kingnovel Chapter 1181 Zhang Liao Releases Lü Bu Out of Kindness
Chapter 1181 Zhang Liao Releases Lü Bu Out of Kindness
Chen Gong stood on the makeshift earthen mound, watching the figures fleeing in the dust and smoke in the distance, his hands clenched white in his sleeves. Long ago, when Lü Bu insisted on leading his wolf cavalry in a decisive battle against Ma Chao, he knew it was a pointless fight—supplies were exhausted, and more than half of his troops had been lost. The priority now was to preserve the remaining forces, not to act rashly. But he couldn't dissuade his lord, who was blinded by pride. He could only send infantry to provide support while simultaneously ordering the camp to be prepared, fast horses to be ready, and preparing for the worst.
When Lü Bu arrived with fewer than a hundred wolf riders and several hundred remaining soldiers, Chen Gong felt as if a dull knife had sliced through his heart. Of the men who had followed Lü Bu from Bingzhou, only these few remained, each wounded, their armor tattered, and even their Red Hare horse missing. He suppressed his grief and stepped forward, bowing respectfully, saying, “My lord, it is a miracle we escaped. If we return to Xuchang, we can use the Emperor’s name to issue a proclamation to the world, declaring that Ma Chao has acted rashly and rebelled. Then, the other lords will unite to attack him; how long can his mere western Liang withstand such a rebellion?”
Lu Bu clutched his injured right shoulder, his arm so swollen he could barely lift it. His halberd, which had been his companion for many years, was long lost in the chaos of battle. He looked at the remaining soldiers beside him, leaning on their swords and barely able to stand, listening to their heavy breathing. The last vestige of arrogance in his eyes had vanished, leaving only a desolate, lifeless silence. Chen Gong's words were like a pebble thrown into still water, not even causing a ripple. He remained silent, the blood crust at the corner of his mouth trembling slightly in the wind.
Cheng Lian, clutching his thigh pierced by a spear, was about to offer some words of encouragement when he was interrupted by the thunderous roar of hooves. The sound, like thunder rolling across the wasteland, grew ever closer, the billowing dust obscuring the sky. He whirled around, his face instantly turning deathly pale: "My lord! It's bad! Ma Chao's men are catching up!"
The remaining soldiers were already extremely exhausted, and upon hearing this, they panicked. Some collapsed to the ground, while others trembled as they leaned on their weapons, their eyes filled with despair—they were already exhausted and barely had the strength to lift their swords. How could they possibly resist the pursuers?
Lu Bu abruptly looked up, a resolute glint in his eyes. He shook off Chen Gong's support, drew his longsword from his waist with his uninjured left arm, the blade gleaming coldly in the setting sun. "Gongtai," his voice was hoarse, as if sanded, "I regret not heeding your good advice, which has led to this predicament." He turned to Cheng Lian, "You escort the strategist first, I'll cover the rear."
With bloodshot eyes, Cheng Lian pushed Chen Gong onto his warhorse, then drew his longsword and lashed it hard across Red Hare's rump. Red Hare, in pain, bolted several meters away. Lu Bu, on horseback, shouted in alarm and fury, "Cheng Lian! You bastard!"
"My lord, run!" Cheng Lian turned and swung his sword, the blade cleaving through the oncoming wind. "Men of Bingzhou, if you're a man, stand with me! Fight your way through the enemy lines!"
The less than one hundred Bingzhou wolf cavalry behind them roared in unison, their hoarse voices sending shivers down one's spine. The exhausted remnants of the army also gripped their weapons tightly and charged forward with limping legs—they might not be able to defeat the Xiliang iron cavalry, but they were determined to burn out their last bit of fighting spirit in this desperate situation.
Zhang Liao led his Xiliang cavalry in like a tidal wave, their iron hooves shaking the earth. Cheng Lian drew his sword to meet them, sparks flying as their blades clashed. His old wound on his shoulder reopened, blood instantly soaking through his armor, yet he still stood firmly in front of the pursuers.
"kill!"
The wolf riders formed a small formation, like rocks facing the waves. The dull thud of blades slicing into flesh, the sharp clang of weapons clashing, and the dying howls mingled together, exploding across the open field. Cheng Lian, risking a blow from Zhang Liao, retaliated by piercing the throat of a Xiliang cavalryman. Blood splattered on his face, but he grinned ferociously: "My lord, run—!"
In less than ten rounds, Cheng Lian's sword was knocked away by Zhang Liao. As his broadsword came down, he glanced one last time in the direction where Lü Bu had gone, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
The remaining soldiers fell one by one like crushed pebbles, but they managed to delay the inevitable for almost half an hour.
Lu Bu, atop Red Hare, looked back. The sounds of battle on the open field gradually subsided, leaving only the shouts of the Xiliang cavalry: "Capture Lu Bu alive!" He gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles turning white. Red Hare seemed to understand its master's grief, and galloped away, leaving the blood and shouts behind it further and further away.
The remnants of the army fled desperately across the open field, pursued relentlessly by Zhang Liao's iron cavalry like leeches. Chen Gong's mount, already exhausted from the journey, was now far behind Red Hare, barely managing to keep up with Lü Bu's shadow. One by one, the infantrymen around him fell behind, caught up by Zhang Liao's cavalry, their screams rising and falling before quickly fading into silence.
As they ran, Chen Gong's mount suddenly buckled in its forelegs, let out a mournful whinny, and collapsed heavily to the ground. Chen Gong was thrown violently, landing on the ground with a sweet taste in his throat. He struggled to get up, only to find his right leg pinned down by the horse's body, rendering him unable to move.
Lu Bu reined in his Red Hare, turned around and saw this scene, a struggle flashing in his eyes. He dismounted and was about to help Chen Gong when the sound of hooves behind him exploded like thunder—Zhang Liao's iron cavalry had caught up to within a hundred paces, the dust they raised almost engulfing the two of them.
"My lord, run!" Chen Gong shoved Lü Bu, his voice urgent. "Only by staying alive can you avenge yourself! Don't worry about me!"
Lü Bu didn't move. He watched the Xiliang cavalry approach step by step, then looked at Chen Gong, who was pinned down by the horse. Suddenly, he bent down, intending to move the dead horse. However, his right arm was injured, and the strength of his left arm was ultimately limited. The dead horse didn't budge, and instead, it wasted time.
"Lu Bu! Where do you think you're going!" Zhang Liao's roar pierced through the dust. He took the lead, his broadsword pointing directly at Lu Bu. The Xiliang cavalry behind him quickly dispersed, forming a semicircle that surrounded the two of them.
Red Hare pawed restlessly, snorting, but Lü Bu held the reins firmly. Chen Gong, seeing the approaching cavalry, knew there was no escape and said to Lü Bu with a wry smile, "My lord, this time... we really can't leave."
Lu Bu straightened up, looked at Zhang Liao and the others, then looked down at Chen Gong, and suddenly laughed, his laughter tinged with a sense of desolation: "Gongtai, I, Lu Bu, have wandered for half my life. It is because of you that I have been able to recuperate and expand my territory. Today, let us die together."
Zhang Liao reined in his horse, looked at the two men surrounded in the center, and did not immediately order an attack.
Zhang Liao gazed at Lü Bu's white hair at his temples and the deep, bone-revealing wound on his shoulder, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. Back in Luoyang, this man, clad in a robe adorned with a hundred flowers, wielding a halberd, and riding the Red Hare, was so full of vigor and spirit. Now, however, he was disheveled, his armor tattered, like an old wolf trapped in a desperate situation.
"Wen Yuan," Lü Bu's voice was hoarse but tinged with self-mockery, his longsword trembling slightly in his hand, "You say I'm unrighteous? Back then, you and Gao Shun left me and joined Dong Zhuo, claiming it was for the sake of righteousness. But have you forgotten who led you out of Wuyuan County, who shielded you from arrows at Yanmen Pass?"
He raised his hand and swept it over the Xiliang cavalry that surrounded him, his gaze suddenly sharpening: "Dong Zhuo has acted against the natural order, and I took his life. Isn't that righteous? I led my brothers to join Yuan Shao's alliance, and I've become a traitor? You are all devoted to following Ma Chao and risking your lives, but I am fighting for the Emperor of Han!"
“If I truly disregarded the lives of my brothers,” Lü Bu suddenly raised his voice, making Zhang Liao’s ears ring, “why would Cao Xing have shielded me from a bullet? Why would Hao Meng have covered my retreat? And why would Cheng Lian have risked his life to protect my escape?” He used his uninjured left arm to put his arm around Chen Gong, half-supporting and half-carrying him to stand up straight. “Gongtai, tell me, am I, Lü Bu, not a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”
Chen Gong coughed up blood, looked at Zhang Liao, and said in a weak but clear voice: "My lord may have made mistakes, but he has never failed the Han Dynasty."
Lu Bu laughed, his laughter tinged with blood and foam, yet it carried a newfound strength: "Wen Yuan, look, even Gongtai believes me. All I did back then was to ensure that the brothers who followed me could live, to live with dignity! Bingzhou is bitterly cold. They followed me not for some vague sense of morality, but simply to have enough to eat, warm clothes, and a proper burial plot when they died!"
Zhang Liao's expression of reluctance grew even stronger, which Chen Gong noticed.
Lu Bu suddenly held his long sword across his neck: "I, Lu Bu, have roamed the world, slaying traitors and protecting my brothers. Though I have suffered defeats, I have never knelt! I dare say that I have never betrayed the Han Dynasty in my life. Today I am in your hands, but death is the only outcome. I will never surrender!"
Chen Gong gripped Lü Bu's wrist tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his voice filled with tearing pain: "General Wen Yuan! Although I have only served under our lord for a short time, I have personally heard him cry out your name when he was drunk! He said 'I was wrong,' he said 'It's a pity,' he said that if he had taken a step back back then, we wouldn't have had to part ways!"
He caught his breath, supporting Lü Bu's swaying body, his gaze fixed intently on Zhang Liao: "Some time ago, when we besieged Hulao Pass, our lord said, 'Wen Yuan is indeed a military genius,' and that if we captured the pass, he would definitely invite you back with the honors due to a national hero! Has he ever forgotten the days when you guarded the border together, drank from the Yellow River, and rode your horses to fight the enemy? Are you really going to erase all that chivalry over wine, all that tacit understanding amidst the flashing swords?"
Lu Bu trembled, his gaze towards Zhang Liao swirling with complex emotions—shock, shame, and a hint of disbelief mixed with warmth. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
Zhang Liao's raised hand froze in mid-air, his fingertips trembling violently, his teeth grinding together. Chen Gong's words were like a key, suddenly unlocking his long-sealed memories—the snow at the border, the wine in the tent, the sword under the moon, and the way Lü Bu had patted him on the shoulder with a smile, saying, "Wen Yuan, we must protect this world together." Those images rushed out, striking his heart with a sharp pain.
"Can you bear to watch him die in front of you?" Chen Gong's voice rang out again, tinged with sobs. "Xiliang is powerful, and we are already at our last gasp. What will you gain by killing him? You will only sever a past relationship and leave behind a lifetime of regret!"
Zhang Liao abruptly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were brimming with tears. His waving gesture was resolute, but his voice choked with emotion: "Scatter! Let them go!"
"General!" the Xiliang cavalry exclaimed, only to be met with a sharp glare from Zhang Liao.
"I said, let them go!" Zhang Liao roared, tears finally streaming down his face. "If the King blames me, I'll take the blame! Whether they live or die is none of your business!"
Seeing the tears in their general's eyes, seeing his reddened gaze, the soldiers silently dispersed, making way for him. Sunlight fell on that road, like a layer of scattered gold.
Lu Bu stared at Zhang Liao's retreating figure, which stood ramrod straight but trembled slightly. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he simply clasped his hands in a deep fist salute in Zhang Liao's direction.