When Zhang Liao, Chen Gong, and the others tried to stop Lü Bu, he was already furious to the point of exploding. He kicked Zhang Liao aside, whistled, and his steed, Red Hare, descended from the sky. Lü Bu immediately mounted his horse, ready to kill Zhang Fei right then and there.
"General, do not fall into their trap!" Chen Gong shouted, unleashing a massive amount of spiritual energy, almost as if he were willing to perish together with Lü Bu.
Lü Bu felt a chill run down his spine. At such close range, there was no way to avoid Chen Gong's attack. If Chen Gong were to pour all of his spiritual will into Lü Bu's mind, Chen Gong would surely die, and Lü Bu would not come out unscathed either.
"Are you trying to stop me?" Lü Bu asked through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing with madness. He couldn't believe that his most trusted strategist was not only refusing to help him but was also standing in his way.
"General, this is surely a plot by Guo Fengxiao to provoke you into a rage, driving you to fight Zhang Yide in a duel. If you do that, you'll certainly fall into their ambush!" Chen Gong didn't hesitate to blame Guo Jia for the scheme.
For some reason, Chen Gong sensed a trace of killing intent from Lü Bu, but given the urgent situation, he didn't dwell on it.
"Ridiculous! Who in this world can defeat me?" Lü Bu declared arrogantly, his eyes filled with the overwhelming confidence of someone who believes they can conquer the world.
"General, you may be invincible, but that doesn't mean the enemy will engage you in a fair one-on-one duel," Chen Gong said tactfully, using words from the Spring and Autumn period to calm Lü Bu's anger as much as possible.
"Hmph, even if they try some petty tricks, with Red Hare under me, no one can stop me!" Lü Bu's rage subsided slightly, and out of respect for Chen Gong, Zhang Liao, and Gao Shun, he refrained from charging out.
"General, you indeed can dominate the battlefield, but Liu Xuande's subordinates are fierce warriors. Let's not even talk about Guan Yun Chang and Zhang Yide. Even Zhao Zilong alone could hold you off for a while, and if two more generals assist him, the outcome might not be in your favor," Chen Gong continued to persuade. If Lü Bu charged out now, all of Chen Gong's careful preparations would become a joke. Who would believe the enemy would fight Lü Bu one-on-one?
Though Lü Bu was angry, he still had some basic sense. If Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun really came at him together, it wouldn't just be a matter of winning; even holding his ground would be difficult. Chen Gong's words made Lü Bu pause and consider.
"Thud!" Lü Bu slammed his Sky Piercer halberd into the ground in frustration. A flash of golden light followed as the halberd buried itself into the earth, and the ground around it even began to crystallize from the heat.
Red Hare snorted in dissatisfaction, sensing that the powerful fighting spirit of its rider had dissipated, replaced by a sense of dejection.
"General, please rest tonight. Tomorrow, we will challenge them," Chen Gong said solemnly, a glint of determination in his eyes.
"Fine, I trust you, Gongtai. Tomorrow, I want Zhang Fei's head!" Lü Bu's eyes blazed with fury.
"Very well, I will give you a satisfactory answer tomorrow," Chen Gong replied, locking eyes with Lü Bu.
With a cold snort, Lü Bu stomped on the ground. The Sky Piercer halberd shot back up from the earth, and he grabbed it. With a grim expression, he patted Red Hare, and the horse leaped into the air, creating two fiery rings in the sky before quickly disappearing.
As Zhao Yun's Night Illumination Jade Lion advanced to the level of externalized internal energy, Lü Bu's Red Hare had nearly reached the pinnacle of internal energy itself. Even ordinary warriors at the level of externalized internal energy would struggle against this intelligent horse.
Lü Bu, with a dark expression, returned to his central tent, where his wife, concubines, and daughter awaited him. Unable to vent his anger on the battlefield, he sought other means to dissipate his fury.
"Husband..." Diao Chan greeted him with a gentle bow. "Are you troubled by military affairs again? I've made some chicken soup for you."
Seeing Diao Chan's worried expression, Lü Bu's mood improved slightly. He forced a smile as he took the bowl of soup from her and began to eat.
Diao Chan quietly stood behind Lü Bu, wrapping her arms around his waist. A trace of sadness flickered in her eyes.
"Shall I dance for you?" she whispered, leaning close to his shoulder.
"Go ahead, I'll watch," Lü Bu replied, his tone softening as he embraced her briefly before letting go. His eyes, now calm, watched her with affection.
As Diao Chan danced, Lü Bu once again found himself entranced. Why had he betrayed Dong Zhuo all those years ago? Was it for the greater good? No, it was truly for this woman. Yet, even now, despite the years they had spent together, Diao Chan remained his concubine without an official title, out of respect for his wife, Lady Wei, who had done nothing wrong.
Diao Chan gracefully moved with her feathered fan, lost in thought. She cherished the way Lü Bu looked at her during these moments. The beauty trap, loyalty and filial piety, love and hate—all intertwined in her life.
As she raised her wrist and continued her dance, her mind grew even more peaceful. From the moment she had walked towards Dong Zhuo in the name of loyalty and filial piety, Lü Bu's gaze had shattered her heart. And after Lü Bu had killed Dong Zhuo and rushed to see her with joy in his eyes, she had never been able to forget his expression.
When Lü Bu risked his life to return to Chang'an to save her after his defeat by Li Jue, Diao Chan knew that this man would be her life's companion. He would never betray her, and she was willing to follow him to the end.
When her dance ended, Lü Bu had calmed considerably. Diao Chan's dance had a soothing effect on him, though she was the only one who could see this side of him.
"It seems the general has settled down," Zhang Liao said to Chen Gong, relieved that Lü Bu hadn't stormed out for a reckless duel that would have likely ended in disaster.
"That's good enough for now. Go and reorganize the Camp of the Righteous. You should also temporarily take charge of Wei Xu and Hou Cheng's troops," Chen Gong said with a sigh of relief. He held Zhang Liao in high regard. Unlike Gao Shun, who excelled in special forces, Zhang Liao was the type of general Chen Gong could most effectively utilize.
"Very well," Zhang Liao agreed. "I will take charge of Wei Xu and Hou Cheng's forces for now. As for General Lü, I'll leave it to you to inform him."
"Alright. General Zhang, you've always been one of General Lü's trusted commanders. Please work hard today to integrate Hou Cheng and Wei Xu's forces. We may need them tomorrow," Chen Gong urged, already forming a plan in his mind.
Although Guo Jia excelled in strategy and understanding human nature, commanding troops was not his strong suit. Using this as a starting point, Chen Gong quickly devised a plan. Instead of dragging things out, he aimed to eliminate the enemy's greatest advantage from the outset.
"Tomorrow? We might need them?" Zhang Liao frowned, but seeing Chen Gong's serious expression, he hesitated before saying, "I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee that I'll complete the reorganization in time."
"In that case, General, please do your utmost to integrate Wei Xu and Hou Cheng's remaining forces. Every additional soldier increases our chances of victory," Chen Gong said with a bow, placing even more pressure on Zhang Liao.