? If he fails, we can hold him accountable; but if he succeeds, wouldn’t that help us diminish Hua Xiong's arrogance?"
Yuan Shao looked coldly at Cao Cao and said, "You have a point, but if one archer goes into battle and is easily slain by Hua Xiong, what face do we have left? Would we not become the laughingstock of the world?"
Cao Cao's lips curled slightly as he turned his gaze to Guan Yu and said softly, "This man has an impressive demeanor and extraordinary presence. How could Hua Xiong know he is merely an archer?"
Upon hearing this, Guan Yu stepped forward, his phoenix eyes slightly raised. He bowed solemnly and spoke with a steady and powerful tone, "If I cannot take Hua Xiong's head, I am willing to offer my own as an apology. There is no need for you all to intervene."
Guan Yu's words were resolute, and his tone carried an undeniable confidence. The crowd fell silent, their eyes shifting towards Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao paused for a moment, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. He regarded Guan Yu as if weighing the truth of his words. Finally, he spoke, "Since you have volunteered for battle, I will grant you this opportunity! But if you fail, do not blame me for acting against kinship!"
Cao Cao ordered someone to heat wine and brought a cup to Guan Yu, smiling as he said, "Yun Chung, this wine is specially prepared for your journey."
Guan Yu accepted the cup but did not drink immediately. Instead, he looked up at Cao Cao and said solemnly, "General, pour the wine first; I will return to drink after I have taken Hua Xiong's head."
His tone was as firm as iron. After speaking, he turned and stepped out of the tent with steady strides, showing no hesitation.
Inside the tent, everyone watched Guan Yu leave. The atmosphere grew tense as many lords exchanged glances filled with both doubt and disdain. Yuan Shu snorted softly and whispered coldly, "A mere archer who doesn't know his own limitations; let's see how he humiliates himself."
Cao Cao raised an eyebrow but did not respond. His gaze remained fixed on Guan Yu's retreating figure, a meaningful smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Outside the tent, Guan Yu approached his horse and effortlessly picked up his long blade. The blade glimmered with a cold light under the moonlight as he gently patted the horse's mane before leaping onto its back, standing tall like a spear. His silhouette merged with the night, resembling an indomitable war god.
The sound of hooves echoed through the night as Guan Yu galloped straight towards Hua Xiong's encampment.
Yuan Shao glanced sideways at Cao Cao and disdainfully remarked, "Cao Gong is overestimating this archer. He may find that by the time the wine cools down, he won't even return."
Cao Cao smiled without saying a word, gently shaking the wine glass in his hand, and the aroma of wine filled the air. He seemed to completely ignore Yuan Shao's sarcasm and just waited quietly for the result. The princes in the tent were immersed in nervous waiting, when they suddenly heard the sound of drums outside the pass, and the shouting and killing sounds were like thunder, shaking the earth. The sound was like a landslide or tsunami, making everyone change color. Yuan Shao frowned and stood up, listening attentively, even his tone was a little hurried: "This shout... does Yun Chung win or lose?" Yuan Shu snorted coldly and said sarcastically: "I'm afraid that the archer has become a ghost under Hua Xiong's knife, what else can we expect?" But Cao Cao leisurely put down the wine glass in his hand, his expression as calm as water, a meaningful smile on the corner of his mouth: "Wait a moment and you will know the result." Just as the words fell, the sound of horse hooves came from afar, as fast as wind and thunder, and in a moment they were outside the tent. The phoenix bell rang softly, the tent door opened, and a man rode in on horseback. He had a red face, a green robe, and long flowing beard. It was Guan Yu. As everyone was shocked, they saw Guan Yu jump off his horse, holding a bloody head in his hand and throwing it on the ground. The head rolled in front of Yuan Shao's tent, it was Hua Xiong! The blood had not yet coagulated, and the princes could not help but gasp. "The enemy general Hua Xiong has been killed." Guan Yu's voice was as loud as a bell, his tone was steady, and his eyes revealed an unquestionable firmness. Everyone was stunned and no one was speechless. The arrogance and contemptuous attitude completely disappeared at this moment. Yuan Shu's face turned pale and blue, and he didn't even dare to look up at Guan Yu anymore. Cao Cao chuckled, stood up, walked forward, clapped his hands and praised: "Yun Chung is brave and invincible, truly extraordinary! This wine is still warm, please have another drink!" Guan Yu nodded slightly, took the wine glass handed to him by Cao Cao himself, and drank it all in one gulp. His steady movements and indifferent expression made everyone feel oppressed, as if killing generals was a common occurrence and not worth mentioning. Yuan Shao suppressed his shock, forced a smile, and turned to look at Cao Cao: "Mengde This man is really a hidden talent. Such a hero is our luck to be allies!"
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