Chapter 38: Diao Chan! Xiu Er!

  In the dark city of Luoyang, groups of well-trained Western Liang soldiers were patrolling the streets and alleys. The aristocratic families in Luoyang City did not dare to go out at night because of Dong Zhuo's arrival, fearing that they would be discovered by Dong Zhuo's soldiers and labeled as rebels.

  Just then, two black shadows emerged from the residence of Wang Yun in Luoyang. Their agile figures dodged patrolling soldiers as they darted back and forth in a certain direction. If one looked closely, it would be discovered that among the two masked black figures, one was actually holding a weaker woman wearing women's clothing.

  A moment later, two men in black appeared at the gate of a luxurious mansion and jumped in. The vermilion lacquer gate was topped with a black gold silk nanmu plaque, on which were written two large characters "Autumn Mansion", and this mansion turned out to be the one bestowed by Dong Zhuo upon Autumn Water, known as the fierce tiger of Xiliang.

  Bang bang! A light knock at the door echoed in the main hall of the Autumn Manor.

  Qiu Shun stood in the hallway, wearing his armor and waiting quietly for his master to return. Suddenly hearing a knock at the door, he calmly walked over and opened it, seeing Qiu Shui with her mask removed. He exclaimed with joy: "Master, you've finally returned!" and immediately ushered him into the house.

  "Qiu Shun, didn't anyone find out?" Qiu Shui asked seriously as he led Lü Bu and Diao Chan into the house.

  Qiu Shun immediately knelt down on one knee, and with a loud "Hong" sound, he respectfully said: "Since Master left, I have been pretending to be him in the fake hall, drinking with General Lü, without arousing anyone's suspicion."

  After hearing Qiu Shun's words, Qiu Shui let out a sigh of relief and waved his hand to let Qiu Shun retreat. Watching Qiu Shun leave, Qiu Shui was full of admiration in his heart. The B-level side story of the military symbol really wasn't bad, and it could actually summon such a talented general, calm, firm, and with enough command ability.

  When the door closed, Lü Bu's face lit up with joy as he bowed his fist to Qiu Shui and said: "Thank you, brother. If it weren't for you..." Just then, Qiu Shui waved his hand to interrupt Lü Bu's words, feigning anger on his face: "Does Brother Fengxian look down on me?"

  "I don't dare to, I don't dare to." Lü Bu replied respectfully to Qiū Shuǐ.

  "The young woman thanks you, sir." At this time, Diao Chan saw the conversation between the two and knew that their relationship was not shallow, otherwise they would not have done such a thing together.

  "Thank you, madam." Chushui replied politely, looking at the stunning beauty in front of him.

  After the three sat down, Lü Bu and Diao Chan gazed at each other with deep affection, filled with awkwardness, neither of them knew what to say. Autumn Water, in order to avoid the awkwardness, joked: "Sister-in-law, Fengxian brother risked his life for sister-in-law."

  After hearing what Diao Chan said, Diaochan lowered her head in shame and didn't dare to look at Lü Bu again. Lü Bu reached out and touched the back of his head with a silly smile.

  After a moment of contemplation, Qiu Shui asked Diao Chan with a puzzled expression: "Sister-in-law, I've heard rumors that Wang Yun has a daughter or an adopted daughter. Why are you at the Wang Yun's residence?"

  Lü Bu looked puzzled and stared at Diao Chan. After hearing the autumn water's words, Diao Chan's heart was filled with bitterness and she spoke softly: "I was originally a palace maid in the imperial palace, responsible for taking care of my hair. After the Ten Eunuchs killed the great general, the palace was in chaos, and I took advantage of the chaos to escape from the palace. I was taken in by Lord Wang, but later when Dong Zhuo, the governor of Xiliang, came to the capital, Lord Wang wanted to send me to Dong Zhuo to distance him from his generals." After saying this, Diao Chan burst into tears and wept bitterly.

  Bang! Lü Bu slammed his hand on the table, and after hearing Diao Chan's words, he was now filled with rage and couldn't wait to storm into Wang Yun's mansion.

  "Sister-in-law, I often heard my elder brother mention that in our hometown, there was a woman who was childhood friends with my brother. But after seeing you, sister-in-law, he discovered that you resemble the person he has been thinking about day and night!" After saying this, Autumn Water stopped talking, as everyone present was intelligent and would understand what she meant.

  Diao Chan was stunned by Qiu Shui's words, her eyes hopefully gazing at Lü Bu as she trembled and asked: "General, are you from Jiuyuan?" After speaking, she widened her eyes to stare at Lü Bu, wanting to hear the truth from his mouth.

  When she saw Lü Bu nodding, Diao Chan's eyes, veiled with a layer of mist, stared straight at Lü Bu and cried out in astonishment: "Is it you, Abao?"

  Bang! Lü Bu heard this soul-stirring sentence and looked at Diao Chan with red eyes, his face shocked, his mouth open, and a hoarse voice came out: "Is it Xiū ér?"

  "Wow! Abou, why are you just coming now? Do you know how scared Xiuer is?! She's so scared!" Diao Chan heard Lü Bu's call and suddenly threw herself into his arms, pounding on his strong chest and crying her heart out, releasing all the grievances she had accumulated over the years.

  Lü Bu let Diao Chan vent in his arms, without a word, he just held her tightly, as if afraid she would leave again.

  The autumn water also covered, did not think that Diao Chan was actually the girl who was childhood friends with Lü Bu, but after seeing the two people's entanglement, Autumn Water quietly withdrew from the hall, closed the door, and didn't want to disturb this pair of lovers who had been separated for many years.

  Lü Bu, the world's greatest warrior, didn't feel anything at all when Autumn Water left, showing that his heart is now completely focused on Crying Beauty, and he loves her deeply.

  "Ah, thank goodness! After the door was pushed open, Lü Bu saw Qiū Shuǐ waiting outside for a while and awkwardly cupped his hands in gratitude: "Thanks to you, brother, I owe you one today." Afterwards, Lü Bu's heart was filled with emotion as he bowed deeply to Qiū Shuǐ.

  "I'm your elder brother, how can I accept such a grand courtesy from you? I'd be ashamed to receive it!" Autumn Water hastily dodged and avoided Lü Bu's bow, then quickly pulled him up.

  "Let's go to the pavilion and have a brief chat, I'll get someone to prepare some wine and water." After saying that, Autumn Water shouted loudly, and Autumn Shun hurried over after hearing it, instructing the servants to prepare some wine and water.

  Autumn water pulled Lü Bu to a small pavilion in the mansion, and outside the pavilion was an artificial lake with green lotus flowers reflecting the bright moonlight in the sky.

  Qiu Shui saw Lü Bu's restless appearance and smiled slightly: "Brother Fengxian, the sky is already late today. I have ordered someone to take Sister-in-law to rest. You don't need to worry."

  Lü Bu raised his wine cup, toasted towards Qiu Shui and said: "Still, younger brother thought of everything."

  Qiu Shui then went with Lu Bu and others to the Lou Pavilion, where they had a long conversation filled with doubts.

  Originally, during the disaster that year, Diao Xiuer was knocked unconscious by her parents and hidden in a cellar. However, when Diao Xiuer woke up, it was already the second day's dusk. Lü Bu thought Diao Xiuer had been killed along with her family, so he buried everyone and left for the grasslands. The two were separated by only a short distance but ended up being apart for over a decade.

  The two people's fate is really unpredictable, and they didn't expect to meet in Luoyang today.

  Xiangxiu drifted away and wandered in all directions. In the end, for the sake of making a living, she reluctantly entered the imperial palace as a palace maid, only for the sake of making a living.

  After a brief conversation, Lü Bu stood up and cupped his hands: "Now that Dong Gong has not yet trusted me, there are eyes and ears of Dong Zhuo in the army, I hope my brother will take in Diao Chan."

  "After a moment of contemplation, Autumn Water said, 'Brother, you also know that although I have earned the trust of Lord Dong, all under the Western Liang military banner are jealous of my achievements and ostracize me. Now, it can be said that we two are sympathizing with each other's plight.'"

  However, it's still safer for Sister-in-law to stay in my mansion. Once that old scoundrel Wang Yun discovers she's not there after dawn, who knows what kind of trouble might arise!

  Lü Bu's face turned gloomy after hearing this, and the pavilion fell silent. The two of them sank into a state of distress.

  A moment later, Qiu Shui suddenly had an epiphany and said gloomily to Lü Bu: "As the saying goes, a man without poison is not a hero. Since Wang Yun's treacherous heart has not died, then we will thoroughly eliminate the source of trouble."

  Lü Bu was also shocked to hear this, after all Wang Yun was a high-ranking official of the Han Dynasty. If he were to use force directly, it would likely be unfavorable for both of them in the imperial court. One had achieved great merit but was being ostracized by other generals, while the other was a newly surrendered man with 60,000 elite soldiers under his command, which made things difficult as well.

  After seeing Lü Bu's surprise, Qiu Shui was full of confidence, "Brother, go and rest first, don't worry, just watch how I handle things." After saying that, he let the servants prepare a room for Lü Bu to rest, while Lü Bu's room was in the same house as Diao Chan.

  After Qiu Shui left, Bian Rang made Qiu Shun prepare everything and wait for dawn before taking action.

  The next day, the newly born sun had just risen from the east, and its brilliant afterglow spilled over the entire city of Luoyang.

  Just as all the officials in the court were putting on their official robes at home with gloomy faces, a heavy footsteps echoed outside.

  The sound of golden drums and iron horses echoed in Luoyang City, when the people in the city looked out to see what was happening, they found that rows of generals wearing black armor were slowly entering the city.

  The sound of the army's horses entering the city shook all of Luoyang, and Dong Zhuo was also startled awake, shouting: "What is going on? Who has led a large army into the city without my orders?"

  The civil and military officials of the Han Dynasty all hid in their homes, trembling with fear, not knowing what Dong Zhuo would do next, and did not dare to come out.

  Qiu Shui dispatched 2,000 elite troops from the military camp outside Luoyang City and slowly entered Luoyang City.

  "Qiu Wu, go to Dong Gong's mansion to report on military affairs."

  "Qiu Shun, lead the soldiers to King Wang's mansion and surround it tightly. Don't let anyone out, only allow people in. If there is any resistance, kill them without hesitation!"

  Autumn Water rode a crimson hare horse clad in golden armor, his face stern as he commanded the two generals before him. One of the military commanders wore black armor and rode a tall horse, holding a dark long spear with a gleaming tip that sent shivers down one's spine. His face was cold and expressionless as he bowed to obey orders, then galloped towards Dong Zhuo's mansion on his warhorse, truly a formidable tiger general. This was the other reward summoned by the military symbol, Autumn Wu, skilled in cavalry warfare, with combat strength at the peak of the second tier.

  Another general, Qiū Shùn, was also riding a top-notch warhorse from Xī Liáng, wearing black armor and holding a long spear. What caught the eye, however, was the enormous bow on his back, which looked like it couldn't be drawn by anyone without superhuman strength. Moreover, there were quivers of arrows on both sides of the warhorse. Qiū Shùn excelled at infantry archery warfare, especially in defending cities. His martial prowess was among the best of the second-tier, and his archery skills were particularly impressive, with every shot hitting its mark.