diymy Chapter 57 Since she wanted to repay the debt of gratitude, she might as well take her as a concubin
Chapter 57 Since she wanted to repay the debt of gratitude, she might as well take her as a concubin
"Anyway, you won't live much longer, so telling you the truth won't hurt. I'll let you die knowing the truth and have no regrets."
"The person you keep asking about is Gu Cheng!" Cao Ang said the name clearly, emphasizing each word.
Chen Gong's expression changed abruptly, and he suddenly demanded sharply, "Are you talking about Gu Cheng, that unknown guy from a poor family in Xuchang?"
"It is this person."
"The conquest of Xiaopei, the slaying of Guan Yu, and the complete annihilation of Lu Bu's most elite Bingzhou cavalry—all these earth-shattering events were orchestrated by that so-called nobody you mentioned!" Cao Ang decided to stop hiding his true intentions and recounted all of Gu Cheng's illustrious military achievements.
Chen Gong felt dizzy and staggered back several steps. He froze on the spot, his face filled with disbelief and shock.
"Let me tell you more: the pacification of Zhang Xiu, the defeat of Liu Biao, and the execution of the false emperor Yuan Shu—all of these were accomplished thanks to Gu Cheng's planning and strategizing behind my father's back!"
Cao Ang's words were like a thunderclap in Chen Gong's ears. His eyes widened so much they almost bulged out, and his gaze was filled with incredulous horror.
"It turns out that the mysterious and unpredictable person behind Cao Cao really did exist."
"How could there be such a person in this world, so full of wisdom and so ingenious in planning? How could it be..." Chen Gong muttered to himself, as if he had lost his soul, completely lost and in a state of deep confusion and despair.
Cao Ang merely smiled coldly, waved his hand, and shouted sternly, "The entire army returns to camp. Escort this man back and hand him over to Father for judgment!"
The merchant ship numbered "560" immediately turned around and sped toward the high ground to the northwest.
Inside the main tent of the central army commander in Cao Cao's camp.
"Master Sikong, who exactly is this Young Master Liheng that the eldest son mentioned? Could he be the mysterious and extraordinary person that has been rumored to be around?"
Unable to contain his curiosity, Cao Ren spoke first.
The other generals in the tent were also full of questions, and they all turned their gazes to Cao Cao, waiting for his answers.
Cao Cao merely stroked his beard and smiled slightly, saying, "This is a secret of heaven, not to be easily revealed. You should wait patiently for now; when the time is right, you will naturally learn his identity."
The more mysterious he acted, the stronger the curiosity in the hearts of the generals became, and they all began to speculate in their own minds.
Only Guo Jia and Dian Wei already knew the inside story. They exchanged a smile but said nothing more.
Cao Cao immediately waved his hand and said solemnly, "All of you, be on your guard! As soon as the flood recedes, launch a general offensive and capture Chen Gong alive!"
Upon hearing this, the generals were all invigorated, eager to fight and ready to charge into battle immediately.
Just at this time.
The tent flap was lifted from the outside, and Cao Ang, his face filled with barely concealed excitement, strode in and bowed to Cao Cao in greeting.
"Zixiu?"
Cao Cao frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "Why aren't you protecting the person who needs your protection? What are you doing here?"
Cao Ang bowed respectfully and said, "Father, please rest assured, he is perfectly fine. I have come today to present you with a special gift!"
A grand gift?
A hint of surprise flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, and a look of curiosity appeared on his face.
The generals in the tent were also intrigued and looked at Cao Ang with curiosity.
Cao Ang clapped his hands and shouted, "Drag that guy in here and present him to Father!"
The tent flap was lifted again, and two burly guards dragged Chen Gong, who was soaking wet and looked like a drowned rat, into the tent and threw him heavily in front of Cao Cao.
"Chen Gong!"
Cao Cao recognized him at a glance, and a surprised smile instantly appeared on his face.
The generals in the tent were all taken aback, and they all showed expressions of disbelief.
"Father, that young master had long anticipated that Chen Gong would take advantage of the floodwaters before they receded and our army's defenses were relaxed, and abandon the city and flee overnight."
"Without consulting Father, I took it upon myself to moor the boat on the water outside the west gate of Xiapi, and sure enough, I caught Chen Gong red-handed. I specially escorted him back to present him to Father!"
Cao Ang recounted the whole story to Cao Cao.
"I see!"
"It must be Li Heng again; he saw through Chen Gong's tricks."
"My good son-in-law, if it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have let this treacherous villain slip through my nose again!"
Cao Cao understood the implied meaning in Cao Ang's words and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Guo Jia, who was standing to the side, immediately recognized who Cao Ang was referring to as "that young master".
He couldn't help but secretly admire him: "Although I expected Chen Gong to escape before the floodwaters receded, I didn't expect him to be so bold. The Si River just breached its banks today, and he dared to risk fleeing. It seems that in terms of anticipating the enemy's moves, I am indeed no match for Young Master Liheng."
In the center of the large tent.
Chen Gong had already gotten up from the ground, straightened his disheveled clothes, and stood tall and proud, facing Cao Cao.
Cao Cao looked at his old friend and said with a cold smile, "Chen Gongtai, it has been several years since we parted ways in Yanzhou. We have finally met again."
Chen Gong snorted coldly, still maintaining his arrogant demeanor, and said, "Cao Cao, don't be too smug. I, Chen Gong, wasn't defeated by you, but by the mysterious person behind you, and by fate!"
A strange light flashed in Cao Cao's eyes.
From his tone, it was clear that he had already guessed that the person who had been advising Cao Cao was Gu Cheng.
"If that's the case, doesn't that just prove that I, Cao Cao, am the one destined by Heaven!"
"As the saying goes, the will of Heaven cannot be defied. Why don't you, Chen Gongtai, submit to the will of Heaven and surrender to me once again?"
Cao Cao actually wanted to persuade Chen Gong to surrender.
Upon hearing this, all the generals in the tent were greatly surprised.
It's worth noting that it was Chen Gong who betrayed Cao Cao in Yanzhou, leading Lü Bu into the city and seizing Yanzhou, almost driving Cao Cao to the brink of despair.
Cao Cao actually wanted to recruit such a treacherous person!
"My brother-in-law was right. Father truly cherishes talent. Even those who betrayed him in the past, he can put aside his hatred and want to recruit them for his own use."
Cao Ang, standing to the side, watched this unfold and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
after awhile.
Cao Ang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Father, do you know the true purpose of Chen Gong's treacherous plan to breach the Si River?"
"Wasn't it because Lü Bu wanted to die with me that I adopted his treacherous plan?" Cao Cao retorted.
"How could Lü Bu have such audacity!" Cao Ang pointed at Chen Gong, his tone serious. "This was all a treacherous scheme from beginning to end. He wanted to use this vicious plan to kill both Lü Bu and you, Father!"
Cao Cao's expression changed drastically, and he was greatly shocked.
Therefore, Cao Ang told Cao Cao all the conspiracies and schemes about Chen Gong that Song Xian had previously told him.
Upon hearing this, all the generals of Cao Cao's army in the tent gasped in shock, staring intently at Chen Gong with disdain and anger.
Exposed in public, Chen Gong's face turned ashen, but he could only pretend to be calm and nonchalant.
Cao Cao was also shocked and could hardly believe that Chen Gong could do such a despicable and shameless thing.
"That young master said long ago that Chen Gong and Lü Bu were cut from the same cloth!"
"If Father spares his life, he will turn on you sooner or later!" Cao Ang said sternly, his eyes flashing with cold killing intent.
The last vestige of appreciation Cao Cao had for Chen Gong was completely shattered by Cao Ang's words.
"Luckily, Liheng reminded me, otherwise I would have been foolish enough to raise a tiger that would have become a threat, and I would have surely repeated the mistakes of Lü Bu in the future..."
Cao Cao felt a cold sweat break out on his back and secretly rejoiced.
When he looked up at Chen Gong again, his eyes were filled with nothing but contempt and intense killing intent...
"Chen Gong, you fickle, treacherous villain, how can I allow you to live in this world!"
Cao Cao angrily rebuked him, then waved his hand and shouted, "Guards, drag this traitor away and behead him as a warning to others!"
At the command, the Tiger Guards on both sides immediately rushed forward aggressively, intending to drag Chen Gong away.
Chen Gong's expression changed drastically, and his arrogant and conceited demeanor vanished without a trace.
He originally thought he understood Cao Cao's character well, knowing that Cao Cao always cherished talent, and that even if he had betrayed him before, Cao Cao would surely persuade him to surrender because he valued his talent.
Unexpectedly, Cao Cao changed his mind after just a few words from Cao Ang and actually decided to kill him.
"Could it be that Gu Cheng taught Cao Ang to say those things again?"
"Gu Cheng! Gu Cheng! I, Chen Gong, am a renowned scholar, yet you, a mere weeping brat, have driven me step by step to my doom!"
"Heaven is so unfair! Since it gave birth to me, Chen Gong, why did it also have to give birth to that Gu Cheng!"
Chen Gong was filled with grief and despair, and felt a surge of blood rushing to his head.
Suddenly, he let out a piercing scream and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Cao Cao remained expressionless and unmoved.
"Cao Cao, you cruel and treacherous villain! Even if you gain that brat's assistance, you will never seize the world!"
"Today you killed me, Chen Gong, but one day you will surely die at the hands of Yuan Shao! I, Chen Gong, will be waiting for you on the road to the underworld! Hahaha—"
Chen Gong continued to vomit blood while laughing maniacally.
Dian Wei was furious and swung his iron fist, punching him hard in the face.
Chen Gong let out a muffled groan, immediately stunned and disoriented by the beating, his face bruised and swollen, unable to utter any more frantic shouts, and could only let the guards drag him away.
Cao Cao let out a long breath and laughed loudly, "Issue my order: do everything in our power to seal the breach in the Si River! Tomorrow at this time, I will celebrate this victory with my troops in Xiapi!"
A cheer erupted from inside the tent, the soldiers were filled with excitement and high morale.
In the northwest of Xiapi City, there is a quiet manor.
Lu Lingqi slowly opened her eyes, and after a moment of confusion, she suddenly sat up in bed.
She looked around and found herself lying in an elegantly decorated boudoir.
Looking down again, she saw that her armor was gone, and someone had dressed her in a woman's dress.
The scenes that had happened flashed through her mind, and she remembered everything in an instant.
The pain of losing her father surged into her heart instantly, and she felt a pang of sorrow, tears streaming down her face involuntarily.
"I am Lü Bu's daughter, how can I be like those ordinary women, only knowing how to cry and whine!"
"Lü Lingqi, you must pull yourself together! You must kill that traitor Chen Gong and avenge your father!"
Lu Lingqi took a few deep breaths, trying to suppress the grief and sadness in her heart, and her emotions gradually calmed down.
She slowly pushed open the door, and the first thing she saw was Gu Cheng's figure.
At this moment, Gu Cheng was sitting leisurely at the stone table in the courtyard, intently peeling a fragrant pear.
And the tool he used to peel the pear was none other than the mighty halberd that shook the world!
"Hmm, I didn't expect this halberd to be so sharp. It's quite handy for peeling pears..." Gu Cheng muttered to himself as he peeled the pear, completely unaware that Lu Lingqi behind him was staring at him in disbelief, completely dumbfounded.
"You...you actually used my father's halberd to peel a pear?" Lu Lingqi suddenly came to her senses, gasped, and asked incredulously.
"You're awake." Gu Cheng heard the noise behind him, looked up, and saw Lü Lingqi standing in the courtyard.
Having grown accustomed to seeing her in military uniform, looking so dashing and heroic, Gu Cheng felt somewhat unaccustomed to seeing her suddenly dressed in women's clothing.
However, he had to admit that Lü Bu's daughter was indeed a rare beauty.
Lu Lingqi strode forward, still staring at him with surprise, and asked, "Are you really using a halberd to peel a pear?"
Gu Cheng nodded and said, "I was just thinking of eating a pear, and I saw this one was right next to me, so I thought I'd use it. You don't mind, do you?"
"That's a halberd!" Lü Lingqi snatched the halberd from his hand and said excitedly, "My father used this halberd to fight invincible throughout the land, and he killed countless heroes!"
"Oh." Gu Cheng's face remained expressionless, and he simply smiled slightly, "Miss Lü, rest assured, of course I know that this halberd has been stained with blood, so I have already disinfected it, and it is very clean and hygienic."
Lu Lingqi was completely confused, only then realizing that what Gu Cheng cared about was not the same thing as what she cared about at all.
"The young lady is awake."
Hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Gao Shun hurried over and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Lü Lingqi was safe and sound.
He quickly said, "Miss, you fainted on the boat just now. Thanks to Young Master Gu for taking such good care of you and for being willing to take us in."
Lu Lingqi's body trembled slightly, and the resentment she felt for Gu Cheng's "desecration" of the Fangtian Halberd instantly vanished.
"Thank you so much, Young Master Gu." Lu Lingqi blushed slightly, lowered her head, and whispered her thanks.
Gu Cheng didn't seem to care, and just smiled faintly.
"General Gao, let's go!" Lü Lingqi gripped the halberd tightly in her hand, the blush on her face vanishing instantly, replaced by a burning rage of revenge.
Gao Shun was slightly startled and quickly asked, "Miss, where are we going?"
"We'll storm into Xiapi, kill that traitor Chen Gong, and avenge my father!" Lü Lingqi said through gritted teeth.
Gao Shun frowned and advised, "Miss, please calm down. How can the two of us possibly break through Xiapi City? Going there rashly is tantamount to walking into a trap and throwing our lives away."
"Even if it means my death, I'll go!" Lu Lingqi said bitterly, her eyes blazing with rage. "That despicable and shameless traitor Chen Gong used insidious means to kill my father. I can't quell my hatred until I kill him!"
Gao Shun sighed, knowing that her mind was made up, so he stopped trying to stop her.
When the two of them were about to leave, Gu Cheng didn't stop them, but just ate the pear in his hand.
Lü Lingqi turned to look at Gu Cheng, then solemnly bowed and said, "I, Lü Lingqi, will never forget Brother Gu's life-saving grace. If I am able to return from Xiapi alive, I will definitely repay Brother Gu properly in the future."
After saying that, Lü Lingqi did not hesitate any longer, turned around, picked up her halberd, and was about to leave.
Just at this time.
Zhou Taixing rushed in, cupped his hands, and said, "Liheng, General Wei just sent someone to inform you that he used the strategy you taught him to capture Chen Gong alive and hand him over to Cao Cao, achieving a great feat!"
Upon hearing this...
Lu Lingqi and Gao Shun both shuddered and stopped abruptly, turning around to look at Zhou Tai in surprise.
"It seems our General Wei is about to be promoted again." Gu Cheng sighed with a smile, then asked, "What about Chen Gong? Will Cao Mengde fall into his old habit of overvaluing talent and recruit him?"
"Young Master, you are truly a prophet!" Zhou Tai gave a thumbs up and said, "Cao Cao originally did want to persuade Chen Gong to surrender, but after that Wei general used the words you taught him, Cao Cao actually changed his mind and directly ordered Chen Gong to be executed!"
Gu Cheng simply gave a faint "Oh," without showing the slightest surprise on his face.
Cao Cao was Cao Cao after all. Since he could listen to advice and kill Guan Yu, what was so strange about him killing the fickle Chen Gong?
"Oh dear, I forgot to remind General Wei. If he lets something slip and exposes me to Cao Cao, it'll be troublesome. I guess I'd better find a place to hide right away..."
Gu Cheng muttered to himself that the things he cared about were completely different from those of others.
Lu Lingqi and Gao Shun, who were standing to the side, changed their expressions drastically, their faces filled with shock.
The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief, as if they thought they had misheard.
"Brother Zhou, what exactly did you mean just now? Explain yourself!" Lu Lingqi stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Tai's arm excitedly, and asked urgently.
Seeing how agitated she was, Zhou Tai had no choice but to explain the whole story to her in detail again.
Lu Lingqi suddenly realized what was happening. She looked at Gu Cheng with a complex and shocked expression, and for a moment she was speechless.
Gao Shun also recalled the scene on the ship at that time, and suddenly remembered.
"Young Miss, I remember now! After you fainted that day, Young Master Gu did say that Chen Gong would definitely escape through the West Gate that night, and even sent that General Cao there to intercept and kill him, so as to achieve a great feat!"
"So it really is Young Master Gu who avenged Miss's father's death!" Gao Shun said excitedly to her.
Lu Lingqi jolted awake from her daze.
The look in her eyes when she looked at Gu Cheng again was filled with shock, but even more so with endless gratitude.
She bit her lip, then suddenly bent her knees and knelt down in front of Gu Cheng with a thud.
A hint of surprise flashed in Gu Cheng's eyes.
The woman before me is the daughter of Lü Bu, the greatest warrior in the land. She is proud and arrogant and never bows her head to anyone.
Now, she had actually put aside all her pride and knelt before him, which was indeed somewhat unexpected for Gu Cheng.
"Brother Gu, thank you so much for avenging my father's death. Please accept Lingqi's bow!"
Her face flushed, her eyes filled with gratitude, and she bowed deeply to Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng said calmly, "Miss Lü, there's no need for that. It's as if I'm doing this specifically to avenge you. General Wei is my friend; I'm just giving him a favor."
"Whether Brother Gu did it intentionally or unintentionally, Chen Gong did die because of Brother Gu. I must remember this great favor by Brother Gu."
"I, Lü Lingqi, have never wronged anyone in my life. Brother Gu, if you ever need anything, just say the word. I will do anything for you, even if it means going through fire and water!"
Lü Lingqi was very determined to repay Gu Cheng's kindness.
Gao Shun also bowed respectfully and said with great enthusiasm, "I, Gao Shun, am the same. Brother Gu, please feel free to give me any orders in the future!"
Gu Cheng said somewhat helplessly, "I have neither a shortage of money nor a shortage of beautiful women, nor do I have any enemies to kill. I really can't think of anything that I absolutely need you to do. You're really putting me in a difficult position..."
He tapped his forehead lightly with his finger, looking quite troubled.
Zhou Tai couldn't help but laugh and said, "Liheng, this Miss Lü is quite a beauty. Since she wants to repay you so much, why don't you just let her repay you with her body and become your concubine?"
Gu Cheng was taken aback, and an embarrassed expression appeared on his face.
Lu Lingqi's face instantly turned bright red. She was both ashamed and angry, and glared fiercely at Zhou Tai.
She was about to reprimand him, but the words stuck in her throat and she swallowed them back.
"As I just said, I'll do whatever he asks of me without hesitation. If he really listens to this man surnamed Zhou and wants to take me as a concubine, how can I possibly go back on my word?"
Lu Lingqi bit her lip gently, feeling both shy and embarrassed, unsure of what to do.
"My brother here just likes to joke, don't take it seriously." Gu Cheng chuckled, then said, "I haven't thought of anything I need you to do yet. How about this, when I do, you can go through fire and water for me."
Lu Lingqi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
But for some reason, a vague sense of loss swept through her heart.
She composed herself and then said, "In that case, Brother Gu, if you ever need my permission, just send someone to inform me. Lingqi will do anything in return, even at the cost of her life!"
After saying this, Lü Lingqi picked up her halberd, bid farewell to Gu Cheng, and left.
Gao Shun also bowed and took his leave, following behind Lü Lingqi.
"That's easy for you to say, but where am I supposed to find you then? Are you planning to move to Xuchang and become my neighbor?"
Gu Cheng shook his head and sighed.
The moment she stepped out of the Gu family mansion, Lü Lingqi let out a long breath.
Looking at the mountains, rivers, lakes and seas before her, she couldn't help but feel as if she had been transported to another world.
"Young Miss, Marquis Wen is gone, and our Lü family army has been completely wiped out. Where should we go now?" Gao Shun asked with a somber expression.
Lu Lingqi pondered for a moment, then sighed and said, "Zhang Yang, the prefect of Hanoi, has some connections with my father. The world is vast, so we can only go to Hanoi and rely on Zhang Yang."
"Well, it seems that's the only way."
The two mounted their horses, spurred them on, and galloped away.
As she walked away, Lü Lingqi couldn't help but look back, muttering to herself, "Gu Cheng, Gu Cheng, will we ever meet again...?"
A thousand miles away, in the capital city of Yi.
Gongsun Zan's painstakingly built Yijing City over many years was finally captured by Yuan Shao's army.
With nowhere else to turn, Gongsun Zan set fire to his own city tower, and a great general perished.
Yuan Shao climbed the ruins of the city tower, which had been destroyed by war, and looked far to the north, as if the entire Youzhou province was under his feet.
"Congratulations, Lord Yuan, on capturing Yijing! All the provinces of Youzhou will surely surrender at your mere sight. The four provinces of Hebei will now belong to you, Lord Yuan," Liu Bei said with a beaming smile, bowing and flattering him.
Yuan Shao wore a smug smile, but countered with, "Xuande, Gongsun Zan was your classmate and close friend. Now that he's fallen to such a state, aren't you even a little sad?"
This question left Liu Bei extremely embarrassed, and he didn't know how to answer it for a moment.
Yuan Shao then laughed heartily and said, "I was just joking, Xuande, you don't need to take it to heart."
Liu Bei finally breathed a sigh of relief and quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
after awhile.
Liu Bei bowed again and said solemnly, "Lord Yuan has now unified Hebei, while that traitor Cao is still locked in a stalemate with Lü Bu in Xuzhou. If we don't seize this opportunity to march south and take Xuchang, when will we ever get another chance?"
Yuan Shao's body trembled slightly, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
"My lord, Cao Cao is bogged down in Xuzhou and can't get away. Now is the perfect opportunity for us to take Xuchang!" Guo Tu quickly seized the opportunity to speak.
Other advisors, such as Feng Ji and Xin Pi, also urged Yuan Shao to lead his troops south.
Yuan Shao stroked his long beard, a murderous glint gradually rising in his eyes.
Just at this time.
The second son, Yuan Xi, hurriedly climbed the city wall, cupped his hands, and said, "Father, urgent military news has arrived from the south: Lü Bu is dead, and Cao Cao has captured Xiapi!"
An uproar erupted on the city wall.