Chapter 015: Fierce General (Second Update, Seeking Recommendations and Bookmarks!)
Ding Yuan received Jia Xu very coldly and didn't take this heavenly envoy seriously at all.
He had just obtained Yuan Wei's promise, as long as he was willing to support the Yuan family and listen to their arrangements, Yuan Wei recommended him as the Jinwu. The Jinwu is one of the nine ministers, responsible for the security within the imperial city and outside the palace, which is obviously a very powerful position for Ding Yuan.
Jia Xu was very understanding and didn't even say he came on the orders of the Emperor, just that he came to visit as a friend. Ding Yuan saw this and thought Jia Xu knew it was difficult and retreated, so he waved his hand to indicate for Jia Xu to leave at his convenience, not even wanting to say another polite phrase.
Jia Xu didn't care, and turned to enter Lü Bu's large tent. Unlike Ding Yuan, Lü Bu was not arrogant, and upon seeing Jia Xu, he warmly welcomed him out, joking: "Jia Wenhao, come to be a persuader? Have you eaten the humble pie?"
Jia Yan smiled slightly and shook his head: "No, if it's for myself, there's no need to make a matchmaker, if it's for the emperor, even more so. The emperor recruits talents, one envoy, one edict is enough, do you still need a matchmaker?"
Lü Bu was taken aback, his mouth twitching with embarrassment. He had misspoken and been caught in the act by Jia Xu. Indeed, behind Jia Xu's back was not Dong Zhuo, but the Emperor himself. The Emperor wanted to use him, so what need was there for courtesy? A single envoy and an imperial edict were enough. Although the current situation was unusual, Lü Bu could not deny this fact.
For a family like the Yuans, the Son of Heaven might just be superficially intimidating, but for someone like Lü Bu or even ordinary commoners, the Son of Heaven is indeed the Son of Heaven, and no one can replace him.
Lü Bu said with a scowl: "What is Wen He doing here?"
"It's nothing much." Jia Yu said casually: "His Majesty doesn't know where he heard your great name, Lu Fengxian, and wants to meet you."
"Is that so?" Lü Bu's eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed. Although he would not accept the emperor's summons, the fact that the emperor knew of him made him very happy and gave him great face. He humbly said with insincere modesty: "Lü Bu is just a rustic man from the countryside, with a humble name, how could it have reached the ears of Your Majesty? You must be joking."
"To be honest, I don't know how the Emperor knew either, maybe he just happened to hear it. Jia Xu said with a bit of helplessness: 'Today, the Emperor watched Zhang Fei's martial performance and suddenly had an idea, wanting to see who was more formidable between you and Zhang Fei, so he asked me to come and ask if you're interested in having a match with Zhang Fei.'"
When Lü Bu heard this, the smile on his face suddenly disappeared. He glanced at Jia Xu with a cold smile: "Zhang Liao's archery skills are not bad, but if he wants to compete with me, Lü Bu, he may need to go home and practice for a few more years. Does he dare to challenge me without fearing that he will lose his life in vain?"
"I also advised him like this, but he just defeated Wang Yue and has become a bit arrogant, refusing to listen to advice."
"He defeated Wang Yue?" Lü Bu was startled: "Cavalry battle or infantry battle?"
"He fought on foot. Wang Yue used his sword, he used his spear."
"Impossible!" Lü Bu blurted out, glaring at Jia Xu: "Do you think I'm ignorant? Although I haven't been in Luoyang for long, I know that Wang Yue is the number one swordsman in the capital. Even if I were to face him myself, I wouldn't have much of a chance in close combat. How could Zhang Xiu possibly defeat him?"
"Perhaps... he has recently made great progress in martial arts, or maybe... he wants to make a name for himself in front of Your Majesty?"
Lü Bu's face turned even uglier. Jia Xu's words were laced with hidden meaning. Zhang Liao had defeated Wang Yue to gain fame, and if he challenged him, wouldn't Lü Bu also be seeking fame? Having defeated the number one swordsman in the capital, Wang Yue, in a battle on foot, and then defeating him again on horseback, wouldn't that make him the greatest under heaven?
Daydreaming! Overestimating one's abilities!
"I accept." Lü Bu's anger was uncontrollable, and he said in a cold voice: "I, Lü Bu, will respectfully invite Zhang Liao to instruct me. Whether it's infantry or cavalry battle, let him choose. I'd like to see what extraordinary progress he has made."
"Alright, it's settled then. I'll see you in Luoyang in three days." Jia Xu stood up and walked to the door, but stopped and turned back to ask: "By the way, I haven't congratulated you yet, General. How embarrassing."
Lü Bu was already furious, and upon hearing this inexplicable sentence, he couldn't help but burst out laughing: "What is there for me to congratulate?"
"Yuan's family came to find Ding Xiaowei, and Ding Xiaowei's promotion was an expected thing. Feng Xian is the first brave general under Ding Xiaowei's account, and his reputation has already reached the emperor's ears. Naturally, it's a matter of course that he would rise with the tide, and even chickens and dogs would ascend to heaven. Isn't it worth congratulating?"
Lü Bu's face darkened, and he seemed to want to say something but stopped himself. Jia Xu saw the look in his eyes, but pretended not to notice, bowed slightly, and turned to leave.
Lü Bu sat alone for a moment, then suddenly cursed: "How can this be? I, Lü Bu, am not in his eyes! How detestable!" He smashed his fist on the table. With a loud "crack", the heavy wooden table shattered into several pieces.
……
"Yuan Shu only sent a single bridge guard?" Liu Bei let out a soft sigh, secretly rejoicing at the opportunity. Yuan Shu looked down on Lü Bu and didn't recognize his importance, which was exactly what gave him the chance. "They actually didn't mention Lü Bu?"
Jia Xu smiled and nodded: "In their eyes, there is only Ding Yuan. Lü Bu, though brave, is nothing more than a hawk or dog to them. What's the point of mentioning him?"
Liu Bian let out a sigh: "The eyes of the aristocratic families are indeed not ordinary, are their eyes all grown on top of their heads? Lü Bu, such a fierce general, if he were to guard the borders, would be no less than the Flying General Li Guang. The imperial court's martial arts are not flourishing, and the crimes of the aristocratic families are the greatest."
Jia Xian deeply agreed, but didn't say much more.
"Alright, today's shift is yours, work hard and let Zhang Liao get a good rest, tomorrow we'll be facing Lü Bu."
"Alone!"
"Wen and Fu have a strategy to bring peace to the country, don't waste your own talent." Liu Bian stood up, placing his hand lightly on Jia Xun's shoulder, with an air of natural authority: "Let those aristocratic families see your strength."
"Only!" Jia Yu bowed his head and fell to the ground, not getting up for a long time. He remained prostrate, backed out of the grand hall, turned around, and only then did he quietly wipe away the corners of his eyes with his sleeve. He raised his head and strode away quickly.
Tang Ying watched Jia Xun leave the palace from afar, a hint of abnormality flashing in her eyes. She walked into the grand hall, looking at Liu Bian who was deep in thought, and after making a curtsy, she said softly: "Your Majesty, what did you say to Jia Xun? He looks very excited."
"I just gave him a little hope." Liu Bian looked at Tang Ying, who was holding a white stick about six feet long. "What is this thing?"
"Zhang Jiao's magical weapon, Nine-Section Staff."
Liu Bian hastily took it over, the nine-section staff was as white as jade, warm to the touch, shaped like a bone joint, but without any carving marks. Liu Bian couldn't tell if it was made of jade or something else, he just felt it was very exquisite.
"How does this nine-section staff work?"
Tang Ying turned around and took a volume of books from the maid's hand: "This is the inner chapter of 'Taiping Jing', Zhang Jiao's cultivation method."
